Abstract:
A vehicle window assembly, preferably for the rear of a pickup cab having a sliding glass member, is provided with a window frame molding having an integrated fluid inlet, fluid outlet and circuitous flow channel that doubles back on itself and connects the fluid inlet with the fluid outlet to permit fluid flow through the molding, thereby permitting water that has entered through the sliding glass member to drain from interior compartment to the outside of the vehicle while minimizing the introduction of road and wind noise in the interior compartment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a vehicle window assembly having a molding with a channel for draining fluid through the molding. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Vehicles, such as pickup trucks often have a sliding glass panel at the rear of the cab. An open sliding glass panel typically permits water to enter the cab interior compartment, whether entering through the window opening or by running down the glass panel into the compartment. Water that has entered the interior compartment must be directed outside of the cab, without creating objectionable road noise or wind noise in the interior compartment. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A vehicle window assembly, preferably for the rear of a pickup cab, is provided with a window frame molding having an integrated fluid inlet, fluid outlet and circuitous flow channel. The flow channel doubles back on itself and connects the fluid inlet with the fluid outlet to permit fluid flow through the molding. Preferably, the inlet is within an interior compartment of the vehicle cab, the outlet is outside of the cab, and the flow channel winds between and connects the inlet with the outlet to permit fluid flow from the interior compartment to the outside of the cab through the molding, thereby allowing water that has entered the interior compartment through a sliding glass member of the vehicle window assembly to be expelled. 
         [0004]    Preferably, the vehicle window assembly includes a stationary glass member abutting the window molding to further define the flow channel as well as to further define the cab interior compartment. Sealing material, such as a urethane adhesive, may be used to seal the stationary glass member to the window molding, especially around the flow channels. A structural support member supports the stationary glass member and is partially surrounded by the molding above the flow channel. The structural support member forms a window channel that has an outlet opening in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the window molding. A movable glass member is slidable within the window channel of the structural support member to open the interior compartment to the outside. Water entering the interior compartment that collects in the window channel can drain through the opening in the structural support member to the fluid inlet, flow channel and fluid outlet of the window molding. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment, the flow channel includes a first leg forming the fluid inlet, a second leg generally parallel with the first leg and forming the fluid outlet, and a bend or elbow connecting the first and second legs. The bend may be midway between the inlet and outlet. Such a circuitous flow channel permits necessary drainage while minimizing road noise and wind noise entering the interior compartment via the inlet, outlet, i.e., the fluid flow path between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and flow channel. Preferably, the length of the flow channel between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet is not less than 100 millimeters, as this length has demonstrated substantial noise minimization. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the molding further defines an additional fluid inlet positioned within the vehicle cab when the window assembly is installed on a vehicle, as well as a third leg fluidly connecting the additional fluid inlet with the bend of the first flow channel to permit fluid flow from the additional fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, the window frame molding further defines an additional fluid inlet, an additional fluid outlet, and an additional circuitous flow channel that doubles back on itself to connect the additional inlet with the additional outlet and permit fluid flow through the molding. In such an embodiment, the molding may further define a separating wall that separates the first flow channel from the second flow channel. A stationary glass member that abuts the window molding further defines the flow channels. There is no sealing material between the separating wall and the stationary glass member in order to allow overflow drainage from one of the flow channels to seep past the separating wall to the other flow channel. 
         [0008]    The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration in rear view of a vehicle window assembly having a first circuitous flow channel; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary rear view of a portion of the vehicle window assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary view of the rear window assembly of  FIG. 1  taken at the arrows indicated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration in fragmentary view of the rear window assembly of  FIG. 1  taken at the arrows  4 - 4  indicated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration in fragmentary view of the rear window assembly of  FIG. 1  taken at the arrows  5 - 5  indicated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration in fragmentary view of the rear window assembly of  FIG. 1  taken at the arrows  6 - 6  indicated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration in fragmentary view of the rear window assembly of  FIG. 1  taken at the arrows  7 - 7  indicated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic cross-sectional illustration in fragmentary view of the rear window assembly of  FIG. 1  taken at the arrows  8 - 8  indicated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary rear view of an alternative circuitous flow channel for use in the vehicle window assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective illustration in fragmentary view of the vehicle window assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components,  FIG. 1  shows a rear vehicle window assembly  10  for a pickup truck installed at the rear of a pickup cab to close off the interior compartment  12  of the cab. The interior compartment  12  is forward of the rear vehicle window assembly  10  in  FIG. 1 . The vehicle window assembly  10  includes an upper widow frame molding  14  and a lower window frame molding  16 , also referred to as an upper and a lower rail, respectively. The moldings  14 ,  16  are preferably plastic. 
