Arrangement for fastening at least one rear door to a body of a vehicle and vehicle with such an arrangement

Abstract

Arrangement for fastening at least one rear door (2a, 2b) to a body (6) of a vehicle (1), wherein the at least one rear door (2a, 2b) is designed to open towards the left or right side of the vehicle as seen in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), with at least one pivot bearing (3a, 3b) fixed to the rear door (2a, 2b), which is displaceable in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction) in or on a guide rail (7a, 7b) fastened to the body (6) and is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis (5) or an axis arranged inclined thereto, and with at least one pivot arm (10) pivotable away from the vehicle (1), which is fixed at one end but rotatable about a vertical axis (11) or an axis arranged inclined thereto on the rear door (2a, 2b) and at the other end fixed,but is pivotally connected to a left or right outer side part (13) or side wall part of the body (6) about a vertical axis (12) or an axis inclined thereto, as seen in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), and wherein the at least one pivot arm (10) is pivotally connected on the body side within an opening formed in the outer side part (13) or side wall part of the body (6) or within a recess (14) of the side part (13) or side wall part directed towards the inside of the vehicle, and the opening or recess (14) extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction) in such a way that the pivot arm (10), when the rear door (2a, 2b) is in the closed position, penetrates at least partially from the outside of the vehicle into said opening or recess (14) and is arranged within the same.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for fastening at least one rear door to a body of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, according to the combination of features of patent claim 1 of the invention. The invention also relates to a vehicle with such an arrangement according to patent claim 9 of the invention.

[0002] DE 103 17 021 B4 and DE 10 2004 050 228 A1 disclose arrangements for fastening rear doors to the body of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles. These doors are designed as so-called sliding-swivel doors and have hinges for pivoting the rear door around the frame of the door opening to open the rear door with an opening angle of approximately 90° and to slide the rear door into a position next to the outer wall of the vehicle. To slide the rear door, the hinges carry a bearing on the door side, on which the rear door is mounted and guided for linear displacement. The bearing is formed by a linear guide arranged on the inside of the door or an elongated guide profile, on or in which a support element fastened to the hinge is slidingly or roller-mounted. The opening and closing movements of pivoting and sliding the rear door can overlap or be carried out one after the other.Optimal manual opening and closing of the tailgate, i.e., with minimal free space required for the tailgate to swing behind and to the side of the vehicle, depends on the skill of the person opening or closing the tailgate. However, if an automated, for example electromechanical, opening and closing of the tailgate is preferred, this requires considerable electromechanical and control engineering effort to optimize both opening and closing movements.

[0003] From US 2003 / 0 009 846 A1, an arrangement for fastening a rear door to a vehicle body is known, wherein the rear door is designed to open towards the side of the vehicle and has a pivot bearing fixed to the rear door, which is mounted in or on a guide rail fastened to the body so as to be displaceable in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) and rotatable about a vertical axis. Furthermore, a curved pivot arm is provided which can be pivoted away from the vehicle and which is fixed at one end to the rear door but rotatable about a vertical axis, and which is fixed at the other end to a vertical pin arranged within the body between the fenders of the same and fixed to a chassis or undercarriage of the vehicle or formed integrally with the same and acting as a pivot point.When the rear door is closed, the curved swivel arm is positioned completely between the fenders and inside the body.

[0004] A solution for attaching a rear door to a vehicle body similar to that described above is known from FR 2 843 773 A1.

[0005] From FR 2 621 641 A1, a rear or side door of a vehicle is known, which is pivotably and displaceably attached to a body of the vehicle on the one hand via a connecting rod and on the other hand via a so-called spider, consisting of two cross-jointed connecting rods.

[0006] Based on this, it is the object of the invention to provide an alternative arrangement for fastening rear doors to the body of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, which simplifies the opening and closing of the rear door of the vehicle with the least possible requirement for free pivoting space for the rear door.

[0007] The stated object is achieved by an arrangement for fastening at least one rear door to a body of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, wherein the at least one rear door is designed to open towards the left and right sides of the vehicle as seen in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), with at least one pivot bearing fixed to the rear door, which is displaceable in or on a guide rail fastened to the body in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction) and is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis or an axis arranged at an incline thereto, and with at least one pivot arm which can be pivoted away from the vehicle and which is fixed at one end to the rear door but rotatable about a vertical axis or an axis arranged at an incline thereto and at the other end to the rear door,however, it is pivotally connected to a left or right outer side part or side wall part of the body, as seen in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), about a vertical axis or an axis inclined thereto, and wherein the at least one pivot arm is pivotally connected to the body within an opening formed in the outer side part or side wall part of the body or within a recess in the side part or side wall part directed towards the inside of the vehicle, and the opening or recess extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction) in such a way that, when the rear door is in the closed position, the pivot arm penetrates at least partially from the outside of the vehicle into said opening or recess and is arranged within it.

