CA2219002A1

CA2219002A1 - Swinging/sliding door for vehicles

Info

Publication number: CA2219002A1
Application number: CA002219002A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Reinhold Jarolim; Martin Fink
Original assignee: IFE INDUSTRIE-EINRICHTUNGEN FERTIGUNGS AG
Current assignee: IFE INDUSTRIE-EINRICHTUNGEN FERTIGUNGS-AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Priority date: 1996-10-21
Filing date: 1997-10-21
Publication date: 1998-04-21
Also published as: EP0837209A2; PL322704A1; CN1186147A; TR199701164A2; EP0837209A3; JPH10169298A; CZ333097A3; KR19980032919A

Abstract

A swinging/sliding door for vehicles includes at least one door leaf; a support rail fixedly mounted in the vehicle for supporting the door leaf; a carriage longitudinally slidably mounted on the support rail; a pivotable support mechanism, possibly forming an articulated parallelogram, for connecting the door leaf to the carriage; a guide rail fixedly mounted in the vehicle, wherein a guide pin connected to an element of the support mechanism travels in the guide rail and determines the angular position of the support mechanism; a linear drive for effecting the movement of the door leaf or carriage along the support rail, wherein the linear drive acts on an engagement point of the carriage. The engagement element for the carriage is moveable between two positions, wherein one position corresponds to the outwardly swung, open position of the door leaf and the other position corresponds to the inwardly swung, closed position of the door leaf, and wherein the movement of the engagement element from one position to the other position causes a torque to act on a hinge point of the support mechanism on the side of the carriage for effecting the inward and outward movements or for at least substantially reinforcing the movements.

Description

r t BACKGROUND OF THE lNv~N-lloN

1. Field o~ the Invention The present invention relates to a swinging/sliding door for vehicles including a) at least one door leaf;
b) a support rail fixedly mounted in the vehicle for supporting the door leaf;
c) a carriage longitu~inally slidably mounted on the support rail;
d) a pivotable support mechanism, possibly forming an articulated parallelogram, for connecting the door lea~
to the carriage;
e) a guide rail fixedly mounted in the vehicle, wherein a guide pin connected to an element of the support mechanism travels in the guide rail and determines the angular position o~ the support mechanism in this manner;
f) a linear drive for effecting the movement of the door leaf or carriage along the support rail; wherein g) the linear drive acts on an engagement point of the carriage.

, 2. Description of the Related Art A construction of the above-described type is disclosed in EP O 643 190 A2. In this construction, the reaction torque o~
the recluction gear unit of the drive motor through a coupling rod is used for the purpose of outwardly moving at the beginning of the opening movement a door support pipe which causes the adjusting.movement o~ the side closing edge of the door leaf and pivoting inwardly the door support pipe at the end of the closing movement.

A similar construction is known from DE 43 16 253 A1 in which the coupling rod assumes a position beyond dead center in order to securely hold the door support pipe in its respective angular position.

A somewhat different construction is disclosed in DE 32 31 181 C2. However, concerning the type of drive it is merely mentioned that the drive acts by means o~ a rigid arm on the door leaf. This is necessary in order to handle the dynamic and kinematic problems during the pivoting of the articulated parallelogram.

, DE 34 19 338 C2 discloses a linear drive for a door in the form of a revolving endless rope or belt drive in which the diameter of the guide rollers of the rope or belt drive is used for the adjusting movement of the door. The hinge point of the door leaf at the revolving cLrive travels for approximately 90~
together with the guide dislc and this causes the door to be pulled into alignment with t:he car body or to be moved outwardly during opening. However, in view of this type of drive, the actual guide ~or the door (which is not discussed in this reference) must be constructed in accordance with a different principle than in the reference mentioned first.

The reference mentionecl last has the advantage over the refere1lce mentioned first that the drive produces at the end o~
the closing movement and at the beginning of the opening movement directly a force component which rein~orces the swinging movement taking place in this position of the door. However, because of the load acting on the belt drive in which the connecting f itting for the door leaf must partially travel around the roller, this solution is susceptible to trouble and is subj ect to wear quickly .

