Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 0223~877 1998-04-27
BA~Kt,~OllND OF TEIE lNV ~ ON
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swinging/sliding door for
passenger vehicles, wherein the door includes at least one door
leaf which is mounted so as to be slidable in its longitudinal
direction on a guide element, wherein the guide element is a part
of a four-bar mechanism or linkage and is movable transversely of
the plane of the door leaf, and wherein the drive force of a door
driving device acts on the door leaf essentially in the direction
of the guide element and the reaction force of the drive device
exerts a torque on a rotary member which is provided between the
guide element and the door frame and which moves the guide
element transversely of the door leaf plane.
2. Description of the Related Art
A swinging/sliding door of the above-described type is known
from EP 0 536 528 Bl which corresponds to DE 41 33 179 Al. In
this known device, the long:itudinal movement of the door leaf is
coordinated with the transverse movement of the guide element by
a guide rail which is fixed:Ly connected to the door frame and
which is engaged by a guide piece which is fixedly connected to
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the door leaf. The reaction moment of the drive acts on a part
which is called a "spreading element" which, in turn, is
supported on a support member fixedly attached to the door frame.
This known construction is difficult and cumbersome with
respect to its assembly and adjustment because of the many
supports, guides, fastenings, and, thus, reference points between
the actual door leaf drive and the corresponding guide mechanism,
on the one hand, and the parts fixed to the door frame, on the
other hand.
It must also be taken into consideration that, in addition
to the parts mentioned above, a door post pipe must be provided
for each door leaf and must be coordinated with respect to its
rotation to the drive in order to be able to guide the door leaf
in its upper portion as well as in its lower portion, because the
part called the guide element in the known solution actually has
a pure support function and the guidance of the door leaf is
effected exclusively by the door post pipe, its pivot arms and
corresponding rails in the door leaf.
In this known solution, there is the additional problem
that, because of the specific selection of the four-bar
mechanism, the door can be c,pened even in the closed state with
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currentless drive if appropriate forces act on the door leaf;
this may occur, for example, as a result of acts of vandals, but
also as a result of normal vibrations during travel or by older
or infirm persons who rest against the door leaf, which must be
absolutely prevented for safety reasons. For this reason, this
known solution provides for a special locking mechanism which
requires an additional fastening point at the door frame which
must be precisely adjusted. All the above factors apparently
contribute to the fact that this known swinging/sliding door has
not yet been used in practic:e.
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SlJMM~RY OF TEIE lNVl!.Nl lON
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention
to provide a swinging/sliding door for passenger vehicles which
avoids the disadvantages of the known solution and can be easily
and quickly assembled and, i.n accordance with a preferred
embodiment, is secured against unintentional opening even without
a locking mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention, the four-bar
mechanism or linkage is a parallelogram mechanism or linkage
wherein the sides of the mechanism constructed as pivot plates
and rotatably mounted on the chassis and the drive extending
essentially parallel to the guide element and the actuating arms
for pivoting the door post pipe are supported on the pivot
plates, and wherein the coordination of the longitudinal movement
of the door leaf with the transverse movement of the guide
element is effected by a yok:e which is pivotable about an axis
fixedly attached to the chas;sis, wherein, on the one hand, the
yoke is engaged by a guide means fixedly connected to the door
leaf and, on the other hand, the yoke engages with a guide pin in
a guide slot of the guide element.
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As a result of the configuration according to the present
invention, the entire mechanism for moving the swinging/sliding
door is connected to the chassis only through the two pivot plate
axes and the axis of the pivot yoke. In accordance with further
developments of the invention, an abutment is provided for a
spring acting on the pivot yoke and a stop is provided for the
rotary movement of the pivot plates in the closing direction.
However, all of these connections to the chassis can be provided
on a single section or an assembly plate, so that the assembly of
the completely preassembled and pread~usted drive in the chassis
can take place by the asse~ly of a single part, namely, the
support section or the support plate.
