[0001] In the Technical world, motorized reducers are known that are made up of an independent
motor, which by means, for example, of an elastic coupling, powers a reducer, that
means it is necessary to have one housing for the motor and another for the reducer,
all of which used to mean that double units had to be manufactured as a consequence
of this, with different moulds for the housing and also different assembly tooling,
with the peculiarity that to be able to used the motor-reducer in applications with
the power outlet on one or the other side, it was necessary for the reducer housing
to be symmetrical parts.
[0002] As opposed to these traditional techniques, the patent provides a small reducer that
is made up of one single block or unit which can be used in any position, and in which
the motor and the worm screw have a single support to be able to receive the crown
with the mechanism to drive the cable drum or pinion which operates another mechanism,
for example the window drive system of a vehicle, which are sometimes operated by
a pinion and on other occasions by means of a cable drum. The single unit of the patent
is symmetrical, so that it can be used equally for one position or side or for the
other.
[0003] Another advantageous particularity is the special shape of the support that serves
as the front housing for the motor, which has a single drill hole for fixing, situated
in a protruding part below the hollow of the worm screw and symmetrical with respect
to the medium plane of the part, which allows the unit assembly plate to be fitted
symmetrically to it, that is, on one side or the other of the side of the motor, as
demanded by its situation in the door of the vehicle.
[0004] Apart from the above reasons, the inventive idea has been motivated by the more and
more pressing need to provide motor vehicles with electrically powered window winding
devices of low weight and small size, and in their turn capable of powering any system,
whether it be by cable-rack or by an arm with a toothed section.
[0005] On the other hand, it is interesting for the atarting or blocking of a determined
torque to be carried out progressively so that the transmitter element and motor do
not suffer when turning either clockwise or anticloclwise during their operation
[0006] In the conventional mechanisms known for this purpose, spiral compression springs,
or elastic items made of natural or synthetic rubber are normally used to regulate
the circular damping. With these, the angle in which the damping was carried out was
centred on values of little importance, and in which the smoothness required in the
starting of the elements was not produced.
[0007] This patent also deals with an elastic torque transmitter that turns in both directions,
which has a very smooth starting together with a high torque damping in the presence
of any blocking in the transmission system and without any axial effects being produced
on the turning shaft.
[0008] Another aim of the patent is that of providing an extensive range of torques to transmit
between high-power trnamissions to micromechanisms.
[0009] These and other advantages, which will be pointed out in this specification, make
the object of the patent a unit which is both technically complete and simple, as
will becobserved.
[0010] The assembly of the small-sized reducer is made up of a low-power micromotor, which
includes the support for the reducer, and whose power intake is placed directly above
the worm acrew, which is cut or laminated on the rotor shaft itself, thus allowing
the total length of the assembly to be reduced.
[0011] The shaft in cuestion has only two sperical supports at its ends, with these preferably
being of sintered, self-lubricated material. There are some lenticular, coaxial supports
responsible for supporting the play and loads of axial thrust, by means of plastic
material with high resistance to wear and temperature and a low friction coefficient,
which are obviously placed in an adjacent position as regards the said spherical supports.
[0012] There is a motor cover-support part int he shape of a circular segment, whose centre
coincides with the shaft of the crown, which has three equally spaced drill holes,
in which the worm screw shows the profile of its helix through a portion of the said
motor cover-support part.
[0013] The crown support can therefore be adapted to this part and fixed in the drill holes
by means of suitable bolts or rivets
[0014] On the other hand, the said cover-support receives, at the end farthest away from
the sperical support of the worm screw rotor shaft, and near the motor itself it houses
a retainer that is coaxial with the shaft, so that it ensures the oiltightness, watertightness,
etc. of the motor, with the help of an elastic joint in the flanging area of the cover-support
with the motor housing.
