GB2204912A - Window winding arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to reduce the dimensions of the window winding mechanism which has to be packaged inside a vehicle door, the track on which the window pane is moved up and down is telescopic. In one end position two telescoping sections 10 and 14 overlap one another and a slide 36 which is attached to the window glass lies at one end of the overlapped guide sections. The guide sections move relative to one another as the window is opened, and as this movement takes place the slide 36 also moves along the section 14 to end up at the opposite end of the extended guide track to that at which it started. <IMAGE>

Description

WINDOW WINDING MECBANISM This invention relates to a window winding mechanism for the movable window glass of a motor vehicle. The invention is applicable whether the window winding operation is to be manual or driven by an electric motor.

According to the invention, there is provided a window winding arrangement for controlling movement of window glass in a vehicle door, the arrangement comprising an elongate guide track to be fixed to the door, a slide to which the window glass can be attached, the slide being guided for reciprocal movement on the track, and means for moving the slide along the track to raise or lower the window glass, wherein the guide track is telescopic and the slide moving means cooperates with the track so that as the track is extended, the slide moves at the same time and in the direction in which the track is extending, from one end of the track to the other.

The use of a telescopic track allows the track to have a small longitudinal dimension when retracted. Vehicle doors conventionally have a metal inner panel which has access apertures through which door internal components are mounted. The small longitudinal dimension of the arrangement as set forth above makes it easier to install the arrangement in a vehicle door.

The guide track preferably has two sections. The first section is provided with brackets by which it can be fixed to the vehicle door, and the second section is mounted on the first section for sliding movement along the first section. The slide is mounted on the second section.

An operating member is preferably fitted on the first section and has a shaft adapted to be rotated by a window winder, the shaft carrying a pinion and the pinion engaging a rack which forms part of the second section.

The second section preferably has a pulley adjacent each end and a continuous line around the pulleys with the slide attached to one point on the continuous line and one pulley driven by a rack and pinion arrangement with the first track section.

The guide track is preferably curved.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a window winding arrangement in accordance with the invention, with the track in its extended position; Figure 2 is a side view of the track sections of Figure 1, in a retracted position; Figure 3 is a schematic view from above of one end of the arrangement; Figure 4 is a section through the arrangement of Figure 3, on the line III-III; Figure 5 is a section through the arrangement of Figure 3, on the line IV-IV; and Figure 6 is a perspective view on one end of the telescoping mechanism.

The arrangement shown in the drawings has a telescopic guide track with a first section 10 with fixing brackets 12 by which it can be fixed to the inner panel of a vehicle door. A second, sliding section 14 is mounted on the first section. Also mounted on the first section is a drive wheel 16 which has a shaft 18 journalled in the first section 10 and carrying a drive pinion 20. the pinion 20 meshes with a rack 22 (Figure 6) on the second section so that as the wheel 16 is turned, the second section is moved past the shaft 18 to extend the track.

Suitable stops are provided (but not shown) to limit the track extension and retraction.

The wheel 16 can be driven either by an electric motor (when the window winding mechanism is powered) or from a conventional window winding handle which can be connected to the wheel 16 in a conventional manner.

In addition to the rack 22 on the second section, there is a rack 24 on the first section, and this is engaged by a pinion 26 mounted on the same shaft 28 as a pulley 30, this shaft being journalled in the second section. As the second section is extended over the first section through rotation of the drive wheel 16, so the pinion 26 on its shaft 28 moves past the, stationary, rack 24 and this produces rotation of the pinion and rotation of the pulley 30.

At the other end of the second section 14, a freely rotating pulley 32 is mounted, and a cable 34 is passed round the pulleys 30 and 32 to form a continuous loop.

A slide 36 is mounted on the second section 14 and is attached to the cable 34 at one point 38. AS the second section slides over the first section, so the pulley 30 is rotated which turns the cable loop 34 and produces a movement of the slide 36 along the second section. The slide 36 is actually fixed to the window glass, in a conventional manner which is not shown in the drawings.

Figure 1 shows the arrangement almost fully extended.

This is the window "down" position. The extreme position will be reached when the slide 36 is at the lowermost end of its travel on the section 14 and when the section 14 is at its extreme end of travel. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the slide 36 only moves on the section 14 when the section 14 itself is moving relative to the first section 10.

When the window is wound up from the extreme position shown in Figure 1, the second section retracts over the first section 10, and the slide 36 moves from the lowermost end to the uppermost end of the second section. It will be seen therefore that full travel of the slide 36 to which the glass is attached will be approximately over the distance designated A in Figure 1. However when the window is in the raised position, the sections 10 and 14 will overlie one another and the maximum longitudinal dimension of the arrangement in this condition will be approximately the length indicated by the dimension B in Figure 1.

The arrangement which needs to be installed in a door will therefore have the shorter length B but will allow for window travel over length A. The window winding tracks hitherto known have had a single track of length A, and have been manually introduced into a door by manipulating them in through an opening. Robot mechanisms are unable to achieve this manipulation, but the shorter overall length of the arrangement described allows a robot to position the track making use of its repertoire of possible movements, and without requiring an unduly large entry aperture in the inner door panel.

Claims (7)

1. A window winding arrangement for controlling movement of window glass in a vehicle door, the arrangement comprising an elongate guide track to be fixed to the door, a slide to which the window glass can be attached, the slide being guided for reciprocal movement on the track, and means for moving the slide along the track to raise or lower the window glass, wherein the guide track is telescopic and the slide moving means cooperates with the track so that as the track is extended, the slide moves at the same time and in the direction in which the track is extending, from one end of the track to the other.

2. A window winding arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the guide track has a first section provided with brackets by which it can be fixed to the vehicle door and a second section mounted on the first section for sliding movement along the first section, with the slide being mounted on the second section.

3. A window winding arrangement as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the two sections are moved telescopically by a rack and pinion arrangement between the sections.

4. A window winding arrangement as claimed in Claim 3, wherein an operating member is fitted on the first section and has a shaft adapted to be rotated by a window winder, a shaft carrying a pinion and the pinion engaging a rack which forms part of the second section.

5. A window winding arrangement as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the second section has a pulley adjacent each end and a continuous line around the pulleys with the slide attached to one point on the continuous line and one pulley driven by a rack and pinion arrangement with the first track section.

6. A window winding arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guide track is curved to accommodate the curved profile of a window pane.

7. A window winding arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.