Movable or removable closures – With means mounting closure for reciprocation – With distinct biasing means for slide or guide
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-28
2001-10-23
Johnson, Blair M. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
With means mounting closure for reciprocation
With distinct biasing means for slide or guide
C049S415000, C049S419000, C049S428000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305125
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window guide structure, or sash such as in an automobile door for any type of sliding window. More particularly, in the present invention the sash guides movement of the window, including the ascent and descent of the window, in the main body of the door or any other location of a window so that the window can slide along the sash.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 14
, sashes
103
are respectively provided at front and rear positions of door panel
101
of an automobile. Each of the sashes
103
is interposed between the inner and outer panels of the main body of the door panel
101
. The sashes
103
guide the front and rear ends of a door window
102
when the door window
102
ascends or descends. These sashes
103
are disposed below the belt line of the door and are referred to as lower sashes. Following the glass run of the upper portion of the door panel
101
, the lower sashes guide the front and rear ends of the window
102
when the window
102
is opened or closed.
Metal sashes have hitherto been employed and a glass run has been mounted on the metal sash. Sashes made of synthetic resin consisting of polyamide or polyacetal also have recently been employed to reduce the weight of the automobile and reduce costs.
For sashes made of synthetic resin, in order to omit the glass run, ensure the sliding property of the ascending or descending window
102
, and prevent rattling of the window
102
, protrusions
104
are provided, as shown in FIG.
15
. The protrusions
104
extend from inner opposing surfaces
131
of the sash
103
and have U-shaped cross-sections. The protrusions
104
are positioned in opposing relationship at the opposing surfaces
131
(see FIG.
15
), or can be positioned in alternating relationship in the longitudinal direction of the sash
103
, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 59-102867. However, because synthetic resin is greater in thermal expansion and shrinkage than metal, there is the need to provide sufficient space between the window surface and the protrusion
104
, and consequently, rattling of the window
102
cannot be prevented sufficiently.
The lower sash according to prior art has a guide portion such as the one shown in a perspective view in FIG.
16
. The guide portion
100
of this lower sash is provided with a resin base
112
and a plurality of guide pieces
114
extending outwardly from the resin base
112
. The guide pieces
114
are spaced in two rows by a distance slightly wider than the thickness of the window
102
, and the window
102
slides between the spaced guide pieces
114
.
In the above guide portion
100
, however, vibration of the window
102
, such as when travelling on a rough road, sometimes causes striking sounds to occur between the window
100
and the guide pieces
114
. Also, sliding of the window
102
along the guide pieces
114
also sometimes produces sounds between the window
102
and the guide pieces
114
.
Another conventional lower sash is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 7-257510.
FIG. 17
is a perspective view showing this lower sash
120
. The lower sash
120
is provided with a metallic lower sash main body
122
in the form of a U-shaped cross-section and lip portions
124
mounted on the top ends of the sidewalls
122
a
of the lower sash main body
122
. The lip portions
124
are formed over the overall length of the main body
122
of the lower sash. The lip portions
124
are bonded to the main body
122
by using an adhesive or are fixed by a clamp. In this lower sash
120
the window
102
slides between both lip portions
124
.
In the lower sash
120
, however, because the main body
122
thereof is formed of metal material, the attachment of the lip portions
124
to the main body
122
must be performed with an adhesive or the like and therefore the operation is troublesome. In addition, there has been the demand for reducing the quantity of material, such as rubber or resin, in the lip portions
124
themselves to reduce production cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in order to solve the aforementioned problems found in the prior art, and accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a window guide structure that prevents rattling of the window in spite of temperature change or road conditions.
To achieve the above object, a guide structure according to the present invention includes a guide portion, provided in the main body of an automobile door, for guiding movement of the window. The guide structure also includes a plurality of control members provided on opposing surfaces of the guide portion so that each such member is in contact with the window. The contact members, provided on at least one of the surfaces, are formed so as to have elasticity.
Because thermal expansion and shrinkage can be absorbed by these elastic contact members, a plurality of contact members can preferably be brought into contact against opposite sides of the window so that no rattling of the window occurs.
The elastic contact members may be protrusions provided on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the guide portion. The contact members also may be formed as a plurality of claw-shaped members having approximately C-shaped cross-sections, so that a proximal end is coupled to a guide portion surface and the distal end is laterally spaced from the guide portion surface to allow flexible movement of the distal end of the contact member. The claw-shaped members may be disposed at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction of the sash.
In addition, the contacting portion of the claw-shaped member in sliding contact with the window may have a protruding portion designed to reduce the contact area between the contact member and the window and thereby reduce the sliding resistance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a guide structure which is easily attached to the door glass and which is capable of reducing the quantity of material, such as rubber or resin, used in the contact member.
To achieve the above objects, the guide structure of an automobile window includes a sash with a groove. The sash is disposed inside a door panel of an automobile door and below a belt line so as to receive a sliding window. The sash includes a sash main body having a base portion and laterally spaced side wall portions extending from both sides of the base portion. The base portion and the side wall portions form the groove. The sash further includes a plurality of mounting portions formed in the side wall portions of the sash main body and a plurality of contact members mounted in the plurality of mounting portions. Each contact member has a surface for contacting the sliding the door glass, and the sliding surface is directed toward the groove to permit smooth sliding of the window. Therefore, no vibrating sound occurs and no sound occurs while sliding the window. In addition, a plurality of contact members are individually mounted in the mounting portion and are not provided over the overall length of the main body of the sash, so that the quantity of material can be reduced.
Furthermore, in a modified embodiment, a tapered surface is provided on the upper end portion of each contact member. This tapered surface alleviates the contact force between the contact member and the lower end portion of the window when the window descends. Therefore, when the contact member is attached to the mounting portion, the strength of attachment does not need to be increased and therefore the attaching operation becomes easy.
REFERENCES:
patent: 515054 (1894-02-01), Norcross
patent: 603783 (1898-05-01), Denham
patent: 1502644 (1924-07-01), Campbell
patent: 1582506 (1926-04-01), Bridgwood
patent: 1760226 (1930-05-01), Appleby
patent: 1865259 (1932-06-01), Keller
patent: 1927651 (1933-09-01), Reid
patent: 2132104 (1938-10-01), Froeliger
patent: 2283009 (1942-05-01), Levan
patent: 2476947 (1949-07-0
Kawai Katsunori
Nozaki Masahiro
Johnson Blair M.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Strimbu Gregory J.
Toyoda Gosei Co,., Ltd.
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