Automotive door window regulator and method for mounting the same to automotive door

Herein disclosed is a window regulator for regulating a glass pane, which comprises a guide rail including front and rear vertical parts and a horizontal part which extends between the front and rear vertical parts to constitute a generally U-shaped structure of the guide rail; front and rear holders slidably guided by the front and rear vertical parts of the guide rail; a first structure securing each of the front and rear holders to the window pane; a second structure for defining in the guide rail two cable guide grooves which extend throughout the entire length of the guide rail; two drive cables axially movably received in the respective cable guide grooves, the drive cables having given portions to which the front and rear holders are connected respectively; and drive means mounted on a given portion of the guide rail for axially moving the two drive cables in opposite directions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an automotive door window regulator and a 
method for mounting the regulator to an automotive door. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, one conventional 
automotive door window regulator disclosed in Japanese Patent First 
Provisional Publication No. 59-153617 will be described in the following. 
The regulator of the publication comprises vertical guide rails adapted to 
be mounted in a middle portion of a door proper. A carrier plate is 
slidably guided by the guide rails. A glass pane has at its lower edge a 
glass pane holder bolted to the carrier plate. A cable winder is located 
near the guide rails. Pull-up and pull-down drive cables from the cable 
winder are arranged to surround the guide rails and fixed at their leading 
ends to the carrier plate. Thus, when the cable winder is operated to 
drive the pull-up and pull-down drive cables, the carrier plate is moved 
upward or downward together with the glass plane along the vertical guide 
rails. 
In order to mount the window regulator to the door, the following steps 
have been taken. 
The guide rails, carrier plate and cable winder are mounted on a sub-panel. 
The sub-panel is then mounted to an inner panel of the door in a manner to 
cover a large-sized aperture which has been previously formed in the inner 
panel. The glass pane is then inserted into the door through a slit 
defined between the inner and outer panels of the door and bolted at its 
lower end to the carrier plate through the glass pane holder. The bolting 
of the glass pane to the carrier plate is carried out by inserting an 
operating tool into the door through a small working aperture formed in 
the sub-panel. 
However the above-mentioned door window regulator has the following 
drawbacks due to its inherent construction. 
First, since the essential parts of the window regulator are located at the 
generally middle portion of the door in a manner to overlap each other, 
the thickness of the door is inevitably increased, particularly at the 
middle portion of the door. This makes difficult or at least troublesome 
to provide the door with a sufficiently large inside recess which, when 
the door is closed, faces the interior of the vehicle. In fact, the doors 
of modern cars tend to have an inside board recessed for providing a 
pocket or the like. 
Second, the work for mounting the heavy glass pane to the door is very 
difficult. That is, as is described hereinabove, for the assembly, the 
glass pane is inserted into the door through the slit between the inner 
and outer panels of the door and then the glass pane is bolted to the 
carrier plate with an aid of the operating tool passed through the small 
working aperture of the sub-panel. In fact, the operator has to work 
blindly to couple the glass pane with the carrier. Obviously, this is very 
troublesome and difficult. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automotive 
door window regulator which is free of the above-mentioned drawbacks. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for 
mounting the window regulator to a door, which method induces an excellent 
labour effectiveness. 
According to the present invention, there is provided an automotive door 
window regulator which can be mounted in a relatively thin door. 
According to the present invention, there is provided an automotive door 
window regulator which is suitable for a door which has an inside board 
recessed. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a window regulator 
which comprises a guide rail including front and rear vertical parts and a 
horizontal part which extends between the front and rear vertical parts to 
constitute a generally U-shaped structure of the guide rail; front and 
rear holders slidably guided by the front and rear vertical parts of the 
guide rail; first means securing each of the front and rear holders to the 
window pane; second means defining in the guide rail two cable guide 
grooves which extend throughout the entire length of the guide rail; two 
drive cables axially movably received in the respective cable guide 
grooves, the drive cables having given portions to which the front and 
rear holders are connected respectively; and drive means mounted on a 
given portion of the guide rail for axially moving the two drive cables in 
opposite directions. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of mounting 
a window regulator to an automotive door, the automotive door including 
inner and outer panels, the method comprising by steps: (a) mounting two 
drive cables, drive means, glass holders and a glass pane to a guide rail; 
(b) mounting the guide rail to one of the inner and outer panels to 
provide a sub-assembly; (c) mounting the sub-assembly to the other of the 
inner and outer panels having the guide rail put therebetween; and (d) 
securing the peripheral portions of the inner and outer panels. 
