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SINGLE CHANNEL CABLE DRIVE WINDOW LIFT SYSTEM

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/179,535 filed May 19, 2009 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/179,522 filed May 19, 2009 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to assemblies for vehicle windows and more particularly to a single channel window lift assembly with a door bracket.

Single channel cable drive window lift systems in some door builds are usually loaded into the door in a flexible state, i.e., the rail and cables are held together by the spring loaded conduits of the cable system. This is convenient for door assembly but costly for component cost. The flexible assembly is loaded through a hole in the door inner and attached and datumed to the outboard surface of the door inner. If door brackets are needed, then an additional component is required to be installed over the hole that was needed for the regulator load.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a single cable drive window lift system without additional components such as spring loaded conduits and brackets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a single channel window lift assembly for a vehicle is provided, the ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 2

window lift assembly having: a door bracket; a single guide rail rotationally mounted to the door bracket for rotational movement in a predetermined range; and a cable assembly secured to the single guide rail wherein at least one cable of the cable assembly is not received within a conduit and the at least one cable is secured to as least one pulley rotationally mounted to the single guide rail and the at least one cable remains on the at least one pulley as the single guide rail rotates within the predetermined range.

In another exemplary embodiment a method of securing a single channel window lift assembly to a vehicle door inner is provided, the method comprising the steps of: rotationally mounting a door bracket to a single guide rail for rotational movement in a predetermined range; inserting a lower distal end of the single guide rail into a feature of the door inner wherein the feature limits movement of the lower distal end in 5-ways and the feature has a plurality of walls such that the single guide rail is not constrained in an upward direction from the feature; inserting an upward distal end of the single guide rail into another feature of the door inner, wherein the another feature limits movement of the upward distal end in at least 2 of the 5-ways; and securing the door bracket to the door inner.

Additional features and advantages of the various aspects of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a single rail window lift system with spring loaded conduits;

FIG. 2 is an inboard view of the single rail window lift system of an exemplary embodiment secured to a vehicle door inner;

FIG. 3 is an outboard view of the single rail window lift system of an exemplary embodiment secured to a vehicle door inner; ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 3

FIG. 4 is a view of the upper attachment of the single rail;

FIG. 5 is a view of the lower attachment of the single rail;

FIG. 6 is an inboard view of the rail to door bracket securement;

FIG. 7 is an outboard view of the rail to door bracket securement; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along lines 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Although the drawings represent varied embodiments and features of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to illustrate and explain exemplary embodiments the present invention. The exemplification set forth herein illustrates several aspects of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Referring to the attached FIGS, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and relate to an apparatus and method for providing a single channel or single rail window assembly.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cable regulator is combined with a door bracket in a manner that allows the single channel system to be loaded and datumed to the door for proper function, but also to be constructed without spring loaded conduits for lower cost.

In one exemplary embodiment, the single channel window assembly is configured to provide limited rotational stability to an interface between the guide rail and the door bracket, with good stability fore/aft, up/down, and inboard/outboard. In one exemplary embodiment, the door bracket provides more functionality than just carrying the regulator, i.e., a door pull cup attachment and inside handle carrier is also provided. One non- limiting example is illustrated in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/179,522 filed May 19, 2009 the contents of which are incorporated herein by ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 4

reference thereto. Reference is also made to U.S. Patent Publication Nos. US20080222962 filed September 18, 2008; and U.S. Patent Publication US20100024306 filed July 31, 2009, the contents each of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

Exemplary embodiments provide limited rotational stability to an interface between the guide rail and the door bracket, with good stability fore/aft, up/down, and inboard/outboard. In one embodiment, the door bracket provides more functionality than just carrying the regulator, i.e. - door pull cup attachment and inside handle carrier. Therefore exemplary embodiments allow the regulator to be assembled with non-conduited cables (lower cost than conduited cables) because the rail is held in position relative to the motor by the door bracket. If the rail was not held in position, then the cables would come off of the pulleys. This invention is an improvement over prior design in that not only does it hold the rail in place, but it allows it to locate to the door once assembled. If the rail was located (datumed) by the door bracket, the rail could not be held in position to a tight enough tolerance to maintain function throughout the entire range of door build variation. By allowing the rail to be located (datumed) by the door, the traditional tolerancing stack-up is maintained.

FIG. 1 shows a window lift system 10 with spring loaded conduits while FIGS. 2-6 illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 2-6, a window lift system 12 is provided wherein a single guide rail 14 is secured to a door bracket 16 as discussed above. The mounting of the guide rail to the bracket is configured to provide limited rotational stability to an interface between the guide rail and the door bracket, with good stability fore/aft, up/down, and inboard/outboard.

Thus, limited movement of the guide rail in the direction of arrows 18 is provided for assisting in the mounting of the lift system as it is ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 5

inserted into an opening 20 in the door inner 22 so the guide rail can be located or datumed to the door inner and such limited movement allows for variances or door inner manufacturing tolerances.

As illustrated, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein allow the window lift system or window regulator to be assembled with cables 23 that do not have conduits thereby allowing for lower cost cables to be used since the rail is held in position relative to the motor by the door bracket. If the rail were not held in position, then the cables would come off of the pulleys 26 secured to the guide rail. As illustrated, a motor 25 for driving a motor drum within a motor drum housing 27 is provided. The motor drum is secured to the cables and the cables are secured to a carrier 31 which moves up and down as the motor is activated to effect movement of a window (not shown), hi one non- limiting embodiment, the motor is secured to the bracket and in another non- limiting embodiment the motor is secured to the guide rail. Of course, the motor may be secured in still other locations.

