Abstract:
A door that is pivotable and slidable relative to a vehicle includes an articulated arm pivotably supported at a pivot joint, a guide carriage displaceably guided by a guide rail and coupled to the pivot joint, a tie rod, the tie rod being hingedly connected to the guide carriage, and a spring-loaded index bolt which is vertically displaceable. The door further comprises a rotary slide having a rotary slide surface which dictates vertical movement of the index bolt between a first position in which the articulated arm and the tie rod are engaged by the index bolt so that the articulated arm and the tie rod rotate in unison and a second position in which the tie rod is disengaged from the index bolt so that the articulated arm pivots relative to the tie rod.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to German Patent Application Serial No. 10 2005 005 329.7 filed Feb. 4, 2005, German Patent Application Serial No. 10 2005 010 395.2 filed Mar. 7, 2005, and German Patent Application Serial No. 10 2005 048 786.6 filed Oct. 12, 2005, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a door for a vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle. The present disclosure furthermore relates to a vehicle, in particular to a motor vehicle. The present disclosure can be used in vehicles of all kinds, that is, in land vehicles, water vehicles and air vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     A door for a motor vehicle, comprising a pivot joint at which an articulated arm hingedly connectable or connected to the vehicle is pivotably supported, is known from DE 30 26 037. It is a so-called sliding door. To open the door, it must first be pivoted out of the plane of the vehicle body. The door is subsequently displaced to the front or to the rear parallel to the vehicle body. The door accordingly includes a pivot joint to which an articulated arm is pivotably supported. The other end of the articulated arm is hingedly connected to the motor vehicle. 
     It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a door for a vehicle which can be opened and closed both as a sliding door and as a pivoting door. 
     This object is solved in accordance with the present disclosure by a door for a vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a pivot joint at which an articulated arm hingedly connectable or connected to the vehicle is pivotably supported, wherein the pivot joint at which the pivot arm is pivotably supported is lockable. When the door is to be opened as a pivoting door, the pivot joint is locked. The door can then be opened by turning the hinged connection of the articulated arm to the vehicle. When the door is to be opened as a sliding door, the lock of the pivot joint is released. On the opening of the door, the articulated arm is pivoted about the joint provided at the vehicle. The pivot joint is also pivoted—in the opposite direction—in this process so that the door is pivoted out of the plane of the body. It can then be displaced parallel to the vehicle body. 
     Advantageous further developments are also possible. 
     The pivot joint can preferably be locked in a plurality of pivot positions. It is advantageous for the pivot joint to be able to be locked in two pivot positions. The first pivot position is preferably that pivot position in which the pivot joint is located when the door is closed. When the pivot joint is locked in this pivot position, the door can be opened by a pivot movement, that is, as a pivot door. The second pivot position, in which the pivot joint can be locked, is preferably that pivot position in which the pivot joint is located when the articulated arm and the door have been pivoted such that the door is located at a spacing from the body of the vehicle and is located in a direction parallel to the body of the vehicle. In this locked pivot position, the door can then be displaced parallel to the vehicle body, that is, the door can be opened as a sliding door. 
     It is advantageous for the pivot range of the pivot joint to be limited. 
     A further advantageous further development is that the pivot joint is provided at a guide carriage which is displaceably guided in a guide rail. The guide rail is provided in the door. 
     In accordance with another advantageous further development, a tie rod is provided which is connected to the guide carriage. The tie rod is preferably hingedly connected to the guide carriage. The pivot axle of the tie rod at the guide carriage is preferably located at a spacing from the pivot joint of the articulated arm at the guide carriage. 
     Another advantageous further development is that the tie rod can be or is selectively connected to the articulated arm or hingedly to the vehicle. The joint axle between the tie rod and the vehicle is preferably located at the vehicle at the spacing of the pivot axle of the articulated arm. 
     In accordance with another advantageous further development, a first index bolt is present which can be brought into a position connecting the tie rod to the articulated arm. It is advantageous if a second index bolt is instead or additionally present which can be brought into a position hingedly connecting the tie rod to the vehicle. It is possible to provide a plurality of first index bolts and/or a plurality of second index bolts. It is advantageous if two first index bolts and/or two second index bolts are present. One or both index bolts can be spring-loaded. The first index bolt and/or the second index bolt can be brought into the described index position by a slide curve. 
