Vehicle slider assembly

A vehicle slider assembly has a frame, upon which a fixed panel and an upper and a lower track are attached, and a slider panel assembly that moves in the tracks. The frame defines a window opening that the moving slider panel assembly opens and closes. The interior surfaces of the frame provide constant sealing surfaces for seals attached to the outwardly directed slider panel surfaces. The lower horizontal portion of the frame is adjacent to the lower track and has drain holes through it. The lower track has a reservoir channel defined in it, such that, moisture that is interior to the vehicle slider assembly accumulates in the reservoir channel and flows through the drain holes to the exterior of the vehicle slider assembly. An appliqué may be disposed over the exterior of the lower frame portion so that the flow of the moisture is hidden in an unencumbered and aesthetically pleasing manner.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle window assembly and, in particular, to a vehicle slider with a moisture removal system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that pickup trucks and other related vehicles have a rear window, or backlite, that is mounted in the vehicle body opening, often immediately behind seats in the vehicle passenger compartment. Typically, such backlites are supplied to vehicle manufacturers as a one piece or as a stand-alone frame assembly for installation in new vehicles being manufactured on an assembly line.

In some of these vehicles, the backlite is provided with a sliding panel mechanism and a seal system (commonly known as a slider), which opens and closes over an opening in the backlite, so as to allow, for example, outside air to enter the vehicle compartment and to allow for passing of objects through the backlite opening. Sliders, in which a sliding panel moves in either a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, typically comprise at least one sliding panel that utilizes, for example, frame channels, rails, or tracks to facilitate sliding motion. In addition, a frame, with an attached seal(s), acts to seal out moisture and noise from entering the vehicle compartment at the periphery of the backlite.

It is common for the stand-alone backlite assembly to be molded and subsequently mounted into the vehicle body opening in the vehicle body frame, where the backlite assembly is secured to the vehicle body opening with adhesives and/or mechanical fastening devices, for example, studs. A urethane adhesive is frequently used in backlite applications, such adhesive being applied to a mounting surface of the vehicle body opening and/or the backlite assembly, prior to the moment at which these two structures are brought into bonding contact.

In addition to the slider panel, some of the vertical slider assemblies have two fixed panels (hence, they are known as partial sliders), which typically are positioned on either side of the backlite opening. Each fixed panel has a substantially vertically oriented panel edge, on which a vertical track and/or division post are often disposed.

Typically, for the horizontal sliders, the backlite opening is further defined by an upper header member and a lower beltline support member. In addition, for the horizontal sliders, the slider panel is typically moved in a horizontal direction behind one or both of the fixed panels that span the vehicle opening (along horizontal tracks that are commonly disposed on or near the fixed panels) and then, is moved to cover the backlite opening. These movements of the sliding panel may be provided by manual or electromechanical means.

Some slider assemblies are further designated as being flush where the sliding panel is in the plane of the fixed panel(s) when the sliding panel completely closes the backlite opening, or the complete window assembly may be in the plane of a vehicle body panel. Various ways to achieve flush orientation to fixed panels are, for example, by utilizing guide pins, ramps, and cams to move the sliding panel into the backlite opening.

Further, it is common for most slider assemblies to allow moisture to enter a vehicle compartment, but, on the other hand, it is difficult to remove the moisture from within the passenger compartment near the lower interior portion of the slider assembly, below the backlite opening. This accumulated moisture may be the result of evaporation and/or thawing of water/frost/ice on the interior of the window panels, or moisture may enter the vehicle compartment through the backlite opening by seeping between the panels when the sliding panel completely covers the backlite opening or when the slider panel is partially opened over the backlite opening. Thus, it is best to remove such accumulated moisture in order to prevent corrosion or other moisture-related damage in the interior of the passenger compartment.

However, for a variety of reasons, the necessary removal of moisture has not always been handled in a systematic and an aesthetically pleasing manner. Hence, a better means of moisture removal for a vehicle slider is sought that provides reliable, unencumbered drainage of moisture from a vehicle near the lower interior of the slider assembly at the backlite opening, to the exterior of the vehicle. In addition, the drainage of moisture should be accomplished in a systematic and an aesthetically pleasing manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle slider assembly with a moisture removal system comprises a frame, upon which a fixed panel and an upper track and a lower track are disposed, and a slider panel assembly that moves in the tracks. The frame has vertical and horizontal portions that define a window opening that the moving slider panel assembly opens and closes. A lower horizontal portion of the frame is adjacent to the lower track and has one or more drain holes therethrough. The lower track has a reservoir channel defined in it, such that, moisture that is interior to the vehicle slider assembly accumulates in the reservoir channel and flows through the drain holes to the exterior of the vehicle slider assembly.

A fixed panel or an appliqué may be disposed over the exterior of the lower frame portion so that the flow of the moisture is hidden in an unencumbered and aesthetically pleasing manner.

Further advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of a specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts of several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrated inFIGS. 1-8is a vehicle slider assembly10, also known as a backlite with a slider, with a moisture removal system19. As shown inFIG. 2, the vehicle slider assembly10has at least one slider panel assembly20that comprises a slider panel20a. The slider panel assembly20, which also has a sliding mechanism that may be common in the art, is utilized to open and close a window opening13(i.e., the backlite opening).FIG. 1is viewed from within a vehicle compartment21, where, for example, driver and passenger seating26(seeFIG. 5) may be disposed in a vehicle, for example, a pick up truck25.

Also shown inFIG. 1is the horizontal vehicle slider assembly10further comprising fixed panels11,12, which respectively have substantially vertical fixed panel edges11a,12a, and a frame14that defines the window opening13. The frame14may be secured by way of adhesive bonding on each of the fixed panel edges11a,12a. However, as shown inFIG. 6, the frame14may alternately be secured by way of an encapsulating seal27to the fixed panels11,12. As can be seen inFIG. 1, the frame14comprises an upper horizontal frame portion, a lower horizontal frame portion, and two vertical frame portions which typically are integrally formed as a unitary part.

