Movable or removable closures – With operator for movably mounted closure – Operator drives closure along guide
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2001-06-26
Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
With operator for movably mounted closure
Operator drives closure along guide
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250013
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a device for opening and closing an opening in a wall by means of a sliding door according to the introductory part of the main claim.
2. Description of the Related Art
WO 97/44559 A1 discloses a device for opening and closing a sliding door, in particular for vehicles. The sliding door is slidable essentially parallel to the wall. The device is provided with a moving unit which performs the sliding movement of the sliding door and which comprises a linear drive provided with an electric motor and consisting of a rack and a gear as well as a guide device. In this case the rack of the linear drive and an element of the guide device on the one hand are attached to the door, and the gear of the linear drive and the other element of the guide device on the other hand are attached to a mounting which is supported by a support assembly connected to the wall. The support assembly converts a movement of the mounting essentially perpendicularly to the wall to a pivot movement. Furthermore there is provided a locking unit which is driven by preferably an additional electric motor and which locks and unlocks the sliding door in its position closing the opening, performing a movement perpendicularly to the wall. A control device comprising position switches controls the moving and locking units.
This sliding door according to the state of the art has proven itself to a high degree particularly for security transport vehicles, as sliding doors with a high mass can be moved reliably and quickly by this means. However, the construction is relatively elaborate, and economical use for the manufacture of everyday vehicles on a large scale does not appear to be possible.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Starting from this state of the art it is the object of the present invention to provide a device that can be used in the manufacture of everyday vehicles on a large scale for opening and closing an opening in a wall by means of a sliding door which, using as few components as possible, allows reliable electric opening of sliding doors. Moreover, existing everyday vehicles which have sliding doors to be opened manually are to be capable of being provided with electric sliding doors with minimum conversion work.
This object is achieved by a device with the features of the introductory part of patent claim
1
in conjunction with the characterizing features of patent claim
1
.
Due to the fact that the linearly constructed element of the linear drive and a slide rail belonging to the guide device on the one hand are attached to the wall, and the driving element of the linear drive and a slider belonging to the guide device and engaged with the slide rail on the other hand are attached to the sliding door, wherein the slider is attached to the sliding door by a joint, a vehicle with a device according to the invention for opening and closing an opening in a wall by means of a sliding door has only minimal modifications compared with existing everyday vehicles with sliding doors to be opened manually. The existing slide rail can be used as the slide rail belonging to the guide device in nearly all mass-produced vehicles. Similarly, as a rule the slider which is engaged with the slide rail can continue to be used. The linearly constructed element of the linear drive can very easily be mounted on the existing slide rail without work on the vehicle body being necessary. The motor necessary for driving the sliding door can easily be mounted permanently on the side of the sliding door oriented towards the vehicle interior. Further conversion work such as perhaps the replacement of existing locks etc. is not necessary, so that extra costs which would have to be incurred by official acceptance in case of conversion work are eliminated here too.
Advantageous developments of the present invention are given in the dependent patent claims.
A particularly advantageous embodiment provides that the slide rail or the linearly constructed element of the linear drive at one end extend as far as the opening and at this end are curved in the direction of entry to the opening. By this means, in the simplest manner conceivable movement of the sliding door perpendicularly to the opening is made possible. Particularly with modern sliding door vehicles which already have a slide rail which at one end extends as far as the opening and is curved in the direction of entry to the opening, e.g. a correspondingly shaped rack can easily be fitted on the slide rail without work on the vehicle body being necessary. Advantageously the slide rail combined with the linear element is mounted in the central region of the wall behind the door opening.
A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the electric motor is connected by a gear mechanism to a linearly constructed element designed as a rack. The multi-step character of the gear mechanism here allows, depending on requirements, easy adaptation of the traveling speed of the sliding door or of the force applied to the sliding door for sliding, by varying the gear ratio.
A particularly advantageous embodiment provides that the slide rail is made of steel sheet and the rack profile is pressed into the slide rail. By this means, manufacture of the linearly constructed element of the linear drive at minimal cost is made possible, and also optimum coordination with the slide rail is ensured, as the rack becomes an integral part of the slide rail.
Finally a further advantageous embodiment provides that cover device are installed to minimize the entry of dirt into the sensitive region of the rack or gear mechanism. To protect the interior of a slide rail, which can be provided in the interior e.g. with a rack, lamellae which corotate in accordance with the slider movement such as are used e.g. in the case of control levers of the automatic transmission in motor vehicles can be used. To minimize soiling in the region of the gear mechanism, elastic capsule seals which encase the whole gear mechanism of the linear drive (if desired including the motor) with an elastic plastic film can be provided.
In a further embodiment there are provided a holding device for fixing the sliding door in the closed position closing the opening, an engaging device comprising two engaging elements that can be engaged with each other with mating slide surfaces for producing a door movement essentially perpendicularly to the wall, wherein one engaging element is arranged on the door and one on the wall and the engaging elements can be disengaged from each other in the closed position, and a control device connected to the engaging device for controlling the movement of the door, which controls the engaging elements as a function of fixing of the sliding door in the holding device in such a way that they become disengaged. With such an arrangement, in the event that the force of the drive motor of the door is not sufficient, the door can be fully closed, e.g. provided with a pull-shut aid which however does not lock the door unwanted. The holding device can in this case be the lock which is present on the motor vehicle.
Advantageous developments of the present invention are given in the dependent claims.
An advantageous embodiment provides that the holding device is constructed as a pin attached to the sliding door or to the wall, which can be latched in a lock attached to the wall or to the sliding door in such a way that in the latched state the door movement in the direction of opening is blocked. This embodiment is usually also chosen for manually operated sliding doors of the original motor vehicle fitters. Particularly in the case of mass-produced vehicles which are available optionally with manually operated or electric sliding door, it is thus possible by this means to use standard locks. This also means that in case of conversion new locks are not necessary. With the retention of the original locks, therefore, extra costs which would have to be incurred by official acceptance in case of conversion wo
Apprich Secur 2000 GmbH
Marshall & Melhorn
Redman Jerry
LandOfFree
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