US 4,970,827 AGranted

Cable window regulator

AssigneeMagna International Inc.

InventorNebojsa Djordjevic

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Abstract

A vehicle window regulator is provided for lifting a window and lowering the window for retraction into a window well in a vehicle door. In the best embodiment the window is supported for lifting and lowering by first, second and third flexible cables, each of which is attached at one end to a take-up mechanism mounted on the window. The first and second cables at the end opposite the take-up mechanism are mounted to an upper portion of the body of the vehicle door, and the third cable at the end opposite the take-up mechanism is mounted to a lower portion of the body of the vehicle door. For lifting the window, the take-up mechanism shortens the first and second cables and simultaneously lengthens the third cable. For lowering the window, the operation is reversed. For vehicle windows and doors having an outwardly convex curvature whereby when the window is raised and lowered the take-up mechanism mounted on the window describes an arcuate path, the third flexible cable is pivotally mounted at the point of attachment to the lower portion of the body of the vehicle door so as to permit lateral deflection of the third flexible cable to maintain its alignment with the take-up mechanism, and; pivotal cable guide pulleys for guiding the first and second cables are attached to the lower portion of the window for guiding the first and second cables to maintain alignment with the take-up mechanism.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A vehicle window regulator for lifting a window and lowering the window for retraction into a window well in a vehicle door, comprising:

(a) a vehicle window having a top, bottom and oppositely spaced sides, the window retractable into a well in a vehicle door;
(b) at least one mounting means secured to the bottom portion of the window, the at least one mounting means suitable for supporting one take up mechanism intermediate the sides of the window and suitable for supporting two oppositely spaced cable guide means, one of the two cable guide means proximate each side of the window;
(c) the take up mechanism supported by the window mounting means intermediate the sides of the window, and the two oppositely spaced cable guide means mounted on the window mounting means, one of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window at one side, the other of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window on the opposite side;
(d) a first flexible cable and a second flexible cable, one end of each cable attached to the door proximate the top thereof, the two cables attached to the door at substantially horizontally spaced points, each cable supported for sliding movement on one of the two oppositely spaced cable guide means;
and, the opposite end of each cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby rotation of the take up mechanism in one direction will lengthen both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable and rotation of the take up mechanism in the opposite direction will shorten both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable;
(e) a third flexible cable, one end of the third flexible cable attached to the vehicle body at a point spaced below the bottom of the window, the opposite end of the third flexible cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism lengthens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is shortened, and whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism shortens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is lengthened;
(f) drive means for enabling clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the take up mechanism wherein the take up mechanism comprises a gear mechanism and the drive means comprises an electric motor attached to the window mounting means, the electric motor having a gear mechanism attached to its output shaft for engaging the gear mechanism of the take up mechanism whereby the axial rotation of the output shaft causes the take up mechanism to rotate.

4 more elements

A vehicle window regulator for lifting a window and lowering the window for retraction into a window well in a vehicle door, comprising:

(a) a vehicle window having a top, bottom and oppositely spaced sides, the window retractable into a well in a vehicle door;
(b) at least one mounting means secured to the bottom portion of the window, the at least one mounting means suitable for supporting one take up mechanism intermediate the sides of the window and suitable for supporting two oppositely spaced cable guide means, one of the two cable guide means proximate each side of the window;
(c) the take up mechanism supported by the window mounting means intermediate the sides of the window, and the two oppositely spaced cable guide means mounted on the window mounting means, one of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window at one side, the other of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window on the opposite side;
(d) a first flexible cable and a second flexible cable, one end of each cable attached to the door proximate the top thereof, the two cables attached to the door at substantially horizontally spaced points, each cable supported for sliding movement on one of the two oppositely spaced cable guide means;
and, the opposite end of each cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby rotation of the take up mechanism in one direction will lengthen both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable and rotation of the take up mechanism in the opposite direction will shorten both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable;
(e) a third flexible cable, one end of the third flexible cable attached to expandable resilient biasing means normally under tension, the expandable resilient biasing means attached to the vehicle body at a point spaced below the bottom of the window, the opposite end of the third flexible cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism lengthens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is shortened, and whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism shortens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is lengthened;
(f) drive means for enabling clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the take up mechanism.

