Power actuator for pivotable window

• US 4,186,524 A
• Filed: 04/14/1978
• Issued: 02/05/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Pelchat, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Downey, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US05/896,309
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 49/322, 49/349, 49/357, 49/325, 49/324, 279/16
• US Class Current: 49/324
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/06 in guide-channels
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/405 for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/619 using flexible or rigid rack-and-pinion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/622 using screw-and-nut mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/656 Chains
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/724 Flexible
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A vehicle power window actuator for pivoting a glass view panel about an axis by means of back-and-forth linear movement of a wire cable. The wire cable has a jack screw portion swaged to one end engaging a gear which is rotated by an electric motor to produce linear movement of the cable. The other end of the wire cable is swage-attached to a rigid curved rod terminating in a ball-shaped end portion. The curved rod is housed in an arcuate hollow support assembly which is attached to the vehicle body adjacent the movable edge portion of the window panel so as to direct the end portion of the curved rod against the panel. A connector assembly between the end portion of the curved rod and the window accommodates linear movement of the ball-shaped portion in a direction parallel with the plane of the glass as the window pivots outward. In addition, the end portion moves with and rotates with respect to the glass. The connection compensates for substantial misalignment which often occurs between the axis of the curved rod and the attachment of the connector assembly to the window.

Claims

1. A remotely controlled and powered actuator to move a free edge portion of a vehicle window between open and closed positions about an opposite hinge-mounted edge portion comprising:

reversible electric motor means and circuit means associated therewith, including switch means for selectively activating the motor alternately in either direction from a switch location remote from the motor;

gear means including a small gear driven by said electric motor and a larger gear meshed therewith, having an internally threaded hub portion and permitted to rotate but not move axially with respect to the threaded hub portion;

an elongated jack screw threadably extending through the hub portion and movable axially therefrom by means of the rotation of threaded hub portion of the larger gear;

a sheathed motion and linear force transmitter of elongated configuration, including a relatively flexible cable with one end securely attached to said jack screw;

an arcuately shaped and rigid rod member having a ball-shaped end with its opposite end securely attached to the other end of the cable;

a curved housing means defining a curved tunnel therein for housing and guiding said rod member in movement back and forth in said tunnel;

said housing means being fixedly mounted adjacent the free edge of the vehicle window so that the ball end of the rod member extends toward the plane of the vehicle window;

a connector assembly mounted to the free edge of the vehicle window and including a flat surface on which said ball end may slide and rotate thereagainst as the window moves between opening and closing positions;

said connector assembly further including means to positively secure the ball end including a ferrule encircling said arcuate rod by an opening smaller than the ball end diameter and a cap member extending over the ferrule to hold it and said ball end against said flat surface, said cap member having an opening through which said rod extends sufficient to permit adequate lateral sliding movement in any direction of the ball end and ferrule caused by changes in the angular relationship between the plane of the window and the axis of the arcuate rod but insufficient to permit movement of said ferrule therethrough.

2. An improved remotely controlled and powered vehicle window actuator for moving a free edge of a window between open and closed positions about an opposite hinge-mounted edge portion including an electric motor power source and gear means with an interiorly threaded hub portion, an improved linear motion and force transmitter, comprising:

an elongated and rigid jack screw threadably extending through the hub portion and movable axially therefrom by rotation of the gear;

a sheathed wire cable of elongated configuration and relatively flexible nature, one end of which is swage-connected to an end of said jack screw;

an arcuately shaped and rigid rod member having a ball-shaped end with its opposite end securely swage-connected to a second end of said wire cable;

housing means for guiding said arcuately shaped rod in back-and-forth movements caused by relative displacement of said jack screw with respect to the gear;

connection means between the ball end of the arcuate rod and the free edge portion of the window, including a flat table surface parallel to the plane of the window on which the ball end is free to slide and rotate in any direction a ferrule secured about the ball end and a cap having an enlarged opening therein extending over said ferrule;

to positively hold the ball end adjacent the table surface, particularly during window closing movement when a force on the arcuate rod and the ball end is in a direction generally away from the window plane.

3. A connector assembly between the movable edge of a hinge-mounted panel and a linearly movable actuator having a rigid force-transmitting member terminating in an enlarged ball-shaped end, comprising:

a member secured to the movable edge of the panel and supporting a substantially flat table-like surface generally parallel to the plane of the panel, a ferrule with a central opening smaller than the diameter of the ball-shaped end encircling the rigid force-transmitting member, cap means extending over said ferrule and secured to said table-supporting member having an opening therein through which said force-transmitting member extends large enough to permit adequate lateral sliding movement in any direction of the ferrule and ball-shaped end on the table surface caused by changes in the angular relationship between the plane of the window and the axis of the arcuate rod but not large enough to permit movement of said ferrule therethrough.