     In accordance with another advantageous further development, a rotary slide is present by which the first index bolt can be brought into the position connecting the tie rod to the articulated arm. Instead or additionally, the second index bolt can be brought into the position hingedly connecting the tie rod to the vehicle by the rotary slide. The rotary slide is preferably provided at the vehicle at the pivot axle of the articulated arm. 
     It is advantageous for a lock lever to be pivotably supported at the guide carriage. 
     Another advantageous further development is that the lock lever has a guide groove for a lock bolt provided at the door. The guide groove is substantially directed toward the pivot axis of the lock lever. 
     In one example, a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, may include one or more doors in accordance with the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Embodiments of the present disclosure will be explained in detail in the following with reference to the enclosed drawing. There are shown in the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a door for a motor vehicle in the closed state in a sectional view from above; 
         FIG. 2  is the door of  FIG. 1  after a pivoting out of the plane of the body; 
         FIG. 3  is the door of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in the partly displaced state; 
         FIG. 4  is the door of  FIGS. 1 to 3  in the state opened by a pivot movement; 
         FIG. 5  is another embodiment of a door for a motor vehicle in the closed state in a sectional view from above; 
         FIG. 6  is the door of  FIG. 5  after a pivoting out of the plane of the body; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged partial view of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is the door of  FIGS. 5 to 7  in the fully displaced state; 
         FIG. 9  is the door of  FIGS. 5 to 8  in the state opened by a pivot movement; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged part view of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a section along the line XI-XI in  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is a section along the line XII-XII in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The Figures of the drawing show a door  1  connected to a motor vehicle  2 . The door  1  comprises a door box  3  and an outer panel  4 . In the interior region of the door box  3  facing the vehicle  2 , a pivot joint  5  is secured in which the swivel pin  6  of an articulated arm  7  is pivotably supported. The articulated arm  7  comprises a straight middle piece from which two respective end pieces angle off at an angle of approximately 45°. 
     The articulated arm  7  is provided at its other end with a further swivel pin  8  which is hingedly supported in a hinge  9 . The hinge  9  is connected to the body of the motor vehicle. It is fastened to a panel  11  of the A pillar  10 . A seal  12  is fastened to the peripheral flange of the door section. 
     The pivot joint  5  is provided at a guide carriage  13  which is displaceably guided in a guide rail  14  of the door  1 . The guide rail  14  extends in the direction of the body, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 
     The pivot joint  5  can be locked. It can be locked both in the position shown in  FIG. 1  and in the position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     When the door  1  should be opened by a pivot movement out of the closed position shown in  FIG. 1 , the pivot joint  5  is locked in the position shown in  FIG. 1 . Furthermore, the guide carriage  13  is locked in the position shown in  FIG. 1 . The door  1  still closed in  FIG. 1  is opened like a conventional pivot door with a pivot movement around the hinge  9  until the open position shown in  FIG. 4  is reached. 
     When the door should be opened by a sliding movement out of the closed position shown in  FIG. 1 , the locks of the pivot joint  5  and of the guide carriage  13  are released. The door  1  is subsequently pivoted into the position shown in  FIG. 2 . The articulated arm  7  pivots around the hinge  9  in a clockwise direction. The door  1  carries out a counterclockwise pivot movement relative to the articulated arm  7  in the pivot joint  5 . During these pivot movements, the guide carriage  13  moves a certain distance to the rear in the guide rail  14  and then back into the position shown in  FIG. 2 . This distance can be limited by an abutment in the guide rail  14  (not shown in the drawing). 
     When the position shown in  FIG. 2  is reached in which the door  1  is located at a distance from the body of the vehicle and in which the door  1  is furthermore located in a direction parallel to the vehicle body, the pivot joint  5  is locked. Furthermore, the locking of the guide carriage  13  remains in the position of  FIG. 2  or is released. The door  1  can then be displaced in the z direction, that is, in the direction parallel to the vehicle body or in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A corresponding position of the door  1 , in which the door  1  is partly opened, is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The pivot range of the pivot joint  5  is restricted in the manner such that the door  1  cannot be pivoted clockwise beyond the position in  FIG. 1  with respect to the articulated arm  7  and also not beyond the position shown in  FIG. 2  with respect to the articulated arm  7  in a counterclockwise direction. 
