GB2293398A - Electrically operated vehicle door windows - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle door has an electrically operated window and a motor 24 for raising and lowering the window. The motor 24 is mounted adjacent to the hinge shut face 20 of the door so that the centre of mass of the door is closer to the hinges 18, and to eliminate the need for making internal electrical connections within the door cavity. <IMAGE>

Description

A VEHICLE DOOR The present invention relates to a vehicle door which has an electrically operated window winding mechanism. The invention is for use particularly, but not exclusively with a motor car.

Various mechanisms are known for raising or lowering a window in its guides. One known mechanism employs rigid plates hinged in a form of lazy tongues to raise or lower the window. An alternative known mechanism uses a Bowden cable, the inner cable of which passes around a drum which is turned by the motor, and is connected to an anchoring point on the window. Turning of the drum by the motor causes the end of the cable to raise or lower the window.

One known form of cable mechanism is described in British patent application number 2 230 558.

Cable operated systems may be single lift or double lift systems. In a single lift system the window is raised from a single point, and steps must be taken to ensure that the window does not tilt in its guides while it is being moved, as this can lead to jamming. In a double lift system, either two separately driven cables are employed, or a single driven cable may be wound in a figure of eight around guides or pulleys and attached at two points to the window.

A conventional vehicle door electric window winding mechanism is located in the door cavity, and is actuated by means of a switch. The motor for winding the window, together with any associated gearbox, is mounted in the door in a position corresponding to the position of a winding handle for a door with manually wound windows.

The motor receives electric power by means of a wiring loom which passes through the door cavity.

The assembly of electrical wiring within the door cavity is expensive and time consuming. Furthermore, the weight of components in the door cavity puts stress on the door hinges which may lead to fatigue and/or failure of one or more of the mounting components.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle door having an electrically operated window and a motor for raising and lowering the window, wherein the motor is mounted adjacent to the hinge shut face of the door.

The hinge shut face of the door is the face which mates with one of the pillars of the door when the door is closed. For a vehicle front door, the hinge shut face mates with the A-pillar, and for a vehicle rear door the hinge shut face mates with the B-pillar of the door. The door hinges are associated with the hinge shut face. For convenience hereinafter the invention will be described with reference to a vehicle front door.

By mounting the motor adjacent to the hinge shut face of the door the centre of mass of the door may be brought closer to the hinges, thereby reducing stress on the hinges and other mounting elements.

The motor may be mounted in the door cavity through an access opening in the hinge shut face of the door. The part of the motor which is then exposed at the hinge shut face may carry electrical terminals through which power is fed to the motor. The terminals may receive an end of a flying lead which can bridge the gap between the hinge shut face of the door and the A-pillar when the door is opened, but which can be housed between these faces when the door is closed.

Alternatively, the exposed face of the motor may carry terminals which will make electrical contact with a corresponding pair of terminals mounted on the A-pillar.

In this case, electrical connection to the motor will only be made when the door is closed. One set of terminals may be spring-biased, so that the springs are compressed to hold the terminals in contact, when the door is closed.

These arrangements permit operation of the window motor without the need for making electrical connections within the door cavity.

In a preferred embodiment any gearbox associated with the motor is mounted adjacent to the motor so that the centre of gravity of the door is brought still closer to the hinges. However a remote gearbox may also be used, connected to the motor by a cable drive or other means.

The invention is suitable for use with any conventional mechanism for raising and lowering a window in its guides.

For example, a lazy tongues mechanism, or a cable mechanism. The invention may be used with either single lift or double lift cable mechanisms. Depending on the preferred location of any gearbox associated with the motor, it may be necessary to provide some other mechanical mechanism within the door cavity to transmit the motor drive to the window itself, and this can be for example a cable drive or can be achieved by changing the geometry of the window mechanism operating arms.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a prior art vehicle door; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a vehicle door in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a vehicle door in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows part of a third embodiment of a door in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 5 shows part of a fourth embodiment of a door in accordance with the present invention.

