Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02412422 2002-11-20
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s
CONNECTION ASSEMBLY FOR CONNECTING AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM OF
A VEHICLE TO ELECTRIC COMPONENTS OF A SLIDING DOOR OF
THE VEHICLE
The present invention relates to a connection
assembly for connecting an electric system of a vehicle
to electric components of a sliding door of the vehicle.
Vehicles are known featuring sliding doors, i.e.
doors connected at the tap and bottom by articulated
arms to respective carriages running inside respective
longitudinal rails fixed to the door frame.
Doors of this sort are opened in a compound
movement comprising rotation outwards of the vehicle to
2o detach the door from the frame, and translation along
the rails in a direction parallel to the traveling
direction of the vehicle.
Such an opening movement poses problems in
connecting the electric components on the sliding door
2s to the vehicle electric system, on account of the
distance between the electric connecting points on the
vehicle body and the corresponding electric connecting
points on the door varying when opening and closing the
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door.
At present, the above connection is made in two
ways:
A first employs male electric contacts on the door;
and female electric contacts on the door frame, which
mate with the male electric contacts when the door is
closed. This solution has various drawbacks. In
particular, when the door is open, the electric
components on the door are disconnected from the vehicle
1o electric system and therefor cannot be activated.
Moreover, repeated connection/disconnection of the
contacts eventually results in wear of the contacts and
therefore in unreliability or failure of the relative
electric connection. And finally, such a solution is
user-hazardous, by parts of the user's body possibly
being interposed accidentally between, and so
connecting, the male and female contacts when the door
is open.
The second way is to employ conducting tracks fixed
2o to the vehicle body; and brush contacts fitted to the
door and cooperating with the tracks, so that the
electric system of the vehicle is connected to the
electric components on the door in any operating
position of the door. On account of the way it operates,
however, a sliding connection of this sort is exposed to
external agents, such as dust, which may cause
microinterruptions of the electric signals.
It is an object of the present invention to provide
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a connection assembly for connecting an electric system
of a vehicle to electric components of a sliding door of
the vehicle, designed to eliminate, in a
straightforward, reliable manner, the, aforementioned
drawbacks typically associated with known connection
assemblies.
According to the present invention, there is
provided a connection assembly for connecting an
electric system of a vehicle to at least one electric
component of a sliding door of the vehicle; said door
being connected by at least one articulated arm to a
carriage running along a relative longitudinal rail
integral with the body of said vehicle; and said
connection assembly being characterized by comprising:
- at least one flexible flat cable having a number
of side by side conducting tracks, a first end connected
to said electric component of said door, and a second
end connected to the electric system of the vehicle;
- guide means of variable configuration, for
guiding a first portion of said cable along said
articulated arm, and for adapting the configuration of
said first portion to movements of the articulated arm;
and
- housing means for neatly gathering and dispensing
a second portion of said cable as said carriage moves
along said rail.
A preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present
invention will be described by way of example with
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reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a
connection assembly, in accordance with the present
invention, for connecting an electric system of a
vehicle to electric components of a sliding door of the
vehicle;
Figure 2 shows a top plan view, with parts removed
for clarity, of the Figure 1 connection assembly in two
different operating positions;
to Figure 3 shows a larger-scale top plan view of a
detail of the Figure 2 connection assembly;
Figure 4 shows a larger-scale view in perspective
of part of the Figure 1 connection assembly;
Figure 5 shows a section along line V-V in Figure
4;
Figure 6 shows a view in perspective of a variation
of the Figure 1 connection assembly in two different
operating positions.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, number 1
2o indicates as a whole a connection assembly for
connecting an electric system (not shown) of a vehicle
(shown partly? to electric components of a sliding door
2 of the vehicle.
The vehicle and door 2 are only illustrated as
repuired for a clear understanding of the present
invention. Fore specifically, the dot-and-dash lines in
Figure 1 indicate a bottom lateral portion of a body 3
of the vehicle, and a bottom portion of door 2. It
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should be pointed out that, in the following description
and accompanying Claims, the term ~body" is used to
indicate the vehicle structure or, more strictly
speaking, the ~body~ in the case of a car, and the
5 ~frame~ in the case of commercial and industrial
vehicles.
