US2872184A - Window regulator mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 3, 1959 R. H. wlsE wmnow REGULATOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed D60. 26, 1956 INVENTOR. RA LPH H. W/ 5 E RJMA WM ATTORNEYS -Filed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FA L P H H. W1 s E I ATTORNEYS United Stat atent O WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM Ralph H. Wise, Gary, Ind., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Anderson Company, a corporation of Indiana Application December 26, 1956, Serial No. 630,614

9 Claims. (Cl. 268-124) This invention relates generally to regulators for motor vehicle windows and more particularly is directed to an improved power-driven window regulator apparatus for raising and lowering the vehicle window in a predetermined path.

Current automotive vehicle design is moving more and more toward the elimination of the full pillar extending from floor to roof between the front and rear doors in four-door vehicles and between the front corner of the rear quarter panel and the roof in two-door vehicles so as to arrive at what is popularly known as the twodoor and four-door hardtop models. In the four-door models, it is understood that a half post usually terminating at the belt line and integral with the floor is provided, from which the rear door is usually hinged and which serves to support the front door catch. Among the many problems created by this design is the one relating to the raising and lowering of the side windows of these vehicles. For instance, in order to have the rear window of a hardtop model clear the latching mechanism of the front door and be sealed against the front door window immediately contiguous thereto when closed, it is necessary that a window-opening movement be provided wherein the first motion of the rear window as it is moved to the open position be toward the rear of the car in a substantially horizontal direction away from said contiguous window. This rearward motion is usually accompanied by a simultaneous lowering of the rear portion of the window being opened so that a compound longitudinal and rotative movement results. After the front edge of the rear window has been retracted rearwardly a sufficient distance to clear the catch supporting means for the front door, the front portion of the window is lowered while the rear portion of the window completes the relatively short travel needed to complete the lowering thereof. This in effect produces a compound lowering and rotative motion about a different axis to complete the opening action. These motions are, of course, reversed to effect a closing of the window.

To accomplish this motion, a pair of shaped guideways are disposed forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, of the window within the vehicle body and a pair of rollers carried by the front and rear portions at the lower edge of the window roll in said guideways to produce the desired motion. However, in order to obtain the driving power for moving the Window in said guideways, it is necessary under known systems to provide a series of co-operating cams, levers and drive means that are extremely expensive, inefficient and complex. Furthermore, in using such systems, it has been found that at about the midpoint of the cycle, the geometry of the linkage is such that there is a considerable amount of play in the system such that the window is not held in a fixed position but may be raised as much as several inches. When passing over bumpy road conditions with the car windows in such position, it is evident that an unsatisfactory condition prevails.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to 2,872,184 Fatented Feb. 3, 1959 overcome the above-noted disadvantages of the prior art and to provide an improved window lift mechanism that is operative under all conditions of use.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved window lift that is capable of accomplishing the several different required compound motions to effect the raising and lowering of a hardtop-model window with a relatively simple direct-acting drive means.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved window lift that is quiet and efficient in use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved window lift mechanism that is compact enough to fit within relatively compact doors of modern automobiles.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a window lift assembly in which provision is made to compensate for any variations or misalignments of the components constituting the door window, and window lift assembly, particularly with respect to the provision of relatively wide tolerances in the distance between the window and the power-driving means therefor.

A significant object of this invention is to provide a unique window assembly comprising a minimum number of components which can be economically manufactured and assembled on a production basis and which can be easily and quickly installed.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds. The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing, but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a portion of the side of amotor vehicle and rear door assembly incorporating the power-driven regulator mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, partially in section, of the nut and sliding pivot arrangement of the present invention shown in one operative position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the nut and sliding pivot arrangement in a different position of use;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 44 in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an end view of the window regulator mechanism of Figure 1 with the window in a partially retracted position.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 5, a post 7 integral with the floor 8 of a vehicle is shown wherein hinges 9 support the rear door 10 having a hinge edge 12, latch edge 13, an outer side panel 14 and an inner side panel 15. The door illustrated is a rear door of a four-door hardtop automobile'which is supported from a center pillar that terminates at the belt line of the vehicle so that there is no fixed supporting post of any kind disposed between the front and rear window portions above the belt line thereof. It is to be understood, however, that the mechanism here illustrated can also be mounted in the rear quarter panel of a two-door hardtop automobile which likewise has no support post above the belt line between the front door window and the rear quarter window.

