This application is a National Phase Patent Application of International Patent Application Number PCT/DE2005/002279, filed on Dec. 13, 2005, which claims priority of German Patent Application Number 10 2004 063 514.5, filed on Dec. 27, 2004.
The invention relates to a window pane for a motor vehicle.
Such a window pane consisting of plastic is provided for closing a pane opening (in particular defined by means of a window frame) of a motor vehicle, and may be moved by means of a window lifter out of the pane opening and brought again into its closed position in the pane opening. The window pane comprises a pane element enclosed by an outer edge as well as a device arranged on the pane element for coupling the window pane to an adjusting mechanism of the window lifter.
In this case, the term ‘window frame’ is generally understood to be a restriction to a window opening in a motor vehicle, which may be closed by a window pane provided to this end (which is adjustable by means of a window lifter). In this case, the restriction is, for example, arranged on a motor vehicle door (in particular a folding door or sliding door) or a restriction arranged on an immovable region of the bodywork of a motor vehicle, defining (and at least partially enclosing) a pane opening denoted as a frame. With so-called frameless vehicle doors which are used, in particular, with convertible vehicles, the associated window frame is formed by a region of the restriction of the door opening on the bodywork side, which may be closed by the corresponding vehicle door. The part of the restriction of the door opening which defines, according to its intended purpose, the window pane provided on the vehicle door when the vehicle door is closed, is considered as the window frame (in the case of an adjustable window pane, a window pane in its closed position is taken as a starting point).
It is generally known in the prior art to fasten a drive element to a window pane, in particular to the lower edge thereof, via which the window pane is connected to the lifting mechanism of an associated window lifter, for example to a cable of a tractive means window lifter or to a lever arm of an arm window lifter.
The object of the invention is to provide a window pane for motor vehicles which is further improved with regard to its connection to an associated motor vehicle window lifter.
Accordingly, for coupling the window pane to the adjusting mechanism of a window lifter, a guide region is integrally formed on the pane element which projects from a surface of the pane element and via which the window pane engages positively and longitudinally displaceably with guide means of the adjusting mechanism.
Said guide region is arranged and configured, in particular, such that when the window lifter is engaged in associated guide means it prevents a pivoting of the window pane about an axis extending perpendicular to the pane plane.
The guide region of the window pane may, on the one hand, be formed from the same material as the remaining pane element of the window pane or may be formed on the pane element from a different material, according to the so-called two-component technique.
So that a pivoting of the window pane is prevented about an axis extending perpendicular to the pane plane, when the window pane is in engagement via its guide region with associated guide means of the window lifter, the guide region comprises at least two stops spaced apart from one another transversely to the direction of adjustment of the window pane, via which the window pane is able to be supported on associated guide means. With such stops, moreover, a pivoting of the window pane about an axis extending parallel to the direction of adjustment may also be prevented.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the guide region comprises an undercut into which the associated guide means of the window lifter are able to engage. As a result, in addition to a pivoting of the window pane about an axis extending perpendicular to the pane plane, a slipping of the window pane perpendicular to the pane plane may also be prevented.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention the guide region is arranged on the lower edge and/or in the immediate vicinity of the lower edge of the window pane—relative to the state of the window pane installed in a motor vehicle. As a result, a particularly long lever arm is provided for supporting the window pane against pivoting.
According to one exemplary embodiment, the guide region comprises a projection extending in the direction of adjustment of the window pane for acting in associated guide means, the lateral faces of the projection opposing one another perpendicular to the direction of adjustment forming stops, by means of which a pivoting of the window pane, in particular about an axis extending transversely to the pane plane, is able to be prevented.
According to a further exemplary embodiment, the guide region of the window pane comprises a receiver (recess) extending in the direction of adjustment, into which the associated guide means are able to engage, lateral defining surfaces of the receiver spaced apart from one another perpendicular to the direction of adjustment forming corresponding stops.
The guide regions may be arranged in a portion of the window pane which is not provided for closing a window opening, for example on an extension of the pane element which projects from the lower edge of the pane element—relative to the installed state of the window pane in a motor vehicle.
Moreover, a receiver may be configured on the window pane, via which the window pane may be connected to a force transmission means of the lifting mechanism, which transmits the adjusting force generated by a drive of the window lifter to the window pane to be adjusted. In this case, said receiver may, for example, be a nipple chamber which is provided for positively receiving a cable nipple of a tractive means window lifter, in order to transmit the forces acting on the tractive means during the operation of the window lifter to the window pane to be adjusted.
Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures, in which:
a shows a door assembly for a motor vehicle with an adjustable window pane, into which a guide region for guiding the window pane in a direction of adjustment is integrally incorporated.
b shows a cross section through the guide region of the window pane of the door assembly of
a shows a modification of the door assembly of
b shows a modification of the cross section of
c shows a modification of the cross section of
a shows a second modification of the door assembly of
b shows a cross section through the door assembly of
a shows a third modification of the door assembly of
b shows a cross section through the door assembly according to
a shows a door assembly according to
b shows a cross section through the door assembly of
A door assembly of a motor vehicle door is shown in
By means of two lateral frame portions 21, 22 spaced apart from one another—relative to the state installed in a motor vehicle—as well as an upper frame portion 23 on the roof side connecting said frame portions, the window frame 2 defines a pane opening 20 which may be closed by the pane element 10 of the adjustable window pane 1. The pane element 10 of the adjustable window pane 1 is firstly defined by two edges 11, 12 spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle x, as well as further by an upper edge 13 and a lower edge 14 at a distance therefrom along the vertical vehicle axis z, which comprises an extension 14a for connecting the window pane to the window lifter 4.
Between the one lateral frame portion 22 and a curved region of the upper frame portion 23 of the window frame 2 a (non-adjustable) triangular window 25 is additionally arranged, which may be integrally formed on the window frame 2 when using plastic as a material for said window frame 2. By using the so-called two-component technique during the manufacture of the window frame 2, an opaque, for example non-transparent, plastic component for manufacturing the frame portions 21, 22, 23 may be combined in this case with a transparent plastic component for manufacturing the triangular window 25.
A window lifter 4 serves for adjusting the window pane 1 in a direction of adjustment z, which coincides with the vertical vehicle axis, the components of said window lifter being arranged on a region of the door body 3 located below the window opening 20. Said region of the door body 3 is generally formed by a door outer skin and a door inner skin, which enclose a hollow space therebetween denoted as a door shaft. In this case, the door outer skin defines an outer design surface of the motor vehicle door, whilst the door inner skin—relative to the state of the door installed in a motor vehicle—faces the vehicle interior.
The window lifter 4 comprises a drive 40, 41 formed by a drive motor 40 and a gear mechanism 41 downstream thereof, with a rotatably mounted cable drum about which a tractive means 42 of the window lifter, formed by a cable, is wound, and which during operation of the motor 40 is rotated in the one or the other direction. The tractive means 42 is guided by means of deflection elements 43, in particular in the form of guide pulleys, in a segment along a guide rail 44 extending in the direction of adjustment z of the window pane and serves as force transmission means for transmitting an adjusting force generated by the drive 40, 41 to the window pane 1 to be adjusted. The tractive means 42 serving as force transmission means, the associated deflection elements 43 and the guide rail 44 thus form a lifting mechanism, by means of which it is possible to raise and lower the window pane 1 by means of the adjusting force generated by the drive 40, 41.
To this end, according to
For the defined guidance of the window pane 1, said window pane according to
The guide rail 44 serving as guide means for guiding the window pane 1 in the direction of adjustment z of the window lifter 4 is, according to
A through a receiver 16, 17 extending in the direction of adjustment z of the window pane 1 is associated with said guide rail region 46, 47 of the window lifter 4, and which is located in front of the surface O2 of the window pane 1 to be adjusted facing the vehicle interior, i.e. on the side facing away from the outer surface O1 of the window pane 1. Said receiver is formed by two projections 17 spaced apart from one another perpendicular to the direction of adjustment z of the window pane, formed integrally on the window pane 1 and projecting from the inner surface O2 thereof, and which extend respectively in the direction of adjustment z of the window pane, as well as by a bottom surface 16 connecting the two projections 17. Each of the two projections 17 defines a stop 17a on the edge side cooperating with one respective opposing lateral stop 47a of the guide rail 44, whereby a pivoting of the window pane 1 relative to an axis y extending perpendicular to the pane plane is prevented. Additionally, the cooperation of the bottom surface 16 of the recess 16, 17 on the pane side with the top surface 46 of the guide rail 44 extending parallel to the pane plane and facing the window pane 1 also prevents a pivoting of the window pane 1 about an axis extending parallel to the direction of adjustment z.
