Rear-center-mounted power door actuator

• US 5,906,071 A
• Filed: 08/11/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Automotive Electrical Systems, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Automotive Electrical Systems, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buchanan, Harry C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pike, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/908,126
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 49/209, 49/210, 49/213, 49/214, 49/215, 49/280, 49/360, 296/146.4, 296/155
• US Class Current: 49/360
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/21 with means preventing or detecting pinching of objects or body parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/22 by movement of the striker
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/638 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/232 by automatically acting means
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/688 Rollers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/336 of the angular type
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/458 in or on a transmission member
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/11 Manual wing operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 43/16 with clutching members having interengaging parts

Abstract

A power drive moves a movable closure along a fixed path between an open and a closed position with respect to a portal defining a passage through a barrier. The power drive system is adapted for a sliding door mounted on at least one side of a vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle. The system includes a reversible motor operable when actuated to selectively drive the door in opening or closing movement. A bracket is connected to the door for movement with respect to a guide connected to the side wall of the vehicle. The bracket is guided within the guide along a fixed path between the opened and closed positions of the door. An elongated drive member is connected to the bracket at one end for driving the bracket along the fixed path. The elongated drive member is slidably disposed within the guide. A translator mechanism operably engages with the drive member for powering movement of the drive member and connected bracket with respect to the guide along the fixed path. The translator mechanism can include a rotatable hub, operably engageable with the drive member, a gear transmission for driving the hub, and a clutch mechanism for connecting the motor to the transmission. The translator mechanism preferably has sufficient power to pull the sliding door into a primary latch position with respect to the corresponding portions of a latch mechanism attached to the door and frame defining the door opening.

Claims

1. In a power drive system for a sliding door mounted on at least one side of a vehicle for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle along a fixed nonlinear path between an open position and a closed position with respect to a frame defining a door opening, said system including reversible power drive means operable when actuated to selectively drive said door in opening or closing movement, said sliding door being operably engageable with first and second guide tracks generally extending along first and second opposite edges respectively of said sliding door, and latch means for holding the sliding door in the closed position, the latch means including a fork bolt and a striker engageable with one another in a secondary latch position wherein said fork bolt and said striker are partially engaged and a primary latch position wherein said fork bolt and said striker are fully engaged, the improvement to the power drive system comprising:

a bracket operably connected to said sliding door adjacent a rear edge generally midway between said first and second opposite edges of said sliding door;

guide means connected to said vehicle generally midway between said first and second opposite edges, and operably engaging said bracket for guiding said sliding door along said fixed nonlinear path between said open and closed positions of said sliding door;

elongated means slidably disposed within said guide means and connected to said bracket for driving said sliding door along said fixed nonlinear path, said elongated means having first and second longitudinal ends spaced apart from one another, the first end of said elongated means being connectible to said bracket for pulling said sliding door from said open position to said closed position and for pushing said sliding door from said closed position to said open position; and

translator means operably engageable with said elongated means for powering movement of said elongated means with respect to said guide means along said fixed nonlinear path, said translator means being disposed adjacent an edge of said frame defining said door opening generally midway between said first and second guide tracks.

2. The power drive system of claim 1 wherein:

said translator means further pulls said sliding door in translating movement extending transversely inboard with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle until said fork bolt and said striker pass through said secondary latch position to said primary latch position.

3. The power drive system of claim 1 wherein said translator means comprises:

gear means for translating rotary motion into linear motion of said elongated means along the guide means in either direction to impart said opening and closing movement to said sliding door;

reversible drive means for providing said rotary motion in either rotational direction; and

clutch means, disposed between said drive means and said gear means, for accommodating said sliding movement of said sliding door along said fixed nonlinear path.

4. The power drive system of claim 3 wherein said clutch means is moveable between a disengaged position to accommodate manual movement of said sliding door and an engaged position to accommodate powered movement of the sliding door between said open position and said closed position.

