GB2307715A

GB2307715A - Device for controlling operation of a window in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2307715A
Application number: GB9618235A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Coleman; David John Seager; Simon Geoffrey Shale; Keith Stuart Thomas
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1995-11-29
Filing date: 1996-08-30
Publication date: 1997-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-30
Also published as: GB2307715B; GB9618235D0

Abstract

A device for controlling operation of a window 12a in a vehicle comprises a clamp 20 for securing a roof to the vehicle and a sensor such as a switch 22 associated with a circuit 24 for operating the window 12a, the sensor being arranged to sense the position of a member, such as a sleeve 36, of the clamp 20 so as to prevent the window being raised when the roof is removed or in an operational condition in which the window will not be adequately supported thereby. The roof may be a soft top (16, Fig 3) or a hard top (14, Figs 1,2). In the preferred embodiments when tension in the roof is relieved, for instance by turning a clamp handle 44, a sleeve 36 of the clamp 20 moves linearly to operate switch 22.

Description

A DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING OPERATION OF A WINDOW IN A VEHICLE.

The invention relates to a device for controlling operation of a window in a vehicle.

In soft top vehicles, lowering of the roof can leave window glass unsupported around its edges or at least some of its edges as guides provided by the roof no longer engage the glass. A similar problem can arise if a hard top of a vehicle is removed. Also, if a window is left in its up position and the soft top is raised, it can be difficult to relocate the window guides of the soft top around the window. A similar problem can arise when attempting to relocate a hard top on the vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which controls the operation of a window in a vehicle so as substantially to avoid the foregoing problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a control system for controlling operation of a window in a vehicle, the vehicle including a roof, and a window movable into a closed position in which it is supported by the roof, the system including a clamp for securing the roof to the vehicle, and a sensor arranged to sense the position of a member of the clamp, and being arranged so as to prevent the window being moved into said closed position when the roof is removed or in an operational condition in which the window will not be adequately supported thereby.

In that way, it will not be possible to move the window into its closed position where there is likely to be unsatisfactory support for the edges of the window.

Where the roof is a soft top of the vehicle, the member of the clamp may be movable relative to the sensor in response to tension in the soft top. Where tension in the soft top is relieved to enable the soft top to be lowered, such an arrangement enables the sensor to prevent raising of the window. Preferably, the member is mounted on a part of the clamp for linear movement relative to said part in response to tension in the soft top. The said part of the clamp may be a clamping element engageable with a retaining member on the body of the vehicle to clamp the roof in position.

Preferably, the said member of the clamp is rotatable to effect clamping or releasing of the roof. Where the said clamping element is provided, the member may be movable along the axis of rotation relative to the clamping element.

The said member of the clamp may have a first section which, in a first position of the member, causes the sensor to prevent raising of the window and a second section which, in a second position of the member, causes the sensor to permit raising of the window. The first section may comprise an opening in the member. The second section of the member may comprise a surface of the member which may be arranged adjacent the first section. Where the roof is a soft top, tension applied to the soft top with the roof clamped to the vehicle preferably causes the member to be moved relative to the sensor whereby the sensor cooperates with the first section of the member prior to tension being applied to the soft top and co-operates with the second section of the sensor when tension is applied to the soft top.

In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is a switch which may have an operating arm engageable with the member.

Preferably, the sensor causes the window to be lowered when the roof is removed or when the roof is in a operational condition in which the raised window will not be adequately supported thereby. Where the roof is a soft top, tension in the soft top is preferably relieved prior to lowering the soft top and the sensor preferably causes the window to be lowered once the tension is relieved.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle having a device for controlling operation of the window according to the aforesaid first aspect of the invention or any of the consistory clauses relating thereto.

A device for controlling operation of the window in a vehicle in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a vehicle having a roof in the form of a removable hard top, Fig 2 is a view similar to Fig 1 but showing the hard top removed, Fig 3 is an elevation of a vehicle having a soft top and showing the soft top in a partly folded and lowered condition, Fig 4 is a perspective view of a preferred form of device in accordance with the invention shown partly broken away and shown in use with a soft top and in a condition in which a window can be raised, Fig 5 is a cross-section of the device shown in Fig 4 generally on the line V-V in Fig 4, Fig 6 is a cross-section similar to Fig 5 showing the device in a condition in which the window cannot be raised and Fig 7 is a cross-section of the device shown in Figs 4 to 6 adapted for use in clamping a hard top to a vehicle.

