Sliding door closed loop cable closure system with balanced cable tension and varying diameter pulleys

• US 5,316,365 A
• Filed: 01/25/1993
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Strattec Power Access LLC (Strattec Security Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Kuhlman, Howard W., Joyner, Jeffrey K.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/008,817
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 296/155, 296/146 A, 49/216, 49/360
• US Class Current: 296/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/646 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/216 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/47 Springs; Spring tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/618 Transmission ratio variation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/654 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/664 Drums
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/13 by motors, magnets, springs, weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/20 characterised by the movement transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/33 Stepwise motion
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/21 of identical elements, e.g. of identical compression springs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

The van (10) has a sliding door (14) mounted on rollers (22, 24 and 30) that are supported by and slidable in tracks (16, 18 and 20). An opening and closing module (50) is mounted inside the van adjacent to the center track (18). A front cable (74) is attached to the front cable drive pulley (144), and extends from the pulley through a front cable roller guide assembly (54) and is attached to the hinge and roller assembly (26). A rear cable (100) is attached to the rear cable drive pulley (136) and extends from the pulley through a rear cable roller guide assembly (56) and is attached to the hinge and roller assembly (26). The front and rear cable drive pulleys (136 and 144) each have a large diameter spiral cable groove (164), a small diameter cable groove (208) and a transition cable groove 210. A motor (126) rotates the front and rear cable drive pulleys to move the sliding door. The small diameter cable grooves (208) drive the sliding door (14) when the door is in the forward portion of the tracks. The large diameter spiral cable grooves (164) drive the sliding door when the door is in the center and rear portions of the tracks. Fixed idler rollers (226 and 254) guide the front and rear cables (74 and 100) to and from the cable drive pulleys (136 and 144).

Claims

1. A sliding door opening and closing system for a vehicle including a vehicle frame;

at least one sliding door track mounted on the vehicle frame;

a sliding door supported by the sliding door track and moveable along the sliding door track between a closed position and an open position; and

a closed loop cable closure system mounted on the vehicle frame and including a cable drive with a front cable drive pulley having a large diameter cable groove and a small diameter cable groove mounted on the vehicle frame for rotation about an axis, a rear cable drive pulley having a large diameter cable groove and a small diameter cable groove mounted on the vehicle frame for rotation about an axis, a motor that drives the front and rear cable drive pulleys in one direction to open the sliding door and in another direction to close the sliding door, a front cable that extends from the front cable drive pulley to the sliding door, a rear cable that extends from the rear cable drive pulley to the sliding door, a fixed idler roller mounted on the vehicle frame and spaced from the front cable drive pulley, a spring biased roller mounted on the frame between the front cable drive pulley and the fixed idler roller and spring biased into contact with the front cable to apply tension to the front cable and wherein the fixed idler roller and the spring biased roller are mounted in positions which provide a cable tension when the front cable is driven by the large diameter cable groove that is substantially equal to the cable tension when the front cable is driven by the small diameter cable groove.

2. A sliding door opening and closing system for a vehicle including a vehicle frame;

at least one track mounted on the vehicle frame;

a sliding door supported by the track and movable along the track between a closed position and an open position; and

a closed loop cable closure system mounted on the vehicle frame and including a cable drive with a front cable drive pulley having a large diameter cable groove and a small diameter cable groove mounted on the vehicle frame for rotation about an axis, a rear cable drive pulley having a large diameter cable groove and a small diameter cable groove mounted on the vehicle frame for rotation about an axis, a motor that drives the front and rear cable drive pulleys in one direction to open the sliding door and in another direction to close the sliding door, a front cable that extends from the front cable drive pulley to the sliding door, a rear cable that extends from the rear cable drive pulley to the sliding door, a fixed idler roller mounted on the vehicle frame and spaced from the rear cable drive pulley, a spring biased roller mounted on the frame between the rear cable drive pulley and the fixed idler roller and spring biased into contact with the rear cable to apply tension to the rear cable and wherein the fixed idler roller and the spring biased roller are mounted in positions which provide a cable tension when the rear cable is driven by the large diameter cable groove that is substantially equal to the cable tension when the rear cable is driven by the small diameter cable groove.

3. A sliding door opening and closing system for a vehicle including a vehicle frame;

sliding door tracks attached to the vehicle frame;

a sliding door supported by the sliding tracks and guided by the sliding door tracks between a closed position and a fully open position; and

a closed loop cable closure system mounted on the vehicle frame and including a cable drive with a front cable drive pulley having a large diameter cable groove and small diameter cable groove mounted on the vehicle frame for rotation about an axis, a rear cable drive pulley having a large diameter cable groove and a small diameter cable groove mounted on the vehicle frame for rotation about an axis, a motor that drives the front and rear cable drive pulleys in one direction to open the sliding door and in another direction to close the sliding door, a front cable that extends from the front cable drive pulley to the sliding door and is driven by the small diameter cable groove on the front cable drive pulley when the sliding door is in the forward portion of the sliding door track and is driven by the large diameter cable groove on the front cable drive pulley when the sliding door is in the rear portion of the sliding door track, a rear cable that extends from the rear cable drive pulley to the sliding door and is driven by the small diameter cable groove on the rear cable drive pulley when the sliding door is in the forward portion of the sliding door track and is driven by the large diameter cable groove on the rear cable drive pulley when the sliding door is in the rear portion of the sliding door track, a first fixed idler roller mounted on the vehicle frame and spaced from the front cable drive pulley, a first spring biased roller mounted on the frame between the front cable drive pulley and the first fixed idler roller and spring biased into contact with the front cable and wherein the first fixed idler roller and the first spring biased roller are mounted in positions which provide a cable tension when the front cable is driven by the large diameter cable groove on the front cable drive pulley that is substantially equal to the cable tension when the front cable is driven by the small diameter cable groove on the front cable drive pulley, and a second fixed idler roller mounted on the vehicle frame and spaced from the rear cable drive pulley, a second spring biased roller mounted on the frame between the rear cable drive pulley and the second fixed idler roller and spring biased into contact with the rear cable and wherein the second fixed idler roller and the second spring biased roller are mounted in positions which provide cable tension when the rear cable is driven by the large diameter cable groove on the rear cable drive pulley that is substantially equal to the cable tension when the rear cable is driven by the small diameter cable groove on the rear cable drive pulley.