Cable-Driven Sliding Door Drive Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sliding door systems often occupy significant installation space above or below the door portal, making them inefficient in terms of space usage and complicating the integration of a reliable locking device.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle sliding door system employs a rope-driven door drive mechanism where the rope is attached to the sliding door at its side edges and routed through roles on the door portal, allowing the door to be opened and closed without occupying space above or below the portal. This system includes a coupling element connected to an electric motor, which moves the rope to operate the sliding door.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If door drives are located in the upper portal area using toothed belts or spindle drives, then the door can be moved between open and closed positions, but the usable space above the door openings is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The door drive is relocated from the vertical dimension (above the door portal) to the horizontal dimension (beside the door portal). The cable extends horizontally from the front vertical side edge to a first roller on the door portal, then vertically down to a second roller, then vertically up to a third roller, and finally horizontally to the rear vertical side edge. This dimensional rearrangement frees up the space above the door opening while maintaining operational functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable path is divided into multiple sections with distinct functions: horizontal section from front edge to first roller, vertical section from first roller to second roller, vertical section from second roller to third roller, and horizontal section from third roller to rear edge. This segmentation allows the cable to navigate around the door portal area without occupying the space above the opening, routing the drive mechanism through the side area instead.
2Ease of manufacture
If door drives are located above the door portal, then the door drive mechanism can be installed, but combining a locking device becomes difficult and unreliable in the long run
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the door drive to the horizontal space beside the door portal rather than above it, the locking device can be integrated into the same horizontal plane as the drive mechanism. This spatial reorganization creates a compact, reliable assembly where the locking device and door drive share the same mounting area on the door portal, improving both ease of installation and long-term reliability.
3Area of stationary object
If a cable-driven mechanism is used with rollers arranged to the side of the door portal, then installation space above or below the portal is minimized, but the cable path becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cable path utilizes vertical movement between different heights (from the horizontal level at the front edge, down to the second roller below, up to the third roller, and back to the rear edge level) to achieve horizontal transport. This vertical dimension allows the cable to route around the door portal area without occupying space above or below the portal opening, minimizing the installation footprint while managing the cable path complexity through structured vertical transitions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration minimizes the installation space required above or below the door portal, enhances the robustness and ease of maintenance of the system, and integrates a reliable locking mechanism that ensures secure operation.
Implementation Method 1
The cable is movable via a door drive, which is connected to the cable via a coupling element, so that, depending on the direction of movement of the coupling element, the sliding door moves in the opening or closing direction due to the applied tensile forces
Implementation Method 2
In a first embodiment variant according to the invention the cable extends in a first section in the horizontal direction from the front vertical side edge to a first roller arranged on the door portal. In a second section the cable then extends in a vertical direction from the first roller to a second roller arranged below the first roller and also on the portal, is deflected around the second roller
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle sliding door system (20) having a door portal (24) and a door opening, at least one sliding door (22) with a vertical front lateral edge (26) in the closing direction of the sliding door (22) and a vertical rear lateral edge (26) in the closing direction of the sliding door (22), and a door drive for displacing the sliding door (22). Said a vehicle sliding door system is characterised in that the door drive – has a cable (30) the first end of which is attached to the sliding door (22) in the region of the front vertical lateral edge (26) and the second end of which is attached to the sliding door in the region of the rear vertical lateral edge (28),- has a coupling element (50) which is connected to the cable (30) and which is connected to a motor (54) attached to the door portal (24) laterally adjacent to the door portal (24), which motor drives the coupling element (50) in such a manner that the cable (30) can be moved along its longitudinal direction in both directions of movement and displaces the sliding door (22).