Vehicle door opening/closing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12496883-B2
Application number	US-202318158260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2023
Priority date	Aug 23, 2022
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

An embodiment vehicle door opening/closing system includes an inner panel defining a door open portion of a vehicle, the inner panel including an installation groove having a protruding or recessed shape, a driving device disposed in the installation groove of the inner panel, and a link mechanism installed on a chassis through a rotating shaft, a first end of the link mechanism being connected to the driving device such that power is transferred thereto, and a second end of the link mechanism being connected to a door such that, during driving of the driving device, the link mechanism rotates with reference to the rotating shaft to open/close the door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle door opening/closing system, the system comprising:
an inner panel defining a door open portion of a vehicle, the inner panel comprising an installation groove having a protruding or recessed shape; a driving device disposed in the installation groove of the inner panel; and a link mechanism installed on a chassis through a rotating shaft, a first end of the link mechanism being connected to the driving device such that power is transferred thereto, and a second end of the link mechanism being connected to a door such that, during driving of the driving device, the link mechanism rotates with reference to the rotating shaft to open/close the door.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the link mechanism is rotatably coupled to a floor of the vehicle, the installation groove is on a lower end of the inner panel such that the driving device is coupled to the lower end of the inner panel, and the vehicle door opening/closing system further comprises a connection mechanism connecting the driving device and the link mechanism.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a side chamber extending in a forward/backward direction of the vehicle so as to be coupled to a side surface of the floor, the side chamber being indented toward an indoor space of the vehicle so as to define a containing space such that the link mechanism disposed on the floor is contained therein.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the installation groove of the inner panel protrudes to an outside of the vehicle such that the driving device is positioned above the side chamber.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the side chamber comprises:
a side chamber inner portion having a first indented portion indented toward the indoor space of the vehicle; a side chamber outer portion protruding outwards from the side chamber inner portion and comprising an extension portion extending upwards; and a side chamber center portion connecting the first indented portion of the side chamber inner portion and the extension portion of the side chamber outer portion below the link mechanism to define a closed section.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the extension portion of the side chamber outer portion has an upper portion outwardly overlapping the lower end of the inner panel such that the inner panel and the extension portion define an opening flange.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the side chamber inner portion further comprises a first lower flange extending downwards, and the side chamber outer portion further comprises a second lower flange extending downwards so as to be coupled to the first lower flange through surface contact.

8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the side chamber inner portion further comprises an upper flange extending upwards from the first indented portion so as to be coupled to the floor of the vehicle.

9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the link mechanism is shaped such that the first end thereof extends toward the indoor space of the vehicle and bends and a second end thereof extends toward an exterior of the vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the containing space is in the side chamber inner portion and indented toward the indoor space of the vehicle more than the first indented portion.

11 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the inner panel comprises a first part and a second part divided in an upward/downward direction, the first part is connected to a chassis frame, and the second part is connected to a lower portion of the first part to connect the first part and the side chamber.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the second part comprises a second indented portion indented toward the indoor space of the vehicle to be connected to an end portion of the side chamber and to cover the end portion.

13 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising an outer filler portion coupled to an outside of the inner panel to define an outside of a filler of the chassis connecting the side chamber and a roof.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the outer filler portion is coupled to the inner panel to define a closed section.

15 . A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body comprising a floor and a roof; an inner panel defining a door open portion of the vehicle, the inner panel comprising an installation groove having a protruding or recessed shape; a driving device disposed in the installation groove of the inner panel; and a link mechanism installed on a chassis through a rotating shaft, a first end of the link mechanism being connected to the driving device such that power is transferred thereto, and a second end of the link mechanism being connected to a door such that, during driving of the driving device, the link mechanism rotates with reference to the rotating shaft to open/close the door.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the first end of the link mechanism is rotatably coupled to the floor of the vehicle, the installation groove is on a lower end of the inner panel such that the driving device is coupled to the lower end of the inner panel, and the vehicle further comprises a connection mechanism connecting the driving device and the link mechanism.

17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a side chamber extending in a forward/backward direction of the vehicle so as to be coupled to a side surface of the floor, the side chamber being indented toward an indoor space of the vehicle to define a containing space such that the link mechanism disposed on the floor is contained therein.

18 . The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the side chamber comprises:
a side chamber inner portion having a first indented portion indented toward the indoor space of the vehicle; a side chamber outer portion protruding outwards from the side chamber inner portion and comprising an extension portion extending upwards, wherein the extension portion of the side chamber outer portion has an upper portion outwardly overlapping the lower end of the inner panel such that the inner panel and the extension portion define an opening flange; and a side chamber center portion connecting the first indented portion of the side chamber inner portion and the extension portion of the side chamber outer portion below the link mechanism to define a closed section.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
the link mechanism is shaped such that the first end thereof extends toward the indoor space of the vehicle and bends and a second end thereof extends toward an exterior of the vehicle; and the containing space is in the side chamber inner portion and indented toward the indoor space of the vehicle more than the first indented portion.

20 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
the inner panel comprises a first part and a second part divided in an upward/downward direction; the first part is connected to a chassis frame; the second part is connected to a lower portion of the first part to connect the first part and the side chamber; and the second part comprises a second indented portion indented toward the indoor space of the vehicle to be connected to an end portion of the side chamber and to cover the end portion.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Kang Chang Hak
• Lee Jae Seung
• Jeon Gook Hyun
• Jeon Chan Woong
• Han Sang Kyoung
• Lee Hae Hoon

Classifications

• E05Y2201/624

  Arms · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05Y2600/452

  in or on the floor or wall · CPC title

• B60J5/0479

  without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door · CPC title

• E05Y2201/434

  Electromotors; Details thereof · CPC title