CA2002659A1 - Coupling device between a window-pane and a window-winder mechanism with swinging arms in an automotive vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE TECHNICAL CONTENT OF THE INVENTION

Coupling device between a window-pane and a window-winder mechanism with swinging arms in an automotive vehicle This device includes, for each arm, a block (7) sliding in a section (5) securely attached to the bottom of the window-pane and for receiving an end-piece (11) of the arm (4); the block (7) is formed by two half-blocks (8,9) which can slide one relative to the other and fitted with means (12,13,14,15) which allow them to be locked in two successive stable positions during assembly, a first position in which the block (7) has its freedom of movement limited relative to section (5), and a second position after introduction of the said end-piece (11) and displacement by the latter of one half-block (8) relative to the other (9), in which the block (7) can slide freely in the section at the bottom of the window-pane. Due to the construction of this device, the coupling can be carried out automatically by robot, in the vehicle assembly-lines.

Description

20C)2659 A subject of ~he present i~vention is a coupling bloc~ between a window-pane and a window-winder mechanism with swinging arms in an a~ltomotive vehicle, as well as a device including this block and the section at the bottom of the associated window-pane.
This device is of the type including, or sach arm, a block articulated on the end-piece of the latter and adapted to be able to slide in a section securely attached to the bottom of the window-pane.
The end-piece of the arms can be constituted, for example, by a ball joint.
Up to now these couplings have been carried out manually on the vehicle assembly-lines, partially blind. The positioning of these devices is therefore relatively lengthy and tiresome.
The aim of the invention is to create a coupling device which can be assembled automatically by a robot actuating the arms of the window-winder.
According to the invention, the block is formed by two half-blocks which can slide one relative to the other and provided with means of relative guidance, and these half-blocks are fitted with means which allow them to be locked together in two respective stable positions, a first position before the introduction of the end-piece of the arm into the block and in which the latter has its freedom of movement limited relative to the section at the bottom of the window-pane, and a second position after introduction of the said end-piece of the arm and displacement by this end-piece of one half-block relative to the other, in which the end-piece of the arm is locked into the block, and this latter can slide freely in the section at the bottom of the window-pane.
It is ~mderstood that once the two half-blocks are assembled and introduced into the corresponding section at the bottom of the window-pane, it is necessary only to lower the windo~-pane in ord~r that the block comes to rest, in an appropriate housing provided for this, on the end-piece o~ the arms of the window-winder. It is then necessary only to robotically control the arms of the window-winder so as to move the block from its first stable position to its second stable, defir.itive, position for use.
This automatic assembly can therefore be carried out in a very short time relative to the manual assembly used up to now.
According to other characte;-istics of the invention:
- The means of locking the two half-blocks include, fitted at the opposite ends o~ the latter, elastic elements which can be clipped on to the associated stopping elements (abutments).
- One of the elastic elements is a flexible longitudinal strip of one of the half-blocks and which defines, together with the body of the half-block, a recess which can receive a stopping pin securely attached to the other half-block whilst the said strip parts sideways, and the locking stops are fitted on the strip or on the wall of the body, between which the stopping pin can be positioned so as to lock the two half-blocks in their first stable position.
- The strip is provided with a laterally projecting end part.
-The second elastic element is a 1exible arm of one of the half-blocks provided with an end claw which can be clipped on to a corres-ponding lug of the other half-block, these elem0nts, as well as the strip and the associated pin, being of a size and positioned such that the claw is not engaged with the lug when the pin is screwed between the end-stops, and the claw does not come into contact with the lug when, after sliding of one of the half-blocks relative to the other, the pin is completely disengaged from the strip and ths latter returns sideways by elastic relaxation to its resting position.
Other particularities and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of two embodiments given as non-limitative e~amples, with reference to the attached drawings in which:
Figure I i3 a simplified perspective view of a door of a vehicle equipped with a window-winder mechanism which can be fitted with coupling blocks according to the invention.
5Figure 2 is an explcded perspective view of an embodiment of a coupling device according to the invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the half-blocks constituting the block of Figure 2.
Figures 4 to 7 are bottom views of the device according to the invention, illustrating the successive stages of assembly of the coupling block and of its positioning for use.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the block of the coupling device of Figures 2 to 7.
Figure 3 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the block and of the end-piece of the arm in the assembly position.
Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the block in the position for use.
Figure 11 is a bottom view of one of the half-blocks of the block of Figures 9 and 10.
20Figure 12 is a bottom view of the second half-block, forming a slide in the first half-block of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is an end-view elevation of thP block of Figures 9 to 12, mounted in the section at the bottom of the window-pane.
In Figure 1 a door 1 of an automotive vehicle can be seen on which are mounted a window-pane 2 and a window-winder mechanism 3 with two swinging arms 4 on a support housing. The end-pieces of the arms 4 are hinged in blocks which c-an slide in a section 5 fixed to a U-shaped section 6 receiving the bottom of the window-pane 2, to which the two sections 5 and 6 are securely attached. The end-pieces 11 of the arms 4 sliding in the blocks can be spheres (ball joints) or any 2002~