SUMMARY OF THE lNv~N-LlON

Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a swinging/sliding door for vehicles of the above-described type in which the disadvantages described above are avoided while the advantages are maintained. Thus, a door of the above-described type is to be provided which is easy to maintain and adjust and which meets the object of the invention with simple and inexpensive structural components.

In accordance with the present invention, the engagement element for the carriage is moveable between two positions, wherein one position corresponds to the outwardly swung, open position of the door leaf and the other position corresponds to the inwardly swung, closed position of the door leaf, and wherein the movement of the engagement element from one position to the other position causes a torque to act on a hinge point of the support mechanism on the side of the carriage for effecting the inward and outward movements or for at least substantially reinforcing the movements.

In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the linear drive is a revolving endless belt, a chain, or the like, which revolves at the carriage about a roller which . CA 02219002 1997-10-21 forms the engagement element, wherein the roller is connected or is in operative connection with a pivot axis of the support mechanism. In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the linear drive is a spindle which interacts with a spindle nut which is rotatably mounted between two stops o~ the carriage and forms the engagement element in this manner, wherein the spindle nut is in operative connection with the rotational axis of the support mechanism on the side of the carriage through a gear unit, a ~riction wheel unit, a belt or the like.

In accordance with a third advantageous ernbodiment of the invention, the linear drive is an endless belt or the like as in the ~irst embodiment, but the support mechanism is not an articulated parallelogram but a simple pivot arm, so that the entire construction can be substantially more compact.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out wif_h particularity in the claims annexed to and ~orming a parl_ o~ the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, speci~ic objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive rnatter in which there are illustrated and described preferred er~o(1iments of the invention.

, CA 02219002 1997-10-21 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing:

Figs. 1 to 5 are sectional partial views of a first embodiment o~ a swinging/sliding door according to the present invention showing different closing stages of the door during the closing movement thereo~;

Fig. 6 shows a detail of a second embodiment of a door according to the present invention with a spindle drive;

Figs. 7-9 are schematic illustrations o~ constructions according to the present invention for locking the closed position of the door leaf in the area of the side closing edge of the door; and Figs. 10-12 are schematic views of a third embodiment of the invention in which the support mechanism does not form an articulated parallelogram.

, CA 02219002 1997-10-21 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 o~ the drawing is a horizontal sectional view o~ the swinging/sliding door accord.ing to the present invention showing the elements which are significant with respect to the invention.
A door lea~ 1 is supported on a carriage 6 by means of an articulated parallelogram ha.ving pivot axes 2 and 3 ~ixed to the door and pivot axes 4 and 5 ~ixed to the carriage. The carriage 6 travels on a support rail 7 which is fixedly mounted in the vehicle. It is also conceivable to have cases in which the support rail 7 is mounted in. the car body so to be axially fixed but rotatable about its axis.

The respective angular position o~ the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 which depends on the position o~ the carriage 6 on the support ra.il 7 is determined by a control roller 8 which travels in a guide rail 9 and is connected in an appropriate m~nner to the articulated parallelogram; in the illustrated embodiment, the control roller 8 is connected to the connecting arm between the a.xes 2 and 4.

The door drive is constructed as a revolving endless toothed belt 10 which travels arouncL two stationary guide rollers 11, 12 and at the carriage 6 arouncL two guide rollers 13, 14 connected , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 to the carriage and around a guide roller 15 which is connected to the axis 4 o~ the articulated parallelogram so as to rotate with the axis 4. The drive of the toothed belt 10 is e~ected by a motor acting on one of the two guide rollers 11, 12, wherein a gear unit may be arranged therebetween, however, such a gear unit is known in the art and does not constitute a part o~ the invention and, there~ore, does not require to be explained in detail herein.

Since the angular position of the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 is determined by the guide roller 8 in the guide rail 9, a tensile ~orce applied to the revolving toothed belt 10 in the position shown in Fig. 1 results in a displacement of the carriage 6 and, thus, the door 1. The position shown in Fig. 1 corresponds to the end position during opening o~ the door; by using appropriate sensors and control circuits which are known in the art and not part o~ the invention, only a closing movement o~
the door leaf 1 is provided in the position illustrated in Fig.
1.

