GB2399130A

GB2399130A - Sliding window for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2399130A
Application number: GB0404862A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jens Vornbaeumen; Martin Schulte; Juergen Kraus
Original assignee: Dura Automotive Plettenberg Entwicklungs und Vertreibs GmbH
Current assignee: Dura Automotive Plettenberg Entwicklungs und Vertreibs GmbH
Priority date: 2003-03-03
Filing date: 2004-03-03
Publication date: 2004-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-03
Also published as: FR2851960B1; DE10309185A1; GB0404862D0; FR2851960A1; DE10309185B4; GB2399130B8; GB2399130A8; DE10309185B8; GB2399130B

Abstract

A glass module, in particular a sliding window, comprises a fixed window 1, a sliding window 2, a guide rail 6 in which the sliding window is guided and clips arranged on the guide rail for connecting the guide rail to the vehicle.

Description

Glass module, in particular sliding window, for a vehicle, in particular a

motor vehicle The invention relates to a glass module, in particular a sliding window, for fitting into a wall, in particular a side wall, or into a door of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle. The glass module or sliding window comprises a fixed part, in particular a fixed window, a moveable, in particular pivotable and/or slideable window and functional elements, in particular guide rails, in which the moveable window is guided.

The functional elements or guide rails are connected, in particular bonded, in particular to the fixed part or the fixed window, or are provided on the fixed part or fixed window. The fixed part or the fixed window can be inserted into an opening of the vehicle and fastened there, in particular by bonding. The invention furthermore relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, having a glass module of this type, in particular sliding window. The glass module, in particular its fixed part and/or its moveable window, can be manufactured from mineral glass, in particular safety glass, but also from plastic, it being possible for the fixed part and/or the moveable window to be entirely or partially transparent and/or in the manner of obscured glass and/or opaque.

EP 0 778 168 B1 discloses a glass module for fitting into a wall of a motor vehicle, the glass module comprising a fixed window and a pivotable window. The hinge for the moveable window comprises a transverse strip, which forms the fixed element of the longitudinally directed hinge and the ends of which are fitted between the fixed window and the edges of the opening in the bodywork. The effect which is intended to be achieved thereby is for the pivotable window to be retained even in the event of the fixed window breaking.

EP 0 968 862 A2 discloses a sliding window of the type specified at the beginning.

It is the object of the invention to propose an improved glass module of the type specified at the beginning.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the characterizing features of Claim 1. Retaining clips for connecting to the vehicle, in particular to the vehicle bodywork or to the vehicle door, are arranged on the functional elements or guide rails. The number and arrangement of the retaining clips can be defined in accordance with the respective requirements. The retaining clips ensure that the functional elements or guide rails remain connected to the vehicle even in the event of the fixed part or the fixed window being damaged or breaking, thereby avoiding risks associated with the moveable window in these situations.

Continuous components, i.e. components which reach over the entire length or width of the fixed part or the fixed window, are not required. Practical tests have shown that the required safety can nevertheless be achieved. The invention can afford the further advantage that the components ensuring this safety are also invisible from the vehicle interior.

Advantageous developments are described in the subclaims.

It is advantageous if the retaining clips have an extent which protrudes into the region between the fixed part or the fixed window and a part of the vehicle, in particular of the vehicle bodywork or the vehicle door.

The retaining clips may be connected releasably or fixedly to the functional element or the guide rail. - 3

According to one advantageous development, the retaining clips are slipped onto the functional element or the guide rail. It is advantageous if the functional element or the guide rail has ribs and the retaining clips are slipped onto these ribs.

A further advantageous development is characterized in that the retaining clips are mounted rotatably on the functional element or the guide rail. The axis of rotation can run, in particular, perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal direction of the functional element or the guide rail. It is advantageous if the retaining clips have a rotary pin or a rotary anchorage.

