Patent Application
20130111820
The invention relates to a device for adjusting and locking the position of a guide rail for a movable window pane in a vehicle door according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a vehicle door equipped with the device and a tool proposed for the adjusting and locking.
Vehicle doors with movable window panes or adjustable cable-driven window lifters have long been known. In particular, in the case of motor vehicles with frameless movable window panes, it is required for the window panes to be pressed with a pre-definable pressing force against the seal on the bodywork side. Too low a pressing force would lead, at high speeds, to lifting off of the window pane and thus to undesirable wind noise. In order to adjust the pressing force, the position of the guide rails mounted in the motor vehicle door is altered, particularly in the Y-position (tilt) thereof.
DE 10 2004 027 253 A1 discloses a device of this type for adjusting and locking a movable window pane. Each guide rail is provided with a mounting plate mounted on the rail side (section 9 in FIG. 1 therein). This rail-side mounting plate is fastened to a mounting plate (position angle 11) mounted on the door side. A special screw connection which is equipped with an eccentric lever (element 2 in FIG. 4) is proposed as the mounting means. The eccentric lever is in engagement with an engaging element which is configured as a slot (reference sign 5 in FIGS. 2 and 3), so that given a rotary movement of the eccentric lever, the rail-side mounting plate is moved translationally and is displaced relative to the mounting plate mounted on the door side. For this purpose, the slot serving as an engaging element (reference sign 5 in FIG. 3) must extend vertically (Z-direction), i.e. perpendicularly to the adjusting direction (Y-direction). The adjustment is undertaken with the screw connection slightly loosened, so that the Y position of the mounting plate (section 9 in FIG. 3) on the rail side is adjusted by rotating the eccentric lever. In order to rotate the eccentric lever, said lever has a tool connection (internal Torx profile 15 in FIG. 4) for a socket spanner or the like. If, by rotating the eccentric lever, the desired Y-position of the guide rail has been adjusted, said position can be locked or fixed by means of a further socket spanner which engages with a fastening nut. This known solution has the disadvantage that following setting or adjustment of the Y-position of the guide rail, the eccentric lever must remain at the deployment site thereof because said eccentric lever is an integral component of the screw connection there. A solution wherein the weight or the material of the eccentric lever and the space required could be significantly reduced or even saved altogether would be desirable.
Thus a device for adjusting and locking the position of the guide rail is known which has a first mounting plate mounted on the rail side and a second mounting plate mounted on the door side which are connected to one another by means of screw-fastenable mounting means, wherein one of the mounting plates comprises an engaging element which comprises, for example, a vertical slot for an eccentric lever.
It is an object of the present invention to improve a device of the aforementioned type for adjusting and locking such that a solution is proposed which saves space and material to the greatest possible extent.
This aim is achieved with a device having the features of claim 1.
Furthermore, in the alternative independent claims, a vehicle door equipped with such a device and a tool for use with such a device are proposed.
It is therefore proposed that the mounting plate comprising the engaging element has a slot extending in the adjusting direction, in which one of the screw-fastenable mounting means is displaceably received, and that at least one of the mounting means is configured as a pivot point for the eccentric lever, so that the eccentric lever can be configured as part of a separate or external tool. It is therefore made possible through the design proposed here to carry out the position adjustment and the locking of the guide rail by means of a separate tool. This is essentially achieved in that at least one of the mounting means is configured as a rotary bearing or pivot point for the eccentric lever and that the mounting plate which comprises the engaging element for the eccentric lever itself has a slot which extends in the adjusting direction (preferably the Y-direction or transverse direction) and serves as a guide for the mutual displacement of the mounting plates. The adjusting and locking device is configured by means of said features such that the eccentric lever does not have to be an integral component, but can be part of a separate or external tool. In this way, weight, material and space are all saved. In addition, for locking, simple economical mounting means in the form of screws and nuts can be used. The invention is particularly suitable for adjusting the Y-position of guide rails for frameless window panes.
In a preferred embodiment, the slot (guide in the Y-direction) and the engaging element for the eccentric lever are provided at the mounting plate on the door side. The engaging element is preferably also configured as a slot, which then extends in a direction essentially perpendicularly to the adjusting direction (vertically oriented slot). As the engaging element, for example, a spigot or the like which engages in a fork which is part of the eccentric lever can be provided.
As mounting means, screws and nuts are preferably used, wherein at least one of said fastening means is configured as a pivot point or a rotary bearing for the eccentric lever in that said fastening means is configured as a round screw or a round nut or the like.
