Abstract:
An automotive vehicle 10 has a power operated lift-gate 12 that is opened and closed by two drive units 20. The typical drive unit 20 has a guide channel 24, an attachment assembly 30 that is disposed in the guide channel, a flexible drive member 46 that is attached to the attachment assembly and formed in a loop for moving the attachment assembly in the guide channel. The flexible drive member 46 is trained solely around two pulleys 42, 44 at the respective opposite ends of the guide channel to form the flexible drive member in a narrow loop. One of the pulleys 44 is an idler pulley that is part of an adjustable pulley assembly 60 and the other pulley 42 is driven by a power unit 48 that is attached to the guide channel. The adjustable pulley assembly 60 adjusts the distance between the pulleys 42, 44 to take up slack in the flexible drive member 46.
Abstract:
A power operating system for opening and closing a vehicle liftgate (12) has a pair of drive units (22) supported on the vehicle roof and connected to the liftgate for opening and closing the liftgate. Each drive unit includes a housing (24) having a curved track (26) and a curved drive link (38) that is guided by the curved track. The curved drive link (38) is extended and retracted by a pinion gear (42) that is journalled on the drive link and engages a curved rack (32) fixed to the housing. The pinion gear is rotated by a chain (50) that is driven in a loop by a reversible electric motor (52).
Abstract:
A drive assembly (42) for a vehicle door (14), comprising: a motor (60) having a driving member (62); a housing having a shaft (68) rotatably received therein; an input member (64) being rotatably received upon the shaft, the input member being operatively associated with the driving member, wherein rotation of the driving member causes rotation of the input member; an armature (73) mounted on the input member; a rotor (72) fixedly secured to the shaft, the rotor being cylindrical in shape and has a plurality of teeth (75) positioned along the periphery of the rotor, the teeth being positioned in an equidistant manner; a coil (70) mounted to the housing, the coil providing magnetic flux lines through the rotor to attract the armature when the coil is energized; and an inductance sensor assembly (80) mounted to the housing in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the plurality of teeth of the rotor, wherein rotational speed and direction of the rotor is detected by the inductance sensor assembly.
Abstract:
An automotive vehicle 10 has a power operated lift-gate 12 that is opened and closed by two drive units 20. The typical drive unit 20 has a guide channel 24, an attachment assembly 30 that is disposed in the guide channel, a flexible drive member 46 that is attached to the attachment assembly and formed in a loop for moving the attachment assembly in the guide channel. The flexible drive member 46 is trained solely around two pulleys 42, 44 at the respective opposite ends of the guide channel to form the flexible drive member in a narrow loop. One of the pulleys 44 is an idler pulley that is part of an adjustable pulley assembly 60 and the other pulley 42 is driven by a power unit 48 that is attached to the guide channel. The adjustable pulley assembly 60 adjusts the distance between the pulleys 42, 44 to take up slack in the flexible drive member 46.
Abstract:
A window regulator mechanism (18) for raising and lowering a window that slides up and down in a hollow closure (12). The window regulator mechanism includes a base plate (20) that supports a tape drive that pulls the window up and pulls the window down. The tape (28) wraps around upper and lower rollers (25, 27) that rotate on axes that are substantially parallel to the length of the closure. Two slack take-up devices for the tape are disclosed. An alternate window regulator mechanism (118) drives the tape (128) with conformation and does not need any slack take-up.
Abstract:
A window regulator mechanism (18) for raising and lowering a window that slides up and down in a hollow closure (12). The window regulator mechanism includes a base plate (20) that supports a tape drive that pulls the window up and pulls the window down. The tape (28) wraps around upper and lower rollers (25, 27) that rotate on axes that are substantially parallel to the length of the closure. Two slack take-up devices for the tape are disclosed. An alternate window regulator mechanism (118) drives the tape (128) with conformation and does not need any slack take-up.
Abstract:
A drive assembly (42) for a vehicle door (14), comprising: a motor (60) having a driving member (62); a housing having a shaft (68) rotatably received therein; an input member (64) being rotatably received upon the shaft, the input member being operatively associated with the driving member, wherein rotation of the driving member causes rotation of the input member; an armature (73) mounted on the input member; a rotor (72) fixedly secured to the shaft, the rotor being cylindrical in shape and has a plurality of teeth (75) positioned along the periphery of the rotor, the teeth being positioned in an equidistant manner; a coil (70) mounted to the housing, the coil providing magnetic flux lines through the rotor to attract the armature when the coil is energized; and an inductance sensor assembly (80) mounted to the housing in a facing spaced relationship with respect to the plurality of teeth of the rotor, wherein rotational speed and direction of the rotor is detected by the inductance sensor assembly.
Abstract:
A drive unit 20 for a power operated vehicle closure 12 has a track 24, a guide 26 moveable along the track, a link 34 attached to the guide at one end and adapted to be attached to the vehicle closure at the opposite end, and a motor assembly 22 for moving the guide along the track. The motor assembly 22 has an electric motor 36 and a speed reducer driven by the electric motor that has a first stage and a second stage. The first stage includes a belt drive 40, 42, 44 and the second stage is a spur gear set 46, 48. Alternatively the first stage is a worm gear 140 and a mating helical gear 142. The worm gear preferably has a high lead angle and a high number of leads. The speed of the electric motor is reduced to about 1000 rpm or less in the first stage permitting the use of spur gears in the second stage while retaining quiet operation.