4 more elements

A vehicle window regulator for lifting a window and lowering the window for retraction into a window well in a vehicle door, comprising:

(a) a vehicle window having a top, bottom and oppositely spaced sides, the window retractable into a well in a vehicle door;
(b) at least one mounting means secured to the bottom portion of the window, the at least one mounting means suitable for supporting one take up mechanism intermediate the sides of the window and suitable for supporting two oppositely spaced cable guide means, one of the two cable guide means proximate each side of the window;
(c) the take up mechanism supported by the window mounting means intermediate the sides of the window, and the two oppositely spaced cable guide means mounted on the window mounting means, one of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window at one side, the other of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window on the opposite side;
(d) a first flexible cable and a second flexible cable, one end of each cable attached to the door proximate the top thereof, the two cables attached to the door at substantially horizontally spaced points, each cable supported for sliding movement on one of the two oppositely spaced cable guide means;
and, the opposite end of each cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby rotation of the take up mechanism in one direction will lengthen both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable and rotation of the take up mechanism in the opposite direction will shorten both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable;
(e) a third flexible cable, one end of the third flexible cable attached to the vehicle body at a point spaced below the bottom of the window, the opposite end of the third flexible cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism lengthens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is shortened, and whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism shortens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is lengthened;
(f) drive means for enabling clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the take up mechanism wherein the take up mechanism comprises a pulley for frictionally engaging a flexible cable suitable for movement relative to the take up mechanism whereby movement of the frictionally engaging cable causes the engaged pulley of the take up mechanism to rotate, having a frictionally engaging cable
wherein the frictionally engaging cable further comprises a continuous loop supported for circulation by at least two spaced apart cable guide members attached to a wall of the window well, the at least two cable guide members attached to a wall of the window well at two vertically spaced apart points comprising a line extending in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the window, at least one of said at least two spaced apart cable guide members suitable to frictionally engage said frictionally engaging cable and a hand crank for rotating the frictionally engaging cable whereby rotation of the hand crank circulates the cable in a continuous loop.

5 more elements

A vehicle window regulator for lifting a window and lowering the window for retraction into a window well in a vehicle door, comprising:

(a) a vehicle window having a top, bottom and oppositely spaced sides, the window retractable into a well in a vehicle door;
(b) at least one mounting means secured to the bottom portion of the window, the at least one mounting means suitable for supporting one take up mechanism intermediate the sides of the window and suitable for supporting two oppositely spaced cable guide means, one of the two cable guide means proximate each side of the window;
(c) the take up mechanism supported by the window mounting means intermediate the sides of the window, and the two oppositely spaced cable guide means mounted on the window mounting means, one of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window at one side, the other of the two cable guide means mounted proximate the bottom of the window on the opposite side;
(d) a first flexible cable and a second flexible cable, one end of each cable attached to the door proximate the top thereof, the two cables attached to the door at substantially horizontally spaced points, each cable supported for sliding movement on one of the two oppositely spaced cable guide means;
and, the opposite end of each cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby rotation of the take up mechanism in one direction will lengthen both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable and rotation of the take up mechanism in the opposite direction will shorten both the first flexible cable and the second flexible cable;
(e) a third flexible cable, one end of the third flexible cable attached to the vehicle body at a point spaced below the bottom of the window, the opposite end of the third flexible cable suitably attached to the take up mechanism whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism lengthens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is shortened, and whereby when rotation of the take up mechanism shortens both the first and second flexible cables the third flexible cable is lengthened;
(f) drive means for enabling clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the take up mechanism wherein the take up mechanism comprises a pulley for frictionally engaging a flexible cable suitable for movement relative to the take up mechanism whereby movement of the frictionally engaging cable causes the engaged pulley of the take up mechanism to rotate having a frictionally engaging cable
wherein the frictionally engaging cable further comprises a continuous loop supported for circulation by at least three spaced apart cable guide members attached to a wall of the window well, at least two of the at least three cable guide members attached to a wall of the window well at two vertically spaced apart points comprising a line extending in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the window, one of said at least three spaced apart cable guide members spaced laterally to one side of a line joining the at least two cable guide members attached to the wall of the window well at two vertically spaced apart points whereby the continuous loop is supported for circulation by the at least three cable guide members spaced apart in a substantially triangular configuration;
at least one of the spaced apart cable guide members suitable to frictionally engage said frictionally engaging cable comprising a continuous loop and connected to a hand crank whereby rotation of the hand crank circulates the cable in a continuous loop.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.