Side door extension support assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259996-B2
Application number	US-201314033675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2013
Priority date	Sep 23, 2013
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A side door extension support assembly for a vehicle includes a side door movably mounted on a vehicle body of the vehicle and an extension member mounted to the vehicle body. The side door is longitudinally moveable between a closed position and an open position. The extension member is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position for supporting the side door. Movement of the extension member corresponds to movement of the side door such that the extension member moves to the extended position when the side door is moved from the closed position to the open position, and the extension member moves to the retracted position when the side door is moved from the open position to the closed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A side door extension support assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
a side door movably mounted on a vehicle body of the vehicle and longitudinally movable between a closed position and an open position; and
an extension member mounted to the vehicle body and laterally movable between a retracted position and an extended position for supporting the side door, lateral movement of the extension member corresponding to movement of the side door such that the extension member laterally moves to the extended position when the side door is moved from the closed position to the open position, and the extension member laterally moves to the retracted position when the side door is moved from the open position to the closed position, wherein the extension member reaches the extended position prior to the side door reaching the open position when the side door is moved from the closed position to the open position.

2. The side door extension support assembly of claim 1 wherein the side door and the extension member cooperatively engage one another when the side door is moved to the open position and the extension member is moved to the extended position.

3. The side door extension support assembly of claim 2 wherein one of the side door and the extension member includes an aperture and the other of the side door and the extension member includes a pin receivable in the aperture when the side door and the extension member cooperatively engage one another.

4. The side door extension support assembly of claim 3 wherein a distal end of the extension member includes the aperture defined therethrough and the side door includes the pin that is receivable in the aperture of the extension member.

5. The side door extension support assembly of claim 1 wherein the extension member is received completely within the vehicle body when in the retracted position and wherein the extension member protrudes outside the vehicle body and through a vehicle body aperture defined in the vehicle body when in the extended position.

6. The side door extension support assembly of claim 5 further including:
a movable cover arranged in association with the vehicle body aperture, the movable cover closing the vehicle body aperture when the extension member is in the retracted position to conceal the extension member and movable to a cover open position when the extension member is moved to the extended position.

7. The side door extension support assembly of claim 1 further including:
a biasing mechanism that urges the extension member toward the retracted position; and
an extending cable having one end secured to the extension member to move the extension member against the urging of the biasing mechanism toward the extended position when the extending cable is pulled.

8. The side door extension support assembly of claim 1 further including:
a latch member movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch member locking the extension member in the extended position when the extension member is in the extended position and the latch member is in the latched position; and
a retracting cable having one secured to the latch member for moving the latch member to the unlatched position when the retracting cable is pulled.

9. The side door extension support assembly of claim 8 further including:
a latch spring urging the latch toward the latched position, and wherein pulling of the retracting cable moves the latch to the unlatched position against the urging of the latch spring.

10. The side door extension support assembly of claim 1 further including:
a guide tube mounted to the vehicle body and in which the extension member is telescopingly received for movement between the extended position and the retracted position.

11. The side door extension support assembly of claim 10 further including:
a spring received in the guide tube to urge the extension member toward the retracted position; and
an extending cable having one end secured to the extension member to move the extension member against the urging of the spring toward the extended position.

12. The side door extension support assembly of claim 10 further including:
a pulley around which the extending cable is received to redirect pulling motion of extending cable in a laterally inward direction into movement of the extension member in an opposite, laterally outward direction.

13. The side door extension support assembly of claim 10 further including:
a key member fixed to the extension member and received through a slot defined in the guide tube, the one end of the extending cable secured to the key member such that pulling of the cable is translated into movement of the extension member by the key member.

14. The side door extension support assembly of claim 13 further including:
a latch member movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the latch member engaging the key member to lock the extension member in the extended position when the extension member is in the extended position and the latch member is in the latched position;
a retracting cable having one secured to the latch member for moving the latch member to the unlatched position when the retracting cable is pulled and allowing movement of the key member; and
a latch spring urging the latch toward the latched position, and wherein pulling of the retracting cable moves the latch to the unlatched position against the urging of the latch spring.

15. A side door assembly on a vehicle, comprising:
a side door mounted on a lateral side of the vehicle for closing a door opening providing ingress and egress for the vehicle, the side door longitudinally movable from a closed position wherein the side door closes the door opening to an open position wherein the side door is removed from the door opening;
an extension member mounted on the lateral side of the vehicle rearwardly of the door opening for supporting the side door when the side door is in the open position, the extension member movable from a retracted position wherein the extension member is laterally spaced apart from the side door when the side door is in the open position to an extended position wherein the extension member engages the side door when the side door is in the open position, the extension member moving from the retracted position to the extended position when the side door is longitudinally moved to the open position; and
at least one cable having a first end operatively connected to the extension member for moving the extension member from at least one of the retracted position or the extended position to the other of the retracted position or the extended position, the at least one cable having a second end arranged relative to the side door so as to pull the at least one cable when the side door is moved.

16. The side door assembly of claim 15 wherein the extension member and the side door cooperatively engage when the extension member is in the extended position and the side door is moved to the open position to support a rear edge of the side door.

17. The side door assembly of claim 15 wherein the cooperative engagement inhibits at least one of: vertical movement of the side door in upward and downward directions and lateral movement of the side door in laterally inward and laterally outward directions.

18. The side door extension support assembly of claim 15 wherein the extension member reaches the extended position prior to the side door reaching the open position when the side door is moved to the open p

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Anderson Erik R
• Thiele Steven R

Classifications

• B60J5/06 Primary

  slidable; foldable · CPC title

• E05D15/0621

  Details, e.g. suspension or supporting guides (E05D15/0604, E05D15/08 - E05D15/14 take precedence) · CPC title