US-12618275-B2 - Lower roller

US12618275B2US 12618275 B2US12618275 B2US 12618275B2US-12618275-B2

Abstract

A roller assembly includes an L-shaped bracket and a support bracket, each having a preformed bend that is greater than ninety degrees, but that when under a load of a sliding side door of a vehicle, is configured to decrease under the load to ninety degrees. The roller assembly also includes a roller arm supported between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket and extending laterally from the brackets for engaging a rail on the body of the vehicle. A spacer is included between the roller arm and the support bracket, preventing contact between them and thus allowing for decreased friction between them.

Inventors

Hiroshi Shingu
Yuichiro Saiki
Joji Goto
Takashi Fukahori

Assignees

HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221221

Claims (20)

1 . A roller assembly for a sliding side door of a vehicle, the roller assembly comprising: an L-shaped bracket including a vertically oriented portion and horizontally oriented portion, the vertically oriented portion configured to connect to the sliding side door; a support bracket connected to the L-shaped bracket; a roller arm arranged between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and connected at a joint to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket; and a roller arranged on an end of the roller arm distal from the joint, the roller configured to slidably connect to a rail of the vehicle, wherein an angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is more than 91° when the roller assembly is in an unloaded state and is not under load from the sliding side door, and wherein the L-shaped bracket is configured to predictably deform under the static load of the sliding side door due to a material and geometry of the L-shaped bracket such that the angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket changes from more than 91° in the unloaded state to approximately 90° when the roller assembly is under load from the sliding side door and thereby subject to the static load of the sliding side door.
2 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is 92°-93° when the roller assembly is not under load from the sliding side door and wherein the L-shaped bracket deflects from effects of the load of the door to change the angle from the original unloaded angle to the subsequent loaded angle.
3 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , further including a spacer arranged between the support bracket and the roller arm and inhibiting contact between the support bracket and the roller arm.
4 . The roller assembly of claim 3 , wherein the support bracket includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion.
5 . The roller assembly of claim 4 , wherein the vertical portion of the support bracket contacts an inside surface of the vertically oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket, and the horizontal portion of the support bracket contacts a top surface of the spacer.
6 . The roller assembly of claim 4 , wherein: an angle between the vertical portion of the support bracket and the horizontal portion of the support bracket is more than 91° when the roller assembly is not under load from the sliding side door, and the support bracket is configured such that the angle between the vertical portion of the support bracket and the horizontal portion of the support bracket is 90° when the roller assembly is under load from the sliding side door.
7 . The roller assembly of claim 6 , wherein the angle between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion of the support bracket is 92°-93° when the roller assembly is not under load from the sliding side door.
8 . The roller assembly of claim 4 , wherein the joint includes a fastener inserted through the horizontal portion of the support bracket and into the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket.
9 . The roller assembly of claim 8 , wherein the fastener defines an axis around which the roller arm is able to rotate with respect to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket.
10 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly is a lower roller assembly for the sliding side door.
11 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the L-shaped bracket is larger than the support bracket.
12 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the roller arm extends horizontally away from the joint.
13 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the roller arm is arranged between the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket and a horizontal portion of the support bracket.
14 . The roller assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support bracket is arranged on an inside surface of the L-shaped bracket.
15 . A roller assembly for a sliding side door of a vehicle, the roller assembly comprising: an L-shaped bracket including a vertically oriented portion and horizontally oriented portion, the vertically oriented portion configured to connect to the sliding side door; a support bracket connected to the L-shaped bracket; a roller arm arranged between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and connected at a joint to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket; a roller arranged on an end of the roller arm distal from the joint, the roller configured to slidably connect to a rail of the vehicle; and a spacer arranged between the support bracket and the roller arm and inhibiting contact between the support bracket and the roller arm, and wherein an angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is more than 91° when the roller assembly is not under load from the sliding side door, and wherein the L-shaped bracket is configured to predictably deform under the static load of the sliding side door due to a material and geometry of the L-shaped bracket such that the angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket changes from more than 91° in an unloaded state to approximately 90° when the roller assembly is under load from the sliding side door and thereby subject to the static load of the sliding side door.
16 . A method comprising: providing a roller assembly including an L-shaped bracket including a vertically oriented portion and horizontally oriented portion, a support bracket connected to the L-shaped bracket, a roller arm arranged between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and connected at a joint to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and a roller arranged on an end of the roller arm distal from the joint; and using the roller assembly to slidably connect a door to a vehicle such that the door is able to slide between a closed position covering a door opening of the vehicle, and an open position not covering the door opening, wherein an angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is more than 91° before the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle, and wherein the L-shaped bracket is configured, due to a material and geometry of the L-shaped bracket to predictably deform under a static load of the sliding side door such that the angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket changes from more than 91° in an unloaded state to approximately 90° after the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the roller assembly is a lower roller assembly of the sliding side door.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the L-shaped bracket is connected to the sliding side door, and the roller is slidably connected to a rail of the vehicle.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein: the support bracket includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion; an angle between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion of the support bracket is more than 91° before the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle; and the angle between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion of the support bracket is 90° after the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the angle between the vertical portion and the horizontal portion of the support bracket is 92°-93° before the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle.