Also illustrated in one non-limiting embodiment is that the guide rail has a pair of arm members 33 that extend from the distal ends of the guide rail towards the motor drum. Arm members provide structural features to the guide rail as well as locate the cables in a spaced relationship with respect to each other.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention hold the rail in place but also allow the rail to be located to the door once it is assembled therein (e.g., movement in the direction of arrows 18 with respect to at least the door bracket). If the rail was located (datumed) by the door bracket, the rail could not be held in position to a tight enough tolerance to maintain function throughout the entire range of door build variation. By allowing the rail to be located (datumed) by the door, the traditional tolerancing stack-ups are maintained. ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 6

One non-limiting attachment of the rail to the door inner is shown at least in FIGS. 2-5 wherein the bottom of the rail is received in a cup or feature 50 that defines an opening 51 for receipt of a distal end 53 of the guide rail therein. The cup or feature has a plurality of walls that define opening 51 and provide 5-way locational control of the distal end of the rail therein (e.g., left to right or fore to aft; inboard and outboard and downward such that only the up direction (arrow 49) is not constrained by the cup or feature 50. At the opposite end or top end of the distal end of the rail is held in a pocket or feature 52 of the door inner for 2-way control (for/aft or right to left) while allowing the distal end to be inserted into the pocket in an outboard direction until the distal end contacts a portion of the pocket or feature and the bracket is secured to the door inner. Of course, other alternative insertion methods into features 52 of different configurations maybe used for example moving the distal end in an inboard direction until the feature is contacted and then securing the bracket.

The door bracket 16 secures the center of the rail in the inboard/outboard directions and holds the rail against upward movement in the direction of arrow 49 once the bracket is secured to the door inner, thus the system is secured in a manner that allows for several degrees of freedom, which in turn allows for numerous door build variations to be accommodated.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8, one non-limiting configuration for securing the guide rail to the bracket is illustrated. Here a feature 30 of the bracket engages an opening 32 in the guide rail. In one embodiment, the feature 30 and the opening 32 are configured to allow for rotational movement of the single guide rail with respect to the door bracket.

In addition, the guide rail further comprises a resilient arm member 34 for engaging an upper curved surface 37 of the bracket after the feature engages the opening in the single guide rail and the guide rail has a lower feature 38 for engaging a lower curved surface 40 of the bracket after the feature engages the opening in the single guide rail such that the movement of the single guide rail in the direction of arrows 18 with respect to the door ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 7

bracket is allowed in a limited range while movements in other directions is prevented. Again, this movement is provided to allow for installation of the system to a door inner as it is inserted through an opening and the guide rail is located by the features 50 and 52 of the door inner wherein the movement allows for door inner tolerances. Thereafter, the bracket is secured to the door inner.

Accordingly and in one embodiment, the system may be secured to the door inner as follows; first the lower distal end of the guide rail is inserted into the opening of the feature 50 and then the upper distal end of the guide rail is received in feature 52 thus, the guide rail is located or datumed by the door inner and then the bracket is secured to the door inner.

In one alternative embodiment the range of movement of the guide rail with respect to the door bracket in the direction of arrows 18 may be defined by a stop feature or engagement of a portion of feature 36 on bracket 16 such that limited ranges are defined by arrows 44. Of course, these ranges are merely provided as examples and exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not intended to be specifically limited to the ranges shown herein.

In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a portion 46 of feature 34 comprises an angled surface for engaging a portion of upper curved surface 37.

Door bracket 16 further comprises a plurality of mount openings 48 for securement of the bracket and ultimately the entire window lift system to the vehicle door inner. In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the mount openings are positioned in one of a pair of structural arm members 50 each of which extends from portions of the door bracket that define the door pull cup attachment or inside handle carrier. In addition and in one embodiment, the structural arm members are integrally molded with the bracket. Still further and in another embodiment, a vehicle door handle 70 is mounted to one of the structural arm members. ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 8

As illustrated and in one embodiment, the mount openings 48 are located proximate to distal ends of the structural arm members, hi addition and as illustrated in at least FIGS. 2 and 3 and in one non- limiting embodiment, the bracket is mounted to a peripheral portion of an opening 20 of the vehicle door inner 22. In one implementation, the vehicle door inner is configured to have tab members or ears 54 extending into the opening 22 in order to provide a securement surface for the distal ends of the structural arm members.

Also illustrated in the FIGS, is that the window lift system is secured to the bracket and the bracket provides a simple and efficient means for securing the window lift system to the vehicle door inner.

In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment and where applicable, the components of the window lift system or assembly as well as the vehicle door inner are manufactured from an easily molded or formed such as plastic or equivalents thereof. In some instances all of the components are molded from plastic while in other embodiments only portions are molded from plastic.

As used herein, the terms "first," "second," and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the terms "a" and "an" herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. In addition, it is noted that the terms "bottom" and "top" are used herein, unless otherwise noted, merely for convenience of description, and are not limited to any one position or spatial orientation.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention, hi addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. ICS-028 (TPL-0160) 9

Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.