US 7,140,151 B2 · Electro-mechanical actuator

Abstract

An electro-mechanical actuator for a window lift mechanism including a plurality of motors for driving an output shaft. The actuator may be incorporated into a window lift mechanism including a dual rack and pinion assembly, for driving the pinions along the racks. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a variety of anti-back-drive mechanisms, e.g. clutches. A clutch according to one embodiment includes locking pawls that resist back-drive. In another embodiment, locking cams rotate relative to a carrier to resist back-drive. An actuator consistent with the invention may incorporate an impact mechanism including a flexible carrier. The carrier flexes to prevent impact forces at an output gear train from coupling to an input gear train.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A window lift mechanism comprising:

a dual rack assembly having first and second opposed racks;
first and second pinions in meshing engagement with said first and second racks, respectively;
and
an actuator assembly comprising an output shaft coupled to said first pinion;
and a plurality of motors, each of said motors being coupled through an associated gear train to said output shaft for driving said first pinion, said first pinion being in meshing engagement with said second pinion for driving said first and second pinions along said first and second racks, said actuator further comprising a housing having first and second arms, each of said arms having a portion slidably disposed in an associated groove in an associated one of said first and second racks, said actuator translating along said racks as said pinions are driven along said racks.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/995,712Filed 23 Nov 2004 · continuation

Priority

19 Jan 2000

Published

US 2005/0072049 A17 Apr 2005

Granted

28 Nov 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

H02K 7/1166
Where at least two gears have non-parallel axes without having orbital motion: comprising worm and worm-wheel
E05F 15/6918
Specially adapted for vehicle windows: crank gear with clutches or retaining brakes, for operating window mechanisms
E05F 15/697
Specially adapted for vehicle windows: motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors
F16H 37/065
With a plurality of driving or driven shafts; with arrangements for dividing torque between two or more intermediate shafts: with a plurality of…

Family

Application60/176,847Us provisional application · filed 19 Jan 2000

Application60/178,593Us provisional application · filed 28 Jan 2000

Application09/765,899Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Jan 2001

US 2005/0072049 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Apr 2005

US 6,889,578 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2001/0027146 A1Published application

US 7,140,151 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Electro-mechanical actuator

Life of this patent

Electro-mechanical actuator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10