Patent ID: 12252918

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. It is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways

For convenience, in the context of the description herein, various terms are presented here. To the extent that definitions are provided, explicitly or implicitly, here or elsewhere in this application, such definitions are understood to be consistent with the usage of the defined terms by those of skill in the pertinent art(s). Furthermore, such definitions are to be construed in the broadest possible sense consistent with such usage.

A vehicle according to embodiments comprises a door system that facilitates opening the door. The opening is by sliding the door upwards and toward a door-exclusion zone so as to reach an open-door position higher than the door-exclusion zone and at least partly above the door exclusion zone. The term ‘above’ as used herein is synonymous and interchangeable with ‘at least partly above’; both terms mean ‘higher than and at least partly vertically aligned with.’ Similarly, the system facilitates closing the door. The closing is by sliding the door downwards and away from the door-exclusion zone so as to reach the closed-door position, e.g., in a door opening. A ‘door system’ as the term is used herein includes the door as well as hardware elements including door arm assemblies (or, equivalently, arm assemblies) and/or rails which guide and/or constrain the movement of a door along a travel path. The travel path (or, equivalently, travel-path) is a pre-designed route for travel of a door, e.g., between an open-door position and closed-door position. The travel-path can be effective to constrain door movement in a door-opening mode, i.e., when the movement is from a closed-door position to an open-door position, to a route that includes both an upward vector and a lateral vector toward the door exclusion zone and away from a door opening. The travel-path can also be effective to constrain door movement in a door-closing mode, i.e., when the movement is from an open-door position to a closed-door position, to a route that includes both a downward vector and a lateral vector away from the door exclusion zone and toward the door opening. A ‘door opening’ as used herein means a doorframe or similar structural opening in a wall of a vehicle in which a door is housed when in a closed-door position.

Referring toFIGS.1A and1B, non-limiting examples of door-exclusion zones are illustrated.FIG.1Ashows a door-exclusion zone145comprising a wheel well106.FIG.1Bshows a door-exclusion zone145comprising a luggage or cargo compartment142. In another non-limiting example (not shown), a door-exclusion zone comprises an air conditioning unit or a component thereof. Any volume of a vehicle may be designated as a door-exclusion zone. The nature of a door exclusion zone as the term is used herein is that a door is excluded from impinging upon the volume of the door-exclusion zone, the exclusion being based on physical constraints and/or operating instructions. For example, it can be that a door sliding within the interior volume of a vehicle cannot pass through a wheel well because the floor of the vehicle above the wheel well physical prevents it. In another example, it can be that a door sliding through an interior pocket volume of a vehicle wall is not allowed to pass through an area of the interior pocket volume that houses sensitive wiring or equipment. Any discussion relating to a wheel well throughout the present disclosure is meant to be illustrative of door-exclusion zones and therefore such discussion applies to any type of door-exclusion zone such as those mentioned in the paragraph.

The door system, according to some embodiments, potentially allows opening of the door by sliding toward the wheel well, potentially reduces the distance between the wheel well and the door, and potentially reduces the protrusion of the door in an open state towards the outside (for example as in typical sliding door on a rail outside the body, or hinged door) and/or the inside direction of the body (e.g. like in of bus folding or gliding doors).

According to some embodiments, there is provided a vehicle door system, adapted to be accommodated adjacent to a vehicle well and to open by moving towards the wheel well, while a portion of the door system is guided above the wheel well. In some embodiments, moving is by sliding the door longitudinally in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and vertically, such the door in an open state is positioned vertically above at least a portion of the wheel well.

According to some embodiments, there is provided a vehicle having a body, a door opening, a door, an arm assembly connected to the door and to a wall of the body, and a wheel well. According to some embodiments, the door opening is located at a wall defined in one side of the body in front of the wheel well, e.g. between the front edge of the vehicle and the front wheel well, and the arm assembly is adapted to open the door by moving backward towards the front wheel well. According to some embodiments, the door opening is located at a wall defined at one side of the body behind the wheel well a wheel well, e.g. between the rear edge of the vehicle and the rear wheel well, and opens by moving forward towards the rear well.

