Window Regulator Frame Integration for Mountability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window regulators face challenges in mountability on automobile components, particularly with the drive motor and guide rail integration, and suffer from force transmission loss, weight, and idling issues due to complex structures and entanglement of elongate push-pull members with drive gears.
Innovation Solution
A window regulator design featuring a frame with integrated means for fixing and supporting the drive motor, guide rail, and elongate push-pull member, including a convex-down idle-guide portion and a bearing portion to prevent deflection and entanglement, allowing for compact and lightweight configuration with reduced parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the drive motor and guide rail are integrated in a simple structure, then mountability on automobile components is improved, but the structural complexity increases due to additional integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The frame integrates multiple functions including drive motor mounting, guide rail support, and idle push-pull member guidance into a single structural component. This merging of functions improves mountability by reducing the number of separate parts while the integrated design maintains manageable complexity through functional consolidation.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it provides structural support, mounts the drive motor, supports the guide rail, and guides the idle push-pull member through the idle-guide portion. This multi-functionality improves ease of manufacture by eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
2Device complexity
If an open-ended elongate push-pull member is used, then the structure can be simplified, but force transmission efficiency decreases due to torque loss
Solution Approach 1:
The idle-guide portion is designed to dynamically adapt to the push-pull member during operation. The guide structure allows the member to naturally settle into the correct position while providing guidance, reducing friction and improving force transmission efficiency without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
3Volume of moving object
If the elongate push-pull member is made compact, then the layout space is reduced, but the member becomes more prone to entanglement with the drive gear
Solution Approach 1:
The idle-guide portion acts as an intermediary between the idle push-pull member and the drive gear area. It provides a dedicated guidance path that prevents the member from contacting or entangling with the drive gear while maintaining a compact overall layout. The guide structure mediates the spatial relationship between these components.
4Ease of manufacture
If the idle-guide portion is formed convex down and turned up, then mountability and compactness are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The idle-guide portion is pre-formed with the convex-down-then-turned-up shape during frame manufacturing. This preliminary formation of the guide geometry eliminates the need for post-assembly adjustments or complex installation procedures, improving mountability while the integrated manufacturing process helps control precision requirements.
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
The solution enhances mountability, reduces force transmission loss, and prevents idling of the drive gear while maintaining efficient torque conversion and linear motive force transmission, resulting in a more compact and lightweight window regulator.
Implementation Method 1
a drive gear (5) connected to a drive motor (4), an elongate push-pull member (6) which is open ended and flexible, meshes with the drive gear (5), and can be pushed and pulled by bidirectional rotations of the drive gear (5)
Implementation Method 2
a bearing portion (17) which rotatably supports a tip end of an output shaft (4A) of the drive motor (4)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A window regulator (1) including a drive gear connected to a drive motor (4), an elongate push-pull member (6) which is open ended and flexible, meshes with the drive gear, and can be pushed and pulled by bidirectional rotations of the drive gear, a carrier (7) which is connected with one end of the elongate push-pull member and is also connected with window glass, and a guide rail (8) which guides the elongate push-pull member and the carrier in a drive path (R1). The window regulator further includes a frame (9) in which a means for fixing and supporting the drive motor (4), a means for fixing and supporting the guide rail (8), a means for holding an orbit of the elongate push-pull member in an idle path (R2), and a means for mounting on an object are integrally formed.