Vehicle sliding door structure

Abstract

To stabilize the fully open position of the sliding door. [Solution] The vehicle sliding door structure includes a lower arm 20 that connects the sliding door and the rail 50, which comprises an arm body 21, a support bracket 30 that supports the sliding door, a first link 41 that is rotatably connected to the support bracket 30, and a second link 45 that is rotatably connected to the arm body 21 and rotatably connected to the first link 41. The first link 41 and the second link 45 are provided with restricting structures 43 and 46 that restrict the rotation of the first link 41 and the second link 45 when the sliding door is in the fully open position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sliding door structure for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] A sliding side door (hereinafter referred to as a sliding door) on the side of the vehicle body opens and closes the door opening by traveling on a guide rail provided in the door opening on the side of the vehicle body. For example, the sliding door device of the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a sliding door that opens and closes the door opening, a guide rail, and a support mechanism that supports the sliding door. The support mechanism has an arm that is swingably attached to the sliding door via a swing shaft. A roller unit that travels on the guide rail is attached to the arm.

[0003] The support mechanism is configured to be movable along the guide rail. The sliding door is configured to move between a closed position where it closes the door opening and an open position where it opens the door opening along the guide rail. Further, when the sliding door is fully closed, the longitudinal direction of the arm is arranged in a state along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. During the operation of opening the sliding door, the tip of the arm swings outward in the vehicle width direction. When the sliding door is fully open, the longitudinal direction of the arm is in a state along the vehicle width direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the structure of the example above, when the sliding door has finished opening and is fully open, the arm and roller unit stop at a predetermined position at the rear of the guide rail, and the fully open position of the sliding door is maintained. Also, while the sliding door is opening, as the sliding door moves towards the rear, the arm rotates so that it faces outward in the vehicle width direction, and then the arm moves towards the rear of the vehicle with its longitudinal direction aligned with the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0006] When the sliding door stops at a predetermined position at the rear of the guide rail, a force may act on the arm that causes it to move backward from the stopping position due to the inertia of the sliding door. At this time, the arm is almost perpendicular to the direction of travel of the sliding door (rearward in the vehicle's longitudinal direction). Therefore, a moment acts on the arm supporting the sliding door, centered near the roller unit.

[0007] For example, even if a stopper is provided at a predetermined position at the rear of the guide rail to ensure that the roller unit stops when the sliding door reaches its fully open position, a moment or other force will still act on the arm. This can potentially cause rattling of the sliding door. Therefore, in the structure of the above example, there was room for improvement in stabilizing the fully open position when the sliding door moves from opening to the fully open position.

[0008] The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and its objective is to provide a vehicle sliding door structure that can stabilize the fully open state of a sliding door in a vehicle having a sliding door. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The vehicle sliding door structure according to the present invention for achieving the above objective comprises a rail provided in a door opening on the side of the vehicle body and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an arm connected to the rail so as to be able to travel on the rail, and a sliding door that opens and closes the door opening by the movement of the arm. In the vehicle sliding door structure, the arm comprises a long arm body, a support bracket joined to the sliding door and supporting the sliding door, the first end of the arm body in the longitudinal direction being rotatably connected to the support bracket, a first link rotatably connected to the support bracket, and a second link rotatably connected to the arm body and rotatably connected to the first link, wherein the first link and the second link are provided with a restricting structure that restricts the rotation of the first link and the second link when the sliding door is fully open. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, in a vehicle having a sliding door, it is possible to stabilize the fully open state of the sliding door. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view showing the lower rail and its surrounding area that constitute the vehicle sliding door structure according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the rails as seen from the outside of the vehicle. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the sliding door and lower arm mounted on the rail, as seen from inside the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a top view showing the movement of the arm, with (a) being the fully closed state, (b) being the intermediate state, and (c) being the fully open state. [Figure 5] Figure 4(a) to (c) are schematic perspective views of the lower arm as seen from the outside of the vehicle. [Figure 6] This is a bottom view of Figure 4. [Figure 7]Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the lower arm in the intermediate and fully open states, magnified. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged perspective view showing the contact area in the fully open state of Figure 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle sliding door structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings (Figures 1 to 8). In the figures, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the description of the embodiment, "front (front end) and rear (rear end)" correspond to the front and rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. Arrows R and L indicate the right and left sides when an occupant is looking forward to the front of the vehicle. Arrow U indicates the upward direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0013] The vehicle sliding door structure of this embodiment is a sliding side door structure provided on the side of the vehicle body. The sliding door structure of this embodiment has a lower rail 50 (rail) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a sliding door 10 as shown in Figure 3, and a lower arm 20 (arm).

