EP1676012B1 - Guiding system for a sliding door - Google Patents

Abstract

A guiding system for a sliding door, especially a motor vehicle, comprising a sliding rail (5) with an upper cover (6) and a lower edge (7) arranged opposite the upper cover (6), and a roller element (101) which is guided in the sliding rail (5) and comprises a roller element housing (102) is presented. Three rollers (103, 104) are rotatably fixed to the roller element housing (102), two rollers (103) extending along the upper cover (6) of the sliding rail (5) and the third roller (104) extending along the lower edge (7). The invention creates one such guiding system in such a way that there is no play, it operates quietly, and has a taut system characteristic. To this end, a spring element (109) is fixed to the roller element housing (102), said spring element pressing on of the first two roller (103) and the third roller (104) against the sliding rail (5).

Description

The invention relates to a guide system for a sliding door.

Above-described guide systems for sliding doors for vehicles and motor vehicles are known in the art. Such guide systems have the disadvantage that the Roffenelemente have a game in the guide rails and thus are not exactly guided, but cause the operation disturbing noises and do not provide a tight system characteristics.

There are known guide systems in which the rails either on the body or in the door and the roller elements are arranged correspondingly opposite to the door or the body, for example on the door pillar.

DE 100 45 589 A1 describes a guide system for a sliding door, in which a arranged on the inside of the sliding door running device is guided in a mounted on the outer wall of the body guide rail. In this case, there is a horizontally mounted support roller of the running device on the flat lower end of the guide rail. Two vertically mounted guide rollers of the running device are supported on the guide rail extending parallel to the rear wall of the guide rail, wherein guide member and rear wall are connected via a downwardly open V-shaped Abdeckteit. The sliding door system has a safety device against accidental deformation which functions by means of predetermined breaking points.

EP 1 153 189 A1 describes a guide system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, which comprises an upper running rail and a lower running rail. In the lower running rail designed as a carriage roller element is guided, wherein the roller element has a plurality of upper and lower rollers which at an upper cover or a lower end along the guide rail. In particular, two carriages each have two rollers whose respective axes are horizontal and perpendicular to the current direction of movement of the carriage. Accordingly, the upper track on an upper carriage on which upper and lower rollers are fixed, which run along the upper and lower channel profile. The upper track and the lower track each have a C-shaped profile, however, the upper track is offset relative to the lower track by 90 °.

DE 6 806 861 U describes a guide system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, which comprises an upper running rail and a lower running rail. In the upper track rail, a first roller and a second roller is guided. The axes of the two rollers are directly connected to a door, but not with each other firmly, so that the two rollers are not part of a roller element, such as a carriage. The first roll is in a closed position in a first trough and the second roll in a second trough. When the door is moved, in particular, it is intended to prevent the first roller from entering the second roller associated with the second roller, for which purpose a cylindrical axle sleeve is provided on the first roller, which cooperates with an edge at the location of the second recess such that the Achsbüchse is guided through the edge and the first role does not enter the second trough.

US 6,328,374 81 describes a guide system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, wherein in an upper rail, a roller carriage is guided with three rollers which are rotatably articulated on a trained as a carrier roller element housing. The rollers are each guide rollers which are rotatable about a vertical axis. At an extension of the middle roller engages a lever at the other end engages a spring element, the end of which is in turn secured to a projection of the carrier. The spring member urges the middle roller against a first side surface of the upper rail while the other two rollers are urged against a second side surface of the upper rail.

GB 671 387 A describes a guide system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, wherein in an upper guide rail, which is formed as an outwardly open channel, two levers is arranged, are mounted on the spindles on which roll on the lower surface of the guide rail. In addition, a further lever is arranged on each spindle, which carries a second roller in the manner of an angle lever, wherein acts on the bending of the angle lever, a spring. The spring causes the second rollers are raised relative to the actual guide rollers.

DE 44 46 403 A1 describes a roller carriage, on whose body a first support roller, a second support roller and a third support roller are rotatably mounted. The third support roller is offset from the other two support rollers vertically offset by an amount and set so; that each of the three support rollers rolls on one edge of the U-shaped track, so that the loading is achieved with respect to the track by the one-time setting of the rollers.

