Three-Point Sliding Door Guide System for Passenger Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for guiding sliding doors in passenger transport vehicles lack targeted translational and rotational guidance in all axes, leading to potential jamming and increased precision requirements, which complicates production and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

A device with two parallel guide profiles and three guide elements arranged in a V-shape, allowing for targeted translational and rotational guidance, reducing play and compensating for tolerances to prevent jamming, while allowing for less precise manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If rollers are arranged at maximum distance from one another in the sliding direction, then the guidance stability is improved, but the risk of jamming increases due to high tolerance requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguidance stabilityVSAvoidjamming risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide system is segmented into two separate guide profiles (first and second guide profiles) arranged parallel to each other. This segmentation allows the door element to be guided by distributed contact points rather than a single rigid constraint, reducing the risk of jamming while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single-plane guide system to a three-dimensional arrangement by positioning guide profiles at different heights (upper and lower ends) and using three guide elements arranged in a V-shape. This dimensional expansion provides tolerance compensation in multiple directions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If guide profiles are made with high precision to prevent jamming, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvejamming preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the guide system by using a V-shaped arrangement of three guide elements instead of traditional single-plane guidance. This parameter change enables the system to accommodate larger tolerances in guide profile manufacturing while maintaining reliable operation and preventing jamming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The V-shaped three-point guide arrangement inherently cushions against tolerance variations before they can cause jamming. The geometric configuration provides built-in tolerance compensation that prevents contact issues from developing into jamming conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Device complexity

If the door element is suspended in the upper area only, then the device complexity is reduced, but the door element becomes undefined in the lower area leading to wobbling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide system complexityVSAvoiddoor element stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The guide system applies local quality by positioning guide profiles at both upper and lower ends of the door element, with different guide elements engaged at different locations. This creates localized guidance zones that collectively provide comprehensive stability throughout the door element's extent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from single-plane suspension to three-dimensional guidance by distributing guide elements across vertical and horizontal dimensions. The V-shaped arrangement of three guide elements creates a stable triangular configuration that eliminates wobbling while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3471982B1Three-point support of a sliding door
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 GEBR BODE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3471982B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for guiding a door element (12), in particular a sliding door for a passenger transport vehicle, containing a first and a second guiding profiled element (14, 16), wherein the two guiding profiled elements (14, 16) are arranged parallel to each other at a distance from each other, and three guiding elements (17, 18, 19) in total, by means of which the door element (12) is guidably connected to the two guiding profiled elements (14, 16), wherein two of the guiding elements (17, 18) are guidably arranged on the first guiding profiled element (14) and one of the guiding elements (19) is guidably arranged on the second guiding profiled element (16).