A window panel 16 having a surrounding metal frame 18 is mounted for bodily movement between the raised or closed position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 and the lowered 'or open position shown by the lowermost set of dotted lines in Figure 1. in the lowered position, the window is completely housed within the window well provided in the co-operating body portion of the vehicle.

In the present showing of this invention as incorporated in the rear door assembly, the space available to house the window 16 in its lowered position is rather limited:

due to the location of the pillar 7 to which the door it). is hinged. it will be noted that in the raised position the forward edge 19 of the window projects forwardly beyond the hinge portion 12 of said door. The door. must also be formed to have a rear wheel cut-out portion 21 which is adapted to fit over the housing provided in the body for covering the rear wheel on that side of the vehicle. The distance, therefore, through which the rearward portion of the window 16 may be moved along the latch edge of the door is shortened considerably. As a result of the design limitations inherent in these justenumerated body components, the window 16 cannot be moved, between its fully closed and opened positions either by direct vertical movement or by a simple pivotal movement, but instead must be moved in a predetermined irregular path having several combinations of bothlongitudinal and vertical movement so as to move the forward edge. 19 of the window around the post 7 as well as to conform to the limitations imposed by the wheel cut-out portion 20.

The window is mounted on suitable means to accomplish the necessary compound longitudinal and vertical movements and for this purpose, there are mounted within the door and most usually supported on the inner side14, a pair of guideways 20 and 22 each one of which is disposed, respectively, in close proximity to the generally vertically disposed door edges 12, 13. The forward guideway 20. is shaped so that the top portion 24 is turned at a slight angle with respect to the horiozntal and the 1 guideway gradually bends until it is directed substantially vertically throughout its portion 26, while the lower portion 28 is shaped to gradually curve away from the hinge edge 12. The rearward guideway 22 is shaped such that the top portion 30 and central portion 32 are substantially in line with each other and are angled nearly vertically but are sloped rearwardly a few degrees and the lower portion 34 of guideway 22 curves rearwardly therefrom in a gradual arc.

The guideways 20,22 are supported on the inner panel of the door in such a way that a pair of rollers 36 and 38 carried on the frame 18 of the window at the front and rear lower corners, respectively, will engage therein for supporting and guiding the window during the opening and closing movements. The rollers 36 and 38 are rotatably carried by and extend laterally from a support member 40 of the window frame 13, the support 40 being of conventional design and is engaged with the lower edge portion of the window 16 in such a way that any upward or downward forces exerted on said member 40 will be transmitted directly to the window to effect its raising or lowering. The guideways 20, 22 and their mounting with respect to the window are of a well-known and currently popular design and are related. to the present invention only in so far as they define the path of movement of, the window and produce the desired compound motions required to complete the opening and closing thereof. Since the distance between the centers of the rollers 36 and, 38 is fixed and the guideways are immovably fastened to the door panel, it is apparent that the window will follow a predetermined pattern of motion while being driven between the raised and lowered positions.

In the example here shown, due to the geometry of the system there is a point A on the lower edge 40 of. the window frame, which point is located between the two rollers, that describes a path of motion as the window is raised or lowered which somewhat approaches a straight line. Actually, the path of motion thus described is a sine curve lying generally in the plane of the glass with peaks on both sides of a centerline B. The path followed by this point is best illustrated by line C in Figure 1 of the drawing. In order to transmit motion to the window frame at this point A, a plate 42 is fastened to edge 40 thereof with bolts 44. The pivot pin 46 is fastened to said plate 42 and extends laterally therefrom, the point A being located on the axis of said pin 46.

The position of the pin 46 may be varied within reason, but as here shown, has to be located in the position which follows the simplest path of travel between the raised and lowered positions of the window, said path being 'in the form of the sine curve C illustrated in Figure 1, such that the pin 46 will move from an initial position along centerline B as the window is being opened to a maximum deviation position rearwardly of the centerline back across said centerline to a maximum deviation position on the forward side of said centerline and will return again to substantial alignment with the centerline at the lowest position of the window. The point A traverses path C when the window is raised, as is obvious.

