EP1205621A2 - Articulation device allowing the backwards opening of a vehicle rear door - Google Patents

Abstract

The rear door (1), fitted to a motor vehicle with no central pillar so that it is held in the closed position by the front door (5), has a front slider and a rear hinge with a ball-bearing guide which allow the door to be slid backwards before opening towards the rear of the vehicle. The front slider consists of at least one pin (9) interacting with a fixed slideway (11) on the vehicle structure to lock the door in the closed position.

Description

The present invention relates to an articulation device of the type for opening a rear door of a motor vehicle to the rear.

We know from the prior art a device of this type, to pivot the rear door between a closed position and a open rearward position allowing particularly easy access to the rear seat of a motor vehicle.

A problem of independence of opening doors appears with such a device, in particular in the case of a motor vehicle does with no middle leg: an overlap of the doors being indeed necessary to ensure watertightness, first open the front door so that you can open the rear door.

The present invention aims to allow an opening of the rear door regardless of the position of the front door.

This object of the invention is achieved with an articulation device of the type allowing a rear door of a motor vehicle to be opened towards the rear, remarkable in that it comprises means for opening said door first by sliding then by pivoting.

Thanks to these characteristics, the device according to the invention allows a opening the rear door in two successive modes, first according to a sliding mode, then in a pivoting mode, so that it becomes possible consider opening the rear door even if the front door associated is in the closed position.

• lesdits moyens d'ouverture comprennent au moins une charnière fixée à l'arrière de ladite portière arrière, comprenant des premier et deuxième charnons et un organe de guidage, ledit premier charnon étant monté pivotant par rapport audit deuxième charnon, et ledit deuxième charnon étant lui-même monté coulissant par rapport audit organe de guidage,
• ladite charnière comprend un roulement du type à billes interposé entre ledit deuxième charnon et ledit organe de guidage,
• ledit premier charnon et ledit organe de guidage comprennent des moyens d'engagement mutuel pour empêcher le pivotement dudit premier charnon jusqu'à la fin dudit glissement,
• lesdits moyens d'engagement mutuel comprennent un épaulement formé sur ledit deuxième charnon et une extension formée sur ledit organe de guidage,
• lesdits moyens d'ouverture comprennent une charnière supérieure et une charnière inférieure fixées à l'arrière de ladite portière arrière,
• lesdits moyens d'ouverture comprennent en outre au moins un doigt fixé à l'avant de ladite portière arrière et susceptible de coopérer avec une glissière fixe de manière à bloquer ladite portière arrière lorsqu'elle se trouve en position fermée, à la guider lors dudit glissement, puis à la libérer en vue dudit pivotement,
• ladite glissière est fixée sur la structure dudit véhicule,
• lesdits moyens d'ouverture comprennent un doigt supérieur et un doigt inférieur susceptibles de coopérer respectivement avec une glissière supérieure et une glissière inférieure fixées sur la structure dudit véhicule.

According to other characteristics of the device according to the invention:

• said opening means comprise at least one hinge fixed to the rear of said rear door, comprising first and second knuckles and a guide member, said first knuckle being pivotally mounted relative to said second knuckle, and said second knuckle being itself even mounted sliding with respect to said guide member,
• said hinge comprises a ball-type bearing interposed between said second knuckle and said guide member,
• said first knuckle and said guide member comprise means of mutual engagement to prevent pivoting of said first knuckle until the end of said sliding,
• said mutual engagement means comprise a shoulder formed on said second knuckle and an extension formed on said guide member,
• said opening means comprise an upper hinge and a lower hinge fixed to the rear of said rear door,
• said opening means further comprise at least one finger fixed to the front of said rear door and capable of cooperating with a fixed slide so as to block said rear door when it is in the closed position, to guide it during said sliding, then releasing it for said pivoting,
• said slide is fixed to the structure of said vehicle,
• said opening means comprise an upper finger and a lower finger capable of cooperating respectively with an upper slide and a lower slide fixed to the structure of said vehicle.

