Excel Industries, Inc.

Atwood Industries, Inc.

James G Mariel

Michael D Kobrehel

Larry B Walker

Robert K Roth

M Darren Grumm

Andrew C Smith

James F Trevarrow

A window regulator comprises a rail defining a central channel which receives an elongate flexible plastic tape having a plurality of slots, the width of the tape being sized to fit within the central channel, a drive mechanism for moving the tape, either electric or manual, and a universal housing connecting the rail and the drive mechanism. The universal housing can be used with either manual or electric window regulator designs. The universal housing has a central cavity which can receive an insert bracket for a manual drive drum when the drive mechanism includes a hand crank. The central cavity is sized to receive a larger, electric drive drum when the drive mechanism includes an electric motor. Either drive drum has teeth sized to engage the slots of the tape so that the drive mechanism can impart motion to the tape to raise and lower a windowpane. When the insert bracket is used, the tape is routed in the universal housing from a first slot, around the manual drive drum to a second slot. When the insert bracket is not used, the tape is routed from the first slot, around the electric drive drum to a third slot separated from the second slot.

Tape drive window regulator with universal housing for accommodating

A cable-drum window regulator for controlling the motion of a windowpane, such as a window in a door, has an improved glider assembly. The glider assembly is attached to the windowpane, and comprises a glider slidably secured by snap fit to an elongate guide rail, and a glider plate which snap fits to the glider. The glider assembly travels along the guide rail from a full-up to a full-down position. The glider preferably has a cushioning unitary downstop to absorb the loading of the glider assembly at the full-down position. The glider has at least a pair of rail tabs which snap fit to longitudinally extending receiving flanges of the rail; preferably at least one of the rail tabs has a beveled surface for ease in assembly. The glider has at least one flexible finger with a digit which snaps into a corresponding receiving opening in the glider plate. In those embodiments with more than one flexible finger, one finger is preferably longer than the other. The glider plate may be snap fit directly to the glider or it may be inserted from one side into a slot between glider plate retention tabs and snapped into place. The glider plate has a center portion and a first and second wing; preferably the first and second wing are positioned in an offset plane closer to the windowpane. For ease of assembly, the first wing may be smaller than the center portion and the slot, and the second wing may be larger than the center portion and the slot.

Window regulator with improved glider assembly

A cable-drum window regulator with a spring cable tensioner is provided with a spring retainer assembly securing the spring to the cable. The spring retainer is advantageously assembled prior to final installation of the cable into the regulator mechanism. The retainer assembly comprises a retainer with a hollow interior sized to receive the cable and the spring, having an opening at one end sized to allow passage of the cable but not the spring, and an endpiece with one or more projections which preferably snap fit together with the retainer, securing or capturing the spring between the retainer and the endpiece. The retainer may have snap fit projections which captivate the endpiece, or alternatively, the endpiece may have snap fit projections which captivate the retainer. The endpiece may be attached to the cable directly or indirectly onto a conduit. The cable has cable end balls which are used to attach the cable to the drive means. In one embodiment the end balls are attached to the cable before the retainer assembly is attached, so a slot is provided to allow the insertion of the cable into the retainer assembly. The retainer and the mounting bracket may be of unitary construction.

Window regulator with spring retainer

An improved sliding member for a regulator assembly has a slide body providing a substantially spherical working contact surface and attachment means extending from the slide body for mounting the sliding member to another member of the regulator assembly. The slide body can be substantially mushroom-shaped, having a cap portion and a hub portion, wherein the cap portion forms the substantially spherical working contact surface and includes a substantially curvo-annular flange coaxially surrounding the hub portion. The attachment means can be provided as an attachment stud having a head portion embedded in the slide body, preferably extending coaxially through the hub portion. One or more flexure gaps can be provided in the curvo-annular flange to provide improved compressive fit of the sliding member within a guide channel. A regulator assembly incorporating the sliding member can provide such guide channel as a tube channel in an elongate guide member. The tube channel has an axially extending slot for the attachment stud and a substantially circular cross-section inner slide surface. The substantially spherical working contact surface of the sliding member forms sliding contact, preferably with an interference or compressive fit, with the inner slide surface of the tube channel.

Sliding member for regulator assembly

A window regulator employs a drive cable to regulate opening and closing of a window in a vehicle. The drive cable is attached to a glider which is attached to the window, and extends around a loop which includes first and second guide elements and a drive drum. Rotation of the drive drum causes movement of the cable which in turn causes movement of the window. One of the guide elements is coupled to a torsion spring which causes the guide element to be forced outward to increase the circumference of the loop traveled by the cable and thereby to maintain tension on the cable. The guide element may take the form of a rotatable pulley.

Window regulator with torsion spring actuated direct cable tensioning

A motor vehicle glazing unit has generally U-shaped frame channels open toward each other in substantially fixed position. A transparent glazing pane is moveably mounted in the frame channels, having at least one non-frangible pane member, such that the deformation of the glazing pane provides good energy absorption. Edge flanges extend along the peripheral edge of the glazing pane, extending laterally beyond the peripheral edge to a distal portion. Typically, a pair of edge flanges extends vertically along opposite vertical edges of a vertically moveable glazing pane. The distal portion of the edge flange is received in the corresponding frame channel. Edge flange retainers are provided in substantially fixed position relative the frame channels. The edge flange retainers each have a structural member oriented along the corresponding frame channel to capture the distal portion of the edge flange in the frame channel during deformation of the glazing pane. The edge flange retainers hold the glazing pane in the window frame as it absorbs energy during outward, and optionally inward, deformation. Glazing panes preassembled with edge flanges can be readily assembled into motor vehicle window frames using current assembly techniques, after which the edge flange retainers are installed to cooperate with the deformation characteristics of the glazing pane to provide good energy management characteristics.

Motor vehicle glazing units

A door assembly for installation in a vehicle wall opening which includes a frame and a door hingedly mounted in the frame. The frame is divided into first and second sections. Each section has a flange which abuts the vehicle wall when the sections are connected to mount the door in the vehicle wall opening. Each frame section flange carries a seal which makes sealing contact with the vehicle wall, and the door carries a continuous, peripheral seal which makes sealing contact with the frame when the door is in a closed position to prevent moisture from entering the vehicle.

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Mishawaka, IN, United States of America

James G Mariel