A WINDOW REGULATOR, PARTICULARLY FOR VEHICLE WINDOWS

Abstract: A cable transmission connected to a drive unit comprises a pair of flexible sheaths (32, 34) each having a first end anchored to a housing of the drive unit and a second end anchored to a slide (22) which supports a pane and is slidable along a track (20). A flexible cable which extends around a drum of the drive unit comprises two branches (46, 48) slidable in the respective sheaths (32, 34). The slide (22) has a pair of internal ducts (50, 52) for guiding the branches (46, 48) of the cable, the ducts extending between inlet openings, to which the second ends of the sheaths (32, 34) are anchored, and respective opposed outlets facing towards respective opposite ends of the track (20). The two opposite ends of the cable are anchored to the respective ends of the track (20) so that respective portions (46a, 48a) of the cable disposed between the respective outlets and the respective ends of the track (20) extend parallel to the track.

Description: A window regulator, particularly for vehicle windows The present invention relates to a window regulator, particularly for vehicle windows, of the type comprising: - a translation unit which comprises a fixed track extending in the direction of movement of the pane and a slide slidable along the track and supporting the pane, - a drive unit which comprises a fixed housing, a drum rotatable in the housing, and means for rotating the drum, and - a transmission comprising a pair of flexible sheaths each having a first end anchored to the housing and a second end associated with the translation unit, and a cable slidable in both of the sheaths, extending around the drum and having two opposite ends associated with the translation unit . The prior art closest to the invention is represented by a window regulator in which the second ends of the flexible sheaths are anchored to brackets fixed to the respective upper and lower ends of the track. The cables which emerge from these ends of the sheaths are both directed along the track by pulleys or similar guide members and extend as far as the slide, to which they are anchored. These known devices have a fairly high production cost owing to the presence of the brackets, the pulleys or the like, and the pins on which the pulleys rotate. In addition to the cost of producing and assembling these parts, there is also the cost of welding the brackets to the ends of the track. The object of the invention is to provide a window regulator which, whilst offering the functional advantages of the known devices of the same category, has a lower cost by virtue of the absence of the brackets and of their pulleys or similar guide members . According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a window regulator of the type in question, characterized in that: - the second ends of the sheaths are anchored to the slide, the slide has a pair of internal ducts for guiding the cable, the ducts extending between inlet openings to which the second ends of the sheaths are anchored, respectively, and respective opposed outlets facing towards respective opposite ends of the track, and - the two opposite ends of the cable are anchored to the respective ends of the track so that respective portions of the cable disposed between the respective outlets and the respective ends of the track extend parallel to the track. The concept upon which the invention is based overturns the conventional operating principle of window regulators in which two opposite branches of a cable slide in respective flexible sheaths; according to the invention, as well as performing the known function of supporting the pane, the slide also performs the function of deflecting the forces in the two branches of the cable towards the axis of the thrust on the window, which function is normally performed by the pulleys or similar guide members disposed at the ends of the track on which the slide slides. This arrangement is permitted by the flexibility of the sheaths, of which the ends remote from the drive unit follow the slide in its upward and downward movements . Owing to the flexibility of the sheaths, this arrangement does not impose rigorous constraints with regard to the length of the track and its distance from the drive unit, so that the same window regulator is suitable for installation in various models of motor vehicle, without modification. Owing to the elimination of the brackets, pulleys, etc., the device according to the invention also has the advantage of less weight in comparison with known window regulators of the same category. The invention was devised for application to motor-vehicle doors but may be applied in other fields, both to vehicles in general and, for example, to doors and windows for buildings. The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from a reading of the following detailed description, given with reference to the appended drawings, provided by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic, elevational view of a motor-vehicle door, showing the arrangement therein of a window regulator according to a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a view showing the part of the device of Figure 1 which comprises the track and the respective slide, on an enlarged scale, Figure 3 is a view showing, amongst other things, the slide of Figure 2, partially sectioned, and a portion of the track, on an even larger scale, and Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to that of Figure 3 , showing three further embodiments of the invention. With reference to Figure 1, a motor-vehicle door comprises a sheet-metal shell, generally indicated 10, with an upper portion having an opening and constituting a window frame 12, and with a lower compartment 14. A window pane 16 is mounted in the shell 10 for sliding between a raised position in which it is in the frame 12 and a position in which it is at least partially lowered into the compartment 14. A translation unit, generally indicated 18, is fixed in the compartment 14 for moving the pane 16 upwards and downwards. The translation unit 18 comprises a fixed track 20 extending in the direction of movement of the pane 16, and a slide 22 slidable along the track 20 and supporting the pane 16 from a central lower region thereof . A drive unit 24 is also fixed in the compartment 14 and, in known manner, comprises a fixed housing 26, a drum 28 