Unitary Slider Window Rail with Integrated Cable Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slider window assemblies for vehicles, such as pickup trucks, require separate end caps attached to U-shaped guide rails, which complicates manufacturing and assembly, and may not provide a seamless integration of cable guides within the rail.
Innovation Solution
A unitarily formed lower rail with integrally formed elongated U-shaped channel portions and cable guides at the ends, eliminating the need for separate end caps and enhancing the assembly process by incorporating cable guides directly into the rail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate end caps are attached to U-shaped guide rails, then the cable guides can be positioned at the ends of the rail, but the manufacturing and assembly process becomes complicated and component count increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the end cap and cable guide functions into a single integrated component. The cable guide is molded directly into the end cap structure, eliminating the need for separate cable guide components and reducing the total number of parts that need to be assembled to the guide rail.
Solution Approach 2:
The end cap serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural termination for the U-shaped guide rail, positions the cable guide at the correct location, and anchors the cable assembly. This multi-functional design reduces component proliferation while maintaining all necessary functions.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used in the guide rail assembly, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the manufacturing and assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end cap and cable guide are combined into a single molded component, reducing the number of assembly steps. Instead of separately attaching end caps and cable guides to the guide rail, the integrated component is installed as one unit, significantly reducing assembly time and improving productivity.
3Reliability
If additional end caps are attached to the guide rail, then the cable assembly can be anchored, but the structural integrity and seamlessness of the rail is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide is integrated directly into the end cap structure, creating a seamless transition from the guide rail to the cable anchoring point. This eliminates visible gaps or discontinuities that would result from separate components, maintaining the aesthetic and structural seamlessness of the rail assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes a frame portion having upper and lower rails, at least one fixed window panel fixed relative to the frame portion, and a movable window panel that is movable along the rails between a closed position and an opened position. The lower rail may comprise a unitarily formed rail having (i) a channel portion that extends at least partially along the fixed window panel and an opening and (ii) a cable guide formed at each end region of the channel portion. A carrier is at a lower portion of the movable window panel and is configured to move along the channel portion of the lower rail. The cable guides are configured to engage or receive a respective sheath of a cable assembly of a cable drive system, with a cable of the cable assembly being attached at the respective end of the carrier.