         [0020]    The rear vehicle window assembly  10  also includes a left stationary glass member  18  and a right stationary glass member  20  that are adhered to the upper and lower window frame moldings  14 ,  16  (forward of the moldings  14 ,  16  in  FIG. 1 ), as discussed further below. A structural support member  23  preferably of extruded aluminum is partially visible on either side of the lower window frame molding  16 . A movable (i.e., slidable) glass member  24  is shown in a closed position in  FIG. 1  and is slidable to the right within a window channel  26  (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) formed by the structural support member  23 . The structural support member  23  forms the same channel  26  on the left side of the structural support member, forward of stationary glass member  18 , but the movable glass member  24  does not slide in that portion of the channel  26 , as explained below. The lower window frame molding  16  surrounds the structural support member  23  and window channel  26 . Movable glass member  24  slides within the window channel  26  when powered by an electric motor and cable regulator assembly  28 , shown in  FIG. 1 . The electric motor and cable regulator assembly  28  is drivingly connected to and rotatably powers a first cable  30 , shown partially in  FIG. 1 . The first cable  30  is operatively connected to the center part of movable glass member  24 , which drives a second cable  32  rotatable around pulleys  34 A and  34 B mounted at either end of the structural support member  23 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the second cable  32  moves within the channel  26 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a cable sheath  39  protects the portion of second cable  32  that is not within the channel  26 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , a perspective view from inside of the interior compartment  12 , an enlargement  41  secured to the end of the second cable  32  is secured within a keyed opening  43  formed at an end of the center glass carrier  36  to secure the second cable  32  to the center glass carrier  36 . The other end of cable  32  and center glass carrier  36  are secured to one another in an identical manner. A lower surface  49  of the movable glass member  24  is adhered to the center glass carrier  36  such that movement of the center glass carrier  36  via cable  32  causes sliding movement of the movable glass member  24 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , window seals  37  surround the edges of the opening closed off by the movable glass member  24 . (The window seal  37  is also partially visible in  FIG. 10 .) A stop  38  prevents movement of the movable glass member  24  to the left of the position shown in  FIG. 1 . Another stop (not shown) in the lower rail also prevents movement of the movable glass member  24  to the left of the position shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    Water on the surface of the movable glass member  24  or water from outside of the interior compartment  12  may collect on the top of the lower window frame molding  16  and/or in channel  26 , and therefore within the interior compartment  12 , because the structural support member  23  and lower window frame molding  16  are forward of the glass members  18 ,  20  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 - 6 , and  8 . In order to solve this problem, the lower window frame molding  16  is formed with fluid inlets  40 A,  40 B,  40 C and  40 D (see  FIG. 1 ), also referred to as drains, in fluid communication with the structural support member  23  forward of the fluid inlets  40 A- 40 D. The lower window frame molding  16  also forms separate circuitous flow channels  42 A,  42 B,  42 C and  42 D in fluid communication with the respective fluid inlets  40 A,  40 B,  40 C and  40 D to receive water from the inlets by gravity. The lower window frame molding  16  also forms fluid outlets  44 A,  44 B,  44 C and  44 D in fluid communication with the respective flow channels  42 A,  42 B,  42 C and  42 D that transport fluid from the flow channels  42 A,  42 B,  42 C and  42 D by gravity, out of the lower window frame molding  16  below the stationary glass members  18  and  20 , which is outside of the vehicle interior compartment  12  (e.g., into a bed of the vehicle). 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , Fluid inlet  40 A, flow channel  42 A and fluid outlet  44 A are described in detail. Flow channel  42 B and its respective inlet  40 B and outlet  44 B, as well as flow channel  42 C with inlet  40 C and outlet  44 C, inlet  40 D and outlet  44 D are each mirror images of flow channel  42 A, inlet  40 A and outlet  42 A and therefore will not be separately described in detail. Flow channel  42 A includes a first leg  45  that partially forms the inlet  40 A, a second leg  46  that partially forms the outlet  44 A, as well as a bend  48  that connects the first leg  45  with the second leg  46 . The first and second legs  45 ,  46  are generally parallel with one another. A passage  50  drains an upper surface  52  of the lower window frame window molding  16  adjacent seal  37 . In another embodiment, the passage  50  may be eliminated and the fluid outlets  44 A and  44 B may be moved slightly further apart from one another such that fluid outlet  44 A aligns with the left edge of fluid inlet  40 A (but is still only in communication therewith through flow passage  42 A) while fluid outlet  44 B aligns with the right edge of fluid inlet  40 B (but is still only in fluid communication therewith through flow passage  42 B). 
