GB2212846A - A window for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle window comprises a built-in frame, a frameless pane 6 fixed therein and a frameless pane 7 movably guided therein, the movable pane when in the closed position lying in the same plane as the fixed plane and being pressed on one side and under prestress into the closed position against a peripheral seal 20, 21. The movable pane 7 is movable from the closed position into a plane at a distance from the plane of the fixed pane 6 and can be moved in this plane sideways into one out of a number of open positions. The frame is divided in a vertical plane into two parts connected by the common central web 5 to form a structural unit. The guide for the pane 7 is composed of separate elements 15, 16 located in the frame parts and engaged by rigid guide lugs 26, 27 on the pane. <IMAGE>

Description

A WINDOW FOR A VEHICLE The invention relates to a window for a vehicle.

Vehicle windows comprising at least one fixed pane and at least one pane movable relative thereto have long been known in various forms. The windows are usually prefabricated as a built-in unit together with the built-in frame and inserted as a sub-assembly into the vehicle, In many applications the aim is that the vehicle windows should be easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and that the movable pane should be insertable without a separate frame and the movable pane should be easy to operate while reliably sealing the window opening when the movable pane is in the closed position.

To this end, various cross-sections are proposed for the built-in frame, which can be formed by bending one or two pieces of sectional sheet metal or corresponding plastics section members and the inside cross-section of which is formed with suitable grooves and intermediate ribs defining two different planes, one for fixing one pane and the other for movably guiding the sliding pane. The fixed pane, via a peripheral seal surrounding the edge thereof, can be inserted into the sectional groove in the built-in frame. As a rule this does not cause any problems. On the other hand the movable pane needs complicated lip seals or composite seals with piled or brush-like inner surfaces, so as to ensure adequate sealing while being sufficiently easy to operate.Frequently another point to consider is that the ports into the vehicle body have relatively large tolerances which have to be taken into account when designing the window, to prevent the movable pane from jamming or the like if the ports are narrow.

The sliding pane is associated with a spring-loaded catch which cooperates with corresponding recesses on a flange at the edge of the frame, so that the pane can be moved into and locked in various opening positions.

The following publications are referred as examples of the prior art: DE-AS 10 94 960, DE-GM 69 05 421.

DE-PS 29 51 533, DE-AS 16 80 615 and DE-GM 19 35 863.

In the known vehicle windows of this kind, the fixed pane and the movable pane lie in two different planes determined by their relative overlapping positions when the window is open.

The seals designed for these frameless sliding window-panes are very complicated and therefore expensive to manufacture. They are subject to considerable wear during use, and consequently are difficult to move at the beginning and after prolonged use move more easily but are less sealing-tight when closed.

In a simpler known solution, the movable pane when in the closed position is in the same plane as the fixed pane. Since the pane is pressed against the seal on only one side, when the movable pane is in the closed position its rear area is free from seals or supporting surfaces or the like, so that the movable frameless pane can easily be opened by relieving it from prestress in a direction perpendicular to the plane thereof and can be lifted off the one-sided seal, before the pane is moved into an open position. Since the frameless pane is supported at only a few points, e.g. at two spaced-apart areas on the underside and the top side of the pane, the pane is easily guided during movement.Since the movable pane is supported by a few guide elements in the guide grooves, the pane can be moved within the depth of insertion of the built-in frame and in directions perpendicular to the plane of the pane. It is thus possible in simple manner to move the plane between a plane at a distance from the plane of the fixed pane and a closing plane coinciding therewith, so that when the movable pane is in the closed position it lies in the same plane as the fixed pane. This gives much better facilities for designing the outside of the vehicle and for obtaining much more favourable drag coefficients.

The seal near the central web is also much simpler and more reliable.

The object of the invention is to facilitate and reduce the cost of manufacturing and assembling the aforementioned vehicle window.

According to the present invention, there is provided a window for a vehicle comprising a rigid built-in sectional frame having a central web fixed at a distance from its ends, a frameless window pane being fixed to one side of the central web by a peripheral seal surrounding the edge of the panes between an outer flange and a central rib of the built-in sectional frame, whereas on the other side of the central web a frameless window pane is movably mounted so that in the closed position it lies in the same plane as the fixed pane and is opened by moving out of this position in a guide groove of the built-in sectional frame and into a position in which it overlaps the fixed pane and is parallel to and spaced therefrom, the movable frame being freely supported and guided by guide elements projecting from its top and bottom edge into the guide grooves of the top and bottom cross-member of the built-in sectional frame, and in the closed position the movable pane abuts a peripheral seal on the outer flange of the built-in sectional frame, wherein the built-in sectional frame is divided in a vertical plane corresponding to the position of the central web, the frame part receiving the movable pane has a cross-section free from a central rib, and the grooves for the guide elements are formed in separate ledges for insertion into the top and bottom cross-members respectively of the two frame parts.

