With a simplified fixed window sliding guide

Abstract

The present invention relates to a window sliding guide (1) for a vehicle sliding window, the window sliding guide comprising a fixing joint (2) for fixing to a structural element of the vehicle, characterized in that the fixing joint (2) comprises a abutment surface (21) and a pawl (20) protruding relative to the abutment surface (21), the pawl being formed by a connecting part (23) and a holding part (22), the holding part (22) being spaced apart from the abutment surface (21), and the connecting part (23) coupling the holding part (22) to the abutment surface (21) so that a part of the structural element is clamped between the holding part (22) and the abutment surface (21).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention claims priority from French application No. 1912944 filed on November 20, 2019, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a window slide guide for a vehicle sliding window, which includes a fixing part for fixing to a structural element of the vehicle, and a door and a vehicle equipped with such a slide guide. Background Art

[0003] In order to guide a sliding window, particularly inside a side door, it is known to install inside the door a slide guide fixed to a structural member of the door. The slide guide is in the form of an elongated body that includes a groove in which an edge of the sliding window slides. Patent FR3008034 describes a door that includes a box body formed by an inner lining and an outer panel fixed to the lining and includes a slide guide inside the box body. The slide guide is fixed at one of its two ends to a lock reinforcement, which itself is fixed to the lining. This end of the slide guide includes a tab that has a first hole facing a second hole formed in a part of the lock reinforcement. The fixing of the slide guide on the lock reinforcement is implemented by inserting a snap-in member that passes through the two holes so that the tab fits and remains in contact with the part of the lock reinforcement that includes the second hole. The tab also includes a pin that enters a third hole in the lock reinforcement from the side where the second hole is located to allow the positioning of the slide guide relative to the lock reinforcement and, in particular, to enhance the resistance to fixing shear forces when the door is closed. The other end of the slide guide is fixed to the lining by screws and nuts, and the nuts are arranged at the ends of arms that extend from the slide guide to the fixing areas on the lining.

[0004] The drawback of this arrangement is that the sliding guide is difficult for an operator to install because of the difficulty of accessing the interior of the box and the lack of visibility of the interior of the box. In fact, access to the interior of the box is generally only possible through an access opening of restricted size in the lining. In particular, the operator has to successfully position the pin in the third hole while avoiding having the pin enter the second hole, and then insert the fixing clip through the first and second holes by passing the palm through the access opening for accessing the lining. Another drawback is that the mechanical resistance of the clip causes the clip to deform under the action of repeated requests when the door is closed, which creates a gap between the end of the sliding guide and the part on which the sliding guide is fixed, which generates noise when the door is closed. Another drawback is that the operator implementing the assembly of the sliding guide in the door is obliged to ensure that the guide fits against the part on which the guide is fixed while pressing in the clip, in order to ensure that there is no gap and no noise between the parts. This dual operation of fitting the parts and pressing in the clip is difficult to implement because of the lack of access already mentioned. This thus results in a large number of defects in the manufactured doors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks. In particular, one of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate the fixing of the sliding guide in the box of the door. Another object is to strengthen the fixing resistance of the sliding guide when the door is repeatedly closed.

[0006] According to the present invention, this object is achieved by a window sliding guide for a vehicle sliding window, the window sliding guide comprising a fixing interface for fixing to a structural element of the vehicle, characterized in that the fixing interface comprises a bearing surface and a pawl projecting relative to the bearing surface, the pawl being formed by a connecting part and a holding part, the holding part being spaced from the bearing surface, and the connecting part coupling the holding part to the bearing surface so as to clamp a part of the structural element between the holding part and the bearing surface.

[0007] Advantageously, the sliding guide is thus easily fixed to the structural element of the vehicle by simple sliding, wherein the fixing joint clamps the structural element of the vehicle. By inserting the jaws of this type of fixing joint into an opening made in the structural element of the vehicle so as to clamp the portion of the structural element arranged around the opening, the fixing joint can advantageously be blocked by the edge of the opening, whereby the only possible movement corresponds to the departure of the jaws from the opening along a movement opposite to the movement allowing their own insertion. This maintenance implemented by the jaws no longer requires any additional parts (such as snap fasteners or screws). Thus, the operator can more easily and quickly assemble the sliding guide on the structural element without adding parts (such as screws or snap fasteners) for allowing this assembly.

