Patent ID: 8191442

Claim:
A vehicle window lift system comprising: a window lift mechanism; and an actuator coupled to said window lift mechanism for driving said mechanism to a desired position, said actuator comprising: an internal drive train comprising a worm gear for driving an output gear, an output shaft, and a clutch comprising an output member having a plurality of pawls pivotally coupled thereto, an input member coupled to said output gear, a cantilever spring disposed on top of said output member with said plurality of pawls disposed on top of said cantilever spring, each of said plurality of pawls having at least one ear extending from a top surface thereof and into an associated opening in said input member, a torsion spring having a first end coupled to said output member and a second end configured to engage said input member and a locking ring, said clutch being configured to transmit torque from said output gear to said output shaft when a driving force is imparted to said input member to drive said mechanism to said desired position, and to resist transmission of torque from said output shaft to said output gear in at least one direction of rotation of said output shaft, wherein said torsion spring is configured to at least partially load in response to said driving force and to back drive at least a portion of said internal drive train when said driving force is discontinued, and wherein said plurality of pawls are configured to engage an interior surface of said locking ring, under urging from said cantilever spring, when a back driving force is applied from said output shaft to said output member in said at least one direction, transmitting at least a portion of said back driving force to said locking ring, said locking ring comprising a plurality of external features for non-rotatably coupling said locking ring to an actuator housing wherein at least a portion of a back driving force transmitted to said locking ring is transmitted to said housing.