Window Regulator

Abstract

An automobile window is mounted on a generally vertically extending post by means of a carrier plate which supports the window and guides it as it is moved vertically. The post includes rack teeth and a pinion is provided on the carrier plate. The pinion may be rotated by motor means or manually to effect generally vertical guided movement of the window.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is directed to a specific improvement over applicant's prior copending application Ser. No. 36,110.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A generally vertically extending post is provided within the interior of a door frame below the window opening. The post is preferably curved in order to effect properly guided movement of a window. The post is fixedly mounted and guides the window in its generally vertical movement as the carrier plate is moved vertically on the post.

The post is provided with rack teeth along one side and a pinion is rotatably mounted on the carrier plate in mesh with the rack. Means are provided for rotating the pinion and this means includes an elongated flexible drive cable which permits the power input to be provided at a fixed location and to accommodate vertical movement of the pinion.

In addition, a flexible flat spring which is available under the trade name "Flexator," is provided which connects the carrier plate with a mounting plate at the bottom of the post. This Flexator spring is of a length such that when the carrier plate is in its uppermost position, the Flexator spring is substantially bowed. As the carrier plate moves downwardly the Flexator spring is further bowed so that when the carrier plate is in its lowermost position the Flexator spring approximates a closed loop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the construction showing the carrier plate in its uppermost position in full lines, and in its lowermost position in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2--2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3--3, FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1 from a position displaced 90.degree. therefrom.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view with parts broken away showing manual power input means for the window regulator.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing power input means for the regulator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1-4 there is shown a mounting bracket 10 adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured at the interior of a motor vehicle body component such for example as a door. For this purpose the bracket, which is formed of sheet metal, has an upwardly extending apertured ear 12 which receives a bolt securing the bracket to the vehicle component.

Rigidly secured to a bottom plate portion 14 of the bracket, as by projection welding, is a generally vertically extending post 16 having rack teeth 18 formed along one side thereof. At its upper end as shown in FIG. 4, the post is flattened to provide an aperture 19 for receiving a fastening element rigidly securing the upper end of the post 16 to the door or other vehicle structure. The post 16 constitutes not only the means for supporting the vertically movable window of the vehicle, but also means for determining its path of movement. Accordingly, to conform the window to present automobile design, the post 16 is arcuately curved as is best apparent in FIG. 4.

Mounted for vertical guided movement on the post 16 is a carrier plate 20 having slots 22 by means of which the carrier plate is rigidly secured to the lower edge of the vertically movable window glass (not shown).

The carrier plate 20 is provided with a partially cutout and laterally bent portion 24 carrying a lower guide 26 which includes a rotatable pinion 28 engageable with the rack teeth 18 and a portion 30 which extends around and engages the smooth rear side 32 of the post 16. At the side of the pinion 28 there is provided a guide portion 34 which carries a hardened steel wear plate 36 having a rounded surface 38 engageable with crests of the teeth 18 of the post 16.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the carrier plate 20 has a substantial vertical dimension and at its upper edge is provided with a bent over portion 40 to which an upper guide 42 is suitably secured as by rivets 44. Both the lower guide 26 and the upper guide 42 are formed of a suitable plastic material such for example as acetyl resin having satisfactory low friction properties. Accordingly, the carrier plate 20, being slidably connected to the post 16, is accurately guided and its inclination will vary in accordance with the curvature of the post. As a result the window glass is caused to move generally vertically but with a slight arcuate component so that it will operate properly with sealing surfaces provided in the window opening.

In order to effect vertical movement of the window with a minimum input of power, resilient means are provided interconnecting the mounting bracket 10 and the vertically movable carrier plate 20. This resilient means is illustrated as comprising a flat leafspring assembly 50 the ends of which are looped to receive mounting pins 52 which extend through openings in laterally spaced ears 54 and 56 provided on the mounting bracket 10 and the carrier plate 20. As best seen in FIG. 1, the leafspring assembly 50 comprises a main leaf 57, shorter leaf elements 58, 59 and 60, portions of which are illustrated in the Figure as attached to the main leaf 57 by a clamp 62. The position of the leafspring assembly 50 with the carrier plate 20 in its uppermost position is indicated in full lines. When the window is in its lowermost position the carrier plate 20 occupies the position in which it is designated 20a, and at this time it will be observed that the upper end of the leafspring assembly 50 approaches the lower end of the leafspring assembly in the position suggested in dot and dash lines at 50a so that the leafspring assembly approaches a closed loop. By a proper selection of spring elements, a substantially constant counterbalancing force is provided by the spring assembly.

Referring now to FIG. 5 there is shown a manual operator for effecting rotation of the pinion 28. In this case a mounting bracket 66 includes a clutch housing portion 68 in which a coil spring 70 is provided. The spring 70 has one end anchored and is wound about a drum 72 to provide a lock which will prevent rotation of the actuator from forces applied to the output pinion 28. The construction of this one-way clutch lock is conventional and forms no part of the present invention. It is to be noted however, that it serves the function of preventing opening of the window by forces applied directly to the window.

A shaft 74 is provided having attached thereto externally of the housing 68, a knurled cylindrical element 76 for attachment of a manually operable crank. Also fixedly secured to the shaft 74 for rotation therewith is a bevel gear 78 which meshes with a bevel gear 80 which in turn is connected to a flexible drive cable 82 terminating in a connection indicated at 84 to the output pinion 28, which is retained in proper meshing relation to the rack teeth of the post 16.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is illustrated a somewhat different embodiment of the invention in which the output pinion 28 is connected by the flexible drive cable 86 to a gear 88 in mesh with an input pinion 90 carried by the output shaft of a reversible electric motor 92. Preferably, the gear 88 is connected by shaft means 94 to a drum 96 cooperating with a coil spring 98 to provide a locking clutch which will prevent opening movement of the window by forces applied directly thereto.

Claims

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A window mounting and regulating construction for motor vehicles comprising

a generally vertical post fixedly mounted below a window opening in the vehicle,

a carrier plate having means thereon for rigid connection to the lower edge of a window,

said post having rack teeth extending along one side thereof, and having a smooth surfaced side opposite to its toothed side, said post constituting the sole guide and support for said carrier plate,

vertically spaced upper and lower guide means on said carrier plate engageable with said post and operable to guide said plate accurately in its vertical motion on said post,

both of said guide means comprising a first guide surface engaging the smooth surfaced side of said rack and an opposed guide surface engaging crests of said rack teeth,

a pinion rotatably carried by one of said guide means and in meshed relation with said rack teeth,

and drive means including a rotatable drive element connected to said pinion and operable to effect vertical movement of said carrier plate between positions corresponding to open and closed positions of a window carried thereby.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1 in which the said opposed guide surface of said one guide means engages the crests of the rack teeth at one side of said pinion.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1 comprising in addition resilient means connected between the bottom of said post and said carrier plate providing a substantial counterbalance for the weight of said carrier plate and structure connected thereto, said resilient means comprising a generally flat leafspring assembly dimensioned to be deflected into a form approximating a closed loop when the carrier plate is in its lower position.

4. A construction as defined in claim 1 in which the said one guide means comprises low friction material and in which the said first guide surface is convexly shaped to have limited area contact with the smooth surfaced side of said rack.

5. A construction as defined in claim 4 in which the opposed guide surface of said one guide means comprises a convexly curved hardened wear plate engageable with the crests of the rack teeth.