B-pillarless Sliding Door Hook Fastening Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing slide type occupant compartment opening/closing doors for vans require multiple support/guide rails, increasing vehicle weight and component count, limiting design freedom, and causing issues with curved roof designs, exposed fender rails, and potential head injuries due to interior opening shifts.
Innovation Solution
A B-pillarless opposite sliding door system using a hook fastening structure instead of an upper latch, allowing a straight and uniform vehicle body opening, with a hook fastener that supports door rigidity through external and internal loads, and a retracting/extending mechanism to manage hook exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an upper latch is used at the upper end of the B-pillarless opposite sliding door, then the door can be secured, but the opening flange of the vehicle body cannot be formed in a straight and uniform shape and the door panel protrudes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the traditional upper latch structure from the B-pillarless opposite sliding door. By eliminating the upper latch that caused protrusion and irregular opening flange shape, the patent achieves a straight and uniform opening flange while maintaining door securing functionality through alternative means (lower latch and guide rails)
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using an upper latch as in conventional designs, the invention inverts the approach by positioning the latch mechanism at the lower end of the door. This inversion allows the opening flange to be formed straight and uniform while the door panel does not protrude, solving both the shaping issue and the securing function
2Reliability
If three support/guide rails are used to support the door during opening/closing, then the door can be properly guided, but the weight of the vehicle and the number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates one of the three support/guide rails from the door assembly. By removing the upper rail that required an upper latch, the patent reduces the number of components and vehicle weight while maintaining proper door guidance through the remaining lower rail and guide rail system
Solution Approach 2:
The remaining guide rails in the invention perform multiple functions: they support the door during opening/closing, provide lateral guidance, and replace some of the structural support previously provided by the removed upper rail. This multi-functionality allows reduction in component count while maintaining reliability
3Reliability
If a straight upper rail is applied to the roof part, then the door can be supported, but a curved roof part cannot be designed
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the upper rail from the door assembly, the invention eliminates the constraint that forced the roof to be flat or straight. The roof can now be designed with curved parts as desired, while door support functionality is maintained through the lower rail and guide rail system
Solution Approach 2:
The door support function is segmented into multiple locations: the lower rail provides primary support, and the guide rail provides lateral guidance. This segmentation allows the roof structure to be freely designed (including curved parts) without being constrained by the need for a straight upper rail
4Reliability
If the opening is shifted toward the interior of the vehicle, then the door can be closed, but a passenger's head may be injured as it collides with the upper trim
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the latch position from upper to lower, the invention changes the door closing behavior. The door closes from the bottom up rather than from the top down, which prevents the opening from shifting toward the interior in a way that causes head injury, while still ensuring proper door closure
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide a B-pillarless opposite sliding door in which a hook fastening means is used instead of an upper latch to be installed at an upper end of the B pillarless opposite sliding door. An upper end of a door B-pillar beam, which serves to support a B-pillar, can fastened to a roof part of a vehicle body to ensure a ceiling strength performance when the hook fastening means is applied.