[0015] The motor-reducer assembly is fitted to the door of the vehicle by means of an assembly
plate, which is a die-cut part of sheet metal, of suitable thickness, which at one
end receives, through an opening carried out on a right angle fold, the body of the
motor and at the other end takes the shape of a "A"-shaped leg, which with its corresponding
drill hole is fixed to the drill hole in the protruding part of the motor support
by means of a rivet or bolt. This system allows a metallic surface to be left available
to back up laterally to the motor, of the shape and dimensions required for bolts
or nuts to be fixed to it by welding, so that they coincide with the drill holes determined
by the constructor of the vehicle in the door, so that the centre of gravity of the
motor-reducer assembly is contained between them; this condition is of great importance
so that the dynamic stresses that the mass of this assembly produces when the door
is being closed does not cause the tearing away of the sheet metal which is so common.
[0016] As a deduction of what has been said, it is important to point out the very small
dimensions of the assembly, as the body cover of the semireducer motor can be as narrow
as the motor itself, and also completely symmetrical with respect to the average axial
plane of the assembly, thus being able to admit the support housing of the crown indistinctly
at one side or the other, according to convenience.
[0017] The transmitter is based on a simple mechanism able to transmit a determined torque
in terms of the initial tension of a special, spiral spring, which is previously calculated
in relation to the torque to be developed while in operation. It is also possible
for the transmitter to absorb an increase in the said operating torque, due to either
brusque starting or an obstacle that means an impediment for the turning of the assembly,
becoming an indispensable item as a damping element.
[0018] The invention is mainly centred, and it is made up of a crown, for example a coupling
flange to the drive unit, a sheave or toothed pulley, a crown wheel or sprocket ...
etc., with the hollow interior of this crown wheel having an integral circular ring
which juts out into this interior part, this ring being provided with a dragging sector
of a variable angular value, which extends a certain amount towards the centre of
the crown. for patent clarification, the variable angular value of the crown sector
will be called (a).
[0019] Two shoes in the form of a circular sector are supported by their outer surface in
the circular ring of the crown wheel and supported by one of their ends on the sides
of the dragging sector. The two shoes do not take up the whole of the circular ring,
so that their opposite ends which are not supported on the circular sector, are situated
at a certain distance from each other.
[0020] A circular spring is housed in the interior of the shoes, with the ends of the projection
being lodged in recesses in their interior. The spring has a natural tendency to operate
on the shoes, so that the shoes rest on the dragging sector and the other ends of
shoes become situated at an angular distance due to the action of the circular spring;
a distance that will be called (b).
[0021] The above-mentioned crown wheel has grooves on both sides of the circular ring and
dragging sector, in which two interconnected circular bodies are housed, in such a
way that the crown turns freely between the said similar bodies, as the three elements
are positioned according to a same, single shaft, so that each one of the circular
bodies fits into the corresponding groove of the crown at both sides of the circular
ring.
[0022] The circular bodies are provided in their turn with grooves carried out in opposite
directions, with relation to each other, so that they become face to face when they
are housed in the grooves of the crown wheel, forming and internal hollow which holds
the circular ring, the circular spring and the two shoes. Both grooves of the cylindrical
bodies are also provided with rectangularly-shaped projections whose base is identical
to the dragging sector of the crown wheel where the shoes rest.
[0023] Apart from this, the two circular bodies are related to each other, as was mentioned
earlier. One of the circular bodies has a hollow axial projection in which the circular
spring is supported and which culminates in a truncated cone portion that is partially
slotted in an axial direction along all its circular contour.
[0024] The other cylindrical body extends, also axially, into a neck that receives the projecting
part of the other body, with a wall that meets the front of the other body and a circular
housing that receives the truncated cone portion of it, so that like this both circular
bodies become joined together solidly.
[0025] The circular spring that was mentioned earlier can be formed of one or several spirals
of steel wire, with its ends directed towards the outer part of the spiral and loops
in an axial direction and towards the interior, so that its stress is carried out
in the perpendicular turning plane, without any axial stress being established. However,
they could also be radially placed towards the exterior.