According to the present invention, there is provided an automotive door 
assembly which comprises an outer panel; an inner panel having peripheral 
portions secured to those of the outer panel; and a window regulator 
interposed between the outer and outer panels, the window regulator 
comprising a guide rail including front and rear vertical parts and a 
horizontal part which extends between the front and rear vertical parts to 
constitute a generally U-shaped structure of the guide rail, front and 
rear holders slidably guided by the front and rear vertical parts of the 
guide rail, first means securing each of the front and rear holders to a 
window pane, second means defining in the guide rail two cable guide 
grooves which extend throughout the entire length of the guide rail, two 
drive cables axially movably received in the respective cable guide 
grooves, the drive cables having given portions to which the front and 
rear holders are connected respectively, and drive means mounted on a 
given portion of the guide rail for axially moving the two drive cables in 
opposite directions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, particularly FIG. 1, there is shown, but in an 
exploded fashion, an automotive door to which a first embodiment of the 
invention is applied. 
As is seen from FIG. 1, the window regulator 1 comprises a generally 
U-shaped guide rail 2 which thus includes a generally horizontal lower 
part 2a and front and rear generally vertical parts 2d and 2e, each being 
connected to a front or rear end of the horizontal lower part 2a through a 
curved junction part 2b or 2c. 
A slightly bent bridge member 3 extends between respective upper ends of 
the front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e of the guide rail 2, as shown. 
As may be understood from FIG. 2, the bridge member 3 and the upper halves 
of the front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e are projected upward from a 
door proper 4 to constitute a glass pane sash. The door 4 comprises an 
outer panel 5, an inner panel 6 and a door trim 7. Designated by numeral 8 
is a triangular cover which covers a front projection 3a (see FIG. 1) of 
the bridge member 3. 
The guide rail 2 has a uniform cross section throughout the entire length 
thereof. The front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e of the guide rail 2 
have each two holders 10 slidably guided thereby. These two pairs of 
holders 10 are secured to front and rear edges of a glass pane 9, so that 
the glass pane 9 can move upward and downward along the front and rear 
vertical parts 2d and 2e. 
As is seen from FIG. 3, for the guided movement of the holders 10, the 
guide rail 2 has a guide groove 11 formed therethroughout. The guide 
groove 11 has a generally T-shaped cross section, comprising a narrow 
portion 11a which is opened to the outside and an enlarged bottom portion 
11b which is merged at its middle part with the narrow portion 11a. 
The guide rail 2 is formed at opposed side walls with cylindrical cable 
guide grooves 14 and 15 which are merged with the narrow portion 11a of 
the guide groove 11. The guide grooves 14 and 15 have respective drive 
cables 12 and 13 axially slidably received therein. 
As is seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, each drive cable 12 or 13 is of a so-called 
geared cable which comprises a core cable 12a or 13a of hard steel and a 
spiral wire 12b or 13b spirally wound about the core cable 12a or 13a. The 
geared cable is flexible but has a considerable resistance against 
compression and extension stress axially applied thereto. 
As is seen from FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the horizontal lower part 2a of the guide 
rail 2 has at its generally middle portion a drive device 16 which drives 
the drive cables 12 and 13 in opposite directions. 
As is seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, the drive device 16 comprises a pinion 17 
which is installed in the narrow portion 11a of the guide groove 11 having 
its diametrically opposed gears meshed with the drive cables 12 and 13, a 
shaft 18 which is connected to the center of the pinion 17 to rotate 
therewith, an electric motor 19 which is mounted on the guide rail 2 and a 
speed reduction gear 20 which is operatively interposed between the 
electric motor 19 and the shaft 18. Thus, upon energization of the 
electric motor 19, the pinion 17 is rotated in one or the other direction 
to drive the geared cables 12 and 13 in and along the associated guide 
grooves 14 and 15 in opposite directions. 
As is seen from FIG. 3, the lower holders 10 which support the lower 
portions of the glass pane 9 (see FIG. 1) and are slidably engaged with 
the front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e of the guide rail 2 comprise 
each an enlarged base portion 10a which is slidably received in the 
enlarged bottom portion 11b of the guide groove 11, a shank portion 10b 
which is integral with the base portion 10a and slidably received in the 
narrow portion 11a of the guide groove 11, a circular seat portion 10c 
which is integrally connected to an outwardly projected end of the shank 
portion 10b and attached to an inner surface of the glass pane 9, an 
externally threaded boss 10d which is integrally mounted on a center of 
the circular seat portion 10c and spacedly put in a bore 21 formed in the 
glass pane 9, and a cable gripping portion 10e which is integral with the 
shank portion 10b and projected into the cable guide groove 14 or 15 to 
grip an end of the geared cable 12 or 13. 
The upper holders 10 which support the upper portions of the glass pane 9 
are the same in construction as the above-mentioned lower holders 10. 
However, if desired, the cable gripping portions 10e may be omitted. 
