WO2007125274A1

WO2007125274A1 - Sliding plug doors

Info

Publication number: WO2007125274A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/001432
Authority: WO
Inventors: Simon John Wenlock Chacksfield
Original assignee: Door Systems Group Limited
Priority date: 2006-04-21
Filing date: 2007-04-20
Publication date: 2007-11-08
Also published as: GB0607914D0; GB2437289A

Abstract

A sliding plug door assembly for installation in relation to a door opening (12) of a vehicle structure, comprising a door member (16); a carrier member; a guiding and driving means (36), for installation in the vicinity of an upper edge of the door opening, for determining a path of movement of the carrier member including components extending in a first direction transversely inwardly and outwardly of the door opening and in a second direction substantially parallel to the door opening (12), and for effecting movement of the carrier member in such paths; and a single support means (20) connecting the carrier member to the door member.

Description

Title: Sliding Plug Doors

Description of Invention

This invention relates to sliding plug doors.

Sliding plug doors commonly are utilised in passenger carrying vehicles such as buses or railway carriages. A door member, which occupies or partially occupies an opening in the structure of the vehicle when it is in its closed position, and lies with its outside surface generally flush with the adjacent outside surface of the vehicle, is opened and closed in a movement which has components extending in two directions. In a first part of its opening movement, the door member is moved outwardly from the opening in the vehicle structure until it is clear of the vehicle structure, whereupon it is able to undergo a second part of its opening movement, laterally in a direction generally parallel to the side of the vehicle, until it is clear or substantially clear of the door opening and overlies the vehicle structure at the side of the door opening. The closing movement of the door is the reverse of the opening movement. In practice the two parts of the opening and closing movement may not be wholly distinct from one another; the door member may at some stage be moving with components of both parts of its movement.

A complete door installation might, and commonly does, comprise two individual door members which together block the opening in the vehicle when they are in the closed position, and in the second part of their opening movement they slide away from one another, to overlie the structure of the vehicle on opposite sides of the door opening when they are fully open.

Sliding plug doors have been known for many years. It has been usual for the or each door member to be connected to a supporting structure, providing for movement of the door member as aforesaid, at least two positions, usually the top and bottom of the door member. Usually the main mechanism by which the motion of the door member is controlled, and one or more driving devices for causing such motion to take place, is provided in or connected to the vehicle structure adjacent the top of the door opening in the structure and a part of the top of the door member is connected thereto, and a further means for supporting and/or guiding the door member adjacent its bottom edge is provided. Commonly, an angularly-movable supporting pillar is carried by the vehicle structure adjacent the edge of the door opening, such pillar supporting the door member adjacent its lowermost edge. However, such provision of a pivotable supporting pillar, and associated components, is complex and expensive.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified arrangement of sliding plug door.

According to one aspect of the present invention, we provide a sliding plug door assembly for installation in relation to a door opening of a vehicle structure, comprising: a door member; a carrier member; a guiding and driving means, for installation in the vicinity of an upper edge of the door opening, for determining a path of movement of the carrier member including components extending in a first direction transversely inwardly and outwardly of the door opening and in a second direction substantially parallel to the door opening, and for effecting movement of the carrier member in such paths; and a single support means connecting the carrier member to the door member. As the guiding and driving means will generally be installed above the upper edge of the door opening, the support means may and in most cases will extend downwardly from the carrier member. It may be connected to the door member generally in the mid region of the height of the door member.

In accordance with the invention, by supporting the door member by a single support means which may extend downwardly from a carrier member which undergoes the two components of the opening and closing movement of the door member, the necessity for the door member's being supported at both top and bottom thereof is obviated. Even though the carrier member and support means may constitute the sole means of support and guidance of the door member, effective closure and maintenance of alignment of the door member can still be achieved.

When we say that the support means is connected to the door member generally in the mid-region of its height, we mean that the connection is generally in the central third of the door member's height.

The advantage of the invention is simplification of the door mechanism by elimination of the need for supporting the door member adjacent its lower edge. There is no longer any need for a pivotable supporting piller adjacent the edge of the door opening. With all the mechanism for supporting, guiding, and effecting movement of the door member disposed in the vicinity of the upper edge of the door member, the structure of the vehicle in which the door is installed is simplified.

