Window Regulator Motor Side-Mounting for Compact Door Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window regulators for vehicles have a large profile due to traditional motor mounting configurations, which limits space in vehicle door cavities and restricts design flexibility, especially when trying to integrate a motor without obstructing window movement.
Innovation Solution
A window regulator design featuring a motor mounted adjacent to the guide rail, between the bottom and top ends, with a flange portion that includes a rail mounting portion, arm, and mounting portion, allowing the motor to be oriented parallel to the guide rail, and utilizing a cable drum and pulleys for efficient window operation, while the guide rails have structural features for added rigidity and the cursor has multiple contact points to prevent undesired movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the motor is mounted using traditional configurations, then the motor can be securely mounted, but the window regulator has a large profile that limits space in vehicle door cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is repositioned from traditional mounting locations (top or bottom of guide rail) to a side-mounted position adjacent to the guide rail. This dimensional change in motor placement allows the regulator components to be arranged more compactly, reducing the overall profile and volume of the window regulator assembly while fitting better within vehicle door cavity constraints
2Volume of moving object
If the motor is mounted adjacent to the guide rail, then the overall size of the window regulator is reduced, but the motor placement becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The motor mounting bracket is integrated to combine multiple functions: it secures the motor to the regulator assembly, positions the motor adjacent to the guide rail, and provides mounting points for cables. This merging of mounting and positioning functions into a single integrated structure simplifies the overall assembly process despite the non-traditional motor placement, reducing the number of separate components and assembly steps
3Area of stationary object
If traditional motor mounting is used, then the structure is simple, but the space utilization within the vehicle door is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
By transitioning from vertical mounting (top/bottom of guide rail) to horizontal side-mounted positioning, the regulator's footprint is optimized to better fit the available space within the vehicle door cavity. This dimensional repositioning allows for more efficient spatial arrangement of components, maximizing the use of available door space while maintaining functional performance
Data Source
AI summary
A window regulator for raising and lowering a window of a vehicle, including: a first guide rail; a first cursor slidably mounted to the first guide rail; a second guide rail spaced from the first guide rail; a second cursor slidably mounted to the second guide rail; a flange portion mounted to a bottom end of the first guide rail, 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 operably coupled to the first cursor and the second cursor such that operation of the motor will cause the first cursor to slide along the first guide rail and second cursor to slide along the second guide rail, the motor being mounted to the mounting portion, wherein the motor when mounted to the mounting portion is located adjacent to a side of the first guide rail located between the bottom end of the first guide rail and a top end of the first guide rail.