Double window regulator with optimized motor configuration

Abstract

Window regulator (16) for raising and lowering a window of a vehicle, comprising: a first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail; a flange portion mounted on a lower end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318), in which the flange portion has a rail mounting portion and an arm portion extending from the rail mounting portion and a mounting portion extending from the arm portion;and a motor (32, 232, 332) functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor (32, 232, 332) being mounted on the mounting part, wherein, when the motor (32, 232, 332) is mounted on the mounting part, it is located adjacent to one side of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) situated between the lower end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and an upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318). Figure 1;

Description

Title of the invention: Double window regulator with optimized motor configuration

[0001] BACKGROUND

[0002] Exemplary embodiments belong to the field of vehicles, and more particularly to window regulators for vehicles.

[0003] Passenger vehicles typically have windows surrounding the passenger compartment. The vehicle door windows can be designed to be raised and lowered electrically by an operator. The operator can be the driver or a passenger, usually using an interior switch. The physical raising and lowering of a window is accomplished by an electromechanical device called a window regulator. The window regulator is generally located inside a vehicle door cavity. The vehicle door cavity has limited available space for such components. Thus, it is desirable to provide a window regulator with a smaller profile.

[0004] BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0005] The present invention discloses a window regulator for raising and lowering a window of a vehicle, comprising: a first guide rail; a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail; a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail; a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail; a flange part mounted on a lower end of the first guide rail, in which the flange part has a rail mounting part and an arm part extending from the rail mounting part and a mounting part extending from the arm part;and a motor functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor being mounted on the mounting part, wherein, when the motor is mounted on the mounting part, it is situated adjacent to one side of the first guide rail located between the lower end of the first guide rail and an upper end of the first guide rail.

[0006] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the window regulator includes a cable drum rotatably mounted on the flange portion, the cable drum being functionally coupled to the motor and to at least one cable attached to the cable drum at one end and to the first slider and the second slider at another end.

[0007] The present invention discloses a window regulator for raising and lowering a vehicle window, comprising: a first guide rail; a first slider mounted sliding on the first guide rail; a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail; a second slider mounted sliding on the second guide rail; a flange part mounted on an upper end of the first guide rail, in which the flange part has a rail mounting part and an arm part extending from the rail mounting part and a mounting part extending from the arm part;and a motor functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor being mounted on the mounting part, wherein, when the motor is mounted on the mounting part, it is situated adjacent to one side of the first guide rail located between a lower end of the first guide rail and the upper end of the first guide rail.

[0008] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the window regulator includes a lower pulley rotatably mounted on the rail mounting portion and an upper pulley rotatably fixed to the upper end of the first guide rail by a housing.

[0009] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail is a three-sided structure with an opening and the first guide rail is insert-molded onto the flanged part, the flanged part has a structural element that extends into the opening.

[0010] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail and the second guide rail are extruded structures which have internal structural elements which extend through a cavity in the first guide rail and the second guide rail.

[0011] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the first slider completely surrounds the first guide rail and where the second guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the second slider completely surrounds the second guide rail.

[0012] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail and the second guide rail are hollow.

[0013] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the portion of the first slider surrounding the first guide rail has multiple points of contact with the first guide rail in order to prevent undesired movement of the first slider as that it slides up and down on the first guide rail, and where the part of the second slider surrounding the second guide rail has multiple points of contact with the second guide rail in order to prevent unwanted movement of the second slider as it slides up and down on the second guide rail.

[0014] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the rail mounting part, the arm part and the mounting part are all formed in one piece.

[0015] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the motor extends in a direction generally parallel to the first guide rail.

[0016] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, a pair of cables are attached to a cable drum rotatably mounted on the flange portion at one end and one of the pair of cables is attached to the first slider at another end and the other of the pair of cables is attached to the second slider at another end.

[0017] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail to slide through it and the second slider has an insert that defines an opening for the second guide rail to slide through it.

[0018] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the insert of the first slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and the first slider is overmolded onto the insert of the first slider and the insert of the second slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and the second slider is overmolded onto the insert of the second slider.

[0019] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first slider and the second slider are formed of nylon.

[0020] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail is a front guide rail and the second guide rail is a rear guide rail.

[0021] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the window regulator comprises a lower pulley rotatably mounted on the rail mounting portion and an upper pulley rotatably fixed to the upper end of the first guide rail by a first housing and a lower pulley rotatably mounted on a lower end of the second rail. guidance by a second box, the first box and the second box having the same configuration.

[0022] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the window regulator includes a pulley fixed in rotation to an upper end of the second guide rail by a third housing, the third housing being a mirror image of the first housing.

[0023] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the first slider completely surrounds the first guide rail and where the second guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the second slider completely surrounds the second guide rail and where the first guide rail and the second guide rail are hollow.

[0024] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail to slide through it and the second slider has an insert that defines an opening for the second guide rail to slide through it.

[0025] The present invention also discloses a window regulator for raising and lowering a window of a vehicle, the window regulator comprising: a first guide rail; a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail; a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail; a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail;a motor functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor being mounted on a mounting part that is not fixed to the first guide rail or the second guide rail, wherein when the motor is mounted on the mounting part, it is situated adjacent to a side of the first guide rail located between a lower end of the first guide rail and an upper end of the first guide rail;and wherein the first guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a portion of the first slider completely surrounds the first guide rail, and wherein the second guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a portion of the second slider completely surrounds the second guide rail, and both the first and second guide rails are hollow, and the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail to slide through it, and the second slider has an insert that defines an opening for the second guide rail to slide through it.

[0026] The present invention discloses a window regulator comprising: a first guide rail; a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail; a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail; a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail; a housing not mounted on a lower end of the first guide rail; a motor mounted on the housing and functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail; a cable drum rotatably mounted on the housing, the cable drum being functionally coupled to the motor and to a first cable attached to the cable drum at one end and to the first slider at the other end;a second cable attached to the cable drum at one end and to the second slider at the other end; a third cable attached to the first slider at one end and to the second slider at the other end; a first cable sheath surrounding the first cable extending from a first element of the first guide rail to the housing; a cable tensioner associated with the first cable sheath; a second cable sheath surrounding the second cable extending from the housing to a second element of the second guide rail; and a third cable sheath surrounding the third cable extending from the second element of the first guide rail to a first element of the second guide rail, in which the window regulator is configured to raise and lower a window of a frameless door assembly of a vehicle.

[0027] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, a pulley is rotatably mounted on each of the first element of the first guide rail, the second element of the second guide rail, the first element of the second guide rail and the second element of the second guide rail.

[0028] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail and the second guide rail are hollow structures.

[0029] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the first slider completely surrounds the first guide rail and where the second guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the second slider completely surrounds the second guide rail.

[0030] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail and the second guide rail are hollow.