Although, in accordance with the invention, the door assembly has a single support means by which the door member is connected to the carrier member and hence to the guiding and driving means, it would be within the broadest scope of the invention to provide for some additional steadying for the door member at a lower part thereof, for the purpose merely of steadying the door in the course of its opening and closing movement. To this end, a steadying means may comprise a steadying element for installation at or in the vicinity of a lower part of a side of the door opening, engageable with the door member.

The steadying element may engage a track in the door member, to accommodate movement of the door member in the second direction substantially parallel to the door opening, and may itself be moveable in the first direction transversely inwardly and outwardly of the door opening to accommodate movement of the door member in that direction. The steadying element may be pivotably supported for such movement, and may have associated therewith a spring mechanism to control its movement between spaced positions in the first direction, corresponding to fully closed and fully open positions of the door member.

The carrier member may be mounted for movement lengthwise of a track member, to provide the necessary movement of the carrier member and hence the door member in the direction generally parallel to the door opening. The track member itself may be mounted for movement in the direction transversely to the extent of the track member, to provide for the movement of the door member inwardly and outwardly of the door opening.

The door may comprise two door members supported by respective carrier members movable along the track member.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, diagrammatically, a sliding plug door member in accordance with the invention and its disposition relative to an opening in a vehicle structure, respectively in closed and open positions. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the door member alone. Figures 4 and 5 are views as figures 1 and 2, additionally showing the means by which the door member is supported and guided for movement between its open and closed positions. Figures 6 and 7 are diagrammatic perspective views showing the guiding and support mechanism for the door member, in two operative positions. Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views illustrating a steadying means, in two operative positions.

Referring firstly to figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, these show, diagrammatically, part of a body structure 10 of a vehicle such as a bus or railway carriage, surrounding a door opening 12. Within the vehicle, part of a floor surface adjacent the door opening is indicated at 14. A door member 16, shown in isolation in figure 3, is supported for movement relative to the body structure 10 and door opening 12 for movement between a closed position in which it is depicted in figure 1 and an open position in which it is depicted in figure 2. The door member 16 occupies only half of the width of the door opening 12 and the other half would be occupied by a further door member, not shown, in mirror image of the door member 16. Opening movement of the door member 16 from its closed, figure 1 , position to its open, figure 2, position comprises firstly a movement of the door member transversely to the general plane of the door opening outwardly thereof, followed by movement in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the door opening until in the fully open position of the door member most of it overlies the vehicle body structure 10 to the side of door opening. Closing movement of the door member is the reverse of its opening movement.

The door member is supported solely by a supporting means in the form of a bracket 20 the majority of which extends vertically and has a cranked portion 22 at its uppermost end, provided with an attachment plate 24 which is off-set inwardly of the vehicle structure from the general plane of the door opening 12. At its lowermost end, the bracket 20 is connected to a 90° outwardly- turned elbow 26 and an attachment plate 28 bolted to a transverse mid-frame member 30 of the door member.

Figures 4 to 7 show in more detail the arrangement by which the door member is supported and guided for its opening and closing movement. Figures 4 and 5 show a shelf plate assembly 36 fitted to the vehicle structure on the inside thereof above the door opening 12. The shelf plate assembly includes a frame member 38 extending parallel to the top edge of the door opening, and guide members 40, 42 extending inwardly of the vehicle at opposite ends of the frame member 38. The guide members 40, 42 carry a track member 44, the track member 44 being movable relative to the guide members 40, 42 in the direction transverse to the plane to the door opening, i.e. inwardly and outwardly of the vehicle. For this, the track member 44 has at its ends roller bearings 46 engaging in guide slots 48 in the members 40, 42. The track member 44 supports and provides for movement of two carrier members 50, 52 in the direction lengthwise of the track member i.e. parallel to the plane of the door opening, and the carrier member 50 has bolted thereto the attachment plate 24 at the top of the supporting bracket 20, 22, 26, connected to the door member 16. Similarly the carrier member 52 carries the mirror- image door member opposite the door member 16 in the door opening.