During the closing movement, the carriage 6 ~inally reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 which constitutes the end of the purely translatory movement o~ the door lea~ 1 and in which the swinging movement starts which causes the door lea~ 1 to be swung into its end position in which the door leaf 1 is in the door opening in alignment with the car body. When reaching this position, the advantages achieved by the invention become effective: by pulling on the revolving toothed belt 10 in the direction of arrow 16, a torque in the counter-clockwise direction is applied on the guide roller 15 and, thus, on the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 which reinforces pivoting o~
the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 and, thus, swinging of the door leaf 1.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, which show the further swinging movement of the door leaf 1, the effect according to the present invention becomes particularly apparent and strong if, in the area ln which the guide roller 8 is located during the swinging movement, the guide rail 9 extends concentrically relative to the pivot axis 4 of the articulated parallelogram which is already standing still relative to the vehicle.

Fig. 5 of the drawing shows the completely closed position of the door leaf 1. As is apparent from Fig. 5, the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 assumes the angular position which corresponds to the closed position of the door.

, CA 02219002 1997-10-21 Opening of the door tak:es place analogously to the described closing in the reverse sequence: by applying a tensile force against the direction o~ arrow 16 shown, ~or example, in Fig 3, a torc~ue directed in the clockwise direction acts on the guide roller 15 which is in operative connection with the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 and causes a pivoting of the articulated parallelogram and, thus, out.ward swinging o~ the door leaf 1.

Also, the guide roller 8 is displaced in the guide rail 9 in the curved portion of the guide rail 9 which corresponds to a rotary movement about the pivot axis 4 of the articulated parallelogram which is still standing still relative to the vehicle. When the roller 8 reaches during the rotary movement the straight portion of the guide rail 9, this causes the end of the rotary movement o~ the pivot axis 4 and, thus, also fixing o~
the guide roll 15 with respect to rotation, thus, of the toothed belt 10 at the carriage.

Due to the reaction ~orce which is being built up as a result, the carriage 6 is moved along the support rail 7 and causes the now fully outwardly swung door lea~ 1 to carry out the translatory movement in opening direction. This movement is stopped when the position shown in Fig. 1 is reached in which the various sensors determine that the position has been reached and cause the drive to be switched off.

The embodiment described above can be modified in various ways. For example, it is not necessary that the toothed belt 10 travels around a guide roller 15 which is coaxially and fixedly connected to the pivot axis 4. It is possible to provide a guide roller which acts on the pivot axis 4 through a gear wheel unit, a friction wheel unit or a belt drive, wherein this makes it possible to apply a different efficiency and a different torque during opening and closing t;han those predetermined by the motor and the gear unit flanged thereto. It is also possible to have the toothed belt slide past an appropriately selected gear wheel by means of a contact plate in the form of a type of pinion, however, this solution is not preferred because of the increased wear of the toothed belt.

In accordance with anot:her solution, a combination of the carriage movement and the p~voting movement of the articulated parallelogram takes place during closing which makes it possible to produce any desired opening and closing end movement. For this purpose, in the area in which the roller 8 is located when the door is in the closing end position, the shape of the guide 9 must merely be adapted accordingly.

, CA 02219002 1997-10-21 When constructing two-leaf doors, it is simple to adapt the invention accordingly: For example, it is possible to provide another mirror-inverted device by constructing the guide roller 12 as a gear wheel and with only one drive. However, it is also possible to use a toothed belt 10 which extends over the entire door opening, wherein each door lea~ is driven by one o~ the two portions of the toothed belt 10; by providing a twisted arrangement of the toothed belt 10, possibly in combination with inclined guide rollers 11, 12, it is possible to arrange the guide rollers 13, 14, 15 mounted on the carriage on the two carriages in almost the same plane without inter~ering with the other portion of the toothed belt.