Caps 22 are further used for detachably connecting the glass pane 9 to the 
upper and lower holders 10. Each cap 22 comprises an enlarged cover 
portion 22c which contacts an outer surface of the glass pane 9 and an 
internally threaded tubular portion 22a which is put in the bore 21 of the 
glass pane 9 to tightly engage with the externally threaded boss 10d of 
the associated holder 10. Designated by numeral 22b is the internal thread 
of the tubular portion 22a of the cap 22. Thus, the glass pane 9 is 
slidably guided by the front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e of the 
guide rail 2 through the four holders 10. 
When, thus, the drive device 16 is energized to drive the drive cables 12 
and 13 along the guide rail 2, the glass pane 9 is moved between its 
lowermost position wherein the glass pane 9 is fully received in the door 
proper 4 and its uppermost position wherein the upper edge of the glass 
pane 9 abuts against the bridge member 3 of the guide rail 2. 
As is seen from FIG. 3, elongate sealing members 24 are secured to the 
outside surfaces of the front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e of the 
guide rail 2 to assure watertight sealing between the glass pane 9 and the 
guide rail 2. For securing the sealing members 24 to the guide rail 2, 
each sealing member 24 has an enlarged base portion (no numeral) plugged 
in a groove 23 formed in the guide rail 2. 
In the following, the steps for mounting the window regulator 1 to the 
automotive door 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. 
Prior to the mounting, an outside handle device 25, two rods 26 and 27 
which extend from the handle device and are to be linked to an 
after-mentioned door lock 29 and a bracket 28 which supports leading ends 
of the rods 26 and 27 have been all mounted on an inner surface of the 
outer panel 5. The supporting of the leading ends of the rods 26 and 27 by 
the bracket 28 has been so made as to facilitate a subsequent proper 
engagement with the door lock 29. The window regulator 1 has been 
assembled in the afore-mentioned manner, which thus comprises the guide 
rail 2, the drive cables 12 and 13, the drive means 16, glass pane holders 
10 and the glass pane 9. 
The door lock 29 and a check link device 30 are mounted to predetermined 
positions of the guide rail 2 through respective brackets 31 and 32. 
Then, the assembled window regulator 1 is mounted to the inner panel 6 in 
such a manner that a lower half portion of the guide rail 2 snugly 
receives therein an outwardly depressed part 6a of the inner panel 6. 
Then, having the door lock 29 and the check link device 30 located at 
proper positions of the inner panel 6, these parts and the guide rail 2 
are secured to the inner panel 6 by means of bolts, welding or the like. 
Then, the inner panel 6 which thus carries thereon the window regulator 1 
is coupled with the outer panel 5 having the window regulator 1 put 
therebetween. During this, the leading ends of the two rods 26 and 27 from 
the outside handle device 25 are brought into engagement with the door 
lock 29. Then, the peripheral portions of the inner and outer panels 6 and 
5 are secured by means of bolts, welding or the like. If the connection of 
the inner and outer panels 6 and 5 is made by threaded bolts, repair and 
inspection of the window regulator 1 are readily carried out. 
Then, a door trim 7 is mounted to the inner panel 6 in such a manner that 
an outwardly depressed part 7a of the door trim 7 is snugly put in the 
depressed part 6a the inner panel 6, and the door trim 7 is secured to the 
inner panel 6 by means of bolts or the like. 
As shown, the depressed part 7a of the door trim 7 defines a pocket 33 at 
its lower part. An arm rest 34 is provided which extends across the 
depressed part 7a. The upper depressed space defined above the arm rest 34 
is so sized as to receive an arm of a passenger. 
As will be understood from the foregoing description, in accordance with 
the first embodiment of the present invention, the following advantages 
are given. 
First, since the essential parts of the window regulator 1 are not 
collected at a limited space, the thickness of the window regulator 1 can 
be reduced. This induces not only reduction in thickness of a door 
assembly but also facilitation of providing the inner panel 6 and the door 
trim 7 with the multi-usable depressed parts 6a and 7a. 
Second, since the assembly of the door can be carried out in the 
afore-mentioned simple steps, the labor effectiveness is very improved. In 
fact, in the invention, there is no need of the afore-mentioned "blind 
work" for bolting the glass pane to the carrier plate. 
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a second embodiment of a window 
regulator of the present invention. For facilitation of the description, 
identical parts to those in the afore-mentioned first embodiment are 
designated by the same numerals and detailed explanation of them will be 
omitted from the following description. 
In this second embodiment, separate front and rear vertical guide rails 35 
and 36 are employed for guiding the movement of a glass pane 9. A bridge 
member 3 extends between the upper ends of the front and rear guide rails 
35 and 36 to constitute a glass pane sash 37. Upper holders 10 secured to 
the upper portions of the glass pane 9 are slidably guided by the 
respective guide rails 35 and 36. 