As shown inFIGS. 7-8, in order to seal the window opening13off from, for example, exterior moisture, noise, dirt, and debris, a seal23is disposed on the outwardly directed surfaces of the slider panel20athat comprising a panel20′. The seal23can have articulating portions23athat fold one onto the other as the seal23makes continuous sealable contact with an interior frame surface14a(seeFIG. 6) of the frame14.

It is within the spirit and scope of the instant invention that, depending on the design of the exterior fascia of the vehicle slider assembly10, a single fixed panel (11or12) or any combination of the fixed panels11,12, upper appliqué30, or lower appliqué30a(as partially illustrated inFIGS. 4a-4b), could further define the window opening13.

The vehicle slider assembly10further comprises an upper track15and a lower track16having, respectively, a lower surface17and an upper surface18. Parallel paths28a,28band29a,29bare formed in their respective tracks15,16, so as to cooperate with each other by allowing slider pins22a,22cand slider pins22b,22dto slide, respectively, within these paths28a,28band29a,29b. As a result of this movement through the paths28a,28band29a,29b, the slider panel assembly20opens and closes the window opening13, which may be facilitated by the use of a handle/latch36. It should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited by the type of paths that are formed in the tracks or by any pins/guides that are disposed on the sliding panel edges.

The lower track16is typically attached to the fixed panels11,12and frame14by way of an adhesive, such as lower polyurethane beads44b(see the dark arrows inFIG. 1that point from the sides of the lower track16toward the items11,12,14,44bthat indicate the attachment of the lower track16to the fixed panels11,12and the frame14). A similar means may be utilized for attaching the upper track15to the items11,12,14, where the upper polyurethane bead44awould be used in attaching the upper track15. It is, however, possible that the tracks15,16could be integrally formed as a unitary part with the frame14.

Due to gravity, interior moisture tends to collect near the lower horizontal frame portion and the lower track16. Such moisture typically is difficult to remove from the compartment21. It is, however, a discovery of the present invention that by placing the polyurethane bead44bbelow the bottom of the drain holes48a-c, which are defined in the lower horizontal frame portion, and securing the bottom of a reservoir channel50, which is defined in the lower track16structure, below the bottom of the drain holes48a-c, that the moisture flows down and into the reservoir channel50. This structure forms part of the moisture removal system19.

As a result of this structure, the moisture exits the reservoir channel50by flowing through the drain holes48a-cand down, respectively, vertically oriented channels45a-con the exterior surface of the frame14, which forms an additional part of the moisture removal system19(see, for example,FIGS. 3-4a,bwhere the center drain hole48bis illustrated but drain holes48a,cand their respective associated vertically oriented channels45a,cand49a,cwould be essentially the same). As illustrated inFIGS. 4a,b,a lower appliqué30a(or fixed panel11,12) may be disposed on the exterior of the lower horizontal frame portion of the frame14. As a result, the appliqué30awould visually hide the drainage of moisture from the compartment21of the vehicle in an unencumbered and aesthetically pleasing manner.

Although only two configurations are shown inFIGS. 4a,b, the moisture may flow down vertically oriented channels45a-cand/or49a-cin various configurations and still meet the spirit and scope of the present invention. In any of these cases, channels such as items45a-cand49a-cwould cooperate with their respective drain holes48a-cto direct the moisture down and away from the reservoir channel50to the exterior of the vehicle.

As a further result of this direction of moisture, the lower horizontal exterior portion30a,11, or12prevents the drainage holes48a,b,cfrom draining moisture straight through to the exterior of the vehicle, thus further helping to reduce noise from entering the vehicle compartment21. In addition, the frame14may be bonded to the fixed panels11,12and appliqués30,30a, in areas away from the channels45a-cand49a-c, hence the frame14provides an excellent means for uniformly sealing moisture out of the compartment.

Since the lower track16may be bonded to the frame14by way of the bead44b, which is below the reservoir channel50, the flow of moisture from within the compartment26is not blocked as in conventional sliders.

As mentioned above, it is also conceivable that the frame14and the tracks (like16) may be one integral (i.e., unitary) part. However, the reservoir channel50, the drain holes48a-c, the frame vertically oriented channels45a-c, and the appliqué vertically oriented channels49a-cwould essentially cooperate in the manner mentioned above. These features of the present invention are in contrast to conventional sliding assemblies where moisture removal is given only passing attention.

Note that, in general, throughout the subject application and, in particular, with respect to the dimensional differences in the water removal system19, between the reservoir channel50, the drain holes48a-c, the frame vertically oriented channels45a-c, and the appliqué vertically oriented channels49a-c, which may only be in fractions of an inch, the patent figures are not intended to be utilized to precisely measure these difference.

It should further be appreciated that the present invention's removal of moisture is achieved with a design using a minimum of parts, those being a fixed panel(s)11,12(for example, comprising glass or a plastic material), a lower track16(for example, comprising a plastic material), a frame14(for example, comprising a plastic material), and possibly a lower appliqué30a(for example, comprising a polycarbonate compound, an acrylic material, or a painted surface).

Also, it should be appreciated that it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the orientation of the structure10may be reversed, where the upper track15and the lower track16would be disposed more toward the right side (as viewed inFIG. 1) of the interior of the assembly10and, therefore, the sliding panel assembly20would be moved from the right window opening edge (i.e., in the proximity of the right fixed panel12) toward the center of the horizontal vehicle slider window assembly10, in order to close the window opening13.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles and modes of operation of this invention have been described and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.