Vehicle rear slider window assembly with enhanced rail attachment

• US 10,023,026 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snider, Darin J., Johnson, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rephann, Justin B
• Application Number:
  US15/352,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/1853 horizontally in direction transverse to vehicle longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/0621 Details, e.g. suspension or supporting guides E05D15/0604, E05D15/08 - E05D15/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/526 Glueing or cementing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes at least one fixed window panel and a frame portion attached at the at least one fixed window panel. A movable window panel is movable along upper and lower rails of the frame portion and movable between a closed position and an opened position. At least one of the upper and lower rails includes a recess for receiving adhesive therein and a tapered end region at an end of the recess. The tapered end region includes at least one notch or groove through a wall that at least partially circumscribes the recess, with the notch or groove configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of the at least one of the upper and lower rails to the at least one fixed window panel. The tapered end region has an outer tapered surface opposite the recess.

Claims

1. A slider window assembly for a vehicle, said slider window assembly comprising:

at least one fixed window panel, said at least one fixed window panel defining an opening;

an upper rail and a lower rail attached at said at least one fixed window panel;

a movable window panel that is movable along said upper rail and said lower rail, wherein said movable window panel is movable between a closed position, where said movable window panel is disposed at said opening, and an opened position, where said movable window panel is disposed at least partially along said at least one fixed window panel;

wherein at least one of said upper and lower rails comprises a recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said recess is established along an attaching surface of said at least one of said upper and lower rails with a wall of said at least one of said upper and lower rails at least partially circumscribing said recess, and wherein said at least one of said upper and lower rails comprises a tapered end region at an end of said recess, and wherein said tapered end region comprises at least one notch through said wall that at least partially circumscribes said recess;

wherein said at least one of said upper and lower rails is adhesively attached at said at least one fixed window panel via adhesive disposed at and along said recess;

wherein said at least one notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said at least one of said upper and lower rails to said at least one fixed window panel; and

wherein said tapered end region has an outer tapered surface opposite said recess.

2. The slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said upper rail comprises said recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said upper rail comprises said tapered end region at the end of said recess, and wherein said at least one notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said upper rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

3. The slider window assembly of claim 2, wherein said tapered end region comprises an aperture therethrough, and wherein said aperture is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said upper rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

4. The slider window assembly of claim 2, wherein said upper rail comprises a plurality of recesses, and wherein said upper rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of at least some of said recesses.

5. The slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said lower rail comprises said recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said lower rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of said recess, and wherein said at least one notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said lower rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

6. The slider window assembly of claim 5, wherein said tapered end region comprises an aperture therethrough, and wherein said aperture is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said lower rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

7. The slider window assembly of claim 5, wherein said lower rail comprises a plurality of recesses, and wherein said lower rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of at least some of said recesses.

8. The slider window assembly of claim 5, wherein said upper rail comprises another recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said upper rail comprises another tapered end region at an end of the other recess, and wherein at least one other notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said upper rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

9. The slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises a single fixed window panel having an opening therethrough.

10. The slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises first and second fixed window panels defining an opening therebetween.

11. A method of manufacturing a slider window assembly, said method comprising:

providing an upper rail and a lower rail, wherein at least one of said upper and lower rails comprises a recess established along an attaching surface of said at least one of said upper and lower rails with a wall of said at least one of said upper and lower rails at least partially circumscribing said recess, and wherein said at least one of said upper and lower rails comprises a tapered end region at an end of said recess, and wherein said tapered end region comprises at least one notch through said wall that at least partially circumscribes said recess, and wherein said tapered end region has an outer tapered surface opposite said recess;

providing at least one fixed window panel defining an opening;

providing a movable window panel;

dispensing adhesive at and at least partially along said recess of said at least one of said upper and lower rails;

placing said at least one of said upper and lower rails, with said adhesive at said recess, at said at least one fixed window panel, whereby excess adhesive flows through said at least one notch of said wall and between said at least one fixed window panel and said at least one of said upper and lower rails during the adhesive bonding of said at least one of said upper and lower rails to said at least one fixed window panel; and

wiping excess adhesive from said outer tapered surface of said at least one of said upper and lower rails and from the surface of said at least one fixed window panel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said upper rail comprises said recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said upper rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of said recess, and wherein said at least one notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said upper rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said tapered end region comprises an aperture therethrough, and wherein said aperture is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said upper rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said upper rail comprises a plurality of recesses, and wherein said upper rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of at least some of said recesses.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said lower rail comprises said recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said lower rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of said recess, and wherein said at least one notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said lower rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said tapered end region comprises an aperture therethrough, and wherein said aperture is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said lower rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said lower rail comprises a plurality of recesses, and wherein said lower rail comprises said tapered end region at an end of at least some of said recesses.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said upper rail comprises another recess for receiving adhesive therein, and wherein said upper rail comprises another tapered end region at an end of the other recess, and wherein another notch is configured to allow excess adhesive to escape during the adhesive bonding of said upper rail to said at least one fixed window panel.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises a single fixed window panel having an opening therethrough.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises first and second fixed window panels defining an opening therebetween.