Adjusting system for a motor vehicle door

• US 7,877,932 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Coburg
• Inventors: Krüger, Harald, Stenzel, Manfred, Schreiber, Ronny, Cruz, Patricica, Bücker, Rolf, Dohles, Hilmar, Kriese, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US11/667,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 493/48, 493/49, 493/52, 495/02, 495/03
• US Class Current: 49/352
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/17 vertically
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/423 for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/483 by cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/486 with one cable connection to the window glass
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/488 with two cable connections to the window glass
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/689 specially adapted for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/626 Plates or brackets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/205 forming a unit
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/696 during transport or storage
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

An adjusting system for a motor vehicle door includes a window winder for adjusting a window, at least one guide area of the window winder for guiding the window along a direction of adjustment, a door lock and a lock support. The one guide area of the window winder and the lock support are fixedly connected to one another, such that the guide area and the lock support form a structural unit. The guide area which is combined with the lock support into a structural unit includes at least one overlap area for a lateral window edge of the window to be adjusted and a further guide area of the window winder is provided, which is extended in the direction of adjustment of the window, and is positively engaged with a carrier being forcibly guided along the direction of adjustment of the window to be adjusted.

Claims

1. An adjusting system for a door of a motor vehicle comprising:

a window winder for adjusting a window in a direction of adjustment transverse to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, the window winder comprising at least one force transmitting element and an adjusting drive, wherein the window is coupled to the adjusting drive with the force transmitting element, and wherein the adjusting drive is configured to move the window in the direction of adjustment with the force transmitting element to adjust the window in the direction of adjustment;

a first guide area of the window winder for guiding the window along the direction of adjustment;

a door lock;

a lock support, the door lock configured to be pre-assembled on the lock support outside a motor vehicle door;

a second guide area of the window winder extending in the direction of adjustment of the window and positively engaged with a carrier being forcibly guided along the direction of adjustment;

wherein the first guide area of the window winder and the lock support are fixedly connected to one another, such that the first guide area and the lock support form a structural unit;

wherein the first guide area comprises at least one overlap area for a lateral window edge of the window to be adjusted; and

wherein the second guide area is spaced transversely to the direction of adjustment from the first guide area.

2. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are connected directly to one another.

3. The adjusting system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are unreleasably connected to one another.

4. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are integrally formed with one another.

5. The adjusting system of claim 4, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are integrally formed by plastic injection-molding.

6. The adjusting system of claim 4, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are integrally formed by light metal casting.

7. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the structural unit comprises at least one part of a housing for the door lock.

8. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the structural unit comprises at least one part of a housing for the adjusting drive of the window winder.

9. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the structural unit comprises at least one part of a housing for a control unit.

10. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the structural unit carries at least one of the following:

an external handle holder;

a door internal opener;

a cover for the door lock;

the first guide area;

the adjusting drive for the window winder;

a control unit for at least one of the window winder and the lock;

electrical conductors for at least one of a power supply and signal transmission;

a sensor system for at least one of the window winder and the lock;

a protection device configured to protect against moisture; and

fastening elements for fixing a functional component to the structural unit.

11. The adjusting system of claim 10, wherein the fastening elements are clip elements.

12. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first guide area of the window winder and the lock support are connected to one another via a deformable region, so that the position of the lock support is configured to be varied relative to the guide area by deforming the deformable region for tolerance compensation.

13. The adjusting system of claim 12, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are connected to one another via a flexible region.

14. The adjusting system of claim 12, wherein the first guide area and the lock support are connected to one another via an integrally formed deformable region.

15. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the structural unit comprises fixing elements to temporarily fix at least one of the following for secure transportation:

a door internal opener;

the adjusting drive for the window winder;

a control unit for at least one of the window winder and the lock;

electrical conductors for at least one of a power supply and signal transmission; and

the second guide area for the window winder.

16. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the window winder is configured as a single-strand window winder with just one force transmitting element longitudinally extended in the direction of adjustment of the window to be adjusted, and wherein the force transmitting element is configured to transmit an adjusting torque produced by the adjusting drive onto the window to be adjusted.

17. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the window winder is configured as a double-strand window winder comprising two force transmitting elements longitudinally extended parallel to one another and wherein the force transmitting elements are configured to transmit a drive torque produced by the adjusting drive onto the window to be adjusted.

18. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one force transmitting element is configured as a flexible force transmitting element.

19. The adjusting system of claim 18, wherein the at least one force transmitting element is one of a cable and a flexible element of screw-shaped configuration.

20. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one force transmitting element is configured as a rigid force transmitting element.

21. The adjusting system of claim 20, wherein the at least one force transmitting element is one of a toothed rack and a spindle.

22. The adjusting system of claim 1, further comprising a carrier configured to be moved in the direction of adjustment by a force transmitting element arranged along at least one of the guide areas of the window winder.

23. The adjusting system of claim 22, wherein the carrier displaceably engages in the associated guide area in the direction of adjustment.

24. The adjusting system of claim 22, wherein the carrier is loosely guided along the associated guide area.

25. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first guide area of the window winder carries a deflection device configured to deflect a flexible traction device.