I~ is also not necessarily required that the revolving drive means 10 is a toothed belt i~ such is pre~erred ~or reasons o~
cost and wear. 0~ course, it is possible to use ropes, ch~;n~ or other drive elements of this type, wherein additional tensioning members may be provided, ho~ever, these ~eatures are not part o~
the invention and are not explained herein.

The arrangement o~ a revolving drive means also has the advantage that, during periodically recurring maintenance operations, the drive means can be moved by a certain distance, so that the highly stressed points "travel" along the entire drive means during the total operating time, so that the stress is uniformly distributed and, thus, the service life is substantially increased.

In the second embodiment of the configuration according to the present invention, a spindle drive is used. Fig. 6 of the drawing shows a carriage 6 which, as is the case in the first embodiment, travels along a support rail 7 and is arranged on the pivot axis 4, 5 of an articulated parallelogram on the side of the carriage. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot axis 5 has a bevel gear 17 which meshes with a bevel-type pinion 18 which, in turn, is mounted on a spindle nut 19. The spindle nut 19 is connected so as to be rotatable but not displaceable to an arm 20 of the carriage 6. The spindle nut 19 travels on a spindle 21 which constitutes the linear drive element which, in the first embodiment, is formed by the toothed belt 10.

The m~nn~r of operation of the embodiment according to Fig.
6 is completely analogous to that of the embodiment of Figs. 1-5:
in the closing end position shown in Fig. 6, during opening the rotation of the spindle 21 transmits a torc~ue to the spindle nut 19 which transmits the torque through the bevel gears 18, 17 to the articulated parallelogram in a clockwise direction and causes the door leaf to be swung out. When the pivoting movement of the , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 articulated parallelogram is stopped by the guide device (8, 9 as shown in Fig. 1, not shown in Fig. 6 for reasons of clarity), the resulting reaction forces cause the carriage 6 to be moved in opening direction, i.e., toward the right as seen in Fig. 6. The closing of the door takes place analogously.

The second embodiment of the invention can also modified in various ways. For example, instead of the bevel gear unit, a less expensive crown gear unit can be used or also a friction wheel combination. Fig. 6 further shows that it is not necessary that two sides of the articulated parallelogram extend parallel to the support rail 7; of course, this is true for all embodiments of the invention.

The construction of the swinging/sliding door according to the present invention has advantages in addition to the advantages described above because the configuration according to the present invention makes it easily possible to hold the side closing edge 22 of the door in the closed position with almost any selectable forces. Three preferred developments are illustrated in the drawing.

Fig. 7 shows a door construction according to the present invention in which the door leaf 1 is guided in the area of the ,, ~ CA 02219002 1997-10-21 side closing edge 22 and is held in the closed position. This is extremely desirable particularly in high-speed trains because of the negative pressures occurring between trains when two trains pass each other. In order to achieve this goal, a guide means 23 is provided which interacts with rollers 24 or the like which are arranged on a pivot arm 25. The pivot arm 25 is pivotable about an essentially vertical axis 26 and secures the outwardly moved position of the door leaf in the area of the side closing edge 22 in this manner. In conventional doors, the pivot lever 25 is forced to participate in the movement of the door leaf and secures the outward position only in order to prevent a collision between the door leaf and the frame which forms a fixed part of the vehicle.

In accordance with other constructions, the pivot lever 25 is under the influence of a spring which, depending on the type of application, has the purpose of moving the pivot lever into the closing position or the opening position. In high-speed trains, it is also known to provide a separate pivoting drive which controls and secures t,he angular position of the pivot lever 25 in dependence on the door control and independently of the actual door drive.

In accordance with the present invention, the guide roller 11, which is located in the area o~ the side closing edge, is provided with an appropriate drive element and a locking arm 27 which, when the closing end position of the door leaf 1 has been reached, engages with a bolt Z8 in a groove 29 of the pivot lever 26 and pushes and then secures the pivot lever 26 at ~irst in the closed position It is worth mentioning in connection with the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 that the guide rail 9 for the articulated parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 is constructed di~erently ~rom that o~
the embodiment o~ Figs. 1-5 and assumes a di~erent position relative to the door drive, while the direction of movement of the toothed belt 10 is not changed and, thus, the respective directions of rotation of the guide rollers 11, 12 are also not changed. In this embodiment, during the pivoting movement, the guide roller 15 o~ the toothed belt 10 and, thus, the pivot axis 4 are located essentially in the center of the bent portion of the guide rail 9 of the roller 8.

