GB2062746A - A Window Winder for Motor Vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A window winder for motor vehicles by means of which a window pane can be vertically displaced. When the window pane is relatively large and has an appreciable weight, a force storage spring is often required to maintain an equal force during lowering and raising of the window pane. In order to readily equip existing window winders with such a spring, the winder mechanism comprises a crank pin (3) for rotating a winder drum (2), one end 3(a) of the pin extending through a base plate (1), while the other extends through a cover (10). The end (3a) is formed with a slot (3b) to secure the inner end of the spiral force storage spring (16) while the outer end of the spring is secured to a housing 15 for the spring. The spring and housing are removably mounted on the mechanism by resilient lobes which engage recesses in the cover (10). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Window Winder for Motor Vehicles The present invention relates to a window winder, particularly for motor vehicles, by which a window pane is vertically displaceable in the wall of the vehicle preferably in the vehicle door.

Known window winders are substantially of three types, namely so-called scissors window winders, rising cable window winders and cable line window winders.

It is known in all three types to provide a force storage spring which is tensioned during the lowering (opening) of the window pane and stores a part of the potential energy of the window pane.

When the window is later closed, i.e. the pane is moved upwardly, then the force storage spring releases its stored energy to assist the closing operation of the window. The mounting of such a force storage spring has above ail to maintain an equal force requirement during the lowering and raising of the window pane.

This is however the case only when the window pane to be displaced is relatively large and has an appreciable weight. With smaller window panes, the difference in force requirement during the downward and upward movement is not so important that this difference would need to be equalized or even only assimilated by a force storage spring. This means that such a force storage spring is needed for large window panes, but not for smaller window panes.

The mechanism of the known window winders are always the same for each individual type, i.e.

they always consist of the same elements. For example, a rising cable window winder always includes a base plate as a bearing plate, a crank pin which drives a gear-wheel which in turn engages and displaces the rising cable, while the moving parts are covered substantially by a housing or a cover.

The difference between a rising cable for a large window pane and for a small window pane consists only in the length of the rising cable itself and the guide tube thereof. The same applies to a cable line window winder, the core piece in this winder always comprises a base plate, a crank pin, which directly or through a spur wheel gear drives the cable drum, which in turn displaces the cable, the moving parts are likewise enclosed by a cover. Here, too, the difference between a cable line window winder for a large window pane and for a small window pane consists substantially only in the length of the cable and in a given case the conduits cladding the cable.

Consequently, it was hitherto required to construct and manufacture mechanism of such window winder differently according to whether they were intended for large window panes or for small window panes. For the one, a force storage spring must be provided, while this need not be the case for the other. This is of course a great disadvantage for the construction, manufacture and the storage of spare parts.

According to the present invention there is provided a window winder for motor vehicles, which displaces a window pane in a vertical direction, the winder comprising a base plate carrying a winder mechanism and a cover substantially covering the mechanism, the winder mechanism comprising a crank pin for rotating the winder mechanism, one end of the pin extending through the base plate and the other extending through the cover, said one end being provided with first fastening means to secure the inner end of a force storage spring and a stationary part of the winder being provided with second fastening means to secure the other outer end of the spring in such a manner as to enable the spring to be removably mounted in the mechanism.

The window winder according to the invention enables the force storage spring to be fitted after assembly of the window winder or of its base plate according to need. The window winders can thus be produced uniformly without regard to whether they are intended for a large window pane or a smaller window pane. That part of the window winders, which is intended for large window panes, can then be provided additionally with the attachable force storage spring only after production.

The fastening elements are constructed as simply as possible, preferably in such a manner that the ends of the force storage spring need only be pushed or even hooked in the mechanism.

For this purpose, it is proposed to provide the end of the mechanism crank pin with a continuous slot, into which the inner end of the force storage spring need merely be pushed, from the end face.

This inner end is preferably bent. In similar manner, the outer end of the force storage spring can for example be hooked around a lobe bent out of the base plate or out of the cover.

In a preferred embodiment, the force storage spring is accommodated in an individuai housing which is placeable, for example pushed onto the cover covering the base plate. In this embodiment, the outer end of the force storage spring is fastened to the force storage spring housing and the entire arrangement is designed in such a manner that during the placing of the force storage spring housing onto the base plate cover, the inner end of the force storage spring engages with the end of the crank pin passed through the base plate cover.

The fastening of the force storage spring housing to the cover of the base plate can be constructed as a simple plug connection acting in the manner of clips. For this purpose, the cover can, for example, be provided with holes and lobes, which resiliently engage into these holes, can be bent out from the force storage spring housing.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation, of a cable line window winder with a force storage spring contained in a housing according to the invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the cable line window winder, with part of the cable broken away, looking in the direction of arrow A of the Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the window winder comprises a base plate 1, on which the cable drum 2 is mounted, the drum being seated on a crank pin 3 by means of which the drum is rotated. A brake spring is mounted, in known and therefore not illustrated manner, in a brake pot 4 formed in the base plate 1.

