초록 ▼

A window regulator for use with a horizontally sliding window assembly has a channel-like guide rail, an elongated carrier plate slidingly movable along the guide rail, and a cable drive mechanism for moving the carrier plate along the guide rail. Pane engagement pairs are disposed at opposite ends

A window regulator for use with a horizontally sliding window assembly has a channel-like guide rail, an elongated carrier plate slidingly movable along the guide rail, and a cable drive mechanism for moving the carrier plate along the guide rail. Pane engagement pairs are disposed at opposite ends of the carrier plate, each comprising a male feature and a mating female feature. One of the features of each pair is secured to the carrier plate and the mating feature is secured to the sliding pane adjacent an outboard edge thereof. The male/female engagement between the features allows the sliding pane and the carrier plate to move relative to one another along an axis generally perpendicular to the sliding pane, while the two-point engagement between the pane and the carrier plate serves to stabilize the pane and allow it to slide smoothly even if the guide tracks for the sliding pane and the guide rail are less than perfectly flat and parallel to one another. The carrier plate is a unitary, elongated piece extending between the two widely spaced points of attachment with the sliding pane, so that it is more stable as it slides along the guide rail.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.] A sliding window assembly for a vehicle comprising:a sliding pane movable along a horizontal path of travel between a closed position and an open position;a horizontal guide rail extending parallel to the path of travel of the sliding pane proximate a lower edge of

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.] A sliding window assembly for a vehicle comprising:a sliding pane movable along a horizontal path of travel between a closed position and an open position;a horizontal guide rail extending parallel to the path of travel of the sliding pane proximate a lower edge of the pane and having first and second ends;an elongated carrier plate slidingly movable along the guide rail and having first and second longitudinally spaced attachment portions disposed proximate opposite vertical edge portions of the sliding pane;first and second pane engagement pairs disposed adjacent respective first and second attachment portions of the carrier plate, each of the pairs comprising a male feature and a mating female feature, one of the male and female features of each pair being secured to the carrier plate proximate a respective attachment portion thereof and the other feature being secured to the sliding pane proximate a respective vertical edge portion thereof, the male and female features of each pair engaged with one another to allow relative movement therebetween along an axis generally perpendicular to the sliding pane to thereby allow movement of the sliding pane relative to the carrier plate along the axis;at least one flexible, inextensible, drive member attached to the carrier plate; anda drive mechanism operatively connected to the drive member to pull the drive member in a first direction to move the carrier plate toward the first end of the guide rail, and to pull the drive member in an opposite second direction to move the carrier plate toward the second end of the guide rail.