At the end o~ the closing end movement, the locking lever 27 rotates against the direction o~ the guide roller 11 which can be easily effected, for example, by a planetary gear unit. When the door drive is flanged directly at the area of the guide roller , 11 , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 11, the pivoting movement of the locking lever 27 is preferably derived as a reaction movement of the motor torque from the rotatably mounted drive.

Fig. 8 of the drawing shows a further development of the locking means in the area of the side closing edge, wherein the guide unit 8, 9 again has the form as described in connection with the first embodiment. In the embodiment of Fig. 8, the pivot lever 25 has a guide slot 30 which interacts with a corresponding roller of an intermediate lever 31 The intermediate lever 31 is in operative connection with the locking lever 27, wherein the locking lever 27, in turn, interacts with the actual drive ~or the door movement which acts on the guide roller 11.

The control by means of a guide slot makes it possible, in addition to securing the door leaf 1 in the area o~ the side closing edge 22, to also support the outwardly adjusting movement because the guide slot 30 permits the application o~ forces in both directions perpendicularly of the longitudinal extension of the guide slot.

In that case, by providing an appropriately curved configuration of the guide slot 30, locking can be carried out , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 even when the drive becomes inoperative because, no matter how high the ~orces are which act on the door lea~ 1, an outward movement of the side closing edge of the door leaf 1 is not possible as a result of an appropriately selected shape of the guide slot 30 in cooperation with the intermediate lever 31. For safety reasons, such as sel~-locking con~iguration is pre~erred in many types of application.

In accordance with another modification of this embodiment as shown in Fig. 9, the pivot lever 25 is secured in the closed position by moving its connecting arm 32 toward the locking lever 27 past a dead center point, so that, no matter how high the forces acting on the door leaf 1 are, an opening of the door leaf 1 is not possible without actuating the drive. Fig. 9 again shows this modification in the embodiment of the guide unit 8, 9 according to the present invention as shown in Figs. 1-5. The dead center point is located where the connecting arm 32 travels over the axis of the locking lever 27. As is the case in the other embodiments, the locking lever 27 is preferably moved by the reaction torque of the drive.

Figs. 10-12 show a modi~ied embodiment o~ the present invention which is of particularly compact structural size. In this embodiment, the support mechanism is only composed of a , ,, , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 pivot arm 33 which is connected in an articulated manner to the carriage 6 and to a support arm 34 attached to the door lea~, wherein the pivot arm 33 is pivotable at the articulated connections about a vertical axis each. The pivot arm 33 is attached to a drive ar~L34, wherein the linear drive 10 acts on the drive arm 35, and wherein the angular position of the arm drive 35 and, thus, o~ the pivot arm 33 is determined by a guide roller 8 which is guided in a guide rail 9 attached to the door.

As in the first embodiment of the invention, the linear drive 10 is composed of a belt drive which is guided about guide rollers 11, 11', 12, 12' with axes attached to the door ~rame, wherein one roller, i.e. the roller 11 in the illustrated embodiment, is driven through a gear unit 37 in the area of the side closing edge of the door leaf 1.

Also, analogously to the embodiments of Figs. 7, 8 and 9, a vertical axis 26 attached to the door ~rame, which may be, ~or example, a door support pipe, iS provided. Attached to this axis 26 is a pivot lever 25 which supports the rollers 24 which travel in a guide 23 of the door leaf 1.

The gear 37 is mounted so as to rotatable; a lug 36 is pivotably mounted on the gear housing, wherein the other end o~

-, CA 02219002 1997-10-21 the lug 36 is attached to the axis 26 and, thus, also to the pivot lever 25.