[0008] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the abutment surface is a substantially flat surface, the maintenance portion is a substantially flat wall, the wall being parallel to the abutment surface, and the connecting portion joins the edge of the wall of the maintenance portion to the abutment surface.

[0009] Advantageously, the maintenance portion and the abutment surface are thus particularly suitable for clamping a structural element of the vehicle in flat form (such as an element made of flat metal sheet). By choosing the spacing between the maintenance wall and the abutment surface to be substantially equal to or slightly less than the thickness of the structural element, the structural element is inserted between the maintenance portion and the abutment surface, this insertion ensuring an effective maintenance without any clearance in the direction perpendicular to the abutment surface.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, the maintenance portion includes a guide wall that forms an obtuse angle with the maintenance wall in a direction opposite to the abutment surface.

[0011] Advantageously, the guide wall forms a surface against which the edge of the structural element on which the fixing joint is to be fixed can be stopped, and, due to the angle of the guide wall, the structural element can be effectively guided against this surface into the space between the abutment surface and the maintenance wall, while facilitating the insertion of the structural element against the maintenance wall and the abutment surface. Preferably, the angle is greater than 120°.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the invention, the width of the jaws decreases from the connecting portion where the connecting portion joins the abutment surface until the edge of the guide wall opposite to the maintenance portion.

[0013] Said width is taken along a direction given by the junction between said retaining portion and said connecting portion. This form of said connecting portion advantageously facilitates the insertion of said retaining portion into an opening arranged in said structural element. In fact, when said opening has a dimension wider than said retaining portion and has a width substantially identical to the width of the junction of said connecting portion with said abutment surface, said retaining portion is easily inserted into said opening by inserting the end of said guide wall opposite to the retaining wall 22, while, accompanying the insertion of said connecting portion, the increase in the width of said retaining portion and of said connecting portion towards said abutment surface makes it possible to position said fixed joint and to block said fixed joint relative to said structural element along this width direction.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the sliding guide comprises a guide member protrudingly extending from the maintaining portion in a direction opposite to the abutment surface so as to guide the claw to be inserted into an opening of a structural element on which the fixing engagement portion is fixed.

[0015] Advantageously, the engagement of the retaining portion in an opening arranged on the structural element is thereby facilitated, in particular when the fixing area on the structural element is difficult to access and / or has little visibility. In fact, the guide element can be easily placed in the opening, since the operator can feel by touch the moment when the guide element begins to enter the opening. When the guide element is in the opening, it is only necessary to continue inserting the guide element until the retaining portion passes through the opening and to continue to bring the abutment surface into abutment against the surface of the portion of the structural element situated around the opening.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the holding portion comprises a straight holding rib which protrudes from a surface of the holding portion which is oriented on the side of the abutment surface and extends perpendicularly to the holding portion.

[0017] Advantageously, the positioning of the sliding guide is thus improved by creating a groove in the structural element clamped in the fixed joint so that the rib is inserted into the groove. Another advantage is that the retaining rib can create a contact surface that is complementary to the structural element on which the fixed joint is fixed and can therefore strengthen the resistance of the fixed joint to forces oriented parallel to the plane of the abutment surface and perpendicular to the rib, such as the force from the closing of the door.

[0018] The invention also relates to a vehicle door, said door comprising a sliding guide as described above, said door comprising a structural element made of a metal sheet, said structural element being clamped by a fixed joint, said abutment surface being arranged on one side of the structural element, and said retaining part being positioned on the other side of the clamped structural element.

[0019] Preferably, the structural element made of a metal sheet includes a dimensioned opening sized such that the pawl passes through the opening and clamps a portion of the structural element at the edge of the opening.