DE 848 763 describes a guide system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, wherein in a running rail designed as a first guide roller first roller and a second, designed as a second guide roller roller are guided, which are mounted on the two short arms of a T-shaped support lever. The long arm of the T-shaped support lever is attached to the door via a bracket. The two guide rollers are rotatable about a pivot. The lever arm of the support lever is acted upon by a spring element in the form of a prestressed compression spring whose abutment is arranged on the bearing block. The compression spring acts on the lever arm and thus the two rollers, which are pivotable about the pivot pin in the running rail, such that the two rollers are in constant contact with the legs of the running rail with a U-shaped profile.

The structure relates in particular to the tensioning of guide rollers, ie of rollers whose axis of rotation is vertical, while the subject of the application are carrier rollers whose axis of rotation is horizontal and perpendicular to the instantaneous direction of movement of the respective rollers.

DE 196 34 369 C1 describes a guide system for a sliding door of a motor vehicle, comprising a running rail, are guided in the two rollers whose roller axes are horizontal and perpendicular to the current direction of movement. The two rollers are attached to a trained as a carriage roller element. The two rollers both run off on a lower end of the guide rail. On the carriage a closing roller with a vertical roller shaft is further attached, which engages in a closing groove.

DE 835 718 B describes a bearing for rolling elements, in particular of balls and barrel rollers, which are guided along a running rail and in another rail, the support rail are kept. Trained as barrel rollers rolling elements are supported by a perforated punched tape and acted upon by springs.

It is the object of the invention to develop a guide system for a sliding door so that it is free of play, quiet and designed with a tight system characteristics.

This object is achieved by a guide system with the features of claim 1 for a sliding door.

The guide system has the advantage of achieving zero backlash, low noise and tight system characteristics with simple means.

A further advantage is that the three constantly applied to the guide rail rollers represent a safe and stable three-point support.

A particular advantage is that the roles center themselves in their careers and in that an upper and a roll are biased against each other and pressed against their respective roll, the backlash is permanently guaranteed because both manufacturing tolerances and wear-related tolerances independently be compensated by adjustment. If two rollers are coupled to one another by a fork, blockage of the fork rotation in the direction opposite to the prestressing is advantageously prevented by detents, so that the prestressing is always maintained at a certain minimum level.

An embodiment in which a further upper roller is arranged in alignment with the first in the roller element, guaranteed by the three-point support a stable guidance of the roller element and a sufficient rigidity of the roller element in the running direction. The provision of an insertion opening, via which the roller element with the mutually prestressed and thus spread in the vertical direction rollers can be inserted into the track, has the advantage that the bias can be built by the slight gradient gently step by step to the starting position.

In rail systems having at least one bent portion in addition to a straight portion, the guide can be ensured by the bent portion either by a corresponding expansion of the V-profile or in that at least one roller is formed pivotable about a vertical axis. This must be provided at least for the embodiment in which two upper rollers are provided in succession in alignment. But this may also be necessary if the bias is so high that the single role along its two-sided contact line with the oblique V flanks is fitted so tight that the longitudinal extent of the role must be adapted to the curved cam track.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

zeigt schematisch eine Seitenansicht eines Führungssystems mit einem drei Rollen umfassenden Rollenelement in einer Laufschiene, wie es aus dem Stand der Technik bekannt sind;

Fig. 2

zeigt schematisch und ausschnittsweise eine Seitenansicht mit zwei gegeneinander vorgespannte Rollen eines Rollenelements eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels einer erfindungsgemäßen Führungseinrichtung;

Fig. 2a

zeigt schematisch das erste Ausführungsbeispiel aus Fig. 2 zusammen mit dem Rollenelementgehäuse;

Fig. 2b

zeigt schematisch ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Führungseinrichtung;

Fig. 2c

zeigt schematisch ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen Führugseinrichtung;

Fig. 3

zeigt schematisch eine Laufschiene mit einem geraden und einem gebogenen Abschnitt in Draufsicht;

Fig. 3a

zeigt einen Querschnitt durch die Laufschiene mit Rollenelement gemäß Schnitt A-A in Fig. 3;

Fig. 3b

zeigt einen Querschnitt durch die Laufschiene mit Rollenelement gemäß Schnitt B-B in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4

zeigt schematisch die Draufsicht einer Laufschiene mit zwei darin geführten Rollenelementen mit drei um eine vertikale Achse schwenkbar gelagerten Rollen.

