EP0724279A2 - Security device for electrical opening parts in vehicles with a drive cable for an opening member, in particular window winders and sliding roofs - Google Patents

Abstract

The security appts. is for a cable driven window-opener which has a motor-driven cable with a trolley (6) fixed to a second trolley (7) which supports the window. The trolleys are coupled with an elastic traction element (16) and one of the trolleys is equipped with an electrical switch (17) and the second trolley can change the state on the first trolley depending upon a predetermined value of the force on the elastic element between the trolleys. The switch is attached to an electric circuit connected to the electric power supply of the motor and can change its sense of rotation until the switch changes state to allow any obstacle to be released. One way of separating and connecting the trolleys is by means of a hook (18) which is attached to one trolley and hooks over to limit the movement of the other trolley.

Description

The present request is a divisional request of the request n ° 93401628.8 dated 24.06.1993 in the name of ROCKWELL BODY AND CHASSIS SYSTEMS-FRANCE.

The present invention relates to a window regulator of the type with swinging arm and toothed sector, defined in the preamble of claim 1.

We know that there are currently three types of window regulators on motor vehicles: window regulators with rack cable, window regulators with twisted cable (Bowden cable) and window regulators with arms and toothed sector. The invention relates to the latter.

When an obstacle is on the closing path of the window (or sunroof), the system must recognize the presence of an abnormal phenomenon and, if the force on the window or the sunroof exceeds a limit value, the glass should not continue its trajectory, but stop and at least release the effort. This release of the force can be obtained either by releasing the window which descends under a low effort or under the effect of its own weight if the friction in the side seal allows it, or by reversing the movement of the window, which is then forced to descend.

To solve this problem, various safety devices have already been proposed, electronic and electromechanical, which have, among other disadvantages, that of being relatively expensive because of their complexity. This high manufacturing cost is obviously an obstacle to their dissemination in large series.

Furthermore, US-A-2,130,764 and FR-A-2,461,085 describe safety devices for pivoting doors in which switches work on closing. Therefore, if the wiring is defective, the security system does not work not.

In addition, these two prior devices include springs whose working stroke is large, and therefore the sensitivity to tripping low.

The object of the invention is to provide an electromechanical safety device for electric windows of the type mentioned above, which is simple to manufacture, inexpensive, more reliable and more sensitive than the above-mentioned devices.

The window regulator according to the invention comprises the characteristics mentioned in claim 1.

Thus, if an obstacle interposes the closing of the window, for example a hand or another part of the body of a passenger, the electromechanical system detects this effort. If the latter exceeds a certain limit, the system reacts by reversing the direction of rotation of the motor, thereby lowering the window by releasing the obstacle.

Such an electromechanical safety device has a relatively simple and inexpensive structure.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the description which follows, given with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments thereof by way of non-limiting examples.

Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal elevational view of a first embodiment of the window regulator according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of the window regulator of FIG. 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are views in partial longitudinal elevation of two other embodiments of the window regulator according to the invention.

These window regulators of the arm type and toothed sector, have an arm 61 which raises or lowers the window (not shown) by tilting around an axis 60. The arm 61 is driven by the sector 63 with which it rocks around the axis 60 to raise or lower the window . The toothed sector 63 is in engagement with the output pinion 64 of a geared motor 65 whose input wheel 66 is driven by a worm screw 67. It is therefore possible to provide a safety device which allows an automatic uncoupling of the arm 61 and sector 63 from an effort of predetermined value.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the means of coupling and of force detection between the arm 61 and the sector 63 comprise a magnet 68 fixed to one of the elements 61 and 63, namely the sector 63 in the example shown, and this by means of two reinforcing plates 69, 71, between which it is inserted, the assembly being supported by the sector 63. In addition, the security comprises a ferromagnetic part fixed to the arm 61 , for example a 72 piece in L.

