Safety device for power window

Claim 2

A safety device for power windows having a movable pane and a sash with a sash surface in and near the path of movement of the pane, a portion of the surface being exposed to pressure from objects whose dimensions in the direction of the thickness of the pane are larger than the thickness of the pane, said device comprising a pressure sensitive tape-like switch including a plurality of elongated electrode plates each made of a tape-like flexible and resilient material and juxtaposed to and spaced apart from each other a distance of 1 or several millimeters, a flexible insulating protective case containing said electrode plates therein, said tape-like pressure sensitive switch being attached to a portion of the surface exposed to the objects when the objects are placed in the path of the pane, and a window operation control circuit for stopping at least a closing motion of a window pane when external force is exerted on said pressure sensitive switch while the window pane is moving in closing motion, said plates having elongated edges, and resilient spacing means extending between the plates along the elongated edges for spacing the plates, said pressure sensitive tape-like switch being provided on the upper side in a space formed by said protective case, and a pressure sensitive portion projecting upwardly in semi-circular form in a space provided between said protective case and said pressure sensitive tape-like switch, said case having a slit for receiving said switch.

Claim 3

A safety device as defined in claim 1, wherein a pressure sensitive switch comprising tape-like members of a flexible and resilient material is embedded in a door opening trim.

Claim 4

A safety device as defined in claim 1, wherein the window is on a vehicle, and said pressure sensitive switch comprising tape-like members of a flexible and resilient material is provided on the side of a window sash nearer to the interior of the vehicle in a position which corresponds to the upper edge of the window pane.

Claim 5

A safety device as defined in claim 1, wherein said pressure sensitive switch comprising tape-like members of a flexible and resilient material is provided in a weather strip mounted on the exposed portion of the sash surface in a position corresponding to the upper edge of the window pane.

Claim 6

A safety device as defined in claim 1, wherein the window is on a vehicle having structural members with connecting edges, a pressure sensitive switch comprising tape-like members of a flexible and resilient material being provided between a weather strip and a door opening trim for covering the connecting edge of a structural member of the vehicle.

Claim 7

A safety device as defined in claim 3 wherein said pressure sensitive switch is provided in an opening formed on said window sash.

Claim 8

A safety device as defined in claim 3 wherein said pressure sensitive switch is fixed on said window sash by bolts.

Claim 9

A safety device as defined in claim 3, wherein said pressure sensitive switch is provided between said window sash and a weather strip.

Claim 10

A vehicle, comprising a vehicle body, a power window mounted in the body, said window having a movable pane and a sash with a sash surface in and near the path of movement of the pane, a portion of the surface being exposed to pressure from objects whose dimensions in the direction of the thickness of the pane are larger than the thickness of the pane, switch means in the shape of an elongated tape capable of being actuated by pressure transverse to the elongated direction, said switch means including a surrounding flexible insulating protective case, said switch means being mounted on the portion of the surface exposed to the objects when the objects are placed in the path of the pane, window operation control means for moving the pane in response to control by an operator and for stopping at least the closing motion of the window pane in response to a force operating said switch means while the window pane is being closed, said switch means including a pair of elongated flexible conductive plates, said paltes having edges, spacer means extending between the plates along the edges, said surrounding flexible insulating protective case forming a space between one of the plates and the case, an elongated projection extending along the interior of the case toward said one of said plates, said projection being rounded and located opposite the elongated center of the one of said plates, said case being flexible so that pressure applied to the portion of the case having said projection causes said projection to push the one of said plates against the other.

Claim 11

A vehicle, comprising a vehicle body, a power window mounted in the body, said window having a movable pane and a sash with a sash surface in and near the path of movement of the pane, a portion of the surface being exposed to pressure from objects whose dimensions in the direction of the thickness of the pane are larger than the thickness of the pane, switch means in the shape of an elongated tape capable of being actuated by pressure transverse to the elongated direction, said switch means including a surrounding flexible insulating protective case, said switch means being mounted on the portion of the surface exposed to the objects when the objects are placed in the path of the pane, window operation control means for moving the pane in response to control by an operator and for stopping at least the closing motion of the window pane in response to a force operating said switch means while the window pane is being closed, said switch means including a pair of elongated flexible conductive plates, said paltes having edges, spacer means extending between the plates along the edges, said surrounding flexible insulating protective case forming a space between one of the plates and the case, an elongated projection extending along the interior of the case toward said one of said plates, said projection being rounded and located opposite the elongated center of the one of said plates, said case being flexible so that pressure applied to the portion of the case having said projection causes said projection to push the one of said plates against the other.

Claim 12

A vehicle as in claim 9, wherein said switch means is mounted on the portion of the surface on the interior of the body relative to the pane.