other suitable system.
The invention aims to bring about the coupling between the section 5 at the bottom of the window-pane and the end-pieces of the arms 4 by means of a block device 7 shown in Figures 2 to 8, each block 7 being hinged on the end-piece 11 of an arm 4.
Each block 7 is made up of two half-blocks 8 and 9 which can slide one relative to the other. For the convenience of the description, hereafter the half-block 8 will be called "upper half-block" and the half-block 9 will be called "lower half-block", since they are effectively situated in this relative position when being mounted in section 5. The half-blocks 8 and 9 are also fitted with means for locking together in two respective stable positions: namely a first so-called "assembly" position before introduction of the end-piece 11 of the arm 4 into the block 7 and in which the latter's freedom of movement is limited relative to section 5, and a second position after introduction of the end-piece 11 into the block 7 and displacement by the end-piece 11 of the upper half-block 8 relative to the lower half-block 9, the so-called "use" position. In effect, in this position the end sphere 11 is locked in the block 7, which can slide freely in section 5.
These means of locking the two half-blocks 8, 9 include, fitted to the opposite ends of these latter, elastic and flexible elements 12, 13 which can be clipped on to the associated stopping elements 14 and 15. In the example described, the elastic elements 12 and 13 belong to the lower half-block 9 (of which they can be an integral part or to which they can be added) whilst the elements 14 and 15 are part of the upper half-block 8. Also, the elements 12 and 13 can both be on the same side of the half-block 9 or be situated on opposite sides of tha latter. The elastic element 12 is a flexible longi-tudinal strip provided with an end part 12a projecting sideways and forming an elbow more or less at right angles to the rest of the strip 12. The lat~er defines, together with a longitudinal finger 40 of ~he body 16 of the half-block 9, an expanded recess 17 which can receive the pin 14, whilst the strip 12 parts sideways under the pressure of the latter. Two notches or stops 18, 19 for the pin 14 are housed on the side of the strip 12 bordering the recess 17. The pin can in effect be positioned between the stops 18 and 19, which then keep the upper half-block 8 in its first possible locked stable position relative to the half-block 9. The first stop 18 is rounded to allow the passage of the pin 14, whilst the second stop 19 forms a notch for blocking any further progression of the pin 14.
The second elastic element 13 is a flexible foot fitted with an end claw 13a having a slot 13b. In its normal position where it is elastically maintained, the claw 13a of the foot 13 is clipped on to the corresponding lug 15 engaged in the slot 13b.
The strip 12, the foot 13, the pin 14 and the lug 15 are positioned and of a size such that the claw 13a is not engaged on the lug 15 when the pin 14 is locked between the stops 18 and 19, and such that the claw 13a is in contact with the lug 15 when, after sliding of the half-block 8 relative to the half-block 9, the pin 14 is completely disengaged from the strip 12 and such that the latter returns sideways to its resting position (Figure 7).
A housing 21a, 21b is provided in the two half-blocks 8, 9 for receiving the end-piece of the arm 4, as well as lateral slots 22, 23 25 for introduction of the end-piece 11 into the housing 21a, 21b, these slots being provided in the half-blocks 8 and 9 respectively. As the end-piece 11 being described in the exa~ple is spherical, the housing 21a provided in the centre of the hal~-block 8 has a corresponding truncated spherical ~orn, completed by the cylindrical part 21b defined by a cylindrical surface 24 provided on the lower half-section 9. In the example shown, the cylindrical aurface 24 is thus fitted between the slot ~3 and the strip 12. On one side its end is fllsh with the longitudinal edge 16a of the body 16, and on the opposite side this part 24 joins up with a step 35, itself extended by the flexi~le ioot 13. This latter can suffer some angular misalignment relative to the underlying end 16b of the body 16, which defines on this side the slot 23.