More specifically, connection assembly 1 connects a
connector 4 - fitted to door 2 and connectable to
electric components on the door, such as the power
window device and lock control actuators (not shown) -
to a connector 5 fitted to vehicle body 3 and in turn
connectable to the electric system-
Connectors 4 and 5 are commonly referred to as
~door node~ and ~body node~ respectively.
With reference to Figure 1, door 2 is connected at
the bottom, by at least one articulated arm 6, to a
carriage ? mounted to run along a longitudinal rail 8
fixed to vehicle body 3. The top connection of door 2 to
vehicle body 3 is identical, but, not being necessary
for a clear understanding of the present invention, is
not shown or described.
As shown in Figure 1, rail 8 extends in a direction
A parallel to the traveling direction of the vehicle,
and has a C-shaped cross section with its concavity
facing outwards of the vehicle.
Carriage 7 substantially comprises a main portion 9
complementary in shape to rail 8 and sliding inside the
rail; and a substantially fork-shaped connecting
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appendix 10 projecting from main portion 9 to receive
arm 6- More specifically, appendix 1D comprises an end
wall 11 fixed to main portion 9 of carriage ?; and two
flanges 12 projecting perpendicularly from end wall 11,
and having respective through holes coaxial with a
vertical axis B perpendicular to flanges 12 and to
direction A.
As shown in Figure 2, arm 6 comprises a straight,
rectangular-section main portion 15, and opposite hollow
1o cylindrical end portions 16, 17, one (16) of which is
inserted between and hinged to flanges 12 of appendix 1D
by a pin 18 of axis B, and the other (17> of which is
hinged to the frame of door 2 by a pin 19 of axis C
parallel to axis B~
Arm 6 rotates about axis B between a collapsed
position - corresponding to a closed position of door 2,
and in which it collapses towards vehicle body 3 and
carriage 7 - and an extended position (Figure 1) - in
which it forms a roughly 120° angle with main portion 9
of carriage 7, and defines a fully laterally detached
position of door 2 with respect to vehicle body 3.
Door 2 is moved from the closed to a fully-open
position by rotating arm 6 about axis B and sliding
carriage 7 along rail 8~ More specifically, carriage 7
is movable along rail 8, in the opposite direction to
the traveling direction of the vehicle, between a
forward position (Figure 1) - in which door 2 can be
moved into the closed position by rotating arm 6 into
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the collapsed position - and a withdrawn position (not
shown) corresponding to the fully-open position of door
2.
kith reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4, connection
assembly 1 comprises at least one flexible flat cable 20
having opposite ends 21, 22 connected to respective
connectors 4, S; guide means 23 of variable
configuration, for guiding a portion 24 of cable 20
along arm 6, and for adapting the configuration of
1o portion 24 to rotation of arm 6 about axis B; and
housing means 25 for neatly gathering and dispensing a
portion 26 of cable 20 as carriage ? moves along rail 8~
Connection assembly 1 also comprises a fastening member
27 for fixing a portion 28 of cable 20, interposed
is between portions 24 and 26, to main portion 9 of
carriage 7.
Cable 20 is defined in known manner by a strip of
insulating material, on which a number of parallel
conducting tracks tnot shown) are applied longitudinally
20 and in turn covered with a further layer of insulating
material; and each track is located a given distance,
and so electrically insulated, from the adjacent track.
Guide means 23 comprise two flexible sheaths 30, 31
located at end portions 16, 17 of arm 6, and through
25 which portion 24 of cable 20 extends. More specifically,
as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, each sheath 30, 31 is
flat, and defines a through cavity 32 through which
portion 24 of cable 20 extends loosely.
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Sheath 30 extends about part of the cylindrical
peripheral surface of end portion 16 of arm 6, and has
opposite end portions 33, 34 fixed to vehicle body 3 and
arm 6 respectively- Similarly, sheath 31 extends about
part of the cylindrical peripheral surface of end
portion l7 of arm 6, and has opposite end portions 35,
36 fixed to the frame of door 2 and to arm 6
respectively.
