# US 7,069,696 B2 · Assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,069,696 B2 - Document ID: US7069696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/010,739 - Filed: 2001-12-06 - Published: 2002-07-25 - Granted: 2006-07-04 - Earliest claimed: 2000-12-09 - Assignees: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems-France - Inventors: Mark Graham Lawrie; Yann Le Gallo; Pascal de Vries; Klaus B. Wilhelm Blume; Charles Berry Hopson; Herve Laurandel; Simon Blair Dobson; Damien Cabanne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7069696B2 ## CPC - B29C 65/607: {the integral rivets being hollow} - F16B 4/00: Shrinkage connections, e.g. assembled with the parts at different temperature; Force fits (restricted to metal parts or objects B23P11/02); Non-releasable friction-grip fastenings (F16B2/00 takes precedence) - F16B 5/02: by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00) - E05F 11/382: {for vehicle windows (E05F11/40 - E05F11/52 take precedence)} - E05Y 2201/654: Cables - E05Y 2201/664: Drums - E05Y 2600/56: Positioning, e.g. re-positioning, or pre-mounting - E05Y 2800/00: Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for - E05Y 2800/45: Manufacturing - E05Y 2800/692: Temporary use, e.g. removable tools - E05Y 2900/55: Windows - Y10T 29/49622: Vehicular structural member making - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) - E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING - E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An assembly including a door panel, a window regulator housing component, and a window regulator drive system component. The door panel is secured to the window regulator housing component by a deformed portion to provide a subassembly. The deformed portion is utilized to releaseably secure the window regulator drive system component to the subassembly via a fourth component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An assembly comprising: a door panel; a window regulator housing component; and a window regulator drive system component, wherein said door panel is secured to said window regulator housing component by a deformed portion of the window regulator housing component to provide a subassembly, wherein said deformed portion is utilized to releaseably secure said window regulator drive system component to said subassembly via a fourth component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said door panel includes a feature which ensures alignment between said door panel and said window regulator housing component. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly according to claim 2 in which said deformed portion is formed from a pre-deformed portion, said deformed portion co-operating with an associated region of said door panel to provide said subassembly, which during assembly of said door panel and said window regulator housing component, wherein said feature aligns said door panel and said window regulator housing component while said pre-deformed portion is remote from said associated region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which at least one of said door panel, said window regulator housing component, and said window regulator drive system component has a hole to allow passage of said fourth component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The assembly according to claim 2 in which said feature ensures alignment between said subassembly and said window regulator drive system component. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly according to claim 5 in which said window regulator drive system component includes a second hole with a second hole diameter, and said window regulator drive system component includes a third hole with a third hole diameter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The assembly according to claim 6 in which said second hole diameter is greater than said third hole diameter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The assembly according to claim 6 in which said third hole diameter is greater than said second hole diameter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The assembly according to claim 6 in which said second bole diameter is equal to said third hole diameter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The assembly according to claim 5 in which at least one of said second hole and said third hole is threaded. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said fourth component is one of a self tapping screw, a bolt, and a nut and a bolt. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said window regulator housing component includes a recess and said recess includes said deformed portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which at least one of said door panel, said window regulator housing component and said window regulator drive system component is a plastic component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The assembly according to claim 13 in which said plastic component is integral with said deformed portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said door panel lies in a substantially vertical plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The assembly according to claim 15 in which said door panel includes a feature which ensures alignment between said door panel and said window regulator housing component and said feature has a horizontal extent to resist loads acting in planes parallel to said door panel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said window regulator housing component is part of a window regulator drive system mechanism. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said deformed portion forms a seal between said door panel and said window regulator housing component. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 in which said deformed portion is non-circular in cross section to prevent rotation of at least one of said door panel, said window regulator housing component and said window regulator drive system component relative to another of said door panel, said window regulator housing component and said window regulator drive system component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The assembly according to claim 2 in which said feature is non-circular in cross section to prevent rotation of at least one of said door panel, said window regulator housing component and said window regulator drive system component relative to another of said door panel, said window regulator housing component and said window regulator drive system component. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The assembly according to claim 1 further including at least one further deformed portion at a spaced location from said deformed portion, in which said door panel is further secured to said window regulator housing component by said at least one further deformed portion. ### Claim 22 A method of assembling an assembly having a door panel, a window regulator housing component having a portion, a window regulator drive system component, and a fourth component, the method comprising: securing said door panel to said window regulator housing component by deforming said portion into a deformed portion to form a subassembly having said door panel and said window regulator housing component; and releaseably securing said window regulator drive system to said subassembly using said deformed portion in conjunction with the fourth component to form the assembly. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method as defined in claim 22, wherein a region of the window regulator drive system component engages said deformed portion to align the window regulator drive system component with the subassembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method as defined in claim 22 wherein the fourth component releaseably engages said deformed portion to releaseably secure said window regulator drive system component to the subassembly. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method as defined in claim 22, wherein said deformed portion includes a hole through which the fourth component passes to releaseably secure the window regulator drive system component to said subassembly.