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lower rail 50 is a member provided at the bottom of the door opening 12 on the side of the vehicle and extends overall in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The lower rail 50 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is provided at the bottom of the door opening 12 of the rear side door located on the right side relative to the direction of vehicle travel. The lower rail 50 is a highly rigid member formed from a metal material. Details of the lower rail 50 will be described later. A center pillar 13 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle is located at the front of the door opening 12. In addition, a quarter panel 14, etc., is located on the rear side of the door opening 12.

[0015] The lower arm 20 is connected to the lower rail 50 so as to be able to travel on the lower rail 50. Details of the lower arm 20 will be described later. The slide door 10 is configured to open and close the door opening 12 by the travel of the lower arm 20. Although details of the configuration of the slide door 10 are omitted, as shown in FIG. 3, the slide door 10 has a door inner panel 11A and a door outer panel 11B disposed on the outer side of the vehicle of the door inner panel 11A. The outer peripheral edge of the door outer panel 11B is joined to the outer peripheral edge of the door inner panel 11A, whereby the slide door 10 is configured.

[0016] The lower arm 20 has a long arm main body 21, a support bracket 30 that is joined to the slide door 10 and supports the slide door 10, and the longitudinal end of the arm main body 21 is rotatably connected to the support bracket 30, a first link 41 rotatably connected to the support bracket 30, and a second link 45 rotatably connected to the arm main body 21 and rotatably connected to the first link 41. Further, the first link 41 and the second link 45 are provided with restricting structures 43, 46 for restricting the rotation of the first link 41 and the second link 45 when the slide door 10 is in the fully open state.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, the lower arm 20 is a member that connects the door inner panel 11A of the slide door 10 and the lower rail 50. Further, the lower arm 20 has a hinge shaft member 38. The hinge shaft member 38 rotatably connects the arm main body 21 and the support bracket 30, and is configured such that the lower arm 20 rotates around the hinge shaft member 38 when the slide door 10 is opened and closed. Hereinafter, the configuration of each member will be described.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the arm body 21 is a long member. One end in the longitudinal direction is rotatably connected to the support bracket 30, and the other end is fixed to a traveling unit 27 that travels on the lower rail 50. The arm body 21 has a plate-like portion 22 that extends substantially horizontally, a vertical wall portion 24, a flange portion 25, and a second link connecting portion 23 (second connecting portion) to which the second link 45 is connected. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the plate-like portion 22 is a portion that extends horizontally and has an upper surface facing above the vehicle. A plurality of through holes penetrating in the vertical direction are provided in the plate-like portion 22. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, when the slide door 10 is in the fully open state, the longitudinal direction of the plate-like portion 22 is in a state along the vehicle width direction.

[0019] In the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 3, a hinge shaft member 38 is attached to the first end (the end in the longitudinal direction of the plate-like portion 22) closer to the door inner panel 11A of the plate-like portion 22. The first end of the plate-like portion 22 is arranged so that the lower flange portion 34, which will be described later, of the support bracket 30 overlaps, and the hinge shaft member 38 is arranged so as to penetrate the first end of the plate-like portion 22 and the front portion of the lower flange portion 34. In the longitudinal direction, the second end of the plate-like portion 22 closer to the lower rail 50 is attached to the traveling unit 27. The traveling unit 27 will be described later.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the vertical wall portion 24 is a portion that extends upward from the side portion of the plate-like portion 22 and is integrally formed with the plate-like portion 22. The vertical wall portion 24 extends along the longitudinal direction of the plate-like portion 22. One end of the vertical wall portion 24 is arranged at the first end of the plate-like portion 22, and the other end of the vertical wall portion 24 is arranged at an interval in the longitudinal direction from the second end of the plate-like portion 22. In this example, when the longitudinal direction of the plate-like portion 22 is along the vehicle width direction, the vertical wall portion 24 is arranged at the outer portion in the vehicle width direction at the rear side portion of the plate-like portion 22.