[0031] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the portion of the first slider surrounding the first guide rail has multiple points of contact with the first guide rail in order to prevent undesired movement of the first slider as it slides up and down on the first guide rail, and where the portion of the second slider surrounding the second guide rail has multiple points of contact with the second guide rail in order to prevent undesired movement of the second slider as it slides up and down on the second guide rail.

[0032] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail to slide through it and the second slider has an insert that defines an opening for the second guide rail to slide through it.

[0033] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the insert of the first slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and a part of the first slider is positioned on the insert of the first slider and the insert of the second slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and a part of the second slider is positioned on the insert of the second slider.

[0034] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first slider and the second slider are made of nylon.

[0035] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail is a front guide rail and the second guide rail is a rear guide rail.

[0036] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail and the second guide rail are hollow structures.

[0037] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the first slider completely surrounds the first guide rail and where the second guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a part of the second slider completely surrounds the second guide rail.

[0038] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, where the first guide rail and the second guide rail are hollow.

[0039] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the portion of the first slider surrounding the first guide rail has multiple points of contact with the first guide rail in order to prevent undesired movement of the first slider as it slides up and down on the first guide rail, and where the portion of the second slider surrounding the second guide rail has multiple points of contact with the second guide rail in order to prevent undesired movement of the second slider as it slides up and down on the second guide rail.

[0040] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, where the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail to slide through it and the second slider has an insert that defines an opening for the second guide rail to slide through it.

[0041] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the insert of the first slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and a part of the first slider is positioned on the insert of the first slider and the insert of the second slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and a part of the second slider is positioned on the insert of the second slider.

[0042] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first slider and the second slider are made of nylon.

[0043] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the first guide rail is a front guide rail and the second guide rail is a rear guide rail. Brief description of the drawings

[0044] The following descriptions are in no way to be considered exhaustive. With reference to the accompanying drawings, similar elements have the same numbering:

[0045] [Fig.1] is a partial view of a vehicle having a power window according to this disclosure;

[0046] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a window regulator according to the present disclosure;

[0047] [Fig.3] is a cross-sectional view of a guide rail for use with a lift- glass according to this disclosure;

[0048] [Fig. 4] includes Figures 4A and 4B, which are cross-sectional views of a guide rail for use with a window regulator as described in this disclosure;

[0049] [Fig. 5] includes Figures 5A-5E illustrating various configurations of a structural component for use with a guide rail according to this disclosure; and

[0050] [Fig.6] includes Figures 6A and 6B which are perspective views of a guide rail with an integral housing or flanged part formed into a single unit structure;

[0051] [Fig.7] includes Figures 7A and 7B which are views of a guide rail with an integral housing or flanged part formed into a single unit structure;

[0052] [Fig.8] is a view of part of the guide rail illustrated in Figures 6A-7B;

[0053] [Fig.9] is a view of part of the guide rail illustrated in Figures 6A-7B;

[0054] [Fig. 10] is a view along lines 10-10 of [Fig.9];

[0055] [Fig. 11] illustrates a double-channel window regulator according to an embodiment of the present request;

[0056] [Fig. 12] illustrates the placement of a cursor on a window regulator according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] [Fig. 13] is a side view of a slider for use with window regulators according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] [Fig. 14] is a view along lines 14-14 of [Fig. 13];

[0059] [Fig. 15] is a view along lines 15-15 of [Fig. 14];

[0060] [Fig. 16] is a partial view of a vehicle having a power window according to the present disclosure ;

[0061] [Fig.l7A] is a perspective front view of a window regulator according to the present disclosure;

[0062] [Fig. 17B] is a rear perspective view of a window regulator according to the present disclosure;

[0063] [Fig. 18] is a perspective top view of a window regulator according to the present disclosure;

[0064] [Fig. 19] is a perspective view from below of a window regulator according to the present disclosure;

[0065] [Fig.20] illustrates the placement of a slider on a window regulator according to one embodiment of the present application; and

[0066] [Fig.21] is an opposite side view of [Fig.20]. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] A detailed description of one or more embodiment(s) of the disclosed apparatus and method is presented here by way of non-limiting example with reference to the Figures.

[0068] The present invention discloses a device for raising and lowering a vehicle window. The device may be called a "window regulator". In one or more modes of In practice, the window regulator is an electromechanical device that can be controlled by a user inside the vehicle, for example by operating a switch.

[0069] Figure 1 is a partial side view of a vehicle 10 having at least one door 12 with a window 14 configured to be raised and lowered by a window regulator 16 located inside door panels (e.g., outer and inner) of the door 12. Although only one door 12 and one window 14 are shown, it is envisaged that the window regulator of this disclosure could be used in a vehicle having multiple doors and associated windows. Thus, one or more other windows 14 of the vehicle 10 could also be operated by a window regulator 16 according to this disclosure.

[0070] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the window regulator 16. The window regulator 16 comprises a guide rail 18 and a slider 20 which is slidably attached to the guide rail 18. The slider 20 is configured to be attached to the window 14 and is functionally coupled to a cable 22 or cables 22 which are attached to the slider 20. The window regulator 16 has a top pulley or top cam 24 which is attached to an upper portion or upper end 25 of the guide rail 18 by a housing or element 26. As illustrated, the top pulley or top cam 24 is aligned with the guide rail 18. In the case where a pulley is used, the top pulley 24 is received for rotation within the housing or element 26. The top pulley or top cam is configured to receive, for rotation or sliding, a cable 22. The cable 22 is fixed to the slider 20 at one end and to a cable drum 28 at the opposite end.

[0071] The cable drum 28 is rotatably mounted on a housing or flange portion 30. To provide rotational movement to the cable drum 28, a motor 32 is functionally coupled to the cable drum 28, for example, by a worm gear drive (not shown) which is rotated by the motor 32. The housing or flange portion 30 is fixed to a lower portion or lower end 33 of the guide rail 18. As used here, the upper end 25 of the guide rail 18 is located closer to the top of the vehicle door 12 than the lower end 33 when the window regulator 16 is fixed to the vehicle door 12.

[0072] The housing or flange portion 30 also has a lower pulley or lower cam 34 attached to the housing. If a pulley is used, the lower pulley 34 is received for rotation within the housing 30. As illustrated, the lower pulley or lower cam 34 is aligned with the guide rail 18. The lower pulley or lower cam 34 is configured to receive, for rotation or sliding, a cable 22.

[0073] As mentioned above, a cable 22 or a pair of cables 22 is / are attached to the cable drum 28 and the slider 20. In the case where a pair of cables 22 are used, one of the pair of cables 22 is attached to the slider 20 at one end and to the cable drum 28 at the other end and the other of the cables 22 is fixed to the slider 20 at one end and to the cable drum 28 at the other end.

[0074] When the cable drum 28 is rotated in the direction of the arrows 36, one of the cables 22 (when two are used) will wind onto the cable drum 28 while the other will unwind, thus causing the slider 20 to move in the directions of the arrows 38. The movement of the slider in the directions of the arrows 38 will cause the window 14 to move up and down relative to the vehicle door 12. If only one cable 22 is used, part of the cable will wind onto the cable drum 28 while another part will unwind from the cable drum 28 to ensure the desired movement of the slider 20 in the direction of the arrows 38.