In Fig 1, a vehicle 10 has front and rear windows 12, 12a which can be operated by means of electric motors 13.

The vehicle 10 has a roof in the form of hard top 14 which normally provides guides for the edges of the windows 12, 12a. In known manner, the hard top 14 can be removed as shown in Fig 2. Once the hard top 14 has been removed, the windows 12,12a when raised (as shown in broken lines in Fig 2) will not be supported by the guides previously provided by the hard top.

In Fig 3, the vehicle 10 again has front and rear windows 12, 12a operated by motors 13. However, in Fig 3 the roof is in the form of a soft top 16 which provides guides for edges of the windows 12, 12a. When the soft top 16 is folded there will, again, be reduced support for the edges of the windows 12 if they are raised as shown in broken lines.

In Figs 2 and 3 the windows 12, 12a are shown partially raised in full lines.

Although the front windows 12 of the vehicle 10 may be supported in part by guides on a windscreen 17 when raised, upper and side edges of the rear windows 12a will be unsupported if the windows are raised as in Figs 2 and 3 and an object of the present invention is to provide a device which will prevent, for example, a rear window 12a of the vehicle 10 from being raised when the hard top 14 is removed or the soft top 16 is folded or when tension in the soft top 16 is relieved.

A preferred form of the device is shown in Fig 4 and comprises a clamp generally indicated at 20, a microswitch 22 constituting the aforesaid sensor co-operable with part of the clamp 20 and a control circuit 24 for one or more of the vehicle window motors 13. The or each motor 13 is operated via a manually operable switch 25 of known kind and the motor 13 is powered from a battery 26 of the vehicle.

The clamp 20 comprises a mounting 28 shown in broken lines which in use, is attached to a frame 30 for mounting the soft top 16 on the vehicle 10. The mounting 28 has a tubular section 32 formed with an aperture 34 at its lower end as viewed in the drawings. The aperture 34 is cylindrical and slidably receives an elongate cylindrical sleeve 36 (constituting the aforesaid member of the clamp).

The sleeve 36 is formed with two diametrically opposed slots 38 which receive radially inner ends of pins 40 extending through a boss 42 formed on a handle 44. The handle 44 is used to rotate the sleeve 36 within the aperture 34.

The sleeve 36 is formed with two diametrically opposed further slots 46 (one only of which is shown). The slots 46 slidably receive a diametrical pin 48 which passes through a shaft 50 which constitutes the aforesaid clamping element. The shaft 50 has an annular lower end 52 formed with a pair of diametrically opposed helical slots 54. The slots 54 engage a pin 56 (constituting the aforesaid retaining member) by a push and twist action, the pin 56 being carried by a tubular striker 58 carried by the body of the vehicle indicated at 60. The striker 58 is formed with a cylindrical bore 62 which slidably receives the sleeve 36 to enable the soft top 16 to be clamped to the vehicle.

A washer 64 is located around the sleeve 36 and is urged into abutment with the pin 48 by means of a spring 66 arranged between the washer 64 and the mounting 32. In that way, the mounting 32, the sleeve 36, the handle 44 and the shaft 50 are normally held together, the spring 66 normally urging pins 40 against the upper ends of the slots 38 as shown in Fig 6. In order to accommodate the radially inner ends of the pins 40, the shaft 50 is formed with a peripheral groove 68.

The shaft 50 is axially slidable within the sleeve 36 and the pin 48 is normally urged towards the upper end of the slots 46 by means of a light tension spring 70 arranged between the pin 48 and a D ring 72 which passes through the upper end of the sleeve 36.

The sleeve 36 is formed with an opening 74 arranged slightly above the lower end thereof.

