Window regulator and method of providing articulating motion to a window in a vehicle door

Abstract

A window regulator is provided for a window in a vehicle door. The window regulator includes a drive mechanism having a first cable and a second cable. The first cable is connected to the window at a first connection point and the second cable is connected to the window at a second connection point. The two cables are driven at different speeds so that the window is rotated with respect to the vehicle door panel as the window is displaced between a fully closed position and a fully opened position.

Claims

1. A window regulator for a window in a vehicle door, comprising: a drive mechanism including a first cable and a second cable, said first cable being connected to the window at a first connection point and said second cable being connected to the window at a second connection point whereby said first cable is driven at a first speed S.sub.1, and said second cable is driven at a second speed S.sub.2 where S.sub.1S.sub.2 so that the window is rotated with respect to the vehicle door as the window is displaced between a fully closed position and a fully opened position.

2. The window regulator of claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism includes a first drum about which said first cable is wound and a second drum about which said second cable is wound.

3. The window regulator of claim 2, wherein said first drum has a first radius R.sub.1 and said second drum has a second radius R.sub.2 where R.sub.1R.sub.2.

4. The window regulator of claim 2, wherein said drive mechanism includes a controller configured to control driving of said first cable at said first speed S.sub.1 and said second cable at said second speed S.sub.2.

5. The window regulator of claim 2, further including a first window connector connecting said first cable to the window at said first connection point and a second window connector connecting said second cable to the window at said second connector point.

6. The window regulator of claim 5, further including a first guide channel and a second guide channel.

7. The window regulator of claim 6, wherein said first connector includes a first follower so that said first connector slides along said first guide channel and said second connector includes a second follower so that said second connector slides along said second guide channel.

8. The window regulator of claim 6, wherein said first guide channel has a first radius of curvature C.sub.1 and said second guide channel has a second radius of curvature C.sub.2 where C.sub.1 >C.sub.2 and said first radius of curvature C.sub.1 and said second radius of curvature C.sub.2 are about a common axis located rearward of the window.

9. A window regulator for a window in a vehicle door, comprising: a drive mechanism including a first cable and a second cable, a first drum about which said first cable is wound and a second drum about which said second cable is wound, and a first motor that drives said first drum and a second motor that drives said second drum, said first cable being connected to the window at a first connection point and said second cable being connected to the window at a second connection point whereby said first cable is driven at a first speed S.sub.1, and said second cable is driven at a second speed S.sub.2 where S.sub.1 S.sub.2 so that the window is rotated with respect to the vehicle door as the window is displaced between a fully closed position and a fully opened position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the window regulator and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:

(2) FIG. 1a illustrates one type of prior art compromise made when a door panel will not accommodate fully opening a full-size window or door glass.

(3) FIG. 1b illustrates a second type of prior art compromise when a door panel will not accommodate fully opening a full-size window or door glass.

(4) FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of window regulator that provides for articulating motion of a window within a vehicle door.

(5) FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the window regulator illustrated in FIG. 2 and showing the window in full-line in a fully closed position and in phantom line in a fully open position wherein the entire window is below the belt of the vehicle inside the door panel and the window opening is fully opened.

(6) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

(7) FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of yet another embodiment of the window regulator.

(8) Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the window regulator, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Reference is now made to FIGS. 2-4 illustrating a window regulator 10 for a vehicle door window W. As illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, the window regulator 10 includes a drive mechanism 12 including a drive motor 14 having a drive shaft 16 that simultaneously drives a first drum 18 and a second drum 20. A first cable 22 is wound on the first drum 18 while a second cable 24 is wound on the second drum 20. As further illustrated, the first cable 22 is connected to the window W at a first connection point 26 on a first window connector 28. In contrast, the second cable 24 is connected to the window W at a second connection point 30 by means of the second connector 32.

(10) As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first drum 18 has a first radius R.sub.1 while the second drum 20 as a second radius R.sub.2 where R.sub.1R.sub.2. More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the first radius R.sub.1 is greater than the second radius R.sub.2. Further, the drive motor 14, under control of the controller 15, drives the first drum 18 and second drum 20 through the drive shaft 16 so that each drum rotates 360 simultaneously. Since the first drum 18 has the larger radius R.sub.1 the first cable 22 wound on the first drum moves at a first speed S.sub.1 that is not equal to, and in the illustrated embodiment is greater than, the speed S.sub.2 of the second cable 24 wound on the second drum 20. As a result, the window W at the first connection point 26 moves at a first speed S.sub.3 greater than the window at the second connection point 30 which moves at a second speed S.sub.4. As a consequence, the window W is rotated with respect to the vehicle door D as the window is displaced between a fully closed position illustrated in full-line in FIG. 3 and a fully opened position illustrated in the phantom line in FIG. 3.