The present invention also relates to a strategy for control of a device in accordance with the above, remarkable in that that said device is locked when said motor vehicle is traveling and when a battery in this vehicle supplies current and when a door front associated with said rear door is closed.

According to other characteristics of this strategy, we unlock said device when said motor vehicle is stopped or when said battery no longer supplies power.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique d'une portière arrière de véhicule automobile équipée d'un dispositif d'articulation selon l'invention, cette portière étant représentée en positions fermée, intermédiaire et ouverte,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective partiellement arrachée de l'une des charnières faisant partie du dispositif d'articulation selon l'invention,
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe de la charnière de la figure 2 selon le plan III de cette figure,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe de cette charnière selon le plan IV de la figure 2, et
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe de cette charnière selon la ligne V-V des figures 3 et 4.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the description which follows and on examining the appended drawing, in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a rear door of a motor vehicle equipped with an articulation device according to the invention, this door being shown in the closed, intermediate and open positions,
• FIG. 2 is a partially cut away perspective view of one of the hinges forming part of the articulation device according to the invention,
• FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the hinge of FIG. 2 according to plane III of this figure,
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view of this hinge according to plane IV of FIG. 2, and
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of this hinge along the line VV of FIGS. 3 and 4.

In these figures, identical references designate bodies or sets of identical or analogous organs.

We now refer to Figure 1, on which we see a door rear 1 of a motor vehicle 3 located between an associated front door 5 and a rear door leg 7.

In this figure, the door 1 is shown in three positions different: closed position in broken lines, intermediate position in broken lines end, and position open in strong line.

The intermediate position is deduced from the closed position by sliding to the right of the figure, and the open position is deduced from the position intermediate by pivoting around an axis A located towards the rear of the door 1.

The device according to the invention preferably comprises at least one finger 9 fixed to the front of the door 1 and capable of cooperating with a slide 11 fixed to the vehicle structure.

The slide 11 has a stirrup part 13 and a part open 15, the finger 9 being at the bottom of the stirrup part 13 when the rear door 1 is in the closed position, in the open part 15 when this door is in the intermediate position, and out of the slide 11 when this door is in the open position (these three positions of the finger 9 are represented respectively in broken lines, end and strong in Figure 1).

We now refer to Figure 2, on which we see one of the hinges 16 allowing pivoting of the rear door 1 around the axis AT.

This hinge 16 comprises first 17 and second 19 knuckles pivotally mounted relative to each other around axis A, the second knuckle 19 being itself slidably mounted relative to a member of guide 21 having a section substantially in "C".

The first knuckle 17 is intended to be fixed on the rear door 1, and the guide member 21 is intended to be fixed to the rear leg 7 (see figure 1).

As can be seen in Figures 2 to 5, the sliding of the second knuckle 19 relative to the guide member 21 operates preferably by means of a ball-type bearing, comprising a rail 23 integral with the second knuckle 19, and a plurality of interposed balls 25 between this rail and the guide member 21.

In FIG. 2, the position of the first 17 and second 19 knuckles and balls 25 which is shown in broken lines corresponds to the position closed of the rear door 1 (see FIG. 1), and the position of these members which is shown in solid lines corresponds to the intermediate position of this door.

These two positions are also visible in Figure 5, in which there is also shown the position of the second knuckle 19 which corresponds in the open position of the rear door 1 (in strong lines).

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, the first knuckle 17 comprises a shoulder 26 and the guide member 21 comprises a extension 27.

The respective dimensions of this shoulder and this extension are such that these bodies are in mutual engagement as long as the first knuckle 17 has not reached the position shown in solid lines in the figure 2, and no longer cooperate when this knuckle has reached this position.

Preferably, the rear door 1 comprises two hinges of the type from that shown in Figure 2, one in the upper position and one in lower position.

Also preferably, the rear door includes a finger upper and lower finger capable of cooperating respectively with an upper slide and a lower slide fixed on the structure of the vehicle.

Advantageously, one can provide locking means of the articulation device which has just been described, so as to prevent opening the rear door 1 in certain situations.

