Abstract:
A multi-purpose camper shell front window and frame assembly, for allowing quick and easy removal of a front camper shell window, without removal of the camper shell from the truck, to facilitate cleaning of the truck window and camper shell window; and for allowing use of one&#39;s choice among multiple front camper shell windows, including a picture window or a double pane sliding window; or for allowing use of a front pressure boot. A one piece outer frame assembly is readily secured to, or removed from, the camper shell front window aperture, and the picture window, sliding window, or pressure boot may be readily be installed within, or removed from, the outer frame assembly. Removal and reinstallation of a camper shell window, may easily be accomplished, without any special tools, in less than half an hour.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention pertains to camper shell windows, and more particularly to apparatus for allowing quick removal of a front camper shell window. 
     The camper shell is a popular product, since the shell, installed over the bed of a pickup truck, allows the truck bed to be used for camping and sleeping shelter, without need for a more expensive recreational vehicle. 
     One problem encountered in use of the camper shell, however, is that there is only a small space between the front camper shell window and the rear window of the truck cab. The truck window and the camper shell window become soiled by airborne road grime and need periodic cleaning, but this space is too small to allow the cleaning to be done effectively, without removal of the camper shell front window or removal of the camper shell. 
     Removal of the camper shell front window or the camper shell, to allow cleaning of the two windows, is a lengthy undertaking with conventional camper shells. 
     So there is a need for a camper shell front window assembly allowing easy and quick removal of the camper shell window, to allow cleaning of the truck window and camper shell window. 
     And, for some camper shell users, there is also a need for such an assembly in order to allow for changing among different kinds of camper shell windows, or changing from a window to a pressure boot. 
     These needs are met by the present invention, through use of an outer frame assembly, readily installed in or removed from the camper shell front window aperture, and alternate camper shell windows, or a pressure boot, readily installed in or removed from the outer frame assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a removable front camper shell front window assembly, for the purposes of allowing quick removal of the front camper shell window, to facilitate cleaning of the truck window and camper shell window, or to allow substitution of a different front camper shell window, or a pressure boot. The invention allows use of either a picture window or a sliding window for the front camper shell window, or use of the pressure boot. 
     A one piece outer frame assembly is readily and quickly secured to, or removed from, the front camper shell window aperture; and either the picture window or sliding window, or the pressure boot, is readily and quickly secured within, or removed from, the outer frame assembly, through use of the structure detailed and claimed below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of the outer frame assembly, shown, for clarity, without any other components of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front picture window insert, shown without any other components of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the front sliding window insert, shown without any other components of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view, of a section perpendicular to the surface of the camper shell at the edge of the camper shell window aperture, showing details of connection of the front picture window insert, to the inside of the outer frame assembly, and showing details of connection of the outer frame assembly to the camper shell window aperture. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view, of a section perpendicular to the surface of the camper shell at the edge of the camper shell window aperture, showing details of the front sliding window insert. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view, of a section perpendicular to the surface of the camper shell at the edge of the camper shell window aperture, showing details of connection of the pressure boot, to the inside of the outer frame assembly, and showing details of connection of the outer frame assembly to the camper shell window aperture. 
     FIG. 7 is an expanded plan view of a portion of the perimeter of the outer frame assembly. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numbers denote like or corresponding elements, it is useful to first summarize the principal components of the invention, followed by a review of structural and operational details, and concluding with a non-exhaustive review of possible variations among embodiments of the invention. 
     1. Principal Components 
     The outer frame assembly  10  is a one-piece metal unit, of trapezoidal form corresponding to a widely used camper shell window form, and open inside, which is readily installed within, or removed from, the camper shell window aperture  12  located in the front of camper shell  14 , in the manner detailed below. The outer frame assembly  10  is the foundational unit of the invention, which receives one or another of the other major components, inserted within and secured to the inner aperture  16  of outer frame assembly  10 , as detailed below. The other major components are: a front picture window insert  18 ; or a front sliding window insert  20 ; or a front pressure boot insert  22 . 
     Although a particular owner might own and use only one of these inserts, the invention offers the three options of allowing an owner to use one of three inserts at a time, or switch between, either the front picture window insert  18 , the front sliding window insert  20 , or the front pressure boot insert  22 , secured within outer frame assembly  10 , with outer frame assembly  10  being itself secured within camper shell window aperture  12 , in the manner detailed below. 
     2. Structural and Operational Details 
     The outer frame assembly  10 , the portion of the present invention which mounts into camper shell window aperture  12  of camper shell  14  and which in turn receives either of the inserts already named, has an outer lip  24 , extending fully around the outer perimeter  26  of outer frame assembly  10 . The outer perimeter  26  of outer frame assembly  10 , defined by the outer edge of outer lip  24 , is larger than the camper shell window aperture  12 , extending about ¾″ beyond the edge of camper shell window aperture  12 . The outer lip  24  is used to allow making a weather seal against camper shell  14 , around the edges of camper shell window aperture  12 , which seal may be completed by using cap tape weather seal  28  between the portion of outer lip  24  outside of camper shell window aperture  12 , and camper shell  14 . 