[0020] In a particular embodiment of the door, the sliding guide includes the retaining rib, and the structural element includes a groove arranged to receive the retaining rib.

[0021] In another embodiment of the vehicle door, the structural element is a fixed tab that comes from a door lock reinforcement and is fixed to the lining of the door.

[0022] Thus, the assembly of the sliding guide on the door is easy and quick and does not require handling a very large number of small parts to fix the sliding guide in an area inside the door that is difficult to access and has little visibility.

[0023] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a sliding guide as described above or a door as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description and the drawings given only by way of example, in which:

[0025] - Figure 1 shows the lining of a vehicle door, said lining including a sliding guide according to the invention.

[0026] - Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a fixed joint for fixing the sliding guide.

[0027] - Figure 3 shows a fixed tab for receiving the fixed joint.

[0028] - Figure 4 shows a view of a variant of the fixed joint for fixing the sliding guide fixed to a structural element.

[0029] - Figure 5 shows a fixed tab for receiving the fixed joint in a variant of Figure 4 ...

[0030] - Figure 6Shows a variant of the sliding guide, in which the fixed engagement portion is located between the ends of the sliding guide.

[0031] These figures are schematic diagrams for facilitating the understanding of the present invention. The components are not necessarily shown to scale. From one figure to another, the same reference numerals correspond to the same components.

[0032] The vertical or horizontal direction is taken from the reference system of the vehicle. Detailed Description

[0033] Figure 1 Shows the lining 4 of the door, on which a sliding guide 1 is fixed. The lining 4 of the door is a structural element of the door usually made of a stamped metal plate, on which an outer plate (not shown in Figure 1 ) is fixed. The sliding guide 1 can guide the sliding window between a closed position (where the sliding window closes the window part) and an open position (where the window is located in the volume formed between the lining 4 and the outer plate, which volume is usually called the box of the door and is located below the window part) in a generally vertical direction. The sliding of the window generally follows a curved path according to the curvature of the window. To be able to implement this guidance, the sliding guide 1 includes a groove in which one of the edges of the window slides.

[0034] In Figure 1 's embodiment, the sliding guide 1 is fixed to the lining 4 of the door by a fixing element 5 at one of its own ends, and is fixed to the lock reinforcement 3 by a fixed engagement portion 2 at the other of its own ends. The lock reinforcement 3 is a part made of a metal plate, on which a lock is fixed. The thickness of the metal plate of the reinforcement 3 is generally greater than the thickness of the metal plate forming the lining 4 of the door in order to withstand the closing force for closing the lock and to protect the lock in the case of a side collision of the vehicle. The lock reinforcement 3 includes a fixing tab 30 on which the fixed engagement portion 2 is fixed.

[0035] As Figure 2As shown above, the fixed joint portion 2 includes a substantially flat abutting surface 21, from which the pawls 20 projectingly extend. The pawls 20 include a holding portion 22, which is spaced apart from the abutting surface 21 so as to leave a space between the holding portion 22 and the abutting surface 21, into which a part of the fixing tab 30 enters. The holding portion 22 is coupled to the abutting surface 21 by a connecting portion 23. A part of the fixing tab 30 is inserted into the space between the holding portion 22 and the abutting surface 21, for example until it abuts against the connecting portion 23 in a stop manner, and this insertion allows the fixing joint portion 2 to be held relative to the fixing tab 30. The spacing between the abutting surface 21 and the holding portion 22 is, for example, substantially equal to the thickness of the fixing tab 30, so that both the abutting surface 21 and the holding portion 22 are in contact with the fixing tab 30. In a variant, the spacing is slightly smaller, so as to allow the insertion of this part of the fixing tab 30 while generating a clamping effect on the fixing tab 30.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the holding portion 22 is a substantially flat wall, which is parallel to the abutting surface 21 and forms a holding wall. The connecting portion 23 couples the edge of the holding wall 22 to the abutting surface 21. In Figure 2 the view, the connecting portion 23 is a flat wall perpendicular to both the abutting surface 21 and the holding wall 22, and this flat wall forms a connecting wall. Other orientations and forms are conceivable.