In following the present teaching, power is transmitted to the window frame to drive it up or down and for this purpose, a motor support bracket 52 is secured to the inside panel 15 of the door. A motor 54 having a pulley 56 connected to the drive shaft thereof is carried by support 52, pulley 56 being adapted to drivingly engage a belt 53 for driving a pulley 60. The pulley 60 is keyed to a motion transmitting screw-thread or wormtype driving shaft 62 which is rotatably mounted at its lower end portion in a stationary bearing 64 carried by an extension 65 of the bracket 52. The upper end portion of the shaft 62 is mounted in a similar bearing 66 carried by a bracket 68 that is rigidly secured to the inner side 15 of the door 10. The bracket 52 has an extension 69 to which is fastened a pair of rubber bumper members 70 provided for a purpose that will appear more fully below.

A suitable nut means 71 co-operates with the shaft 62 and this means is drivingly mounted with respect to a carrier 72 that has a pair of inwardly extending arms 74 through each one of which is formed an aperture for receiving in nested realtionship a resilient shock absorbing member 75. Connected to each of said shock absorbing members 75 are the outer end portions of the plate 76 which supports the nut means 71 in operative engagement with the drive shaft 62 whereby rotation of the shaft will move the nut 71 and carrier 72 up or down depending on the direction of rotation of the shaft 62. The carrier 72 is also adapted to support a channel member 78 that is C-shaped in cross section, the member being disposed with the open portion of the .C directed away from the shaft 62. The channel member 78 is rectangular in shape and as best shown .in Figure 2, has its major longitudinal axis D lying in a plane that is per pendicular to the axis B of theshaft 62. A rectangularly shaped block 80, made of nylon or other relatively frictionless-type material, is slidably disposed in said channel member 78 with the major longitudinal axis of the rectangular block disposed coincidental with the longitudinal axis 79 of the channel 78. The pivot pin 46 which is carried by the plate 42 that is integral with member 40 of the window frame, is pivotally mounted at the midportion of said block 80 such that during the raising and lowering operation the plate 42 that is drivingly connected to the window, can pivot about the axis of the pivot pin 46 relative to the block 80. The pivot pin 46 extends from plate 42 through the open portion of the 0 of the channel 78 and into its bearing in block 80 to transmit motion from carriage 72 to the window frame.

The means for transmitting a drive from the motor 54 to the carrier 72 can be any one of the well-known types; however, in the preferred form of my invention, I have shown a system similar to that covered by my United States Patent No. 2,714,005, issued July 26, 1955. As the motor 54 is energized the belt 58 will rotate the drive "the other in a matter of seconds. drive system, it must'be borne in mind that when the window reaches either end of its raising or lowering motion, the support means for the glass engages fixed abutshaft 62 in its bearings 64 and 66 to thereby cause the motion translating nut 71 to move up or down said drive shaft 62. Since the carrier 72, sliding block 80, pin 46, and member 40 of the frame of window 16 are carried by said nut 71, movement of the nut will create movement of said window 16.

As the carrier 72 is thus driven up and down along the axis B of the shaft 62 it will urge the pivot pin 46 along the axis of the shaft; however, since the guideways 20 and 22 control the longitudinal as well as the vertical movement of the window 16, the pivot pin will at certain times be forced to move longitudinally relative to the axis B of the shaft 62 as well as vertically. Due to the relatively frictionless coaction between the block 80 and the channel 78, the pin 46 carried thereby will be permitted to slide relatively longitudinally along the axis 79 of said channel 78 and at the same time will be moved vertically generally along the axis B of the shaft 62. In this way, as the window is raised or lowered, .the pin 46, the axis of which represents point A, will be caused to follow path C illustrated in Figure 1 whereby the window is driven through its compound longitudinal and rotative movement to effect the raising and lowering thereof.

