Sliding door device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9777811-B2
Application number	US-201514928587-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A sliding door device for a vehicle may include a sliding door opening/closing a door opening formed in a vehicle body, a door rail mounted on the sliding door, a vehicle body rail mounted on the vehicle body, a central support structure for movably supporting the sliding door, a hook releasably locking the central support structure to the door rail, and a lower support structure for movably supporting a lower portion of the sliding door. The central support structure includes a central slider. The lower support structure includes a lower slider, a gear device, a link mechanism, a chain, and a chain tensioner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sliding door device for a vehicle, comprising:
a sliding door opening and closing a door opening formed in a vehicle body;
a door rail mounted on the sliding door;
a vehicle body rail mounted on the vehicle body;
a central support structure for movably supporting the sliding door, wherein the central support structure includes a central slider and is fixedly mounted on the vehicle body, wherein the central slider is coupled to the door rail and movable along the door rail;
a hook releasably locking the central support structure to the door rail; and
a lower support structure for movably supporting a lower portion of the sliding door, wherein the lower support structure is connected to the lower portion of the sliding door, wherein the lower support structure includes:
a lower slider, wherein the lower slider is coupled to the vehicle body rail and movable along the vehicle body rail,
a gear device mounted on the lower slider,
a link mechanism of which a first end is connected to the gear device and a second end is connected to the sliding door,
a chain transmitting a motion of the link mechanism to the gear device, and
a chain tensioner controlling tension of the chain,

wherein the gear device includes:
a rack gear mounted on the vehicle body rail;
a gear shaft;
a planetary gear box into which the gear shaft is inserted and coupled;
an input gear rotatably coupled to an upper portion of the gear shaft;
an output gear fixed to a lower portion of the gear shaft and rotatable with the gear shaft, wherein the output gear is engaged with the rack gear; and
a transmission gear engaged with the input gear, having an arc shape, and mounted on the link mechanism, and

wherein the link mechanism includes:
a first link having a cross-section in a substantially “C’ shape, of which a first end is fastened with the transmission gear;
a second link of which a first end is fastened to a second end of the first link and a second end is fastened to the lower portion of the sliding door;

a first chain gear; and
a second chain gear;
wherein the chain tensioner includes:
a third chain gear through which the chain passes;
two bushes supporting the third chain gear with the third chain gear interposed therebetween;
an assembly pin fastened with the two bushes through the third chain gear to rotatably support the two bushes; and
a chain tensioner body fastened with the third chain gear with the assembly pin to rotatably support the third chain gear and mounted on the first link.

2. The sliding door device of claim 1 , wherein each of the door rail and the vehicle body rail includes:
a rail body having a substantially rectangular plate shape; and
two guide rails which extend in a longitudinal direction along a first edge and a second edge in a width direction of the rail body and protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rail body.

3. The sliding door device of claim 2 , wherein:
the vehicle body rail is mounted on the vehicle body through a rail supporter.

4. The sliding door device of claim 1 , wherein the central slider includes:
a slider body in which a guide rail of the door rail is coupled to fit with a substantially quadrangular block shape; and
a roller rotatably installed in the slider body and rollable along the guide rail while surface-contacting the guide rail of the door rail.

5. The sliding door device of claim 4 , wherein the central slider includes:
a central slider mounting bracket;
a first pair of sliders mounted at an upper portion of the central slider mounting bracket; and
a second pair of sliders mounted at a lower portion of the central slider mounting bracket.

6. The sliding door device of claim 5 , wherein the central support structure includes:
a vehicle body mounting bracket fixedly mounted on the vehicle body; and
a swing arm of which a first end is rotatably coupled to the vehicle body mounting bracket and a second end is rotatably coupled to the central slider mounting bracket.

7. The sliding door device of claim 6 , wherein the swing arm includes:
an upper swing arm member disposed at an upper portion in a height direction of the swing arm;
a lower swing arm member disposed at a lower portion in the height direction of the swing arm;
two flanges having a substantially quadrangular plate shape, which connect both edges of the upper swing arm member and the lower swing arm member; and
a pressing edge which presses and pivots the hook is formed at one of the two flanges.

8. The sliding door device of claim 7 , wherein:
through assembly holes are formed at one edge of each of the upper swing arm member and the lower swing arm member;
two fastening flanges are provided in the central slider mounting bracket; and
the two fastening flanges of the central slider mounting bracket are inserted between the upper swing arm member and the lower swing arm member to be rotatably coupled.

9. The sliding door device of claim 6 , wherein:
the vehicle body mounting bracket has a cross-section in a substantially “C” shape and includes a top flange, a bottom flange, and a side flange connecting the top flange and the bottom flange;
one or more through assembly holes are formed at the side flange, which is mounted on the vehicle body through the assembly holes; and
through assembly holes are formed at each of the top flange and the bottom flange and the swing arm is partially inserted between the top flange and the bottom flange to pivotably coupled.

10. The sliding door device of claim 6 , wherein:
an elastic spring is interposed between the vehicle body mounting bracket and the swing arm to return the swing arm to an original position after the swing arm pivots with respect to the vehicle body mounting bracket.

11. The sliding door device of claim 1 , wherein:
a fastening boss fastened with the second end of the second link with a pin is integrally formed to protrude at a lower edge of the sliding door.

12. The sliding door device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first chain gear is integrally fastened to a fastening portion where the first end of the first link and the first end of the second link are fastened to each other;
the second chain gear is integrally fastened to a portion where the first end of the first link and the transmission gear is fastened to each other; and
the first chain gear and the second chain gear are connected to each other by the chain to transfer a rotary motion.

13. The sliding door device of claim 12 , wherein:
the chain tensioner is installed to be supported on the first link.

14. The sliding door device of claim 12 , wherein:
a diameter of the first chain gear is smaller than a diameter of the second chain gear.

15. The sliding door device of claim 1 , wherein:
the chain tensioner body is fastened to the first link through an assembly bolt; and
the assembly bolt is inserted into the first link and a long hole capable of controlling an assembly position is formed in the first link.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kwangjin Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Jae Hong
• Gong Youngbae

Classifications

• E05D15/101

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

• E05Y2201/72

  Planetary gearing · CPC title

• B60J5/06 Primary

  slidable; foldable · CPC title

• E05D2015/1031

  the wing supported on arms extending from the carriage · CPC title

• F16H19/04

  comprising a rack · CPC title