In some embodiments, an arm assembly is effective to manipulate the door from an open position to a closed position, and/or vice versa. In such embodiments, a force, e.g., an electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically generated force, or a manually applied force, is applied at a first end of an arm assembly that is connected to a vehicle surface and displaced from the door, so as to cause and regulate the movement of the door, e.g., by rotation of one or more arms of the arm assembly. In some embodiments, a powered or manual force is applied to the door, for example at a handle, or at a second end of the arm assembly that is connected to the door and displaced from the first end connected to the vehicle surface.

Words such as ‘connected’, ‘attached’ and affixed, or similar words, wherever used in the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limiting as to the nature of the connection. They should be understood to mean either connected, etc., directly and/or indirectly, and either rigidly, i.e., fixedly, and/or pivotably. In an illustrative non-limiting example, a door portion may be said to be ‘slidably connected; to a rail, where such connection can include additional hardware effective to maintain sliding contact between the door portion and rail. In a similarly illustrative and non-limiting example, an arm assembly (or an arm thereof) may be disclosed as being pivotably attached to a vehicle surface, and such a connection may include additional mediating hardware for facilitating the pivoting.

According to some embodiments, the door has an open state, a partial open state, and a closed state. In some embodiments, in the open state, the door is positioned to be at least partially vertically above the adjacent wheel well, i.e., such that the bottom of the door, and thus the entire door, is higher than the wheel well, as well as being partly aligned with the wheel well. According to some embodiments, at the closed state the bottommost portion of the door is positioned below or at the same height of at least a portion of the adjacent wheel well.

Some embodiments relate to a method for opening a vehicle door that is located next to a wheel well, between wells positioned at the same side of the vehicle, between all wells.

Some embodiments relate to doors having a closed-door position in a door opening located between an end of the vehicle and a door-exclusion zone. It can be desirable for the door to be moveable to an open-door position higher than the door-exclusion zone and at least partly above, i.e., at least partly aligned, with the door-exclusion zone. It can be desirable for the open-door position to be inside the vehicle, i.e., not outside, and in some embodiments it can be desirable for the open-door position to be inside a side wall of the vehicle, e.g., in a door-pocket within the thickness of the side wall of the vehicle, such that at least part, or a majority, or most, of the open door is not visible from inside the vehicle. Various non-limiting examples of doors and door assemblies having different features are illustrated in the figures; any of the features can be combined in any way within the scope of the embodiments. Any of the embodiments can practiced in such a way that a travel-path of a door is entirely or substantially within the interior volume or a vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, any of the embodiments can be practiced in such a way that a travel-path of a door is entirely or substantially or mostly within an interior volume of a side wall of the vehicle, e.g., in a door pocket that obscures some or most or all of the door when it is in an open-door position.

Reference is now made toFIGS.2A-F.

FIGS.2A-Dschematically illustrate a side view of an interior portion of a vehicle and a door assembly according to embodiments. A vehicle door assembly100includes a door102and an arm assembly110coupled to door102for moving it between a closed state, a partially open state, and an open state. Door assembly100is adapted to be assembled to a vehicle body103adjacent to a wheel well106, and or between the wheel well106and the nearest end of the vehicle body103(not shown). In the example ofFIGS.2A-D, the nearest end of the vehicle body103is to the left of the door opening105when viewingFIGS.2A-D.

InFIGS.2A-D, door102is shown while being opened, such that the four figures show successive positions of the door102and corresponding successive orientations of the arm assembly110. In other words,FIGS.2B and2Cshow intermediate, or partly open positions, of the door102when being opened (or closed). Illustration of the door102being closed, i.e., moved from an open-door position to a closed-door position aligned with door opening105, can be understood by viewingFIGS.2A-Din reverse order.

According to some embodiments, moving of door102to the open state is by actuating the arm assembly110to move the door102towards the wheel well106. Actuating can include, for example, providing a force (i.e., a torque) to the end118of the arm assembly110that is connected to the vehicle body103. Additionally or alternatively, actuating can include providing a force to the door such that the end118of the arm assembly110that is connected to the vehicle body is passively rotated. For example, a handle (not shown) can be provided on the door102to facilitate manual opening and closing, where the range of motion of the door to and from the open-door position is defined by the end116of arm assembly110pivotably attached to the door102. In some embodiments, moving to open state includes guiding a portion of the door system above wheel well106. In some embodiments, a door end116of arm assembly110is connected to door102, and body end118arm assembly110is adapted to connect to vehicle body103.