[0008] Such an arrangement, with the direct superposition of the opening movements of sliding and pivoting, advantageously ensures forced guidance of the rear door during the opening or closing process. The movement of the rear door itself is now preset by the selected kinematics, with a view to minimizing the need for free pivoting space, regardless of the skill of the person opening or closing the door. Furthermore, it opens up the possibility of extremely simple and cost-effective automation of the operation of the rear door. Complicated and therefore expensive joints, such as those disclosed in DE 10 2004 050 228 A1, are advantageously avoided with the above solution. Furthermore, the above measure advantageously protects the pivot arm from damage and enables an aerodynamically optimized outer contour of the vehicle.

[0009] The subclaims describe preferred developments or embodiments of the invention.

[0010] According to this, the at least one pivot bearing can be arranged on one side of the rear door, as viewed in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction), and the pivot arm can be hinged to the other side of the rear door at a distance from said at least one pivot bearing. This advantageously avoids any impairment of the vehicle's storage space.

[0011] Furthermore, the at least one pivot bearing can advantageously be formed by a guide arm that is rigidly connected to the rear door at one end and displaceably and rotatably mounted in or on the guide rail at the other end. By selecting the length of said guide arm and / or its shape, for example, a curved shape, the movement behavior of the rear door during opening or closing can be advantageously adjusted, as well as how close the rear door approaches the side part of the vehicle body when fully open.

[0012] Furthermore, the guide rail extending in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction) can be curved at least at one end in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction). This measure also advantageously allows the movement behavior of the rear door to be adjusted during opening or closing.

[0013] As further provided by the invention, the at least one pivot arm can be pivoted on the side part or side wall part of the body and on the rear door in such a way that, starting from its body-side pivot point "D", it is inclined towards the vehicle's center axis when the rear door is in the closed position, as seen in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction). This causes the rear door to move approximately in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction) away from the body or towards the body, respectively. Such a movement has a beneficial effect on the closing and opening behavior of the rear door and on the wear of any sealing devices, such as rubber seals.

[0014] Advantageously, a cover element can be assigned to the at least one pivoting arm, which covers the opening or recess when the rear door is in the closed position.

[0015] Further advantageously, said cover element can be mounted at one end on the rear door or on the side panel or side wall part of the body so that it can rotate about a vertical axis or an axis inclined to the vertical axis, and at the other end so that it can be longitudinally displaced on the pivot arm. In this respect, a cover element is selected that carries out the pivoting or rotating movement of the pivot arm during operation of the rear door.

[0016] Particularly advantageously, two rear doors can be provided on the vehicle, which, viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), are designed to open in opposite directions, each toward one of the two vehicle sides (left or right side of the vehicle), in accordance with the previously described arrangement. This creates different options for accessing the rear interior of the vehicle by opening only one of the two rear doors or both rear doors. Furthermore, the pivot bearings, guide rails, and guide arms can be designed to be weaker than when using only one rear door, since the two rear doors are each lighter in comparison.

[0017] The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, with an arrangement of the type described above.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment schematically illustrated in the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a vehicle designed according to the invention in a perspective view from the rear with two rear doors in the closed state, which in turn are each designed to open towards one side of the vehicle, Fig. 2 the body shell of the vehicle after Fig. 1 in a rear view with rear doors wide open, Fig. 3 a perspective rear view of the body shell according to Fig. 2 diagonally from above with a left open and a right closed rear door, Fig. 4 the two rear doors of the vehicle together with all necessary bearing and guide elements mounted on a functional demonstrator, on which the components essential to the invention are even more clearly visible, Fig. 5 a horizontal section of the rear area of ​​the body shell according to Fig. 3 with a closed left rear door including a pivot arm of said rear door, which is essential to the invention, Fig. 6 the detail “Z” according to Fig. 5, Fig. 7 the detail “Z” according to Fig. 5 with a coordinate grid commonly used in vehicle construction, Fig. 8a-e the rear area of ​​the body shell after Fig. 5 with the left rear door in five different operating positions during an opening process, Fig. 9 a perspective side view of the rear area of ​​the body shell with the left open rear door, and Fig. 10 a detailed view after Fig. 9.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a hatchback vehicle 1 with two rear doors 2a, 2b, which, viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), are designed to open in opposite directions toward one of the two sides of the vehicle (left or right side of the vehicle). Fig. 2 to 4, the rear doors 2a, 2b each have two pivot points "A", "B" in the form of an upper and a lower pivot bearing 3a, 3b, viewed in the vertical direction of the vehicle (z-direction). Said pivot bearings 3a, 3b are each formed by a guide arm 4a, 4b, rigidly connected at one end to the rear door 2a, 2b, which at the other end is displaceable in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) and rotatable about a vertical axis 5 or an axis inclined to the vertical axis 5 on a guide rail 7a, 7b attached to the body 6 of the vehicle 1.

