TECHICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sliding door system for vehicle, such as those used for providing lateral movement between open and closed position.

PRIOR ART

A roller mechanism are used on sliding doors to provide movement between open and closed position. A roller mechanisms are mounted on the doors and vehicle body and its rollers are positioned on the rails which is mounted on the vehicle body sliding door or the sliding door, respectively. Generally, the roller mechanism is mounted on the sliding door and having one or two group rollers which rotates in axis which is perpendicular according to each other.. First roller group is a carrier roller, also known as main roller, is provides lateral movement to the sliding door and carry its weight on the rail. Second group is guide rollers. The guide rollers provides guidance to the sliding door along the rail (R). Conventionally, two guide rollers are used.

In known state of the art, wheel part of the rollers are directly mounted on a metal pin formed on the roller mechanism. A said arrangement doesn’t provide desired smooth movement of roller and causes noise and friction between both metal parts during rolling. In some conditions, roller is sliding instead of rolling. Therefore, a grease oil is also used for such an arrangement for eliminate or reduce friction.

However, a different problems are come up when a grease oil is used. During the usage, dust and similar contaminants mixes with oil grease. As result, mixed grease oil blocks movement of the roller. Besides that, grease oil goes away in time.

US20100154308A1 discloses a vehicular roller device capable of rotating smoothly without using lubricant such as grease and preventing a roller main body from being damaged due to its use over time to achieve smooth rotation and satisfactory operation property for a long time. Proposed solution in this application is wheel part of roller is made of synthetic resin material hhaving modulus of bending elasticity of 9,000 MPa or more and treating surface of it with material containing polyether ether ketone. However, it’s expensive solution in addition not to solving friction between metal pin and wheel part.

As a result all of the problems mentioned above, have made it necessary to provide an improvements in the related field.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to eliminate the problems mentioned above and to provide a technical improvements to the related field.

The main aim of the invention is to provide sliding door system for vehicle, such as those used for providing lateral movement between open and closed position..

Another aim of the invention is to eliminate requirement of grease oil in the roller of the sliding door systems.

Another aim of the invention is providing sliding door having a roller mechanism is less noisy, easier to move and faster

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The present invention method above and which can be construed from the detailed description below is, a sliding door system for a vehicles. Accordingly, the present invention comprises, a vehicle body having a door opening; a laterally slidable sliding door movable within the door opening; a main bracket configured to be assembled to the vehicle body or the sliding door; at least one guide roller bracket formed end of the main bracket; at least one guide roller mounted on the one guide roller bracket in manner of rotating in a primary axis; at least one rail configured to be assembled to the vehicle body or the sliding door; guide surfaces provided on the rail so that the sliding door can be guided along the rail via guide roller; a bearing mounted on the shaft of the guide roller, wherein the bearing comprises, a plastic inner bushing mounted on the shaft, a plastic outer bushing mounted on the plastic inner bushing and needles positioned between the plastic inner bushing and the plastic outer bushing; a wheel shaped cap mounted on the plastic outer bushing.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a protrusion and a recess is correspond to the protrusion for assembling the cap and the plastic outer bushing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protrusion is formed on outer surface of the plastic outer bushing and the recess is formed on outer surface of the cap.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the main bracket is configured to be assembled to the sliding door.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cap is configured to fully cover the top section of bearing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cap is made of polyethylene terephthalate.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises at least one carrier roller mounted on the main bracket in manner of rotating in a secondary axis which is perpendicular to the primary axis and carrier surfaces provided on the rail and so that the sliding door can be slide along the rail via carrier roller.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises two guide rollers.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the guide roller bracket for each guide roller.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises three rails which are positioned upper portion, middle portion and lower portion of vehicle body or sliding door.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, the main bracket configured to be assembled to the vehicle body the rail is configured to be assembled to the sliding door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Accompanying drawings are given solely for the purpose of exemplifying a chucking system whose advantages over prior art were outlined above and will be explained in brief hereinafter.

The drawings are not meant to delimit the scope of protection as identified in the claims nor should they be referred to alone in an effort to interpret the scope identified in said claims without recourse to the technical disclosure in the description of the present invention. Figure 1 shows the schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention on a vehicle. Figure 2 shows schematic side view of an embodiment of roller and rail system.

Figure 2. A shows schematic side view of another embodiment of roller and rail system.

