IP Library Granted Patent US 7,540,541
Granted Patent B2
US 7,540,541 · App. 10/951,802 · Granted Jun 2, 2009

Apparatus for opening and closing door

Assignee: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,540,541
App. No.
10/951,802
Granted
Jun 2, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for opening and closing a door of a vehicle includes a knob that is arranged on one door panel, a holding unit that holds the door in a fully closed state, a control unit that is arranged on other door panel, and allows opening and closing of the door by releasing the holding unit in response to an operation of the knob, a link unit that is arranged outside of a moving area of an opening/closing member that opens and closes a window opening of the door, a first wire cable that connects the link unit to the knob, and a second wire cable that connects the link unit to the control unit. The operation of the knob is transmitted to the link unit, and the operation transmitted is relayed by the link unit to the control unit, making the control unit operate.

Claims (32)

1. An apparatus for opening and closing a slide door of a vehicle, the apparatus being applied to a slide door that includes a window-opening/closing member that is arranged between a first door panel and a second door panel, and that moves to open or close a window opening, the apparatus comprising:

a first knob that is arranged on the first door panel on a vehicle exterior side;

a holding unit that holds the slide door in a fully closed state;

a door-opening/closing control unit that is arranged on a surface of the second door panel on a vehicle interior side, the door-opening/closing control unit including a second knob which is rotatably attached thereto and exposed on the vehicle interior side, the door-opening/closing control unit being configured to mechanically control opening and closing of the slide door by releasing the holding unit in response to an operation of the first knob or the second knob, said door-opening/closing control unit comprising a plurality of levers;

a link unit that is configured separately from the control unit and disposed below the control unit, the link unit being arranged at a lower portion on the surface of the second door panel on a vehicle interior side outside of a moving area of the window-opening/closing member, the link unit including a link base plate, a link shaft, and an open knob lever, wherein the link shaft is arranged on the link base plate, and the open knob lever is arranged on the link shaft;

a first wire cable that mechanically connects the link unit to the first knob; and

a second wire cable that mechanically connects the link unit to the door-opening/closing control unit, wherein

the open knob lever includes a first-wire connecting unit to which an end of the first wire cable is connected, and a second-wire connecting unit to which an end of the second wire cable is connected,

the operation of the first knob is mechanically transmitted to the link unit through the first wire cable, and the operation transmitted is mechanically relayed by the link unit to the door-opening/closing control unit through the second wire cable, making the door-opening/closing control unit operate, and

each of the first wire cable and the second wire cable is arranged in a substantially straight line without interfering with opening/closing movement of the window-opening/closing member.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the door-opening/closing control unit includes a lock unit that is switched over between a locked mode and an unlocked mode,

when the lock unit is in the locked mode, the lock unit invalidates the operation of the first knob, and

when the lock unit is in the unlocked mode, the lock unit transmits the operation of the first knob to the holding unit to release the holding unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the link unit includes a release actuator that assists releasing of the holding unit when the first knob is operated.

4. An apparatus for opening and closing a slide door of a vehicle, the apparatus being applied to a slide door that includes a window-opening/closing member that is arranged between a first door panel and a second door panel, and that moves to open or close a window opening, the apparatus comprising:

an outside knob that is arranged on the first door panel on a vehicle exterior side;

a first holding unit that holds the slide door in a fully closed state;

a door-opening/closing control unit that is arranged on a surface of the second door panel on a vehicle interior side, the door-opening/closing control unit including an inside knob which is rotatably attached thereto and exposed on the vehicle interior side, the door-opening/closing control unit being configured to mechanically control opening and closing of the slide door by releasing the first holding unit in response to an operation of the outside knob or the inside knob, said control unit comprising a plurality of levers;

a link unit that is configured separately from the control unit and disposed below the control unit, the link unit being arranged at a lower portion on the surface of the second door panel on a vehicle interior side outside of a moving area of the window-opening/closing member, the link unit including a link base plate, a link shaft, and an open knob lever, wherein the link shaft is arranged on the link base plate, and the open knob lever is arranged on the link shaft;

a first wire cable that mechanically connects the link unit to the outside knob; and

a second wire cable that mechanically connects the link unit to the door-opening/closing control unit, wherein

the open knob lever includes a first-wire connecting unit to which an end of the first wire cable is connected, and a second-wire connecting unit to which an end of the second wire cable is connected,

the operation of the outside knob is mechanically transmitted to the link unit through the first wire cable, and the operation transmitted is mechanically relayed by the link unit to the door-opening/closing control unit through the second wire cable, making the control unit operate, and

each of the first wire cable and the second wire cable is arranged in a substantially straight line without interfering with opening/closing movement of the window-opening/closing member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the control unit includes a lock unit that is switched over between a locked mode and an unlocked mode,

when the lock unit is in the locked mode, the lock unit invalidates the operation of the outside knob, and

when the lock unit is in the unlocked mode, the lock unit transmits the operation of the outside knob to the first holding unit to release the fully closed state.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the link unit includes a release actuator that assists releasing of the first holding unit when the outside knob is operated.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a second holding unit that is arranged between the slide door and a body of the vehicle, and that holds the slide door in a fully opened state,

wherein the second holding unit is controlled to release the fully opened state without releasing the first holding unit when the inside knob is operated to close the slide door.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2011
From: MITSUI MINING & SMELTING CO., LTD.
To: MITSUI KINZOKU ACT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026336/0406 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2004
From: YONEYAMA, FUMIHIRO; MOCHIZUKI, SHINTARO
To: MITSUI MINING & SMELTING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 015854/0504 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2003-376629 · Nov 6, 2003 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20050099017A1 · May 12, 2005