Description

BACKGROUND Sliding doors are often mounted to a side of a vehicle via a roller assembly and a roller track/rail. The roller assembly includes a roller that is slidably mounted in the rail that is arranged on the vehicle. The roller assembly extends laterally out from the door a distance so as to laterally space the door from the vehicle when the door is moved between the open position and the closed position and inhibit the door from contacting the vehicle during such movement. Sliding doors may be heavy, and thus may exert a downward pressure on the laterally extending roller assembly, causing the roller assembly to flex downward and causing the door to sag down under the effect of gravity. This sagging sliding door may not properly align with the door opening of the vehicle when in the door is in the closed position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION According to one aspect, a roller assembly for a sliding side door of a vehicle includes an L-shaped bracket, a support bracket, a roller arm, and a roller. The L-shaped bracket includes a vertically oriented portion and horizontally oriented portion. The vertically oriented portion is configured for connecting to the sliding side door. The support bracket is connected to the L-shaped bracket. The roller arm is arranged between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and is connected at a joint to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket. The roller is arranged on an end of the roller arm distal from the joint, and is configured to slidably connect to a rail of the vehicle. An angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is more than 91° when the roller assembly is not under load from the sliding side door. The L-shaped bracket is configured such that the angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is 90° when the roller assembly is under load from the sliding side door. According to another aspect, a roller assembly for a sliding side door of a vehicle includes an L-shaped bracket, a support bracket, a roller arm, a roller, and a spacer. The L-shaped bracket includes a vertically oriented portion and horizontally oriented portion. The vertically oriented portion is configured for connecting to the sliding side door. The support bracket is connected to the L-shaped bracket. The roller arm is arranged between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and is connected at a joint to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket. The roller is arranged on an end of the roller arm distal from the joint, and is configured to slidably connect to a rail of the vehicle. The spacer is arranged between the support bracket and the roller arm and inhibits contact between the support bracket and the roller arm. An angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is more than 91° when the roller assembly is not under load from the sliding side door. The L-shaped bracket is configured such that the angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is 90° when the roller assembly is under load from the sliding side door According to another aspect, a method includes providing a roller assembly including an L-shaped bracket including a vertically oriented portion and horizontally oriented portion, a support bracket connected to the L-shaped bracket, a roller arm arranged between the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and connected at a joint to the L-shaped bracket and the support bracket, and a roller arranged on an end of the roller arm distal from the joint. The method includes using the roller assembly to slidably connect a door to a vehicle such that the door can slide between a closed position covering a door opening of the vehicle, and an open position not covering the door opening. An angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is more than 91° before the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle. The angle between the vertically oriented portion and the horizontally oriented portion of the L-shaped bracket is 90° after the roller assembly is used to slidably connect the door to the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle including two sliding side doors in an open position according to the present subject matter. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the two sliding side doors of FIG. 1 in a closed position and including lower roller assemblies. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a roller assembly according to the present subject matter. FIG. 4 is a side view of the roller assembly of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a side view showing deflection of an L-shaped bracket of the roller assembly according to the present subject matter. FIG. 6 is a side view showing deflection of a support bracket of the roller assembly accord