[0037] The guiding wall 24 extends from the edge of the holding wall 22, which is opposite to the edge of the holding wall 22 coupled to the connecting wall 23. The guiding wall 24 forms an obtuse angle with the holding wall 22 in a direction opposite to the abutting surface 21, so as to be away from the abutting surface 21 starting from the connecting portion where the guiding wall is connected to the holding wall 22. That is to say, the guiding wall 24 is inclined relative to the holding wall 22. The part of the guiding wall 24 closest to the abutting surface 21 is at the connecting portion where the guiding wall is connected to the holding wall 22, and the farthest part is at the end of the guiding wall 24 opposite to the connecting portion where the guiding wall is connected to the holding wall 22. The guiding wall 24 can assist in inserting a part of the fixing tab 30 between the holding wall 22 and the abutting surface 21. For easier insertion, the guiding wall 24 is substantially flat and forms an obtuse angle with the holding wall 22. This angle is selected, for example, to be greater than 120 degrees and less than 180 degrees to ensure effective guiding. The guiding wall 24 can have other forms or form other angles with the holding wall 22.

[0038] In Figure 2In the embodiment of the fixed joint 2 shown, the abutment surface 21 includes a molding opening 26 that faces the retaining wall 22. The molding opening 26 is capable of creating the retaining wall 22 and has a demoulding perpendicular to the abutment surface 21 without the mold including slides, and a part of the mold passes through the opening 26 to form the retaining wall 22.

[0039] Figure 3 The form of the part of the fixed tab 30 for receiving the fixed joint 2 is shown. The fixed tab 30 includes a rectangular opening 31, the form of which allows the passage of the pawl 20: the retaining wall 22 having the connecting wall 23 and the guiding wall 24 can pass through the opening 31 so that the part of the fixed tab 30 located on one of the edges of the opening 31 is inserted between the retaining wall 22 and the abutment surface 21 until it contacts the connecting wall 23. The trapezoidal shape 29 depicted by a dashed line shows the general form of the retaining wall 22 having the guiding wall 24. The trapezoidal shape 29 is superimposed on the rectangular opening 31. The narrower end of the trapezoidal shape 27 corresponds to the smaller base of the trapezoid, and the wider end corresponds to the larger base of the trapezoid. This general trapezoidal shape 29 formed by the guiding wall 24 and the retaining wall 22 allows the pawl 20 to be easily inserted into the opening 31 through its narrower end (i.e., the end corresponding to the end where the guiding wall 24 is located), and can position and retain the pawl 20 in the opening 31, with the pawl passing through the opening 31 as the width of the opening increases in the direction of the connecting wall 23, and the wider end of the trapezoidal shape 29 being at the position of the connecting wall 23. When the pawl 20 passes through the opening 31, the fixed joint 2 is pushed until the fixed tab 30 is clamped on one side by the abutment surface 21 and on the other side by the retaining wall 22 of the pawl 20. The clamped part of the fixed tab 30 is the part of the tab 30 located on the edge of the opening 31.

[0040] Other forms of the combination formed by the retaining wall 22 and the guiding wall 24 can be used, the particularity of these forms being that the width provided decreases from the connecting wall 23 until the end of the guiding wall 24 opposite the retaining wall 22.

[0041] Similarly, the connecting wall 23 has a generally trapezoidal shape, that is to say, its width is wider at the connecting portion where it is connected to the abutting surface 21 than at the connecting portion where it is connected to the maintaining wall 22, and the width is along the direction defined by the connecting portion. When the fixing joint 2 clamps a part of the fixing tab 30 while the edge of the opening 31 abuts against the maintaining wall 23, the wider width of the connecting wall 23 is substantially the same as the width of the opening 31. This form of the maintaining wall 23 and this dimension of the opening 31 allow the pawl 20 to effectively wedge against the edge of the opening 31. The opening 31 can have a non-rectangular (e.g., trapezoidal) shape with dimensions allowing for the precise insertion and positioning of the pawl.

