Patent ID: 7152906

Claim:
A window assembly for a vehicle having a window opening formed in a wall that has an outer surface, the assembly comprising: a glazing having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the glazing is sized to fit within the window opening such that the outer surface of the glazing is substantially flush with the outer surface of the wall, and wherein the glazing has a first edge and a second edge that is generally opposite from the first edge; a wall mounting member that includes a first section that is proximate the first edge of the glazing, and a second section that is proximate the second edge of the glazing, wherein the wall mounting member is attached coupled to the wall; a glazing mounting member that includes a first section and a second section that is generally opposite to the first section, wherein the glazing mounting member is coupled to the inner surface of the glazing, wherein the first and second sections of the glazing mounting member is removably coupled to the wall mounting member thereby allowing the glazing to be removably mounted to the wall, and wherein the first section defines a first space having a first depth, and the second section defines a second space having a second depth, said first and second depths being along a direction having a component that is substantially parallel to the inner surface of the glazing; a sacrificial protective panel having a first edge and a second edge that is generally opposite from the first edge, wherein the sacrificial protective panel is sized such that the first and second edges of the sacrificial protective panel are respectively retained in the first and second spaces such that the sacrificial protective panel is positioned inward of the inner surface of the glazing; wherein the first and second depths are selected such that when the sacrificial protective panel is retained therein, the first edge of the sacrificial protective panel is able to move deeper into the first space by an amount sufficient to allow the second edge of the sacrificial protective panel to be removed from the second space.