[0021] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the flange portion 25 protrudes from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 24 and is integrally formed with the vertical wall portion 24. For example, when the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped portion 22 is aligned with the vehicle width direction, the plate-shaped portion 22 protrudes forward from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 24 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped portion 22. In the vertical direction of the vehicle, the flange portion 25 and the plate-shaped portion 22 are arranged to face each other. The longitudinal end of the flange portion 25 is positioned to overlap with the upper flange portion 33 of the support bracket 30, which will be described later, and the hinge shaft member 38 is positioned to penetrate the flange portion 25 of the plate-shaped portion 22 and the front part of the upper flange portion 33.

[0022] As shown in Figures 4 and 8, the second link connecting portion 23 is provided on the side of the plate-shaped portion 22 located between the vertical wall portion 24 and the second end portion, and protrudes from that side portion. For example, when the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped portion 22 is aligned with the vehicle width direction, the rear side of the plate-shaped portion 22 protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle from further inward than the inner side of the vertical wall portion 24 in the vehicle width direction. The second link connecting portion 23 is provided with a pivot shaft 23a extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and one end of the second link 45 in the longitudinal direction is rotatably connected via the pivot shaft 23a.

[0023] Next, the running unit 27 will be described. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the running unit 27 has a mounting portion 27a and two protruding portions 27c. The mounting portion 27a is a plate-shaped part of the plate-shaped portion 22 of the lower arm 20, fastened to the second end of the plate-shaped portion 22 by two bolts, either on the upper or lower surface of the plate-shaped portion 22. The bolts pass through two through holes provided in the second end of the plate-shaped portion 22, fastening the second end to the mounting portion 27a. In this example, one of the two through holes is a round hole and the other is an elongated hole. In addition, a vertical wall portion 27b is provided at the rear of the mounting portion 27a, which abuts against the rear contact portion 55, which will be described later. The vertical wall portion 27b protrudes upward from the upper part of the mounting portion 27a and faces the rear of the vehicle. The contact between the rear contact portion 55 and the vertical wall portion 27b will be described later.

[0024] The two protrusions 27c project from the end of the mounting portion 27a toward the lower rail 50 and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Guide rollers are provided on the horizontally extending portion of each protrusion 27c. A load roller that supports the load of the sliding door 10 is mounted between the two protrusions 27c.

[0025] Next, the support bracket 30 will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the support bracket 30 is a plate-shaped member that is joined to the lower part of the inner surface of the door inner panel 11A. As shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the support bracket 30 has a joining surface portion 31, an upper flange portion 33, and a lower flange portion 34. The joining surface portion 31 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and has an outer surface and an inner surface facing the vehicle width direction. With the outer surface of the joining surface portion 31 in contact with the inner surface of the door inner panel 11A, the joining surface portion 31 is fastened to the door inner panel 11A by fastening members such as bolts (not shown) and nuts.

[0026] In this example, an upper bolt hole 31a is provided at the top of the joint surface 31, and two lower bolt holes 31b and 31c are provided at the bottom of the joint surface 31, with the two lower bolt holes 31b and 31c spaced apart from each other in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The upper bolt hole 31a is located above the lower bolt hole 31b, which is located at the front.