To illustrate this movement, with the window in the raised position illustrated in the solid lines in Figure 1, the rollers 36 and 38 will be positioned near the upper ends of the guideways 20 and 22 and the pin 46 will be disposed substantially centralized with respect to the axis B of the shaft 62. As the window is lowered to the dotted line position indicated by E, the rollers 36 and 38 will assume the dotted line position indicated by E and E" and the pivot pin 46 will be located slightly to the right of the axis B of the shaft 62. In this position of the window, the rear portion thereof will be substantially lowered relative to the front portion and forward edge 19 will have been moved longitudinally rearwardly relative to the fully raised position of the window. Further movement of the window toward the fully lowered position F will move the rollers 36 and 38 to the dotted line positions F and F, and the pivot pin 46 will have crossed over to the other side of the axis B and then will have returned to substantially aligned position with the axis B of the shaft 62. In moving to position F from position E the rear portion of the window will be moved slightly downwardly and rearwardly, and the forward portion of the window will be lowered considerably so as to be completely nested within the door at the lowermost point of the travel of the window. The plate 76 is adapted to come to rest against stops 70 of motor support to prevent overrun of the nut on the threaded shaft. The window is, of course, raised by a reversal of the above-described compound motion wherein the window is shifted vertically and longitudinally while being rotated in the plane of the window, first about the axis of one of the wheels 36 or 38 and then the other. The upward drive motion is stopped when the window comes to rest in its seating channel at the roof line and when forward edge 19 is fully projected to its position where it can be sealed against the other window.

Another feature of this invention is concerned with the 'drive connection between the motor 54 and shaft 62 including belt 58 which construction is of particular importance, the belt preferably being made of a resilient material such as rubber, neoprene, Buna N, or the like that is adapted to transmit the required power smoothly but without severe transmittal of shock loads. It is evident that a fairly high torque output from the motor is :required to drive the shaft 62, since the window must be designed to be raised and lowered from one extreme to In connection with this tments and is suddenly brought to a standstill while the motor continues to drive. Thus, when the window and its associated parts are suddenly stopped and the drive effort of the motor is continued, some means must be provided to dissipate the high torque and inertia forces encountered. It has been found that the simple pulley drive here shown is ideal for this purpose. The resilient belt is initially stretched a bit when placed over pulleys 56 and 60 to have a very tight engagement therewith and yet its resilient nature permits the shaft 62 to lag a bit or drive ahead of the motor shaft when unusual conditions are encountered whereby shock loads may be more easily dissipated by the stretch of the belt without producing any harmful overloads on any of the bearings or mountings in the system.

It is to be understood that the particular shape of the guideways 20 and 22, as illustrated and described, and the particular path. of motion created thereby does not form a part of this invention. Any set of guideways that directs the window in any odd or unusual pattern to accomplish an equivalent action is to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variations and modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself as to the exact forms, constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts herein shown and described for use as mentioned.

I claim:

1. A window regulator for a vehicle having a window panel movable between raised and lowered positions, coacting means on the window and vehicle for guiding said window in a predetermined vertical and horizontal path, means for creating a substantially straight-line drive, and connecting means for transferring said drive to the window, said connecting means including means to change said straight-line drive to the horizontal and vertical motion of the window.

2. A window regulator for a vehicle having a window panel movable between raised and lowered positions, cocating means on the window and vehicle for guiding said window in a predetermined path both horizontally and vertically, means for providing a straight-line drive along an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the window, and connecting means for transferring said drive to the window, said connecting means including means to convert said straight-line drive to the horizontal and vertical motion of the window.

3. A window regulator for a vehicle door having a window panel movable between raised and lowered positions, coacting means on the window and door for guiding said window in a predetermined path both horizontally and vertically, a rotatablethreaded drive shaft mounted within said door, means for driving said shaft, a motion transfer nut operatively engaging the shaft for straightline motion along said shaft, means coacting between said nut and said window for changing the straight-line motion of the nut to the horizontal and vertical motion of the window.

4. A window regulator for a hardtop automotive vehicle or the like wherein the window pane is made to move at least part of the time simultaneously horizontally and vertically to effect the opening and closing thereof, said pane being guided in Said movements through a predetermined path, comprising drive means to move the pane, said means including a generally vertically disposed threaded shaft and means to rotate the shaft, a co-operating nut means to convert the rotating motion of the shaft to vertical reciprocating motion, and connecting means between the nut means and the pane to convert said vertical reciprocating motion to horizontal and vertical motions as the pane moves through said path.

5. A window regulator for vehicle bodies having a window opening and a window panel having a generally straight lower edge closing said opening, a roller carried at each end of said edge of said window, and a pair of guideways mounted upon said vehicle body for receiving said rollers to guide said window in a predeterminedpath both horizontally and vertically comprising means carried by the vehicle body and co-operating with the lower edge portion of the window-formoving said window between raised and lowered posit-ions, said means including-a rotatable threaded shaft mounted within said body, amotion-transfer nut operatively engaging said shaft, a carrier driven by said nut, and means slidably and pivotally connecting said carrier to the edge of the window whereby movement of said nut along the shaft will raise or lower the window.