By means of this guide region 16, 17 which is formed in the extension 14a projecting downward from the lower edge 14 of the window pane 1, the window pane 1 may be guided in a defined manner along the guide rail 44 of the window lifter 4, a pivoting of the window pane both about an axis y extending perpendicular to the pane plane and about an axis z extending parallel to the direction of adjustment being prevented.
A pivoting of the window pane about the other axis x located in the pane plane, extending perpendicular to the direction of adjustment z (longitudinal axis of the vehicle relative to the state of the door assembly installed in a motor vehicle) is prevented by the guidance of the window pane 1 with its lateral edges 11, 12 in associated frame portions 21, 22 of the window frame 2.
A development of the door assembly shown in
c shows in cross section a modification of the guide regions and guide rails of
A development of the door assembly of
Finally, a modification of the door assembly of
In the aforementioned embodiments, the window pane to be adjusted may always be displaced in a direction z which—relative to the state installed in a motor vehicle—substantially coincides with the vertical vehicle axis of a motor vehicle. The arrangement disclosed above with reference to the FIGS. is, however, not in any way restricted to such cases in which the window pane may only be adjusted in a straight line or more specifically only along a vehicle axis (namely the vertical vehicle axis). However, the adjustment of the window pane along curved paths is also expressly intended to be included, so that the direction of adjustment of the window pane is altered locally along its adjustment path. The vertical vehicle axis z thus corresponds to a main direction of adjustment, corresponding to a raising of the window pane into the associated window opening and/or a lowering of the window pane out of the window opening. However, further components of motion in other spatial directions may always be superimposed on such a raising or lowering of the window pane in the vertical direction z.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2004 063 514 | Dec 2004 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/DE2005/002279 | 12/13/2005 | WO | 00 | 4/25/2008 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2006/069559 | 7/6/2006 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3844064 | Yamaha et al. | Oct 1974 | A |
4109417 | Fogarollo | Aug 1978 | A |
4494336 | Ishii et al. | Jan 1985 | A |
4502247 | Kobayashi et al. | Mar 1985 | A |
4658546 | Moriyama | Apr 1987 | A |
4700508 | Kollner et al. | Oct 1987 | A |
4759653 | Maekawa et al. | Jul 1988 | A |
4782629 | Mori et al. | Nov 1988 | A |
4922783 | Wallace | May 1990 | A |
5009035 | Kuki et al. | Apr 1991 | A |
5022184 | Yamamura et al. | Jun 1991 | A |
5673515 | Weber et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
5864987 | Mariel et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5970658 | Smith | Oct 1999 | A |
6052947 | Smith | Apr 2000 | A |
6088965 | Fukumoto et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
6115966 | Shibata | Sep 2000 | A |
6141910 | Kobrehel et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6604325 | Nicolai et al. | Aug 2003 | B2 |
6688043 | Feder et al. | Feb 2004 | B1 |
6874279 | Weber et al. | Apr 2005 | B1 |
7076918 | Tatsumi et al. | Jul 2006 | B2 |
7213370 | Dedrich et al. | May 2007 | B2 |
7617633 | Shimura et al. | Nov 2009 | B2 |
20020069586 | Nicolai et al. | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20040074149 | Tatsumi et al. | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040187389 | Santaolalla Gil et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
20040194391 | Castellon | Oct 2004 | A1 |
20040237410 | Cardine et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20060059781 | Berklich et al. | Mar 2006 | A1 |
20070193119 | Hoffman | Aug 2007 | A1 |
20080005971 | Dickie et al. | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20080236049 | Arimoto | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20090007495 | Smith | Jan 2009 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
28 47 404 | May 1980 | DE |
36 31 945 | Apr 1987 | DE |
37 18 124 | Dec 1988 | DE |
42 10 035 | Sep 1993 | DE |
197 03 720 | Jul 1998 | DE |
199 09 088 | Sep 2000 | DE |
199 44 965 | Mar 2001 | DE |
100 45 804 | Mar 2002 | DE |
100 61 149 | Jun 2002 | DE |
102 16 237 | Oct 2003 | DE |
102 34 099 | Feb 2004 | DE |
1 367 205 | Dec 2003 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090019775 A1 | Jan 2009 | US |