According to a further advantageous development, the retaining clips are riveted to the functional element or the guide rail. On or in the functional element or the guide rail, which can be produced from plastic or can have plastic components, there is preferably a sheet-metal insert on which the riveted connection is provided.

According to a further advantageous development, the retaining clips are bonded to the functional element or the guide rail. If the functional element or the guide rail is bonded to the fixed part or the fixed window, this adhesive bond or adhesive bead can also be used for bonding the retaining clip to the functional element or the guide rail.

The retaining clips may be designed as a foil, in particular as a sheetmetal foil. This is particularly advantageous if the retaining clips are bonded to the functional element or the guide rail, it furthermore being advantageous if the same adhesive bond or adhesive bead is used for the connection between the retaining clips and the functional element or the guide - 4 rail, on the one hand, and between the fixed part or the fixed window and the functional element or the guide rail, on the other hand.

The retaining clips can be connectable or connected releasably or fixedly to the vehicle or the vehicle bodywork or the vehicle door.

The retaining clips can preferably be bonded to the vehicle. If the fixed part or the fixed window can be bonded to the vehicle or the vehicle bodywork or the vehicle door, the same adhesive bond or adhesive bead can be used for the adhesive connection between the retaining clips and the vehicle. However, it is also possible to use a separate adhesive bond or adhesive bead for the adhesive connection between the retaining clips and the vehicle.

According to a further advantageous development, the retaining clips can be clamped to the vehicle. The clamping can take place, in particular, by means of rotatable retaining clips, in particular rotary pins or rotary anchorages.

A further advantageous development is characterized in that the retaining clips have a flange for a vehicle part.

The invention furthermore relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, which is characterized by a glass module according to the invention, in particular sliding window. Preferably, the retaining clips are bonded to the vehicle or the vehicle bodywork or the vehicle door and/or clamped and/or connected by a flange.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the attached drawing, in which - 5 Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment with a retaining clip, which is slipped onto the functional element designed as a guide rail, in a cross section, Fig. 2 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 1 in a perspective view from above, Fig. 3 shows the embodiment according to Figs 1 and 2 in a side view, Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment with a retaining clip, which has a rotary pin, in the state before the clamping takes place, in a cross section, Fig. 5 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 4 in a side view, Fig. 6 shows the embodiment according to Figs 4 and 5 in the clamped state, in a cross section, Fig. 7 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 6 in a side view, Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment with a retaining clip, which is riveted to the guide rail and is bonded to the vehicle bodywork, in a cross section, Fig. 9 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 8 in a side view, Fig. 10 shows a fourth embodiment with a retaining clip, which is riveted to the guide rail and is connected to the 6 - vehicle bodywork by a flange, in a cross section, Fig. 11 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 10 in a side view, Fig. 12 shows a fifth embodiment with a retaining clip, which is designed as a sheet-metal foil and is bonded to the guide rail and the vehicle bodywork, in a cross section, Fig. 13 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 12 in a side view, Fig. 14 shows a sixth embodiment with a retaining clip, which has a rotary anchorage, in the state before the clamping takes place, in a cross section, Fig. 15 shows the retaining clip according to Fig. 14 after the clamping has taken place, and Fig. 16 shows the retaining clip according to Figs 14 and 15 in a side view.

Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a sliding window for fitting into a side wall of a motor vehicle, having a fixed window 1 and a slideable window 2 which comprises a frame 3 which has an extension 5, which points towards the interior 4 of the motor vehicle and is provided at its inner and lower end with a guide bolt (not illustrated in the drawing) which engages in a corresponding guide groove 6 in the upper shell 7 of a guide rail 8 and is guided there. The guide rail 8 furthermore comprises a sheet-metal insert 9. The upper shell 7 has, on its lower side, vertical ribs 10 which are directed outwards in a starshaped manner from central domes 11 and further ribs 10 which are situated between two adjacent depressions 11.

