Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
20C)2659
A subject of ~he present i~vention is a coupling bloc~ between a
window-pane and a window-winder mechanism with swinging arms in an
a~ltomotive vehicle, as well as a device including this block and the
section at the bottom of the associated window-pane.
This device is of the type including, or sach arm, a block
articulated on the end-piece of the latter and adapted to be able to
slide in a section securely attached to the bottom of the window-pane.
The end-piece of the arms can be constituted, for example, by a
ball joint.
Up to now these couplings have been carried out manually on the
vehicle assembly-lines, partially blind. The positioning of these
devices is therefore relatively lengthy and tiresome.
The aim of the invention is to create a coupling device which can
be assembled automatically by a robot actuating the arms of the
window-winder.
According to the invention, the block is formed by two half-
blocks which can slide one relative to the other and provided with
means of relative guidance, and these half-blocks are fitted with
means which allow them to be locked together in two respective stable
positions, a first position before the introduction of the end-piece
of the arm into the block and in which the latter has its freedom of
movement limited relative to the section at the bottom of the window-
pane, and a second position after introduction of the said end-piece
of the arm and displacement by this end-piece of one half-block
relative to the other, in which the end-piece of the arm is locked
into the block, and this latter can slide freely in the section at the
bottom of the window-pane.
It is ~mderstood that once the two half-blocks are assembled and
introduced into the corresponding section at the bottom of the window-
pane, it is necessary only to lower the windo~-pane in ord~r that the
20026S9
block comes to rest, in an appropriate housing provided for this, on
the end-piece o~ the arms of the window-winder. It is then necessary
only to robotically control the arms of the window-winder so as to
move the block from its first stable position to its second stable,
defir.itive, position for use.
This automatic assembly can therefore be carried out in a very
short time relative to the manual assembly used up to now.
According to other characte;-istics of the invention:
- The means of locking the two half-blocks include, fitted at the
opposite ends o~ the latter, elastic elements which can be clipped on
to the associated stopping elements (abutments).
- One of the elastic elements is a flexible longitudinal strip of one
of the half-blocks and which defines, together with the body of the
half-block, a recess which can receive a stopping pin securely
attached to the other half-block whilst the said strip parts sideways,
and the locking stops are fitted on the strip or on the wall of the
body, between which the stopping pin can be positioned so as to lock
the two half-blocks in their first stable position.
- The strip is provided with a laterally projecting end part.
-The second elastic element is a 1exible arm of one of the half-
blocks provided with an end claw which can be clipped on to a corres-
ponding lug of the other half-block, these elem0nts, as well as the
strip and the associated pin, being of a size and positioned such that
the claw is not engaged with the lug when the pin is screwed between
the end-stops, and the claw does not come into contact with the lug
when, after sliding of one of the half-blocks relative to the other,
the pin is completely disengaged from the strip and ths latter returns
sideways by elastic relaxation to its resting position.
Other particularities and advantages of the invention will appear
in the following description of two embodiments given as non-
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limitative e~amples, with reference to the attached drawings in which:
Figure I i3 a simplified perspective view of a door of a vehicle
equipped with a window-winder mechanism which can be fitted with
coupling blocks according to the invention.
5Figure 2 is an explcded perspective view of an embodiment of a
coupling device according to the invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the half-blocks
constituting the block of Figure 2.
Figures 4 to 7 are bottom views of the device according to the
invention, illustrating the successive stages of assembly of the
coupling block and of its positioning for use.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the block of the coupling
device of Figures 2 to 7.
Figure 3 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the block and
of the end-piece of the arm in the assembly position.
Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the block in the
position for use.
Figure 11 is a bottom view of one of the half-blocks of the block
of Figures 9 and 10.
20Figure 12 is a bottom view of the second half-block, forming a
slide in the first half-block of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is an end-view elevation of thP block of Figures 9 to
12, mounted in the section at the bottom of the window-pane.
In Figure 1 a door 1 of an automotive vehicle can be seen on
which are mounted a window-pane 2 and a window-winder mechanism 3 with
two swinging arms 4 on a support housing. The end-pieces of the arms
4 are hinged in blocks which c-an slide in a section 5 fixed to a U-
shaped section 6 receiving the bottom of the window-pane 2, to which
the two sections 5 and 6 are securely attached. The end-pieces 11 of
the arms 4 sliding in the blocks can be spheres (ball joints) or any
2002~
other suitable system.
The invention aims to bring about the coupling between the
section 5 at the bottom of the window-pane and the end-pieces of the
arms 4 by means of a block device 7 shown in Figures 2 to 8, each
block 7 being hinged on the end-piece 11 of an arm 4.
