Window regulator

Claim 2

In a vehicle body having a window opening and a window supported thereon for bodily movement between a closed position in said opening and an open position remote from said opening, a window regulator comprising, a handle supported on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about a fixed axis of the latter through a predetermined angular range less than 180*, a lift arm supported on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about said fixed axis, means connecting said handle and said lift arm for unitary pivotal movement, a flexible drive member of finite length adapted to transmit forces in tension and in compression, guide means on said vehicle body defining a path of motion for said drive member including a first run disposed in a circular arc of predetermined radius about said fixed axis and a second run extending generally parallel to the path of motion of said window, the length of a sector of said circular arc subtended by an angle equal to said predetermined angular range of said handle being substantially equal to the distance traversed by said window during movement of the latter between the open and the closed positions, said drive member being disposed in said guide means for bodily movement in the path of motion defined thereby, means attaching said drive member to said lift arm, and means attaching said drive member to said window so that pivotal movement of said lift arm through said predetermined angular range in response to corresponding pivotal movement of said handle effects bodily movement of said window between the open and the closed positions thereof.

Claim 3

In a vehicle body having a window opening and a window supported thereon for bodily movement between a closed position in said opening and an open position remote from said opening, a window regulator comprising, a handle supported on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about a fixed axis of the latter through a predetermined angular range less than 180*, a lift arm of predetermined length supported on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about sad fixed axis, means connecting said handle and said lift arm for unitary pivotal movement, a generally flat tape-like flexible drive member adapted to transmit forces in tension and in compression having a first end and a second end, guide means on said vehicle body defining a path of motion for said drive member including a first run disposed in a circular arc about said fixed axis of radius generally equal to the length of said lift arm and a second run extending generally parallel to the path of motion of said window, the length of a sector of said circular arc subtended by an angle equal to said predetermined angular range of said handle being substantially equal to the distance traversed by said window during movement of the latter between the open and the closed positions, said drive member being supported on guide means for bodily shiftable movement during which said first end traverses a path of motion defined by said first run and said second end traverses a path of motion defined by said second run, means attaching said first end of said drive member to said lift arm and means attaching said second end of said drive member to said window so that pivotal movement of said lift arm through said predetermined angular range in response to corresponding pivotal movement of said handle effects bodily movement of said window between the open and the closed positions thereof.

Claim 4

In a vehicle body having a window opening and a window supported thereon for bodily movement between a closed position in said opening and an open position remote from said opening, a window regulator comprising, a handle supported on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about a fixed axis of the latter through a predetermined angular range less than 180*, a lift arm of predetermined length supported on said vehicle body for pivotal movement about sad fixed axis, means connecting said handle and said lift arm for unitary pivotal movement, a generally flat tape-like flexible drive member adapted to transmit forces in tension and in compression having a first end and a second end, guide means on said vehicle body defining a path of motion for said drive member including a first run disposed in a circular arc about said fixed axis of radius generally equal to the length of said lift arm and a second run extending generally parallel to the path of motion of said window, the length of a sector of said circular arc subtended by an angle equal to said predetermined angular range of said handle being substantially equal to the distance traversed by said window during movement of the latter between the open and the closed positions, said drive member being supported on guide means for bodily shiftable movement during which said first end traverses a path of motion defined by said first run and said second end traverses a path of motion defined by said second run, means attaching said first end of said drive member to said lift arm and means attaching said second end of said drive member to said window so that pivotal movement of said lift arm through said predetermined angular range in response to corresponding pivotal movement of said handle effects bodily movement of said window between the open and the closed positions thereof.

Claim 5

In a vehicle body having a door supported thereon for swinging movement between an open position and a closed position defining a window opening in said vehicle body, a generally horizontal guard beam rigidly disposed within said door below said window opening, and a window supported on said door for generally vertical bodily movement between a raised position closing said window opening and a lowered position situated within said door remote from said window opening, a window regulator comprising, a handle supported on said door for pivotal movement about a fixed axis of the latter through a predetermined angular range less than 180*, a lift arm of predetermined length supported on said door for pivotal movement about said fixed axis, clutch means connecting said handle and said lift arm and adapted to pivot the latter as a unit with the former in response to a rotary force input at said handle and to prevent pivotal movement of said lift arm in response to a rotary force input at said lift arm, a generally flat tape-like flexible drive member adapted to transmit forces in tension and in compression having a first end and a second end, a first channel shaped guide member supported on said door on one side of said guard beam with a portion thereof disposed in a circular arc about said fixed axis of radius generally equal to the length of said lift arm, the length of a sector of said circular arc subtended by an angle equal to said predetermined angular range of said handle being substantially equal to the distance traversed by said window during movement of the latter between the open and the closed positions, a second channel shaped guide member supported on said door with a portion thereof disposed on the opposite side of said guard beam in generally parallel relation to the path of motion traversed by said window, said drive member being supported on said first and said second guide members for bodily shiftable movement during which said first end traverses a path of motion defined by said arcuate portion of first guide member and said second end traverses a path of motion defined by said parallel portion of said second guide member, a yoke rigidly attached to said drive member adjacent said first end thereof, a pin rigidly attached to the distal end of said lift arm, said pin being captured by said yoke so that pivotal movement of said lift arm effects bodily shiftable movement of said drive member in the path of motion defined by said guide members, and means attaching said second end of said drive member to said window so that pivotal movement of said lift arm corresponding to pivotal movement of said handle through said predetermined angular range effects bodily movement of said window between the open and the closed positions thereof.

Claim 6

In a vehicle body having a door supported thereon for swinging movement between an open position and a closed position defining a window opening in said vehicle body, a generally horizontal guard beam rigidly disposed within said door below said window opening, and a window supported on said door for generally vertical bodily movement between a raised position closing said window opening and a lowered position situated within said door remote from said window opening, a window regulator comprising, a handle supported on said door for pivotal movement about a fixed axis of the latter through a predetermined angular range less than 180*, a lift arm of predetermined length supported on said door for pivotal movement about said fixed axis, clutch means connecting said handle and said lift arm and adapted to pivot the latter as a unit with the former in response to a rotary force input at said handle and to prevent pivotal movement of said lift arm in response to a rotary force input at said lift arm, a generally flat tape-like flexible drive member adapted to transmit forces in tension and in compression having a first end and a second end, a first channel shaped guide member supported on said door on one side of said guard beam with a portion thereof disposed in a circular arc about said fixed axis of radius generally equal to the length of said lift arm, the length of a sector of said circular arc subtended by an angle equal to said predetermined angular range of said handle being substantially equal to the distance traversed by said window during movement of the latter between the open and the closed positions, a second channel shaped guide member supported on said door with a portion thereof disposed on the opposite side of said guard beam in generally parallel relation to the path of motion traversed by said window, said drive member being supported on said first and said second guide members for bodily shiftable movement during which said first end traverses a path of motion defined by said arcuate portion of first guide member and said second end traverses a path of motion defined by said parallel portion of said second guide member, a yoke rigidly attached to said drive member adjacent said first end thereof, a pin rigidly attached to the distal end of said lift arm, said pin being captured by said yoke so that pivotal movement of said lift arm effects bodily shiftable movement of said drive member in the path of motion defined by said guide members, and means attaching said second end of said drive member to said window so that pivotal movement of said lift arm corresponding to pivotal movement of said handle through said predetermined angular range effects bodily movement of said window between the open and the closed positions thereof.