GB2169652A

GB2169652A - An extending device for window panes, lifting roofs or the like openable structures

Info

Publication number: GB2169652A
Application number: GB8530268A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Willy Orszullok
Original assignee: SCHADE WILHELM KG
Current assignee: SCHADE WILHELM KG
Priority date: 1985-01-12
Filing date: 1985-12-09
Publication date: 1986-07-16
Also published as: SE8505943D0; DE3500874A1; GB8723365D0; DE3500874C2; GB8530268D0; GB2195392B; GB2195392A; SE8505943L; GB2169652B

Abstract

An electromechanical extending device for extending window panes (2), lifting roofs or the like openable structures in motor vehicles, which can be fitted at any point in the interior space of the vehicle in the vicinity of the window, even subsequently, and can be operated from the driver's seat independently of the location at which the device is fixed, comprises a push rod (14) which is operatively connected by way of a toothed drive (17) to the output shaft (15) of an electrically operated geared motor (16), The drive unit (3) and the push rod (14) are preassembled in a housing (10) which is fixable as an independent unit to the vehicle. A reduction gear (25, 26) with self-locking properties is positioned in the drive train which also includes a worm (34). The embodiment shown has a toothed arcuate push rod (14). In another embodiment a crank driven by the motor is articulated to another member which in turn is connected to the window. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An extruding device for window panes lifting roofs or the like openable structures The present invention relates to a move-out or extending device for panels or window panes, lifting roofs or the like openable structures, which are pivotably movable about an axis, more particularly in motor vehicles, with a push member articulated to the window pane and a drive unit connected to this push member.

In one known type of extending device of this kind for the side windows of motor vehicles, the push member comprises a toggle joint and is operated by means of a hand wheel acting directly on the toggle joint. By turning the hand wheel in the clockwise or anti-clockwise direction the extending window pane is opened and closed respectively.

In another known constructional form the drive connection between the hand wheel and the push member is by way of a Bowden cable system.

The known devices described above have the disadvantage that the extending movement of the window panes cannot be brought about from the driver's seat in all cases. If the window pane which is to be extended is at the front-seat passenger's side or at the back of the vehicle it is not possible for the extending device to be operated by the driver whilst travelling. This has a particularly disadvantageous effect if during a journey it is desired e.g. because of disagreeable wind noise to correct the angle to which the window pane or the like openable structure had been moved out originally. In addition, the Bowden cable locking means are liable to develop faults and require a lot of maintenance, since in the course of time Bowden cables become elongated and as a result continual re-adjustment is needed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a constructionally simple and compact extending device which is operatable at any time from the driver's seat independently of the siting of the device, and affords the possi bility of being subsequently fitted to any type of vehicle.

According to the present invention there is provided an extending device for window panes, lifting roofs or the like openable structures, which are pivotably movable about an axis, said extending device including a push member pivotably connected to the window pane, and a drive unit connected to said push member, wherein the push member consists of a one-piece or multipiece rigid push rod whose end remote from the point of articulation to the window pane is operatively con nected via a toothed drive to the output shaft of an electrically operated geared motor, the drive unit together with the push rod being arranged in a housing fixable as an independent unit near the articulation point to a wall in the interior space associated with said openable structure.

The above construction provides a mechanical-electrical unit which has low energy requirements, can be assembled to any location on the vehicle in the vicinity of an extending window pane quite easily, and yet can be operated at any time from the driver's seat. Because of the compact constructional arrangement the unit can be fitted subsequently even in vehicles wherein only a small amount of space is available for additional devices.

In a particularly space-saving and reliably operating constructional form, the push rod is made in one piece and has an arcuate form.

preferably, its end, remote from the point of pivotable connection to the window pane is constructed, over a longitudinal section corresponding approximately to the extending travel of the window pane, as a toothed segment which engages with a drive pinion of the geared motor output shaft.

Conveniently the push rod is guided to be displaceable at least over part of its length in a bearing housing curved in accordance with the arcuate form of the push rod. The arcuate form of the push rod allows the external configuration of the housing accommodating the drive unit to be made extremely flat and space-saving. Advantageously the bearing housing of the push rod is an integral part of the housing accommodating the drive unit.

Preferably the bearing housing and the push rod are approximately of the same length. As a result, uniform guiding is achieved over the entire length of the push rod.

In a further development that wall of the bearing housing which faces towards the drive pinion of the geared motor comprises an aperture which exposes at least a part-length of the push rod toothed segment and in the region in which the drive pinion of the geared motor engages with the toothed segment. Advantageously the push rod at its free end comprises a stop for limiting the length of travel when the window pane is opened. Advantageously the toothed segment of the push rod is limited at its two ends in each case by non-toothed indentations formed in the push rod.