The slots 22, 23 are splayed or bevelled to facilitate the intro-duction of the sphere 11 into the housing 21a when the two half-blocks 8, 9 are assembled. ~hus the actual slot 22 extsnds externally by the divergent edges or bevels.
In order to allow the sliding movement of the block 7 inside the section 5, the upper side of the half-block 8 has a longitudinal groove 26 in which a corresponding longitudinal flange 27 of section 5 can be engaged. Also, the lower part 5a of the latter is U- or V-shaped in order to receive the male conjugate end 28 of the half-block 9.
Also, a longitudinal aperture 29 is cut in section 5 fitted so that it can co-operate with the end part 12a of the strip 12 during assembly of the block 7 in its first stable locked position inside section 5. The aperture 29 is in effect provided to receive the end part 12a when the strip 12 is parted sideways by the pin 14 introduced into the recess 17, as will be explained hereafter.
In a more general way, the surface 24 of the half-block 9 is shaped so as to be complementary to the surface formed in the half-block 8 for receiving the end-piece of the arm 4, this end-piece being able to be a sphere 11 or any other suitable element.
Also, the end claw 13a is positioned at one end of the half-block 9 so as to be able to be disengaged manually from the lug 15, which allows the unlocking and the separation of the two half-blocks 8, 9 if necessary.
To allow the sliding of the lower half-block 9 in the upper half-block ~, the height hl of the half-block 9, excluding that of its shaped part 28, is equal to a gap h2 provided in the half-block 8, between a Iongitll~inal shoulder 20 and a small bar 30. This latter is at right angles to the cwo flanges 31 defining the slot 22 and on the inner side of which is provided the shoulder 20. Once the pin 14 is intro-duced into the recess 17, the half-block 9 is thus kept in the half-block 3 between the small bar 30 and the guiding shoulder 20.
The setting at work of the coupling device which has just been described is the following.
First of all the half-blocks 8 and 9 are fitted together by introducing the half-block 9 into the height clearance h2 of the half-block 8. In order to do this, the lower half-block 9 is orientated so that the pin 14 is introduced into the recess 17 and slides the length of strip 12 until it is locked in position between the stops 18 and 19. The two half-blocks 8, 9 are then in their first stable locked, so-called "assembly" position (Fig. 4).
The block 7 can then be manually introduced into the section 5 by fitting the lower edge 28 into the base 5a and introducing the flange 27 into the groove 26, so that the strip 12 is positioned opposite the aperture 29. During this sliding motion the projecting end part 12a of the strip 12 slides first o all along the wall of section 5, then is introduced into aperture 29 by elastic relaxation of tbe strip 12 (Fig. 5 and 6). In this assembly position, the freedo~ of movement of the block 7 in the section 5 is limited by the coming to a stop of the end part 12a at one or other of the ends of the aperture 29. It should be noticed that in this position also, the claw 13a is separated from the pin 15 by a gap d.
