Vehicle Sliding Door Straight Rail Lateral Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle sliding door assemblies require curved rails that weaken the vehicle body's lateral strength and stiffness due to the need for discontinuities to accommodate the curve, compromising energy absorption in side impacts.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle sliding door assembly with a straight rail and a pivotally coupled closing member that moves the sliding door laterally, eliminating the need for curved rails and reducing body discontinuities, thereby enhancing the vehicle's lateral strength and stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a curved rail is used to guide the sliding door laterally, then the sliding door can move between open and closed positions, but the vehicle body requires discontinuities that reduce lateral strength and stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding door system is divided into two functional components: a straight rail for longitudinal movement and a closing member for lateral movement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without compromising the vehicle body structure, eliminating the need for curved rails and associated body discontinuities.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing member introduces a lateral dimension to the door movement mechanism. By pivoting the closing member laterally relative to the straight rail, the system achieves lateral door positioning without requiring the rail itself to curve, thus maintaining a straight rail configuration that preserves body strength.
2Ease of operation
If a curved rail is used to guide the sliding door laterally, then the sliding door can move between open and closed positions, but the vehicle body requires discontinuities that reduce energy absorption in side impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The movement function is segmented between the straight rail (longitudinal movement) and the closing member (lateral movement). This allows the vehicle body to maintain continuous, strong structures without discontinuities, preserving its ability to absorb energy in side impacts while still enabling complete door movement functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing member acts as an intermediary between the straight rail and the sliding door. It translates the longitudinal movement along the straight rail into lateral door positioning, eliminating the need for curved rails and associated body discontinuities that would compromise impact energy absorption.
3Strength
If a straight rail is used instead of a curved rail, then vehicle body strength and stiffness are improved, but the sliding door cannot move laterally to close
Solution Approach 1:
The door closing function is segmented into two independent movements: longitudinal movement along the straight rail and lateral movement via the closing member. This segmentation allows the rail to remain straight for structural integrity while the closing member provides the necessary lateral motion for door closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing member adds a lateral dimension to the mechanism by pivoting perpendicular to the rail's longitudinal axis. This dimensional addition enables lateral door movement without requiring the rail to curve, maintaining both straight rail configuration and complete door functionality.
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
The solution allows for increased vehicle body strength and stiffness by maintaining a straight rail orientation, improving energy absorption in side impacts without compromising door functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a follower member that is slidably engaged with the rail
Implementation Method 2
a closing member pivotally coupled to the follower member
Implementation Method 3
a damper coupled to the inboard end of the closing member
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle sliding door assembly includes a rail that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction, a hard stop spaced apart from the rail in a vehicle vertical direction, a slide assembly including a follower member that is slidably engaged with the rail, and a closing member pivotally coupled to the follower member, where the closing member is repositionable between an open position, in which the closing member is spaced apart from the hard stop in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a closed position, in which the closing member contacts the hard stop.