Patent ID: 7174674

Claim:
An automatic opening/closing device for a vehicle, comprising: an opening/closing member provided to a vehicle body so as to be automatically opened and closed; a motor for generating a driving force for driving a pinion for rotation; a rail member having a rail member length and a rail member width, the rail member length being substantially greater than the rail member width; a sliding member having a sliding member width and sliding member length, the sliding member including a rack engaged with the pinion and being connected to the opening/closing member through a connecting member, the sliding member slidably mounted on the rail member such that the sliding member length and width are aligned respectively with the rail member length and width, the sliding member length being less than the rail member length, the sliding member width being greater than the rail member width, and the sliding member sharing a bearing surface with the rail member along substantially all of the sliding member length; and a base member to which the motor and the rail member are fixed respectively.