Patent ID: 7437852

Claim:
A sliding window assembly comprising, in combination: at least one sliding pane mounted for travel along a travel path between a closed position in a first plane, and an open position in an offset second plane substantially parallel to the first plane; and travel guide apparatus for guiding the sliding pane as it moves along the travel path between the open and closed positions, comprising: a first track forming a first elongate slot comprising a main elongate portion extending along the travel path in a plane corresponding to the offset second plane, and a first slot end portion extending from the main elongate portion toward the first plane; a first fixed guide surface having a fixed position relative to the first elongate slot proximate the first slot end portion; and a first cam and slide movement comprising a first traveler slidably mounted in the first track for longitudinal travel along the first elongate slot and having a first elongate traveler slot extending longitudinally at an angle of 30°to 90° to the main elongate portion of the first elongate slot, a first travel pin extending from the sliding pane into the first elongate slot and the first traveler slot, and a first cam integral with the first travel pin and rotatably mounted to the sliding pane and operative to contact the first fixed guide surface as the sliding pane approaches the closed position and to rotatably bear against the first fixed guide surface to guide the sliding pane from the offset second plane toward the first plane as the sliding pane then travels further toward the closed position, wherein the first fixed guide surface is a pin.