[0020] The guide rails 7a, 7b of each rear door 2a, 2b are designed, for example, in the manner of known roller guides as elongated, open hollow profiles, which, viewed in cross-section, have a C-shaped profile. Within said roller guide, support rollers are arranged, extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 7a, 7b or in the sliding direction of the rear door 2a, 2b, which, in turn, are rotatably mounted on a roller carriage. The guide arm 4a, 4b is mounted on the roller carriage so as to be rotatable about said vertical axis 5 or an axis arranged at an angle to the vertical axis (not shown in the drawing).

[0021] The guide rails 7a, 7b extend from the center of the vehicle predominantly in the transverse direction (y-direction) to the left or right side of the vehicle, but are curved at both ends in the longitudinal direction (x-direction). The guide rail 7a assigned to the upper pivot bearing 3a of each rear door 2a, 2b is in this case fastened to the roof structure 8 of the vehicle 1, for example to a torsion-resistant rear roof cross member of the roof structure 8, which is known per se and therefore not shown in detail here, which in turn transmits the forces acting on the guide rail 7a directly into the body 6 or its roof structure 8. The guide rail 7b assigned to the lower pivot bearing 3b of each rear door 2a, 2b is in this case fastened to a supporting floor structure 9 of the vehicle 1 (cf. in particular Fig. 2 to 4).

[0022] As in particular the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, each rear door 2a, 2b has at least one third pivot point "C" on the door side, which in turn is formed by a pivot arm 10. Said pivot arm 10 is stationary at one end, but rotatable about a vertical axis 11 or an axis inclined thereto, on the rear door 2a, 2b, and at the other end, stationary, but pivoted or rotatably attached to an outer side part 13 of the body 6 of the vehicle 1 about a vertical axis 12 or an axis inclined thereto (pivot point "D"). The outer side part 13 of the body 6 of the vehicle 1 can, for example, be formed by an outer side wall part.

[0023] According to the Fig. 2 to 4, the pivot bearings 3a, 3b of each rear door 2a, 2b are expediently arranged on one side of the rear door 2a, 2b, namely on the side of the rear door 2a, 2b facing towards the inside of the vehicle, and the at least one pivot arm 10 is arranged at a distance from said pivot bearings 3a, 3b on the other side of the rear door 2a, 2b, namely on the side of the rear door 2a, 2b facing towards the outside of the vehicle, as seen in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction).

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one pivot arm 10, in the closed position of the rear door 2a, 2b, runs at least in sections within a recess 14 of the outer side part 13 of the body 6 of the vehicle 1, which recess extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x-direction) and is directed inwards. Furthermore, in this position, the pivot arm 10, starting from its body-side articulation point “D” within said recess 14, is arranged inclined towards the vehicle center axis 15 (y = 0) (angle of inclination “α”), which has an advantageous effect on the opening and closing behavior of the rear door 2a, 2b at the beginning of an opening process and at the end of a closing process (cf. in particular Fig. 5 to 7). An angle of inclination “α” of the swivel arm 10 of approximately 5° to approximately 10°, preferably approximately 8°, has proven to be a technically sensible design after initial investigations (cf. in particular Fig. 7).

[0025] In contrast, the pivot arm 10 can also extend through an outer side wall part on the body side through an opening therein and be hinged or rotatably attached to a known supporting body component arranged underneath, such as a stiffening frame or the like. The recess 14 favored above is then expediently replaced by an elongated opening (not shown in the drawing).

[0026] The functioning of the invention is explained below, particularly with reference to Fig. 8a to 8e are explained in more detail. Fig. 8a shows, merely by way of example, the left rear door 2a of the vehicle 1, seen in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x-direction), in a closed position, whereas the Fig. 8e shows this rear door 2a in a fully open operating position. The Fig. Figures 8b to 8d, on the other hand, show the aforementioned rear door 2a in intermediate positions. The function of the right rear door 2b is identical to that of the left rear door 2a.