[0026] By the effect of the initial tension of the spring, the shoes and the dragging sector
of the crown wheel are intimately joined, and this initial tension is what determines
the initial minimum torque to be transmitted, with an angular separation (b) between
the ends of the spring.
[0027] If we consider the cylindrical bodies to be fixed and we turn the crown wheel in
either direction, we submit the two cylindrical bodies to a monimum drag torque which
is what corres ponds to the one determined by the spring and, therefore, we can move
it with this value, without the angle (b) of the spring being altered.
[0028] However, if a greater initial torque should be required, for example, in starting,
the supplementary energy stored in the spring can be used up to a maximum value in
which angle (b) is equal to zero.
[0029] In these movements, one of the shoes is blocked by the rectangular projections of
the two cylindrical parts, while the other slides along the grooves in them, whether
the movement is to the right or to the left.
[0030] Identical effects are produced if during the course of any normal turning movement
the transmitter meets an obstacle, which might be, for example, an overload at a stroke
end, etc.
[0031] Obviously, the circular damping is always carried out within the angle (b) of the
ends of the spring, and its extent is in terms of the angles (a) covered by the dragging
sector of the crown and the angular sector (c) covered by the shoes themselves.
[0032] In practice, a certainly wide value can be arranged for angle (b), which represents
a very considerable value with respect to presently used mechanisms, in which spiral
compression springs or elastic elements of natural or synthetic rubber are used.
[0033] On the other hand, in the mechanism that recommends the invention, the sliding friction
of the shoes on the grooves or slots means that the transmission of the circular movement
is carried out uniformly and therefore without oscillations.
[0034] All that has been mentioned up to now, together with other details of the invention,
is pointed out in relation with the adjoinging pages of drawings, in which they are
represented as follows:
- Figure 1 is an elevetion of the assembly.
- Figure 2 is a view from the left of the previous figure, shown in cross section.
Figure 3 is a view of figure 1 seen from the top.
- Figure 4 is a base cross section of the torque transmitter of the patent.
- Figure 5 is a view from the left of figure 4, in which the line marked as XX corresponds
to figure 4.
- Figure 6 is a perspective of the transmitter assembly.
- Figures 7 to 10 show different applications of the invention to different types
of window winding mechanisms.
[0035] In accordance with figure 1, we can observe the direct current micromotor (1), with
the same feed voltage as that used in the vehicle that it is destined for, and with
a power intake above the direct worm screw (2) which is cut or laminated on the rotor
shaft and turns on two spherical bearings (3) made of suitable sintered material and
self-lubricated, with axial supports (4) and (5) made of plastic material with a high
resistance to wear and temperature, as they have to resist great alternative axial
stresses while, at the same time, their turning friction has to be as low as possible
so as to absorb the minimum possible energy, so that practically all the energy of
the motor is available at the' worm screw-spindle.
[0036] On the motor support (6), in the shape of a circular bracket, an oil and damp retaining
element is adapted (7), responsible for impeding, if necessary, these elements from
passing into the electrical area of the brushes and the rotor collector, where they
might be the cause of breakdowns, taking into account that the conditions of dampness
and temperature inside the door panel might be very variable at certain moments. This
support is preferably made by injection of reinforced fiber glass thermoplastic resin
or light metal.
[0037] The operation of the cable, in the case of window winding devices of this type, is
made up of the toothed crown wheel (8), made of thermoplastic resin with a low friction
coefficient, which gears on the worm screw-spindle (2) of the motor (1), and which
forming part of the coplanary torque transmitter (9), draws over the drum that is
integral to this system the two strands of cable (10 and 11) wound onto it and connected
among themselves to the plate or unit for moving the pane of glass, as shown in figure
7.
[0038] The cable system is supported by the two casing elements (14 and 15), made by injection
of reinforced fiber glass thermoplastic resin and with a rotation shaft (16) inserted
under pressure with its ends on the corresponding supports of the said housing.