(11) Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 and 4 which show additional structural details of the window regulator 10. As illustrated, the window regulator 10 further includes a first guide channel 34 and a second guide channel 36. The first connector 28 includes a first follower 38 that engages and slides along the first guide channel 34. Similarly, the second connector 32 includes a second follower 40 that engages and slides along the second guide channel 36.

(12) As should be noted, the first guide channel 34 has a first radius of curvature C.sub.1 while the second guide channel 36 has a second radius of curvature C.sub.2 where C.sub.1>C.sub.2 and the first radius of curvature C.sub.1 and the second radius of curvature C.sub.2 are about a common axis A located vehicle rearward of the window W.

(13) As further illustrated in FIG. 3, the first cable 22, wound around the first drum 18, is connected to the first drum at both ends, connected to the first connector 28 at an intermediate point and further guided by pulleys 42 at opposite ends of the first guide channel 34. Similarly, the second cable 24 is connected at both ends to the second drum 20, connected to the second connector 32 at an intermediate point and further guided by two pulleys 44 at opposite ends of the second guide channel 36.

(14) When one wishes to open or close the window W, the drive motor 14 is activated to drive the first drum 18 and second drum 20 by means of the drive shaft 16. Since the radius R.sub.1 of the first drum 18 is greater than the radius R.sub.2 of the second drum 20, the first cable 22 is driven at a first speed S.sub.1 that is greater than the speed S.sub.2 of the second cable 24 thereby moving the window W at the first connection point 26 at a rate of speed S.sub.3 along the first guide channel 34 that is greater than the rate of speed S.sub.4 of the second connection point 30 along the second guide channel 36. As a result, the window W is able to traverse the longer first guide channel 34 in the same amount of time the window takes to traverse the shorter second guide channel 36. Accordingly, as the window W is moved from the fully closed position to the fully opened position or vice versa, the window rotates within the door panel D. Advantageously, this allows a full-width window W to be opened so as to be completely below the belt line B and contained within the door panel D when fully opened (note phantom line position of window W in FIG. 3).

(15) Reference is now made to FIG. 5 which schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of window regulator 50. The window regulator 50 includes a drive mechanism 52 including a first drive motor 54 for driving a first drum 56 and a second drive motor 58 for driving a second drum 60. A first cable 62 wound on the first drum 56 is connected to the window W at a first connection point 64 by means of a first connector 66. A second cable 68 wound on the second drum 60 is connected to the window W at a second connection point 70 by the second connector 72.

(16) In this embodiment, the first and second drums 56, 60 may or may not have different radii Instead, the speed of the cables 62, 68 and the speed of movement of the window connection points 64, 70 is determined by the drive speed of the first and second drive motors 54, 58 under the control of the controller 74. As should be appreciated, the controller 15 of the first embodiment and the controller 74 of this embodiment may comprise a dedicated microprocessor or electronic control unit operating appropriate software for controlling the articulating motion of the window W. Such a controller 15, 74 may include one or more processors, one or more memories and one or more network interfaces that all communicate with each other over a communication bus in a manner known in the art.

(17) As with the form of window regulator 10 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second embodiment of window regular 50 moves the window W at a first connection point 64 at a first speed S.sub.3 and at a second connection point 70 at a second speed S.sub.4 where S.sub.3S.sub.4. As a result, the window W is rotated with respect to the vehicle door panel D as the window is displaced between a fully closed position and a fully open position in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3. Since the second embodiment of window regulator 50 utilizes two drive motors 54, 58 instead of a single drive motor 14 as in the first embodiment of window regulator 10, the second window regulator 50 has greater flexibility. This is because the two drive motors 54, 58 allow the cables 62, 68 connected to the window W to be operated at different and/or varying speeds and even with different start or stop times as may be necessary to achieve a more complex motion of the window as it is turned or rotated during displacement from the fully closed position to the fully opened position and back again. Such complex motion may be necessary depending upon the size and shape of the window W and the available space within the door panel D to accommodate that window when it is in the fully opened position.

(18) The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.