Nissan North America, Inc.

James Filipowski

David Kovie

Christopher Herrala

James Haupt

John Zakoff

Edward Orcsik

A rear door is movable between a door closed orientation covering a rear door opening and a gutter of a vehicle body structure, and a door open orientation exposing the rear door opening and the gutter. A four-bar linkage assembly supports the rear door for movement between the door open and the door closed orientations. The four-bar linkage includes a rearward member, a forward member and an extender. The rearward member has a first end pivotally attached to the gutter, a second end attached to the rear door and a protrusion spaced apart from the first and second ends. The forward member has a first end attached to the roof structure and a second end attached to the rear door. The extender has a lower end pivotally attached to the side wall and an upper end attached to the protrusion of the rearward member.

Rear door assembly

A rear door assembly includes a vehicle body structure, a rear door and a four-bar linkage assembly. The vehicle body structure has a roof structure and a side wall defining a rear door opening. The four-bar linkage assembly supports the rear door for movement between open and closed orientations. The four-bar linkage includes a rearward member, a support bracket and a forward member. A first end of the rearward member is pivotally attached to an upright portion of the side wall and a second end attached to the rear door. A rearward end of the support bracket is fixed to the roof structure and is cantilevered therefrom. The forward member has a first end attached to the rearward end of the support bracket and a second end attached to the rear door inboard of the rearward member. The first end of the rearward member is outboard of the support bracket.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, MI, United States of America

James Filipowski