[0075] In a non-limiting embodiment, the guide rail 18 is a hollow tube or hollow structure formed from a metal such as aluminum, steel, or metal alloys, or the hollow tube is formed from a plastic material or a plastic composite material. In one variant, and as illustrated at least in [Fig. 3], the guide rail 18 is an extruded structure having internal structural elements, supports, or ribs 39 that extend through a cavity 41 in the guide rail. In this embodiment, the internal structural elements, supports, or ribs 39 extend from an inner surface of the wall or walls that define an outer surface of the guide rail 18. The outer surface is opposite the inner surface of the wall or walls.

[0076] Furthermore, and in a non-limiting embodiment, the housing or flange portion 30 and the housing or element 26 are formed from a readily moldable material such as a plastic material, a plastic material, or a plastic composite material reinforced by a metal insert. Alternatively, the guide rail 18 may be solid. In various embodiments of this disclosure, the guide rail may have a square or rectangular configuration or periphery.

[0077] A control device for controlling the motor 32 and inputs to the control device, such as user-operated switches and a vehicle control module that can also provide an input to the control device, are not shown. A power supply system is also not shown, which may include a battery and an alternator. Since vehicle power supply systems and window control devices are well known in the art, these components are not described in further detail.

[0078] In one embodiment, the slider 20 or a portion thereof is configured to completely surround a periphery of the guide rail 18. Thus, the portion of the slider 20 surrounding the guide rail 18 will have multiple points of contact with the guide rail in order to prevent twisting, rotation, or unwanted movement of the slider as it slides up and down on the guide rail 18 in the direction of the arrows 38. It is understood that a minor rotation, movement or twist of the slider 20 around an axis (generally extending in the direction of the arrows 38) of the guide rail 18 is acceptable for the operation of the window regulator.

[0079] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the housing or flange portion 30 is configured to be mounted on the lower portion or lower end 33 of the guide rail 18, and the motor 32 is attached to the lower portion or lower end 33 of the guide rail 18 via the housing or flange portion 30, as opposed to a bottom-mounted motor where the motor is mounted at the bottom of the guide rail and the cable drum of the motor assembly is the pulley located at the bottom of the guide rail. Since a bottom-mounted motor is typically located at the end 33 of the guide rail 18, the motor 32 and its housing can prevent the movement of the slider 20 and thus the movement of the glass 14.

[0080] In accordance with this disclosure, and in order to mount the motor 32 on the end 33 of the guide rail 18, the housing or flange portion 30 is configured to have a rail mounting portion 40 that engages with the end 33 of the guide rail 18, while an arm portion 42 extends from the rail mounting portion 40 in a direction away from the guide rail 18, such that the motor 32, when mounted on the housing or flange portion 30, is located adjacent to one side of the guide rail 18. Thus, when the motor 32 is mounted on the housing or flange portion 30, the motor 32 is located adjacent to one side of the guide rail 18 situated between the lower end 33 of the guide rail 18 and an upper end 25 of the guide rail 18. In one embodiment, the arm portion extends laterally and upwards towards the upper end 25 of the guide rail 18 from the lower end 33 of the guide rail 18.

[0081] In one embodiment, the motor 32 can be oriented to extend in a direction generally parallel to the guide rail 18 in order to reduce the space required for the window regulator 16 when installed in a vehicle door 12. Alternatively, the motor 32 need not be parallel to the guide rail 18 as long as it is located on one side of the guide rail 18 so as to avoid the limited applications of traditional bottom-mounted motor systems which have limited applications due to glass drop limitations with a motor housing at the bottom of the rail.

[0082] The housing or flange part 30 also has a mounting part 44 extending from the arm part 42. The mounting part 44 is configured so that the motor 32 is mounted on it and also includes a housing 46 configured to receive the cable drum 28 in rotation.

[0083] The housing or flange part 30 may also have cable guides 48 which are configured to guide one or more cables 22 when they are wound and unwound from the cable drum 28.

[0084] In one embodiment, the housing or flange portion 30 is formed in one piece such that the rail mounting portion 40, the arm portion 42, the mounting portion 44, and the housing 46 are all formed together as a single component (for example, they are all formed in one piece by an injection molding or snap-fit ​​process). Thus, when the rail mounting portion 40, the arm portion 42, the mounting portion 44, and the housing 46, or any combination thereof, are described as being formed in one piece, it is understood that the housing or flange portion 30 will all be formed together as a single component (for example, they are all formed in one piece).

[0085] In yet another alternative embodiment, the guide rail 18 may be a three-sided structure with an opening or channel 50 such as a substantially “C”- or “U”-shaped configuration when viewed from one end or in a cross-sectional view. See, for example, Figures 4A and 4B in which the guide rail 18 has a lower portion 52 with a pair of opposing side walls 54 formed as a single piece that define an opening or channel 50. In an alternative embodiment, the pair of opposing side walls formed as a single piece 54 each have a flange portion 56. Alternatively, the pair of opposing side walls formed as a single piece 54 are straight and do not have a flange portion 56.In one embodiment, the guide rail 18 illustrated in Figure 4A is formed as a single unit piece which can be formed from a metal such as aluminium, steel, metal alloys or the guide rail 18 is formed from a plastic material, or a plastic composite material.

[0086] In order to impart structural rigidity to the guide rail 18 illustrated in Figure 4A, the guide rail 18 is molded by insertion onto or with the housing or flange part 30 (for example, the guide rail 18 is inserted into a mold which forms the housing or flange part 30) and the housing or flange part 30 has a structural member 58 which extends into a cavity 50.

[0087] Referring now to Figures 5A-5E, various configurations of the structural organ 58 are illustrated.

[0088] In yet another variant, the guide rail 18 with the structural member 58 is formed separately with an insert molding process and the housing or flange part 30 is also formed separately and then, once formed, the housing or flange part 30 is then fixed to the guide rail 18 with the structural member 58.

[0089] In the embodiment, where the guide rail 18 is molded by insertion onto or with the housing or flange part 30, at least one end of the guide rail 18 must The opening must be open to allow the slider 20 to slide along the guide rail 18. In one embodiment, the housing or flange portion 30 is molded by insertion onto the guide rail. In this embodiment, the housing or flange portion 30 may include a structural element 58 that is molded into the cavity 50 of the guide rail formed as a three-sided structure. In yet another variant, the housing or flange portion 30 may be formed separately and attached separately to the guide rail 18.

[0090] In yet another embodiment, the housing or flange portion 30 can be fixed to an upper part of the guide rail (for example, the part closest to the window opening in the door when the guide rail 18 is fixed to the vehicle door) as opposed to the lower part. In this embodiment, the housing or flange portion 30 can use any of the aforementioned configurations or embodiments (for example, an insert molding with or without a structural element 58 and either on a closed structure (with or without structural ribs 39) or on an open channel structure, or can be formed and fixed separately to the guide rail 18).