Each sheath 3D, 31 has a bellows-type lateral wall
37 enabling it to adapt to the position of arm 6, i-e
to stretch or contract locally, depending on the
configuration imposed by arm 6 on portion 24 of cable
20. Variations in the configuration of sheaths 30, 31
result in longitudinal slide of the sheaths with respect
to portion 24 of cable 20. So, to limit the negative
effects of sheaths 30, 31 rubbing against cable 2D as
arm 6 rotates, each sheath 30, 31 is preferably provided
with one or more felt liners (not shown) which interact
with cable 2D-
The portion of cable 20 between sheaths 30 and 31
extends parallel to main portion 15 of arm 6, on the
opposite side of main portion 15 to that facing vehicle
body 3 in the closed position of door 2, and is covered
with a protective shell 38 fixed to main portion 15 of
arm 6
From end portion 35 of sheath 31, opposite end
portion 36 facing sheath 3D, a portion of cable 2D,
folded 90°, projects and defines end 21 connected to
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connector 4.
The portion of cable 20 between sheath 30 and
fastening member 27 extends parallel to rail 8, between
main portion 9 of carriage 7 and a guard wall 39 fixed
to and projecting from main portion 9.
Fastening member 27 is defined by a flat, hollow,
substantially upside-down-L-shaped shell comprising a
first portion 40 fixed in known manner (not shown) to
main portion 9 of carriage 7, on the opposite side to
1o that engaged inside rail 8; and a second portion 41
substantially perpendicular to portion 40 and extending
over the top of rail 8. More specifically, portion 40 of
fastening member 27 comprises a bottom portion 42
extending between wall 39 and main portion 9 of carriage
7; and a top portion 43 projecting from wall 39 and
connected to portion 40.
Cable 20 is inserted laterally inside bottom
portion 42 of fastening member 27, and comes out of
portion 41 on the same side, so that cable 20 is folded
90° once at portion 40 of fastening member 27, and a
second time at portion 41 of fastening member 27.
Portion 26 of cable 20 coming out of portion 41 of
fastening member 27 is housed inside a contoured casing
44 preferably fixed to a top surface 45 of rail 8 and
defining housing means 25~
More specifically, casing 44 is prismatic in shape,
is slightly wider than cable 20, and comprises a
substantially parallelepiped-shaped portion 46 flattened
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towards top surface 45 of rail 8; and an upwardly-convex
portion 47 connected on one side to portion 46~ As shown
in Figure 1, the flattened parallelepiped-shaped portion
46 houses a straight portion 48, extending parallel to
5 tap surface 45 of rail 8, of portion 26 of cable 20,
while convex portion 47 houses a folded portion - in the
example shown, a coiled portion - 49 of portion 26 of
cable 20.
Casing 44 is defined by a contoured wall 50 facing
l0 top surface 45 of rail 8 and contacting surface 45 at
opposite end edges 51, 52; and by two facing lateral
cover walls 53, 54 extending between rail 8 and opposite
lateral edges of contoured wall 50. More specifically,
lateral wall 53 faces arm 6, and has a longitudinal
through opening S5 elongated in the extension direction
A of rail 8 and engaged in sliding manner by portion 41
of fastening member 27. Opening 55 is long enough in
direction A to allow carriage 7, together with fastening
member 27, to move between the withdrawn and forward
positions. More specifically, the opposite ends of
opening 55 indicate in Figure 1 the stop positions of
carriage 7.
At convex portion 47, lateral wall 54 has a through
opening 56 through which end 22 of cable 20 comes out of
casing 44 for connection to connector 5. More
specifically, end 22 projects laterally from the center
of the coil formed by folded portion 49 of cable 20, and
is in turn folded 90° with respect to portion 49-
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As carriage 7 moves from the forward to the
withdrawn position along rail 8, connector 4 moves with
door 2 in direction A towards connector 5 fitted to
vehicle body 3, and the surplus portion of cable 2D
inside casing 44 winds about the envelope already formed
in convex portion 47 of casing 44. Conversely, as
carriage 7 moves from the withdrawn to the forward
position along rail 8, the envelope formed in convex
portion 47 of casing 44 is at least partly unwound.