[0042] The guiding member 25 extends protruding from the maintaining wall 22 in a direction opposite to the abutting surface 21. In Figure 2 and Figure 6 the illustrated embodiment, the guiding member 25 is implemented by a combination of ribs having a trapezoidal shape, which extend perpendicularly to the maintaining wall 22, and the wider part of these trapezoidal ribs is at the connecting portion where it is connected to the maintaining wall 22, and the narrower part is at the opposite position. In Figure 2 it, the guiding member 25 is formed by three guiding ribs 251 that are face-to-face and parallel, and a fourth guiding rib 252 that is perpendicular to the three other guiding ribs 251 and passes through the three first guiding ribs 251. These four ribs 251, 252 give the guiding member 25 a generally conical shape. The guiding member 25 enables an operator who invisibly assembles the sliding guide 1 in the door to detect the opening 31, and this detection is implemented by sliding the guiding member against the fixing joint 2 on which the structural element needs to be fixed (e.g., on the fixing tab 30 in the illustrated embodiment) until the operator feels by hand that the guiding member 25 meets the opening 31. When the guiding member 25 passes through the position of the opening 31, the operator actually feels the presence of the opening 31 by hand, and the guiding member 25 thus tries to enter the opening 31. The end of the guiding member 25 opposite to the maintaining wall has a smaller dimension than the maintaining wall 22 itself and than the opening 31, and the operator can thus simply press this guiding part 25 into the opening 31 to enable the guiding member 25 and then the pawl 20 to easily pass through the opening 31. As Figure 3 and Figure 6 shown, when the pawl 20 includes a guiding wall 24, the guiding member 25 also extends on the surface of the guiding wall opposite to the abutting surface 21.

[0043] As Figure 1As shown above, the lining 4 includes an access opening 41 with a reduced size, which enables the operator to insert equipment into the box body, especially the sliding guide 2. When the operator has inserted his arm into the interior of the box body to install the sliding guide 2, the reduced size of the access opening 41 makes it difficult to access the interior of the box body and the operator does not have good visibility of the interior of the box body.

[0044] In Figure 4 the embodiment shown above, the fixed joint 2 includes a straight retaining rib 27, which extends perpendicularly from the retaining wall 22 on the side where the abutting surface 21 is located. The retaining rib can extend until the connecting wall 23 (as Figure 4 shown) or stop before the connecting wall 23. The retaining rib 27 extends in the same direction as the moving direction of the pawl 20 in the opening 31 to clamp a part of the fixing tab 30. Additionally, the opening 31 includes a groove 32 on one of its own edges, and the groove is arranged such that when the fixed joint 2 clamps the fixing tab 30, the retaining rib 27 is inserted into the groove 32. The groove 32 and the retaining rib 27 are thus along the same assembly direction in which the fixed joint 2 is assembled with the fixing tab 30. The groove 32 and the retaining rib 27 can improve the resistance to fixation between the fixed joint 2 and the fixing tab 30, especially the resistance to forces perpendicular to the assembly direction and along a plane parallel to the abutting surface 21.

[0045] To implement the installation of the sliding guide 1 in the vehicle door, when the door is closed, the assembly direction is basically along the vertical and longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The assembly direction is basically along the extension direction of the sliding guide 1. The retaining rib 27 associated with the groove 32 is also basically along the same assembly direction, which can ensure the reliable retention of the fixed joint 2 on the fixing tab 30 when the door is closed. These closing operations especially generate large forces perpendicular to the direction of the retaining rib 27 when the window is in the open position. In this open position, the fixed joint 2 needs to withstand the forces from the inertia of the window located near the fixed joint 2 in this case.

[0046] In Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the fixed joint 2 is located at one end of the sliding guide 1. In a variant, the fixed joint 2 can be arranged between the two ends of the sliding guide 1, as Figure 6 shown above.