[0039] Of the two casings, it is (15) that houses the cable drum and has the outlets (17)
directed in the most suitable position within the angles (a) or (
13) included within the extreme positions (B-C) or (D-E), or else among the fixed positions
(A) and that which is convenient within the angles mentioned previously.
[0040] The compensation of the cable, according to whether it works in one direction or
the other, is carried out by means of guides (12), made by injection of thermoplastic
resin with a low friction coefficient, the cable conductors (26) and the helicoidal
springs (13) shown in figure 1, which facilitates its sliding and compensation over
the corresponding outlets (17) of the housing (15). Housing (14), which houses the
crown wheel (8) and the torque transmitter (9), is connected to housing (15) by the
shaft (16) and by the plastic deformation of the sectorial projections (18).
[0041] Once that all the elements of this unit have been assembled, it is inserted into
the bracket support (6) of the motor like a case, so that the crown wheel (8) will
gear on the worm screw (2) and will be fastened to it by means of three rivets or
bolts (10), thus shaping the compact motor-reducer that is extremely reduced in both
size and weight, with the particular advantage that the motor can be exchanged by
simply loosening the fixing elements (19) and then replacing them once that the change
has been carried out.
[0042] Housing (14) is a single part due to its geometry, so it can be used on one side
or the other of the motor-reducer assembly, which means a considerable saving.
[0043] This assembly is connected to the door of the vehicle by means of a simple anchoring
plate (20), which clamps the motor in its rear part (figures 1 and 2) and is fixed
by its front part through the only drill hole that the assembly has in the front support
(6) of the motor, by means of a rivet or bolt (21) and its corresponding washer.
[0044] The anchoring plate (20) is oversized at its support area on the door, so that the
centre of gravity of the motor-reducer assembly falls within the box defined by the
fixing elements, usually bolts (23). Like this, it is achieved that the dynamic stress
that the system exercises on the door being closed, receives the push centrally and
no tearing away of the sheet metal is produced in this area, a circumstance that is
often produced in conventional systems which are fixed by one end, that of the head
of the reducer, and leave the motor overhanging, even though this is precisely the
portion of greatest bulk and causes the previously mentioned tearing away, by moving
the centre of gravity of the system outside the fixing area foreseen by the manufacturer
of the vehicle.
[0045] When dealing with the operation of window winding systems of the cable-rack type,
for example the one shown in figure 8, the system is practically the same, with the
only difference that the drum (9) is replaced by a pinion of suitable diameter and
pitch in conformity with that of the cable-rack, and the casing (15) will have the
appropriate housing and outlets for the said pinion and guide of the conductor pipes
corresponding to the cable-rack.
[0046] In case of operating window winding mechanisms with arm(s) with a toothed sector,
as in figures 9 and 10, the drum (9) will be replaced by a pinion which will gear
directly with the toothed sector, by which the housing (15) will be reduced to a simple
cover, through which only the above-mentioned pinion will appear.
[0047] Due to the fact that the drill holes for fixing (19) are arranged symmetrically around
the axis M-M, a single motor-worm screw unit can be used for applicaton to right or
left window winding devices, which means a considerable advantage and saving in its
use.
[0048] As regards figures 4 to 6, the crown wheel (8) can be observed, with, for example,
the copling flange for the drive unit, a rim pulley, a toothed crown, etc., which
has in its hollow interior a circular nerve or ring (31) which provides a slideway
(30), with two grooves (32 and 32') at both sides of the said ring (31).
[0049] This ring is interrupted by a dragging sector (24) which extends towards the geometrical
centre of the crown wheel (8) with an (a) angle of variable value according to needs.
In this sector (24), and specifically at its ends, the two shoes (25 and 25') are
supported in the form of a circular segment of angular value (c), which on their insides
(34) receive the spring (29), whose ends (37 and 3T) are opportunely housed in portions
(35) and (36) of the said shoes.