1o To increase the rigidity of portion 26 of cable 2D
inside casing 44, and so prevent jamming or undesired
movement of cable 20 when carriage 7 is moving,
parallelepiped-shaped portion 46 and part of convex
portion 47 are provided inside with a number of
positioning and guide bars 57, 58, 59 for keeping
straight portion 48 of portion 26 of cable 2D slightly
concave on the side facing folded portion 49.
Bars 57, 58, 59 are supported in known manner (not
shown) by casing 44, and extend parallel to direction A.
As shown in detail in Figures 4 and 5, two of the bars
C57, 581 define respective lateral supports for lateral
strips of straight portion 48 of portion 26 of cable 20,
and a third bar (59) cooperates on the opposite side
with an intermediate strip of straight portion 48, so
that bars 57, 58, 59 define an arc-shaped seat engaging
portion 48 of cable 2D.
Bars 57, 58, 59 are preferably convex on the side
facing the straight portion 48 of cable 20 with which
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they interact.
Portion 41 of fastening member 2? is advantageously
engaged in sliding manner between bars 57, 58 and 59.
In actual use, as door 2 is opened, arm 6 rotates
about axis B from the collapsed to the extended
position, and carriage 7 moves from the forward to the
withdrawn position along rail 8.
Rotation of arm 6 about axis B produces a variation
in the configuration of sheaths 30, 31 at end portions
l0 16, 17 of arm 6, and, consequently, in the fold of
portion 24 of cable 20. More specifically, as shown in
Figure 2, sheath 30 passes from a substantially C-shaped
to a predominantly straight configuration (as shown by
the dash line), while sheath 31 passes from a
substantially straight to a substantially L-shaped
configuration (as shown by the dash line). During the
above variations, lateral wall 37 of each sheath 30, 31
expands and contracts locally, and sheath 30, 31 slides
with respect to cable 2D, so that sheaths 30, 31 provide
2o for guiding the fold of cable 20 produced by the
variation in the position of arm 6, and so enable cable
to pass from one configuration to the other with no
sharp bends or anomalous stress.
As carriage 7 moves from the forward to the
withdrawn position along rail 8, portion 41 of fastening
member 27 moves accordingly along opening 55 and between
bars 57, 58 and 59, and, as explained above, part of
portion 26 of cable 20 winds about the envelope already
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formed in convex portion 4? of casing 44. Conversely, as
carriage 7 moves in the opposite direction along rail 8,
part of the envelope formed by portion 26 of cable 20 in
convex portion 47 of casing 44 is unwound.
The Figure 6 variation relates to a connection
assembly l' similar to connection assembly 1, and the
component parts of which are indicated, where possible,
using the same reference numbers as for the
corresponding parts of connection assembly 1.
l0 More specifically, connection assembly 1' differs
from connection assembly 1 by portion 26 of cable 20
being simply folded into a U inside casing 44. In which
case, portion 26 of cable 20 comprises a straight
portion 48' identical with portion 48 and supported in
the same way by bars 57, 58, 59; and a portion 49' which
is housed inside convex portion 47 of casing 44, but
which, unlike portion 49, is simply folded into a U over
portion 48'. The movement of carriage 7 along rail 8
simply produces a variation in the curve of portion 49'
2o folded over portion 48'; and the size of convex portion
47 of casing 44 defines the maximum curve of the fold in
portion 49'.
The advantages of connection assemblies 1, 1'
according to the present invention will be clear from
the foregoing description.
In particular, connection assemblies 1, 1' provide
for permanently connecting the electric system on the
vehicle to the electric components on door 2, regardless
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of whether door 2 is open or closed.
Moreover, using a flexible flat cable for the
connection safeguards the quality of the connection
against external agents.
Clearly, changes may be made to connection
assemblies 1, 1' without, however, departing from the
scope of the present invention.
In particular, connection assemblies 1, 1' may
comprise a number of superimposed flat cables.
to