[0027] Assuming that the left rear door 2a is to be moved from a closed position to an open position, for example, after manually operating the door handle 16 ( Fig. 1) and opening the door lock (not shown in detail) and applying a force to the rear door 2a in the opening direction thereof, ie, according to Fig. 1 to the left and out of the drawing sheet or according to the Fig. 8a to 8e to the right-downward, due to the kinematic interaction between the pivot bearings 3a, 3b guided in the guide rails 7a, 7b, which are curved at both ends in this case, or the rotatably mounted guide arms 4a, 4b, and the at least one pivot arm 10, a movement of the rear door 2a initially takes place against the direction of travel 17, largely linearly away from the body 6. This movement of the rear door 2a results from the special arrangement of the pivot arm 10 or its initial position (cf. in particular also Fig. 7), namely inclined towards the vehicle center axis 15. This special arrangement of the pivot arm 10 causes a defined, wear-reducing lifting of the rear door 2a from a sealing device arranged on the body 6, such as a rubber seal (not shown in the drawing here), by displacing the pivot point "C" of the rear door 2a on a circular arc opposite to the main direction of travel 17 until the pivot arm 10 is aligned parallel to the vehicle center axis 15.

[0028] Upon further displacement of the rear door 2a within the guide rails 7a, 7b, the pivot point “C” of the rear door 2a moves along the said circular arc around the body-side pivot point “D” of the swivel arm 10, initially to the outside of the vehicle and in the main direction of travel 17 ( Fig. 8b to 8d), and then approach the side part 13 again ( Fig. 8e). The side of the rear door 2a facing outward from the vehicle follows this movement, so that the rear door 2a, depending on the design of the parts determining the kinematics of the rear door 2a (structure or design of the rear door 2a itself, the pivot bearings 3a, 3b or guide arms 4a, 4b, the guide rails 7a, 7b, of the at least one pivot arm 10), preferably at a short distance from the vehicle 1, circumvents the outer contour of the vehicle 1 or the rear left corner pillar 18 of the body 6.

[0029] The aforementioned parts determining the kinematics of the rear door 2a, 2b are desirably designed such that the rear doors 2a, 2b, when fully opened, rest tightly against the rear side contour of the vehicle 1. Ultimately, however, the final position of the opened rear doors 2a, 2b depends, as already indicated above, on the shape of the body 6 and the rear doors 2a, 2b, as well as the design of the guide arms 4a, 4b, the guide rails 7a, 7b, and the at least one pivot arm 10. In this regard, the guide arms 4a, 4b can, for example, also be curved outwardly in the horizontal plane, whereby, for example, the left rear door 2a can be guided far around the rear left corner pillar 18 (not shown in the drawing).

[0030] To lock the rear door 2a, 2b in particular in the open position according to Fig. 8e and, in optionally selected intermediate positions, one or more stops and / or locking elements can be provided, which are arranged, for example, in joints of the pivot arm 10 and / or the guide arms 4a, 4b and / or in the guide rails 7a, 7b (not shown in the drawing). It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the displacement or pivoting curve and the maximum pivoting angle of the rear door 2a, 2b are set to a minimum body clearance, but without the risk of collision with the body 6 of the vehicle 1.

[0031] As in particular the Fig. 9 and Fig.10, the pivot arm 10 is directly assigned an elongated cover element 19 which, on the one hand, is mounted at one end on the rear door 2a by means of a hinge 20 for rotation about a vertical axis 21 or an axis arranged at an angle to the same. On the other hand, the cover element 19 is mounted on the pivot arm 10 for longitudinal displacement by means of a sliding guide 22. Said cover element 19 essentially serves to close the recess 14 or opening in the outer side part 13, in this case the outer side wall part, as soon as the rear door 2a is closed and the pivot arm 10 is arranged within said recess 14 or opening. The pivot arm 10 and said cover element 19 are thus advantageously kinematically connected to one another. The cover element 19 can, for example, be made of a plastic or also of a metal.In contrast, the cover element 19 can also be mounted on the side part 13 in a rotationally movable manner and can be longitudinally displaceable by means of a sliding guide 22 on the pivot arm 10 (not shown in the drawing).

[0032] However, the invention is not limited to such a so-called "active" cover element 19, but also encompasses so-called "passive" cover elements 19, which in turn are fixedly arranged on the pivot arm 10 or on the side part 13. For example, one or more elastic sealing surfaces made of, for example, an elastomer can be fixedly arranged on the pivot arm 10 or on the side part 13 in the region of the recess 14 or opening, wherein, with respect to a cover element 19 arranged on the side part 13, an elastomeric and longitudinally slotted sealing surface can be provided, which is penetrated by the pivot arm 10 when the rear door 2a is opened and closed (not shown in the drawing).

