WINDOW LIFT OPERATED BY STRUCTURAL CABLES FOR VEHICLE DOORS

Abstract

Structural cable window lifter for vehicle doors, specifically a double guide rail structural cable window lifter that incorporates additional functional components such as the attachment means for the inner door handle, such that in an assembled position on the structure of the vehicle door the structural cable window lifter and the decorative door panel are connected through said inner door handle. Said structural cable window lifter comprises a strong structure that supports and transmits the loads generated during the operation of the window lifter, and/or the interior handle of the door, on the door structure through the guide rails, which are the only components of the structural cable window lifter joined to said door structure.

Claims

1. Structural cable window lifter for vehicle doors comprising: a first guide rail (2) comprising first cable redirection means (8.1) on the upper end thereof, second cable redirection means (8.3), and first attachment means (9.1) for the first guide rail (2) to a structure of the vehicle door (13); a second guide rail (3) comprising third and fourth cable redirection means (8.2, 8.4), and second attachment means (9.2) for the second guide rail (3) to the structure of the vehicle door (13); a first element (4) connecting said first and second guide rails (2,3) comprising a structural portion (5) that includes attachment means (5.1) for the inner door handle (16), such that said structural portion (5) has structural continuity from the inner door handle (16) where the loads resulting from the use of said inner door handle (16) are generated, to the guide rails (2,3) where the loads are transmitted to the structure of the vehicle door (13) through the attachment means (9.1, 9.2); driving means (7) comprising a cable winding drum (7.1) placed between the first guide rail (2) and the second guide rail (3) and connected to the first element (4); a second continuous structural element (6) that joins the first guide rail (2) to the first element (4), and runs along a segment (10.1) of the cable (10) located between the first redirection means (8.1) and the cable winding drum (7.1), said continuous structural element (6) being able to maintain the distance between the first redirection means (8.1) and the cable winding drum (7.1) constant during the window raising and lowering movements; wherein the first guide rail (2), the second guide rail (3), the first element (4) with a structural portion (5) and the second structural element (6) form a structural assembly made of a single piece of plastic material.

2. Structural cable window lifter for vehicle doors according to claim 1, wherein the first element (4) and the structural portion (5) of the first element (4) coincide.

3. Structural cable window lifter for vehicle doors according to claim 1 wherein the structural portion (5) of the element (4) has a ribbed geometry that runs continuously from the first guide rail (2) to the second guide rail (3).

4. Structural cable window lifter for vehicle doors according to claim 1 wherein the second structural element (5) has a geometry configured by two walls (5.2) that define a cavity (6.1) that houses the segment (10.1) of the cable (10) reaching from the first cable redirection means (8.1) to the cable winding drum (7.1), and wherein said walls (6.2) extend perpendicularly with respect to the main surface of the structural cable window lifter (1) defined in turn by the geometry of the guide rails (2, 3), defining a U-shaped section.

5. Structural cable window lifter for vehicle doors according to claim 1 comprising additional integrated components such as clips (11) for attaching and guiding a electrical wire, means for attaching a speaker (12), or other non-structural plastic portions to support said components (11, 12).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present specification is completed by a set of figures illustrating a preferred embodiment, in no way meant to limit the invention.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a front view of the structural cable window lifter and the kinematic chain thereof, indication section AA.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along AA as represented in FIG. 1 of the second structural element.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a vehicle door, representing the door structure with the door panel and the structural cable window lifter, connected through the inner door handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Double guide rail cable window lifters are well known in the prior art. They comprise two approximately parallel guide rails that guide carriages joined to the window and pulled along said guide rails by a cable, which in turn consists of several cable segments, redirected at the ends of the guide rails and driven by driving means placed between the guide rails, which comprise a cable winding drum, that make the window move up and down.

[0028] Specifically, in the present invention the cable (10) meant to pull the window works under tension in at least one segment (10.1) thereof, particularly in segment (10.1) connecting the cable redirection means (8.1) located on the upper end of the first guide rail (2) and the cable winding drum (7.1) that forms part of the winding means (7).

[0029] In this cable segment (10.1) is where the highest loads are generated compared to those generated in the remaining cable segments (10) that form the window lifter kinematic chain. These loads tend to join the positions of each upper redirection means and the cable winding drum connected to the driving means, thereby deforming the structural cable window lifter.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, both the structural cable window lifter (1) and the door panel (15) that provides an aesthetic appearance to the door (17) are attached to a structure of the vehicle door (13) which has a large central opening (14), in this case with the specific feature that the structural cable window lifter (1) and the door panel (15) are connected through the inner door handle (16), such that the vehicle occupant perceives the deformations made in the structural cable window lifter (1) through the door panel (15), due to the loads exerted on said more unfavorable cable segment (10.1).

