Abstract:
A modular drive assembly (24) for a sliding door (14), comprising: a guide track having a hinge (28) slidably received therein; a pair of pulleys (48, 50) disposed on either end of the guide track; a pair of cables (38) each having an end that is secured to the hinge and the other end is secured to a cable drum (40) of a motor drive unit (42) mounted to the guide track, the motor drive unit being configured to rotate the cable drum, wherein the cable drum is also capable of freely rotating within the motor drive unit when the motor drive unit is not rotating the cable drum, wherein rotation of the cable drum causes the hinge to move in the guide track as one of the cables wraps onto the cable drum while the other one of the cables wraps off of the cable drum.
Abstract:
A hinge assembly (28) for coupling a sliding door (14) of a vehicle (10) to a drive unit (42) for sliding the sliding door from an open position to a closed position, the drive unit causing the hinge assembly (28) to slide within a guide track (26) as the door moves between the open position and the closed position, the hinge assembly comprising: a first hinge portion (32); a second hinge portion (36), the first hinge portion being pivotally secured to the second hinge portion; a cable attachment (35) being secured to the second hinge portion; and a guide surface (74) disposed on a surface of the first hinge portion, the guide surface being configured to make contact with a portion of a cable (39) having an end secured to the cable attachment when the second hinge portion is in a first orientation with respect to the first hinge portion position and the cable no longer makes contact with the guide surface as the second hinge portion moves from the first orientation to a second orientation with respect to the first hinge portion.