According to an alternative constructional form, the push rod consists of a rocker and crank mechanism wherein the end of the crank which is directed towards the geared motor supports a toothed wheel connected rigidly to the said crank, said wheel meshing with the drive wheel of the geared motor and being so driven thereby that in the closed po sition of the window pane the rocker and the crank are in register with one another at a bottom dead centre position, and in the open position the crank and the rocker are in rectili near alignment with one another. The bottom dead centre position of the rocker and crank mechanism in the closed position prevents the window pane from being openable from the exterior.

According to a further important feature, a reduction gear with self-locking properties is interposed between the output shaft of the geared motor and the drive pinion for the push rod. This arrangement prevents the extending window from being operated by unauthorized persons from the outside.

Conveniently the bearing housing for the push rod and the main housing for the drive unit consist of a one-piece unit made either from synthetic plastic material or as a zinc die-casting.

The present invention will now be described in greater detail by way of two constructional examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a simplified longitudinal crosssection through a first embodiment of an extending device and the window pane; Figure 2 shows a section taken on the line ll-ll of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a section similar to Figure 1 through a second embodiment of an extending device with the window pane closed; Figure 4 shows a section as in Figure 3 but with the window pane opened, and showing various intermediate positions.

The extending device is designated as a whole in the drawings by the reference numeral 1. It serves to swing a window pane 2 of a motor vehicle and is equally suitable for moving-out other openable structures e.g.

liftable roofs. The pivoting axis of the window pane 2 is situated on the window opening of the vehicle body and is not shown in the drawings.

The extending device 1 comprises a drive unit 3 for a push member 4 which connects by way of an angle element 5 with the window pane 2, but may also be pivotably connected directly to the window pane. The point of pivotable connection between the push member 4 and the angle element 5 is designated as 6 in Figure 1 in this example. It consists of a strap 7 which is secured on the end of the push member 4 and which has an elongated hole 8 into which engages a pivot pin 9 secured to the angle element 5. The complete drive unit 3 is arranged in a onepiece housing 10 which is either moulded from synthetic plastic material or is a zinc diecasting. The housing 10 is mounted in the interior space of the motor vehicle in the vicinity of the extending window pane 2 on a vehicle body wall (not shown) e.g. a spar. The fixing points are indicated by the reference numerals 11 and 12.The sealing element on which the window edge rests all round is indicated by the reference numeral 13.

In the first constructional example of the invention shown in Figure 1, the push member 4 consists of a one-piece rigid push rod 14 whose end remote from the point of pivotable connection 6 to the window pane 2 is operatively connected by way of a toothed drive to the output shaft 15 of an electrically operated geared motor 16 of the drive unit 3. The push rod 14 has a continuously arcuate curvature and is provided on its inner arcuate portion at its end remote from the window pane 2 with a toothed segment 17. Meshing in the toothed segment 17 is a pinion 18 which forms the drive pinion at the output end of the geared motor shaft 15. The push rod 14 is guided over approximately all of its length in a bearing housing 19 which is curved to correspond to the arcuate form of the push rod and is formed integrally in the housing 10 of the drive unit 3.The toothed segment 17 in the region of its two ends comprises toothless indentations 20, 21, which prevent driving of the push rod 14 by the drive pinion 18 when the push rod is in the telescoped end position as shown in full lines in the Figure, and in an extended position as indicated by dotdash lines for the window pane 2. In order that the push rod 14 cannot be drawn out of its bearing 19 from the outer side of the window pane, the push rod 14 comprises at its outer end a limiting stop 22 which is in the form of an abutment to make contact with the drive pinion 18 in the extended open position of the window pane. Engagement of the drive pinion 18 with the toothed segment 17 is made possible by the fact that the bearing housing 19 is provided at its side facing towards the drive pinion with a wall aperture 23.

In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2 a reduction gear 24 is positioned between the output shaft 15 of the geared motor 16 and the drive pinion 18. The reduction gear comprises a gearwheel 25 which is fixed on the geared motor output shaft 15 and which meshes with an associated wheel 26 fixed to a shaft 28 freely rotatable in a bearing block 27 formed integrally with the housing 10. In addition to the gearwheel 26 there is secured to the shaft 28 a further gearwheel 30. The other end of the shaft 28 is guided in a bearing block 29 also integral with the housing 10. The gearwheel 30 meshes with a gearwheel 31 secured on a shaft 32 whose ends are mounted to be freely rotatable in the bearing block 29 and in an oppositely situated bearing block 33. There is also fixed on the shaft 32 a worm 34 driving a worm wheel 35 secured to a shaft 36. In addition to the worm wheel 35 which is secured to the shaft 36, the drive pinion 18 is secured to the shaft 36. The drive pinion 18 engages in the toothed segment 17.

The drive unit of the second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 differs from the drive unit of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 by a modified gear construc tion, which will not be described in detail here since such reduction gear mechanisms are commercially obtainable.