[0091] When a slider 20 is used, which has a part that completely surrounds the guide rail 18 and the housing or flange part 30 is fixed to the lower or upper end of the guide rail 18, the opposite end of the guide rail 18 must be open so that the slider 20 can slide on the guide rail 18 and then a housing or element 26 is fixed to the opposite end (for example, at the bottom or top) after the slider 20 has slid on the guide rail 18. As mentioned above, the housing or element 26 is configured to receive a pulley 24 for rotation or is formed to have a cam element 24 to guide the cable 22 through it.

[0092] Alternatively, and in some of the aforementioned embodiments, the slider 20 can be configured to roll or slide only on three sides of the guide rail. In these embodiments, the slider 20 can be snapped onto the guide rail 18. Thus, it may not be necessary to leave one end of the guide rail 18 open. This is particularly advantageous in embodiments where the structural member 58 is insert-molded into the guide rail 10.

[0093] Referring now to Figures 6A-10, yet another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Here, the guide rail 118, to be used with a motor, cables, a slider, pulleys, and associated components to provide a window regulator, is formed into a single unit structure with the housing or flange portion 130. The housing or flange portion 130 is configured to support a motor and an associated cable drum such that the motor is located on one side of the guide rail 118. The housing or flange portion 130 can also be configured to have a cable guide(s) 148 which is / are configured to guide the cable(s) as it / they is / are wound and unwound from the cable drum 28.

[0094] In this embodiment, a three-sided structural member 119 having an opening or channel 150 such as a substantially "C"- or "U"-shaped configuration when viewed from one end or in a cross-sectional view is insert-molded with an outer plastic material 131 such that when fully formed by the insert-molding process, the outer plastic material 131 forms an outer surface of the guide rail 118 on which the slider will slide. The three-sided structural member 119 may have a lower portion 152 with a pair of opposing side walls 154 formed as a single piece that define an opening or channel 150. The three-sided structural member 119 may be formed from a metal such as aluminum, steel, metal alloys, or from a plastic material or plastic composite material that can be insert-molded.

[0095] Thus, the three-sided structural element 119 can provide additional structural reinforcement and rigidity to the guide rail 118.

[0096] In a non-limiting embodiment, the outer plastic material located in an opening or channel 150 may have open areas 170 to reduce the material required for the outer plastic material 131.

[0097] In Figures 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B, it is understood that the housing or flange part 130 can be located at the top or bottom of the guide rail 118 when it is attached to the vehicle door 12. An element 140 which is configured to receive a pulley in rotation is also shown.

[0098] Referring now to [Fig. 11], a schematic view of a double-channel window regulator 216 is provided. In this embodiment, the window regulator 216 comprises a first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and a second guide rail or rear guide rail 221. As used here, the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 is located closer to a front end of a vehicle than the second guide rail or rear guide rail when the window regulator 216 is attached to a door of the vehicle (illustrated in [Fig. 1]).

[0099] Each guide rail 218, 221 has a slider 220 (Figures 12-15) which is slidably fixed to the guide rails 218, 221. In [Fig. 11], the window regulator 216 is shown without the sliders 220.

[0100] The slider 220 is configured to be fixed to the window 14 and is functionally coupled to a cable 222 or cables 222 which is / are fixed to the slider 220. The first guide rail or front guide rail 218 has a high pulley or high cam 224 which is fixed to an upper portion or upper end 225 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 by a housing or element 226. As illustrated, the upper pulley or upper cam 224 is aligned with the first guide rail or front guide rail 218. If a pulley is used, the upper pulley 224 is received for rotation within the housing or element 226. The upper pulley or upper cam is configured to receive the cable 222 for rotation or sliding. The cable(s) 222 is / are attached to the slider 220 at one end and to a cable drum 228 at the opposite end.

[0101] The cable drum 228 is rotatably mounted on a housing or flange portion 230. To provide rotational movement to the cable drum 228, a motor 232 is functionally coupled to the cable drum 228, for example, by a worm gear drive (not shown) which is rotated by the motor 232. The housing or flange portion 230 is fixed to a lower portion or lower end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218. As used here, the upper end 225 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 is located closer to the top of the vehicle door 12 ([Fig. 1]) than the lower end 233 when the window regulator 216 is fixed to the vehicle door 12.

[0102] The housing or flange portion 230 also includes a lower pulley or lower cam 234 attached to the housing. If a pulley is used, the lower pulley 234 is received for rotation within the housing 230. As illustrated, the lower pulley or lower cam 234 is aligned with the first guide rail or front guide rail 218. The lower pulley or lower cam 234 is configured to receive the cable 222 for rotation or sliding.

[0103] As mentioned above, a cable 222 or a pair of cables 222 are attached to the cable drum 228 and the sliders 220. In the case where a pair of cables 222 are used, one of the pair of cables 222 is attached to one of the sliders 220 at one end and to the cable drum 228 at the other end and the other of the cables 222 is attached to the other of the sliders 220 at one end and to the cable drum 228 at the other end.

[0104] As the cable drum 228 rotates in the direction of the arrows 236, one of the cables 222 (when two are used) will wind onto the cable drum 228 while the other will unwind, thus causing the sliders 220 to move in the directions of the arrows 238. The movement of the slider in the directions of the arrows 238 will cause the window 14 to move up and down relative to the vehicle door 12. In the case where only one cable 222 is used, part of the cable will wind onto a cable drum 228 while another part will unwind from the cable drum 228 in order to provide the desired movement of the sliders 220 in the direction of the arrows 238.

[0105] In a non-limiting embodiment, the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 are a hollow tube or a hollow structure formed from a metal such as aluminium, The steel, metal alloys, or hollow tube is formed from a plastic material or a plastic composite material. In one embodiment, and as illustrated at least in [Fig. 3], the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 are extruded structures having internal structural elements, supports, or ribs extending through a cavity 41 in the guide rail. In this embodiment, the internal structural elements, supports, or ribs 39 extend from an inner surface of the wall or walls that define an outer surface of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 219. The outer surface is opposite the inner surface of the wall or walls.

[0106] Furthermore, and in a non-limiting embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 and the housing or element 226 are formed from a readily moldable material such as a plastic material, a plastic material, or a plastic composite material reinforced by a metal insert. Alternatively, the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 may be solid. In various embodiments of this disclosure, the guide rails 218, 221 may have a square or rectangular configuration or periphery.

[0107] A control device for controlling the motor 232 and inputs to the control device, such as user-operated switches and a vehicle control module that can also provide an input to the control device, are not shown. A power supply system is also not shown, which may include a battery and an alternator. Since vehicle power supply systems and window control devices are well known in the art, these components are not described in further detail.