26. The adjusting system of claim 25, wherein the deflection device comprises deflection pulleys.

27. The adjusting system of claim 25, wherein the deflection device comprises sliding elements.

28. The adjusting system of claim 27, wherein the sliding elements are integrally formed on an associated guide area.

29. The adjusting system of claim 25, wherein the deflection device is pre-assembled on the associated guide area and connected directly to a door body.

30. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first guide area comprises a plurality of overlap areas arranged one after the other in the direction of extension of the first guide area.

31. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein a carrier is loosely guided along the first guide area combined with the lock support into a structural unit.

32. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein a carrier is positively engaged with the second guide area of the window winder extended in the direction of adjustment of the window, and is forcibly guided along the direction of adjustment of the window to be adjusted.

33. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the second guide area is arranged closer to a center of gravity of the window than the first guide area.

34. The adjusting system of claim 33, wherein the second guide area consists of a material with a greater load bearing capacity than the first guide area.

35. The adjusting system of claim 34, wherein the second guide area consists of metal and the first guide area consists of plastics.

36. The adjusting system of claim 33, wherein the second guide area is arranged such that it carries between 60% and 80% of the window weight and wherein the first guide area is arranged such that it carries between 20% and 40% of the window weight.

37. The adjusting system of claim 33, wherein the adjusting drive is arranged adjacent to an upper end of the second guide area.

38. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the second guide area comprises at least one overlap for a lateral window edge of the window to be adjusted.

39. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein at least one of a motor and a control unit of the adjusting drive is arranged on a side of a mounting plate associated with an interior of a motor vehicle, wherein at least one of the motor and the control unit is configured to close a mounting hole in a door inner skin of a motor vehicle door.

40. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first and second guide areas are configured as two toothed racks and arranged on a common assembly support.

41. The adjusting system of claim 40, wherein a gear wheel is engaged with a longitudinal toothed portion of each of the two toothed racks extended in the direction of adjustment, wherein during a rotational movement of each gear wheel, each gear wheel is moved along a respectively associated longitudinal toothed portion, such that the gear wheels are driven by a common motor, and wherein the motor is connected to the window to be adjusted.

42. The adjusting system of claim 40, wherein a gear wheel is engaged with a longitudinal toothed portion of each of the two toothed racks extended in the direction of adjustment of the window, wherein during a rotational movement of each gear wheel, each gear wheel is moved along a respectively associated longitudinal toothed portion, and wherein each of the gear wheels is driven by a separate motor, wherein the window to be adjusted is driven in the direction of adjustment during a longitudinal movement of the gear wheels.

43. The adjusting system of claim 40, wherein a gear wheel is engaged with a longitudinal toothed portion of each of the two toothed racks extended in the direction of adjustment of the window, and

wherein the gear wheels are mounted on a respective carrier connected to the window to be adjusted.

44. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the window winder comprises a spindle extending along each guide area, and a spindle nut corresponding to each spindle and rotatably guided and movably guided in the direction of adjustment.

45. The adjusting system of claim 44, wherein a motor is associated with each spindle nut to drive the respective associated spindle nut.

46. The adjusting system of claim 44, wherein each spindle nut is connected by a respective carrier to the window to be adjusted.

47. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the adjusting drive is a common drive to both the window winder and the door lock, and wherein the adjusting drive is switchable between the window winder and the door lock.

48. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the window winder comprising the at least one force transmitting element and the adjusting drive, the first guide area, the door lock, the lock support, and the second guide area are configured to be completely pre-assembled before installation in a motor vehicle door.

49. The adjusting system of claim 48, wherein electrical and mechanical functions of the window winder comprising the at least one force transmitting element and the adjusting drive, the first guide area, the door lock, the lock support, and the second guide area are configured to be tested before the installation thereof in a motor vehicle door.

50. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the window winder comprising the at least one force transmitting element and the adjusting drive, the first guide area, the door lock, the lock support, and the second guide area are configured to be pre-assembled on an assembly support outside a motor vehicle door.

51. The adjusting system of claim 50, wherein the assembly support consists of metal.

52. The adjusting system of claim 50, wherein the assembly support consists of plastics.

53. The adjusting system of claim 50, wherein a portion of at least one of the window winder comprising the at least one force transmitting element and the adjusting drive, the first guide area, the door lock, the lock support, and the second guide area is integrally formed on the assembly support.

54. The adjusting system of claim 53, wherein at least one of the first and second guide areas of the window winder is integrally formed on the assembly support.

55. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the first guide area and the second guide area are connected to one another via a connecting area.

56. The adjusting system of claim 55, wherein the connecting area carries the adjusting drive of the window winder.

57. The adjusting system of claim 55, wherein the connecting area is configured to be connected via a plug connection to a structural unit formed by a guide area and the lock support and to the second guide area.

58. The adjusting system of claim 55, wherein a structural unit is connected by an integrally formed connecting area to the second guide area.

59. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the structural unit comprises a receiving region for receiving the adjusting drive.

60. The adjusting system of claim 1, wherein the second guide area is combined with the adjusting drive into a pre-assembled module.