6. A window regulator for avehicle door having a substantially fiat window'panelmovable between raised and lowered positions, guideways mounted within said door in co-operating relationship with said window to guide said window in apredetermined path both horizontally and vertically in the plane of the window, and means carried within said door and engaging with the window for moving said window between raised and lowered positions, said means comprising a generally vertically disposed rotatable threaded shaft, means for driving said shaft, a motion-transfer nut operatively engaging said shaft, a carrier engaging with said nut and adapted to be moved thereby along said shaft, generally horizontally slidable means movably mounted on said carrier, and pivot means connecting said slidable means with the window panel whereby movement of the nut along the shaft will effect shifting of the window both horizontally and vertically in the plane of said window as said window is raised and lowered.

7. A window regulator for vehicle bodies having a window opening and a generally fiat window panel closing said opening, said panel having a generally straight lower edge, a roller carrier ateach end of the lower edge of said window, a pair of guideways mounted upon said vehicle body for receiving said rollers to guide said window in a predetermined: path both horizontally and vertically, and means carried by the vehicle body and engaging with the lower edge portion of the Window for moving said window between raised and lowered positions, said means comprising a rotatable generally vertically disposed threaded drive shaft having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the plane of said window in spaced apart relationship thereto, a motiontransfer nut operatively engaging said shaft, 2. carrier engaging with said nut and adapted to be moved along said shaft with said nut, an elongated channel member mounted on said carrier and having a longitudinal axis lying in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, said, member having a substantially C shape in cross section, a rectangularly shaped block axially slidable within said channel, a pivot pin carried by said block and extending through the opening in the C of the channel, and a mounting member carried by the lower edge portion of the window and engaging with said motive vehicle or the like wherein the window includes a generally. flat pane which moves through a predetermined path including horizontal and vertical motions in the, plane thereof during the opening and closing of the window, saidmotions being performed simultaneous-.

ly at least during alportion of the movement of the pane through said path, said, door having a roughly rectangularly shaped and vertically disposed body, portion, said regulator including an electric motor drive, said motor, being mounted within and supported from the body of the door with the, axislof its drive shaft approximately vertical, a threaded shaft rotatably disposed in said body, oppositely disposed bearing, means for said shaft sup-. ported at spaced, points at the top and bottom of said body, guide tracks at; the opposite ends of said body to carry and guide the pane in said predetermined, path, said threaded shaft, being positioned in a somewhat vertical altitude between said tracks, pulley means connecting said shaft; and said motor to drivingly rotate the shaft, said pulley means including a resilient pulley belt, a nut means co-operating with the threaded shaft to convert the rotary motion thereof to reciprocation of the nut up and down the shaft depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft, means connecting the nut to the pane, said connecting means including a block means generally horizontally slidable with respect to the nut means and a, pivot pin to accommodate relative turning motion between the pane and the nut means, and means to convert said motor to a source of power whereby the pane may be driven through said predetermined path to open or close said window.

9 A mechanism forv moving a window having a generally straight lower edge into and out of the body of a hardtop automobile or the like wherein the window has a compound vertical and horizontal movement in the plane of the window including sequential rotation in a predetermined path about afirst and second axis during the raising and lowering thereof, comprising means to drive said window from one to the other of said raised and loweredpositiongsaid drive means including an elementreciprocating along a straight line, means for drivingly connecting said element to a point on the lower edge of said window, and said element being disposed relative to said edge of the window such that said point passes forwardly and rearwardly approximately equal distances as the window is raised and lowered.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,046,725 Carr July 7, 1936 2,595,580 Hill May 6, 1952 2,640,694 Jackson June 2, 1953 2,775,479 Balint et a1. Dec. 25, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 2,872,184 February 3, 1959 Ralph E0 Wise It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should readas corrected below.

Column 3, line 60, for "in so far" read insofar colunuv. 8, line 22, for "altitude" read attitude line 33, for "convert" read we connect e Signed and sealed this 22nd day of March 1960.,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H0 AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Ofiicer Commissioner of Patents

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