[0033] The above-preferred embodiment is based on a vehicle 1 with two rear doors 2a, 2b, each opening in opposite directions towards one of the two sides of the vehicle. However, the invention also encompasses a vehicle 1 having only one rear door 2a or 2b, which extends across the entire width of the vehicle and is designed to open to the left or right in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction) as described above (not shown in the drawing). Furthermore, in addition to manually operated rear doors 2a, 2b, rear doors 2a, 2b that open automatically, namely electrically, electromechanically, pneumatically, or hydraulically, are also included. Due to the positive guidance of the rear door 2a, 2b according to the invention, the actuating devices required for this can be produced simply and inexpensively in view of the prior art acknowledged at the outset, since they only need to act on one of the parts determining the kinematics of the rear door 2a, 2b. List of reference symbols 1 vehicle 2a Rear door 2b Rear door 3a Swivel bearing 3b Swivel bearing 4a Guide arm 4b Guide arm 5 Vertical axis 6 Body 7a Guide rail 7b Guide rail 8 Roof structure 9 Soil structure 10 swivel arm 11 Vertical axis 12 vertical axis 13 Side panel 14 Deepening 15 Vehicle center axis 16 Door handle 17 Main direction of travel 18 Corner column 19 Cover element 20 hinge 21 Vertical axis 22 sliding guide “A” pivot point (rear door 2a, 2b) “B” pivot point (rear door 2a, 2b) “C” articulation point (rear door 2a, 2b / swivel arm 10) “D” articulation point (swivel arm 10) “α” angle of inclination

Claims

[1] Arrangement for attaching at least one rear door (2a, 2b) to a body (6) of a vehicle (1), wherein the at least one rear door (2a, 2b) is designed to open towards the left or right side of the vehicle as viewed in the longitudinal direction (x-direction), with at least one pivot bearing (3a, 3b) fixed to the rear door (2a, 2b), which is slidably mounted in or on a guide rail (7a, 7b) attached to the body (6) in the transverse direction (y-direction) of the vehicle and rotatably mounted about a vertical axis (5) or an axis inclined to the same, and with at least one pivot arm (10) pivotable away from the vehicle (1), which is fixed at one end but rotatable about a vertical axis (11) or an axis inclined to the same on the rear door (2a, 2b) and is fixed at the other end,however, the pivot arm (10) is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis (12) or an axis inclined to the same on a left or right outer side panel (13) or side wall panel of the body (6) as viewed in the longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the vehicle, and wherein the at least one pivot arm (10) is pivotally mounted on the body side within an opening or recess (14) formed in the outer side panel (13) or side wall panel of the body (6) and directed inwards towards the vehicle, and the opening or recess (14) extends in the longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the vehicle such that, in a closed position of the rear door (2a, 2b), the pivot arm (10) penetrates at least partially from the outside of the vehicle into said opening or recess (14) and is arranged within it. [2] Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized by, that at least one pivot bearing (3a, 3b) is arranged on one side of the rear door (2a, 2b) as seen in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) and the pivot arm (10) is articulated at a distance from said at least one pivot bearing (3a, 3b) on the other side of the rear door (2a, 2b). [3] Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that at least one pivot bearing (3a, 3b) is formed by a guide arm (4a, 4b) which is rigidly connected at one end to the rear door (2a, 2b) and is slidably and rotatably mounted in or on the guide rail (7a, 7b) at the other end. [4] Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the guide rail (7a, 7b) extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) is curved at least at one end in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction). [5] Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by, that at least one pivot arm (10) is articulated to the side panel (13) or side wall panel of the body (6) and to the rear door (2a, 2b) in such a way that, starting from the body-side pivot point “D” in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction), it is inclined towards the vehicle center axis (15) when the rear door (2a, 2b) is in the closed position. [6] Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that at least one swivel arm (10) is assigned a cover element (19) which, in the closed position of the rear door (2a, 2b), covers the opening or recess (14) from the outside of the vehicle. [7] Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized by , that the cover element (19) is mounted at one end on the rear door (2a, 2b) or on the side panel (13) or side wall panel of the body (6) so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis (21) or an axis inclined to the same and at the other end so as to be longitudinally displaceable on the swivel arm (10). [8] Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that two rear doors (2a, 2b) are provided, which in turn, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction), are designed to open in opposite directions towards one of the two sides of the vehicle (left or right side of the vehicle). [9] Vehicle (1) with an arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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