The manner of operation of the construction according to this modified embodiment of the invention is as follows:
Starting ~rom the upper illustration in Fig. 10 which shows the door in the open state, closing is e~ected by rotating the gear 37, the roller 11 in a clockwise direction. The reaction torque of the gear 37 is derived through its housing, the lug 36, the pivot lever 25 and the rollers 24 and 39 to the guide 23, so that the axis 26 is not rotated.

The toothed belt 10 moved by the driven roller 11 is pivotably connected to the drive lever 35. Since the angular position of this drive lever 35 relative to the carriage 6 is determined by the roller 8 and its guide rail 9, the carriage and all horizontally moveable parts of the door drive and of the door are moved along the guide in order to close the door.

During this closing movement, the roller 8 is moved to that location of the guide rail 9 where the guide rail 9 is curved, so that the angular position of the drive lever 35 relative to the carriage 6 changes. Since the drive lever is attached to the pivot lever 33 so as to rotate therewith, this change in angular ,~ , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 position leads to an inwardly swinging movement of the door lea~
1. This inwardly swinging movement is reinforced by the reaction torque of the gear 37 which still acts on the door support pipe 26.

The reaction torque increases with increasing pressure of the door leaf 1 at the end of the closing movement against the seals. Pivoting of the door support pipe 26 also has the result that the lug 36 is rotated into the position beyond the dead center shown in the lower illustration of Fig. 10, so that an opening of the door is no longer possible even if the drive is without power.

When the door is opened, the drive 6 seeks to rotate the roller 11 in the clockwise direction which is not possible because of the locking action, so that the reaction torque rotates the lug 36 in the counterclockwise direction beyond the dead center and, thus, acts on the door support pipe 26 in the direction of the outward swinging movement.

In order to ensure that, prior to reaching the fully swung-out position, no longitudinal displacement of the door leaf takes place, an adjusting roller 33 is provided on the pivot lever 25, wherein, in the closed position of the door, the adjusting roller .~ . CA 02219002 1997-10-21 39 is received in a recess 40 of the door leaf 1 and, thus, prevents a translatory movement of the door leaf. By rotating the door support pipe 26 and the resulting change of position of the pivot lever 25, the adjusting roller 39 is moved out of the area of the recess 40 and the door leaf can travel past the adjusting roller 39. In the opposite direction when closing the door, this adjusting roller 39 ensures that the door leaf 1 cannot be swung in before reaching the correct position.

A possible emergency actuation of the door is schematically indicated by a spring 38 con:nected to the gear housing, wherein the spring can be used for o-vercoming the dead center position of the door drive in the case of an emergency.

Instead of the mechanism in which the dead center position is overcome, it is also possible to provide a guide slot configuration, similar to the one shown in Fig. 8, so that it is also ensured that the reaction torque of the gear or motor supports the swinging movement of the door leaf 1 or the door support pipe 26 also during opening.

In the case of doors having two leafs, the locking mechanism for the side locking edge according to the present invention can be utilized by using appropriate and conventional transmission means ~or the drive or guide mechanism o~ the second door lea~;
of course, when familiar with the present invention, this does not pose problems to those skilled in the field of the manufacture of doors for transportation vehicles. The selection o~ the devices to be used in the area o~ the side closing edge depends on the intended e~ects and the field of application and those skilled in the art can easily select the appropriate devices in accordance with the specific requirements.

At any rate, it is a particularly pre~erred modi~ication o~
this embodiment that the movement o~ the locking lever 27 is effected by the motor reaction torque and, thus, an additional drive is not required. In addition to this, the derivation from the motor reaction torque also results in an automatic sequence o~ the individual phases of the movement without requiring specific monitoring by sensors and an appropriate control o~
different drive units.

Of course, in the case of the second embodiment o~ the present invention described above in which a spindle is used, it is possible to derive the appropriate reaction torque ~or moving a locking lever through a bevel gear or crown gear. This is also possible when using a gear belt drive for the spindle with an electric motor extending parallel to the spindle, however, in , ,~ . CA 02219002 1997-10-21 that case, a support of the motor must facilitate the derivation of an appropriate reaction torque.

Of course, it is possible to use the manner of moving and securing the door leaf in the area of the side closing edge according to the present invention independently of the use of the basic concept of the present invention.