[0027] The upper flange portion 33 protrudes inward from the upper end of the joint surface portion 31 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The rear end of the upper flange portion 33 is positioned above the upper bolt hole 31a. The lower flange portion 34 protrudes inward from the lower end of the joint surface portion 31 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The upper flange portion 33 and the lower flange portion 34 are positioned opposite each other. Hinge shaft members 38 are attached to the front of the upper flange portion 33 and the front of the lower flange portion 34. In addition, a first link connecting portion 35 (first connecting portion) is provided at the rear of the lower flange portion 34, to which the first link 41 is rotatably connected.

[0028] As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the hinge shaft member 38 is a cylindrical member extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In this example, the upper part of the hinge shaft member 38 is attached to the front of the upper flange portion 33, and the lower part of the hinge shaft member 38 is attached to the front of the lower flange portion 34. In this example, the hinge shaft member 38 is fixed to the upper flange portion 33 and the lower flange portion 34, respectively. For example, the upper part of the hinge shaft member 38 is rotatably supported by an upper bearing (not shown) provided on the flange portion 25 of the arm body 21, and the lower part of the hinge shaft member 38 is rotatably supported by a lower bearing (not shown) provided on the first end of the plate-shaped portion 22, thereby enabling the arm body 21 to rotate around the hinge shaft member 38.

[0029] Alternatively, the upper part of the hinge shaft member 38 may be rotatably attached to the front of the upper flange portion 33, and the lower part of the hinge shaft member 38 may be rotatably attached to the front of the lower flange portion 34, so that the hinge shaft member 38 and the arm body 21 rotate as a single unit.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, a first opening angle α1 is formed on the rear side of the vehicle by the longitudinal direction of the support bracket 30 and the arm body 21. This first opening angle α1 changes with the opening and closing operation of the sliding door 10. When the sliding door 10 is fully closed, the first opening angle α1 is acute, and when it is fully open, the first opening angle α1 is approximately 90 degrees.

[0031] The first link 41 is a long member formed of a metal material, and one end of the first link 41 in the longitudinal direction is rotatably connected to the lower flange portion 34 of the support bracket 30. In this example, one end of the first link 41 is rotatably connected around a pivot shaft 35a provided at the rear of the lower flange portion 34 of the support bracket 30. A connecting portion 48 is provided in the longitudinal middle of the first link 41 to which the second link 45 is rotatably connected. The connecting portion 48 is provided with a pivot shaft 48a extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The connecting portion 48 is located between the longitudinal center of the first link 41 and the other end opposite to the one end described above.

[0032] Furthermore, a first contact portion 43 is provided between the other end of the first link 41 and the connecting portion 48. In this example, the first contact portion 43 is located at the rear of the first link 41 when the sliding door 10 is fully open. The first contact portion 43 has a vertical wall 43a that protrudes upward from the link body of the first link 41 and a buffer member 44 attached to the vertical wall. The buffer member 44 has a disc portion 44a and a shaft portion 44b that extends from the center of the disc portion 44a and is attached to the vertical wall 43a. The disc portion 44a may be formed of, for example, a resin material. In this example, the second contact portion 46 of the second link 45, which will be described later, is configured to contact the disc portion 44a of the first contact portion 43.

[0033] As shown in Figure 4, the first link 41 forms a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction (vehicle front-rear direction) of the lower flange portion 34. In this example, the first link 41 and the lower flange portion 34 form a second opening angle α2 inward in the vehicle width direction. This second opening angle α2 changes with the opening and closing operation of the sliding door 10. When the sliding door 10 is fully closed, the second opening angle α2 is slightly less than 180 degrees, and when it is fully open, the second opening angle α2 is an acute angle of approximately 60 degrees.