[0108] In one embodiment, the sliders 220 or a part thereof are configured to completely surround a periphery of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221. Thus, the part of the sliders 220 surrounding the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 will have multiple points of contact with the guide rail in order to prevent twisting, rotation or undesired movement of the slider as it slides up and down on the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and on the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 in the direction of the arrows 238.It is understood that a minor rotation, movement or twist of the slider 220 around an axis (generally extending in the direction of the arrows 238) of the guide rails 218, 221 is acceptable for the operation of the window regulator.

[0109] The housing or flange portion 230 is configured to be mounted on the lower portion or lower end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218, and the motor 232 is attached to the lower portion or lower end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 via the housing or flange portion 230, as opposed to a bottom-mounted motor where the motor is mounted at the bottom of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the cable drum of the motor assembly is the pulley located at the bottom of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218. Since a bottom-mounted motor is typically located at the end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218, the motor 232 and its housing can prevent the movement of the slider 220 and thus the movement of the window 14.

[0110] In accordance with this disclosure and in order to mount the motor 232 on the end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218, the housing or flange portion 230 is configured to have a rail mounting portion 240 that engages with the end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 while an arm portion 242 extends from the rail mounting portion 240 in a direction away from the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 so that the motor 232, when mounted on the housing or flange portion 230, is located adjacent to one side of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218.Thus, when the motor 232 is mounted on the housing or flange part 230, the motor 232 is located adjacent to one side of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 situated between the lower end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and an upper end 225 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218. In one embodiment, the arm part 242 extends laterally and upwards towards the upper end 225 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 from the lower end 233 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218.

[0111] In one embodiment, the motor 232 can be oriented to extend in a direction generally parallel to the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 in order to reduce the space required for the window regulator 216 when installed in a vehicle door 12. Alternatively, the motor 232 need not be parallel to the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 as long as it is located on one side of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 so as to avoid the limited applications of traditional bottom-mounted motor systems which have limited applications due to glass drop limitations with a motor housing at the bottom of the rail.

[0112] The housing or flange portion 230 also has a mounting portion 244 extending from the arm portion 242. The mounting portion 244 is configured to have the motor 232 mounted on it and also includes a housing configured to receive the rotating cable drum 228.

[0113] The housing or flange part 230 may also have cable guides that are configured to guide the cable(s) 222 when it / they is / are wound and unwound from the cable drum 228.

[0114] In one embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 is formed as a single piece such that the rail mounting portion 240, the arm portion 242, the mounting portion 244, and the housing are all formed together as a single component (for example, they are all formed as a single piece by an injection molding or snap-fit ​​process). Thus, when the rail mounting portion 240, the arm portion 242, the mounting portion 244, and the housing, or any combination thereof, are described as being formed as a single piece, it is understood that the housing or flange portion 230 will all be formed together as a single component (for example, they are all formed as a single piece).

[0115] In an alternative embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 can be fixed to the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221. In yet another alternative embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 may not be fixed to any guide rail and may be free-floating relative to the guide rails 218, 221 and may be installed independently on the vehicle door in which the window regulator is installed. This embodiment is illustrated by the dashed lines 230 in [Fig. 11]. In this embodiment, the dual-channel window regulator 216 with an independent or free-floating housing or flange portion 230 can be used with any combination of guide rail and slider configurations illustrated herein.Furthermore, in this embodiment where an independent or floating housing or flange portion 230 is used with a dual-channel window regulator 216, an element is fixed to the lower end of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218. This element would be configured to receive a rotating pulley 234 or to have a cam element 234 to guide the cable 222. In one embodiment, this element may be similar to an element 227 fixed to the top of the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221.

[0116] In yet another alternative embodiment, the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and / or the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 may be a three-sided structure with an opening or channel 50 such as a substantially “C”- or “U”-shaped configuration when viewed from one end or in a cross-sectional view. See, for example, Figures 4A and 4B in which the illustrated guide rail has a lower portion 52 with a pair of opposing side walls 54 formed as a single piece that define an opening or channel 50. In an alternative embodiment, the pair of walls Opposite side walls 54 formed in one piece each have a rim portion 56. Alternatively, the pair of opposite side walls 54 formed in one piece are straight and do not have a rim portion 56. In one embodiment, the guide rail illustrated in Figure 4A is formed in one unit piece which can be formed from a metal such as aluminium, steel, metal alloys or the guide rail is formed from a plastic material, or a plastic composite material.

[0117] In order to impart structural rigidity to the guide rail illustrated in Figure 4A, the guide rail is molded by insertion onto or with the housing or flange part 230 (for example, the guide rail is inserted into a mold which forms the housing or flange part 230) and the housing or flange part 230 has a structural member 58 which extends into the cavity 50.

[0118] Referring now to Figures 5A-5E, various configurations of the structural organ 58 are illustrated.

[0119] In yet another variant, the guide rail with the structural member 58 is formed separately with an insert molding process and the housing or flange part 230 is also formed separately, then once formed, the housing or flange part 230 is then fixed to the guide rail with the structural member 58.

[0120] In the embodiment where the guide rail is insert-molded onto or with the housing or flange portion 230, at least one end of the guide rail must be open to allow the slider 220 to slide along the guide rail. In one embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 is insert-molded onto the guide rail. In this embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 may include a structural element 58 that is molded into the cavity 50 of the guide rail formed as a three-sided structure. In yet another variant, the housing or flange portion 230 may be formed separately and attached separately to the guide rail.

[0121] In yet another embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 can be fixed to an upper part of the guide rail (for example, the part closest to the window opening in the door when the guide rail is fixed to the vehicle door) as opposed to the lower part. In this embodiment, the housing or flange portion 230 can use one of the aforementioned configurations or embodiments (for example, insert molding with or without a structural element 58 and either on a closed structure (with or without structural ribs 39) or on an open channel structure, or can be formed and fixed separately to the guide rail).

[0122] When a slider 220 is used, which has a part that completely surrounds the guide rail 218, 221, and the housing or flange part 230 is fixed to the lower or upper end of the guide rail 218, 221, the opposite end of the guide rail 218 must be open so that the slider 220 can slide on the rail. Guide 218, 221, and then a housing or element 226 is fixed to the opposite end (e.g., lower or upper) after the slider 220 slides along the guide rail. As mentioned above, the housing or element 226 is configured to receive a rotating pulley 224 or is formed to have a cam element 224 to guide the cable 222 through it.

[0123] Alternatively, and in some of the aforementioned embodiments, the slider 220 can be configured to roll or slide only on three sides of the guide rail 218, 221. In these embodiments, the slider 220 can be snapped onto the guide rail 218, 221. Thus, it may not be necessary to leave one end of the guide rail 218, 221 open. This is particularly advantageous in embodiments where the structural member 58 is insert-molded into the guide rail 218, 221.

[0124] In yet another embodiment, the guide rails 218, 221 of the double channel window lifter 216 can be formed in accordance with the embodiments shown in Figures 6A-10.

[0125] In one embodiment, the housing or element 226 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 is similar to the housing or elements 227 used at the top and bottom of the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221. In one embodiment, the housing or element 226 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 may be identical to the housing or element 227 used at the bottom of the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the housing or element 227 used at the top of the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 is a mirror image of the housing or element 226 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 218.