Although not shown in the drawing, drive means, e.g. one or more pneumatic or electrical actuators of any appropriate type, are provided firstly for effecting movement of the track member 44 in the direction inwardly and outwardly of the vehicle and secondly for effecting movement of the carrier members 50,

52 in opposite directions towards and away from one another lengthwise of the track member. Separate actuators may respectively provide for the two movements, with suitable control means for causing the actuators to operate at correct times relative to one another, or a common actuator may cause the two movements to take place, a suitable mechanism being used to correct the actuator to the track member and carrier members. Thus these drive means provide for the opening and closing movement of the door members, as above described. The drive means may provide that the first and second movements are distinct from one another or they may overlap to some extent: for example the movement of the carrier members away from one another lengthways of the track member 44 may commence before the outward movement of the track member has been completed, when the door is being opened, and vice versa when the door is being closed.

Because the door members are supported generally in the mid-region of their height, the support thereof solely by the carrier members at the top of the door members is sufficient to ensure the door members are maintained in the correct alignment relative to the door opening, without any further guiding and/or supporting means.

Referring now to figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, these show part 10 of a vehicle body structure and a floor surface 14 adjacent a door opening, and part of a door member 60, which is the door member occupying the other half of the width of the door opening from that occupied by the door member 16 in figures 1 to 5. In figure 8 the door member is shown in a partially open position, and in figure 9 the door member is shown in a closed position. In figure 8, only a horizontally-extending lower frame member 62 of the door member is visible while in figure 9 an upright side frame member of the door member additionally is visible. Both figures show an upright frame member 66 of the vehicle structure at the side of the door opening.

A steadying means is carried by a bracket 68 fixed, e.g. bolted, to the frame member 66. A steadying element in the form of an arm 70, which is somewhat C-shaped, is pivotally connected at 72 to the bracket 68, and a spring 74 is connected between a pin 76 on the arm 70 and a pin 78 on the bracket 68. The free end of the steadying element 70, visible at 80 in figure 9, carries a roller or the like engaging in a track 82 supported by the frame member 62 of the door member 60.

When the door member 60 is at or near its fully open position, or at least in the position in which it has moved outwardly of the door opening 12 to its maximum extent, the steadying element 70 is in the position shown in figure 8. The free end of the steadying element 70 and its engagement with track 82 is not visible in this drawing, but it will be noted that the spring 74 is positioned so as to hold the steadying element in that position. As the door closes, the steadying element 70 is caused to move towards the position shown in figure 9, which movement initially is resisted by the spring 74 but as the figure 9 position is approached the spring 74 approaches an over-centre position so that it does not exert any substantial force trying to move the steadying element 70 back towards the figure 8 position.

Therefore, the steadying element performs its main function when the door is fully open: it offers support to the door in the vicinity of the bottom thereof against forces acting perpendicular to the side of the vehicle in which the door is installed (for example if the door is knocked or leaned on by persons entering the vehicle). When the door is closed, however, the action of the steadying means does not interfere with the forces acting upon, and movement of, the door member. The steadying means preferably does not support any part of the weight of the door member, although in practice it may do so to a small extent.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A sliding plug door assembly for installation in relation to a door opening of a vehicle structure, comprising: a door member; a carrier member; a guiding and driving means, for installation in the vicinity of an upper edge of the door opening, for determining a path of movement of the carrier member including components extending in a first direction transversely inwardly and outwardly of the door opening and in a second direction substantially parallel to the door opening, and for effecting movement of the carrier member in such paths; and a single support means connecting the carrier member to the door member.

2. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the support means extends downwardly from the carrier member.

3. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 2 wherein the support means is connected to the door member generally in the mid region of the height of the door member.

4. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the carrier member is supported for movement lengthways of a track member, the track member being supported for movement in a direction transversely to the length of the track member.

5. A sliding plug door assembly according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a steadying means cooperable with the door member at a lower region thereof.

6. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 4 wherein the steadying means comprises a steadying element for installation at or adjacent a lower part of a side of the door opening, engageable with the door member.

7. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 5 wherein the steadying element engages a track in the door member, and is moveable in the first direction transversely inwardly and outwardly of the door opening to accommodate movement of the door member in that direction.

8. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 6 the steadying element is pivotably supported for such movement

9. A sliding plug door assembly according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a spring mechanism is provided to control movement of the steadying element between spaced positions in the first direction, corresponding to fully closed and fully open positions of the door member.

10. A sliding plug door assembly according to any one of the preceding claims comprising two door members supported by respective carrier members moveable along the track member.

11. A sliding plug door assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

12. A vehicle having a body structure with a door opening therein, and a sliding plug door assembly according to any one of the preceding claims installed in relation to the door opening.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.