[0034] The second link 45, like the first link 41, is a long member made of a metal material, and one end of the second link 45 in the longitudinal direction is rotatably connected to the connecting portion 48 of the first link 41 via a pivot shaft 48a. The other end of the second link 45 is rotatably connected to the second link connecting portion 23 of the arm body 21.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the second link 45 forms a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the arm body 21. In this example, the second link 45 and the arm body 21 form a third opening angle α3 outward in the vehicle width direction. This third opening angle α3 changes with the opening and closing operation of the sliding door 10. When the sliding door 10 is fully closed, the third opening angle α3 is slightly less than 180 degrees, and when it is fully open, the first opening angle α1 is an acute angle of approximately 60 degrees.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the first link 41 and the second link 45 form a fourth opening angle α4 on the rear side of the vehicle. This fourth opening angle α4 changes with the opening and closing operation of the sliding door 10. When the sliding door 10 is fully closed, the fourth opening angle α4 is acute, and when fully open, it is slightly less than 180 degrees. The relative operation of the first link 41 and the second link 45 will be explained later.

[0037] Furthermore, the second link 45 has a second contact portion 46 that contacts the first contact portion 43 of the first link 41. The second contact portion 46 is located at the rear of the second link 45 when the sliding door 10 is fully open. The second contact portion 46 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the second link 45, alongside the connecting portion 48, and has a vertical wall that protrudes upward. The second contact portion 46 is configured to contact the disc portion 44a of the buffer member 44 of the first contact portion 43. The above-described restricting structure is composed of the first contact portion 43 of the first link 41 and the second contact portion 46 of the second link 45. The restriction of the rotational movement of the first link 41 and the second link 45 will be explained later.

[0038] Next, the lower rail 50 will be described. As shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, the lower rail 50 has a front inclined section 51, an intermediate section 52, and a rear inclined section 53, which are formed to be continuous. Guide rollers run on the lower rail 50, and load rollers support the load of the sliding door 10.

[0039] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the front inclined section 51 is located at the front of the lower rail 50 and extends inward in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the front of the vehicle. The intermediate section 52 extends from the rear of the front inclined section 51 toward the rear of the vehicle. The rear inclined section 53 extends from the rear of the intermediate section 52 and extends inward in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the rear of the vehicle. The length of the front inclined section 51 in the longitudinal direction (inclination direction) is set to be longer than the length of the rear inclined section 53 in the longitudinal direction (inclination direction). The front end of the front inclined section 51 is located inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the rear end of the rear inclined section 53.

[0040] The lower rail 50 is located inside a door pocket 57 provided at the bottom of the door opening 12. The portion of the door pocket 57 that accommodates the front inclined portion 51 bulges inward in the vehicle width direction. An arm opening 58 is provided in the side body outer panel located on the outside of the door pocket 57 in the vehicle width direction, through which the lower arm 20 is inserted, and the hinge shaft member 38 is located further outward in the vehicle width direction than the arm opening 58.

[0041] Next, we will explain the operation of the lower arm 20 in conjunction with the opening and closing of the sliding door 10.

[0042] When the sliding door 10 is fully closed, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the lower arm 20 is positioned at the front of the front inclined portion 51 of the lower rail 50. At this time, the hinge shaft member 38 and the support bracket 30 are positioned further forward than the front end of the lower rail 50. Also, at this time, the longitudinal direction of the arm body 21 is aligned with the front of the vehicle, and it is slightly inclined inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves from the hinge shaft member 38 towards the rear of the vehicle. The first opening angle α1 in the fully closed state is acute.

[0043] Furthermore, the second opening angle α2 is approximately 180 degrees, and in this example, it is slightly less than 180 degrees. Similarly, the third opening angle α3 is also slightly less than 180 degrees, just like the second opening angle α2. Moreover, the fourth opening angle α4 in the fully closed position is acute.

[0044] Furthermore, as the sliding door 10 continues to open, the travel unit 27 moves from the front inclined section 51 to the intermediate section 52, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. When the travel unit 27 is in the intermediate section 52, the sliding door 10 is in an intermediate state between the fully closed state and the fully open state. During the transition from the fully closed state to the intermediate state, the arm body 21 rotates clockwise in a plan view around the hinge shaft member 38 relative to the support bracket 30, and the first opening angle α1 becomes approximately 45 degrees.

