Abstract
The invention relates to electrically switchable motor vehicle glazing, such as a side or rear window pane of a motor vehicle, wherein at least one optical property can be changed by feeding an electrical signal through a line arranged on a window-pane holder of the motor-vehicle glazing, wherein an open-loop or closed-loop control unit for feeding the electrical signal is provided in a housing, which is arranged in a stationary manner in relation to a motor-vehicle body.
Claims
1. An electrically switchable motor vehicle glazing for a window of a motor vehicle adapted to change at least one optical property of the vehicle glazing for the window in response to an electrical signal, said motor vehicle having a body, comprising: a one-piece housing connected to a drive housing or cable drum housing of a vehicle window regulator of the motor vehicle, without fastening devices to join said one-piece housing to said drive housing or cable drum housing, wherein said one-piece housing and drive housing or cable drum housing together remain substantially stationary relative to the body; a control or regulation unit removably insertable into and held in the one-piece housing and thereby segregated from other components of the vehicle window regulator, said control or regulation unit being configured for feeding the electrical signal for opening and closing the vehicle glazing; and a line adapted to transmit the electrical signal from the control or regulation unit to a window pane holder of the vehicle glazing, wherein a distal end of the line includes a plug that directly inserts into the control or regulation unit.
2. The electrically switchable motor vehicle glazing according to claim 1, wherein the one-piece housing defines an interior, and the interior has at least one guide therein adapted for inserting and holding the control or regulation unit.
3. The electrically switchable motor vehicle glazing according to claim 2, wherein the one-piece housing has an opening communicating to the housing interior that is sealed in order to protect the control or regulation unit that is arranged in the one-piece housing, or the control or regulation unit that is cast into the one-piece housing.
4. The electrically switchable motor vehicle glazing according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle glazing is adapted to be heated in response to an electrical signal fed via the line that is arranged on the window pane holder of the vehicle glazing.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention is explained on the basis of a number of embodiments. The following is shown:
(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a housing arrangement on a drive housing or cable drum housing of a vehicle window regulator,
(3) FIG. 2 a perspective view of a housing that is fastened to the car body,
(4) FIG. 3 a perspective view of a housing that is slipped onto the vehicle glazing,
(5) FIG. 4 a perspective view of a housing shaped in one piece onto a drive housing or cable drum housing,
(6) FIG. 5 another perspective view of the housing arrangement according to FIG. 4, and
(7) FIG. 6 a window regulator with a housing shaped in one piece onto a drive housing or cable drum housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(8) The vehicle glazing shown in the figures serves to further illustrate the basic principle, whereby identical or functionally equivalent elements are at least provided with the same reference numerals.
(9) FIG. 1 shows a drive housing or cable drum housing 15 of a vehicle window regulator with a housing 12 arranged on it in order to accommodate the control or regulation unit 11 for electrically switchable motor vehicle glazing 1, not shown in this figure. The control or regulation unit 11 is likewise not shown in this figure. The outer wall of the housing 12 has a lateral fastening tab 20 which, in turn, has a through hole 24 to receive a fastening screw or the like. Such a fastening tab 20 can likewise be arranged on the other side of the housing 12.
(10) Furthermore, at the top of the housing 12, there is a hook-shaped holder 25 that is shaped onto the housing 12. Here, the hook-shaped holder 25 has an L-shaped leg 26. On the side opposite from the housing opening 13, two fastening extensions 27 are shaped in one piece onto the housing 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the fastening extensions 27 are cylindrical and engage into two hollow cylindrical receptacles 28 of the drive housing or cable drum housing 15. The fastening extensions 27 can be pressed, glued, clipped or welded onto the hollow cylindrical receptacles 28.