FIG.2Eshows each of the successive positions of door102fromFIGS.2A-D, shown respectively as door positions102a,102b,102c, and102d. Similarly, the corresponding successive orientations of the arm assembly110according to the non-limiting examples ofFIGS.2A-Dare shown inFIG.2E. The door102can be seen inFIG.2Eas having followed a travel-path constrained by arrangement of the arm assembly110to avoiding impingement of the wheel well106(or any other door-exclusion zone).

According to embodiments, door assembly100is adapted to move door102by sliding door102in a combination of a longitudinal direction of vehicle and vertically.FIG.2Fshows a non-limiting example of a travel-path vector, e.g., corresponding to at least a portion of the travel-path illustrated inFIG.2E, and respective upward and longitudinal component vectors of said travel-path vector.

In embodiments, when door102is in an open state, it is positioned vertically above at least a portion of wheel well106.

According to embodiments, there is provided a vehicle101having body103, a door opening105, a door102, an arm assembly110connected to door102and to a wall103of body, and a wheel well106. According to some embodiments, as shown inFIG.2A, door opening105is located at a wall104defined at one side of body103in front of the wheel well106, e.g. between the front edge of vehicle101and front wheel well106, and arm assembly110is adapted to open door102by moving backward towards front wheel well106. According to some embodiments (not shown), door opening105is located at a wall104defined at one side of body103behind wheel well106, e.g. between the rear edge of vehicle101and rear wheel well106, and opens by moving forward towards rear well106.

According to some embodiments, at an open state, door102is positioned to be at least partially vertically above adjacent wheel well106. In some embodiments, at the open state the bottommost edge of door102is positioned at least partially above the adjacent wheel well. In some embodiments, as shown for example inFIG.2D, at the open state the bottommost edge of door102is positioned at least partially above the highest edge of the adjacent wheel well106.

According to some embodiments, as shown for example inFIG.2D, at the closed state the bottommost portion of door102is positioned below or at the same height of at least a portion of adjacent wheel well106. In some embodiments, at the closed state the bottommost edge of door102is positioned below the highest edge of adjacent wheel well106.

According to some embodiments, actuating the door to move between the open and closed state is by the arm assembly. In some embodiments, the arm assembly has one or more arms connected to the door. In some embodiments, the door has a door connector portion adapted to connect to the arm assembly. In some embodiments, the arm assembly is hinged to the door (or the door connector portion). In some embodiments, the arm assembly arm is hinged to the door.

According to some embodiments, actuating door102to move between door opening105and wheel well106is by arm assembly110. In some embodiments, the arm assembly110has one or more arm assembly arms112connected to door102. In some embodiments, door102has a door connector portion adapted to connect to arm assembly110. In some embodiments, arm assembly is hinged to door102(or the door connector portion). In some embodiments, arm assembly arm112is hinged to door102with pivot connection116. In some embodiments, arm assembly110constrains the movement of door102to be arcuate having a center of rotation below door102. In some embodiments, arm assembly110constrains the movement of door102to be arcuate having a center of rotation adjacent to wheel well106.

According to some embodiments, the majority of opening105is not blocked by door102, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, more than 75% of the opening area of opening105is not blocked by door102, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, more than 85% of the opening area of opening105is not blocked by door102, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, more than 95% of the opening area of opening105is not blocked by door102, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, door102at open state does not block opening105.

The door ofFIGS.2A-2Dis supported at one location (where the end116is pivotable attached to the door102). In embodiments, it can be desirable for a door to be supported at two or more locations. For example, support at two locations can serve to maintain the orientation of the door when the door moves between a closed-door position and an open-door position. In a non-limiting example, a first portion of a door can be pivotably connected to an end of an arm assembly which in turn is anchored, e.g., pivotably anchored or fixedly anchored, to an interior wall surface of the vehicle; a second portion of a door can be slidably connected to a track or rail that is fixedly connected to an interior wall surface, which may or may not be the same interior wall surface.

Reference is now made toFIG.3, which schematically illustrates a side view of a portion of a vehicle and a door assembly according to some embodiments.