[0045] Furthermore, as the arm moves from the front inclined section 51 to the intermediate section 52, the first link 41 rotates clockwise relative to the support bracket 30, and the second opening angle α2 becomes an obtuse angle smaller than 180 degrees (approximately 135 degrees in Figure 4). The second link 45 also rotates together with the arm body 21 and rotates counterclockwise around the pivot axis 48a of the connecting section 48 relative to the first link 41. As a result, the third opening angle α3 becomes an obtuse angle smaller than 180 degrees, similar to the second opening angle α2. Moreover, due to the rotation of the first link 41 and the second link 45, the opening angle α4 becomes an acute angle, larger than when the arm is fully closed.

[0046] Furthermore, as the sliding door 10 continues to open, the travel unit 27 travels along the rear inclined portion 53 of the lower rail 50, and when it reaches the rear of the rear inclined portion 53, the sliding door 10 is fully open. During the transition from the intermediate state to the fully open state, the arm body 21 rotates further, and the first opening angle α1 becomes approximately 90 degrees. Similarly, the first link 41 and the second link 45 also rotate, and the second opening angle α2 and the third opening angle α3 change from obtuse to acute angles. Furthermore, the first link 41 and the second link 45 rotate so that the relative distance between the connecting portion 48 that connects the first link 41 and the second link 45 and the hinge shaft member 38 decreases, so that in the fully open state, the opening angle α4 becomes approximately 180 degrees.

[0047] When the lower arm 20 stops moving in the fully extended position, the first contact portion 43 of the first link 41 and the second contact portion 46 of the second link 45 come into contact with each other. In this example, the second contact portion 46 comes into contact with the disc portion 44a of the buffer member 44 of the first contact portion 43, thereby restricting the relative rotational movement of the first link 41 and the second link 45.

[0048] When the sliding door 10 moves from the opening position to the fully open position, its rearward movement is stopped. As a result, the arm body 21 tends to continue rotating clockwise in a plan view, for example, due to the inertia of the sliding door 10, causing it to tilt backward. Consequently, the first link 41 also tends to continue rotating clockwise. In contrast, in this embodiment, the first contact portion 43 and the second contact portion 46 contact each other, thereby restricting the relative rotational movement of the first link 41 and the second link 45. That is, the restricting structure formed by the first contact portion 43 and the second contact portion 46 can withstand the load generated on the arm body 21 due to inertia, etc. In other words, the first link 41 and the second link 45 act as a brace, suppressing the movement of the arm body 21 caused by inertia, etc. As a result, it is possible to prevent the sliding door 10 from moving further rearward than a predetermined position, and to stably maintain the fully open state of the sliding door 10.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the sliding door 10 is fully open, the fourth opening angle α4 of the first link 41 and the second link 45 is set to less than 180 degrees. This makes it easier for the second link 45 to receive the moment acting on the first link 41 at the connection portion 48 between the first link 41 and the second link 45, thereby enhancing the effect of restricting the rotation of the first link 41. Moreover, in this embodiment, when the sliding door 10 is fully open, the first contact portion 43 of the first link 41 and the second contact portion 46 of the second link 45 are positioned inward in the vehicle width direction from the pivot axis 48a of the connection portion 48. This allows the clockwise rotational movement of the first link 41 in Figure 4 to be restricted at a position further away from the pivot center of the first link 41 (first link connection portion 35) (a position radially outward), thereby enhancing the restricting effect.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 8, the rear of the lower rail 50 in this embodiment is provided with a rear contact portion 55 that the arm body 21 can contact when the sliding door 10 is fully open. Also, when the arm body 21 is in contact with the rear contact portion 55, the hinge shaft member 38 (the connecting portion between the arm body 21 and the support bracket 30) is positioned forward of the rear contact portion 55 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0051] The rear contact portion 55 is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction at the rear of the rear inclined portion 53. In this example, the rear contact portion 55 has a buffer member 55a that is fixed to the rear of the door pocket 57 and protrudes forward of the vehicle. When the sliding door 10 is fully open, the vertical wall portion 27b of the running unit 27 comes into contact with the front surface of the buffer member 55a. This makes it possible to more reliably maintain the fully open state of the sliding door 10.