By omitting the guide rail fixedly attached to the chassis,
a significant reduction of the components to be provided and,
thus, a significantly easier access for maintenance and
inspection purposes is possible in the area of the chassis above
the door head or lintel where always only little space is
available.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing:
Fig. 1 is a schematic t;op view of a swinging/sliding door
according to the present invention shown in the closed state;
Fig. 2 is a schematic t;op view of the swinging/sliding door
of Fig. 1 shown in the opened state;
Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration, on a larger scale, of
the coordinating mechanism according to the present invention
shown with the door closed; and
Fig. 4 shows the mechanism of Fig. 3 in the open state of
the door.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a swinging/sliding door with two
door~leaves 1, 2 and door drive mechanism which in its totality
is denoted by reference numeral 3. The door drive mechanism are
considered to be all those components which are not rigidly and
fixedly connected to the door leaf, nor rigidly and fixedly
connected to the chassis 4. Thus, all components which are
movably hinged to the door ]eaf and/or the chassis are components
of the door/drive mechanism..
As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, the door leaves 1, 2
slide on a telescopic guide element 5 which during the opening
movement of the door carries out a movement perpendicularly of
the plane of the door leaf. This transverse door movement is
facilitated by pivoting of a parallelogram mechanism which is
composed, on the one hand, of the guide element 5 and, on the
other hand, of two pivot plates 6, and finally, of chassis
components located between the axes 7 of rotation of the pivot
plates 6.
The actual drive which extends essentially parallel to the
guide element 5 is also supported on the pivot plate 6, so that
the drive also ~orms with the pivot axes 7 a parallelogram
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mechanism relative to the chassis and carries out during the
opening movement a translatory pivoting movement about these axes
of rotation.
In the illustrated embodiment, the drive 29 is composed of
an electric motor 8, a spindle 9 and a master carriage 10 which
is guided on rollers and acls on the door leaf 2 through a drive
arm 11. The force introduction is effected onto an arm 12 which,
contrary to being rotatable or pivotable, is fixedly and rigidly
arranged with the door leaf 2.
As is apparent especially from Fig. 3, the arm 12 supports a
pin or roller 13 which comes to rest in the recess between the
prongs 14 of a pivot yoke 15. The pivot yoke 15 is pivotable
about an axis 16 fixedly arranged on the chassis and, in turn,
supports a guide finger 17 which engages in a slot 18 of a guide
plate 19 which is fixedly and rigidly connected to the guide
element 5.
When the door drive 29 is activated for opening, the motor 8
moves the spindle 9 and the master carriage 10 applies pressure
to the drive arm 11 and seeks to push the door leaf 2 open in
this manner. This is prevented by the guide roller 13 which is
attached fixedly to the door leaf and engages in the pivot yoke
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15, so that the reaction force of the drive causes the entire
drive 29 to be pushed to the left as seen in the drawing and
relative to the chassis and is rotated in a clockwise direction
about the pivot axes 7.
Since the guide element 5 is also pivoted by this pivoting
movement of the pivot plates 6, the guide element 5 is moved
outwardly and its longitudinal slot 18 takes along the guide
finger 17 of the pivot yoke 15 and, thus, effects a rotation of
the pivot yoke 15, so that, after the guide element 5 has been
completely moved out, the guide roller 13 of the door leaf 2 is
moved out of the range of the prongs 14 of the yoke 15 which now
has been rotated, so that driving is now possible and the door
leaf 2 can be pushed by drive arm 11 in opening direction along
the guide element 5.
The coordination of the movement of the second door leaf 1
is preferably effected by an endless rope or toothed belt or the
like, wherein the door leaf 1 is attached to one of the portions
and the door leaf 2 is attached to the other portion of the rope
or toothed belt, so that it is ensured that the two door leaves
are always positioned symmetrically relative to the plane 20 of
symmetry.
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In the illustrated, preferred embodiment, the guide yoke 15
is subjected to load by a spring mechanism 21 in such a way that
the yoke 15 is urged by the effect of this spring mechanism 21
always into one of the two possible end positions. In this
manner, it is ensured that when the door is open vibrations or
the like do not cause the yoke to leave the position illustrated
in Fig. 4, wherein it is nec:essary to maintain this position so
that the guide pin 13 of the door leaf 2 once again is moved into
the region of the prongs 14 when the door leaf 2 is being closed
and a proper closing of the entire door is possible.