         [0023]    The circuitous flow channel  42 A directs water to flow from the inlet  40 A, through first leg  45 , around the bend  48  and then back down the second leg  46  to the outlet  44 A. Thus, the flow channel  42 A “doubles back on itself”, i.e., reverses direction of flow, as water is routed in one direction (left to right) in leg  45  and then in an opposing direction (right to left) in leg  46 , which is generally parallel to leg  45 , in order to make it from the inside of the interior compartment  12  through inlet  40 A to outlet  44 A. Preferably, the overall length of the route from the inlet  40 A to the outlet  44 B is not less than 100 millimeters, as represented approximately by the length L 1  of the first leg  45  from the inlet  40 A to the bend  48  plus the length L 2  of the second leg  46  from the bend  48  to the outlet  44 A, plus the length between the centerlines of the legs  45 ,  46  at the bend  48 , which is located approximately midway between the inlet  40 A and the outlet  44 A. The circuitous, doubling back of flow channel  42 A with a length not less than 100 millimeters has shown to provide necessary fluid drainage from the inside of the compartment  12  to outside of the vehicle while not producing an undesirable level of wind or road noise in the compartment  12 . A second flow channel  42 B includes first leg  45 B and second leg  46 B connected at a bend and forming a mirror image of circuitous flow channel  42 A. 
         [0024]    A urethane adhesive seal  54  is placed at selected locations on the lower window frame molding  16  to adhere the molding  16  to the left stationary glass member  18 , acting as a secondary wall therebetween. A symmetric pattern of urethane adhesive seal  54  is placed between the lower window frame molding  16  and the right stationary glass member  20  and is represented in cross-sectional view in  FIG. 8 . Notably, there is no adhesive or other type of seal between the stationary glass member  18  and separating wall  56  that separates the circuitous flow channel  42 A from flow channel  42 B, as is evident from  FIGS. 1 and 6 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 3-6  are cross-sectional views of the circuitous flow channel  42 A of  FIGS. 1 and 2  taken at the locations indicated in  FIG. 2 . Because the flow channels  40 A- 40 D are symmetrical, the cross-sectional views of flow channel  42 A are representative of the cross-sections of flow channels  42 B,  42 C and  42 D, taken at like locations. The lower window frame molding  16  is a mirror image about its center (cross-section of  FIG. 7 ) as is the structural support member  23  except that there are no ribs  58  (see  FIG. 8 ) for supporting the center glass carrier  36  and sliding glass member  24  on the left half of the structural support member  23 , as the glass member  24  does not slide to the left of the stop  38 .  FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the flow channel  42 C taken at the location indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a cross-section taken through the center of fluid inlet  40 A, shows an opening  60  at the bottom of structural support member  23  that aligns with and is in fluid communication with the fluid inlet  40 A to allow water drainage into channel  42 A. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the structural support member  23  has a closed-off U-shaped channel  26  at this location. First leg  45  is closed off and partially defined by the stationary glass member  18 , while second leg  46  opens to fluid outlet  44 A. Referring to  FIG. 5 , both legs  45  and  46  are closed off at this cross-section. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the separating wall  56  abuts the stationary glass member  18 , but is not sealed thereto. Accordingly, overflow from flow channel  42 A to flow channel  42 B or vice versa is possible by fluid passing between the glass member  18  and the separating wall  56  through the abutment. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the movable glass member  24  is sealed at a lower portion thereof by flexible seal member  37 . Seal  37  is secured by a seal support member  62  of extruded aluminum running parallel with the structural support member  23 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , a first leg  45 C and a second leg  46 C of flow channel  42 C (corresponding in function and arranged as a mirror image of first leg  45 B and second leg  46 B of flow channel  42 B shown in  FIG. 2 ) are closed off and partially defined by stationary glass member  20  at this cross-sectional location. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , an alternative flow channel  142 A for use in the window molding  16  in lieu of flow channels  42 A and  42 B of  FIG. 1  utilizes two fluid inlets  140 A and  140 B corresponding in function to fluid inlets  40 A and  40 B, both in fluid communication with a single fluid outlet  144 B through flow channel  142 A. Flow channel  142 A includes first leg  145 , second leg  146 , and third leg  147 . First leg  145  communicates fluid collected through fluid inlet  140 B with bend  148  where the fluid turns and flows through second leg  146  to fluid outlet  144 B. Fluid from fluid inlet  140 A flows through third leg  147  to bend  148  where it flows out through second leg  146 . Thus, legs  145  and  146  illustrates the flow channel  142 A doubling back on itself. Preferably, the length L 3  of the first leg  145  plus the length L 4  of the second leg  146  plus the distance between the centerlines of the respective legs  145  and  146  (across which the fluid travels in bend  148 ) is not less than 100 millimeters. Also, the length L 5  of third leg  147  plus the length L 4  of second leg and the distance between the respective centerlines of the legs  146  and  147  across which fluid must flow in the bend  148  is not less than 100 millimeters. A flow channel that is a mirror image of flow channel  142 A would be molded into the opposite side of lower window frame molding  16  (adjacent stationary glass member  20 ) in this embodiment. 
         [0031]    While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.