Hinged vehicle door operating mechanism having multiple slides for increasing torque during operation
First Claim
1. A vehicle door assembly comprising:
- a vehicle door having an outer panel and an inner panel, wherein a door cavity is defined between the outer and inner panels, and wherein the vehicle door is rotationally operable about a door hinge coupled to a vehicle frame;
a first slide coupled to a portion of the vehicle door;
a rotating bar slidably coupled at a first bar end to the first slide between a plurality of first slide positions and operable at a second bar end about a bar hinge between door-closed and door-open positions, wherein the bar hinge is coupled to the vehicle frame and positioned distal from the door hinge;
a second slide at least partially defined by the rotating bar; and
an actuator having a drive portion coupled to a drive mechanism that rotates the actuator about a drive shaft, wherein the actuator also includes an idler portion rotationally coupled to the drive portion at an actuator pivot, wherein operation of the drive portion slidably operates an actuator end along the second slide between a high-torque position that corresponds to the door-closed position of the rotating bar and a low-torque position that corresponds to the door-open position of the rotating bar.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle door assembly includes a vehicle door having a door cavity defined between outer and inner panels. The door is rotationally operable about a door hinge. A first slide is coupled to the vehicle door. A rotating bar is slidably coupled to the first slide and is operable about a bar hinge between door-closed and door-open positions. The bar hinge is coupled to the vehicle frame and is distal from the door hinge. An actuator includes a drive portion coupled to a drive mechanism that rotates the actuator about a drive shaft and an idler portion rotationally coupled to the drive portion at an actuator pivot. Operation of the drive portion slidably operates an actuator end along a second slide defined by the rotating bar between a high-torque position that corresponds to the door-closed position and a low-torque position that corresponds to the door-open position.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A vehicle door assembly comprising:
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a vehicle door having an outer panel and an inner panel, wherein a door cavity is defined between the outer and inner panels, and wherein the vehicle door is rotationally operable about a door hinge coupled to a vehicle frame; a first slide coupled to a portion of the vehicle door; a rotating bar slidably coupled at a first bar end to the first slide between a plurality of first slide positions and operable at a second bar end about a bar hinge between door-closed and door-open positions, wherein the bar hinge is coupled to the vehicle frame and positioned distal from the door hinge; a second slide at least partially defined by the rotating bar; and an actuator having a drive portion coupled to a drive mechanism that rotates the actuator about a drive shaft, wherein the actuator also includes an idler portion rotationally coupled to the drive portion at an actuator pivot, wherein operation of the drive portion slidably operates an actuator end along the second slide between a high-torque position that corresponds to the door-closed position of the rotating bar and a low-torque position that corresponds to the door-open position of the rotating bar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle door operator comprising:
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a door having a first slide; a rigid rotating bar defining a second slide and extending between a vehicle frame and the first slide; an actuator coupled with a drive mechanism having a drive shaft, wherein rotation of the actuator causes an end of the actuator to slide along the second slide thereby causing the rotating bar to rotate and slide along the first slide to rotate the door about a door hinge positioned distal from the rotating bar, and wherein the drive mechanism selectively operates the actuator about the drive shaft to rotate the drive mechanism, actuator and drive shaft with the door about the door hinge, wherein the drive shaft is distal from the door hinge, and a speed-limiting mechanism coupled to at least one of the first slide, the second slide and the drive shaft, wherein the speed-limiting mechanism limits rotational speed of the door about the door hinge between open and closed positions of the door. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification