IP Library Granted Patent US 12,291,908
Granted Patent B2
US 12,291,908 · App. 17/849,619 · Granted May 6, 2025

Roller assembly for a sliding vehicle door

Inventors: Luca Marega (Lilla Edet, SE); Koteswara Rao Buravalli (Gothenburg, SE)
Assignees: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEV. CO., LTD.; ZHEJIANG GEELY HOLDING GROUP CO., LTD.
E05D15/0665B60J5/06E05D15/0678E05D15/101E05D15/1047E05D2015/1026E05Y2201/64E05Y2201/692E05Y2800/35
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,291,908
App. No.
17/849,619
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A roller assembly for a sliding vehicle door includes a bracket structure having a first and second inner horizontal guide roller arranged to interact with an inner vertical surface of the track member. The bracket structure further includes at least a first and second vertical guide roller arranged to interact with a first inner surface of the track member, a resiliently arranged rotatable member arranged to interact with a second inner surface of the track member and at least one outer horizontal guide roller arranged to interact with an outer vertical surface of the track member.

Claims (16)

1. A roller assembly for a sliding vehicle door configured for moving in relation to a track member of a vehicle, the roller assembly comprising a bracket structure comprising a first inner horizontal guide roller and a second inner horizontal guide roller arranged to interact with an inner vertical surface of the track member, wherein the bracket structure further comprises at least a first vertical guide roller and a second vertical guide roller arranged to interact with a first inner horizontal surface of the track member, a resiliently arranged rotatable member arranged to interact with a second inner horizontal surface of the track member and at least one outer horizontal guide roller arranged to interact with an outer vertical surface of the track member.

2. The roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the resiliently arranged rotatable member is arranged between the first vertical guide roller and the second vertical guide roller on the bracket structure, wherein the resiliently arranged rotatable member is essentially aligned with a vertical plane of rotation of the first vertical guide roller and the second vertical guide roller.

3. The roller assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a first hub of the first vertical guide roller, a second hub of the second vertical guide roller and a contacting point of the resiliently arranged rotatable member are arranged in a triangular relationship essentially in the vertical plane of rotation of the first vertical guide roller and the second vertical guide roller.

4. The roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the resiliently arranged rotatable member comprises a ball bearing arranged in a spring-loaded seat attached to the bracket structure.

5. The roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one outer horizontal guide roller comprises a first outer horizontal guide roller and a second outer horizontal guide roller that are each arranged to interact with the outer vertical surface of the track member.

6. The roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one outer horizontal guide roller is arranged in an outer horizontal plane of rotation separated from an inner horizontal plane of rotation in which the first inner horizontal guide roller and the second inner horizontal guide roller are arranged.

7. The roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one outer horizontal guide roller is arranged on an outer horizontal guide roller bracket arranged to be attached to the bracket structure.

8. A vehicle door comprising the roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly is rotatably attached to a roller assembly arm.

9. A vehicle body comprising the roller assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly is rotatably attached to a roller assembly arm.

10. A system comprising a roller assembly for a sliding vehicle door and a track member of a vehicle, wherein the roller assembly is configured for moving in relation to the track member, the roller assembly comprising a bracket structure comprising a first inner horizontal guide roller and a second inner horizontal guide roller arranged to interact with an inner vertical surface of the track member, wherein the bracket structure further comprises at least a first vertical guide roller and a second vertical guide roller arranged to interact with a first inner horizontal surface of the track member, a resiliently arranged rotatable member arranged to interact with a second inner horizontal surface of the track member and at least one outer horizontal guide roller arranged to interact with an outer vertical surface of the track member.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the track member is one of:

a lower track member, the first inner horizontal surface is a lower inner horizontal surface and the second inner horizontal surface is an upper inner horizontal surface, or

an upper track member, the first inner horizontal surface is an upper inner horizontal surface and the second inner horizontal surface is a lower inner horizontal surface.

12. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the roller assembly is rotatably attached to a roller assembly arm, wherein the roller assembly arm with the roller assembly is arranged to interact with the track member.

13. A vehicle comprising a system according to claim 10 .

14. A vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is a B-pillarless vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2022
From: BURAVALLI, KOTESWARA RAO; MAREGA, LUCA
To: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.; ZHEJIANG GEELY HOLDING GROUP CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060317/0225 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021073248 · Jan 22, 2021
Related Publication 20220325568A1 · Oct 13, 2022
References Cited (30)
US 3829929A · Foltz · 1974 [cited by examiner]
US 4559740A · Tuchiya · 1985 [cited by examiner]
US 7669367B2 · Shimura · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 9637968B2 · Guitar · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9701183B2 · Choi · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10384519B1 · Brown · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10596884B2 · Biesenbruck · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11525293B2 · Yun · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11572726B2 · Choi · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11629539B2 · Choi · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11781367B2 · Choi · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11913267B2 · Bettcher, III · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 11945288B2 · Choi · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 11987106B2 · Choi · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20070033877A1 · Goebel · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20110089714A1 · Kitayama · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20130154305A1 · Thiele · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20200240186A1 · Kuroiwa · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 104742701A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
CN 108025626A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 209353937U · 2019 [cited by applicant]
DE 1708173C3 · 1978 [cited by applicant]
DE 202004021803U1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
DE 102022119779A1 · 2023 [cited by examiner]
EP 3258043A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
EP 3315699A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006257704A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
WO 2013154833A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
Translation of DE102022119779A1, printed Aug. 30, 2024. [cited by examiner]
International Search Report from International Application No. PCT/CN2021/073248, Apr. 21, 2021, 2 pages. [cited by applicant]