[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first link connecting portion 35 is positioned further rearward than the second link connecting portion 23 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This makes it possible to have a layout that prevents interference between the first link 41 and the second link 45 when the sliding door 10 is fully closed.

[0053] Furthermore, the second link 45 in this embodiment has a curved portion 45a that curves inward in the vehicle width direction when the sliding door 10 is fully closed. By providing the curved portion 45a, interference between the second link 45 and the first link connecting portion 35 can be prevented. This prevents obstruction of rotational movement due to interference between the first link 41 and the second link 45.

[0054] The description of this embodiment is illustrative for explaining the present invention and does not limit the invention as described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0055] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which the sliding door 10 travels along the lower rail 50, it is not limited to this. For example, a rail may be provided at the top of the door opening 12. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 10 Sliding Doors 11A Door Inner Panel 11B Door Outer Panel 12 Door opening 13 Center pillar 14 Quarter Panel 20 Lower Arm 21 Arm body 22 Plate-shaped part 22a First end 22b Second end 23. Second link connecting section (second connecting section) 23a Rotary shaft 24 Vertical wall section 25 Flange section 27 Running Unit 27a Mounting part 27b Vertical wall section 27c Protrusion 30 Support brackets 31 Joint surface part 31a Upper bolt hole 31b Lower bolt hole 31c Lower bolt hole 33 Upper flange section 34 Lower flange section 35. First link connecting section (first connecting section) 35a Rotary shaft 38 Hinge shaft member 41. Link 1 43 1st contact part 43a Vertical wall 44. Cushioning material 44a Disc section 44b Shaft 45. Second Link 45a Curved section 46 Second contact part 48 Connecting part 48a Rotary shaft 50 Lower Rail (Rail) 51 Front slope 52 Middle section 53 Posterior slope 55 Rear contact part 55a Buffer material 57 Door pocket 58 Arm opening

Claims

1. A vehicle sliding door structure comprising a rail provided in the door opening on the side of the vehicle body and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an arm connected to the rail so as to be able to travel along the rail, and a sliding door that opens and closes the door opening by the movement of the arm, The aforementioned arm is The long arm body, A support bracket joined to the sliding door and supporting the sliding door, wherein the longitudinal end of the arm body is rotatably connected to the support bracket, A first link rotatably connected to the support bracket, It has a second link that is rotatably connected to the arm body and rotatably connected to the first link, A vehicle sliding door structure characterized in that the first link and the second link are provided with a restricting structure that restricts the rotation of the first link and the second link when the sliding door is in a fully open state.

2. The first link and the second link rotate such that the angle formed by the first link and the second link toward the front of the vehicle increases as the sliding door transitions from a closed state to an open state. The vehicle sliding door structure according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the first link and the second link is provided with a contact portion that abuts against each other, and when the sliding door is fully open, the contact portions of the first link and the second link abut against each other, thereby restricting the rotation of the first link and the second link.

3. The vehicle sliding door structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the angle when the sliding door is fully open is set to less than 180 degrees.

4. It has a pivot shaft that rotatably connects the first link and the second link, The vehicle sliding door structure according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that when the sliding door is fully open, the contact portions of the first link and the second link are positioned inward in the vehicle width direction from the pivot axis.

5. It is positioned at the rear of the rail and has a rear contact portion that the arm body can contact when the sliding door is fully open, A vehicle sliding door structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the arm body is in contact with the rear contact portion, the connecting portion between the arm body and the support bracket is positioned forward of the rear contact portion in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

6. The support bracket is provided with a first connecting portion to which the first link is connected, and the arm body is provided with a second connecting portion to which the second link is connected. A vehicle sliding door structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the first connecting portion is positioned further rearward than the second connecting portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle sliding door structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the second link has a curved portion that curves inward in the vehicle width direction when the sliding door is fully closed.

Images