Motor-vehicle sliding-door system

US5876087A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Kiekert AG · DE

Inventors

• Frank Kleefeldt · Heiligenhaus, DE
• Damien Labonde · Essen, DE
• Johannes-Theodor Menke · Velbert, DE
• Stefan Armbruster · Heiligenhaus, DE
• Thomas Schönenberg · Burscheid, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 2, 1997
• Grant date: Mar 2, 1999
• Expiry date: Apr 2, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC E): Fixed Constructions
• CPC primary: E05Y2999/00
• WIPO field: Civil engineering
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A motor vehicle has a body provided with at least one generally horizontal rail having a bent end portion and along which a sliding door is displaceable between a closed position in against the body and an open position out from the body. A sliding-door assembly has a door drive on the body including a flexible toothed belt extending along the rail and having an end and a link assembly fixed to the door, riding along the rail, connected to the belt end, and engaged in the bent end portion of the rail in the closed position of the door. A guide extends along the rail and laterally confines the belt so an actuator on the body can displacing the belt in one sense and thereby tension the belt and move the door in one direction and displace the belt in the opposite sense and thereby longitudinally compress the belt and move the door in the opposite direction. A door latch on the door and a keeper on the body communicating therewith secure the door tightly to the body in the closed position of the door and a closed position of the latch and release the door to ride along the rail in an open position of the latch. A controller connected between the door latch and the door actuator operate…