[0126] Referring now to Figures 12-15, a slider 220 envisaged for use with one of the aforementioned embodiments disclosed in this application is illustrated. In the dual-channel window lifter embodiment 216, the slider 220 used with the first guide rail or front guide rail 218 and the second guide rail or rear guide rail 221 has the same configuration so that the rear rail slider 220 can be used on the front rail and vice versa, thus allowing for the fewest modifications to the slider design.

[0127] Figure 12 illustrates the approximate placement of the rail (218, 221) through the slider 220. Referring now to Figures 12-15, the slider 220 is configured to have a polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 271 that defines an opening 273 through which the guide rail 218, 221 slides. In one embodiment, the slider 220 is overmolded onto the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 271. In another embodiment, the slider is a nylon slider overmolded onto the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 271. In yet another embodiment, the slider(s) 220 is / are formed from an easily moldable material such as a plastic material. In addition, the slider(s) 220 can / may be formed with an overmolding 275 of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

[0128] The slider 220 can be configured to have one or two or more separate elements 277 overmolded onto the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 271. Alternatively, the slider(s) 220 can be formed separately and the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 271 can be formed separately and slide into the element(s) 277.

[0129] This disclosure relates to a window regulator configured for use with a frameless door assembly for a motor vehicle. Thus, the window of the frameless door assembly has no frame surrounding the upper and upper side portions of the window as it slides up and down and when it is in a closed position (for example, fully extended from a vehicle door sill).

[0130] Referring now to [Fig. 16], which is a partial side view of a vehicle 310 having at least one door 312 with a window 314 configured to be raised and lowered by a window regulator 316 located inside the door panels (e.g., outer and inner) of the door 312. Although only one door 312 and one window 314 are shown, it is envisaged that the window regulator of this disclosure could be used in a vehicle having multiple doors and associated windows. Thus, one or more other windows 314 of the vehicle 310 could also be operated by a window regulator 316 according to this disclosure.

[0131] Figures 17A and 17B show perspective views of the window regulator 316. The window regulator 316 comprises a pair of guide rails 318, each having a slider 320 that is slidably attached to a respective guide rail 318 of the pair of guide rails 318. The pair of guide rails 318 may be referred to as a first guide rail 318' and a second guide rail 318”. In the illustrated embodiment, the first guide rail 318' is located closer to a front portion of the vehicle or a vehicle door than the second guide rail 318” when the window regulator 316 is attached to the vehicle door. Thus, the second guide rail 318” is located closer to a rear portion of the vehicle or a vehicle door than the first guide rail 318' when the window regulator 316 is attached to the vehicle door. Furthermore, the corresponding slider can be referred to as a first slider 320 and a second slider 320.Each slider 320 is configured to be fixed to the glass 314 and each slider 320 is functionally coupled to a pair of cables.

[0132] Each pair of guide rails 318 of the window regulator 316 has a high pulley or high cam 324 which is fixed to an upper portion or upper end 325 of each guide rail 318 by a housing or element 326. As illustrated, the The high pulley or high cam 324 is aligned with the guide rail 318. If a pulley is used, the high pulley 324 is received for rotation within the housing or element 326. The high pulley or high cam is configured to receive a rotating or sliding cable. For example, a first cable 322 is attached to one of the slider pairs 320 at one end and to a cable drum 328 at the opposite end, and a second cable 323 is attached to the other of the slider pairs 320 at one end and to the cable drum 328 at the opposite end. Furthermore, a third cable 327 is attached to one of the slider pairs 320 at one end and to the other of the slider pairs 320 at the opposite end.

[0133] The cable drum 328 is rotatably mounted on a housing 330. To provide rotational motion to the cable drum 328, a motor 332 is functionally coupled to the cable drum 28, for example, by a worm gear drive (not shown) which is rotated by the motor 332. In one embodiment, the housing 330 is not fixed to either guide rail 318 so that it floats freely relative to the guide rails 318. In yet another alternative embodiment, the housing 330 can be fixed to the upper end 325 of the first guide rail 318' or the second guide rail 318”. As used here, the upper end 325 of the guide rail 318 is located closer to the top of the vehicle door 312 than a lower end 333 of the guide rail 318 when the Window regulator 316 is fixed to the vehicle door 312.Furthermore, and in yet another alternative embodiment, the housing 330 is fixed to the lower end 333 of the second guide rail 318”. However, and as will be discussed below, in one of the above embodiments, the housing 330 is not fixed to the lower end 333 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 318'.

[0134] The guide rails 318 also have a lower pulley or a lower cam 334 attached to a housing or element 336 which is fixed to the lower end 333 of the guide rail 318. In the case where a pulley is used, the lower pulley 334 is received in rotation within the housing or element 336. As illustrated, the lower pulley or the lower cam 334 is aligned with the guide rail 318. The lower pulley or the lower cam 334 is configured to receive one of the cables in rotation or sliding motion.

[0135] As mentioned above, a first cable 322 is attached to one of the pair of sliders 320 at one end and to a cable drum 328 at the opposite end, and a second cable 323 is attached to the other pair of sliders 320 at one end and to the cable drum 328 at the opposite end. Furthermore, a third cable 327 is attached to one pair of sliders 320 at one end and to the other pair of sliders 320 at the opposite end.

[0136] When the cable drum 328 is rotated, the first cable 322 or the second cable 323 will wind onto the cable drum 328 while the other will unwind, causing Thus, the slider 320 will move in the directions of the arrows 338. Furthermore, the cable 327, which is not connected to the cable drum 328, will move accordingly. For example, the cable 327 is attached to the upper part of one slider 320 at one end and to the lower part of the other slider 320 at its opposite end. The movement of the sliders 320 in the directions of the arrows 338 will cause the window 314 to move up and down relative to the vehicle door 312.

[0137] The window regulator 316 also includes a first cable sheath 340 for the A first cable 322 extends from the housing or element 336 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 318' to the housing 330. Additionally, a second cable sheath 342 extends from the housing 330 to the housing or element 326 of the second guide rail or rear guide rail 318'. Furthermore, a third cable sheath 344 extends from a housing or element 336 of the second guide rail or rear guide rail 318' to the housing or element 326 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 318'. As mentioned above, the first guide rail 318' is a front guide rail 318' and the second guide rail 318' is a rear guide rail.As used here, the front guide rail 318 refers to the guide rail 318 of the pair of guide rails 318 that is closer to a front part of the vehicle 310 when the window regulator 316 is attached to the vehicle, and the rear guide rail 318 refers to the guide rail 318 of the pair of guide rails that is closer to a rear part of the vehicle when the window regulator 316 is attached to the vehicle 310.