Each block 7 is made up of two half-blocks 8 and 9 which can
slide one relative to the other. For the convenience of the
description, hereafter the half-block 8 will be called "upper half-
block" and the half-block 9 will be called "lower half-block", since
they are effectively situated in this relative position when being
mounted in section 5. The half-blocks 8 and 9 are also fitted with
means for locking together in two respective stable positions: namely
a first so-called "assembly" position before introduction of the end-
piece 11 of the arm 4 into the block 7 and in which the latter's
freedom of movement is limited relative to section 5, and a second
position after introduction of the end-piece 11 into the block 7 and
displacement by the end-piece 11 of the upper half-block 8 relative to
the lower half-block 9, the so-called "use" position. In effect, in
this position the end sphere 11 is locked in the block 7, which can
slide freely in section 5.
These means of locking the two half-blocks 8, 9 include, fitted
to the opposite ends of these latter, elastic and flexible elements
12, 13 which can be clipped on to the associated stopping elements 14
and 15. In the example described, the elastic elements 12 and 13
belong to the lower half-block 9 (of which they can be an integral
part or to which they can be added) whilst the elements 14 and 15 are
part of the upper half-block 8. Also, the elements 12 and 13 can both
be on the same side of the half-block 9 or be situated on opposite
sides of tha latter. The elastic element 12 is a flexible longi-
tudinal strip provided with an end part 12a projecting sideways and
Z002659
forming an elbow more or less at right angles to the rest of the strip
12. The lat~er defines, together with a longitudinal finger 40 of ~he
body 16 of the half-block 9, an expanded recess 17 which can receive
the pin 14, whilst the strip 12 parts sideways under the pressure of
the latter. Two notches or stops 18, 19 for the pin 14 are housed on
the side of the strip 12 bordering the recess 17. The pin can in
effect be positioned between the stops 18 and 19, which then keep the
upper half-block 8 in its first possible locked stable position
relative to the half-block 9. The first stop 18 is rounded to allow
the passage of the pin 14, whilst the second stop 19 forms a notch for
blocking any further progression of the pin 14.
The second elastic element 13 is a flexible foot fitted with an
end claw 13a having a slot 13b. In its normal position where it is
elastically maintained, the claw 13a of the foot 13 is clipped on to
the corresponding lug 15 engaged in the slot 13b.
The strip 12, the foot 13, the pin 14 and the lug 15 are
positioned and of a size such that the claw 13a is not engaged on the
lug 15 when the pin 14 is locked between the stops 18 and 19, and such
that the claw 13a is in contact with the lug 15 when, after sliding of
the half-block 8 relative to the half-block 9, the pin 14 is
completely disengaged from the strip 12 and such that the latter
returns sideways to its resting position (Figure 7).
A housing 21a, 21b is provided in the two half-blocks 8, 9 for
receiving the end-piece of the arm 4, as well as lateral slots 22, 23
25 for introduction of the end-piece 11 into the housing 21a, 21b, these
slots being provided in the half-blocks 8 and 9 respectively. As the
end-piece 11 being described in the exa~ple is spherical, the housing
21a provided in the centre of the hal~-block 8 has a corresponding
truncated spherical ~orn, completed by the cylindrical part 21b
defined by a cylindrical surface 24 provided on the lower half-section
2002659
9. In the example shown, the cylindrical aurface 24 is thus fitted
between the slot ~3 and the strip 12. On one side its end is fllsh
with the longitudinal edge 16a of the body 16, and on the opposite
side this part 24 joins up with a step 35, itself extended by the
flexi~le ioot 13. This latter can suffer some angular misalignment
relative to the underlying end 16b of the body 16, which defines on
this side the slot 23.
The slots 22, 23 are splayed or bevelled to facilitate the intro-
duction of the sphere 11 into the housing 21a when the two half-blocks
8, 9 are assembled. ~hus the actual slot 22 extsnds externally by the
divergent edges or bevels.
In order to allow the sliding movement of the block 7 inside the
section 5, the upper side of the half-block 8 has a longitudinal
groove 26 in which a corresponding longitudinal flange 27 of section 5
can be engaged. Also, the lower part 5a of the latter is U- or V-
shaped in order to receive the male conjugate end 28 of the half-block
9.
Also, a longitudinal aperture 29 is cut in section 5 fitted so
that it can co-operate with the end part 12a of the strip 12 during
assembly of the block 7 in its first stable locked position inside
section 5. The aperture 29 is in effect provided to receive the end
part 12a when the strip 12 is parted sideways by the pin 14 introduced
into the recess 17, as will be explained hereafter.
In a more general way, the surface 24 of the half-block 9 is
shaped so as to be complementary to the surface formed in the half-
block 8 for receiving the end-piece of the arm 4, this end-piece being
able to be a sphere 11 or any other suitable element.
Also, the end claw 13a is positioned at one end of the half-block
9 so as to be able to be disengaged manually from the lug 15, which
allows the unlocking and the separation of the two half-blocks 8, 9 if
2002659
necessary.
To allow the sliding of the lower half-block 9 in the upper half-
block ~, the height hl of the half-block 9, excluding that of its
shaped part 28, is equal to a gap h2 provided in the half-block 8,
between a Iongitll~inal shoulder 20 and a small bar 30. This latter is
at right angles to the cwo flanges 31 defining the slot 22 and on the
inner side of which is provided the shoulder 20. Once the pin 14 is
intro-duced into the recess 17, the half-block 9 is thus kept in the
half-block 3 between the small bar 30 and the guiding shoulder 20.