The microswitch 22 is mounted on the striker 58 and has an operating lever 78 having a terminal end section 80. In the position shown in Figs 4 and 5, the terminal end section 80 rests on a surface section 86 of the sleeve 36 immediately beneath the opening 74. In that position, the microswitch 22 switches on the circuit 24 to permit raising and lowering of the window 12a. In the position shown in Fig 6, the terminal end section 80 passes through the opening 74 and contacts the shaft 50. In that position, the microswitch 22 switches off the circuit 24 to prevent raising and lowering of the window 12a. The operating lever 78 of the microswitch 22 is normally biased towards the shaft 50 by a suitable spring (not shown).

The operation of the device shown in Figs 4, 5 and 6 will now be described in relation to the soft top 16.

The soft top 16 is normally permanently secured to the vehicle by a plurality of the clamps 20 which will locate in suitably positioned strikers 58 on the vehicle body. To secure the clamps 20, the sleeve 36 and shaft 50 of each clamp 20 is inserted into the bore 62 of its striker 58 and the slots of the shaft 50 are engaged on the pin 56 by rotating the handle 44. Rotation of the handle 44 turns the sleeve 36 about an axis A and the rotation is transmitted to the shaft 50 through the pins 40. The sleeve 36 eventually takes up the position shown in Fig 6 with the terminal end section 80 of the microswitch lever 78 passing through the opening 74 and resting against shaft 50. When the soft top 16 is in its raised position, it will normally be held in tension by respective straps 82 provided with hooks 84 which can hook around the respective D rings 72 of the clamps 20.With the frame 30 clamped to the vehicle body 60 as shown in Figs 4 and 5, a downward load is manually applied to the straps 82 to tension the soft top 16 and the hooks 84 are then located around the D rings 72. The tension in each strap 82 then applies an upward load to its D ring 72 which draws the sleeve 36 upwardly from the Fig 6 position relative to the shaft 50.

The upward movement of the sleeve 36 causes the lower ends of slots 38 to be moved into abutment with the pins 40 as shown in Figs 4 and 5. The terminal section 80 of the micro switch lever 78 is thereby caused to ride out of the opening 74 and onto the section 86 of the sleeve 36 adjacent the opening 74. Such movement of the lever 78 switches on the micro switch 22 so that the circuit 24 is energised. The window motor 13 will then raise or lower the window 12a in response to operation of the switch 25.

As the window 12a will be slidably positioned within guides provided by the soft top 16 when the soft top is tensioned, the window 12 can be safely moved into its raised position and operated in the normal way.

When it is desired to lower the soft top 16, the hooks 84 are detached from the D rings 72 and the sleeve 36 of each clamp 20 moves downwardly under its own weight (and also assisted by the spring 70) so that the section 86 of the sleeve 36 moves out of contact with the terminal end section 80 of the switch operating lever 78. Downward movement of the sleeve 36 continues until the upper ends of the slots 38 contact the pins 40 whereupon the terminal end section 80 of the switch operating lever 78 resumes the position shown in Fig 6. On initially reaching that position when the roof is de-tensioned, the circuit 24 is arranged to operate the motor 13 so as to lower the window 12a automatically. Once the window 12a has reached its lowered position, the circuit 24 then switches to a mode in which it is not possible to operate the motor 13 by manipulating the switch 25.Therefore, the window 12a cannot be raised again once the soft top 16 has been detensioned thereby ensuring that the window 12a can thereafter be raised only when the soft top has been tensioned again. In that way, it is not possible to raise the window in the absence of guides provided by the soft top.

If a user of the vehicle 10 wishes to remove the soft top 16 completely from the vehicle, the handle 44 can be turned so as to rotate the sleeve 36 within the aperture 34. Such rotational movement is transmitted to the shaft 50 via the pin 48 so that the slots 54 will cause the annular lower end 52 of the shaft 50 to ride off the pin 56. Once the slots 54 and pin 56 have become disengaged, the sleeve 36 and shaft 50 can be withdrawn from the striker 58 and the soft top 16 can be removed. The soft top can be re-attached to the vehicle by re-inserting the sleeve 36 and shaft 50 into the striker 58 and by turning the handle 44 to re-engage the slots 54 with the pin 56.