rotatable in the housing 26, and means for rotating the drum 28, that is, in the embodiment in question, a geared electric motor unit 30. The translation unit 18 and the drive unit 24 are interconnected by a transmission which comprises a pair of flexible sheaths 32, 34. A first end 36 or 38, respectively, of each flexible sheath is anchored to the housing 26; a second end of each sheath 32, 34, constituted by a respective terminal 40, 42, is associated with the translation unit 18 and, according to the invention, is anchored to the slide 22, as is shown best in Figures 2 and 3. With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the slide 22, which is mounted in known manner for sliding on the track 20, is constituted by a block, preferably of strong plastics material with a low coefficient of friction, such as a polyamide or polytetrafluoroethylene. The block constituting the slide 22 is preferably constituted by a pair of coupled half-shells, in each of which there are recesses jointly defining two ducts which will be referred to further below. A pin 44 formed integrally with the block or with one of its parts acts as a support for the pane 16 of Figure 1. The transmission comprises, in addition to the flexible sheaths 32, 34, a cable slidable in both of the sheaths, extending, in known manner, around the drum 28 of Figure 1, and having two opposite ends associated with the translation unit 18 in the manner which will now be explained. The two opposite branches of the cable which extend from the drum are indicated 46 and 48, respectively. According to the invention, the slide 22 has a pair of internal ducts for guiding the two branches 46, 48 of the cable. These ducts extend between inlet openings to which the terminals 40, 42 of the sheaths 34, 32 are anchored, respectively, and respective opposed outlets facing towards opposite ends of the track 20. The two opposite ends of the cable are anchored to the respective ends of the track 20 by means of respective terminals 54, 56. The two opposite branches of the cable thus have respective portions, indicated 46a, 48a respectively, which extend parallel to the track 20 from the outlet of the respective duct 50, 52. In the embodiment of Figure 3, the two ducts 50, 52 cross over inside the slide 22 without intersecting. Of these ducts, the one indicated 50 extends along a curved path from an inlet opening situated in an upper corner region of the slide 22 on the side facing the drive unit. This inlet opening has an axis which converges downwardly with the track 20. The duct 50 terminates in an outlet situated in a lower end of the slide 22 and facing the lower end of the track 20. The other duct 52 also extends along a curved path from an inlet opening situated in a lower corner region of the slide 22, again on the side facing the drive unit 24 (Figure 1) . The axis of this inlet opening converges upwardly with the track 20. The duct 52 terminates in an outlet situated in the upper end of the slide 22 and facing towards the upper end of the track 20. Figure 4 shows a second embodiment in which the ducts inside the slide do not intersect. For simplicity, parts identical or similar to those of Figure 3 have been indicated by the same reference numerals in Figure 4. One 50 of the internal ducts extends along a curved path with a deflection substantially through 90° from an upper inlet opening (corresponding to the terminal 40 of the upper sheath 32) which is situated on a side of the slide 22 facing towards the drive unit 24 (Figure 1) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track 20. The duct 50 terminates in an outlet situated in the upper end of the slide 22 so as to deflect the end portion 46a of the cable upwardly towards the upper end of the track 20. The other internal duct 52 of the slide 22 extends along a curved path with a deflection substantially through 90° from a lower inlet opening (corresponding to the terminal 42 of the lower sheath 34) situated on the same aforementioned side of the slide 22 and having an axis substantially perpendicular to the track 20. The lower duct 52 terminates in an outlet situated in the lower end of the slide 22 and facing towards the lower end of the track 20 in order to deflect the cable portion 48a downwardly. The third embodiment of Figure 5 is similar to the embodiment of Figure 3 in that the two ducts of the slide cross over without intersecting. For simplicity, the same reference numerals have again been used in Figure 5 for indicating parts identical or similar to those of the preceding figures . In Figure 5, one internal duct 50 extends along a curved path from an upper inlet opening (corresponding to the terminal 40 of the sheath 32) which is situated on a side of the slide 32 facing the drive unit 24 (Figure 1) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track 20. The duct 50 terminates, as in Figure 3, in an outlet situated in the lower end of the slide 22. The other duct extends along a curved path from a lower opening (corresponding to the terminal 42 of the sheath 34) situated on the same aforementioned side of the slide 22 and having an axis substantially perpendicular to the track 20. The duct 52 opens in the upper end of the slide 22, as in the embodiment of Figure 3. In Figure 6, which illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention, for simplicity, the same reference numerals have again been used to indicate parts identical or similar to those of the preceding figures . In the embodiment of Figure 6, the two ducts 50, 52 also cross over inside the slide 22 without intersecting. The duct 50 extends along a curved path from an inlet opening (corresponding to the terminal 40 of the upper sheath 32) which is situated on a side of the slide facing the drive unit 24 (Figure 1) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track 20. The duct 50 opens in the lower end of the slide, as in the embodiment of Figure 5. The other duct 52, however, extends along a straight path substantially parallel to the track 20 from a lower inlet opening (corresponding to the terminal 42 of the lower sheath 34) to an outlet situated at the upper end. Naturally, the arrangement of Figure 5 could be reversed. Moreover, a slide could have a pair of straight ducts parallel to one another and to the track with inlet and outlet openings situated in respective opposite ends. This latter embodiment and that shown in Figure 6 may not be suitable for installation in a motor- vehicle door since it could be difficult for the transmission portion corresponding to the upper sheath 32 to be housed in a compartment such as that indicated 14 without projecting above the lower edge of the window frame. This embodiment could, however, be used, paired with a similar window regulator, for moving a pane by means of two slides associated with the two end edges of the pane. An application of this type would be suitable for moving windows of buses, railway carriages and buildings.