Window lift control systems

U4) Agent: Cabinet Lavoix, 2, place d'Estienne-d'Orves, Paris (9).

Window regulator for a motor vehicle.

, 72) Invention of:

33) (32) (31

Conventional priority:

1969, n. 63.230 / 1969

Patent application filed in Great Britain on December 30 in the name of the plaintiff.

Sale of booklets at IMPRIMERIE NATIONALE, 27, rue de la Convention - PARIS (15^e)

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The present invention relates to a window regulator control device intended for use in a road vehicle.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a motor for raising and lowering the window, two supply terminals intended to be connected to a DC supply source, a change-over switch which can be brought to from a cut-off position to first and second active positions, in which the motor is actuated to raise and lower the window respectively, a control circuit which, when energized, prevents lifting of the window, and means for energizing the control circuit when the window is touched, provided that the reversing switch is in its first active position -.

The control circuit, when energized, can stop the engine or reverse the engine to lower the window.

Preferably, the control circuit has two input terminals, one of which is connected to one of the supply terminals and the other of which is connected to the other supply terminal by means of the switch. -inverter when the latter is in said first position. The input terminals of the control circuit can supply energy to an inverter which supplies energy to an induction loop inside the vehicle when the window must be lifted, the arrangement being such that if one touches the edge of the glass, which is metallized, energy is supplied to the device which acts to stop or reverse the engine. Depending on the construction of the inverter, a diode can be inserted between the inverter switch and said other input terminal in order to prevent short-circuiting of the power supply when the window is lifted. The device can be a field effect transistor which, when it receives an input, supplies a control signal to a thyristor, which energizes a relay to stop or reverse the operation of the motor.

Other characteristics of the invention will appear during the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawing given solely by way of example and in which FIG. a single is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, a motor 11 with permanent magnet is provided for raising and lowering the window, this motor being controlled by a switch 12 comprising three pairs of terminals 15, 14; 15, 16;

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17.18. The terminals 13.18 are connected via a fuse 19 to the positive terminal of a battery 21 of the vehicle, the negative terminal of which is connected to ground, and the terminals 14.17 are connected to the ground. In the switch cut-out position, there is no connection between the terminals, but in the switch high position, terminal 13 is connected to terminal 15 and terminal 14 is connected to terminal 16. Terminal 15 is connected to one side of the motor 11 via contacts 22 of a normally closed relay which can be actuated by a winding of relay 23, while terminal 16 is connected to the other side motor 11. Thus, when the switch 12 is brought to the high position, the positive terminal of the battery is connected via the terminals 13, 15 and the contacts 22 to one of the sides of the motor 11, the other side of this motor being connected to ground via terminals 16,14. When one chooses to bring the switch 12 to the low position, the terminals 15 and 16 are connected respectively to the terminals 17 and 13 and the positive terminal of the battery is then connected via the fuse 19 and the terminals 18,16 to said other side of motor 11, and said first side of motor 11 is connected to ground via contacts 22 and terminals 15, 17.

Terminal 15 is · further connected via a diode 24 to a supply conductor 25, and an inverter 26 is connected between conductor 25 and earth, and this inverter is of a conventional type comprising two transistors 27.28 of the npn type, the emitters of which are connected to ground and the bases of which are connected by means of resistors 29.31, respectively, to conductor 25. The base of transistor 27 is connected to the collector of transistor 28 via a capacitor 31, and the base of transistor 28 is connected to the collector of transistor 27 via a capacitor 32. The collector of transistor 28 is connected to conductor 25 via a resistor 33, while collector of transistor 27 is connected to conductor 25 via the primary winding

34 of a transformer 35 having a secondary winding 36. The inverter 26 operates in a known manner to provide an output to the winding 36 each time the conductor 25 is energized, and it will be seen that the conductor 25 is not explicit only when terminal 15 is connected to terminal ü it's 3

45718 that is to say when one chooses to bring the switch 12 in its high position.

One of the ends of the coil 26 is connected to ground and its other end is connected to an antenna 37 arranged inside the vehicle. The antenna is formed by a loop, and the upper edge of the window controlled by the motor 11 is metallized, so that when the reverser operates and that the metallized edge of the window is touched, a capacitor is introduced between the antenna 37 and the metallized edge 38 of the window so that energy is applied from the antenna 37 to the edge 38 of the window. The edge 38 of the window is connected, by means of a screened cable 39 having its external screen connected to ground, to the gate electrode of a transistor 4l with field effect channel n type, l the gate electrode of this transistor being connected to ground via a resistor 42, while its plate is connected via a resistor 43 to the conductor 35 and its source is connected via two 44.45 resistors to ground, the junction of resistors 44,45 being connected to the triggering electrode of a thyristor 46 having its cathode connected to ground and its anode connected via the winding 23 to the conductor 25.

During normal operation of the control device, the edge 38 of the window is not touched and although energy is supplied to the inverter 26 when the window is to be lifted, the contacts 22 play no role in operation. of the circuit and the motor is operated as described above.

If the edge 38 of the window is touched while this behind is rising, energy is then transmitted from the inverter to the transistor 4l which becomes conductive to supply a tripping current to the thyristor 46 which itself becomes conductive to supply the winding 23, open the contacts 22 and stop the operation of the motor 11. The thyristor 46 remains conductive even when the edge of the window is stopped touching, until its anode-cathode current is interrupted by moving the switch 12 from its upper position to its cut-off position.

The motor can then be started again.

If the edge 38 of the window is touched while the latter descends, nothing happens due to the fact that the reverser and the control circuit are not energized.

In a variant, the contacts 22 are replaced by a relay

45718 bipolar inverter actuated by the winding 23, which can be plugged into the cathode circuit of the thyristor 46. The operation is approximately the same, except of course that when the winding 23 is energized, the motor is reversed.

Numerous forms of limit switches have been proposed in the past for reversing or stopping a motor in an electrical device for actuating the windows of a vehicle in order to prevent any risk of injury to the passengers of the vehicle.

The known devices all require the application of a certain pressure on the upper edge of the glass and although serious injuries are thus avoided it is always possible for the passengers to be slightly injured. The device according to the present invention the great advantage that if you touch the edge of the window, if only slightly, this window stops or goes back without any pressure being applied to the passenger.

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