5. The power drive system of claim 3 further comprising:

position sensing means, responsive to rotary movement of said clutch means, for transmitting a signal representative of a location of said sliding door during said sliding movement of said sliding door along said fixed nonlinear path.

6. The power drive system of claim 5 wherein said position sensing means comprises:

a magnet disposed on said clutch means for rotation therewith as said sliding door moves along said fixed nonlinear path; and

a magnet sensor sensing the magnet as the clutch means rotates during said sliding movement of the sliding door.

7. The power drive system of claim 1 wherein said translator means comprises:

a rotatable hub having engaging protrusions on an external surface and a plurality of first gear teeth formed on an internal surface, said hub having a first axis and connecting to a first shaft by bearings for rotation about said first axis;

at least one intermediate gear including a reduced diameter portion supporting a plurality of second gear teeth on an external periphery thereof in intermeshing engagement with said plurality of first gear teeth, and an enlarged diameter portion having a plurality of third gear teeth supported on an external periphery thereof; and

a pinion having a plurality of fourth gear teeth formed on an external periphery thereof in intermeshing engagement with said plurality of third gear teeth.

8. The power drive system of claim 7 wherein:

each intermediate gear is rotatable about an axis of rotation generally parallel to and offset from said first axis; and

said pinion has an axis of rotation coaxial with said first axis.

9. The power drive system of claim 7 comprising:

at least two said intermediate gears having rotational axes in a common plane and on diametrically opposite sides of said first axis.

10. The power drive system of claim 1 wherein said latch means further comprises:

said fork bolt connected to one of said sliding door and said frame;

said striker engageable with said fork bolt when in said primary latch position and said secondary latch position, said fork bolt and said striker being for moving said sliding door to a fully closed and sealed position when said fork bolt and said striker are in said primary latch position, one of said fork bolt and said striker being moveable with respect to said sliding door between said secondary latch position and said primary latch position; and

means for moving said one of said fork bolt and said striker when in said primary latch position to engage said sliding door with a seal strip extending substantially around said door opening, such that said sliding door moves in translating movement extending transversely inboard with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle sufficiently along said fixed nonlinear path between an unsealed position and a sealed position to compress said seal strip between said sliding door and said frame.

11. The power drive system of claim 1 wherein said translator means comprises:

said translator means further for pulling said sliding door in translating movement extending transversely inboard with respect to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle until said fork bolt and said striker pass through said secondary latch position to said primary latch position;

reversible drive means for providing rotary motion in either rotational direction;

gear means for converting said rotary motion of said reversible drive means into linear motion of said elongated means along said guide means in either direction to impart said opening and closing movement to said sliding door, said gear means including a rotatable hub having engaging protrusions on an external surface and a plurality of first gear teeth formed on an internal surface, said hub having a first axis and connecting to a first shaft by bearings for rotation about said first axis, each one of at least two intermediate gears including a reduced diameter portion supporting a plurality of second gear teeth on an external periphery thereof in intermeshing engagement with said plurality of first gear teeth, and an enlarged diameter portion having a plurality of third gear teeth supported on an external periphery thereof, each intermediate gear being rotatable about an axis of rotation generally parallel to and offset from said first axis, and a pinion having a plurality of fourth gear teeth formed on an external periphery thereof in intermeshing engagement with said plurality of third gear teeth, said pinion having an axis of rotation coaxial with said first axis;

clutch means, disposed between said drive means and said gear means, for accommodating said sliding movement of said sliding door along said fixed nonlinear path; and

position sensing means, responsive to rotary movement of said clutch means, for transmitting a signal representative of a location of said sliding door during said sliding movement of said sliding door along said fixed nonlinear path, said position sensing means including a magnet disposed on said clutch means for rotation therewith as said sliding door is moved along said fixed nonlinear path, and a magnet sensor sensing the magnet as said clutch means rotates during said sliding movement of the sliding door.