TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sliding door system used in vehicles, particularly, in commercial and passenger vehicles.

PRIOR ART

Door stoppers known in the present art provide fixing of sliding doors, used in various sectors, in open position.

Today, various door stoppers are used. There are leaf spring systems, torsion spring systems and press spring systems and additionally, there are door stoppers made of plastic. These are systems which use bending characteristics of plastics as spring. The mutual characteristic of all these systems is that they realize their functions by using a single spring.

The momentum/force tolerance range in production of said springs is 7.5% and 10%. This tolerance range leads to change of ±15-20% in the force/momentum exerted onto the door stopper by the spring. Thus, because of the spring of the door stopper, the force, exerted on the sliding door systems, cannot provide the same values in each production process; and it cannot be stable.

Since the door stoppers used in the present system have a single-spring characteristic and since there is no adjustability on these door stoppers, it is not possible to adjust opening and closing efforts of said door stoppers.

In the present art, as a result of hitting of doors with weight of up to 63 kg to the wedges with hardness of 60-80 shore in the range of 0.5-2 mm with momentum gained in the movement of doors up to 1.4 meters, the following problems are faced:

• The wedges were torn, crushed and the connection element was dislocated and removed,

• The guide where the mechanism moved was deformed and removed in high deformations and the door fell, • The wedges deformed the body sheet they hit and created visual fault in cases where the wedges were provided on the door,

• The mechanism was deformed and increased the usage/movement efforts of the door and function loss occurred in a manner felt by the consumer,

• Reinforcement (increasing of thickness, adding sheet brackets for extra support,...) was realized for preventing deformation of the body and this reinforcement increased the weight of the vehicle,

• The mechanism and guides were made more resistant for preventing deformation thereof and as a result of this, the weight thereof increased and process costs increased.

Besides, in the known state of the art, since there is no adjustability on the door stoppers or the adjustability of the door stoppers is low, the following problems occur:

• The expectations of the consumer, who requests the product, are not met.

• Since the opening and closing efforts move in a connected manner to each other, it takes long time to provide opening and closing efforts within the consumer expectations.

• Due to production tolerances, the dimensions of some parts cannot be adjusted and these parts lead to scrap cost.

• It leads to production inefficiency and extends labor durations.

• In order to provide mass production to be continued, additional labor and/or additional equipment investment is needed.

• If 100% force control is not realized in production lines, the products, which exit the line, may lead to injuries in automobile drivers.

As a result, because of all of the abovementioned problems, an improvement is required in the related technical field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a door stopper, for eliminating the above mentioned disadvantages and for bringing new advantages to the related technical field.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a door stopper where the force required for closing the sliding door is decreased and where the sliding door can be opened at the desired level. In order to realize all of the abovementioned objects and the objects which are to be deducted from the detailed description below, the present invention is a door stopper for decelerating the sliding door and decreasing the hitting effect during opening of the sliding door in vehicles with sliding door, and having a dampening piston, a pin holder provided at the piston end at the piston shaft of the dampening piston, a spring connected to the pin holder, a first roller for providing movement transfer between the pin holder and the spring and a second roller connected in a manner rotating together with the first roller. Accordingly, the subject matter door stopper comprises at least one threaded part provided on the outer wall of at least one first roller and the second roller, at least one rack gear connected to at least one of a spring guide connected to the spring and pin holder connected to said threaded part.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of the first roller is greater than the diameter of the second roller.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, a spring chamber is provided wherein the spring is positioned.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the spring chamber comprises at least one chamber wall where one end of the spring is stopped.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, at least one spring guide is provided which passes through the spring and through an opening provided on the chamber wall and which extends towards the second roller.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the spring guide comprises a guide head where one end of the spring is stopped.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, at least one holder guide pin is provided on the pin holder and a holder movement channel is provided on a body of the door stopper and wherein the holder guide pin is at least partially placed.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the holder movement channel extends in the extension direction of the piston shaft.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the holder movement channel comprises a curved part provided at the end close to the dampening piston. In a possible embodiment of the present invention, when the pin holder substantially approaches the dampening piston, a second holder guide pin is provided which enters into the curved part.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the pin holder comprises at least one holder guide channel wherein the piston end of the dampening piston is placed.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the holder guide channel is provided in a curved form.

In a possible embodiment of the present invention, the connection of the rack gear to the pin holder is realized by means of holder guide pins and one of the holder guide pins is configured to move inside a cocoon provided at the body of the rack gear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a representative isometric view of a possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper.