Figure 2.B shows schematic side view of another embodiment of roller and rail system.

Figure 3 shows the isometric view of an embodiment of the guide roller. One of the caps is shown in half to provide better view for inner structure of the guide roller. Figure 4 is front view of the guide roller is shown is Fig 3.

Figure 4. A is the top view of the guide roller is shown in the Fig 4.

Figure 4.B is cross-sectional view of the guide roller of Fig 4.A taken at line A.

Figure 4 shows exploded view of the guide roller.

REFERENCE NUMBERS IN THE FIGURES 10. Main bracket

11. Guide roller bracket

12. Mounting aperture 20. Carrier roller

30. Guide roller 31. Shaft

311. Shaft base

312. Mounting recess

313. End of the shaft

32. Outer bushing 321. Curved section

33. Inner bushing

34. Needles

35. Tap 351. Hole 36. Gap

361. Curved section V. Vehicle VB. Vehicle body

S. Sliding door

SS. Outer surface

T. Top section of bearing A1. Primary axis

A2. Secondary axis R. Rail

GS. Guide surface CS. Carrier surface

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description the sliding door system subject to the invention have been illustrated with non-limiting examples in order to further describe the subject matter of the invention.

For purposes of description herein the terms “lateral”, “vertical,” or “perpendicular” and derivatives thereof shall relate generally to the invention as oriented in Fig. 1. Term of “x” describes lateral direction, term of “y” vertical direction and term of “z” describes perpendicular direction to the outer surface (SS) of sliding door (S) in Fig.1. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary.

Term of the “roller mechanism” is define a system having a main bracket (10) and at least one guide roller (30) configured to guide sliding door (S) along the rail (R)

Figure 1 shows the schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention on a vehicle (V). The roller mechanism is used for moving the sliding door (S) between open and closed position in lateral axis. Preferably, the roller mechanism is mounted on sliding door (S) and carrier and guide rollers (20, 30) moves on the laterally positioned on rails (R) on the vehicle body (VB). If the roller mechanism is mounted on the sliding door (S), rails (R) must be mounted on the vehicle body (VB). In contrary, if the roller mechanism is mounted on the vehicle body (VB), the rails (R) must be mounted on the sliding door (S). In Figure 1 , three rails (R) is shown, however in some embodiments system may comprises one or two set of rail (R). In embodiment has three set of rail (R), three rails (R) are positioned upper portion, middle portion and lower portion of the vehicle body (VB) or the sliding door (S).

Also in Figure 1 , a carrier roller (20) and a guide roller (30) for each set of rail (R) is shown. Similarly, this arrangement is not essential. Only one or one pair of below disclosed guide roller (30) which is used on the one of the rail (R) set is enough to provide technical effect in some degree.

In an alternative embodiment, the roller mechanism may be mounted on the vehicle body (VB) and carrier and guide rollers (20, 30) is mounted on the sliding door (S).

In Figure 2-2. B, different embodiments of roller mechanism is shown. The rail (R) can be seen also in Fig 2-2. B. The rail (R) comprises two guide surfaces (GS) which is configured to be parallel each other to prevent lateral movement of guide roller (30) is z axis and guide the guide roller (30) along the rail (R). A said embodiments is shown Figure 2.A-2.B not necessarily having a carrier roller (20). A movement direction of guide roller (20) is x axis in this embodiment.

In Figure 2, beside the guide surfaces (GS), the rail (R) also comprises a carrier surface (CS) which is configured to be parallel with ground to carry weight of the sliding door (S) via the carrier roller (20). A movement direction of carrier roller (20) is x axis in this embodiment.

In Figure 3, a main bracket (10) of roller mechanism can be seen. The main bracket (10) has elongated body (11) and may be elongated body (11) may be curved. One end of the body (11) may be mounting aperture (12) is formed and the other end rollers are positioned.

The main bracket is can be mounted on the sliding door (S) or vehicle body (VB). A said mounting may be in rotatable manner, according to which rail it is used. The mounting aperture (12) provides connection between the roller system and sliding door (S) and may be in form hole for rivet, spindle, screw or similar connection elements.

The carrier roller (20) is rotatably mounted on the end the body (11) and rotates in a secondary axis (A2). Preferably, the body (11) is arranged so that the secondary axis (A2) and the x axis are in same direction.

