Abstract:
A bracket assembly for mounting a windowpane to a window regulator. The bracket assembly includes a bracket body having a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the adjacent windowpane. A pair of spaced sidewalls extend from the bracket body, defining a channel so that a portion of the windowpane is enveloped therein. The bracket assembly includes an aperture in the bracket body, operable to receive a mounting structure on a lift plate mounted to the window regulator. An adhesive bond is applied to between at least one of the spaced sidewalls and the abutting portion of the windowpane to bond the bracket assembly to the windowpane.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to window regulators for motor vehicle doors. More specifically, the present invention relates to assemblies to mount a windowpane to the window regulator.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Motor vehicles side doors are typically equipped with a window regulator in order to raise or lower the side door windowpane. The windowpane must be securely mounted to the lifter plate on the window regulator in order to withstand the rigors of daily use. In addition, the windowpane should be easy to mount to the lifter plate, requiring a minimal amount of labor and parts to install. Also preferably, the windowpane should be convenient to remove from the window regulator should it need replacing.  
         [0003]     Currently, laminated window glass cannot be effectively mounted directly to the lifter plate because holes cannot reliably be drilled in this type of glass without risk of breaking the glass or degrading its safety features. Instead, more elaborate (and expensive) methods have been used to mount the windowpane. One common technique is to use frictional clamps. An elastometric trim is typically placed around the clamping area to ensure a snug fit without cracking the glass. The elastometric trim is often bonded to the windowpane using an adhesive. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,348 to Kane et al. teaches the use of molding a channel-shaped gasket over an edge of a window panel. A bracket is slidably mounted over the gasket to retain the window panel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,217 to Rose teaches the use of a molded profile (preferably made out of plastic) that encapsulates the lower edge of the windowpane. The profile is molded directly onto the window glass. A connector piece is then wedged into a slot on the base of the profile and is further mounted to the lift plate of the window regulator, preferably by bonding the connector piece with adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,132 to Gold teaches the use of notches in the opposite corners of the windowpane&#39;s bottom edge. An elastometric cap is mounted over the window glass in the region of the notch. The windowpane is then placed on a lifter plate. The windowpane abuts a sidewall extending perpendicular to the lifter plate. Preferably, an adhesive bond is applied between the sidewall and the windowpane. Tabs extending out from the sidewall are then bent over the electrometric cap so that the tabs wrap around the glass surface opposite the sidewall.  
         [0004]     Windowpanes can also be mounted using adjustable brackets. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,927 to Lieb and Edwards (hereafter the &#39;927 patent) teaches the use of an inner clip that is mounted around a base edge of the window panel. The inner clip can be spring-loaded and may also use an adhesive to bond to the window glass surface. The inner clip (holding the window panel) is then mounted within an outer jaw that is mounted to the lift member of the window regulator. The smaller inner jaws can be easily snapped around the window panel, and the complementary shapes of the inner and outer jaws allow a more accurate placement of the window panel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,764 to Klosterman (hereafter the &#39;764 patent) also uses glass panels with notches in the opposing corners of the bottom edge. Clasping brackets engage the window glass over the notched corners of the window glass. The brackets are pivotally linked to a lifter plate on the window regulator. While these techniques may secure the window glass, they also require complicated parts that add to the cost of assembly.  
         [0005]     It is desirable to provide a windowpane mounting that securely mounts the windowpane to a window regulator in an inexpensive fashion. It is further desirable to provide a windowpane mount that allows the windowpane to be quickly and easily replaced.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an object of the invention to provide a bracket assembly for a windowpane that securely mounts the windowpane to a window regulator. According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a bracket assembly for mounting a windowpane having at least one indented region along the edge of the windowpane to a window regulator for a motor vehicle. The bracket assembly includes a bracket body abutting against the indented region, and a pair of spaced sidewalls extending from the bracket body. The pair of spaced sidewalls define a channel and a portion of the windowpane is mounted therein. An aperture is provided in the bracket body, operable to receive a mounting structure on a lift plate mounted to the window regulator. An adhesive bond is applied to between at least one of the spaced sidewalls and the abutting portion of the windowpane to bond the bracket assembly to the windowpane.  
         [0007]     According to another embodiment of the invention there is provided a bracket assembly for mounting a windowpane without indented regions to a window regulator for a motor vehicle. The bracket assembly includes a bracket body abutting against the windowpane, having a thickness equal to the thickness of the adjacent windowpane, and a pair of spaced sidewalls extending out from the bracket body at opposing ends of the bracket assembly. The pair of spaced sidewalls define a channel and a portion of the windowpane is mounted therein. An aperture is provided in the bracket body that is displaced away from the windowpane and is operable to receive a mounting structure on a lift plate mounted to the window regulator. An adhesive bond is applied to between at least one of the spaced sidewalls and the abutting portion of the windowpane to bond the bracket assembly to the windowpane. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a side-plan view of a laminated windowpane for a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0009]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  shows a side-plan view of the windowpane shown in  FIG. 1 , with a bracket assembly being mounted to the windowpane;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a bottom plan view of the bracket assembly shown in  FIG. 2   b;    
         [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a side plan view of the bracket assembly and windowpane shown in  FIG. 2   b  mounted to a snap-in lift plate;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of the windowpane and bracket assembly shown in  FIG. 2   b;    
         [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a side-plan view of a laminated windowpane with a bracket assembly being mounted to the windowpane in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a side-plan view of a laminated windowpane with bracket assemblies being mounted to the windowpane in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a windowpane  10  for a motor vehicle side door is shown, having a first surface  11  and an opposing second surface  12  ( FIG. 5 ). Preferably, windowpane  10  is made of laminated safety glass. Along a peripheral edge of windowpane  10 , is a pair of contoured indented regions  13 . In the presently preferred embodiment, intended regions  13  are located along the base edge of windowpane  10 . Indented regions  13  can be made as part of the window glass forming process, or they can be later cut out of windowpane  10 . While the present embodiment uses semi-circular indented regions, the size and shape of each indented region  13  is not particularly limited, and can include other indented shapes that can be formed or cut in windowpane  10 . Each indented region  13  includes a first contoured surface  14  and a second contoured surface  16  on the opposite side of indented region  13 .  
