Door apparatus

• US 7,210,731 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Act Corporation (Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company Limited
• Inventors: Ichinose, Mikio, Yoneyama, Fumihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US11/396,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20060175868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 296/155, 493/24, 493/60
• US Class Current: 296/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/646 allowing or involving a secondary movement of the wing, e.g. rotational or transversal
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/689 specially adapted for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/21 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/224 Stops
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/246 by motors, magnets, springs or weights
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/462 Electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/654 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/664 Drums
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/354 End positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/51 of position, of back drive
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/514 of speed
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/53 Wing impact prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/532 Emergency braking
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/59 Travel display
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/814 Sound emitters, e.g. speakers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/822 Light emitters, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/11 : Manual wing operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/252 : the elements functioning only in case of emergency
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/254 : the elements not functioning in case of emergency
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 : Doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 : Windows

Abstract

A door apparatus includes a door having a hole and configured to be slidable with respect to a vehicle body, a member configured to open and close the hole, a first detector configured to detect a position of the member relative to the hole to determine an openness of the hole, a second detector configured to detect a position of the door relative to the body, and a unit configured to be activated to project from one to another of the body and the door, so as to abut on the another such that the door is stopped from sliding in an opening direction, when the openness is greater than a threshold, and the position is between a full-closed position and a midway position.

Claims

1. A sliding door apparatus comprising:

a sliding door having a window hole and configured to be slidable with respect to a vehicle body;

an opening/closing member configured to open and close the window hole;

a window hole openness detector configured to detect a position of the opening/closing member relative to the window hole so as to determine an openness of the window hole;

a door position detector configured to detect a position of the sliding door relative to the vehicle body; and

a slide restricting unit configured to be activated to project from one to another one of the vehicle body and the sliding door, so as to abut on the another one such that the sliding door is stopped from sliding in a direction toward which the sliding door is opened relatively to the vehicle body, when

the openness determined by the window hole openness detector is greater than a threshold, and

the position of the sliding door is detected to be between a full-closed position and a midway position.

2. A sliding door apparatus comprising:

a sliding door configured to be slidable with respect to a vehicle body;

a door speed detector configured to detect a speed of the sliding door at least when the sliding door slides in a direction toward which the sliding door is opened; and

a braking unit configured to brake down the sliding door when the speed detected is greater than a threshold, further comprising;

a door position detector configured to detect a position of the sliding door relative to the vehicle body; and

a slide restricting unit configured to be activated to project from one to another one of the vehicle body and the sliding door, so as to abut on the another one such that the sliding door is stopped from sliding in a direction toward which the sliding door is opened relatively to the vehicle body, when the sliding door is located between a full-closed position and a midway position,

wherein the braking unit is configured to brake down the sliding door after the slide restricting unit is activated but before the sliding door is stopped from sliding by the slide restricting unit.