In the situation of the yoke mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3
and corresponding to the closed position of the door, the spring
mechanism 21 ensures that the closed position is maintained,
however, as to be explained further below, this is effected
primarily and essentially in a different manner, so that it is
also possible to provide instead of the spring mechanism 21 a
torsion spring in the area of the axis 16 of the yoke 15, wherein
the axis 16 is fixed relative to the chassis, and wherein the
torsion spring urges the yoke 15 into the position corresponding
to the open position illustrated in Fig. 4.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the door is guided in the bottom region and is
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reliably kept closed even when the drive is without power in the
manner described below and illustrated in Fig. 1. In addition to
the structural components a]ready mentioned above, connected to
the pivot plates 6 are also actuating arms 22 which act on
adjusting arms 24 non-rotatably mounted on the door post pipes
23. When the door is openecl, and, thus, the pivot plates 6 are
turned, the door post pipes 23 are also rotated. These door post
pipes 23 support in the bott;om region of the chassis pivot arms
25 which at their free ends engage by means of the rollers 26 or
the like into guides 27 of t:he door leaves 1,2 and guide and
support these door leaves in the lower region.
As can be seen in Fig. 1, it is advantageously provided
that, in the closed position of the door, the actuating arms 22
are located relative to the pivot axes 7 on that side which when
a pressure is exerted on the door leaves 1, 2 exerts a torque on
the pivot plates 6 so as to push the pivot plates out, so that
the pivot plates 6 are also subjected to a load in the direction
of a closing movement. As is apparent in the illustrated
example, this is achieved by a dead center situation or an over-
dead-center situation in which, during the final closing
movement, the actuating arms 22 are moved past the pivot axis 7.
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As already known in the art, this feature makes it necessary
to provide an emergency actuating device which, in accordance
with the present invention, either acts on the drive or on the
pivot plates 6 in order to achieve an opening movement and, thus,
facilitates an opening of the door even when the motor 8 is
without current.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, not shown, the
achievement of the over-dead-center-location is facilitated by a
spring which acts on the door post pipe or the pivot plate or
another structural component or between two structural components
of the door drive in the closing direction. This is particularly
advantageous for the emergency operation when the drive has
failed.
The present invention is not limited to the illustrated
embodiment. Rather, the invention can be modified in various
ways. For example, it is possible to use a different linear
motor instead of the spindle drive or to change the situation at
the pivot yoke by a kinematic reversal, wherein, for example, a
pin, mandrel, finger or the like is provided connected to the
guide element 5 and the yoke 15 is provided with a
correspondingly shaped slot-like guide.
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In the illustrated embodiment, the drive arm 11 or its point
engagement with the door arm 12 is selected in such a way that
during the opening and closing movements, the point of engagement
deviates as little as possible on both sides from the direction
of the linear drive. In special assembly situations, it is of
course conceivable to place the point of engagement more closely
toward the door leaf 2 or further away from the door leaf 2, so
that t:he arm 11 is always located only on one side of the drive
direct:ion. It is in special cases also conceivable to connect
the drive arm 11 non-rotatably to the master carriage 10 and to
provide a slot-like guide in the door arm 12 along which the
point of engagement of the clrive arm 11 moves during the opening
and closing movements.
Ilhe figures of the drawing further show that the end of the
closing movement is adjustably predetermined by a stop 28;
however, this stop does not have to be arranged fixed to the
chassis as in the illustrated embodiment, but the stop can also
be replaced by an adjustable rotation limiting means between the
drive 29 and the pivot plate 16 or between the guide element 5
and the pivot plate 6 or other components which are movable
relative to each other during the opening and closing movements.
14
CA 0223~877 1998-04-27
~ s is readily apparent from Figs. 1 and 2, all components
which are fixed to the chassis and interact with door mechanism 3
can be easily provided on a slender assembly plate which requires
little space or on an assembly section, so that finally only this
assembly section or assembly plate has to be connected to the
chassi.s to mount the entire mechanism 3. In that case, the
actuat:ing arms 22 which effect the connection to the door post
pipe 23 are preferably const:ructed so as to be adjustable in
their length, so that any tolerances between the position of the
door post pipes and the enti.re drive mechanism 3 are compensated.
~ hile specific embodiments of the invention have been shown
and described in detail to i.llustrate the inventive principles,
it will be understood that t.he invention may be embodied
otherwise without departing from such principles.
