Patent ID: 6125585
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
A sliding window assembly for a vehicle comprising:a sliding pane movable along a horizontal path of travel between a closed position and an open position;a horizontal guide rail extending parallel to the path of travel of the sliding pane proximate a lower edge of the pane and having first and second ends;an elongated carrier plate slidingly movable along the guide rail and having first and second longitudinally spaced attachment portions disposed proximate opposite vertical edge portions of the sliding pane;first and second pane engagement pairs disposed adjacent respective first and second attachment portions of the carrier plate, each of the pairs comprising a male feature and a mating female feature, one of the male and female features of each pair being secured to the carrier plate proximate a respective attachment portion thereof and the other feature being secured to the sliding pane proximate a respective vertical edge portion thereof, the male and female features of each pair engaged with one another to allow relative movement therebetween along an axis generally perpendicular to the sliding pane to thereby allow movement of the sliding pane relative to the carrier plate along the axis;at least one flexible, inextensible, drive member attached to the carrier plate; anda drive mechanism operatively connected to the drive member to pull the drive member in a first direction to move the carrier plate toward the first end of the guide rail, and to pull the drive member in an opposite second direction to move the carrier plate toward the second end of the guide rail.