In the same end of the body (11), guide roller bracket (13) is formed. If, the roller mechanism comprises both carrier and guide roller (20, 30), the guide roller bracket (13) is configured to provide surface that positioned guide roller (30) higher than the carrier roller (20).

An inner structure of the guide roller (30) can be seen in Figure 2. The guide roller (30) is mounted on the rotatably guide roller bracket (13) and rotates in a primary axis (A1). Preferably, the guide roller bracket (13) is arranged so that the primary axis (A1) and the y axis are in same direction. The primary and the secondary axis (A1 , A2) are perpendicular to the each other.

Outermost part of the guide roller (20) is cap (36) which is wheel shaped to provide movement and balance for sliding door (S). The wheel shaped cap (36) covers side surface of the bearing.

A bearing assembly is positioned on inside of the cap (36). The bearing comprises plastic outer and inner bushings (32, 33) with needles (34) is positioned between them. Such an arrangement provided by plastic needle bushing, eliminate requirement of grease oil and metal-metal friction and also provide faster rotational movement for the guide roller (30).

A said bearing is mounted on the shaft (31 ) of the guide roller (11 ).

Accordingly, the present invention is a sliding door (S) system for a vehicles (V) comprises, a vehicle body (VB) having a door opening; a laterally slidable sliding door (S) movable within the door opening; a main bracket (10) configured to be assembled to the vehicle body (VB) or the sliding door (S); at least one guide roller bracket (13) formed end of the main bracket (10); at least one guide roller (30) mounted on the one guide roller bracket (13) in manner of rotating in a primary axis (A1); at least one rail (R) configured to be assembled to the vehicle body (VB) or the sliding door (S); guide surfaces (GS) provided on the rail (R) so that the sliding door (S) can be guided along the rail (R) via guide roller (30); a bearing mounted on the shaft (31) of the guide roller (30), wherein the bearing comprises, a plastic inner bushing (33) mounted on the shaft (31), a plastic outer bushing (32) mounted on the plastic inner bushing (33) and needles (34) positioned between the plastic inner bushing (33) and the plastic outer bushing (32); a wheel shaped cap (36) mounted on the plastic outer bushing (32).

,A preferred embodiment of is shown in Fig 3. Two guide roller bracket (13) is formed on end of the body (12). The guide roller brackets (13) are formed both sides of the carrier roller (20).

Figure 3-3B shows different views of the guide roller (11). In Fig 3.B, the shaft (31) can be seen. The shaft (31) has the shaft base (312) whose diameter is bigger than shaft (31). The shaft base (312) is mounted on the guide roller bracket (13). A mounting recess (311 ) is formed on end of the shaft base (311 ).

The bearing comprises plastic outer and inner bushings (32, 33) with needles (34) is mounted on the shaft (31) wherein a tap (35) mounted on top of the bearing.

The tap (35) has hole (351) on the center of it. End of the shaft (313) is formed such that its diameter is smaller than rest of the shaft (31). So, the said hole (351) is mounted on the end of the shaft (313) to close the bearing.

The cap (36) is preferably is not fully rigid material. In a preferred embodiment, the cap (36) is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

In a preferred embodiment, the cap (36) is configured to fully cover the top section of bearing (T) to prevent contamination in the bearing, the shaft (31) and between them is caused by dust and similar contaminants. A disclosure about the wheel shaped cap (36) covers side surface of the bearing, more specifically a plastic outer bushing (32), has already been given in the above description. In a preferred embodiment, the cap (36) is a one-piece.

In a preferred embodiment, a curved section (321) is formed on the outer surface of the outer bushing (32) and another curved section (361), which is correspond the curved section (321) is formed on the outer bushing (32), is formed on the inner surface of the cap (36). When the cap (36) is mounted on the bearing, said curved sections (321 ,361 ) are engages to each other for preventing the cap (36) drops.

The curved section (321), which formed on the outer bushing (32), preferably is extend from the surface of the outer bushing (32). It is formed such that is in form of circle along the surface of the outer bushing (32). The curved section (321) and the outer bushing (32) is integrated. The curved section (361), which formed on the cap (36), preferably is in form of recess. It is formed such that is in form of circle along the inner surface of the cap (36).

The protection scope of the invention has been mentioned in the claims that are attached and the invention cannot be limited to the embodiments described in this detailed description. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can provide similar embodiments within the scope of the above mentioned descriptions without deviating from the main theme of the invention.