Window switch assembly of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10121616-B2
Application number	US-201715702559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Sep 20, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A window switch assembly of a vehicle comprises a base; a rail on the base; and a control member partially received in the rail and slidable in the rail. The rail includes a first rail body extending at a traverse direction, a first end portion and a second end portion communicated with the first rail body. The first end portion includes a first switch and a second switch opposite each other in a longitudinal direction, and the second end portion includes a third switch and a fourth switch opposite each other in the longitudinal direction. The control member selectively contacts the first switch and the second switch to control a first window, and selectively contacts the third switch and the fourth switch to control a second window.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A window switch assembly of a vehicle, comprising:
a base;
a rail on the base, including:
a first rail body extending at a traverse direction of the vehicle,
a first sub-rail communicating with the first rail body, extending from the first rail body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and having two ends spaced apart from the first rail body at the longitudinal direction,
a second sub-rail communicating with the first rail body, extending from the first rail body along the longitudinal direction and having two ends spaced apart from the first rail body at the longitudinal direction;

a first switch and a second switch disposed at the two ends of the first sub-rail, respectively;
a third switch and a fourth switch disposed at the two ends of the second sub-rail, respectively; and
a control member partially received in the rail and slidable in the rail, wherein the control member selectively contacts the first switch and the second switch to control a first window, and selectively contacts the third switch and the fourth switch to control a second window.

2. The window switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is a micro switch.

3. The window switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is a switch to roll up a first front window, and the second switch is a switch to roll down the first front window.

4. The window switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein a sidewall of the control member includes a recess, and a sidewall of the first rail includes a sliding block to be received in the recess to guide movement of the control member in the rail.

5. The window switch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a resilient member, wherein one end of the resilient member is connected to the control member and another end of the resilient member is connected to the first rail body, wherein the resilient member is configured to bias the control member toward a rest position.

6. The window switch assembly of claim 5 , wherein the resilient member is configured to be moveable in the first body rail, the first sub-rail and the second sub-rail.

7. The window switch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
a second rail body extending at the traverse direction;
a third sub-rail communicating with the second rail body, extending from the second rail body along the longitudinal direction and having two ends spaced apart from the second rail body at the longitudinal direction,
a fourth sub-rail communicating with the second rail body, extending from the second rail body along the longitudinal direction and having two ends spaced apart from the second rail body at the longitudinal direction,
a middle rail extending along the longitudinal direction and communicating with the first rail body and the second rail body,
a fifth switch and a sixth switch disposed at the two ends of the third sub-rail, respectively,
a seventh switch and an eighth switch disposed at the two ends of the fourth sub-rail, respectively,
wherein the control member selectively contacts the fifth switch and the sixth switch to control a third window, and selectively contacts the seventh switch and the eighth switch to control a fourth window.

8. The window switch assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a resilient member, wherein one end of the resilient member is connected to the control member and another end of the resilient member is connected to the middle rail, wherein the resilient member is configured to bias the control member toward a rest position.

9. The window switch assembly of the claim 8 , wherein the resilient member is an electric conductive spring, the first switch is a first contact electrically connected to a window control circuit, wherein the control member includes a first contacting point matching the first contact, and wherein the first contacting point is electrically connected to the electric conductive spring which is electrically connected to the window control circuit.

10. A window switch assembly to control multiple windows of a vehicle, comprising:
a base including:
a first rail, wherein the first rail includes a first rail body extending along a transverse direction of the vehicle, and a first sub-rail and a second sub-rail that extend from the first rail body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and communicate with the first rail body, the first sub-rail has two ends spaced apart from the first rail body and the second sub-rail has two ends spaced apart from the first rail body,
a second rail, wherein the second rail includes a second rail body extending along the transverse direction, and a third sub-rail and a fourth sub-rail that extend from the second rail body along the longitudinal direction, and communicate with the second rail body, the third sub-rail has two ends spaced apart from the second rail body and the fourth sub-rail has two ends spaced apart from the second rail body, and

a middle rail extending along the longitudinal direction and communicating with the first rail body and the second rail body;
a plurality of switches including:
a right front window rolling-up switch and a right front window rolling-down switch disposed at the two ends of the first sub-rail, respectively,
a left front window rolling-up switch and a left front window rolling-down switch disposed at the two ends of the second sub-rail, respectively,
a right rear window rolling-up switch and a right rear window rolling-down switch disposed at the two ends of the third sub-rail, respectively,
a left rear window rolling-up switch and a left rear window rolling-down switch disposed at the two ends of the fourth sub-rail, respectively

a control member, wherein the control member is received partially in the middle rail at a rest position and is slidable in the first, second, third and fourth sub-rails and the middle rail to contact the switches selectively.

11. The window switch assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the switches is a power switch, wherein the control member contacts one of the switches in a shorter period to roll up or roll down a corresponding window for a certain distance, and the control member contacts one of the switches for a longer period to close or open a corresponding window fully.

12. The window switch assembly of claim 10 , wherein the window switch assembly is disposed on a side of a front door adjacent to a driver.

13. The window switch assembly of claim 10 , wherein the window switch assembly is disposed on an instrument panel adjacent to a driver.

14. The window switch assembly of claim 10 , wherein a side surface of the control member includes a first recess, and wherein a sidewall of the first, second and middle rails includes a first sliding block to be received in the recess to guide the control member to move in the first, second and middle rails.

15. The window switch assembly of claim 10 , wherein a bottom wall of the control member includes a second sliding block, wherein a bottom wall of the first, second, and middle rails include a second recess to receive the second sliding block to guide movement of the control member in the first, second and middle rails.

16. The window switch assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a spring, wherein one end of the spring is connected to middle rail and another end of the spring is connected to the control member and wherein the spring applies a restoring force to bias the control member to the middle rail.

17. The window switch assembly of claim 16 , wherein the control member includes a control rod, wherein each switch is a contact disposed on

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Zhou Jason
• Mi Layla
• Li Tina
• Yang Fiona

Classifications

• E05Y2400/86

  by hand · CPC title

• H01H2300/01

  Application power window · CPC title

• H01H25/002 Primary

  having an operating member rectilinearly slidable in different directions · CPC title

• E05Y2400/854

  Switches · CPC title

• E05Y2900/55

  Windows · CPC title