Initially opening device for vehicle sliding door

• US 5,921,612 A
• Filed: 07/30/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Mizuki, Tetsuro, Watanabe, Mitsuhiro, Nakajima, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/903,358
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 296/155, 292/341.16, 292/DIG. 23, 49/360, 49/279, 49/280
• US Class Current: 296/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/12 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/265 hand actuated, e.g. by a lever at the edge of the door
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/20 for assisting final closing or for initiating opening
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/25 Actuators mounted separately from the lock and controlling the lock functions through mechanical connections
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/40 for sliding doors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/699 Motor controlled

Abstract

An initially opening device for a vehicle sliding door comprises an output member rotated by a motor, a winch lever rotated from a stand-by position to an initial-open position, a connecting lever for connecting the output member to the winch lever, a press member provided in the sliding door and connected to the winch lever, a ratchet lever connected to a latch unit provided at rear portion of the door for engaging a striker fixed to a vehicle body, and a contact surface formed in the ratchet lever and brought into contact with the winch lever for rotating the ratchet lever when the winch lever is rotated toward the initial-open position. The press member is brought into contact with the vehicle body to move the rear portion of the sliding door in an initial opening direction when the winch lever is displaced from the stand-by position to the initial-open position.

Claims

1. An initially opening device in a vehicle sliding door slidably attached to a vehicle body and having a latch unit at a rear portion of the sliding door engageable with a striker fixed to the vehicle body, said device comprising:

an electric motor provided within the sliding door;

a winch lever rotated by the motor from a stand-by position to an initial-open position; and

a press member provided in the sliding door and connected to the winch lever by way of a wire cable and displaceable from a stand-by position to an initial-open position due to movement of the winch lever;

wherein said press member is brought into contact with the vehicle body to move the rear portion of the sliding door in an initial opening direction when the press member is displaced from the stand-by position to the initial-open position;

said device further comprising a ratchet lever connected to the latch unit for releasing engagement between the latch unit and the striker when rotated, and a contact surface formed in the ratchet lever and brought into contact with the winch lever for rotating the ratchet lever when the winch lever is rotated toward the initial-open position.

2. The initially opening device according to claim 1, wherein said press member is provided at the rear portion of the sliding door.

3. The initially opening device according to claim 2, wherein said press member is provided at a lower portion of the sliding door.

4. The initially opening device according to claim 1, wherein said ratchet lever releases the latch unit from the striker before the movement of the press member toward the initial-open position is completed.

5. An initially opening device for a vehicle sliding door slidably attached to a vehicle body and having a latch unit at a rear portion of the sliding door for being engaged with a striker fixed to the vehicle body, said device comprising:

an electric motor provided within the sliding door;

a winch lever rotated by the motor from a stand-by position to an initial-open position; and

a press member provided in the sliding door and connected to the winch lever by way of a wire cable and displaceable from a stand-by position to an initial-open position due to movement of the winch lever;

wherein said press member is brought into contact with the vehicle body to move the rear portion of the sliding door in an initial opening direction when the press member is displaced from the stand-by position to the initial-open position;

said device further comprising a switch for detecting operation of an outer open handle of the sliding door, wherein said motor is actuated by a detection signal from the switch.

9. The initially opening device according to claim 5, wherein said press member is provided at the rear portion of the sliding door.

10. The initially opening device according to claim 9, wherein said press member is provided at a lower portion of the sliding door.

6. An initially opening device for a vehicle sliding door slidably attached to a vehicle body and having a latch unit at a rear portion of the sliding door for being engaged with a striker fixed to the vehicle body, said device comprising:

an electric motor provided within the sliding door;

a winch lever rotated by the motor from a stand-by position to an initial-open position; and

a press member provided in the sliding door and connected to the winch lever by way of a wire cable and displaceable from a stand-by position to an initial-open position due to movement of the winch lever;

wherein said press member is brought into contact with the vehicle body to move the rear portion of the sliding door in an initial opening direction when the press member is displaced from the stand-by position to the initial-open position;

said device further comprising an output member rotated by the motor, and a connecting lever provided between the output member and the winch lever and displaceable between a connecting position for connecting the output member to the winch lever and a disconnecting position for disconnecting the output member from the winch lever.

7. The initially opening device according to claim 6, further comprising a cancelling lever connected to an outer open handle of the sliding door and displacing the connecting lever from the connecting position to the disconnecting position when rotated, and a return spring for biasing the winch lever toward the stand-by position, wherein said winch lever returns to the stand-by position by resilient force of the return spring when the connecting lever is displaced into the disconnecting position by the rotation of the cancelling lever.

8. The initially opening device according to claim 6, further comprising an immovable cam surface brought into contact with the connecting lever to displace the connecting lever from the connecting position to the disconnecting position when the winch lever is rotated to the initial-open position, and a return spring for biasing the winch lever toward the stand-by position, wherein said winch lever returns to the stand-by position by resilient force of the return spring when the connecting lever is displaced into the disconnecting position.

11. The initially opening device according to claim 6, wherein said press member is provided at the rear portion of the sliding door.

12. The initially opening device according to claim 11, wherein said press member is provided at a lower portion of the sliding door.