[0050] The two ends (37 and 37') of the spring (29) are to be found in an axial direction,
as is clear, and this is why they are taken in perfectly in the shoes (25 and 25').
The outer surfaces of the shoes will slide opportunely on the slideway (30) once housed
with the spring (29) in their interior, and with the ends (37 and 37') of the spring
(29) being separated in an angle (c).
[0051] The grooves (32 and (32') of the crown wheel (8) receive the projections (38) and
(38') of the two cylindrical bodies (26) and (26'), as is shown in figure 5. The projection
(38) of body (9) has in its interior a slot or groove (28), in which is made a rectangularly
shaped projection (27) of angular value equal to that of the sector (24) of the crown
wheel (8). The projection (38') of part (9') has in its turn the slot or groove (28'),
also provided with the projection (27') angularly coincident with the sector (24)
of the crown wheel (8).
[0052] the two cylindrical bodies (9) and (9') are suitably integrated, thanks to the introduction
of the dentated truncated cone projection (39) of the body (9) in the intemal housing
of body (9'), and of the projections (26) of body (9) over the slots (33) of body
(9'), as male and female, as can be observed.
[0053] In figure 5 it can be observed how the projecting portion of the crown wheel, defined
by the sector (24) and by the slideway (30), closes the gap produced between the two
parts (9 and 9') and over the crown wheel (8), in which the crown wheel (8) turns
freely between the said cylindrical parts.
[0054] The shoes are supported on the sector (24) and on the other projections (27 and 2T,
of the same angular value as that of the two cylindrical bodies, by the effect of
the initial tension of the spring (29), which determines, as has already been stated,
the minimum initial torque to be transmitted, leaving the angle (b) between the ends
of the spring as is shown in figure 4, in which the shoes are supported on the dragging
sector (8) and on the projections (27 and 2T) of the cylindrical parts (9 and 9'),
which take in an angle (a).
[0055] The extent of the damping will depend on this angular value (a) and on the angular
value (c) corresponding to the shoes, values which are open to modification in order
to vary the characteristics of the assembly keeping the spring (29). the spring (29)
can in turn have its characteristics varied in order to obtain additional modifications
in regulation.
[0056] It should also be pointed out in figure 5 that the two grooves (28 and 28') of the
cylindrical bodies become situated in a symmetrical fashion with respect to the plane
XX shown in the said figure.
[0057] The two projecting ends (37 and 37') of the spring are housed in two recesses,which
are not illustrated, in the positions (35 and 36) respectively of the shoes, in such
a way that their fit is perfectly secure.
[0058] Finally, and with regard to figure 7, we should like to point out that the assembly
of the patent has been shown in its two possible positions (44 or 44a), in relation
with a base unit (40) that uses cable.
[0059] In figure 8, the patent (44) is shown with the element (41) that uses cable-rack,
and in figures 9 and 10, the patent (44) or (44a) is fitted to devices that use arms
(42) or an arm (43).
1.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", which is essentially characterized
because the motor cover and the semi-reducer support form one single part, which has
its vertical axial shaft in coincidence with that of the motor, with the two forming
a single coaxial plane, in that the part in quest has a component in the form of a
circular segment with three drill holes to accommodate the support of the crown wheel
of the reducer, these drill holes being equidistant, in that the centre of the circular
segment coincides with the centre of the crown wheel and in that the power outlet
of the crown wheel can be arranged on one side or the other withe respect to the vertical
plane of the said circular segment that forms the cover.
2.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the previous
claim, characterized because the shaft, whose helix or worm-screw portion appears
on the outside of the lower part of the cover, houses a leaktight retainer and an
elastic joint with the motor housing, with the cover having one single drill hole
for fixing, in the portion immediately below that of the worm-screw and above the
shaft perpendicular to it that passes through the turning centre of the crown wheel.