(11) In FIG. 2, the housing 12 is fastened to the car body 2 by means of two lateral fastening tabs 21. For this purpose, the fastening tabs 21 have a U-shaped cutout 23 that engages into a projection of the car body 2 and thus allow a simple option for fastening the housing 12 to the car body 2. Accordingly, the housing 12 is not screwed on but rather is inserted into two projections of the car body 2, thus securing it with a positive and non-positive fit. Moreover, the housing 12 has two more upright fastening tabs 22 that are perpendicular to the fastening tabs 21, as a result of which additional variants are possible for fastening the housing 12 to the car body 2. Furthermore, the upper area of the housing 12 has a hook-shaped holder 25 into which fixed vehicle glazing 1, for example, a front or rear window of a motor vehicle can be inserted or glued. In the lower area of the housing 12, two plug or socket housings 18 whose cross sections are elongated and which are arranged next to each other are shaped in one piece onto the housing and they serve to accommodate, for example, plug contacts of the control or regulation unit 11.
(12) FIG. 3 shows vehicle glazing 1 that is inserted into the free space of the housing 12 surrounded by the hook-shaped holder 25. The vehicle glazing 1 can be configured so as to be fixed, for example, a front or rear window of a motor vehicle. For this purpose, the hook-shaped holder 25 has an L-shaped leg 26 that surrounds the vehicle glazing 1 at its lower end. The vehicle glazing 1 is held with a positive fit by the hook-shaped holder 25 or by the L-shaped leg 26. It is also conceivable that the vehicle glazing 1 is merely inserted or glued into the free space enclosed by the holder 25. The L-shaped leg 26 can also have a spring force so that the vehicle glazing 1 is held on the housing 12 with a positive and non-positive fit. In the lower portion of the housing 12, two plug and socket housings 18 whose cross sections are elongated and which are arranged next to each other are shaped in one piece onto the housing 12, and they serve to accommodate, for example, plug contacts of the control or regulation unit 11.
(13) Moreover, the side outer wall of the housing 12 has a fastening tab 21 with a U-shaped cutout 23. Such a fastening tab 21 can likewise be arranged on the other side of the housing 12. The housing 12 can be fastened, for example, to the car body by means of the lateral fastening tabs 21. Here, the housing 12 can be inserted into a projection arranged on the car body 2. However, it is also conceivable to screw or rivet the housing 12 onto the car body 2.
(14) FIG. 4 shows a window regulator system 3 comprising a drive housing or cable drum housing 15 and, shaped onto it in one piece, a housing 12 that is configured to accommodate the control or regulation unit 11. The control or regulation unit 11 is inserted into the housing 12 through the housing opening 13. An electric connection between the control or regulation unit 11 and the window pane holder 17 is established via the line 10. Plugs are arranged at the ends of the line 10 in order to establish a simple and reversible connection between the control or regulation unit 11 and the window pane holder 17, and these plugs are connected to the control or regulation unit 11 and to the window pane holder 17 by means of a mating socket.
(15) FIG. 5 shows the window regulator system according to FIG. 4 from a different perspective. The housing 12 is shaped in one piece onto the drive housing or cable drum housing 15 in order to accommodate the control or regulation unit 11. Guides 14 are shaped onto the side walls inside the housing 12 in order to allow easy insertion of the control or regulation unit 11. Here, the control or regulation unit 11 is inserted via the guides 14 into the housing 12 through the housing opening 13. The electric connection to the window pane holder 17 is established via the line 10.
(16) FIG. 6 shows a complete window regulator system with a window pane holder 17 in which the vehicle glazing 1 is inserted. The window pane holder 17 is arranged on a catch 16 that, in turn, is arranged movably on a guide rail. Via the line 10, the electric connection is established from the window pane holder 17 to the electric control or regulation unit 11 (not shown here) which is located in the housing 12. The housing 12 is shaped in one piece onto the drive housing or cable drum housing 15 of the window regulator 3.
(17) Additional objectives, advantages, features and application possibilities of the present invention ensue from the description of embodiments herein with reference to the drawings. In this context, all of the described and/or depicted features, either on their own or in any meaningful combination, constitute the subject matter of the present invention, also irrespective of their compilation in the claims or in the claims to which they refer back.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(18) 1 vehicle glazing 2 car body 3 vehicle window regulator 10 line 11 control or regulation unit 12 housing 13 housing opening 14 guides 15 drive housing or cable drum housing 16 catch 17 window pane holder 18 plug or socket housing 20 fastening tab 21 fastening tab 22 fastening tab 23 U-shaped cutout 24 through hole 25 holder 26 leg 27 fastening extension 28 receptacle