The slideable window 2 is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner and, in particular in the end regions, also in a transversely displaceable and/or pivotable manner, by means of the guide bolts sliding in the guide groove 6, for example as described in EP O 968 862 A2 or EP 0 683 064 Al.

A retaining clip 12, which produce a connection between the guide rail 8 and the vertically upwardly protruding panels 13, 13' of the vehicle bodywork, is arranged on the guide rail 8. The retaining clip 12 has tabs 14 with which it is slipped onto a rib 10 of the guide rail 8. The tabs 14 enclose the rib 10. After being slipped on, they are latched to the rib 10.

The retaining clip 12 furthermore comprises an extent 16 which protrudes into the region 15 between the fixed window 1 and the panels 13, 13' of the vehicle bodywork, is bonded to the panels 13, 13', specifically by means of the adhesive bead 17, which is also used to bond the fixed window 1 to these panels 13, 13'. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the lower end region of the extent 16 is covered by somewhat more than half of the adhesive bead 17. The upper shell 7 of the guide rail 8 is bonded to the fixed window 1 by means of a further adhesive bead 18.

The upwardly pointing panels 13, 13' form a body shell flange which surrounds an opening in the vehicle into which the fixed window 1 is inserted and bonded. In the event of the fixed window 1 breaking, the retaining clips 12, and with them the guide rails 8, remain connected to the panels 13, 13' of the vehicle bodywork, so that the slideable window 2 can retain its position held in the guide grooves 6, as a result of - 8 which hazards arising due to slideable windows 2 which have become loose can be avoided.

It can be seen from Fig. 3 that the fixed window 1 completely surrounds the slideable window 2 and that the fixed window 1 is inserted into a corresponding opening in the vehicle bodywork, which opening is bordered by the panels 13, 13'.

Figures 4 to 7 show a second embodiment of a sliding window, in which corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numbers. In this embodiment, a bearing bolt 19 is inserted into the essentially vertical extent 16, which points downwards from the guide rail 8, and a rotary pin 20, which reaches with its lower end as far as the upper end of the inner panel 13, is mounted rotatably about the essentially horizontal axis of the said bearing bolt. The upper end of the inner panel 13 is bent outwards through an angle of approximately 90 .

The lower end region of the extent 16 is provided with an inwardly pointing offset 21, the lower end region 22 of which bears against the upper end region of the outer panel 13'.

The rotary pin 20 has an outwardly protruding clamping part 23 which can be brought by means of a rotation through 90 from the starting position shown in Figs 4, 5 into the clamping position which is shown in Figs 6 and 7 and in which the panels 13, 13' are enclosed and clamped in place by the lower end region 22 and the clamping part 23. The retaining clip 12 is connected to the vehicle bodywork by means of this clamping connection.

In the embodiment according to Figures 4 to 7, the retaining clip 12 is formed by the sheet-metal insert 9, the upper region of which is enclosed by the upper - 9 - shell 7 and the lower region of which forms the extent 16, the offset 21 and the lower end region 22.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a third embodiment, in which the retaining clip 12 is connected to the guide rail 8 by a riveted connection 24 and a plug-in connection 25.

The retaining clip 12 has an inner, upper end region 26 which bears against a corresponding, horizontal region of the sheet-metal insert 9 in the upper shell 7 of the guide rail 8. A rivet 27 reaches through the inner, upper end region 26 of the retaining clip 12 and the horizontal region of the sheet-metal insert, as a result of which these two parts are connected to each other.

The retaining clip 12 furthermore comprises two vertically upwardly pointing, U-shaped ends 28 which receive between them a vertically downwardly pointing end region of the sheet-metal insert 9, which region is clamped in place within the U-shaped ends 28 by means of mutually opposite projections.

The downwardly pointing extent 16 of the retaining clip 12, which extent is situated in the region 15 between the fixed window 1 and the panels 13, 13', is bonded there to the panels 13, 13' by means of an additional adhesive bead 29 which differs from the adhesive bead 17 between the fixed window 1 and the panels 13, 13' (the same adhesive bead 17 could also be used).