Claim 13

A safety device for power windows having a movable pane and a sash with a sash surface in and near the path of movement of the pane, a portion of the surface being exposed to pressure from objects whose dimensions in the direction of the thickness of the pane are larger than the thickness of the pane, said device comprising pressure sensitive switch means having an elongated shape and closeable by pressure applied transverse to the tape, said switch means being mounted to a portion of the surface exposed to the objects when the objects are placed in the path of the pane, and window operation control means for stopping at least the closing motion of the window pane when an external force is exerted on said switch means while the window pane is closing, said switch means including a pair of elongated flexible conductive plates having elongated edges, elongated spacer means spacing the plates from each other and extending between said plates along the longitudinal edges, said spacer means being resilient, said switch means having a case surrounding said plates and said spacer means, said case being flexible and forming a space between one of the plates and the case, an interior projection extending in the space along the case toward the one of said plates, said case being squeezable so that said projection contacts said one of said plates and causes said one of said plates to contact the other of said plates.

Claim 14

A safety device for power windows having a movable pane and a sash with a sash surface in and near the path of movement of the pane, a portion of the surface being exposed to pressure from objects whose dimensions in the direction of the thickness of the pane are larger than the thickness of the pane, said device comprising pressure sensitive switch means having an elongated shape and closeable by pressure applied transverse to the tape, said switch means being mounted to a portion of the surface exposed to the objects when the objects are placed in the path of the pane, and window operation control means for stopping at least the closing motion of the window pane when an external force is exerted on said switch means while the window pane is closing, said switch means including a pair of elongated flexible conductive plates having elongated edges, elongated spacer means spacing the plates from each other and extending between said plates along the longitudinal edges, said spacer means being resilient, said switch means having a case surrounding said plates and said spacer means, said case being flexible and forming a space between one of the plates and the case, an interior projection extending in the space along the case toward the one of said plates, said case being squeezable so that said projection contacts said one of said plates and causes said one of said plates to contact the other of said plates.

Claim 15

A pressure sensitive switch for a power window safety device of a vehicle for mounting on the vehicle''s strengthening member adjacent the advancing edge of the vehicle''s open window pane in parallel with the edge, comprising a tape-like switch assembly, said switch assembly comprising a pair of elongated elastic electrode plates, and resilient spacer means extending between said plates from end to end and in the direction of the width of said electrode plates so that said electrode plates are arranged in spaced relation of up to several millimeters, said plates being electrically closeable by pressing of the opposing surfaces of the electrode plates, and a flexible insulating protective case for surrounding said tape-like switch assembly, said protective case including a chamber for surrounding said tape-like switch assembly and defining a space so that when said assembly is surrounded and encased therein a clearance is formed between the lower surface of the switch and the inner surface of the caSe, a semi-circular pressure sensitive portion projecting upwardly from the bottom surface of the case in the central portion of said clearance so that both electrode plates may be contacted to each other by pressing said projecting portion upwardly with external application of pressure, and a slit formed in the upper central portion of the tape-like switch surrounding said chamber of said protective case for providing an opening for receiving said assembly.

Claim 16

A pressure sensitive switch for a power window safety device of a vehicle for mounting on the vehicle''s strengthening member adjacent the advancing edge of the vehicle''s open window pane in parallel with the edge, comprising a tape-like switch assembly, said switch assembly comprising a pair of elongated elastic electrode plates, and resilient spacer means extending between said plates from end to end and in the direction of the width of said electrode plates so that said electrode plates are arranged in spaced relation of up to several millimeters, said plates being electrically closeable by pressing of the opposing surfaces of the electrode plates, and a flexible insulating protective case for surrounding said tape-like switch assembly, said protective case including a chamber for surrounding said tape-like switch assembly and defining a space so that when said assembly is surrounded and encased therein a clearance is formed between the lower surface of the switch and the inner surface of the caSe, a semi-circular pressure sensitive portion projecting upwardly from the bottom surface of the case in the central portion of said clearance so that both electrode plates may be contacted to each other by pressing said projecting portion upwardly with external application of pressure, and a slit formed in the upper central portion of the tape-like switch surrounding said chamber of said protective case for providing an opening for receiving said assembly.

Claim 17

A safety device as defined in claim 12, wherein said flexible insulating protective case comprises projections of arrow-shaped cross sections each positioned with a predetermined interval on the upper portion of said protective case, a slit formed in the upper central portion of said protective case to extend from the top of the projection to the upper portion of a space formed by said protective case, and a pressure sensitive portion projecting upwardly in semi-circular form in a space provided between said protective case and said pressure sensitive tape-like switch, said pressure sensitive tape-like switch assembly being positioned in the upper portion in said space.