Preferred but optional features which may be incorporated into embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a vehicle window embodying the present invention as seen from the interior of the vehicle; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the window of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial section on a larger scale corresponding to Fig. 2, where the slidable window pane is in the closed position; Fig. 4, corresponding to Fig. 3, shows the movable pane in an open position; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the bottom cross-member of the built-frame when the movable window-pane is in the closed position; Fig. 6, corresponding to Fig. 5, shows the movable pane in an open position and Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the bottom cross-member near the fixed pane when the movable pane is at least partly opened.

A vehicle window shown in Fig. 1 is inserted as a ready-made structural unit directly and in sealing-tight manner into an opening in a car body. The window has a built-in frame 1 with rounded corners and comprises a rigid continuous bent plastics or preferably metal section member.

In the embodiment shown, the frame 1 is divided in a perpendicular plane 4, so that it comprises two parts 2 and 3. The dividing plane 4 is at the level of a rigid central web 5 connecting the top and bottom cross-members of the built-in frame. A fixed frameless window-pane 6 is disposed to the right of the central web 5 in Fig. 1, whereas a pane 7 movable from the closed position (shown) into one or more open positions is provided to the left of web 5 in Fig. 1. The movable pane 7 is also frameless. A hand-operated spring-loaded catch 8 is secured to pane 7 and associated with a number of catch openings on an inner flange of frame 1, so as to secure the pane in one or more open positions.

The outer contour of the two parts 2 and 3 of frame 1 is the same in both halves of the window. In the preferred embodiment shown, the cross-section of the rigid frame has an outward flange 10, an inner flange 11 and a built-in flange 13, which can be inserted with interposition of a seal or the like into the opening in the car body.

Frame parts 2 and 3 differ in internal cross-section in that the internal cross-section of part 2 is divided by a peripheral sectional rib 12. The frameless pane 6 is fixed by a peripheral seal between the profiled rib 12 and the outer flange 10. In the direction towards this part of the frame, the central web 5 has a U-shaped cross-section, so that the edge of the fixed plane 6 facing the central web can be fixed, together with a portion of the peripheral seal, in the groove in the central web. A ledge 16 is inserted in the top and a ledge 16 in the bottom cross-member between rib 12 and flange 11 and are formed with guide grooves 24 disposed at a distance from pane 6 and parallel thereto.

In contrast to part 2, part 3 does not have a central rib 12. Instead, the internal cross-section between the outer flange 10 and the inner flange 11 is free. However, ledges 15 are inserted in the top and bottom cross-member of frame part 3 and likewise formed with guide grooves or the like, which will be described in detail hereinafter.

The central web 5 has an asymmetrical cross-section, as shown e.g. in Fig. 3. In the region 5a facing the pane 6, it is U-shaped, as already mentioned, in order to receive the edge of plane 6 and the surrounding seal 22, On the other side, web 5 has only a flange 5b in the plane of the outer flange 10 of frame 1. Flange 5b, like flange 10 of part 3, has a peripheral resiliently-yielding seal 20 or 21. In the closed position, the frameless movable pane 7 bears continuously and under a set prestress against the peripheral seal 20, 21 in sealing-tight manner. The sealing pressure and prestress are determined by the resilient flexibility of seal components 20, 21 and in that pane 7 bears on the bottom and top cross-members of frame part 3 in a position in which seals 20, 21 are elastically deformed to a sufficient extent.

Frame 7, near its top edge and its bottom edge, has two spaced-apart guide elements projecting upwards and downwards and in the form of rigid lugs. Only the lugs 26 and 27 in the bottom region of the pane are shown.

The lugs are secured in the usual manner to the frameless pane 7. Pane 7 is held and guided by the rigid lugs so as to be freely movable within the inner cross-section of frame part 3. In the closed position, accordingly, the lugs engage in locking grooves 28, 29 near the bottom cross-member and in corresponding locking grooves near the top cross-member. The grooves are formed in the bottom and top ledges 15 in a plane at a distance from the plane of seals 20, 21 such that when the lugs in the closed position engage in the locking grooves, they hold pane 7 in the same plane as that in which pane 6 is fixed, and that in which the sealing elements 20, 21 are correspondingly elastically deformed. The locking grooves mechanically hold the pane positively against the sealing elements in the sealed and pressed position. No prestressing devices or the like are required.