A reversed generally U-shaped guide rail 2 is secured to lower portions of 
the front and rear vertical guide rails 35 and 36. The guide rail 2 thus 
includes a generally horizontal upper part 2a and front and rear generally 
vertical parts 2d and 2e, each being connected to a front or rear end of 
the upper part 2a through a curved junction part 2b or 2c. As shown in the 
drawing, the upper portion of the reversed U-shaped guide rail 2 is put 
between the lower portions of the front and rear vertical guide rails 35 
and 36 and secured to the same by welding or the like. 
It is to be noted that the U-shaped guide rail 2 has a guide groove which 
is identical to the guide groove 11 of the afore-mentioned first 
embodiment. Lower holders 10 are slidably guided by the front and rear 
vertical parts 2d and 2e of the guide rail 2 respectively. Leading ends of 
the geared drive cables 12 and 13 are connected to the lower holders 10. 
As shown in the drawing, a drive device 16 for driving the drive cables 12 
and 13 in opposite directions is mounted to an upper portion of the front 
vertical part 2d of the guide rail 2. It is to be noted that the drive 
device 16 is so arranged as to project toward the front of the guide rail 
2. 
Upon energization of the drive device 16, the drive cables 12 and 13 move 
along the guide rail 2 in opposite directions thereby moving the glass 
pane 9 upward and downward through the lower holders 10. 
In this second embodiment, only the glass pane 9 and the horizontal upper 
part 2a of the guide rail 2 are positioned at the middle portion of the 
door. Thus, similar to the first embodiment, the thickness of the window 
regulator can be reduced. Furthermore, because of the same reason as has 
been described in the first embodiment, the mounting of the window 
regulator to the door can be easily carried out without forcing an 
operator to work blindly. 
Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a third embodiment of a window 
regulator of the present invention. The window regulator of this 
embodiment is identical to that of the afore-mentioned first embodiment 
except the following construction. 
That is, in the third embodiment, each lower holder 10 comprises an 
enlarged base portion 10a which is slidably received in the enlarged 
bottom portion 11b of the guide groove 11, a shank portion 10b which is 
slidably received in the narrow portion 11a of the guide groove 11 and a 
generally U-shaped grip portion 40 which is projected outward from the 
guide groove 11 and grips a lower edge portion of the glass pane 9. Each 
of the front and rear vertical parts 2d and 2e of the guide rail 2 has a 
glass guide part 38 integral thereto. The glass guide part 38 has an 
elongate groove (no numeral) which extends along the guide rail 2 for 
slidably receiving the front or rear edge of the glass pane 9. Designated 
by numeral 39 is glass runner received in the elongate groove of the glass 
guide part 38. 
With provision of the glass guide parts 38, the upward and downward guided 
movement of the glass pane 9 is much assured, and the front and rear edges 
of the glass pane 9 can be protected from foreign things. 
Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a fourth embodiment of a window 
regulator of the present invention. 
As shown in the drawing, the guide rail 2 used in this fourth embodiment is 
arranged to enclose the glass pane 9. That is, the front and rear vertical 
parts 2d and 2e of the generally U-shaped guide rail 2 have guide grooves 
11 which face each other. Each lower holder 10 has an outwardly projected 
gripping portion 41 by which a lower portion of the front or rear edge of 
the glass pane 9 is gripped. The guide rail 2 has an extension 43 integral 
thereto, which covers an outside peripheral portion of the glass pane 9, 
as shown. Designated by numeral 42 is an elongate sealing member which is 
held by the extension 43 and sealingly contacts the peripheral portion of 
the glass pane 9. 
In this fourth embodiment, the cable guide grooves 14 and 15 and the drive 
cables 12 and 13 slidably received in the guide grooves 14 and 15 are 
symmetrically arranged with respect to the glass pane 9, so that the drive 
force produced by the drive means 16 is evenly applied to the drive cables 
12 and 13 thereby smoothing the upward and downward movement of the glass 
pane 9. 
In the present invention, the following modifications are available. 
(1) The two upper holders 10 of the first embodiment may be omitted. In 
this case, however, each of the two lower holders 10 has a considerable 
vertical length to prevent outward tilting of the glass pane 9. 
(2) The upper half portion of the guide rail 2 and the bridge member 3 of 
the first embodiment and the front and rear vertical guide rails 35 and 36 
and the bridge member 3 of the second embodiment may be omitted. With 
this, a so-called "sashless door" is provided. In this case, vertically 
elongated lower holders are used for assuredly holding the glass pane 9 
relative to the remaining guide rail. 
(3) In the first embodiment, the drive device 16 may be mounted to a lower 
portion of the front or rear vertical part 2d or 2e of the guide rail 2. 
(4) During assembly of the door, the window regulator 1 may be mounted to 
the outer panel 5 and then the inner panel 6 may be mounted to the outer 
panel 5 having the window regulator 1 put therebetween.