The invention will be described below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1

shows schematically a side view of a guide system with a three-roller roller element in a running rail, as are known in the prior art;

Fig. 2

shows schematically and partially a side view with two mutually prestressed rollers of a roller element of a first embodiment of a guide device according to the invention;

Fig. 2a

schematically shows the first embodiment Fig. 2 together with the roller element housing;

Fig. 2b

schematically shows a second embodiment of a guide device according to the invention;

Fig. 2c

schematically shows a third embodiment of a guide device according to the invention;

Fig. 3

shows schematically a running rail with a straight and a bent portion in plan view;

Fig. 3a

shows a cross section through the running rail with roller element according to section AA in Fig. 3 ;

Fig. 3b

shows a cross section through the running rail with roller element according to section BB in Fig. 3 ;

Fig. 4

schematically shows the top view of a running rail with two guided therein roller elements with three rollers pivotally mounted about a vertical axis.

In Fig. 1 is shown schematically as a trained as a carriage roller element 1 with three staggered roles, of which two upper rollers 3 on the upper cover 6 and a lower roller 4 on the lower end 7 of the track rail 5 is guided fitting. The three rollers 3, 4 are rotatably mounted on a roller element housing 2 about horizontal axes. It can be seen that this form of staggered arrangement of upper rollers 3 and lower roller 4 allows a stable three-point support. Also important for a tight system characteristics stiffness in the longitudinal direction is favorably influenced by the series arrangement of the upper roller 3. Such guide systems are known from the prior art, but require a constant tracking of the setting of the rollers 3, 4 ahead to ensure a safe passage of the roller element 1.

In Fig. 2 is only one of the upper rollers 3 and the lower roller 4 shown, which are connected by a fork 8 together. The fork formed as a rocker 8 is rotatably mounted on the (not shown) roller element housing 2 about a horizontal axis and thereby biased by a spring element 9. At the fork axis, a backstop 12 is arranged in the form of an annular latching element 10. It is understood that even with roller elements 1 with three rollers, as in Fig. 1 shown, this form of bias and backstop 12 is executable. The bias of the rollers against each other can also be applied in other ways, for example by eccentric.

Fig. 2a shows the roller element 1 from Fig. 2 with the two upper rollers 3 and the lower roller 4, wherein it can be seen that the spring element 9 is formed as a spiral spring whose first end engages the roller carriage housing 2 and the second end of the fork formed as a rocker 8 such that the spring element the rocker rotates counterclockwise, wherein one of the upper rollers 3 and the lower roller 4, which are coupled together via the rocker, are pressed against the running rail 5. A backstop 12 prevents movement of the fork 8 against the bias of the fork 8 by the spring element. 9

Fig. 2b shows a designed as a carriage roller element 101 with two upper rollers 103 and a lower roller 104, wherein one of the upper rollers 103 and the lower roller 104 are coupled together via a fork formed as a rocker 108. The fork 108 is on the roller element housing 102 rotatably mounted. A spring element 109 is designed as a leg spring and engages on an axis of the fork 108 such that the fork 108 and thus coupled to the fork 108 rollers 103 and 104 are rotated counterclockwise and pressed against the running rail 105. The spring element 109 is supported on a pin 111 arranged on the roller element housing 102. The fork 108 is associated with a backstop 112 which includes an annular detent element 110.

Fig. 2c shows a designed as a carriage roller element 201 with two upper rollers 203 and two lower rollers 204, which form two pairs of rotors, wherein for each pair of rollers, the respective upper roller 203 is connected to the respective lower roller 204 by a fork formed in each case as a fork 208. The respective fork 208 is rotatably articulated to the roller element housing 202. Each fork 208 is acted upon by a spring element 209 embodied as a leg spring, wherein the respective spring element 209 is supported against pins 211 arranged on the roller element housing 202. Each fork 208 is associated with a backstop 212, which includes an annular locking element 210.