In order to move pane 7 freely into the open positions, guide grooves 25, 24 are formed in the two frame halves 3 and 2 at a distance from and parallel to the plane of the locking grooves 28, 29. Ledges 15, 16 in the two frame halves are formed so that groove 24 in frame half 2 is continued in frame half 3, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The guide grooves 24, 25 in the bottom cross-member, which are associated with corresponding guide grooves in the top cross-member, lie in a common plane, which is at a sufficient distance from the inside of the central web and from the fixed pane 6, so that the movable pane 7 can be freely slid along the central web 5 and behind the pane 6. Ledges 15, 16 and the rigid guide lugs 26, 27 can be made of materials adapted to one another so that pane 7 can easily be slid in grooves 24 and 25 without rattling. The actual pane 7 does not engage in any groove.

Sloping connecting portions 30, 31 are provided at the transition betweem the locking groove 28, 29 and the associated guide groove 25, 24. The connecting portions enable the rigid guide lugs to move from one plane to the other. The slope of the groove is chosen so that during the opening or closing movement, pane 7 moves perpendicular to its plane without appreciable resistance, right at the beginning of the opening process and shortly before reaching the closed position, so that when opened it is quickly raised from the seal, is free to pass the central web, and can easily be slid into an open position, whereas at the end of the closing movement sufficient pressure is generated to obtain a reliable seal with sealing elements 20 and 21.Owing to the easy movement when closing the pane 7, the rigid guide lugs 26, 27 reliably reach their position in the locking grooves 28 and 29, even though at the end of the closing process the resistance increases owing to the elastic deformation of the seals.

The novel vehicle window can also be used in economic manner for manufacturing windows of varying lengths. To this end, the region of the window to the left of the dividing plane 4 in Fig. 1 remains unchanged for windows of differing length. The unchanged part also includes the central web 5. The length of windows can be varied simply by correspondingly varying the length of frame part 2 and equipping it with appropriately adapted parts such as pane 6, seals and the like.

The number of rigid guide lugs 26, 27 at the bottom edge of the top edge of pane 7 will depend on the size thereof. Also, lugs 26 can be replaced by pin-like fingers projecting over the edge of the pane 7 into the grooves. Seals 20 and 21 can be replaced by lip seals, though these are not preferred since they may curl up owing to the friction when sliding to the end position.

The vehicle can also have a movable pane 7 on each side of the fixed pane 6. Ledges 15 and 16 can also be integrally incorporated in the built-in frame, or the various grooves and connecting portions between the grooves can be directly formed in the base of the cross-section of frame parts 2 and 3.

As a result of the proposed division of the frame into two parts, it is particularly simple to manufacture. The panes can easily be inserted from the side of each frame part which is open towards the central web, after which the two parts can be joined by the common central web to form a rigid built-in unit.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A window for a vehicle comprising a rigid built-in sectional frame having a central web fixed at a distance from its ends, a frameless window pane being fixed to one side of the central web by a peripheral seal surrounding the edge of the panes between an outer flange and a central rib of the built-in sectional frame, whereas on the other side of the central web a frameless window pane is movably mounted so that in the closed position it lies in the same plane as the fixed pane and is opened by moving out of this position in a guide groove of the built-in sectional frame and into a position in which it overlaps the fixed pane and is parallel to and spaced therefrom, the movable frame being freely supported and guided by guide elements projecting from its top and bottom edge into the guide grooves of the top and bottom cross-member of the built-in sectional frame, and in the closed position the movable pane abuts a peripheral seal on the outer flange of the built-in sectional frame, wherein the built-in sectional frame is divided in a vertical plane corresponding to the position of the central web, the frame part receiving the movable pane has a cross-section free from a central rib, and the grooves for the guide elements are formed in separate ledges for insertion into the top and bottom cross-members respectively of the two frame parts.

2. A window for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the two frame parts are shaped so that the fixed and the movable panes are respectively insertable from the middle of the window in a direction parallel to the frame pane and into the associated frame part, and the frame parts are permanently connected via the central web to form a constructional unit.

3. A window for a vehicle according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the guide elements in each case are flat, rigid lugs which on reaching the closing position engage in locking-groove portions formed in ledges so that the movable pane bears with prestress around its entire periphery in the peripheral seal.

4. A window for a vehicle according to any of claims 1 to 3, comprising frame parts for the fixed pane and of variable length in the direction of movement are adapted to be replacably connected via the unchanged central rib to the frame part receiving the movable pane.

5. A window for a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany drawings.