[0047] In Figure 1In [the situation], the fixed joint portion 2 is fixed to the fixing tab 30, which is implemented by the lock reinforcement 3 fixed to the lining 4 of the door. In a variant (not shown), the fixing tab 30 may be a specific tab that is fixed to the lining 4 of the door, or from the lining of the door, or from another fitting of the door. In other variants (not shown), the fixed joint portion 2 may be directly fixed to the lining 4 of the door by inserting the pawl 20 into a suitable opening. In other variants (not shown), the sliding guide 1 may be located in another part of the vehicle other than the door, and the other part is fixed to the structural element of the vehicle (for example, in the case where the sliding guide 1 guides the rear quarter sliding window, the structural element on the lateral side of the vehicle).

[0048] In Figure 2 and Figure 4 on, the abutting surface 21 includes a molded opening 26 that faces the retaining wall 22 and the guiding wall 24. In a variant, the abutting surface 21 does not include a molded opening 26 of this type that extends completely face to face with the retaining wall 22 and the guiding wall 24, as Figure 6 shown on

[0049] In another variant (not shown), an opening 31 is arranged on the edge of the structural element so as to form a notch along the edge, and the fixed joint portion 2 is inserted into the notch so as to clamp the portion of the structural element located at the bottom of the notch.

Claims

1. A window sliding guide (1) for a vehicle sliding window, the window sliding guide comprising a fixed engagement portion (2) for fixing to a structural element (30) of the vehicle, characterized in that, The fixed joint portion (2) includes a contact surface (21) and a pawl (20) protruding relative to the contact surface (21). The pawl is formed by a connecting portion (23) and a maintaining portion (22). The maintaining portion (22) is spaced apart from the contact surface (21). And the connecting portion (23) couples the maintaining portion (22) to the contact surface (21) so that a part of the structural element (30) is clamped between the maintaining portion (22) and the contact surface (21). The contact surface (21) of the window sliding guide is a substantially flat surface. The maintaining portion (22) is a substantially flat wall that is parallel to the contact surface (21) and forms a maintaining wall. And the connecting portion (23) couples the edge of the wall of the maintaining portion (22) to the contact surface (21). The window sliding guide includes a guiding member (25) that protrudingly extends from the maintaining portion (22) in a direction opposite to the contact surface (21) to guide the insertion of the pawl (20) into an opening (31) of the structural element (30). The fixed joint portion (2) is for fixing to the structural element. Wherein, the guiding member (25) is implemented by a combination of ribs having a trapezoid. These trapezoidal ribs extend perpendicularly to the maintaining wall. The wider portions of these trapezoidal ribs are at the connection positions where they are connected to the maintaining wall, and the narrower portions are at the opposite positions.

2. The window sliding guide (1) according to claim 1, wherein the maintaining portion (22) of the window sliding guide includes a guiding wall (24) that forms an obtuse angle with the maintaining wall in a direction opposite to the contact surface (21).

3. The window sliding guide (1) according to claim 2, wherein the width of the pawl (20) of the window sliding guide decreases from the connection portion where the connecting portion (23) is connected to the contact surface (21) until the edge of the guiding wall (24) opposite to the maintaining portion (22).

4. The window sliding guide (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the maintaining portion (22) of the window sliding guide includes a straight maintaining rib (27) that protrudingly extends from the surface of the maintaining portion (22) oriented on the side where the contact surface (21) is located and is perpendicular to the maintaining portion (22).

5. A vehicle door, comprising the window slide guide (21) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The vehicle door includes a structural element (30) made of a metal plate. The structural element is clamped by a fixed joint portion (2). The contact surface (21) is arranged on one side of the structural element (30). And the maintaining portion (22) is positioned on the other side of the clamped structural element (30).

6. The vehicle door according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle door has the window sliding guide (1) according to claim 4. The structural element (30) of the vehicle door includes a groove (32) arranged for receiving the maintaining rib (27).

7. The vehicle door according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The structural element (30) is a fixing tab which is derived from a door lock reinforcement (3) and is fixed to the lining (4) of the door.

8. A vehicle comprising a window sliding guide (21) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or a door according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

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