Title:
VEHICLE DOOR CINCHING METHOD AND APPARATUS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2002072983
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A vehicle door (16) cinching apparatus (10) for assisting the final closing motion of a sliding vehicle door (16) includes an electromagnet (12), a ferrous metal plate (24), a cinch drive (26) and a controller (28). The electromagnet (12) mounts on either an outer periphery (14) of a vehicle sliding door (16) or an inner periphery (18) of a vehicle sliding door frame (22) that's shaped to receive the sliding door (16) as the door (16) moves along a final inward cinching portion (18) of a door path (20) to a final closed position within the door frame (22). The plate (24) is supported on the other of the outer periphery (14) of the door (16) and the inner periphery (18) of the door frame (22) in a position where the plate (24) can magnetically engage the electromagnet (12) when the door (16) is disposed along the final cinching portion (18) of the door path (20). Whichever of the plate (24) and electromagnet (12) is supported on the inner periphery (18) of the door frame (22) is also supported for lateral movement in a direction generally parallel to the cinching portion (18) of the door path (20). According to the method, the cinch drive (26) moves whichever of the electromagnet (12) and plate (24) is supported on the inner periphery (18) of the door frame (22) to drive the door (16) along the final cinching portion (18) of the door path (20) and into the final closed position. The controller (28) de-energizes the electromagnet (12) and releases the door (16) from the cinching apparatus (10) once the door (16) has reached its final closed position.
Inventors:
ROGERS LLOYD WALKER JR
CIAVAGLIA MICHAEL A
LINDSAY THEODORE J
CIAVAGLIA MICHAEL A
LINDSAY THEODORE J
Application Number:
PCT/US2002/007181
Publication Date:
November 27, 2003
Filing Date:
March 08, 2002
Export Citation:
Assignee:
DELPHI TECH INC (US)
International Classes:
E05B65/12; E05F15/14; E05C19/16; (IPC1-7): E05F11/00; E05F11/02; E05F15/00; E06B3/00
Foreign References:
| US6079767A | 2000-06-27 | |||
| US6256930B1 | 2001-07-10 |
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