       FIGS. 5 to 12  show a modified embodiment in which corresponding components are provided with the same reference numerals. In addition to the articulated arm  7 , a tie rod  18  is present which is connected to the vehicle and to the guide carriage. 
       FIG. 11  shows a section along the line XI-XI in  FIG. 7  through the support shaft  16  which is rotatably supported by grooved ball bearings  17  at the hinge  9  connected to the body of the motor vehicle. The articulated arm  7  is pivotably supported at the support shaft  16 . A tie rod  18  is furthermore present which includes an upper tie rod  18   a  and a lower tie rod  18   b . The upper tie rod  18   a  is located between the articulated arm  7  and the upper part  9   a  of the hinge  9 . The lower tie rod  18   b  is disposed between the articulated arm  7  and the lower part  9   b  of the hinge  9 . The tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  are slidingly jammed in this manner between the articulated arm  7  and the parts  9   a  and  9   b  of the hinge  9 . 
     A rotary slide  19  is rotationally fixedly connected to the support shaft  16  and has an upper part  19   a , a lower part  19   b  and a middle part  19   c . First index bolts  20   a ,  20   b  which are longitudinally displaceably guided in associated bearing bushings  21   a ,  21   b  are present in the articulated arm  7 . The bearing bushings  21   a ,  21   b  extend parallel to and spaced from the bearing shaft  16 . The head at the lower end of the upper first index bolt  20   a  lies on the upper slide curve of the middle part  19   c  of the rotary slide  19 . In a corresponding manner, the head at the upper end of the lower first index bolt  20   b  lies on the lower slide curve  22   b  of the middle part  19   c  of the rotary slide  19 . The first index bolts  20   a ,  20   b  are loaded toward the slide curves  22   a ,  22   b  by compression springs  23   a ,  23   b  which are provided between the bearing bushings  21   a ,  21   b  and the heads of the first index bolts  20   a ,  20   b.    
     In a corresponding manner, second index bolts  24   a ,  24   b  are present in the upper and lower parts  9   a  and  9   b  of hinge  9  and are guided longitudinally displaceably in associated bearing bushings  25   a ,  25   b . The bearing bushings  25   a ,  25   b  extend parallel to and spaced from the bearing shaft  16 . The head at the upper end of the upper second index bolt  24   a  lies on the slide curve  26   a  at the lower side of the upper part  19   a  of the rotary slide  19 . In a corresponding manner, the head at the lower end of the lower second index bolt  24   b  lies on the slide curve  26   b  at the upper side of the lower part  19   b  of the rotary slide  19 . The second index bolts  24   a ,  24   b  coincide with the first index bolts  20   a ,  20   b . The second index bolts  24   a ,  24   b  are loaded toward the slide curves  26   a ,  26   b  by compression springs  27   a ,  27   b  which are provided between the bearing bushings  25   a ,  25   b  and the heads of the second index bolts  24   a ,  24   b.    
     As can be seen from  FIG. 12 , a pivot joint  5  is provided at the guide carriage  13  and a vertical swivel pin  6  is rotatably supported in it. The support positions are located in an upper support plate  28   a  and a lower support plate  28   b  which extend parallel to one another and spaced from one another and between which the articulated arm  7  is arranged which is likewise pivotably supported about the swivel pin  6 . 
     Further support positions  29   a ,  29   b  for further swivel pins  15  (see  FIGS. 5 to 10 ; not shown in  FIG. 12 ) are provided spaced from the swivel pins  6  in the support plates  28   a ,  28   b  and the ends of the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  are pivotably supported thereon. 
     As can likewise be seen from  FIG. 12 , the guide rail  14  comprises an upper rail  14   a  and a lower rail  14   b  which are arranged over one another and which are each made in tubular form. The rails  14   a ,  14   b  have an annular cross-section. They are connected to one another by a middle piece  30 . The middle piece  30  has an elongated rectangular cross-section whose central axis is disposed in the connection plane of the centers of the rails  14   a ,  14   b . It is provided at its center with a connection part  31  which faces the interior of the vehicle and to whose end a panel  32  is fastened which has a substantially rectangular cross-section. The panel  32  covers the rails  14   a ,  14   b  with respect to the interior of the vehicle. Its upper end projects over the upper rail  14   a.    