According to some embodiments, door assembly100includes one or more door rails120, which support and guide door102during its movement between open and closed states. In some embodiments, door102has one or more rail connectors122to connect door102with the rail(s). In some embodiments, rail connectors122include a bearing to allow rolling of door connector122with respect to rail(s)120. In some embodiments, rail120is positioned adjacent to the upper portion of door102, e.g. between the vehicle ceiling and an upper portion of the door. In some embodiments, rail120is positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of door102, e.g. between the vehicle floor and the bottom portion of the door102. In some embodiments, rail120is connected to side wall104of body103. In some embodiments, rail120is connected to side wall104of body103between door opening105and wheel well106. In some embodiments, rail120is curved. In some embodiments, rail120is arcuate. In some embodiments, rail is angular with respect to a horizontal plane.

In embodiments, such as, for example, the embodiment illustrated inFIG.3, the arrangement of the arm assembly110and of the rail120are effective to constrain movement of a door102along a travel path that does not impinge upon a door-exclusion zone.

According to some alternative embodiments, door rails120are assembled to the vehicle body (i.e. are not part of the door assembly), and door assembly100is coupled to vehicle body103to fit with door rails120.

We now refer toFIG.4which schematically illustrates a side view of a portion of a vehicle and a door assembly according to some embodiments.

According to some embodiments, as shown inFIG.4, arm assembly310may be adapted to be coupled to an upper portion of vehicle body304. In some embodiments, arm assembly310is coupled to vehicle body304at a point which is above door302. In some embodiments, arm assembly310constrains the movement of door302to be arcuate having a center of rotation above door302.

Reference is made toFIG.5which schematically illustrates a side view of a portion of a vehicle and a door assembly according to some embodiments.

According to some embodiment, as shown inFIG.5, door assembly400includes arm assembly410and door rail420. Arm assembly410and door rail420are assembled at an upper portion vehicle body404. In some embodiments, arm assembly410is coupled to vehicle body404at a point which is above door402. In some embodiments, door rail420is coupled to vehicle body404at a point which is above door402. In some embodiments, door rail420constrain the movement of door402to be linear between door opening and wheel well.

According to some embodiments, arm assembly410includes an expanding/contracting arm coupled to door402. In some embodiments, contracting the arm lifts door402. In some embodiments, lifting of door402is to a level, which is above wheel well (e.g. bottom portion of door402is above the upper portion of wheel well406). In some embodiments, a rail end of arm assembly arm412is coupled to rail420, such as arm412can move in a path defined by rail420. In some embodiments, moving arm412in rail420, moves door402away of opening405and toward wheel well406, thereby, moving door402between an open state and a closed state.

Referring now toFIGS.6A and6B, schematic side and longitudinal (e.g., end) views of a ‘pocket door’502are shown. For purposes of illustration, the door502is shown as not being entirely within the door pocket509but it can, in some implementations be secured in an open-door position that is entirely within the door pocket509. As indicated by arrow901inFIG.6A, door502is moved, e.g., from a closed-door position to an open-door position, by sliding into a door pocket509constructed within (or coupled to) a side wall503of a vehicle. Similarly, arrow902indicates the direction of the door502being moved in the opposite direction, e.g., from an open-door position to an open-door position, by sliding into a door pocket509constructed within a side wall503of a vehicle. In some embodiments, a door pocket design includes the provision of one or more door assembly components such as arm assemblies and/or door rails, within the door pocket509, specifically on one or more of the interior major surfaces of the door pocket509.

We now refer toFIGS.7A and7B, which illustrate a perspective and a side view of a door assembly according to some embodiments.

As shown inFIGS.7A and7B, arm assembly610has two arms612a/612b, each rotatably coupled at one end to a door connector616and at another end to a body connector618. Having two arms potentially allows constraining the degrees of freedom of the door during its movement, e.g. to maintain the angle of the door with respect to the body of the vehicle. A door end of each of the arms is pivotally coupled to the door connector616and a wall end of each of the arms is pivotally coupled to body connector618. In some embodiments, arms612a/612bare arranged to form a parallelogram.

According to some embodiments, as shown inFIGS.7A-7B, door assembly600includes two rails—a bottom rail606and an upper rail608—which support and guide door602during its movement between open and closed states.

Bottom rail606is positioned adjacent to a bottom portion of door602, e.g. between the vehicle floor and the bottom portion of the door602. Upper rail608is positioned adjacent to the upper portion of door602, e.g. between the vehicle ceiling and an upper portion of the door. In some embodiments, bottom rail606and upper rail608are connected to the side wall of the vehicle body. In some embodiments, rails606/608are connected to side the wall of the body between the door opening and the wheel well. Rails606/608are curved to guide door602in a path which follows the curvature of the wheel well.

