A vehicle door support device includes a support member and a support member that hold a door at an open position. Each of these support members includes: a cylindrical accommodating portion; a cylindrical cover connected to the accommodating portion; a cylindrical movable member movable relative to the cover in an axial direction; a gear mechanism arranged in the accommodating portion; a spindle connected to a first connecting portion of the gear mechanism; a rotation mechanism that rotates the spindle by movement of the movable member relative to the cover; and a coil spring that biases the movable member so as to advance with respect to the cover. At least the support member includes a magnetoresistive mechanism that is arranged in the accommodating portion, is connected to the second connecting portion of the gear mechanism, and applies a load to the spindle via the gear mechanism.

A servomechanism for sliding doors of furniture item is described. An eddy-currents magnetic damper (80) to dampen the door is used to brake two carriages (26) mounted slidingly on the linear guides (20) for slidingly supporting the door.

A door component has a controllable rotary damper and two connector units which can be moved relative to one another. One of the two connector units can be connected to a load-bearing construction and the other one can be connected to a movable door device of a vehicle, in order to damp a movement of the door device between a closed position and an open position in a controlled manner. Two mutually engaged spindle units are arranged between the two connector units, one spindle unit being a threaded spindle and the other being a spindle nut. A first spindle unit is fastened rotatably on a coupling rod connected to one of the connector units. A magnetorheological transmission device is arranged between the coupling rod and the first spindle unit, in order to brake a rotational movement of the first spindle unit as required.

The door check includes a retaining bar (20) which can be connected to one of the two door assembly parts, i.e. the door (8) or the door frame (6), and a retaining housing (13) which can be connected to the other door assembly part. In order to design a door check that allows a vehicle door to be reliably and safely blocked in an automated manner, a threaded bar (50) can be accommodated in an axially movable fashion in a cavity of the retaining bar (20).

A damping mechanism is provided, including a damper housing, a damping assembly provided within the damper housing, and a damper cover assembly fitted to at least a portion of the damper housing. The damper cover assembly includes a damper cover and at least one connection member attached thereto. A recess is provided on a rearward side of the damper cover, and at least one receptacle is provided, defining an opening on a bottom surface of the damper cover and being adapted to receive and retain therein at least a portion of the at least one connection member of the damper cover assembly. The recess of the damper cover and the connection member of the damper cover assembly are cooperatively adapted to provide a mechanical connection between the damping mechanism and a hinge cup of a hinge assembly in a removable manner.

A door-operating assembly has first and second subassemblies each having a housing, a magnet, a sleeve carrying the sleeve and rotatable in the respective housing about an axis, an actuator for rotating the first sleeve about the respective axis, and a rotation limiter restricting rotation of the respective sleeve and magnet. The magnets in a first position repel and push the respective sleeves axially away from each other such that the first rotation limiter is effective in a first direction on the first sleeve and the second rotation limiter is effective in a second rotation direction on the second sleeve. Conversely, the magnets in a second position attract and pull the sleeves axially toward each other such that the first rotation limiter is effective against the first rotation direction on the first sleeve and the second rotation limiter is effective against the second rotation direction on the second sleeve.

Examples herein relate to a hinge. In some examples, a hinge can include a first bracket connected to a shaft, a second bracket connected to the first bracket, a member connected to the shaft and magnetically attracted to a magnet at a first position, where the member translates relative to the magnet to a second position as the shaft rotates about an axis of the shaft, and the magnet to generate a magnetic attraction force between the member and the magnet, where the magnetic attraction force is higher at the second position than the first position.

A system for assisting a user in moving a device relative to a structure comprises a magnetorheological (MR) fluid actuator unit including at least one torque source and at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus having an input coupled to the at least one torque source to receive torque from the at least one torque source, the MR fluid clutch apparatus controllable to transmit a variable amount of assistance force via an output thereof. An interface is configured for coupling the output of the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus to the device or surrounding structure. At least one sensor provides information about a movement of the device. A processor unit for controlling the at least one MR fluid clutch apparatus in exerting the variable amount of assistance force as a function of said information, wherein the system is configured for one of the MR fluid actuator unit and the interface to be coupled to the structure, and for the other of the MR fluid actuator unit and the interface to be coupled to the device for the assistance force from the MR fluid actuator unit to assist in moving the device.

A vehicle door checker integrated with a power drive unit for an automobile door includes a direct current permanent magnet electric motor subject to cogging torque. The electric motor includes a central shaft. The vehicle door checker also includes a cogging torque increase device that is mounted to the central shaft externally of the motor. The cogging torque increase device includes pairs of oppositely magnetized permanent magnets that are mounted coaxially in a stator and rotor respectively about the motor shaft. The stator magnets and the rotor magnets shift into and out of alignment with each other as the shaft is rotated such that the motor is held in multiple discrete stable positions that correspond to check positions of an automobile door.

An arrangement (16) for controlling movements of an access member (12) relative to a frame (14), the arrangement (16) comprising abase section (18) for connection to either the access member (12) or the frame (14); a fixation part (20) for connection to the other of the access member (12) and the frame (14); a flexible elongated element (22) configured to be tensioned to thereby force the base section (18) and the fixation part (20) to move towards each other in a relative closing movement (86); and a braking device (82) arranged to brake a speed of the relative closing movement (86).