Figure 2 is a representative detailed view of a possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper.

Figure 3 is a representative detailed view of a possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper where the sliding door is in closed condition.

Figure 4 is a representative detailed view of a possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper where the sliding door is in open condition.

Figure 5 is a representative isometric view of another possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper.

Figure 6 is a representative detailed view of another possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper.

Figure 7 is a representative detailed view of another possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper where the sliding door is in closed condition. Figure 8 is a representative detailed view of another possible embodiment of the subject matter door stopper where the sliding door is in open condition.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 Door stopper

20 Body

21 Holder movement channel

22 Curved part

30 Dampening piston

31 Piston shaft

32 Piston end

40 Pin holder

41 Door pin housing

42 Holder guide channel

43 Holder guide pin

50 Spring chamber

51 Chamber wall

52 Opening

54 Spring guide

55 Guide head

56 Spring

60 First roller

61 Rope

70 Second roller

80 Threaded part

90 Rack gear

91 Cocoon

A1 Center axis

R1 First roller radius

R2 Second roller radius DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, the subject matter door stopper (10) is explained with references to examples without forming any restrictive effect only in order to make the subject more understandable.

The subject matter door stopper (10) basically comprises a body (20), a dampening piston (30) positioned inside said body (20), and a pin holder (40) positioned at the piston shaft (31 ) end of the dampening piston (30) and which can catch a door pin provided on the sliding door.

As can be seen in Figure 1 , the dampening piston (30) is fixed inside the body (20). There is a pin holder (40) provided at a piston end (32) of the piston shaft (31 ) which extends outwardly from the dampening piston (30). The piston end (32) is positioned in a holder guide channel (42) provided on the pin holder (40). The holder guide channel (42) is preferably provided in a curved form. There are two holder guide pins (43) provided on the pin holder (40). The holder guide pin (43) is placed to a holder movement channel (21 ) provided on the body (20). Thus, as the piston shaft (31 ) enters into and exits the dampening piston (30), the pin holder (40) moves in the direction of the holder movement channel (21 ). Since there is a curved part (22) provided in a curved form at an end of the holder movement channel (21 ) and since the piston end (32) is positioned inside the holder guide channel (32), when one of the holder guide pins (43) arrives at the curved part (22) of the holder movement channel (21 ), the pin holder (40) can realize a rotational movement in the other holder guide pin (43) axis. There is a door pin housing (41 ) provided in recess form on the pin holder (40). During opening and closing, the door pin of the sliding door can enter into and exit the door pin housing (41 ). Thanks to said rotational freedom of the pin holder (40), the entry of the door pin to the door pin housing (41 ) and the exit of the door pin from the door pin housing (41 ) are facilitated.

There is a first roller (60) and a second roller (70) on the body (20). The first roller (60) and the second roller (70) are positioned in a concentric manner so as to rotate together. The first roller (60) is connected to the pin holder (40) and the second roller (70) is connected to a spring (56).

The spring (56) is positioned inside a spring chamber (50). The spring (56) is stopped onto a chamber wall (51 ) of the spring chamber (50) from one side. The spring (56) is stopped to a guide head (55) of a spring guide (54) which passes through the spring (56) from the other side and which extends towards the chamber wall (51 ). In other words, there is a spring guide (54) positioned inside the spring chamber (50), and the spring guide (54) extends through the spring (56) stopped to the guide head (55) of the spring guide (54) from one end and stopped to the chamber wall (51 ) from the other end. One end of the spring guide (54) passes through an opening (52) provided on the chamber wall (51 ) and extends outwardly.

As can be seen in the figures between Figure 1 and 4, in a possible embodiment of the present invention, there is a rope (61 ) connected to the first roller (60) from one end and connected to the pin holder (40) from the other end. The rope (61 ) partially covers the periphery of the first roller (60). There is at least one threaded part (80) provided on the outer wall of the second roller (70). A rack gear (90), provided at the end of the spring guide (54), is connected to said threaded part (80). Thus, the movement, which arrives at the first roller (60) and the second roller (70) through the rope (61 ), is transferred to the spring guide (54) by means of the threaded part (80) and the rack gear (90).

