WO1997040995B1

WO1997040995B1 - Solenoid operated clutch for powered sliding door

Info

Publication number: WO1997040995B1
Application number: PCT/US1997/007276
Authority: WO
Filing date: 1997-04-30
Publication date: 1997-12-04

Abstract

A clutch (10) (e.g. for a powered sliding door) comprises a gear (24) axially shiftable from a disengaged position to an engaged position by a solenoid (58) actuated reciprocating means (56) counteracting a biasing means (38).

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 27 October 1997 (27.10.97); original claims 3 and 14 cancelled; original claims 1, 7, 11, 15, 18 and 19 amended; remaining claims unchanged (6 pages)] 1. A clutch for selectively transmitting torque and rotary motion to a drive member comprising: a spindle having an axis of rotation; a first gear connected to said spindle; reciprocal means for moving along a fixed path between a normal rest position and an activated position; axially shiftable gear means connected between said spindle and said drive member for rotation about an axis and for moving axially with respect to said axis of rotation between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to said drive member, said gear means responsive to said reciprocal moving means for moving from said disengaged position into said engaged position, said gear means including a second gear operably intermeshing with said first gear and moveable axially while said first and second gears are intermeshing between said engaged position and said disengaged position, and a third gear connected to said second gear with a common axis of rotation for driving said drive member in rotation in response to rotary movement of said second gear when said second and third gears are in said engaged position; and biasing means for normally maintaining said gear means in said disengaged position when said reciprocal moving means is in said rest position.

2. The clutch of claim 1 further comprising: said reciprocal means including a solenoid connectible to a source of power for moving from said rest position to said activated position in response to energizing said solenoid.

3. Cancelled.

4. The clutch of claim 1 further comprising: said biasing means including a compression spring engageable with said gear means for urging said gear means normally toward said disengaged position.

5. The clutch of claim 1 further comprising: said drive member including a fourth gear operably intermeshing with said third gear when said third gear is in said engaged position and disengaged from said third gear when said third gear is in said disengaged position.

6. The clutch of claim 1 further comprising: a moveable closure driven by said drive member along a fixed path between an open position and a closed position; and sensor means for generating a signal corresponding to a location of said moveable member along said fixed path during manual and powered operation.

7. The clutch of claim 1 further comprising: a barrier; a portal defined through said barrier; a moveable closure reciprocal along a fixed path between an open position clear of said portal and a closed position obstructing said portal; and an elongated push/pull member connected at one longitudinal end to said closure and operably engaged by said drive member intermediate said longitudinal ends to drive said push/pull member longitudinally in cither direction, such that said closure is moved between said open and closed position.

8. The clutch of claim 7 wherein said barrier is a vertically extending side wall of a motor driven vehicle, wherein said portal is a frame defining an opening in said side wall for a sliding door, and wherein said closure is a sliding door mounted for movement with respect to said side wall of said vehicle.

9. The clutch of claim 7 wherein said push/pull member is a flexible cable having at least one helically wound gear tooth formed on a flexible inner core.

10. The clutch of claim 7 wherein said push/pull member is an elongated tape having generally rectangular cross section and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures.

11. A powered sliding door system for a vehicle comprising: a push/pull member tor generally longitudinal movement along a fixed path and having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, and means adjacent said first end for securing said push/pull member to a sliding door; driving means for drivingly engaging said push/pull member intermediate said first and second ends; motor means for powering said driving means; a first gear connected to said motor means for rotation; and gear means for selectively operatively interconnecting said motor means and said driving means, such that actuation of said motor means anri engagement of said gear means will cause said driving means to move said push/pull member longitudinally for- opening and closing said sliding door, said gear means including a second gear operably intermeshing with said first gear and moveable axially while said first and second gears are intermeshing between an engaged position and a disengaged position, and a third gear connected to said second gear with a common axis of rotation for driving said driving means in rotation in response to rotary movement of said second gear when said second and third gears are in said engaged position.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising: reciprocal means for moving along a fixed path between a normal rest position and an activated position, (said reciprocal means for selectively moving said gear means between an engaged and a disengaged position.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising: said reciprocal means including a solenoid connβctible to a source of power for moving from said rest position to said activated position in response to energizing said solenoid.

14. Cancelled

15. The system of claim li further comprising: said driving means including a fourth gear operably intermeshing with said third gear when said third gear is in said engaged position and disengaged from said third gear when said third gear is in said disengaged position.

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising: biasing means for urging said gear means normally toward a disengaged position.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said biasing means includes a compression spring engageable with said gear means.

18. The system of claim 11 further comprising: said sliding door driven by said driving means along a fixed path between an open position and a closed position; and sensor means for generating a signal corresponding to a location of said sliding door along said fixed path during manual and powered operation.

19. A powered sliding door system for a vehicle comprising: a push/pull member for generally longitudinal movement along a fixed path and having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, and means adjacent said first end for securing said push/pull member to a sliding door; driving means for drivingly engaging said push/pull member intermediate said first and second ends; motor means for powering said driving means; gear means for selectively operatively interconnecting said motor means and said driving means, such that actuation of said motor means and engagement of said gear means will cause said driving means to move said push/pull member longitudinally for opening and closing said sliding door, said gear means including a pair of axially spaced gears having a common axis of rotation, said pair of gears axially shiftable while intermeshing one of said gears with one of said motor means and said driving means from a first position disengaged from the other of said motor means and driving means, to a second position o ably interconnecting said motor means and said driving means; and reciprocal means re moving along a fixed path between a normal rest position and an activated position, said reciprocal means for selectively moving said gear means between said first position and said second position.