Abstract: A window regulator for use with a horizontally sliding window assembly has a channel-like guide rail, an elongated carrier plate slidingly movable along the guide rail, and a cable drive mechanism for moving the carrier plate along the guide rail. Pane engagement pairs are disposed at opposite ends of the carrier plate, each comprising a male feature and a mating female feature. One of the features of each pair is secured to the carrier plate and the mating feature is secured to the sliding pane adjacent an outboard edge thereof. The male/female engagement between the features allows the sliding pane and the carrier plate to move relative to one another along an axis generally perpendicular to the sliding pane, while the two-point engagement between the pane and the carrier plate serves to stabilize the pane and allow it to slide smoothly even if the guide tracks for the sliding pane and the guide rail are less than perfectly flat and parallel to one another.

Abstract: A power sliding door for a motor vehicle comprises a door structure, a power drive assembly, a latch assembly, and a single motor for operating both the latch assembly and the power drive assembly. The door structure is mounted on a track associated with the motor vehicle, the door structure being movable along the track between opened and closed positions. The power drive assembly is connected with the door and capable of being driven to move the door along the track between the opened and closed positions. The latch assembly is mounted on the door and movable between latched and unlatched positions. The single motor is mounted on the door structure operatively connected with both the power drive assembly and the latch assembly. The motor drives the power drive assembly and thus enables the power drive assembly to move the door along the track between the opened and closed positions.

Abstract: A counterbalance system for an upward acting door includes spaced apart wall brackets supporting a tubular shaft for spaced apart cable drums operable to wind counterbalance cables thereon to counterbalance the weight of the door. Torsion springs interconnect the cable drums and spring winder tubes sleeved over the springs and connected to the wall brackets by a winder mechanism including a support plate having spaced apart tabs adapted to register in corresponding slots formed in a wall bracket. The winder mechanism includes a worm gear drive including a ring gear which is connected to one end of the winder tube by an arrangement of radially inwardly projecting key portions in a bore of the ring gear which register with axial grooves formed in the winder tube and are adapted to slide into transverse slots intersecting the grooves. A removable lock pin is engageable with the ring gear or the worm of the worm gear drive.

Abstract: A self-locking window operator has a reversible rotary drive shaft connectable in sequence to separate linkages respectively controlling movement of a casement relative to a surrounding frame and actuation of a fastening mechanism for releasably securing the casement when closed. The drive shaft is coupled by a worm gear to a drive input member rotatable about a drive axis and each linkage has a drive output member rotatable about separate axes offset from the drive axis. The input member has a drive pin co-operable with a respective pin receiving recess of each output member for sequentially operating the linkages.

Abstract: An overhead garage door arrangement in which a door leaf is moveable between open and closed position, and is installable against a ceiling for sliding up and down or that can be tilted or swung up and down for compensating against the weight of the door, at least one helical spring module is provided with a least two parallel-loaded helical tension springs that are arranged coaxially one within the other, and that are wound in opposite directions. The inner spring has an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the outer spring. The oppositely wound coils of the coaxial springs cross each other. The two springs are pushed over a holding element which has a narrower first section for receiving the inner spring, and having a wider second section spaced from the first section for receiving the outer spring. The first and second sections of the holding element have edges with hook-shaped portions for grasping coils of the coaxial springs.

Abstract: A safety pole is comprised of a strip of plastic material having a normal elongated hollow cylindrical condition with overlapping longitudinal edges. A motor driven drum is mounted within a canister adapted to be recessed in the ground in spaced relation to a loading dock with the strip of plastic material connected at one end to the drum whereby the strip of plastic material may be wound on the drum in a flattened condition or extended vertically upwardly to form a pole. A loading dock is provided with a door and the operation of the motor driven drum is coordinated with the operation of the door so that when the door is open, the pole will be in the extended visible condition to warn a truck driver not to approach or leave a loading dock.

Abstract: An arrangement for avoiding self-excited frictional vibrations between two contacting bodies which move relative to one another, such as a vehicle window and a sealing element which rests thereon. The sealing element is made in the form of a hollow strip, and vibration damping materials or elements are mounted on either the interior or exterior thereof.

Abstract: An automotive door trim panel assembly including a plastic inner panel having a relatively thick, rigid, hollow retaining section which is designed for snap-fit installation of the assembly with a weather seal having a snap-on groove defined therein to thereby eliminate the need for additional fastening hardware while at the same time to provide increased rigidity and ease of tooling. The assembly also includes a contour door trim member for the inner panel.

Abstract: A window regulator for driving two sliding window panes, such as of a truck rear window, in opposing directions has a housing containing two linear actuator, one driving each of the sliding panes. The first actuator has opposite ends engaged with a drive drum and a midpoint engaged with the first sliding pane, and the second linear actuator has opposite ends engaged with the drive drum and a midpoint engaged with the second sliding panes. The drive drum has two parallel, spiral grooves, one receiving each of the linear actuators. The first and second linear actuators pass around pulleys and guide blocks attached to the housing and follow separate paths within the housing such that rotation of the drive drum in one direction pulls on respective first ends of the first and second linear actuators to draw the sliding panes toward one another, and rotation of the drum in the opposite direction pulls on respective second ends of the linear actuators to draw the panes away from one another.

Abstract: An upward acting sectional door formed of rectangular door sections which are interconnected to form a closure over a door opening. Opposed somewhat L-shaped bottom brackets are secured to opposed lower side edges of the bottom door section by fasteners which are not easily accessible for removal when the door is assembled and disposed between adjacent guide tracks. Opposed guide rollers connected to counterbalance cables are partially supported by the brackets and transfer upward lifting forces to the door through the brackets.