In Figure 2, the view of the subject matter door holder (10) in the closed position of the door is given. Meanwhile, the door does not have any contact to the door holder (10). Moreover, since one of the holder guide pins (43) is provided at the curved part (22) of the holder movement channel (21 ), the door pin housing (41 ) is provided in a manner facing the door coming direction. When the user approaches the end of the door opening performance while the door is being opened, the door pin, provided on the door, is placed to the door pin housing (41 ) provided on the pin holder (40). The door begins pushing the pin holder (40) by means of its speed resulting from the movement of the door and provides the piston shaft (31 ) to be drawn outwardly from the dampening piston (30). Thus, the kinetic energy stored on the door is absorbed by the shock dampening piston (30) and the speed of the door is lowered. During this movement, by means of the spring force effect, the spring guide (54) is drawn inwards the spring chamber and thus, the rack gear (90) and the threaded part (80) rotate the second roller (70) and the first roller (60). By means of this, the rope (61 ) wrapped onto the first roller (60) is unwrapped.

Before the door arrives at the completely open position, when the door speed approaches a value which is low in a manner not sufficient for bringing the door to the completely open position, the pin holder (40) is continued to be drawn by means of the spring force of the spring (56). Thus, the door continues its opening movement and the door arrives at the open position given in Figure 3. When the door arrives at the open position, thanks to the drawing force exerted by the spring (56) on the pin holder (40), the door continues to stay open. When the door is desired to the closed, the spring force is overcome by means of the force exerted by the user, and the pin holder (40) is pushed towards the dampening piston (30). When the pin holder (40) sufficiently approaches the dampening piston (30), one of the holder guide pins (43) enters into the curved part (22) of the holder movement channel (21 ). By means of this, the pin holder (40) rotates and the door pin is removed from the door pin housing (41 ). The spring (56) is compressed during the movement of the pin holder (40) towards the dampening piston (30) and energy is charged in order to be used during a next opening. As the holder guide pin (43) is placed to the curved part (22), the pin holder (40) is mechanically locked, and thus, the spring (56) is provided to wait in a ready manner together with energy charged thereon.

As can be seen in the figures between Figure 5 and 8, in another possible embodiment of the present invention, there is the threaded part (80) on the outer wall of the first roller (60). Accordingly, there is a rack gear (90) which extends from the pin holder (40) towards the threaded part (80) provided on the first roller (60). Thus, the movement transfer between the pin holder (40) and the first roller (60) can be realized by means of rack gear (90) instead of the rope (61 ). In said embodiment, the connection of the rack gear (90) and the pin holder (40) is realized by means of the holder guide pins (43). While one of the holder guide pins (43) forms a rotation point for the pin holder (40), the other holder guide pin (43) can move within a cocoon (91 ) provided at the body of the rack gear (90). In other words, during displacement of the door between open and closed positions, the rotational movement realized by the pin holder (40) is permitted.

In said embodiments, rope (61 ) usage can be decreased or completely eliminated. Thus, a door stopper (10) is obtained of which the resistance is high and of which the usage lifetime is extended.

In said embodiment, the spring force shall be substantially great for providing passage of the door to open position. However, when the spring force is great, the amount of energy for settling the spring (56), while the door is being closed, increases.

In more details;

The radius of the first roller (60) is defined as R1 ,

The radius of the second roller (70) is defined as R2,

The force exerted by the user while the door is being closed and transferred from the pin holder (40) to the first roller (60) is defined as F1 ,

The force exerted by the spring (56) to the second roller (70) is defined as F2. Accordingly, for settling the spring (56) by closing the door,

F1 ^* R1 shall be greater than F2 ^* R2. Thus, as the R1/R2 proportion is greater, a smaller F1 force is needed. By means of this, when the spring (56) is selected to be strong so as to bring the door to the open position, the force, which will be exerted to the spring (56) by the user for closing the door will have ergonomic values.

On the other hand, in case the first roller (60) and the second roller (70) have the same size, during settling of the spring (56), the displacement amount of the pin holder (40) and the change amount which may occur in the length of the spring (56) are equal. Flowever, in case the first roller (60) is greater than the second roller (70), the change which shall occur in the length of the spring (56) depending on the proportion between the roller radiuses is decreased. By means of this, the change of the force to be exerted during settling of the spring (56) is reduced. This provides the sliding door to be drawn by the spring (56) even at specific surface inclination values. The operation of the sliding door on inclined surfaces is a need only related to the automotive sector. Moreover, by means of the difference between the radius of the first roller (60) and the radius of the second roller (70), the spring (56) can be settled with a smaller length change.

The protection scope of the present invention is set forth in the annexed claims and cannot be restricted to the illustrative disclosures given above, under the detailed description. It is because a person skilled in the relevant art can obviously produce similar embodiments under the light of the foregoing disclosures, without departing from the main principles of the present invention.