The part 72 made in particular of sheet steel, may be a one-piece fold with the arm 61 or be attached thereto. It is placed in contact with the armatures 69, 71 which concentrate the flux of the magnet 68 on their contact surfaces. The part 72 is therefore attracted by the frames 69, 71 with a certain force, and thus retains the arm 61 secured to the sector 63, as long as the force F exerted on the arm 61 remains insufficient to overcome the attraction force of the magnet 68 (taking into account the length of the lever arms on either side of the axis 60). If, on the other hand, the force F on the window exceeds a predetermined limit value, the arm 61 will come off from the armatures 69, 71 of the magnet 68, and therefore uncoupling the window from the driving movement supplied by sector 63.

An electric switch 17 is mounted on the sector 63 so as to be maintained by the arm 61 in a first state when the two elements 61, 63 are linked by the force of attraction of the magnet 68 on the plate 72, and to switch to a second state when a force greater than the attraction force of the magnet 68 moves the arm 61 (driven element) away from the driving element, constituted by the sector 63 carrying the magnet. The switch 17 is part, as the case may be, of one of the electrical circuits for controlling the direction of rotation of the motor of the gearmotor 65, illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 of the European patent application, the present application of which constitutes the divisional application. .

The safety device of FIGS. 1 and 2 is advantageously equipped with a stop 74 for stopping the arm 61 or 73, after separation between the latter and the sector 63 and before reversing the direction of rotation of the drive motor of the sector 63 .

Of course, the various components of the security system of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be mounted on the sector 63 and the arm 61 in an arrangement opposite to that shown: for example the switch 17 will be mounted on the arm 61.

The embodiment of the security system illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises coupling means constituted by an elastic element 75 prestressed by traction between the arm 76 and the sector 63, for example a helical spring. On the sector 63 is articulated a part 77, forming a pawl, cooperating with an electric switch 56 (Figures 11 and 12). The pawl 77 is biased by a spring 78, one end of which is attached to the sector 63, towards a position corresponding to a first state of the switch 56. The arm 76 is provided with a finger 79 cooperating with the pawl piece 77, in order to maintain the latter against the restoring force of the spring 78 in an angular position corresponding to the second state of the 'switch, as long as the spring 75 does not undergo an elongation greater than that corresponding to the predetermined value already mentioned.

Of course, the positions of the finger 79, of the pawl 77 and of its return spring 78 on the arm 76 and the sector 63 can be reversed with respect to those shown in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the means for coupling the driving element formed by the sector 63 and the driven element constituted by the arm 81, as well as the force detection means, comprise a elastic traction element 83, for example a helical spring, connecting the arm 81 and the sector 63. Furthermore, this safety device is quite similar to that represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the application for which the present divisional application is outlet for cable window regulators. Its constituent elements have therefore been assigned the same reference numerals, the only difference with the system of FIGS. 6 and 7 residing in the fact that the carriages 6, 7 are here respectively replaced by the arm 81 and the sector 63. FIG. 4 illustrates a mechanical memory system by the magnet 49, which can take two stable positions: a starting position glued against the plate 52, and a detection position in which it is glued against the plate 51, in which it releases the switch 56.

The safety embodiments with a single stable position (FIGS. 1 and 2) have no mechanical memory because they have only one stable position, and must therefore be associated with the circuits of FIGS. 9 and 10 of the basic application from which the present divisional application is issued. The embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 have two stable positions, therefore a mechanical memory, and are therefore associated with the circuits of FIGS. 11 or 12 of the above-mentioned basic application, not self-powered.

The spring 75 used is prestressed, unlike the springs of the above-mentioned prior documents (for example that of FR-A 2,461,085). It can thus be released from the effort threshold with extreme sensitivity, which constitutes an appreciable advantage compared to the known prior devices.

In the various embodiments of the invention, the security system has the advantage of being relatively simple to manufacture and therefore inexpensive.