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A window regulator, particularly for vehicle windows, of the type comprising: - a translation unit (18) which comprises a fixed track (20) extending in the direction of movement of the pane (16) and a slide (22) slidable along the track and supporting the pane, a drive unit (24) which comprises a fixed housing (26) , a drum (28) rotatable in the housing, and means (30) for rotating the drum, and a transmission comprising a pair of flexible sheaths (32, 34) each having a first end (36, 38) anchored to the housing (26) and a second end (40, 42) associated with the translation unit (18) , and a cable (46, 48) slidable in both of the sheaths (32, 34) , extending around the drum (28) , and having two opposite ends associated with the translation unit, characterized in that : - the second ends of the sheaths (32, 34) are anchored to the slide (22) , - the slide (22) has a pair of internal ducts (50, 52) for guiding the cable (46, 48) , the ducts extending between inlet openings to which the second ends (40, 42) of the sheaths (32, 34) are anchored, respectively, and respective opposed outlets facing towards respective opposite ends of the track (20) , and - the two opposite ends of the cable (46, 48) are anchored to the respective ends of the track (20) so that respective portions (46a, 48a) of the cable disposed between the respective outlets and the respective ends of the track extend parallel to the track. 2. A window regulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that (Figure 3) the two ducts (50, 52) cross over inside the slide (22) without intersecting, one (50) of the ducts extending along a curved path from an inlet opening which is situated in an upper corner region of the slide (22) on the side facing the drive unit (24) and which has an axis converging downwardly with the track (20) , to an outlet situated in a lower end of the slide (22) and facing towards the lower end of the track (20) , and the other duct (52) extending along a curved path from an inlet opening which is situated in a lower corner region of the slide (22) on the side facing the drive unit (24) and which has an axis converging upwardly with the track (20) , to an outlet situated in an upper end of the slide (22) and facing towards the upper end of the track (20) . 3. A window regulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that (Figure 4) , one (50) of the ducts inside the slide (22) extends along a curved path with a deflection substantially through 90° from an upper inlet opening which is situated on a side of the slide (22) facing the drive unit (24) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track (20) , to an outlet situated in an upper end of the slide (22) and facing the upper end of the track (20) , and the other duct (52) inside the slide (22) extends along a curved path with a deflection substantially through 90° from a lower inlet opening situated on the same aforementioned side of the slide (22) and having an axis substantially perpendicular to the track (20) , to an outlet situated in a lower end of the slide (22) and facing towards the lower end of the track (20) . 4. A window regulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that (Figure 5) , the two ducts (50, 52) cross over inside the slide (22) without intersecting, one (50) of the ducts extending along a curved path from an upper inlet opening which is situated on a side of the slide (22) facing the drive unit (24) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track (20) , to an outlet situated in an upper end of the slide (22) and facing towards the upper end of the track (20) , and the other duct (52) extending along a curved path from a lower inlet opening which is situated on a side of the slide (22) facing the drive unit (24) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track, to an outlet situated in an upper end of the slide (22) and facing the lower end of the track (20) . 5. A window regulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that (Figure 6) the two internal ducts (50, 52) of the slide (22) cross over inside the slide (22) without intersecting and in that one (50) of the ducts inside the slide extends along a curved path from an inlet opening which is situated on a side of the slide facing the drive unit (24) and which has an axis substantially perpendicular to the track (20) , to an outlet situated in one end of the slide and facing a corresponding end of the track (20) , and the other duct (52) extends along a straight path, parallel to the track, from an inlet opening situated in an opposite end of the slide (22) to the aforementioned end, to an outlet situated at the other end. 6. A window regulator according to Claim 5, characterized in that (Figure 6) the duct (50) which follows the curved path has an outlet situated at a lower end of the slide (22) and facing the lower end of the track (20) and the inlet opening of the straight duct (52) is in this lower end. 7. A window regulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that the two ducts inside the slide extend along straight paths parallel to one another and parallel to the track, one from an inlet opening situated in an upper end of the slide to an outlet facing the lower end of the track and the other from an inlet opening situated in a lower end of the slide to an outlet facing the upper end of the track. 8. A window regulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the slide is constituted by a pair of coupled half-shells in each of which there are recesses which jointly define the two ducts .

Inventors: PERAZZO PIERLUIGI, PERAZZO, PIERLUIGI
Applicants: LAVORAZIONI MECCANICHE SPECIAL, PERAZZO PIERLUIGI, LAVORAZIONI MECCANICHE SPECIALI LAMES S.A.S. DI PE, PERAZZO, PIERLUIGI
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E05F11
IPC codes: E05F11