Device for opening and closing a sliding door, in particular for vehicles

• US 6,216,393 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apprich Secur 2000 GmbH
• Original Assignee: Apprich Secur 2000 GmbH
• Inventors: Apprich, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US09/194,138
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 492/09, 492/10, 492/11, 492/12, 492/16, 492/21, 492/23, 492/25, 493/60, 492/79, 492/80, 492/81
• US Class Current: 49/212
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/41 Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque E05F15/48 takes precedence; Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/638 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/22 Locks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/244 by manual operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/722 Racks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

The invention relates to a device provided with a driving unit (1) which performs the shift and has a linear drive (8,12) provided with an electric motor (5), and a guide device (9,11). The driven member, formed to be linear, of the linear drive (12) and a member of the guide device (9) are fastened on one hand to the door (3), and the driving member of the linear drive (5,7,8) and the other member of the guide device (11) are fastened on the other hand to a mounting (6) which is supported by way of a support arrangement (22, 23, 24, 25, 26) connected to the wall(4). Said support arrangement converts a movement of the mounting substantially perpendicular to the wall into a swinging movement. A locking unit driven by an electric motor is also provided which locks and unlocks the sliding door by performing a movement perpendicular to the wall when it is positioned to close the opening. Control means which has position switches controls the driving and locking unit.

Claims

1. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door (3), in particular for vehicles, which closes an opening in a wall and is arranged displaceably substantially parallel to the wall in at least one longitudinal guide provided on the wall, having a running unit (1) which carries out the displacement movement and which possesses a linear drive (8, 12) provided with an electric motor (5) and a guide device (9, 11), wherein the linearly constructed driven member of the linear drive (12) and a member of the guide device (9) are fastened on the one hand to the door (3) and the driving member of the linear drive (5, 7, 8) as well as the other member of the guide device (11) on the other hand are fastened to a mounting (6) which is supported via a support arrangement (22, 23, 24, 25, 26) connected to the wall, having a locking unit (2) driven by an electric motor (20) which locks and unlocks the sliding door (3) in its position closing the opening while performing a movement perpendicular to the wall and having a control which encompasses position switches and controls the running (1) and locking unit (2), wherein the support arrangement (22, 23, 24, 25, 26) possesses at least one pivot lever (24) connected on the one hand to the mounting (6) and on the other hand to a bearing (23, 25) connected to the wall, each mounted in articulated manner, which converts a movement of the mounting (6) substantially perpendicular to the wall into a pivot movement.

2. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the locking unit (2) possesses a linearly displaceable locking member (35, 21) and a catch member (36, 15) coming into engagement with the locking member, wherein said members (35, 36, 15, 21) are constructed so that engagement or disengagement of said members initiates a movement of the door perpendicular to the wall.

3. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 2, wherein the surface of the locking member (35, 21) or of the catch member (35, 15) is of sloping construction.

4. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive with electric motor and the guide device as well as the mounting of the running unit are arranged to form a unit capable of preassembly on a preferably trough-shaped part which is connected to the door.

5. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive possesses a toothed rack (12) connected to the door (3) and a pinion (8) driven by the electric motor (5) fastened to the mounting (6) and the guide device possesses a linear guide rail (9) and a running carriage gripping around the linear guide rail at least in part.

6. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the pivot lever of the support device is constructed as a connecting rod (15) arranged displaceably in a guide bush (17), wherein the guide bush (17) is mounted rotatably or pivotably on the bearing (19).

7. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, the pivot lever is constructed as a rod (24) which is fastened on the one hand, preferably via a ball-and-socket joint (25), to the bearing (26) and on the other hand, preferably via a ball-and-socket joint (23) to a further lever (22) rigidly connected to the mounting (6).

8. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is constructed at least in part as a toothed rack (34, 51) which can be driven by a pinion (33, 52) connected to the electric motor.

9. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 6, wherein the connecting rod (15) simultaneously forms the catch member of the locking unit (2), wherein the locking member possesses a sloping surface which slides along on the circumference of the connecting rod (15).

10. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 8, wherein the toothed rack (51) of the locking unit (2) is arranged on the door adjacent to the toothed rack (12) of the running unit in such a way that only one electric motor with pinion (52) is provided for the running unit (1) and for the locking unit (2) and the pinion (52) successively engages first with one toothed rack and then with the other toothed rack.

11. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 1, wherein a crushing safeguard device (40) is connected to the control device which on application of a predetermined force on the door (3) in opposition to the displacement movement switches off the electric motor of the running unit (1).

12. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 11, wherein the bearing (26, 19) of the pivot lever (24, 15, 14) is mounted displaceably against a defined, variably adjustable pretensioning force and that a switching device connected to the control device is provided which, depending on the displacement path, issues a signal for triggering the electric motor.

13. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 12, wherein the pretensioning force is supplied by a spring (46) arranged in the displacement path of the bearing.

14. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 12, wherein at the beginning and at the end of the displacement movement of the sliding door (3) from the open position into the closed position the switching device (25, 26) is put out of operation.

15. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 11, wherein the pivot lever (24) is designed in such a way (70) that it is extended or shortened under a defined, variably adjustable pretensioning force and that a switching device connected to the control device is provided which, depending on the change in length, issues a signal for triggering the electric motor.

16. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 15, wherein the pretensioning force is supplied by a spring (72) integrated in the pivot lever.

17. A device in combination with an opening and closing sliding door according to claim 11, wherein a crushing safeguard device (40) is connected to the control device which on application of a predetermined force on the door (3) in opposition to the displacement movement switches the direction of rotation of the electric motor.