A cable 5 is coiled around the cable drum 2, the cable running in grooves formed in the periphery of the cable drum, the cable extending upwardly and downwardly through Bowden cable conduits 6 and 7. A slotted tube, through which the endless cable 5 likewise extends, is inserted as guide tube 8 between the conduits 6 and 7.

In this region, the cable 5 carries an entraining member 9, to which a window pane (not shown) to be displaced is fastened in known manner.

A cover 10, having guide arms 1 0a and 1 Ob guides the cable in the region of the base plate 1, and 5 fastened to the base plate 1 at the points 1 a and 1 b. The ends of the guide arms are constructed for the reception of end fittings 11 and 12 of the Bowden cable casings 6 and 7. The ends of the guide arms 1 Oa and 1 Ob are spherical in at least one direction, as can best be seen from Fig. 1, thereby, the end fittings 11 and 12 can automatically set themselves to the lead in direction of Ihe cable onto the drum, which changes, during rotation of the cable drum. Two holes 13 and 14 are provided for screwing the base plate 1 to the vehicle door.

The crank pin 3 which is rotated to move the window pane, is extended outwardly through the cover plate 10 with a projecting end 3a. This end 3a is formed with an axial slot 3b open at the end face.

A force storage spring housing 1 5 is fixed onto the cover 10, by lobes 1 spa, 1 sub and 1 sic stamped out of the bottom of the housing 1 5 and slightly bent at their free ends. These bent ends, engage in holes 1 O'a and 1 0'b of the cover 10. The lobe 1 sic likewise engages into a corresponding hole in the cover which is however not visible in the drawing.

In this manner, a three-point mounting of the housing 15 results in a cover 10, which can be detachable at any time. The lobes 1 5a, 1 Sb and 1 sic are slightly resilient and permit an easy fitting of the housing 1 5, by engaging the lobes in their associated holes.

The housing 1 5 contains a spiral force storage spring 1 6. the outer end of which is fastened to the wall of the housing 15 by a rivet 17. The inner end of the force storage spring is bent twice (see Fig. 2) and is secured by the smooth part lying between the bends in the slot 3b in the end 3a of the crank pin 3. The engagement in the slot takes place automatically on the placing of the housing 15 onto the cover 10.

The window winder can thus be provided with a force storage spring at any time, even supplementarily. It is therefore no ionger necessary to determine at the production planning stage which part of the finished window winders must be provided with a force storage spring and which are not. Instead, it can now be decided, immediately before dispatch, whether the winder need possess a force storage spring, if required a force storage spring housing is simply placed on the cover.

The window winders mechanisms themselves can be produced uniformly and need only possess the crank pin with the slotted end 3a, which projects outwardly through the cover and the holes 1 0a and 1 or.

The invention enables a window winder to be developed, the operating mechanism of which can be used for window panes of all sizes in the same manner and thereby etiminating the abovenamed disadvantage.

It is however expressly pointed out that the invention is neither restricted to cable line window winders, and the crank pin need not always be used as the element, which rotates during the window winder movement and which has a slotted extension. The invention can be applied equaily well for rising cable window winders and also in the case of scissors window winders and any element rotating during the window winder movement can be used as the swotted extension, it is even feasable in a given case to insert into the window winder mechanism a component specially provided for this purpose.

Claims (7)

Claims

1. A window winder for motor vehicles, which displaces a window pane in a vertical direction, the winder comprising a base plate carrying a winder mechanism and a cover substantially covering the mechanism, the winder mechanism comprising a crank pin for rotating the winder mechanism, one end of the pin extending through the base plate and the other extending through the cover, said one end being provided with first fastening means to secure the inner end of a force storage spring and a stationary part of the winder being provided with second fastening means to secure the other outer end of the spring In such a manner as to enable the spring to be removably mounted in the mechanism.

2. A window winder as claimed in claim 1, the first fastening means comprising an axial slot to receive the inner end of the spring.

3. A window winder as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the force storage spring is contained in a separate housing, the outer end of the spring being secured to the housing, the housing being provided with third fastening means to so removably secure it to the cover that the inner end of the spring engages the first fastening means.

4. A window winder as claimed in claim 3, the third fastening means comprising lobes extending from the wall of the housing to resiliently engage recesses formed in the cover.

5. A window winder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the second fastening means being provided on the base plate.

6. A window winder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, the second fastening means being provided on the cover.

7. A window winder for motor vehicles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.