Claims (5)

Vehicle window regulator of the type comprising a kinematic chain provided with an output pinion (64) of a geared motor (65), a toothed sector (63) forming an element engaging with this pinion, and a swing arm ( 61) forming a driven element, mechanically linked to the sector and carrying the glass, as well as electromechanical means (17, 77, 78 ...) for coupling and force detection between the toothed sector and the swinging arm, these means being arranged so as to automatically uncouple the toothed sector and the swinging arm from each other in the event of detection of a force exceeding a predetermined value, opposing the travel of the window, characterized in that the coupling and force detection means comprise a magnet (68) fixed to a first element (63 or 61), a ferromagnetic plate (72) carried by the other element (61 or 63), on which the magnet is normally bonded by bonding the two elements, and an inter electric breaker (17; 56) mounted on the first element (63 or 61) so as to be maintained by the second element in a first state when the two elements are linked by the force of attraction of the magnet on the plate, and to switch to a second state when a force greater than the attraction force of the magnet separates the driven element from the driving element carrying the magnet (Fig.1-2). Vehicle window regulator of the type comprising a kinematic chain provided with an output pinion (64) of a geared motor (65), a toothed sector (63) forming the element which engages this pinion, and a swinging arm (76) forming the driven element, mechanically linked to the sector and carrying the window, as well as electromechanical means (77) for coupling and force detection between the toothed sector and the swinging arm, these means being arranged so as to automatically disconnect the toothed sector and the swinging arm from each other in the event of detection of a force exceeding a predetermined value, opposing the travel of the window, characterized in that the coupling means comprise an elastic element (75) preloaded in traction connecting the toothed sector (63) and the arm (76), and the sector is equipped with a part (77) articulated on this sector, cooperating with an electric switch (56) and urged by a spring (78) to a position corresponding to a first state of the switch, and the arm is provided with a finger (79) cooperating with said articulated part so to maintain the latter against the return force of the spring in an angular position corresponding to the second state of the switch as long as the elastic element does not undergo an elongation greater than that corresponding to said value predetermined, the switch forming part of an electric motor supply circuit capable of reversing the direction of rotation of the motor when the switch changes state, in order to release the movable member, the positions of the finger, the articulated part and its return spring on the arm and the sector can be reversed compared to those mentioned above (Fig.3). Vehicle window regulator of the type comprising a kinematic chain provided with an output pinion (64) of a geared motor (65), a toothed sector (63) forming the element which engages this pinion, and a swinging arm (81) forming the driven element, mechanically linked to the sector and carrying the window, as well as electromechanical means (83, 49 ...) for coupling and force detection between the toothed sector and the swinging arm, these means being arranged to automatically disconnect the toothed sector and the swinging arm from each other in the event of detection of a force exceeding a predetermined value, opposing the travel of the window, characterized in that the means coupling and force detection comprise an elastic traction element (83) connecting the arm (81) and the sector (63), and one of these is provided with a magnet (49) movable between two stable positions by means (53-55) for driving and guiding carried by the other member, this magnet cooperating with an electric switch (56) which can take two states each corresponding to one of the stable positions of the magnet, the first stable position being that where the arm and the sector are coupled and the second stable position being that where they are uncoupled after detection of a force greater than said predetermined value, the switch forming part of a circuit d 'ali mentation of the motor (5a) capable of reversing the direction of rotation of the motor when the switch (56) changes state, in order to release the movable member (Fig. 4). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the drive and guide means of the magnet (35) comprise a finger (53) projecting from one (6) of the carriages (6, 7), extending vis-à-vis the magnet which is provided with a rod (54) sliding in a slot (55) for guide formed in the finger, and the stable positions of the magnet are determined by two plates (51, 52) of ferromagnetic material fixed on the carriage (7) carrying the magnet, at an appropriate spacing on either side of the latter. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the toothed sector (63) or the arm (61; 73) carries a stop (74) for stopping the arm or the sector after separation between them and before reversing the direction of rotation of the motor.

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