The tool according to the invention is distinguished in being configured tubular and in having a tubular shaft at one end of which an eccentric lever which engages in the engaging element of one mounting plate is arranged, and that one end of the tubular shaft is configured to grasp a screw-fastenable fastening element (preferably a screw or a nut) mounted in the device in form-fitting manner and to use said mounting means as a rotary bearing for the eccentric lever. In particular, the tool is configured such that the interior diameter of the tubular shaft at least corresponds to the exterior diameter of a screw head or a nut. Thus any desired screw head or any desired nut can be used as a rotary bearing or pivot point. Preferably, provided at the other end of the tubular shaft is an adjusting handle, through actuation of which, rotation of the eccentric lever and thus adjustment of the Y-position of the guide rail is carried out.
The tool is also preferably configured such that a rod is rotatably arranged in the tubular shaft, at the free end of which locking means, in particular a spanner element is arranged and, at the other end thereof, a locking handle is arranged. The tool therefore fulfils two functions, specifically an adjusting function by actuating the adjusting handle attached to the tubular shaft and a locking function by actuating the locking handle and the rod connected thereto and arranged in the interior of the shaft.
These and other advantages are disclosed in the subclaims. The invention will now be described by reference to exemplary embodiments and with the aid of the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:
a to f relate to a first exemplary embodiment and show, in different schematic representations or views, the design of the device according to the invention; they also illustrate the chronological progress of the adjusting and locking procedure;
a to c relate to a second exemplary embodiment and show different schematic representations and views thereof.
a and b show, in two views, the principle construction of a device 100 for adjusting and locking a guide rail 11 in a vehicle door 10. The device 100 comprises, in particular, a first mounting plate 110 which is provided, for example, configured integrated, at the guide rail 11, and is referred to in the following as the rail-side mounting plate. The device 100 also comprises a second mounting plate 120, which is connected to the door interior panel 12 of the vehicle door 10 and is therefore also referred to below as the door-side mounting plate. Using this device, the position of the guide rail 11 can be adjusted and locked in the adjusting direction, that is, here in the Y-direction.
As shown, in particular, by the cross-sectional view of
The sequence of the adjustment and locking is illustrated in greater detail by
As illustrated in
Once the desired position has been found, (see
Another embodiment of the invention will now be described making reference to
In order to adjust and lock the guide rail, firstly, with the screw connection loosened, the tool 200 is introduced so that the eccentric lever 212 is effectively hooked into the vertical slot 115 (engaging element). The tube 211 of the tool encompasses, with the free end thereof, the fastening screw 140, so that the eccentric lever can be rotated about said pivot point or said rotary bearing. Through the rotation of the eccentric lever 212, adjustment of the Y-position of the guide rail is achieved. Once the desired position has been reached, then by means of the locking handle 220 and the rod 221 connected thereto, tightening of the screw connection can be brought about. For this purpose, the screw 140 is configured, for example, as a hexagonal head cap screw so that said screw can be tightened with a rod, the free end of which is configured as a hexagonal key. Once the locking has been carried out, the tool can be removed again without difficulty.
Many other variants and modifications are conceivable. For example, a spigot or a projecting peg which engages in the counter-part of a corresponding eccentric lever can be used as the engaging element (see 115 in
The invention proposed here not only has the advantage that, following assembly, no excessive quantity of superfluous material or components remain, but that also a tool can be used which is very easy and quick to operate. For the connecting means, screws and nuts can be used which have a common hexagonal form or the like. It is also possible that the outer tube of the tool can encompass and use the nut or the screw head without difficulty. A screw can also be used which provides possibilities for engagement with tools either at the shaft or the head thereof. As illustrated, by way of example, in
Apart from the actual device, the tool has also been described here and is distinguished by having essentially a concentric tubular construction of at least two tubes or rods. Said tool can be configured very stable and user-friendly and enables easy access by means of an assembly aperture in the frame of the vehicle door.
A vehicle door has also been described which is equipped with such an adjusting and locking device. Furthermore, the method for adjusting and locking the position of the guide rail has been described. Altogether, with the design according to the invention, a rapid, effective adjusting and locking capability is provided, wherein, following assembly, no superfluous components or parts thereof have to remain in the vehicle door. The proposed design is suitable, in particular, for the use of typical standard-conform screw connections. For this reason also, a very economical realisation of the invention is achievable.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 2010 009 865.3 | Jul 2010 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2011/060778 | 6/28/2011 | WO | 00 | 1/23/2013 |
