Van door header and sill assembly having a floating roller arm

摘要

Improved sliding door header and sill assemblies for vans and other vehicles are disclosed which permit increased vertical doorway clearance which is particularly useful to permit entry/exit of handicapped persons, especially wheelchair users. The principal embodiment has a horizontal header plate (4) adjacent the top of the door opening having a longitudinal roller guide slot (5) with a straight aft section and a forward section curved inward to guide the door as it slides between an aft open position along the vehicle side and a forward closed position within the door opening. The door is supported at its upper portion by a floating or pivoted roller arm (7) which mounts a dumbbell shaped roller (8) engaging the header slot (5). The roller (8) and arm (7) are selectably releasable from the header slot through a hole (6) located in the header plate (4). The release hole (6) intersects the inside edge (47) of an intermediate portion of the guide slot (5) to form a passage (27) between the guide slot (5) and the release hole (6). The engaged center portion (25) of the roller (8) is sized to "snap-fit" or move through this passage (27) upon application of positive force, to facilitate mounting/demounting of the door by insertion/removal of the roller (8) through the release hole (6). The lower portion of the door is supported by a sill (19) incorporating a similarly shape guide slot engaging a roller mounted to an arm assembly (22) which is fixed or optionally restrictedly pivoted, so that the arm supports the vertical forces on the door. <IMAGE>