US Patent 7243461 Hinge mechanism for a sliding door

A hinge assembly for coupling a sliding door of a vehicle to a drive unit for sliding the sliding door from an open position to a closed position, the drive unit causing the hinge assembly to slide within a guide track as the door moves between the open position and the closed position, the hinge assembly comprising: a first hinge portion; a second hinge portion, the first hinge portion being pivotally secured to the second hinge portion; a cable attachment being secured to the second hinge portion; and a guide surface disposed on a surface of the first hinge portion, the guide surface being configured to make contact with a portion of a cable having an end secured to the cable attachment when the second hinge portion is in a first orientation with respect to the position of the first hinge portion and the cable no longer makes contact with the guide surface as the second hinge portion moves from the first orientation to a second orientation with respect to the first hinge portion.