US2011185639A1PendingUtilityA1

Cable regulator rail and carrier with snap-in pulley

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 13, 2007Filed: Feb 7, 2011Published: Aug 4, 2011
Est. expiryMar 13, 2027(~0.6 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Brian H. StaserMike J. SkibaTimothy Allen Neil
E05Y 2201/684E05Y 2201/668E05F 11/483E05Y 2900/55E05Y 2201/654E05Y 2600/52B60J 5/0416E05F 11/382E05F 11/486E05F 11/488E05Y 2600/53E05F 15/6909B60J 1/17
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Claims

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed towards improved mounting structures and methods for formation of window regulator systems for vehicles. In one exemplary embodiment, a method of securing a pulley to a panel of a window regulator system is provided. The method comprising the steps of: inserting a shaft portion of a first pulley into a first slotted portion and a first cavity of a first mounting structure in a first direction; and deflecting a resilient engagement feature integrally formed with the first mounting structure that is located above the first slotted portion in the first direction when the shaft portion of the first pulley is inserted into the first slotted portion and the first cavity in the first direction, the first cavity and the first slotted portion each being configured for rotatably receiving a portion of the shaft portion of first pulley therein, the resilient engagement feature extending from the first mounting structure into the first cavity and the resilient engagement feature being configured to be deflected from a first position in the first direction when the shaft portion of the first pulley is inserted into the first cavity and the first slotted portion in the first direction and wherein the resilient engagement feature returns to the first position when the shaft portion is fully inserted into the first cavity and wherein the resilient engagement feature is configured to prevent the shaft portion of the first pulley from being removed from the first cavity when the shaft portion is fully inserted into the first cavity, wherein the resilient engagement feature of the mounting structure is the only item that prevents the shaft portion of the first pulley from being removed from the first cavity once the shaft portion of the first pulley is fully inserted into the first cavity and wherein the mounting structure is integrally formed with the panel of the window regulator system.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of securing a pulley to a panel of a window regulator system, comprising the steps of:
 inserting a shaft portion of a first pulley into a first slotted portion and a first cavity of a first mounting structure in a first direction; and   deflecting a resilient engagement feature integrally formed with the first mounting structure that is located above the first slotted portion in the first direction when the shaft portion of the first pulley is inserted into the first slotted portion and the first cavity in the first direction, the first cavity and the first slotted portion each being configured for rotatably receiving a portion of the shaft portion of first pulley therein, the resilient engagement feature extending from the first mounting structure into the first cavity and the resilient engagement feature being configured to be deflected from a first position in the first direction when the shaft portion of the first pulley is inserted into the first cavity and the first slotted portion in the first direction and wherein the resilient engagement feature returns to the first position when the shaft portion is fully inserted into the first cavity and wherein the resilient engagement feature is configured to prevent the shaft portion of the first pulley from being removed from the first cavity when the shaft portion is fully inserted into the first cavity, wherein the resilient engagement feature of the mounting structure is the only item that prevents the shaft portion of the first pulley from being removed from the first cavity once the shaft portion of the first pulley is fully inserted into the first cavity and wherein the mounting structure is integrally formed with the panel of the window regulator system.   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting structure and the panel are formed of a glass fiber polypropylene material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting structure further comprises: a rail engagement feature configured to engage an opening of a guide rail of the window regulator system, when the guide rail is secured to the mounting structure. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the resilient engagement feature comprises two inwardly facing tabs, each of the tabs having a distal end spaced apart from each other a first distance across the first cavity, wherein the first distance is less than a diameter of the shaft portion of the pulley. 
     
     
         5 . A method of securing at least two pulleys to a panel of a window regulator system, comprising the steps of:
 inserting a shaft portion of each pulley into a slotted portion and a cavity of a respective one of a plurality of mounting structures integrally formed with the panel in an insertion direction; and   deflecting a resilient engagement feature integrally formed with each mounting structure that is located spaced from the first slotted portion in the insertion direction when the shaft portion of each pulley is inserted in the insertion direction into the cavity, the cavity and the slotted portion each being configured for rotatably receiving a portion of the shaft portion of each pulley therein, the resilient engagement feature extending from the mounting structure into the cavity and the resilient engagement feature being configured to be deflected from a first position in the insertion direction when the shaft portion of each pulley is inserted into the cavity and the slotted portion in the insertion direction and wherein the resilient engagement feature returns to the first position when the shaft portion is fully inserted into the cavity;   wherein the resilient engagement feature is configured to prevent the shaft portion of each pulley from being removed from the cavity when the shaft portion is fully inserted into the cavity;   wherein the resilient engagement feature of each mounting structure is the only item that prevents the shaft portion of each pulley from being removed from the cavity once the shaft portion of each pulley is fully inserted into each cavity; and   wherein the mounting structure is integrally formed with the panel of the window regulator system.   
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting structures and the panel are formed of a glass fiber polypropylene material. 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting structures further comprises: a rail engagement feature configured to engage an opening of a guide rail of the window regulator system, when the guide rail is secured to the mounting structure. 
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 7 , wherein a pair of guide rails are secured to a pair of mounting structures via the rail engagement feature and each of the pair of guide rails is associated with a pair of pulleys. 
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 7 , wherein the resilient engagement feature comprises two inwardly facing tabs, each of the tabs having a distal end spaced apart from each other a first distance across the cavity, wherein the first distance is less than a diameter of the shaft portion of each pulley. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 5 , wherein the resilient engagement feature comprises two inwardly facing tabs, each of the tabs having a distal end spaced apart from each other a first distance across the cavity, wherein the first distance is less than a diameter of the shaft portion of each pulley. 
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting structures further comprises: a rail engagement feature configured to engage an opening of a guide rail of the window regulator system, when the guide rail is secured to the mounting structure. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting structures and the panel are formed of a glass fiber polypropylene material. 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 11 , wherein each rail engagement feature is configured to resemble a hook. 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 7 , wherein each rail engagement feature is configured to resemble a hook. 
     
     
         15 . The method as in  claim 7 , wherein each mounting structure and each the pulley are formed of a plastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The method as in  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting structures further comprises: a rail engagement feature configured to engage an opening of a guide rail of the window regulator system, when the guide rail is secured to the mounting structure. 
     
     
         17 . The method as in  claim 15 , wherein the resilient engagement feature comprises two inwardly facing tabs, each of the tabs having a distal end spaced apart from each other a first distance across the cavity, wherein the first distance is less than a diameter of the shaft portion of each pulley. 
     
     
         18 . The method as in  claim 16 , wherein each rail engagement feature is configured to resemble a hook. 
     
     
         19 . The method as in  claim 7 , wherein a pair of guide rails are secured to a pair of mounting structures and each of the pair of guide rails is associated with a pair of pulleys. 
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein the resilient engagement feature comprises two inwardly facing tabs, each of the tabs having a distal end spaced apart from each other a first distance across the cavity, wherein the first distance is less than a diameter of the shaft portion of each pulley.

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