     The outer frame assembly  10  has a trim ring assembly  30 , having an outer perimeter  32  slightly smaller than camper shell window aperture  12 , so that trim ring assembly  30  extends somewhat within camper shell  14 , through camper shell window aperture  12 , when outer lip  24  of outer frame assembly  10  is sealed against camper shell  14  as already described. The thickness of trim ring assembly  30  (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of camper shell window aperture  12 ) is sufficient to allow the assembly  30  to extend slightly into the interior of camper shell  14 , and is typically about ¼″. 
     To secure the outer frame assembly  10  to camper shell window aperture  12 , there are provided, in addition to the use of cap tape weather seal  28 , as shown in FIG. 4, a trim ring screw track  34  on the inner edge of trim ring assembly  30 , a trim ring  36 , having an outer perimeter extending beyond the edge of camper shell window aperture  12 , and having evenly spaced holes  38 , and trim ring screws  40 , which are used to secure trim ring  36  to the trim ring assembly  30  of outer frame assembly  10 , by passing said screws  40  through said holes  38  and securing said screws into trim ring screw track  34 , which track  34  is a groove into which the screws  40  thread themselves upon turning of the screws during installation of outer frame assembly  10 . The trim ring  36  is one similar to that currently used in holding camper shell windows in place, and, as shown in FIG. 4, and has an outer portion  42  which extends beyond the edge of camper shell window aperture  12 , and an inner portion  44 , displaced longitudinally inward from outer portion  42  by a lip  46 , which inner portion  44  contains the holes  38  for the screws  40  used to secure trim ring  36  to trim ring assembly  30  of outer frame assembly  10 . The thickness of lip  46  is chosen, in relation to the thickness of trim ring assembly  30 , such that, when trim ring  36  is thus secured to trim ring assembly  30  by screws  40 , the outer portion  42  of trim ring  36  will press firmly against the inside of camper shell  14 , around the edges of camper shell window aperture  12 . Thus the outer frame assembly  10  is secured to the camper shell  14 , at the camper shell window aperture  12 , by the trim ring  36 , secured to the trim ring assembly  30  by the screws  40 , in concert with the outer lip  24  of outer frame assembly  10 , sealed to camper shell  14  around the edge of camper shell window aperture  12 . 
     The securing means described above, i.e. the combination of the outer lip  24 , the cap tape weather seal  28 , the trim ring assembly  30 , the trim ring screw track  34 , and the trim ring  36 , with its array of holes  38  for screws  40 , extend around the entire perimeter of camper shell window aperture  12  and outer frame assembly  10 , so as to obtain-good-i-securing and sealing around the entire perimeter of camper shell window aperture  12 . As seen in FIG. 4, below the trim ring assembly  30 , the outer frame assembly  10  has a window frame groove  48  for receiving window inserts, said window frame groove  48  having a track  50  for holding ends of bolts  52 , used in securing window inserts to outer frame assembly  10  as further detailed below. And, as also shown in FIG. 4, the inner edge or bottom of outer frame assembly  10  in the FIG. 4 view, has an inner edge lip  54 , also used in securing operations for inserts as detailed below. The track  50  and lip  54  may extend around the entire perimeter of outer frame assembly  10 , for ease of manufacturing; they preferably extend around at least substantially the entire perimeter. 
     The front picture window insert  18 , seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, is a framed tempered glass fixed window pane  56 , mounted in a surrounding metal frame  58 . As seen in the section in FIG. 4, the inner perimeter of frame  58  has an “h”—shaped configuration, with the outer edge of window pane  56  secured into the bottom of the “h” in the FIG. 4 view. The front picture window insert  18  is trapezoidal in shape like the outer frame assembly  10 , only smaller, being sized to fit the window frame groove  48  of outer frame assembly  10 . As seen in FIG. 2, the frame  58  of front picture window insert  18  has evenly spaced holes  60 , for the bolts  52  used to secure front picture window insert  18  to the track  50  of outer frame assembly  10 . The front picture window insert  18  also has a rubber tube gasket seal  62 , seen in FIG. 4, which is sized to snap onto the inner lip  54  of outer frame assembly  10 . 
     The front sliding window insert  20 , seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, has tempered glass windows, with a sliding pane  64  in the center, and two fixed window panes  56  on the two sides thereof. The front sliding window insert  20  has a window frame  66 , with window tracks  68  extending around the inner perimeter thereof, as seen in section in FIG. 5, which tracks  68  receive sliding pane  64  and fixed window pane  56 . The frame  66  also has holes  60  evenly positioned around the perimeter thereof, just like front picture window insert  18 , for bolts  52  used to secure front picture window insert  18  to the track  50  of outer frame assembly  10 . And, like front picture window insert  18 , front sliding window insert  20  is trapezoidal in shape like outer frame assembly  10 , and sized to fit the window frame groove  48  of outer frame assembly  10 . A suitable seal (not if shown), similar to gasket seal  62  used with front picture window insert  18 , would also normally be used with front sliding window insert  20 . 