[0031] Specifically, the structural cable window lifter (1) of the invention represented in FIG. 1 comprises the elements described below.

[0032] A first guide rail (2) that comprises first cable redirection means (8.1) placed at the upper end thereof, second cable redirection means (8.3) placed at the lower end thereof and first attachment means (9.1) for the first guide rail (2) to the vehicle door.

[0033] A second guide rail (3) comprising third and fourth cable redirection means (8.2, 8.4), located respectively on the upper and lower ends, and second attachment means (9.2) for the second guide rail (3) to the structure of the vehicle door (13).

[0034] Wherein the position corresponding to the upper and lower ends of the guide rails refers to the position of said ends once the structural cable window lifter (1) has been attached to the structure of the vehicle door (13).

[0035] Moreover, the structural cable window lifter (1) comprises a first element (4) that connects said first and second guide rail (2, 3) which comprises a continuous structural portion (5) provided with attachment means (5.1) for the inner door handle (16), such that said structural portion (5) has structural continuity from the inner door handle (16) where the loads generated by using the inner door handle (16) are generated, to the guide rails (2, 3) where the loads are transmitted to the structure of the vehicle door (13) through the attachment means (9.1, 9.2). That is, the structural portion (5) has structural continuity because it can withstand and transmit the loads from the inner door handle (16) to the guide rails (2,3).

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, in a specific case the structural behavior of the structural portion (5) of the first element (4) is determined by a ribbed shape extending continuously from the first guide rail (2) to the second guide rail (3), passing through the attachment means (5.1) of the inner door handle (16).

[0037] In addition, said structural portion (5) can have other geometrical configurations, as well as other constructive solutions, to ensure the structural performance thereof, such as a configuration with a cross section providing a greater moment of inertial along the direction of the loads generated by using the inner door handle, or an increased thickness along the length thereof, or include additional reinforcement materials such as mats of a fibrous material such as fiber glass, blended with plastic material.

[0038] Furthermore, according to a specific embodiment of the invention not represented in the figures, the first element (4) couple be completely structural and therefore coincide with the structural portion (5).

[0039] In addition, the structural cable window lifter (1) includes driving means (7) that comprise a cable winding drum (7.1), placed between the first guide rail (2) and the second guide rail (3) and connected to the first element (4), either on the structural portion (5) or on a non-structural portion thereof.

[0040] The structural cable window lifter (1) also comprises a second continuous structural element (6) that connects the first guide rail (2) to the first element (4) and runs along a segment (10.1) of the cable (10) placed between the first redirection means (8.1) and the cable winding drum (7.1), this continuous structural element (6) being able to maintain the distance between the first redirection means (8.1) and the cable winding drum (7.1) constant during the window raising and lowering movements.

[0041] As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, in a specific case the structural performance of the second structural element (6) is determined by a shape thereof configured by two walls (6.2) that define a cavity (6.1) which houses the cable segment (10.1) that runs from the first cable redirection means (8.1) to the cable winding drum (7.1), and wherein said walls (6.2) project perpendicular to the main surface of the structural cable window lifter (1), in turn defined by the shape of the guide rails (2, 3) defining a U-shaped section.

[0042] In this way, the cross-section of the second structural element (6) has a greater moment of inertia along the direction of the loads generated due to the tension of the cable (10) in said segment (10.1) that it must withstand.

[0043] In addition, said second structural element (6) could present other geometrical configurations, as well as other constructive solutions in order to ensure the structural performance thereof, such as a ribbed configuration or an increased thickness thereof along its length, or comprise additional reinforcement materials such as mats of a fibrous material such as fiber glass, blended with plastic material.

[0044] Consequently, the configuration of the structural cable window lifter (1) of the invention is established by a structural assembly configured as a single piece of plastic material comprising the first guide rail (2), the second guide rail (3), the first element (4) with a structural portion (5) and the second structural element (6).

[0045] The minimum components comprising the structural cable window lifter (1) of the invention have been described and enumerated. However, according to other embodiments the structural cable window lifter (1) could integrate other components, such as clips (11) for attaching and guiding the electrical wire or means for attaching a speaker (12), as well as other non-structural plastic portions to support said components (11, 12), and can include other components such as the electrical wire, impact absorption means, a lock, etc.