Apparatus for preventing sliding door for vehicle from swaying

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11585141-B2
Application number	US-202117226353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2021
Priority date	Oct 7, 2020
Publication date	Feb 21, 2023
Grant date	Feb 21, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus for a vehicle includes a door rail configured to be installed on a door panel of a door, a vehicle body rail configured to be coupled to a vehicle body so as to be opposite to the door rail, a vehicle body rail slider coupled to one surface of the vehicle body rail so as to be slidable in a front-rear direction along the vehicle body rail, a door rail slider coupled to the door rail so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction along the door rail, a pulley rotatable in conjunction with a movement of the vehicle body rail slider, a speed reducer directly connected to the pulley, and a second arm hingedly coupled to the speed reducer and configured to move the door rail slider.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use with a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a door rail configured to be installed on a door panel of a door;
a vehicle body rail configured to be coupled to a vehicle body so as to be opposite to the door rail;
a vehicle body rail slider coupled to one surface of the vehicle body rail so as to be slidable in a front-rear direction along the vehicle body rail;
a door rail slider coupled to the door rail so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction along the door rail;
a pulley rotatable in conjunction with a movement of the vehicle body rail slider, wherein the vehicle body rail slider and the door rail slider can slide in the front-rear direction on the vehicle body rail and the door rail, respectively by an operation of opening or closing the door to rotate the pulley;
a speed reducer directly connected to the pulley;
a second arm hingedly coupled to the speed reducer and configured to move the door rail slider, wherein a rotational force of the pulley is to be transmitted to the second arm to open or close the door while unfolding and deploying the second arm in a direction toward the outside of the vehicle body or folding the second arm in a direction toward the inside of the vehicle body; and
a wire wound around the pulley, wherein the wire is configured to be returned to the pulley via a connecting roller provided on a body of the vehicle body rail slider.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first arm connected to the vehicle body rail slider and a bracket hinge provided at one side of the first arm, the bracket hinge configured to be hingedly coupled to a bracket attached to the door panel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a slider hinge provided at another side of the first arm and hingedly coupled to a body of the vehicle body rail slider, wherein the first arm can be moved forward or rearward along with a movement of the door by an operation of opening or closing the door to open or close the door together with the second arm.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second arm is connected to the door rail slider, one hinge of the second arm is hingedly coupled to the door rail slider, and another hinge of the second arm is hingedly coupled to a shaft of the speed reducer.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein when the vehicle body rail slider is moved in conjunction with the operation of the door, the pulley is configured to be rotated by movement of the wire.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a center rail installed at a central portion of the door panel of the door coupled to the vehicle body; and
a center rail slider installed to be movable in the front-rear direction along the center rail.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the center rail slider is configured to be connected to a center rail roller attached to the vehicle body.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second arm is connected to the door rail slider, one hinge of the second arm is hingedly coupled to the door rail slider, and another hinge of the second arm is hingedly coupled to a shaft of the speed reducer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a center rail installed at a central portion of the door panel of the door coupled to the vehicle body; and
a center rail slider installed to be movable in the front-rear direction along the center rail.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the vehicle body rail slider is moved in conjunction with the operation of the door, the pulley is configured to be rotated by movement of the wire.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a center rail installed at a central portion of the door panel of the door coupled to the vehicle body; and
a center rail slider installed to be movable in the front-rear direction along the center rail.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the center rail slider is configured to be connected to a center rail roller attached to the vehicle body.

13. A method of operating a door of a vehicle that comprises a vehicle body, a door rail installed on a door panel of the door, a vehicle body rail coupled to the vehicle body so as to be opposite to the door rail, a vehicle body rail slider coupled to one surface of the vehicle body rail, a door rail slider coupled to the door rail, a pulley rotatable in conjunction with a movement of the vehicle body rail slider, a speed reducer directly connected to the pulley, and a second arm hingedly coupled to the speed reducer, the method comprising:
opening or closing the door to rotate the pulley thereby sliding the vehicle body rail slider in a front-rear direction on the vehicle body rail and sliding the door rail slider and the door rail in the front-rear direction on the vehicle body rail, wherein a rotational force of the pulley is transmitted to the second arm to open or close the door while unfolding and deploying the second arm in a direction towards an outside of the vehicle body or folding the second arm in a direction toward an inside of the vehicle body;
wherein a wire is wound around the pulley;
wherein the pulley is rotated by the movement of the wire when the vehicle body rail slider is moved by opening or closing the door; and
wherein the wire is returned to the pulley via a connecting roller provided on a body of the vehicle body rail slider.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the vehicle further comprises a first arm connected to the vehicle body rail slider, a bracket hinge provided at one side of the first arm and hingedly coupled to a bracket attached to the door panel, and a slider hinge provided at another side of the first arm and hingedly coupled to a body of the vehicle body rail slider; and
opening or closing the door causes the first arm to be moved forward or rearward along with a movement of the door to open or close the door together with the second arm.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second arm is connected to the door rail slider, one hinge of the second arm is hingedly coupled to the door rail slider, and another hinge of the second arm is hingedly coupled to a shaft of the speed reducer.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the vehicle further comprises a center rail installed at a central portion of the door panel of the door coupled to the vehicle body and a center rail slider installed to be movable in the front-rear direction along the center rail; and
the center rail slider is connected to a center rail roller attached to the vehicle body.

17. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a door coupled to the vehicle body, the door including a door panel;
a door rail installed on the door panel of the door;
a vehicle body rail coupled to the vehicle body so as to be opposite to the door rail;
a vehicle body rail slider coupled to one surface of the vehicle body rail so as to be slidable in a front-rear direction along the vehicle body rail;
a door rail slider coupled to the door rail so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction along the door rail;
a pulley rotatable in conjunction with a movement of the vehicle body rail slider, wherein the vehicle body rail slider and the door rail slider can slide in the front-rear direction on the vehicle body rail and the door rail, respectively by an operation of opening or closing the door to rotate the pulley;
a speed reducer directly connected to the pulley;
a second arm hingedly coupled to the speed reducer and configured to move the door rail slider, wherein a rotational force of the pulley is to be transmitted to the second arm to open

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Yun Hyung-In

Classifications

• E05D2015/1026

  accessories, e.g. sliding or rolling guides, latches · CPC title

• B60J5/06

  slidable; foldable · CPC title

• E05Y2201/722

  Racks · CPC title

• E05D15/101 Primary

  specially adapted for vehicles (E05D15/1007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05Y2201/624

  Arms · CPC title