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Hinged and sliding door assembly for vehicles

  • US 6,161,336 A
  • Filed: 06/10/1999
  • Issued: 12/19/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A hinged and sliding door assembly for a vehicle comprising:

  • (a) a door surround defining an opening, said door surround having an upper edge and a lower edge;

    (b) a door configured for mating with said door surround; and

    (c) a hinge-and-slide mechanism for supporting, and defining movement of, said door relative to said surround, said hinge-and-slide mechanism including;

    (i) an intermediate element substantially spanning between said upper and said lower edges of said surround,(ii) a hinge structure connecting between said intermediate element and said door, said hinge structure defining an axis of rotation about which said door rotates relative to said intermediate element, and(iii) a slide mechanism associated with said intermediate element and with both said upper edge and said lower edge of said surround, said slide mechanism being configured to define a slide path of said intermediate element relative to said surround in such a manner that said intermediate element can slide along said slide path but is prevented from rotating relative to said slide path about an axis parallel to said axis of rotation of said hinge structure, said slide mechanism being further configured to support said intermediate element such that said axis of said hinge structure maintains a substantially constant orientation relative to said surround, thereby supporting said door,wherein said door, said surround and said hinge-and-slide mechanism are configured such that said door assumes a closed position in which abutment of said door to said surround prevents sliding of said intermediate element relative to said surround, and a clearance position, rotated about said axis relative to said closed position, in which at least a part of said door clears said surround in a manner to allow sliding of said intermediate element, and hence of said door, to an open position substantially displaced from said opening.

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