         [0016]     Windowpane  10  is operable to be raised or lowered by a conventional window regulator (not shown). The type of window regulator is not particularly limited and it can include both single or dual rail window regulators, as well as scissor-type window regulators. The window regulator can be either motorized or manually powered. Referring now to  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  3 , a bracket assembly  18  for mounting windowpane  10  to the window regulator is shown.  FIG. 2   a  shows bracket assembly  18  prior to being mounted over indented region  13  to windowpane  10 , and  FIG. 2   b  shows bracket assembly  18  after being mounted over indented region  13  to windowpane  10 . Bracket assembly  18  can be manufactured from metal or a suitably resilient non-metal material such as plastic. Bracket assembly  18  includes a body portion  20  having a bracket edge  21  ( FIG. 3 ) that has the same general shape and size as indented region  13 , so that the bracket edge  21  is fitted against first contoured surface  14  and second contoured surface  16  of windowpane  10 . Depending on the shape of bracket assembly  18 , a slight gap may exist between the bracket edge  21  of body portion  20  and a portion of the edge of windowpane  10 , between first contoured surface  14  and second contoured surface  16 . As can be clearly seen in  FIG. 3 , the thickness of body portion  20  is the same as the thickness of windowpane  10  between first surface  11  and second surface  12 . Preferably, body portion  20  fits entirely within indented region  13 .  
         [0017]     A pair of sidewalls  22  extends out from each of the opposing ends of body portion  20  via a web portion  23  of bracket assembly  18 . The pair of sidewalls  22  form a channel  24 , sized as to be complementary to the thickness of windowpane  10 . Thus, when body portion  20  is placed within indented region  13 , sidewalls  22  overlap opposite surfaces on windowpane  10 , enveloping first contoured surface  14  and seconded contoured surface  16 . An adhesive material (not shown) is applied between sidewalls  22  and the abutting portions of windowpane  10  as to firmly bond bracket assembly  18  to the window glass.  
         [0018]     A mounting hole  26  ( FIG. 3 ) is provided though the center of body portion  20 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , with a mounted and bonded bracket assembly  18 , windowpane  10  can be mounted directly to a post  28  on a snap-in lifter plate  30 . Alternatively, a bolt or other mounting structure can be passed through mounting hole  26  and mounted to snap-in lifter plate  30 . Spring tabs  32  on lifter plate  30  provide for additional guidance when mounting.  
         [0019]     In operation, the window regulator (not shown) raises or lowers lifter plates  30 , thereby raising or lowering bracket assemblies  18 . When lifter plates  30  are raised, bracket assemblies  18  react against first contoured surface  14  to lift windowpane  10  and when lifter plates  30  are lowered, bracket assemblies  18  react against seconded contoured surface  16  to lower windowpane  10 . Should windowpane  10  need to be replaced, bracket assemblies  18  are dismounted from snap in lifter plates  30  and windowpane  10  is removed from the window regulator (not shown). A new windowpane  10  with bonded bracket assemblies  18  can then be mounted.  
         [0020]     In order to facilitate the manufacture of bracket assembly  18  and its subsequent mounting to windowpane  10 , each bracket assembly  18  preferably comprises two symmetrical half plates  32 . As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , one half plate  32  is mounted to windowpane  10  over first surface  1 , and the other half plate  32  is mounted to windowpane  10  over second surface  12 . Each half plate  32  includes a half body  34 , along with one sidewall  22  of the pair of opposing sidewalls  22  at each end. The two half plates  32  are placed together so that a back surface  35  on one half body  34  aligns with a back surface  35  on the other half body  34  to form the complete bracket assembly  18 . If the half plate  32  is produced through metal stamping then the material thickness of half body  34  should be half of the thickness of windowpane  10  so that when a symmetrical half plate  32  is placed on the opposite side of indented region  13 , the thickness of body portion  20  is equivalent to the thickness of windowpane  10 .  
         [0021]     Alternatively, instead of using two half plates  32 , bracket assembly  18  can be formed from a single plate. Forming is then required to achieve the same thickness as windowpane  10  in body portion  20  and to provide opposing pairs of sidewalls  22 . As mentioned earlier, bracket assembly  18  can also be produced using non-metallic material such as plastic, using plastic molding. Using this methodology, one bracket assembly  18  can be used to encapsulate the laminated glass based on the same concept as above. Again, in this case the material thickness for body portion  20  should be equivalent to the thickness of windowpane  10 .  
         [0022]     While the above-described embodiment of the invention locates indented regions  13  along the peripheral edge that forms the lower base of windowpane  10 , other locations for indented regions  13  are within the scope of the invention. Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of the invention is shown at  10 A. Windowpane  10 A has a pair of indented regions  13 A located along opposing edges of the window glass. Other arrangements of indented regions  13  along the peripheral edges of windowpane  10  are within the scope of the invention.  
         [0023]     It has also been contemplated that windowpane  10  could omit the indented regions  13  entirely. While this embodiment is less compact than the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a window glass without indented regions can be used. Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a third embodiment of the invention is shown at  10 B. Windowpane  10 B lacks indented regions. Instead, a body portion  20 B on bracket assembly  18 B extends beyond windowpane  10 B so that mounting hole  26 B is displaced away from windowpane  10 B.