Center roller assembly for a vehicle slide door

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356068-A1
Application number	US-201514729365-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A center roller assembly for a vehicle slide door includes a support arm having a first end portion hingedly connected to the vehicle slide door and a second end portion. A roller unit includes a load roller rotatably connected to the second end portion by a load roller shaft and first and second guide rollers flanking the load roller and rotatably connected to the second end portion by first and second guide roller shafts. A first drive cable has a first attachment member secured to an end portion thereof and directly connected to the first guide roller shaft. A second drive cable has a second attachment member secured to an end portion thereof and directly connected to the second guide roller shaft. The first and second guide roller shafts are each configured to prevent disengagement of the first and second attachment members from the first and second guide roller shafts.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A center roller assembly for a vehicle slide door comprising:
a support arm having a first end portion hingedly connected to the vehicle slide door and a second end portion; a roller unit provided at the second end portion of the support arm, the roller unit including a load roller rotatably connected to the second end portion by a load roller shaft and first and second guide rollers flanking the load roller and rotatably connected to the second end portion by respective first and second guide roller shafts; a first drive cable having a first attachment member secured to an end portion thereof, the first attachment member being directly connected to the first guide roller shaft, the first attachment member including a first part secured to the end portion of the first cable and a second part nonremovably secured to an outer surface of the first part, the first part including a first body having a first opening extending therethough, the first opening dimensioned to slidably receive the first guide roller shaft; and a second drive cable having a second attachment member secured to an end portion thereof, the second attachment member being directly connected to the second guide roller shaft, wherein the first and second parts of the first attachment member are configured to prevent disengagement of the first attachment member from the first guide roller shaft.

22 . The center roller assembly of claim 21 , wherein the second part of the first attachment member includes a second body, a portion of the second body being received in the first opening and including a second opening dimensioned to slidably receive the first guide roller shaft.

23 . The center roller assembly of claim 22 , wherein the portion of the second body is a connecting member including first and second spaced wall sections, each of the first and second wall sections being received in the first opening of the first part to further secure the second part to the first part.

24 . The center roller assembly of claim 23 , wherein the second body includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion spaced from and overlapping the first wall portion, the connecting member connecting the first and second wall portions, wherein a spacing between the first and second wall portions is approximately equal to a thickness of the first body so that when assembled the first and second wall portions are in direct engagement with respective first and second outer surfaces of the first body.

25 . The center roller assembly of claim 24 , wherein edge portions of the respective first and second wall portions are connected by a third wall portion contacting the outer surface of the first part.

26 . The center roller assembly of claim 24 , wherein the second attachment member includes a first part secured to the end portion of the second cable and a second part secured to the first part, the first and second parts of the second attachment member being identical to the first and second parts of the first attachment member

27 . The center roller assembly of claim 26 , wherein the first part of each first and second attachment member is generally ring-shaped and the second part of each first and second attachment member is overmolded onto the first part.

28 . The center roller assembly of claim 26 , wherein end portions of the first and second guide roller shafts include as least one radially extending projection, and the connecting members of the second parts of the first attachment members and a connecting member of the second cart of the second attachment member are shaped to at least partially conform to the end portions of the first and second guide roller shafts.

29 . The center roller assembly of claim 21 , wherein an end portion of the first drive cable is fixed within the first body of the first part by at least one pin secured in at least one opening located in the first body.

30 . The center roller assembly of claim 21 , wherein the second part of the first attachment member includes a second body configured to sandwich from above and below a majority of the first body of the first part.

31 . A center roller assembly for a vehicle slide door comprising:
a support arm having a first end portion hingedly connected to the vehicle slide door and a second end portion; a roller unit provided at the second end portion of the support arm, the roller unit including a load roller rotatably connected to the second end portion by a load roller shaft and first and second guide rollers flanking the load roller and rotatably connected to the second end portion by respective first and second guide roller shafts, each of the first and second guide roller shafts including an end portion having a radially extending projection; and a first drive cable having a first attachment member secured to an end portion thereof, and a second drive cable having a second attachment member secured to an end portion thereof, wherein the first attachment member includes a first part secured to the end portion of the first cable and a second part overmolded onto an outer surface of the first part so that the second part is nonremovably secured to the first part, the first part includes a first body having a first opening dimensioned to slidably receive the end portion of the first guide roller shaft, and the second part of the first attachment member includes a second body, a portion of the second body received in and at least partially lining the first opening.

32 . The center roller assembly of claim 31 , wherein the portion of the second body is a connecting member including first and second spaced wall sections.

33 . The center roller assembly of claim 32 , wherein the first opening has a keyway for the projection of the first guide roller shaft and the first and second wall sections are configured to flank the keyway.

34 . The center roller assembly of claim 32 , wherein the second body includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion spaced from and overlapping the first wall portion, the connecting member interconnecting the first and second wall portions.

35 . The center roller assembly of claim 34 , wherein edge portions of the respective first and second wall portions are connected by a third wall portion contacting the outer surface of the first part.

36 . The center roller assembly of claim 31 , wherein the second attachment member includes a first part secured to the end portion of the second cable and a second part overmolded onto the first part, the first and second parts of the second attachment member being identical to the first and second parts of the first attachment member.

37 . A center roller assembly for a vehicle slide door comprising:
a support arm having a first end portion hingedly connected to the vehicle slide door and a second end portion; a roller unit provided at the second end portion of the support arm, the roller unit including a load roller rotatably connected to the second end portion by a load roller shaft and first and second guide rollers flanking the load roller and rotatably connected to the second end portion by respective first and second guide roller shafts, each of the first and second guide roller shafts including a radially extending projection; a first drive cable having a first attachment member secured to an end portion thereof, the first attachment member being directly connected to the first guide roller shaft; and a second drive cable having a second attachment member secured to an end portion thereof, the second attachment member being di

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Guitar James P
• Thiele Steven R

Classifications

• B60J5/06

  slidable; foldable · CPC title

• E05D15/581

  the swinging axis laying in the sliding direction (E05D15/1015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05D2015/1026

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

• E05D2015/1057

  the carriage swinging or rotating in those track sections · CPC title

• E05F15/655 Primary

  specially adapted for vehicle wings · CPC title