     The guide carriage  13  comprises an upper support sleeve  33   a  and a lower support sleeve  33   b  which extend over an angular range of approximately 270° in each case and in which the rails  14   a ,  14   b  are longitudinally displaceably guided. The open regions of the support sleeves  33   a ,  33   b  face one another. They leave room for the middle part  30  of the guide rail  14 . 
     The support sleeves  33   a ,  33   b  are supported by corresponding projections  34   a ,  34   b  of the guide carriage  13  which face one another in a corresponding manner and have a cut-out extending over an angular range of approximately 90° to provide space for the middle part  30  of the guide rail  14 . A cut-out  35  for the panel  32  is provided in the guide carriage  13  in addition to the projections  34   a ,  34   b . Adjacent thereto, the guide carriage  13  has the support plates  28   a ,  28   b.    
     Furthermore, a lock lever  36  is provided at the guide carriage  13  which is pivotably supported around the axis of the swivel pin  6  (in  FIG. 12  the lock lever  36  has been omitted for reasons of a simplified drawing representation). The lock lever  36  has a guide groove  37  in the region of its end which is open to its end and which is substantially directed toward the pivot axis of the lock lever  36 , that is, toward the swivel pin  6 . A lock bolt  38  provided at the door  1  can engage into the guide groove  37 . 
     In  FIG. 11 , the basic position of the index bolts  20   a ,  20   b ,  24   a ,  24   b  is shown in which the first index bolts  20   a ,  20   b  rigidly connect the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  to the articulated arm  7 . In this position, the door  1  can be opened from the position shown in  FIG. 5  by a rotary movement into the position shown in  FIG. 9 . As can be seen from  FIG. 11 , the first index bolts  20   a ,  20   b  engage through both the bearing bushings  21   a ,  21   b  of the articulated arm  7  and through the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b . They end at a small distance in front of the hinges  9   a ,  9   b . In this manner, the articulated arm  7  and the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  are rigidly connected to one another, and indeed in the sense that the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  are pivoted along in a compulsory manner on a pivoting of the articulated arm  7  about the support shaft  16 . 
     The lock bolt  38  provided at the door  1  engages into the outer end of the guide groove  37  of the lock lever  36 . In this manner, the lock bolt  38  locks the lock lever  36  and with it the guide carriage  13 . The door can be opened like a conventional pivot door by a pivot movement about the support shaft  16  until the open position shown in  FIG. 9  has been reached. 
     If the door  1  should be opened by a sliding movement out of the closed position shown in  FIG. 5 , the rotary slide  19  is rotated about 90° clockwise until it has reached the position shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8 . The index bolts  20   a ,  20   b ,  24   a ,  24   b  are hereby displaced toward the middle part  19   c  of the rotary slide  19  by the thickness of the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b . The head of the upper first index bolt  20   a  runs downwardly on the upper slide curve  22   a  of the middle part  19   c  of the rotary slide  19  until it has reached the level of the line  39   a . This movement of the upper first index bolt  20   a  is supported by the force of the compression spring  23   a . In a corresponding manner, the lower first index bolt  20   b  is held in contact with the lower slide curve  22   b  by the force of the compression spring  23   b , said lower slide curve extending over the quarter-turn of the support shaft  16  at the level of the line  39   b . The outer ends of the first index bolts  20   a ,  20   b  thus release the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b.    
     The upper second index bolt  24   a  is pressed downwardly against the force of the compression spring  27   a  by the slide curve  26   a  at the lower side of the upper part  19   a  of the rotary slide  19  on the rotation of the rotary slide  19  until its lower end lies somewhat above the lower end face of the upper tie rod  18   a . The lower second index bolt  24   b  is pressed upwardly in a corresponding manner against the force of the compression spring  27   b  by the slide curve  26   b  at the upper side of the lower part  19   b  of the rotary slide  19  on the rotation of the rotary slide  19  until its upper end lies somewhat below the upper end face of the lower tie rod  18   b . In this manner, the second index bolts  24   a ,  24   b  establish a hinged connection between the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  and the hinges  9   a ,  9   b , that is a connection between the tie rods  18   a ,  18   b  and the vehicle. 