In Fig. 3 schematically the plan view of a running rail 5 is shown with a straight and a bent portion.

In Fig. 3a is the cross section according to section AA in Fig. 3 through the running rail 5, in which a roller element 1 (101, 201) is guided in the straight section. In this case, the rollers 3, 4 (103, 104) are punctiform at each of the oblique flanks, so that line-shaped rolling tracks are given and the rollers center themselves in their careers.

In Fig. 3b is the cross section through a running rail 5, in which a roller element 1 (101, 201) is guided in a bent portion of the running rail 5, according to section BB in Fig. 3 shown. It can be seen that the oblique flanks are further spaced from one another than in the straight section of the running rail 5, which in Fig. 3a is shown. At this Embodiment ensures the freedom of play in the straight sections. In the bent portions of the track 5 is given a very small game, since the rollers 3, 4 (103, 104, 203, 204) are prevented by the oblique edges at a greater deflection.

In Fig. 4 schematically in plan view a running rail 5 is shown, in which both in the straight portion and in the bent portion, a roller element 1 (101, 201) with three about a vertical axis pivotally mounted rollers 3, 4 (103, 104) and four rollers 203rd , 204 is guided.

The in the Fig. 3b and 4 illustrated embodiments are alternatives for rails 5 with curved sections. Roller elements with rollers 3, 4 (103, 104, 203, 204) which can be swiveled about a vertical axis can also be used in rails according to FIGS Fig. 3b be used.

Claims (9)

1. A guiding system for a sliding door, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising
   a runner rail (5) with an upper cover (6) and a lower termination (7) arranged opposite the upper cover (6), and
   a rolling element (1; 101; 201), with a rolling element housing (2; 102; 202), guided in the runner rail (5),
   at least three rollers (3, 4; 103, 104; 203, 204) being rotatably fastened to the rolling element housing (2, 102; 202) in each case about a respective horizontal axis of rotation,
   two rollers (3; 103; 203) running along the upper cover (6) of the runner rail (5) and the third roller (4; 104; 204) running along the lower termination (7),
   at least one fork (8; 108; 208) formed as a rocker being rotatably fastened to the rolling element housing (2; 102; 202) about a horizontal axis,
   the fork (8; 108; 208) being prestressed by a spring element (9; 109; 209) fastened to a rolling element housing (2; 102; 202) so that one of the first two rollers (3; 103; 203) and the third roller (4; 104; 204) coupled to each other via the fork (8; 108; 208) are loaded against runner rail (5), and
   a return stop (12; 112; 212) suppressing a rotation of the fork (8; 108; 208) about its axis against the prestress.
2. The guiding system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that one of the first two rollers (3; 103; 203) and the third roller (4; 104; 204) are fastened to the fork (8; 108; 208), and in that the spring element (9; 109; 209) engages on the fork (8; 108; 208) in such a way that it rotates the fork (8; 108; 208) about the horizontal axis of the fork (8; 108; 208).
3. Guiding system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a rotation of the fork (8; 108; 208) against the prestress of the spring element (9; 109; 209) is prevented by a return stop (8; 108; 208).
4. Guiding system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the rollers (3, 4; 103, 104; 203, 204) is pivotable about a vertical axis.
5. Guiding system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the two first rollers (3; 103; 203) are aligned in the linear direction of movement.
6. Guiding system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the runner rail (5) has a straight section, and in that, in the straight section, one of the upper cover (6) and lower termination (7) has a V-shaped section.
7. Guiding system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the runner rail (5) has a curved section, and in that, in the curved section, one of the upper cover (6) and lower termination (7) has a trough-shaped section.
8. Guiding system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the runner rail (5) has, at least at one end, an insertion opening for the rolling element (1), which opening widens in the vertical direction with a small gradient.
9. Guiding system as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the runner rail (5) is designed in one part with the upper cover (6) and the lower termination (7) and substantially approximately encloses the movement track of the rolling element (1) on three sides.

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