The setting at work of the coupling device which has just been
described is the following.
First of all the half-blocks 8 and 9 are fitted together by
introducing the half-block 9 into the height clearance h2 of the half-
block 8. In order to do this, the lower half-block 9 is orientated so
that the pin 14 is introduced into the recess 17 and slides the length
of strip 12 until it is locked in position between the stops 18 and
19. The two half-blocks 8, 9 are then in their first stable locked,
so-called "assembly" position (Fig. 4).
The block 7 can then be manually introduced into the section 5 by
fitting the lower edge 28 into the base 5a and introducing the flange
27 into the groove 26, so that the strip 12 is positioned opposite the
aperture 29. During this sliding motion the projecting end part 12a
of the strip 12 slides first o all along the wall of section 5, then
is introduced into aperture 29 by elastic relaxation of tbe strip 12
(Fig. 5 and 6). In this assembly position, the freedo~ of movement of
the block 7 in the section 5 is limited by the coming to a stop of the
end part 12a at one or other of the ends of the aperture 29. It
should be noticed that in this position also, the claw 13a is
separated from the pin 15 by a gap d.
The arms 4 of the window-winder are in the assembly position, and
2C~02659
the window-pane 2 fitted with its sections 5 and 6, and the blocks 7
are lowered on eO the spheres 11. ~he robot works the arm 4 in ~uch a
way as to bring, first of all, the end part 12a to a stop against one
of the ends of the aperture 29 (Fig. 6). From this moment the lower
half-block 9 is immobilized whilst the sphere 11 continues to move the
half-block 3. As a result, in each block 7 the pins 14 are disengaged
from the stops 18 and 19, then slide the length of strips 12, and as
soon as they have passed the end parts 12a of the latter, the freed
strips 12 are elastically folded back inside section 5 at the same
time as the claws 13a are clipped on to the pins 15 (Fig. 7).
In this second position, the nalf-block 9 is then locked on to
the half-block 8 by the pin 14 and the lug 15 whilst, after the
relative displacement of the two half-blocks 8, 9, the slots 22, 23
are no longer positioned opposite each other and the sphere 11 is
trapped in its housing (21a, 21b). In this position, the end-piece 11
of the arm 4 is then locked in the block 7, which can slide freely in
the section 5 and is then in the position for use.
Thus, once the two half-blocks 8, 9 are fitted together and
introduced into section 5, it is necessary only to lower the window-
pane 2 on to the end-pie~es 11 of the arms 4, then to operate the arms
4 of the window-winder in order to lock the half-blocks 8, 9 in the
position fsr use.
I~ later it proves to be necessary, for whatever reason, to
dismantle the block 7, it is necessary only for the operator to do
this by manually lifting the end of the claw 13a, which slightly over-
hangs the half-block 8, in order to disengage the foot 13 from its pin
14, then by exerting a longituclinal pull on the half-block 9 in order
to separate it from the half-block 8, which at the same time frees the
sphere 11.
As a variant, the stop 18 of the strip 12 could be done awzy
2002659
~ith, the half-block 9 ther~fore being locked only in one direction
relative to the half-block %. It would still be possible to then
carry out withomt difficulty the operation from the first stable,
locked position to the second locked position, but this variant would
naturally be less advant~geous than that with two stops 18, 19.
Moreover, the cylindrical part 21b can be extended on to the foot
12 in the direction of the end part 12a, possibly as far as the
latter, and/or on to the finger 40.
It will be noted that the relative movement of position between
the block 7 and the sphere 11, in the transverse and lengthwise
directions of the section 5, is restricted thanks to the slot 23 and
the divergent edges 25 as well as the slope of the base 5a of section
5. The transverse movement is compensated for thanks to a slight
deforma-tion o~ the window-winder.
The aperture 29 enables in addition a longitudinal displacement
of the half-block 8 when the sphere 11 comes into contact with one of
the edges 25.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 to 13, the block 7a is
constituted by two half-blocks 8a, 9a. The half-block 9a is
completely housed in the half-block 8a, inside which it can slide like
a drawer. The hal~-block 8a receiving this slide 9a is then provided
with all the guiding means (26, 28, 30) on the conjugate parts (5a,
27) of the shaped rail 5.
Preferably, the elastic locking elements 12, 13 are providsd on
the half-block or slide 9a. Also, in this example, it is noted that
the stop 18 is done away with and that the stop 19 is provided in the
wall of the recess 17 opposite the strip 12. The other parts of the
block 7a similar to those of block 7 have been marked by the same
references. As in the previous embodiment, the assembly of the half-
block 9a in the half-block 8a re-closes the housing 21a by its surface
2002659
- 10 -
~4, the assembly of block 7a in section 5 being in other respects
Ldentical.
This variant ensures a better guiding of the block 7a in the
section 5, because all the guiding surfaces belong to the same half-
block 8a, which is not the c~se for block 7.