In the description and claims, the designation "engagement element" is used in a general m~nn~r, for example, for the contact friction between the toothed belt 10 and the guide roller 15 in the first embodiment, for the engagement of the gears 17, 18 in the second embodiment, and for the angular position of the drive lever 35 in the third embodiment. It is also conceivable to secure in the first embodiment the toothed belt 10 to an extension of the connecting element of the pivot points 3 and 4 of the articulated parallelogram, which would also correspond to an engagement point in the sense of the present invention.

The present invention can be modified in various ways. For example, it is possible in the first embodiment to wind the toothed belt around both piv-ot axes on the side of the carriage in order to increase the torque which can be transmitted. The possibility of acting on a different element of the articulated , ,1 , CA 02219002 1997-10-21 parallelogram 2, 3, 4, 5 than on the pivot axes at the carriage, has already been mentioned; when using an appropriate fork-shaped drive element, this can be done without deflection o~ the toothed belt 10. A drive element of this type can also be used in the third embodiment of the invention.

Those elements which are conventional in the art and are not directly part o~ the present invention are not described herein ~or reasons of clarity. Among these elements are, for example, additional door guide means in the bottom area, sensors for monitoring the door movement, emergency opening devices for the case when the drive becomes inoperative, and special configurations o~ seals, particularly in high-speed vehicles, and the like.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A swinging/sliding door for vehicles with at least one door leaf, comprising a support rail fixedly mounted in a vehicle for supporting the door leaf, a carriage longitudinally slideably mounted on the support rail, a pivotable support mechanism for connecting the door leaf to the carriage, a guide rail fixedly mounted in the vehicle, wherein a guide pin is connected to an element of the support mechanism, and wherein the guide pin is mounted so as to travel in the guide rail for determining an angular position of the support mechanism, a linear drive for effecting the sliding movement of the door leaf along the support rail, wherein the linear drive is configured to act on an engagement element of the carriage, further comprising means for moving the engagement element for the carriage between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position corresponds to an outwardly swung open position of the door leaf and the second position corresponds to an inwardly swung closed position of the door leaf, wherein the engagement element is connected to an element of the support mechanism such that a movement of the engagement element between the first position and the second position causes a torque to act on the support mechanism for effecting an inward or outward swinging movement of the at least one door leaf.

2. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the support mechanism comprises an articulated parallelogram.

3. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive is a revolving drive element, and wherein the engagement element is mounted so as to carry out a rotary movement about an axis extending parallel to a pivot axis of the support mechanism.

4. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 3, wherein the revolving drive element is one of a toothed belt, a rope, and a chain.

5. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 3, wherein the engagement element is comprised of a roller, wherein the revolving drive element is wound around the roller, and wherein the roller is connected to at least one pivot axis of the support mechanism connected to the carriage.

6. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the linear drive comprises a spindle/spindle nut combination, wherein the spindle nut forms the engagement element and is mounted so as to rotate about the spindle, further comprising a gear unit for transmitting the rotation of the spindle to a pivot axis of the support mechanism connected to the carriage.

7. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 6, wherein the gear unit is a bevel gear unit.

8. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 1, wherein the at least one door leaf comprises a guide means, the guide means being in engagement with rollers mounted on a pivot lever, the pivot lever being mounted so as be pivotable about an essentially vertical axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position of the pivot lever corresponds to the outwardly swung position of the door leaf and the second position of the pivot lever corresponds to the inwardly swung position of the door leaf, further comprising a locking lever connected in a closing end position of the door leaf to the linear drive for securing the pivot lever in the second position thereof.

9. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 8, wherein the locking lever is configured to be moved by a reaction torque of the drive in an end phase of a door closing movement.

10. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 8, wherein the pivot lever comprises a guide slot, wherein the locking lever engages in the guide slot.

11. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 10, further comprising intermediate elements between the locking lever and the guide slot.

12. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 8, wherein the locking lever engages the pivot lever through a dead center point mechanism.

13. The swinging/sliding door according to claim 12, further comprising intermediate elements between the locking lever and the dead center point mechanism.