     If the owner wishes to use a front pressure boot insert  22  instead of either front picture window insert  18  or front sliding window insert  20 , the owner removes gasket seal  62  from lip  54  of outer frame assembly  10 , and replaces gasket seal  62  with pressure boot material  70 , slotted to snugly engage lip  54 , as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     Operation of the invention is straightforward, for inserting, removing and changing inserts, using the structures detailed above. To prepare the outer frame assembly  10  for installation, one places the cap tape weather seal  28  around the entire extent of outer lip  24 . The cap tape weather seal  28  is also placed around the entire extent of the window frame groove  48 , if needed for a watertight seal. One then snaps on the gasket seal  62 , around the lip  54  of outer frame assembly  10 . 
     To install a window insert, into outer frame assembly  10 , one must first insert pass through bolts  52  into hex head opening  71  on outer frame assembly  10  and slide the pass through bolts  52  into pass through bolt track  50 . One then selects the desired window insert, either front picture window insert  18 , or front sliding window insert  20 , and secures the desired insert to the outer frame assembly  10 , with the edge of the insert fitting into window frame groove  48 , by using bolts  52 , passed through holes  60  to track  50  after lining up holes  60  with track  50  on window frame groove  48 , and tightening bolts  52  with wing nuts  72 , against washers  74 , as seen in FIG.  4 . 
     Then, one may readily install outer frame assembly  10 , with the chosen window insert, to camper shell  14 , by placing the outer frame assembly  10  against camper shell  14  on the truck side, centered in camper shell window aperture  12 , with trim ring assembly  30  projecting into camper shell  14  through camper shell window aperture  12 ; and then securing outer frame assembly  10  to the interior of camper shell  14  by means of trim ring  36 , placed within camper shell  14  and lined up with trim ring screw track  34 , using screws  40  passed through each of the holes  38  in trim ring  36 , and tightened, so as to secure trim ring  36  to outer frame assembly  10  and the inner wall of camper shell  14 . 
     One may easily switch window inserts, from one to another, simply by loosening and removing the wing nuts  72  on each of the bolts  52 , removing the one window insert, replacing it with the other, and then replacing and re-tightening the wing nuts  72 , on each of the bolts  52 . This is done from inside of camper shell  14 , without any need for removing the outer frame assembly  10  from camper shell  14  or removing the camper shell  14  from the truck. 
     When one desires to use a pressure boot instead of one of the window inserts, the outer frame assembly  10  may be installed on camper shell  14  in the manner already described, except that one omits installing the gasket seal  62  on lip  54 , and instead snaps the pressure boot material  70  onto lip  54 , as seen in FIG.  6 . 
     3. Some Possible Variations Among Embodiments 
     Those familiar with the art will appreciate that the invention may be employed in configurations other than the specific forms disclosed above, without departing from the essential substance thereof. 
     For example, and not by way of limitation, no particular materials are required for fabrication of the present invention. Although aluminum would be a suitable material, for the outer frame assembly and insert window frame components, having suitable strength and light weight, other suitable metals, alloys, or plastics might be used instead. Though the windows typically are transparent, either glass or plastics might be used; the windows may have artwork, decals, or paintings applied. The trapezoidal shape of the outer frame assembly and the window inserts simply corresponds to the shape of many present camper shell windows; the invention might of course instead be fabricated for use with camper shell windows of other shapes, such as rectangular windows sometimes used in aluminum camper shells. 
     The outer frame assembly  10  is preferably a one-piece unit, so that the owner has no need to assemble multiple pieces thereof. It might possibly be machined from a single piece of metal, or more commonly, fabricated from a plurality of pieces joined together during manufacture. Of course it would be possible to have an outer frame assembly  10  of multiple pieces assembled, e.g. screwed together, by the owner, but such would obviously be less convenient. 
     A typical manner of fabrication of the outer frame assembly  10 , and the window frames  58  and  66  of front picture window insert  18  and front sliding window insert  20  would be to form long pieces of aluminum in the appropriate cross-sectional shapes shown in FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 , and then heat the aluminum pieces and force them through a dye, after which the pieces are cut to the desired lengths and molded (bent) into the desired shapes (e.g. trapezoidal or rectangular) and then seamed together. 
     Some owners may decide to use the front pressure boot insert  22  along with either front picture window insert  18  or front sliding window insert  20 ; in this case the front pressure boot insert  22  should make it unnecessary to use a seal with the window insert. 
     The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims, including also all subject matter encompassed by the doctrine of equivalents as applicable to the claims.