The arms 4 of the window-winder are in the assembly position, and 2C~02659 the window-pane 2 fitted with its sections 5 and 6, and the blocks 7 are lowered on eO the spheres 11. ~he robot works the arm 4 in ~uch a way as to bring, first of all, the end part 12a to a stop against one of the ends of the aperture 29 (Fig. 6). From this moment the lower half-block 9 is immobilized whilst the sphere 11 continues to move the half-block 3. As a result, in each block 7 the pins 14 are disengaged from the stops 18 and 19, then slide the length of strips 12, and as soon as they have passed the end parts 12a of the latter, the freed strips 12 are elastically folded back inside section 5 at the same time as the claws 13a are clipped on to the pins 15 (Fig. 7).
In this second position, the nalf-block 9 is then locked on to the half-block 8 by the pin 14 and the lug 15 whilst, after the relative displacement of the two half-blocks 8, 9, the slots 22, 23 are no longer positioned opposite each other and the sphere 11 is trapped in its housing (21a, 21b). In this position, the end-piece 11 of the arm 4 is then locked in the block 7, which can slide freely in the section 5 and is then in the position for use.
Thus, once the two half-blocks 8, 9 are fitted together and introduced into section 5, it is necessary only to lower the window-pane 2 on to the end-pie~es 11 of the arms 4, then to operate the arms 4 of the window-winder in order to lock the half-blocks 8, 9 in the position fsr use.
I~ later it proves to be necessary, for whatever reason, to dismantle the block 7, it is necessary only for the operator to do this by manually lifting the end of the claw 13a, which slightly over-hangs the half-block 8, in order to disengage the foot 13 from its pin 14, then by exerting a longituclinal pull on the half-block 9 in order to separate it from the half-block 8, which at the same time frees the sphere 11.
As a variant, the stop 18 of the strip 12 could be done awzy ~ith, the half-block 9 ther~fore being locked only in one direction relative to the half-block %. It would still be possible to then carry out withomt difficulty the operation from the first stable, locked position to the second locked position, but this variant would naturally be less advant~geous than that with two stops 18, 19.
Moreover, the cylindrical part 21b can be extended on to the foot 12 in the direction of the end part 12a, possibly as far as the latter, and/or on to the finger 40.
It will be noted that the relative movement of position between the block 7 and the sphere 11, in the transverse and lengthwise directions of the section 5, is restricted thanks to the slot 23 and the divergent edges 25 as well as the slope of the base 5a of section 5. The transverse movement is compensated for thanks to a slight deforma-tion o~ the window-winder.
The aperture 29 enables in addition a longitudinal displacement of the half-block 8 when the sphere 11 comes into contact with one of the edges 25.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 to 13, the block 7a is constituted by two half-blocks 8a, 9a. The half-block 9a is completely housed in the half-block 8a, inside which it can slide like a drawer. The hal~-block 8a receiving this slide 9a is then provided with all the guiding means (26, 28, 30) on the conjugate parts (5a, 27) of the shaped rail 5.
Preferably, the elastic locking elements 12, 13 are providsd on the half-block or slide 9a. Also, in this example, it is noted that the stop 18 is done away with and that the stop 19 is provided in the wall of the recess 17 opposite the strip 12. The other parts of the block 7a similar to those of block 7 have been marked by the same references. As in the previous embodiment, the assembly of the half-block 9a in the half-block 8a re-closes the housing 21a by its surface ~4, the assembly of block 7a in section 5 being in other respects Ldentical.
This variant ensures a better guiding of the block 7a in the section 5, because all the guiding surfaces belong to the same half-block 8a, which is not the c~se for block 7.

