Window Regulator Carrier Plate Cable Vibration Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Window regulators with large guide rail curvature can cause noise due to vibration of the descending-side cable, especially during strong impacts like closing a door, as the cable may become dislodged from the guide rail.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a carrier plate with a descending-side housing portion that houses the descending-side cable and a spring to apply tension, along with an inclined outlet path that presses the cable toward the guide rail, ensuring constant contact and reducing vibration-induced noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the guide rail curvature is increased to accommodate large window curvature (e.g., in vans), then the guide rail can be made nearly linear, but the descending-side cable becomes relatively off the guide rail and vibrates during strong impacts, causing noise
Solution Approach 1:
A pressing portion is introduced as an intermediary component between the carrier plate and the descending-side cable. This pressing portion actively presses the cable toward the guide rail, ensuring the cable remains in contact with the guide rail even when the guide rail has large curvature. The pressing portion mediates the interaction between the cable and guide rail, preventing cable vibration and noise without requiring changes to the guide rail curvature.
2Ease of manufacture
If the guide rail is made nearly linear to accommodate large window curvature, then manufacturing is simplified, but the descending-side cable cannot stay properly on the guide rail during strong impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing portion is designed to preliminarily press the descending-side cable toward the guide rail before strong impacts occur. By maintaining constant contact pressure between the cable and guide rail during normal operation, the cable is pre-positioned and ready to withstand strong impacts without losing contact with the guide rail, thereby ensuring reliable cable positioning.
3Device complexity
If the descending-side cable is allowed to move freely on the guide rail, then the window regulator structure is simpler, but the cable vibrates during strong impacts causing abnormal noise
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of constraining the entire cable along its full length, the pressing portion applies localized pressure only at the critical position where the cable contacts the guide rail. This local constraint is sufficient to prevent cable vibration and noise during strong impacts, while maintaining simplicity in the overall cable structure and allowing free movement where not needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively prevents abnormal noise caused by the descending-side cable vibration even when the guide rail curvature is large, maintaining quiet operation during vehicle door closure.
Implementation Method 1
a spring provided to apply a tensile force to the descending-side cable
Data Source
AI summary
A window regulator includes a guide rail provided along an ascending/descending direction of a window, a carrier plate that slides on the guide rail and moves together with the window, and an ascending-side cable for pulling the carrier plate in the ascending direction and a descending-side cable for pulling the carrier plate in the descending direction. The carrier plate includes a descending-side housing portion and a pressing portion. The descending-side housing portion houses an end of the descending-side cable and a spring provided to apply a tensile force to the descending-side cable. The pressing portion is configured to press toward the guide rail the descending-side cable extending out of the descending-side housing portion.