A significant difference in the construction of the second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 consists in the construction of the push member 4 which consists of a crank and rocker mechanism, the crank and rocker being designated by the reference numerals 37 and 38 respectively. The crank 37 and rocker 38 are pivotably connected to one another by a pivot pin 39. The free end of the crank 37 supports on a pivot pin 40 a worm wheel 41 which is secured to the pivot pin 40 and which meshes with a worm 42 fixed on the output shaft of the geared motor 16.The worm 42 has the function of the drive pinion 18 in the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, whereas the worm wheel 41 is comparable with the toothed segment 17, since in both cases the driving movement is transmitted from the geared motor through the worm wheel 41 and toothed segment 17 directly to the push rod 4 and crank-rocker mechanism 4 respectively.

The extending device in the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 operates as follows: The motor 16 is energized via an electrical control system from the driver's seat. The drive pinion 18 at the output of the geared motor shaft 15 is rotated in anti-clockwise direction and through the engagement in the toothed segment 17 moves the push rod 14 from the closed position of the window pane 2 shown in full lines in Figure 1 along an arcuate path of travel represented by the line 43 into the open positin. Any desired intermediate position can be preselected through a suitable control circuit arrangement. During the extending movement of the push rod the pivot pin 9 shifts within the elongated hole 8 in the strap 7 in dependence on the arcuate movement. In the full open position the stop 22 prevents further extending of the push rod.

The indentation 20 in the toothed segment 17 also prevents further entrainment of the push rod. Return travel from the open position into the closed position is carried out in the reverse sequence.

The extending movement in the case of the second embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 is also effected by switching-on the motor from the driver's seat. Btarting from the closed position in Figure 3, wherein the rocker 38 and the crank 37 lie one above the other at a bottom dead centre position, the worm wheel 41 is rotated by the worm 42 in clockwise direction (dot-dashed intermediate position in Figure 4). During this rotation, the rocker 38 is moved upwardly, and moves the window pane 2 outwards by means of the pivotable connection 44. Figure 4 shows various angles to which the window pane can be extended. The maximum opening is limited by the length of crank and rocker, these taking up a rectilinear extended position in the fully open window position, as full lines in Figure 4 show.

Although self-locking worm gear apparatus are used in the reduction gear systems described above, in order to prevent unauthorized operation of the windows from the outside, the same object may also be achieved by the fitting of double-acting spring couplings.

The drive control arrangements which have been described can be supplemented by the use of rotary-type variable potentiometers coupled with the drive output shaft, and/or slide potentiometers which are connected to the push member. The use of liquid-crystal symbol displays or photodiode displays is also possible.

Claims

1. An extending device for window panes, lifting roofs or the like openable structures, which are pivotably movable about an axis, said extending device including a push member pivotably connected to the window pane, and a drive unit connected to said push member, wherein the push member consists of a one-piece or multipiece rigid push rod whose end remote from the point of articulation to the window pane is operatively connected via a toothed drive to the output shaft of an electrically operated geared motor, the drive unit together with the push rod being arranged in a housing fixable as an independent unit near the articulation point to a wall in the interior space associated with said openable structure.

2. An extending device according to claim 1, wherein the push rod is made in one piece and has an arcuate form, its end, remote from the point of pivotable connection to the window pane, being constructed along a longitudinal section corresponding approximately to the extending travel of the window pane, as a toothed segement which meshes with a drive pinion of the geared motor output shaft.

3. An extending device according to claim 2, wherein the push rod at least over part of its length is guided displaceably in a bearing housing which is curved in accordance with the arcuate form of the push rod.

4. An extending device according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the bearing housing of the push rod is an integral part of the housing accommodating the complete drive unit.

5. An extending device according to claims 3 or 4, wherein the bearing housing and the push rod are of approximately the same length.

6. An extending device according to any one of the preceding claims 3 to 5, wherein that wall of the bearing housing which faces towards the drive pinion of the geared motor comprises an aperture which exposes at least a part-length of the push rod toothed segment in the region in which the drive pinion of the geared motor engages with the toothed segment.

7. An extending device according to any one of the preceding claims 3 to 6, wherein the push rod comprises at its free end a stop for limiting the length of travel of the push rod when the window pane is opened.

8. An extending device according to any one of the preceding claims 3 to 7, wherein the toothed segment of the push rod is terminated at each of its two ends by a respective indentation which does not have any teeth and which is formed in the push rod.

9. An extending device according to claim 1, wherein the push rod consists of a crank and rocker mechanism, the end of the crank adjacent the geared motor supporting a worm wheel which is secured to said crank and which meshes with the drive wheel of the geared motor and is so driven by the latter that in the closed position of the window pane the rocker and the crank are situated one above the other at a bottom dead centre position and are in rectilinear alignment with one another in the open positon.

10. An extending device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, wherein a reduction gear with self-locking properties is positioned between the output shaft of the geared motor and the drive pinion of the push rod.

11. An extending device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein the bearing housing for the push rod and the main housing for the drive unit consist of a one-piece unit made either from synthetic plastic material or as a zinc die-casting.

12. A motor vehicle incorporating an extending device according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. An extending device for window panes, lifting roofs or the like openable structures constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.