Particularly advantageously, means can be provided electric actuators of these locking means, as well as a control strategy for these electrical means.

This control strategy can be implemented for example by a duly programmed microprocessor (not shown), receiving signals representing different states of the motor vehicle 3.

The mode of operation and the advantages of the device according to the invention results directly from the above description.

When we want to open the door 1, we start by exercising on it an effort having the effect of sliding it from its closed position shown in broken lines in Figure 1 to its intermediate position shown in thin line, and offset the axis of rotation A of the hinges.

This sliding movement is made possible by the capacity of the rail 23 of each hinge 16 (see FIG. 2) to slide inside the member guide 21, this sliding being facilitated by the presence of the balls 25.

The cooperation of the shoulder 26 with the extension 27 allows to prevent the door 1 from pivoting about the A axis until it has not reached its intermediate position.

Once the rear door 1 has reached this position and therefore the shoulder 26 ceases to cooperate with the extension 27, one can rotate this door around its offset axis of rotation A so as to bring it in its open position visible in Figure 1.

When the rear door 1 is in the closed position, the fingers 9 are at the bottom of the stirrup parts 13 (position of these fingers shown in broken lines), thus contributing to the blocking of the door 1 in rotation but allowing the sliding of this door towards its position intermediate.

When the rear door 1 is in the intermediate position, the fingers 9 are in the open parts 15 of the slides 11 (position of these fingers shown in solid lines), thus authorizing the pivoting of the door 1 around its offset axis A from its intermediate position towards its open position.

As can be understood in the light of the above, the hinge device according to the invention allows the door to be opened rear 1 in two successive modes, first in a sliding mode, then according to a pivoting mode, so that it becomes possible to envisage a opening the rear door even if the front door is in position closed.

According to an example of a control strategy for the device according to the invention, provision can be made to lock this device when the motor vehicle 3 is driving and when the battery of this vehicle (not shown) supplies current and when the front door 5 is closed.

Provision can also be made to unlock this device when the motor vehicle 3 is stopped or when the battery of this vehicle no longer supplies current.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the mode of embodiment described and shown, provided by way of illustrative example and not limiting.

This invention could in particular be applied to a vehicle automobile with middle legs.

Claims (11)

Hinge device of the type enabling a rear door (1) of a motor vehicle (3) to be opened towards the rear, characterized in that it comprises means (16, 9) for opening said door (1) from first by sliding then by pivoting. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said opening means comprise at least one hinge (16) fixed to the rear of said rear door (1), comprising first (17) and second (19) knuckles and a guide member (21), said first knuckle (17) being pivotally mounted relative to said second knuckle (19), and said second knuckle (19) being itself slidably mounted relative to said guide member (21). Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said hinge (16) comprises a ball-type bearing (25) interposed between said second knuckle (19) and said guide member (21). Device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said first knuckle (17) and said guide member (21) comprise means of mutual engagement (26, 27) to prevent pivoting of said first knuckle (17 ) until the end of said sliding. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said mutual engagement means comprise a shoulder (26) formed on said first knuckle (17) and an extension (27) formed on said guide member (21). Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said opening means (16) comprise an upper hinge and a lower hinge fixed to the rear of said rear door (1). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said opening means (16, 9) further comprise at least one finger (9) fixed to the front of said rear door (1) and capable of cooperating with a fixed slide (11) so as to block said rear door (1) when it is in the closed position, to guide it during said sliding; then to release it for said pivoting. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that said slide (11) is fixed to the structure of said vehicle (3). Device according to claim 8, characterized in that said opening means (16, 9) comprise an upper finger and a lower finger capable of cooperating respectively with an upper slide and a lower slide fixed to the structure of said vehicle (3). Strategy for controlling a device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device is locked when said motor vehicle (3) is driving and when a battery of this vehicle supplies current and when a door front (5) associated with said rear door (1) is closed. Strategy according to claim 10, characterized in that said device is unlocked when said motor vehicle (3) is stopped or when said battery no longer supplies current.

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