     The support shaft  16 , the second index bolts  24   a ,  24   b , the swivel pin  6  and the swivel pins  15  thus form a four-bar linkage in the support positions  29   a ,  29   b  of the guide carriage  13 . When the articulated arm  7  is pivoted, the guide carriage  13  is taken along by the articulated arm  7  and thus pivoted about the support shaft  16 . The guide carriage  13  is simultaneously pivoted in the opposite direction of rotation about the swivel pin  6  during this movement so that in the final analysis it is displaced in parallel by the action of the four-bar linkage. 
     Since the articulated arm  7  extends, starting from the support shaft  16 , obliquely to the interior of the vehicle, on the rotation of the articulated arm  7  about the support shaft  16 , the end of the door  1  facing away from the support shaft  16  would abut the oppositely disposed body part  40  so that the door  1  would be blocked and could not be opened any further. To prevent this, the guide groove  37  is present in the lock lever  36  and extends obliquely toward the swivel pin  6  and substantially arcuately about the support shaft  16 . When the articulated arm  7  is pivoted, the guide groove  37  runs into the lock lever  38 , whereby the lock lever  36  is pivoted in a clockwise direction around the swivel pin  6  with an increasing pivoting of the articulated arm  7 . The guide carriage  13  is thereby moved in a direction away from the support shaft  16  relative to the door  1 . Due to the associated relative movement of the door  1 , it runs in a corresponding manner toward the support shaft  16  or away from the body part  40 . The four-bar linkage, the lock lever  36 , its guide groove  37  and the lock bolt  38  are matched to one another such that the door  1  is moved substantially at a right angle out of its opening in the body between the hinge  9  and the body part  40 . The movement of the door  1  toward the body part  40  generated by the rotation of the articulated arm  7  per se is therefore substantially compensated by the described opposite movement of the guide carriage  13  until the door  1  has moved out of its opening and has adopted the position shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     In this position, the guide carriage  13  has moved in the guide  14  toward the body part  40 . The lock lever  36  has been pivoted clockwise. The lock bolt  38  has run into the open guide groove  37  and out of this open guide groove  37  again. The lock lever  36  has an extension on its side facing away from the guide groove  37  and a recess  41  is provided therein which forms an abutment with the pin  15  in the support positions  29   a ,  29   b.    
     In the position shown in  FIG. 6 , the door  1  has been pivoted out so far that it does not abut the body on the subsequent parallel displacement into the position shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     On the closing movement of the door  1 , it is first displaced in parallel from the position shown in  FIG. 8  into the position of  FIG. 6 . In the position of  FIG. 6 , the lock bolt  38  engages into the guide groove  37  of the lock lever  36 . The door  1  can now be closed by a pivoting of the articulated arm  7  and of the associated four-bar linkage. 
     The example pivoting/sliding doors provided herein have two opening functions, namely the opening function “slide” and the opening function “pivot”. Both functions can be carried out using one door hinge. 
     In the “pivot” function, the closed door is opened like a conventional pivot door with a pivot movement. In the “slide” function, the closed door is opened and closed with a linear movement in the sliding direction. 
     It is possible by the explained designs to open a vehicle door selectively as a pivoting door or as a sliding door. The unlocking or control can be made possible by an actuation at the outer side and/or at the inner side of the door, and indeed mechanically and/or electrically and/or by remote control. The guide for the sliding function is preferably located in the vehicle door. It is possible to design the guide rail in a replaceable manner. The guide rail can be made as a pressed section, a rolled section or as a hybrid part. The guide carriage can be guided at the top and/or bottom in the guide rail. The guide carriage can furthermore be guided in the section side in the guide rail. The components for the guide, that is the guide rail and/or the guide carriage, can be realized in steel, aluminum and/or plastic. The surface of the guide rail can be machined. It can in particular be lacquered, powdered, anodized or chromium plated. The guide rail can furthermore be covered by a panel. The panel can be realized in plastic, aluminum or steel. The surface of the panel can be lacquered, powdered, anodized or chromium plated. 
     As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , the door is rotated in the direction of rotation X in the hinge  9  so far out of the side wall of the vehicle  2  that the required freedom between the door box  3  and the side wall of the vehicle is ensured for the following linear movement.