3.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the previous
claims, characterized because the anchoring of the assembly to the door of the vehicle
is carried out by means of an assembly plate, onto which the rear portion of the motor
is inserted and is fixed in its front portion by a single bolt or rivet to the front
support of the motor, having the necessary surface for the centre of gravity of the
assembly to fall within the area assigned by the constructor for this purpose, thus
avoiding the tearing away of sheet metal in the door panel, by "slam effect".
4.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the previous
claims, characterized because the transmission of power to the cable drum or draw
pinion, according to its application for cable, cable-rack, arm or arms with toothed
sector window winding units, is carried out by means of an elastic coplanary torque
transmitter mechanism in both directions.
5.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", characterized because there is
a crown wheel connected to the drive unit of the transmitter assembly, this crown
wheel being hollow on the inside, with an inner circular ring of which an angular
dragging sector stands out, directed towards the centre of the crown, of a variable
angular value, in which this circular ring has two lateral grooves in which the heads
of two hollow cylindrical bodies, male and female, are housed, coaxial with the crown
wheel, with the heads of the said bodies having symmetrically opposed grooves over
the ring of the crown wheel, of which the rectangular section projections of the same
width as the dragging sector of the crown wheel stand out, in that the male cylindrical
body has a neck that projects out towards the other body, a neck that finishes in
a thick dentated truncated cone, which houses itself inside the other neck of the
female body coming butt to butt with an internal face in the form of a circular crown
and inserted into the circular hollow adjacent to the said face, in such a way that
the crown, the heads of the male and female cylindrical bodies and the projecting
neck of the female cylindrical body form between themselves a closed hollow in which
two shoes are situated, in the shape of a circular segment of a certain angular value,
which has in its interior a circular spring whose projecting ends are taken in the
two ends of the shoes and distanced from each other at a certain angle, while the
other ends of the shoes are supported on the dragging sector of the crown wheel and
on the rectangular projections of the cylindrical bodies, with the possibility that
the said shoes can slide along the grooves of the cylindrical bodies and the circular
ring of the crown wheel, and in that the circular ring and the dragging sector of
the said crown wheel enter and turn freely between the male and female cylindrical
bodies.
6.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the fifth claim,
characterized because the heads of the cylindrical bodies are symmetrical with respect
to a plane perpendicular to the shaft of the assembly that passes through the central
area of the circular ring of the crown wheel.
7.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the fifth claim,
characterized because the spring, which is preferably made of steel wire, has at least
one spiral and its ends are preferably directed towards the outer part of the spiral
and loops in an axial direction and towards the interior of the spring itself.
8.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the fifth and
seventh claims, characterized because the angular value (b) of separation between
the ends of the spring is variable in itself and by altering the angles (a) of the
dragging sector and (c) of the shoes.
9.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the fifth and
eighth claims, characterized because the dragging sector of the crown wheel and the
rectangular projections of the two cylindrical bodies have a variable angular value
(a).
10.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in acordance with the fifth and
eighth claims, characterized because the angular value (c) of each one of the shoes
is variable.
11.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", characterized because the elastic
torque is carried out in both turning directions and without axial effects on the
turning shaft.
12.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", characterized because for mechanisms
that have to transmit low torques and which are small in size, the assembly can be
constructed by injection of fiber glass or mineral reinforced thermoplastic resins.
13.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", in accordance with the fifth and
seventh claims, characterized because the free ends of the spring are radially positioned
towards the exterior from its centre.
14.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", characterized because the housing
that forms the covers for the crown wheel and the drum or the crown wheel and cover
of the pinion outlet if this is the case, are assembled over the motor element in
the form of case and are fixed to it by means of three elements symmetrically positioned
with respect to an axis that passes through the turning shaft of the crown wheel,
which allows the single worm-screw motor to be used, when the corresponding power
intake is carried out to the right or left of the central plane of the motor.
15.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS", characterized because the input
and output directions of the cable or cable-rack can be arranged over a very wide
angular range, which facilitates its adaptation to any type of door or the positioning
of the mechanism inside it.
16a.-"IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLE WINDOW DRIVE SYSTEMS"