Abstract: A feeder arrangement supplying power from a battery to an on-door electric device disposed in a sliding door includes a flexible cable for supplying electric power to the on-door electric device and a spool unit for winding and unwinding the flexible cable. The feeder arrangement includes an actuator for driving the sliding door in synchronism with the spool unit, a driving tape linking the actuator and the sliding door.

Abstract: When shape-variable members are in an operating mode in which power is supplied to them, close-contact lips rotate in a counterclockwise direction, and an area of an opening widens. Accordingly, the close-contact lips do not contact the inner and outer surfaces of a door glass moving upwardly by the operation of a door glass switch. When the shape-variable members are in a non-operating mode in which the power supply to them is shut off, the close-contact lips rotate in a clockwise direction and closely contact the inner and outer surfaces of the door glass.

Abstract: A gate hingedly connected to a staircase. The gate hinge is blow-molded integrally with the gate body. A mounting post has on one portion a hinge pin for receiving the gate hinge, and the other portion has a pair of parallel resilient sheets for receiving an edge portion of the staircase. Two staircases are attached back-to-back by vertical flanges each of which is offset from a vertical center plane of the respective back wall portion and has a vertical surface which is co-planar with the vertical center plane. The corners of the staircase are individually height adjustable by internally threaded portions which receive threaded rods. The internal threads are formed as part of the blow-molding process. A hole to the interior of the staircase or other article is formed as part of the blow-molding process.

Abstract: A door for a vehicle having an equipment mounting panel. The equipment mounting panel includes various kinds of door equipment to perform door functions. The door panel is mounted in the door by being introduced into a space formed between an outer panel and an inner panel through a rear end opening in the rear end of the door.

Abstract: A louvre blade assembly of a louvre window. A plurality of louvre blade mounts (20) are rotatably mounted to a mullion (10). Control bars (14) within the mullion are operable by a handle (11). The control bars (14) are selectively movable to be moved to a removal position which is beyond the extremes of the normal extent of movement between open and closed positions so that one or more of the blade mounts (20) can be removed from the mullion (10). The control bars (14) can be prevented from moving to the removal position by a limit device located in an opening (26) in the mullion (10).

Abstract: A power operating system for opening and closing a vehicle liftgate has a pair of drive units supported on the vehicle roof and connected to the liftgate for opening and closing the liftgate. Each drive unit includes a bracket that is secured to the vehicle body for supporting several parts including a reversible electric motor, a gear unit and a track. The electric motor drives a segmented sector inside the track via a gear reduction unit. The segmented sector includes an arcuate link that slides in an arcuate track portion of the track and a plurality of short sector links that are stored in a storage track portion when the liftgate is closed. The arcuate link has an outboard end that is pivotally connected to the liftgate to open and close the liftgate as the arcuate link is extended and retracted by the segmented rack.

Abstract: A trunk lid for a convertible vehicle with a folding roof can be opened on the one hand for stowing the folded roof in the trunk and on the other hand to obtain access to the trunk from the rear for stowing luggage. The front and rear edges of the trunk lid are connected to the bodyshell of the vehicle by latches which either lock or articulate the trunk lid so that it can open either from the front toward the rear or from the rear toward the front.

Abstract: A hinge-emulating gap concealing strip for a door includes an elongated strip having an length generally corresponding to the length of the hinge assembly. The strip has a generally J-shaped cross-section. The strip includes a straight portion adapted mount on the side edge panel of the door, adjacent the gap that normally exists between a side edge panel and the frame or Z bar attached thereto. The strip has an arcuate portion extending forwarding and outwardly from the straight portion. The arcuate portion extends over the gap so as to form a generally convex arch which protrudes outwardly beyond the exterior panel of the door and resembles the convex arch of the hinge assembly. The straight portion of the strip is attached to the side edge panel. Thus, the hinge-emulating gap concealing the strip spans the gap with a strip that emulates the appearance of the hinge to as to enhance the symmetry of the installed door. Brush strips can also be mounted on the J-shaped strip.

Abstract: A strike plate includes a substantially flat body having a bolt-receiving hole defined therein. The body is placed between the exterior and interior sides of a jamb of the door assembly, with the bolt-receiving hole being generally aligned with the bolt-receiving opening defined in the jamb. The strike plate further includes a substantially flat projection extending generally transversely from the body at a point spaced from the bolt-receiving hole. The projection is secured against the side of the jamb that the door moves past as it swings into and out of the closed position (i.e., the exterior or interior side of the jamb). In one embodiment, the projection is secured to the side of the jamb by a reinforcement plate attached to the side of the jamb to overlie the projection. In another embodiment, the projection includes a pair of tabs that project outwardly beyond the body, wherein each tab has an opening for receiving a fastener therein.

Abstract: There is a pair of slide cams provided symmetrically about the center line of a door at the right-hand and left-hand end portions of the door, a pair of lock cams provided on the main body symmetrically in portions corresponding to those of the slide cams, and a hinge pin mounted in a state in which it penetrates an axial hole provided at the lock cams. Each slide cam has a first grooved cam which can be engaged with and disengaged from the hinge pin in the horizontal direction, and a second grooved cam which can move from a first engagement position which continues from the first grooved cam and is engaged with the hinge pin guided by the first grooved cam when the door is closed to a second engagement position which serves as a pivot axis of the slide cam when the door is opened. Each slide cam is further provided with a first cam projection provided around the second grooved cam. Each lock cam is provided with a second cam projection which locks the first cam projection in the first engagement position.