[0138] The first cable 322 is received by sliding within the first cable sheath 340, and the second cable 323 is received by sliding within the second cable sheath 342, and the third cable 327 is received by sliding within the third cable sheath 344. These cables 322, 323, and 327 and their associated cable sheaths 340, 342, and 344 are called Bowden cables. The first cable sheath 340 also includes an irreversible tensioner or spring tensioner 341 so that the slack in the first cable 322 is absorbed as known in the related arts. A non-limiting example of an irreversible tensioner 341 is described in U.S. Patent No. 8,555,549, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.Thus, the first cable 322 can be called the slack side cable and so the housing 330 is not fixed to the lower end 333 of the first guide rail or front guide rail 318' so that the irreversible tensioner 341 can be associated with the first cable 322.

[0139] In a non-limiting embodiment, the guide rails 318 are hollow tubes or hollow structures formed from a metal such as aluminum, steel, metal alloys, or the hollow tube is formed from a plastic material or a plastic composite material. In one variant, the rails of Guide rails 318 are extruded structures having internal structural elements, supports, or ribs that extend through a cavity in the guide rail. In this embodiment, the internal structural elements, supports, or ribs extend from an inner surface of the wall or walls that define an outer surface of the guide rail 18. The outer surface is opposite the inner surface of the wall or walls. Examples of such guide rails 318 are found in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17 / 514,865 filed October 29, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 166,777 filed March 26, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

[0140] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the guide rails 318 are formed so that they have a lower overall mass and a smaller size compared to currently used window regulator guide rails. The lower overall mass and smaller size of the guide rails significantly reduce the costs associated with their manufacture. Thus, lower-cost, smaller, and lighter guide rails are desirable. However, these lower-cost, smaller, and lighter guide rails must also be capable of providing the desired structural integrity required of the window regulator 316, which is provided by the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. As used herein, "lower mass" refers to a guide rail having a mass of less than 150 grams.As used here, a reduced size refers to a guide rail having an external profile, for example a square or rectangular configuration in which the dimensions of the external profile of the square or rectangular configuration of the guide rail do not exceed 10 mm.

[0141] Moreover, when the guide rails 318 are formed in this way (for example, lower mass and reduced size (square or rectangular external profile)), the guide rails 318 are typically more rigid than a rolled or stamped guide rail.

[0142] Furthermore, and in a non-limiting embodiment, the housing portion 330 and the housing or element 326 are formed from a readily moldable material such as a plastic material, a plastic material, or a plastic composite material reinforced by a metal insert. Alternatively, the guide rail 18 may be solid. In various embodiments of this disclosure, the guide rail may have a square or rectangular configuration or periphery.

[0143] A control device for controlling the motor 332 and inputs to the control device, such as user-operated switches and a vehicle control module that can also provide an input to the control device, are not shown. A power supply system, which may include a battery and an alternator, is also not shown. Although vehicle power supply systems and window control devices are well known in the art, these components are not described in more detail.

[0144] In one embodiment, the slider 320 or a portion thereof is configured to completely surround a periphery of the guide rail 318. Thus, the portion of the slider 320 surrounding the guide rail 318 will have multiple points of contact with the guide rail in order to provide multiple points of contact to prevent unwanted twisting or rotation of the slider as it slides up and down the guide rail 318 in the direction of the arrows 338. Of course, minor rotation or twisting of the slider 320 about an axis (generally extending in the direction of the arrows 338) of the guide rail 318 is acceptable for the operation of the window regulator.

[0145] In yet another alternative embodiment, the guide rail 318 may be a three-sided structure with an opening or channel such as a substantially "C"-shaped or "U"-shaped configuration when viewed from one end or in a cross-sectional view. In a non-limiting embodiment, the guide rail 318 may be formed as a single unit piece, which may be made from a metal such as aluminum, steel, or metal alloys, or the guide rail 318 may be made from a plastic material or a plastic composite material.

[0146] When a slider 320 is used, which has a portion that completely surrounds the guide rail 318, and the housing 336 or 326 is fixed to the lower or upper end of the guide rail 318, the opposite end of the guide rail 318 must be open so that the slider 320 can slide on the guide rail 318, and then a housing or element 326 or 336 is fixed to the opposite end (for example, lower or upper) after the slider 320 has slid on the guide rail 318. As mentioned above, the housing or element 326 is configured to receive a pulley 324 for rotation or is formed to have a cam element 324 to guide the cable 322 through it. In addition, the housing or element 336 is configured to receive a rotating pulley 334 or is formed to have a cam element 334 to guide the cable 322 through it.

[0147] Alternatively, and in some of the aforementioned embodiments, the slider 320 can be configured to roll or slide only on three sides of the guide rail. In these embodiments, the slider 320 can be snapped onto the guide rail 318. Thus, it may not be necessary to leave one end of the guide rail 318 open.

[0148] Referring now to Figures 20 and 21, a slider 320 envisaged for use with one of the aforementioned embodiments disclosed in this application is illustrated. In the window lifter illustrated 316, the slider 320 used with the guide rails 318 has a portion 380 which slidably engages with the rail guide rail 318 and part 380 has at least one opening which has the same configuration as guide rail 318 so that slider 320 can be used on the front or anterior rail and on the rear or posterior rail and vice versa, this allows the least change for the slider design.

[0149] Figure 20 illustrates the approximate placement of rail 318 through section 380 of the slider 320. Now referring to Figures 20 and 21, the slider 320 is configured to have a polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 371 which defines an opening for the guide rail 318 to slide through it. In this embodiment, the insert 371 is located in at least one opening of the part 380. Of course, other materials are envisaged for the insert 371. In one embodiment, the guide rail 318 has a rectangular periphery and the part 380 or the insert 371 of the slider 320 completely surrounds the guide rail 318. In other words, the part 380 or the insert 371 will have an opening configured to match the outside of the guide rail (for example, a rectangle, etc.) so that the part 380 or the insert 371 can slidably engage with the guide rail 318 on which it is located.For example, the opening of part 380 or insert 371 is slightly larger than the outside of guide rail 318 so that sliding movement of the slider 320 along guide rail 318 is possible.

[0150] In one embodiment, the portion 380 of the slider 320 is coextensively formed with the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 371. Alternatively, the portion 380 of the slider 320 and the insert 371 are formed separately and fixed together. In one embodiment, the portion 80 of the slider 320 is made of nylon and the insert 371 is a polyoxymethylene (POM) insert. In yet another embodiment, the portion 380 of the slider(s) 320 is formed from a readily moldable material such as a plastic.

[0151] In an alternative embodiment, the slider portion 320 can be formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and the insert 371 can be formed from nylon.

[0152] The portion 380 of the slider 320 can be configured to have one or two or more separate elements 377 positioned around or coextensively formed with the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 371. Thus, the elements 377 will correspond to the outer periphery of the insert 371. Alternatively, the portions 380 of the slider(s) 320 can be formed separately, and the polyoxymethylene (POM) insert 371 can be formed separately and slide within the element(s) 377. In this embodiment, the openings of the elements 377 will correspond to the outer elements of the insert 371, and the inner opening of the insert will correspond to the outer periphery of the guide rail 318.