Claims (15)

1) Coupling block between a window-pane and a swinging arm (4) of a window-winder mechanism (3) in an automotive vehicle, adapted to be able to slide in a section (5) securely attached to the base of the window-pane and to be articulated on one end-piece (11) of the corres-ponding arm (4), characterized in that this block (7) is formed by two half-blocks (8,9) which can slide one relative to the other and provided with means of relative guidance, and these half-blocks (8,9) are fitted with means (12, 13, 14, 15) which allow them to be locked together in two respective stable positions, a first position before introduction of the end-piece of the arm (4) into the block (7) and in which the latter has its freedom of movement limited relative to the section (5) at the bottom of the window-pane, and a second position after introduction of the said end-piece (11) of the arm (4) and displacement by this end-piece of one half-block (8) relative to the other (9), in which the end-piece of the arm is locked in the block, and the latter can slide freely in the section at the bottom of the window-pane.

2) Block according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of locking the two half-blocks (8,9) include, fitted at the opposite ends of these latter, elastic elements (12,13) which can be clipped on to the stopping elements (14,15) attached in the said first so-called assembly position.

3) Block according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of locking the two half-blocks (8,9) include, fitted at the opposite ends of these latter, elastic elements (12,13) which can be clipped on to the stopping elements (14,15) in the said second position for use.

4) Block according to C 1 a i m 2, characterized in that one of the elastic elements is a flexible longitudinal strip (12) of one (9) of the half-blocks and which defines, together with the body (16) of the half-block (9), a recess (17) which can receive a stopping pin (14) securely attached to the other half-block (8), whilst the said strip parts sideways, and the locking stops (18,19) are fitted on the strip (12) or on the wall of the recess (17), between which the pin (14) can be positioned in order to lock the two half-blocks (8,9) in their first stable position.

5) Block according to claim 4, characterized in that the strip (12) is provided with a laterally projecting end part (12a).

6) Block according to claim 4, characterized in that the second elastic element is a flexible foot (13) of one (5) of the half-blocks, provided with an end claw (13a) which can be clipped on to a corresponding lug (15) of the other half-block (8), these elements, as well as the strip (12) and the attached pin (14), being of a size and in positioned such that the claw (13a) is not engaged on the lug (15) when the pin (14) is locked between the stops (18,19), and that this claw is in contact with the lug when, after sliding of one (8) of the half-blocks relative to the other (9), the pin (14) is completely disengaged from the strip (12) and that the latter returns sideways by elastic relaxation to its resting position.

7) Block according to claim 1, characterized in that a housing (21a, 21b) is provided in the two half-blocks (8,9) for receiving the end-piece (11) of the corresponding arm (4) of the window-winder (3), as well as lateral slots (22,23) for introducing this end-piece into this housing.

8) Block according to claim 7, characterized in that the slots (22,23) are splayed or bevelled to facilitate the introduction of the end-piece (11) of the arm (4) into the housing (21a).

9) Block according to claim 7, characterized in that one (9) of the half-blocks has, near its slot (23) for the introduction of the end-piece (11) of the arm (4), a shaped surface (24) complementary to a second surface formed in the other half-block (8), so as to define, with this second surface, the housing (21a,21b) of the end-piece (11) of the arm (4) and to trap it there after relative sliding of the two half-blocks (8,9) from the first to the second of their stable locked positions.

10) Block according to claim 6, characterized in that the end claw (13a) of the flexible arm (1) is positioned at one end of the block (9) so that it can be disengaged manually from the associated lug (15), in order to enable the locking together and the separation of the two half-blocks (8,9).

11) Block according to claim 1, characterized in that one (9a) of the half-blocks (8a,9a) is completely housed in the second half-block (8a), inside which it can slide like a drawer, and the second half-block (8a) is provided with guiding means (26, 28, 30) of the block (7a) on the conjugate parts (5a, 27) of the section (5).

12) Block according to claims 1 and 6 , characterized in that the elastic locking elements (12,13) are provided on the half-block (9a) housed so that they can slide in the other half-block (8a).

13) Coupling device between a window-pane and the arms (4) of a window-winder mechanism (3), characterized in that it includes a block (7) according to claim 1, as well as a section (5) securely attached to the bottom of the window-pane, and this section is made in such a way that the block (7) can fit in it and slide due to the retaining and guiding means (5a,28,26,27).

14) Device according to claim 13, characterized in that an aperture (29) is cut in the section (5), provided so that it can co-operate with the previously mentioned locking means (12,12a,14).

15) Device according to claims 14 and 5, characterized in that the aperture (29) is provided to receive the projecting end part (12a) of the flexible strip (12) when this latter is parted sideways by the pin (14), introduced into the recess (17), so that in the said first assembly position, the opposite ends of the aperture (29) form a stop for the block (7) limiting its freedom of movement in the section (5).