As shown inFIGS.7A-7B, door assembly further includes a door bar604. Door bar604may be used to constrain the lateral movement of door602with respect to the wall of the vehicle body. In some embodiment, the movement of a door between a closed-door position and an open-door position, i.e., in either or both directions, is substantially constrained to a plane. In some embodiments, the movement along a plane is substantially absent any movement that is orthogonal to the plane, and in some such embodiments the door bar604is provided for, inter alia, preventing such orthogonal movement and/or constraining the movement to the plane.

Reference is now made toFIGS.8A to8C, which illustrate ‘snapshot’ views of a door assembly in a vehicle at different, sequential moments in time.

According to some embodiments, the side wall of the vehicle body has an outside wall layer and an inside wall layer to form a door pocket. In some embodiments, the door is sandwiched between the outside and inside wall layers. In some embodiments, the door at the open position is sandwiched between the outside and inside wall layers. In some embodiments, the arm assembly is at least partially sandwiched between the outside and inside wall layers. In some embodiments, the majority of the arm assembly is sandwiched between the outside and inside wall layers. In some embodiments, at least one door rail is sandwiched between the outside and inside wall layers. Components of the arm assembly can be fixedly and/or pivotably connected to any interior surface of the door pocket. Similarly, door rail(s) can be connected to an interior surface of the door pocket, such as one of the two major interior surfaces.

According to some embodiments, as shown for example inFIGS.8A-8C, door702at the open position is positioned inside vehicle701, e.g. next/abutting an inside facing body wall surface704. In some embodiments, arm assembly710is connected to an inside facing body wall surface704. In some embodiments, at least one door rail720is connected to an inside facing body wall surface704.

According to some embodiments, wall704comprises a door section shaped to accommodate door702at fully open state without having a door inside facing surface protruding inside the vehicle body further than wall704at portions of wall704adjacent to the door section.

According to some embodiments, the majority of entrance705is not blocked by door702, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, more than 75% of the opening area of entrance705is not blocked by door702, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, more than 85% of the opening area of entrance705is not blocked by door702, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, more than 95% of the opening area of entrance705is not blocked by door702, when it is in an open state. In some embodiments, door702at open state does not block entrance705.

According to some embodiments, the door arm assemblies embodiments disclosed elsewhere herein may be operated manually. In some embodiments, the door arm assemblies disclosed elsewhere herein operate to move the door using one or more of electrical/pneumatic/hydraulic actuators.

According to some embodiments, the vehicle disclosed in one or more of the embodiments has two or more wheels. In some embodiments, vehicle is one of: a commercial vehicle, a passenger vehicle, for public transportation. In some embodiments, vehicle is a train/trolly. In some embodiments, the vehicle has a driver door in front of the front wheel.

Reference is now made toFIGS.9A and9B, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of a method for operating a door assembly provided using the door assembly components disclosed in the embodiments elsewhere herein. As shown in the respective flowcharts ofFIGS.9A and9B, operating the door assembly includes the following steps:

Opening802passenger door by moving the door diagonally toward the upper portion of wheel well. In some embodiments, diagonally refers to be arcuately.

Entering804through the door opening when the door is in open state. Entering804is optional if entering the vehicle804is not required, e.g., when the vehicle operator is already onboard and opens the door from within, or when the opening802is for servicing purpose, or for using the door opening/entrance for different purpose.

Securing806the open door in open state. Securing806optional if securing806is not required for further usage of the vehicle.

Driving808the vehicle while door is secured in open state.

It should be noted that the order of steps802-808can be changed. For example. driving808the vehicle prior to securing806.

According to some embodiments, operating the door assembly includes the following steps:

Closing810passenger door by moving the door diagonally downwards and away of wheel well. In some embodiments, diagonally refers to be arcuately.

Securing812the door in closed state. Driving814the vehicle while door is secured in open state.

Any of the steps of the methods can be combined to describe a method within the scope of the present disclosure.

The present invention has been described using detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of the invention. Some embodiments of the present invention utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove, as well as variations and modifications thereof that are not in the prior art, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

In the description and claims of the present disclosure, each of the verbs, “comprise”, “include” and “have”, and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb. As used herein, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.