Furthermore, bent-in sections 30 which point upwards and inwards are provided in the lower region of the extent 16 and engage behind the outwardly bent, upper end region of the inner panel 13 in the manner of a barb.

The fourth embodiment which is illustrated in Figs 10 and 11 is a modification of the third embodiment according to Figs 8 and 9, in which the retaining clip 12 is connected to the vehicle bodywork, namely the upper, outwardly bent- over end of the inner panel 13, by means of a flange 30. The flange 30 comprises two forking ends 31, 32 which are in each case bent over inwards through 180 and enclose the upper end of the panel 13, which is thereby dug in.

In the fifth embodiment, which is shown in Figs 12 and 13, the retaining clip 12 is formed by a sheet-metal foil 33, the upper end region of which is bonded by means of an adhesive bead 18' to the sheet-metal insert 9 in the upper shell 7 of the guide rail 8 and at the same time to the fixed window 1, and the lower end region of which is bonded by means of the adhesive bead 17 to the outer panel 13' of the vehicle bodywork and at the same time to the fixed window 1, the lower end of the sheet-metal foil 33 reaching approximately as far as the centre of the adhesive bead 17.

In the sixth embodiment shown in Figs 14 to 16, the retaining clip 12 is connected to the guide rail 8 by means of a rotary anchorage 34. In a similar manner as in the second embodiment according to Figs 4 to 7, the retaining clip 12 is formed by the sheet-metal insert 9 and the downwardly pointing extent 16 has an inwardly pointing offset 21, the lower end region 22 of which can be placed against the upper, vertical end region of the outer panel 13'. Above the offset 21, the extent 16 has an inwardly directed flange 35, which is provided on its inner end region with an axis of rotation 36, which runs essentially horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal extent of the guide rail 8 and is intended for an anchorage part 37 which essentially has a cross section in the form of a quarter circle. In the starting position shown in Fig. 14, the quarter circle is open inwards and downwards, so that it can be installed by bringing it towards the upper end of the panels 13, 13'. In the end position, which is shown in Fig. 15, the anchorage part 37 has been pivoted through 90 in the clockwise direction, with the result that - 11 the inner surface of its quarter circle bears against the corresponding, outer, upper end surface of the inner panel 13. In this position, the upper ends of the panels 13, 13' are enclosed and clamped in place by the lower end region 22 and the anchorage part 37. Below it, the fixed window 1 is bonded to the panels 13, 13' by means of the adhesive bead 17. - 12

Claims

1. Glass module, in particular sliding window, for fitting into a wall or a door of a vehicle, having a fixed part, in particular a fixed window, having a moveable window and having functional elements, in particular guide rails, in which the moveable window is guided, wherein retaining clips for connecting to the vehicle are arranged on the functional elements or guide rails.

2. Glass module according to Claim 1, wherein the retaining clips have an extent which protrudes into the region between the fixed part and a part of the vehicle.

3. Glass module according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the retaining clips are slipped onto the functional element or the guide rail.

4. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips are mounted rotatably on the functional element or the guide rail.

5. Glass module according to Claim 4, wherein the retaining clips have a rotary pin.

6. Glass module according to Claim 4, wherein the retaining clips have a rotary anchorage.

7. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips are riveted to the functional element or the guide rail. 13

8. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips are bonded to the functional element or the guide rail.

9. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips are designed as a foil, in particular as a sheet-metal foil.

10. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips can be bonded to the vehicle.

11. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips can be clamped to the vehicle.

12. Glass module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining clips have a flange for a vehicle part.

13. Vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, characterized by a glass module, in particular a sliding window, according to any one of Claims 1 to 12.

14. Vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, according to Claim 13, wherein the retaining clips are bonded to the vehicle and/or clamped and/or connected by a flange.

15. A glass module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

16. A vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, characterized by a glass module substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.