[0153] In addition, the slider 320 may have a component or components which is / are configured to be fixed to the glass 314 and is / are fixed in a configurable manner to The 380 portion of the slider 320 is designed so that a pivoting adjustment of the component(s) and the window 314 relative to the guide rail 318 and / or the window regulator 316 is possible. Thus, a pivoting adjustment of the window 314 relative to the vehicle door 312 is possible.

[0154] Elements of the embodiments have been introduced with the articles "a / an" or "the". The articles are intended to signify that one or more of the elements exist. The terms "including" and "having" and similar terms are intended to be inclusive so that there may be additional elements other than those listed. The conjunction "or", when used with a list of at least two terms, means any term or combination of terms. The term "configured" refers to one or more structural limitations of a device that are necessary for the device to perform the function or operation for which the device is configured.

[0155] The disclosure described herein by way of illustration may be put into practice in the absence of any element not specifically disclosed herein.

[0156] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made and that its elements can be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, numerous modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of this disclosure without departing from its essential scope. Accordingly, it is intended that this disclosure will not be limited to the particular embodiment described as the best envisaged embodiment for implementing this disclosure, but that this disclosure will include all embodiments within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1.

2. Demands Window regulator (16, 216) for raising and lowering a window (14) of a vehicle (10), comprising: a first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a first slider (20, 220) mounted to slide on the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second guide rail (221) spaced from the first guide rail (18,218,318); a second slider (320) mounted to slide on the second guide rail (221); a flange part (30, 130, 230) mounted on a lower end of the first guide rail (28, 218, 318), in which the flange part (30, 130, 230) has a rail mounting part (40, 240) and an arm part (42, 242) extending from the rail mounting part and a mounting part extending from the arm part (42, 242); and a motor (32, 232, 332) functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider (320) such that the operation of the motor (32, 232, 332) will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor (32, 232, 332) being mounted on the mounting portion, wherein when the motor (32, 232, 332) is mounted on the mounting portion, it is located adjacent to one side of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) situated between the lower end of the first guide rail (18, 218,318) and an upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) wherein the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) has a rectangular periphery and a portion of the first slider (20, 220) completely surrounds the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and wherein the second guide rail (221) has a rectangular periphery and a portion of the second slider (320) completely surrounds the second guide rail (221). Window regulator (16) according to claim 1, further comprising a cable drum rotatably mounted on the flange portion, the cable drum being functionally coupled to the motor (32, 232, 332) and to at least one cable attached to the cable drum at one end and to the first slider and the second slider (320) at another end.

3. Window regulator (16) for raising and lowering a window of a vehicle, comprising: a first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail; a flange portion mounted on an upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318), wherein the flange portion has a rail mounting portion and an arm portion extending from the rail mounting portion and a mounting portion extending from the arm portion;and a motor (32, 232, 332) functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor (32, 232, 332) will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor (32, 232, 332) being mounted on the mounting part, wherein when the motor (32, 232, 332) is mounted on the mounting part it is situated adjacent to one side of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) located between a lower end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318).

4. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a lower pulley rotatably mounted on the rail mounting part and an upper pulley rotatably fixed to the upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) by a housing.

5. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) is a three-sided structure with an opening and the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) is insert-molded onto the flanged part, the flanged part has a structural element which extends into the opening.

6. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second guide rail are hollow.

7. Window regulator (16) according to claim 16, wherein the portion of the first slider surrounding the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) has multiple points of contact with the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) in order to prevent undesired movement of the first slider as it slides up and down on the first guide rail (18, 218, 318), and wherein the portion of the second slider surrounding the second guide rail has multiple points of contact with the second guide rail in order to prevent undesired movement of the second slider as it slides up and down on the second guide rail.

8. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rail mounting part, the arm part and the mounting part are all formed in one piece.

9. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the motor (32, 232, 332) extends in a direction generally parallel to the first guide rail (18, 218, 318).

10. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a pair of cables are attached to a rotatably mounted cable drum on the flange portion at one end and one of the pair of cables is attached to the first slider at another end and the other of the pair of cables is attached to the second slider at another end.

11. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) to slide through it and the second slider has an insert that defines an opening for the second guide rail to slide through it.

12. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the insert of the first slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and the first slider is overmolded onto the insert of the first slider and the insert of the second slider is formed from polyoxymethylene (POM) and the second slider is overmolded onto the insert of the second slider.

13. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first slider and the second slider are formed of nylon.

14. Window regulator (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a lower pulley rotatably mounted on the rail mounting portion and an upper pulley rotatably fixed to the upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) by a first housing and a lower pulley rotatably mounted on a lower end of the second guide rail by a second housing, the first housing and the second housing having the same configuration.

15. Window regulator (16) according to claim 14, further comprising a pulley rotatably fixed to an upper end of the second guide rail by a third housing, the third housing being a mirror image of the first housing.

16. Window regulator (16) for raising and lowering a window of a vehicle, comprising: a first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail;a motor (32, 232, 332) functionally coupled to the first slider and the second slider such that the operation of the motor (32, 232, 332) will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail, the motor (32, 232, 332) being mounted on a mounting part that is not fixed to the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) or the second guide rail, wherein, when the motor (32, 232, 332) is mounted on the mounting part, it is located adjacent to a side of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) situated between a lower end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and an upper end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318). 318);and wherein the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) has a rectangular periphery and a portion of the first slider completely surrounds the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and wherein the second guide rail has a rectangular periphery and a portion of the second slider completely surrounds the second guide rail, and the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second guide rail are hollow, and the first slider has an insert that defines an opening for the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) to slide through it and the second slider has an insert that defines a; opening so that the second guide rail (221) slides through it.

17. Window regulator (16), comprising: a first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a first slider mounted to slide on the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a second slider mounted to slide on the second guide rail; a housing not mounted on a lower end of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318); a motor (32, 232, 332) mounted on the housing and functionally coupled to the first and second sliders such that the operation of the motor (32, 232, 332) will cause the first slider to slide along the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and the second slider to slide along the second guide rail; a cable drum rotatably mounted on the housing, the cable drum being functionally coupled to the motor (32, 232, 332); a first cable fixed to the cable drum at one end and to the first slider at the other end;a second cable attached to the cable drum at one end and to the second slider at the other end; a third cable attached to the first slider at one end and to the second slider at the other end; a first cable sheath surrounding the first cable extending from a first element of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) to the housing; a cable tensioner associated with the first cable sheath; a second cable sheath surrounding the second cable extending from the housing to a second element of the second guide rail; and a third cable sheath surrounding the third cable extending from the second element of the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) to a first element of the second guide rail, wherein the window regulator (16) is configured to raise and lower a window of a frameless door assembly of a vehicle, wherein the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) has a rectangular periphery and a portion; of the first slider (20,220) completely surrounds the first guide rail (18, 218, 318) and in which the second guide rail (221) has a rectangular periphery and part of the second slider (320) completely surrounds the second guide rail (221).

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