The vehicle door 28 shown in Figure 1 has a window space 4 surrounded by a window frame 2, and a lower portion 26 formed by an inner and an outer skin which define between them a door cavity. The door will be hung in a vehicle by means of hinges 18 at a hinge shut face 20. The door has a window glass 6 which is slideably mounted in a pair of guides (not shown) so that the window glass 6 is moveable between a lower position (shown here) in which the window is open, an upper position in which the window is closed, and any intermediate position. The window glass 6 is moved up or down by a window lift 8, the movement of which is controlled by a cable 12. The cable 12 is wound by means of a motor 24 and gearbox 14. The motor 24 and gearbox 14 directly substitute for a manual winding handle having a winding arc 10.The motor 24 is connected to the wiring harness of the vehicle by means of a wiring loom 16 which is disposed within the door cavity.

The weight of the motor 24 and gearbox 14 puts a stress on the door hinges 18 when the door is mounted in the vehicle, and the provision of the wiring loom 16 within the door cavity is expensive and time consuming.

The door shown in Figure 2 has a motor 24 which is mounted adjacent to the hinge shut face 20 of the door, and connected to the gearbox 14 by a Bowden cable 22. The motor 24 is connected to the vehicle wiring harness by a flying lead 42 so that no electrical connections. are made within the door cavity. Location of the motor 24 adjacent to the hinge shut face 20 of the door moves the centre of mass of the door closer to the hinge shut face 20, and thereby reduces stress on the hinges 18 when the door is hung in a vehicle.

The door shown in Figure 3 is similar to the door of Figure 2, but the gearbox 14 is now located adjacent to the motor 24 at the hinge shut face 20 of the door instead of in the region of the handle winding arc 10. This further shifts the centre of mass of the door towards the hinges 18, and it avoids the need to use a connecting Bowden cable 22. The cable 12 is suitably repositioned within the door cavity for use with the new motor and gearbox arrangement.

Figure 4 shows one way in which the motor 24 shown in Figures 2 or 3 may be connected to the wiring harness of the vehicle. The end face 30 of the motor 24 is exposed at the hinge shut face 20 of the door, and carries two projecting, spring loaded electrically conductive terminals 32, 34. On the A-pillar 36 are two corresponding terminal plates 38, 40 and, when the door closes, the terminals 32, 34 will press against the plates 38, 40 respectively to make an electrical connection.

Once in this condition, electrical power can be passed to the motor 24 to raise or lower the window glass 6.

In place of the spring loaded terminals 32 and 34 and the contact plates 38 and 40, the motor 24 can be connected to the wiring harness in the vehicle through a flying lead 42, as shown best in Figure 5. This allows operation of the window motor 24 when the door is open as well as when the door is closed. The lead 42 ends in a plug 44 which can easily be connected to a corresponding socket in the housing of the motor 24, where this housing is exposed at the hinge shut face 20 of the door. The flying lead 42 may be protected by a flexible rubber boot where it extends between the A-pillar and the door itself.

In all of the embodiments shown in Figure 2 to 5, the motor 24 can be mounted in the door by inserting it axially through an opening in the hinge shut face of the door. This does not require any access to the interior of the door cavity. All of these embodiments eliminate internal electrical wiring for the window lift mechanism within the door, thus reducing door assembly time and cost and reducing complexity.

Claims (8)

1. A vehicle door having an electrically operated window and a motor for raising and lowering the window, wherein the motor is mounted adjacent to the hinge shut face of the door.

2. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 1, further including a gearbox which is mounted adjacent to the motor.

3. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the motor is mounted in the door cavity through an access opening in the hinge shut face of the door.

4. A vehicle door as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein part of the motor is exposed at the hinge shut face of the door, and carries electrical terminals through which power is fed to the motor.

5. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 4, wherein the terminals receive an end of a flying lead which bridges the gap between the hinge shut face of the door and the Apillar when the door is opened, but which can be housed between these faces when the door is closed.

6. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 4, wherein the exposed face of the motor carries terminals which will make electrical contact with a corresponding pair of terminals mounted on the A-pillar.

7. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 6, wherein one set of terminals is spring-biased so that the springs are compressed to hold the terminals in contact when the door is closed.

8. A vehicle door substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any one of Figures 2 to 5.