Fig 7 illustrates the way in which the same clamp 20 and striker 58 can be used to secure the hard top 14 to the vehicle 10. Unlike the soft top 16, the hard top 14 does not need to be tensioned once it has been secured to the vehicle. However, if the clamp 20 is operated to disengage the pin 56 to enable the hard top 15 to be removed, it is important that the motor 13 cannot be operated to raise the window 12a. Fig 7 shows the rotational position of the clamp 20 when the hard top 14 is locked to the vehicle. In that respect, it will be appreciated that the angular position of the opening 74 in relation to the handle 44 is circumferentially spaced by 180 degrees from the position shown in Fig 5. Therefore, when the clamp 20 is positioned as shown in Fig 7 to secure the hard top 14 to the vehicle, the terminal end section 80 of the switch operating lever 78 rests against the exterior surface of the sleeve 36.

The operating circuit 24 is, therefore, switched on when the hard top 14 is secured to the vehicle 10 thereby enabling the motor 13 to operate the window 12a normally.

To remove the hard top 14, the handle 44 is rotated so as to disengage the slots 54 and the pin 56 thereby enabling the sleeve 36 and shaft 50 to be withdrawn from the striker 58. Once the sleeve 36 and shaft 50 have been withdrawn from the striker, the terminal end 80 of the switch operating lever 78 moves inwardly so as to bring the circuit 24 into a condition whereby the circuit 24 initially causes the motor 13 to lower the window 12a automatically and the switches off to prevent the window 12a from being raised.

Although reference has been made to raising and lowering of a window it will be understood that the invention is applicable to cases where windows are opened or closed by, say, a horizontal sliding movement.

A device in accordance with the invention can be used on any openable or closeable window of a vehicle where removal of a hard top or lowering of a soft top will leave the window insufficiently supported when occupying its raised or closed position.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling operation of a window in a vehicle, the vehicle including a roof, and a window movable into a closed position in which it is supported by the roof, the system including a clamp for securing the roof to the vehicle, and a sensor arranged to sense the position of a member of the clamp, and being arranged so as to prevent the window being moved into said closed position when the roof is removed or in an operational condition in which the window will not be adequately supported thereby.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which the roof is a soft top of the vehicle and said member of the clamp is movable relative to the sensor in response to tension in the soft top.

3. A system according to claim 2 in which the member is mounted on a part of the clamp for linear movement relative to said part in response to tension in the soft top.

4. A system according to claim 3 in which said part of the clamp is a clamping element which is engageable with a retaining member on a body of the vehicle to clamp the roof in position.

5. A system according to any preceding claim in which the member of the clamp is rotatable about an axis to effect clamping or releasing of the roof.

6. A system according to claim 5 when appendant to claim 4 in which the member is linearly movable along the axis of rotation relative to the said clamping element.

7. A system according to any preceding claim in which the member has a first section which in a first position of the member causes operation of the sensor to prevent raising or closing of the window and a second section which in a second position of the member causes operation of the sensor to permit raising or closing of the window.

8. A system according to claim 7 in which the first section comprises an opening in the member.

9. A system according to claim 7 or 8 in which the second section of the member comprises a surface of the member adjacent the first section.

10. A system according to claim 9 and in the case where the roof is a soft top, in which tension applied to the soft top with the roof clamped to the vehicle causes the member to be moved relative to the sensor whereby the sensor co-operates with the first section of the member prior to tension being applied to the soft top and co-operates with the second section of the sensor when tension is applied to the soft top.

11. A system according to any preceding claim in which the sensor is a switch having an operating portion which is co-operable with the member.

12. A system according to any preceding claim in which operation of the sensor causes the window initially to be lowered or moved to an open position when the roof is removed or in an operational condition in which the window will not be adequately supported thereby.

13. A system according to claim 12 and where the roof is a soft top, in which tension in the soft top is relieved prior to lowering the soft top and the sensor causes the window to be lowered or moved to an open position once the tension is relieved.

14. A system for controlling operation of a window constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A vehicle having a system for controlling operation of a window according to any preceding claim.