Vehicle dual hinge rear door articulating and sliding system

• US 7,950,719 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Elliott, Adrian N. A., Johnson, Justin T., Falenski, Jason, Blust, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTMAN, HILARY L
• Application Number:
  US11/948,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20090072583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.11, 296/146.12, 296/146.4, 296/155, 163/62, 163/64, 162/30, 162/31, 491/76, 492/46, 492/50, 492/54, 492/09, 492/16, 492/18
• US Class Current: 296/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0479 without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/06 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/1081 specially adapted for vehicles E05D15/1068 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/516 for trucks or trailers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism including an articulating hinge assembly having a hinge arm pivotally mounted to a vehicle C-pillar at one end thereof, and a vehicle rear door pivotally and slidably mounted to the hinge arm at an opposite end of the hinge arm. A guide track may be mounted to the rear door, and a slide block may be pivotally mounted to the hinge arm and slidably attached to the guide track. The hinge arm may be disposed at first and second angular positions relative to the guide track when the rear door is respectively disposed in closed and opened positions, and the slide block may be disposed at first and second positions along a length of the guide track when the rear door is respectively disposed in the closed and opened positions, to thus provide articulating and sliding movement of the rear door.

Claims

1. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism comprising:

at least one articulating hinge assembly including;

at least one hinge arm pivotally mounted to a vehicle C-pillar at one end thereof;

a vehicle rear door pivotally and slidably mounted to said hinge arm at an opposite end of said hinge arm;

at least one door mounted guide track mounted to the vehicle rear door; and

at least one slide block pivotally mounted to said hinge arm and slidably attached to said door mounted guide track; and

a guide assembly including at least one of a vehicle roof mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track and a guide arm mounted to the vehicle rear door and having a follower slidable relative to said at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track for facilitating guided movement of the vehicle rear door,

wherein said hinge arm is disposed at first and second angular positions relative to said door mounted guide track when the vehicle rear door is respectively disposed in closed and opened positions, and said slide block is disposed at first and second positions along a length of said door mounted guide track when the vehicle rear door is respectively disposed in the closed and opened positions, whereby, said vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism provides articulating movement of the vehicle rear door, independent of a vehicle front door, during initial opening thereof and further provides sliding movement of the vehicle rear door relative to the vehicle body during continued opening thereof, wherein said slide block is pivotally mounted to said opposite end of said hinge arm, and wherein the at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track angles outward such that rotation of the hinge arm and movement of the guide arm in the at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track causes the rear door to rotate outward about one end and move further into a position parallel to the body of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a surface of said hinge arm is contiguously engageable with a surface of said slide block to limit pivotal movement of said hinge arm relative to said slide block.

3. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a vehicle roof mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track comprises a vehicle, roof mounted guide track.

4. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of a vehicle floor mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track comprises a vehicle floor mounted guide track.

5. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a tie-rod connected to an upper and lower hinge arm for thereby providing rigidity for simultaneous operation of upper and lower hinge assemblies.

6. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said opposite end of said hinge arm further includes a fixedly mounted curved check engageable with a complementary curved detent provided on the vehicle rear door for preventing sliding movement of the vehicle rear door during articulating movement of the vehicle rear door, and wherein said curved check is rotated about the curved detent to a location below the curved detent such that the curved check is disengageable from said complementary curved detent for allowing sliding movement of the vehicle rear door and preventing articulating movement of the vehicle rear door.

7. A vehicle rear door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said curved check includes a roller engageable with said complementary curved detent.

8. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism comprising:

at least one articulating hinge assembly including;

at least one hinge arm pivotally mounted to a vehicle body structure at one end thereof;

a vehicle door pivotally and slidably mounted to said hinge arm at an opposite end of said hinge arm;

at least one door mounted guide track mounted to the vehicle door; and

at least one slide block pivotally mounted to said hinge arm and slidably attached to said door mounted guide track; and

a guide assembly including at least one of a vehicle roof mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track and guide arm mounted to the vehicle door and having a follower slidable relative to said at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and floor mounted guide track for facilitating guided movement of the vehicle door;

wherein said hinge arm is disposed at first and second angular positions relative to said door mounted guide track when the vehicle door is respectively disposed in closed and opened positions, and said slide block is disposed at first and second positions along a length of said door mounted guide track when the vehicle door is respectively disposed in the closed and opened positions, whereby, said vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism provides articulating movement of the vehicle door during initial opening thereof and further provides sliding movement of the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body during continued opening thereof, wherein said slide block is pivotally mounted to said opposite end of said hinge arm, and wherein the at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track angles outward such that rotation of the hinge arm and movement of the guide arm in the at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track causes the door to rotate outward about one end and move further into a position parallel to the body of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 8, wherein said mechanism provides articulating movement of the vehicle door, independent of a vehicle adjacent door.

10. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 8, wherein a surface of said hinge arm is contiguously engageable with a surface of said slide block to limit pivotal movement of said hinge arm relative to said slide block.

11. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the at least one of a vehicle roof mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track comprises a vehicle roof mounted guide track.

12. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the at least one of a vehicle floor mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track comprises a vehicle floor mounted guide track.

13. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 8, further comprising a tie-rod connected to an upper and lower hinge arm for thereby providing rigidity for simultaneous operation of upper and lower hinge assemblies.

14. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 8, wherein said opposite end of said hinge arm further includes a fixedly mounted curved check engageable with a complementary curved detent provided on the vehicle door for preventing sliding movement of the vehicle door during articulating movement of the vehicle door, and wherein said curved check is rotated about the curved detent to a location below the curved detent such that the curved check is disengageable from said complementary curved detent for allowing sliding movement of the vehicle door and preventing articulating movement of the vehicle door.

15. A vehicle door articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 14, wherein said curved check includes a roller engageable with said complementary curved detent.

16. A vehicle compartment closure articulating and sliding mechanism comprising:

at least one articulating hinge assembly including;

at least one hinge arm pivotally mounted to a vehicle body structure at one end thereof;

a compartment closure pivotally and slidably mounted to said hinge arm at an opposite end of said hinge arm;

at least one compartment closure mounted guide track mounted to the compartment closure; and

a guide assembly including at least one of a vehicle roof mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track and a guide arm mounted to the compartment closure and having a follower slidable relative to said at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track for facilitating guided movement of the compartment closure,

at least one slide block pivotally mounted to said hinge arm and slidably attached to said compartment closure mounted guide track,

wherein said hinge arm is disposed at first and second angular positions relative to said compartment closure mounted guide track when the compartment closure is respectively disposed in closed and opened positions, and said slide block is disposed at first and second positions along a length of said compartment closure mounted guide track when the compartment closure is respectively disposed in the closed and opened positions, whereby, said compartment closure articulating and sliding mechanism provides articulating movement of the compartment closure during initial opening thereof and further provides sliding movement of the compartment closure relative to a vehicle body structure during continued opening thereof, wherein said slide block is pivotally mounted to said opposite end of said hinge arm, and wherein the at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track angles outward such that rotation of the hinge arm and movement of the guide arm in the at least one of the vehicle roof mounted guide track and the vehicle floor mounted guide track causes the compartment closure to rotate outward about one end and move further into a position parallel to the body of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle compartment closure articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 16, wherein a surface of said hinge arm is contiguously engageable with a surface of said slide block to limit pivotal movement of said hinge arm relative to said slide block.

18. A vehicle compartment closure articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 16, further comprising a tie-rod connected to parallel hinge arms for thereby providing rigidity for simultaneous operation of parallel hinge assemblies.

19. A vehicle compartment closure articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 16, wherein said opposite end of said hinge arm further includes a fixedly mounted curved check engageable with a complementary curved detent provided on the compartment closure for preventing sliding movement of the compartment closure during articulating movement of the compartment closure, and wherein said curved check is rotated about the curved detent to a location below the curved detent such that the curved check is disengageable from said complementary curved detent for allowing sliding movement of the compartment closure and preventing articulating movement of the compartment closure.

20. A vehicle compartment closure articulating and sliding mechanism according to claim 19, wherein said curved check includes a roller engageable with said complementary curved detent.

21. A door mechanism comprising:

a hinge assembly including a hinge arm pivotally and slidably mounted to a door; and

a guide assembly including at least one of a vehicle roof mounted guide track and a vehicle floor mounted guide track angled outward and a guide arm mounted thereto, wherein the guide track and the hinge arm cause the door to rotate outward at one end and then slide into a position parallel to the vehicle.