Rear slider window assembly with laminated heating element

• US 10,524,313 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2018
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2017
• 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): Redman, Jerry E
• Application Number:
  US15/890,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20180227986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 49380, 49413
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/061 of metal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/006 Transparent parts other than made from inorganic glass, e.g. polycarbonate glazings
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/1853 horizontally in direction transverse to vehicle longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/027 between relatively movable parts of the vehicle, e.g. between steering wheel and column devices for measuring, signalling or controlling tyre pressure or temperature specially adapted for mounting on vehicles B60C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/4618 the sliding wing being arranged beside a fixed wing E06B3/4627 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/28 Other arrangements on doors or windows, e.g. door-plates, windows adapted to carry plants, hooks for window cleaners edge protecting devices for door leaves E06B3/88; special glazing; emergency glazing; double glazing E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/013 Heaters using resistive films or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/86 the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material H05B3/845 takes precedence

Abstract

A rear slider window assembly for a vehicle includes a fixed window panel and a movable window panel that is movable between a closed position and an opened position. The movable window panel includes a laminated movable window panel having an electrical element disposed between an inner glass panel and an outer glass panel. The first electrical element is in electrical connection with a wire harness of the vehicle via a flexible connector electrically connected to a first electrical connector at an inner surface of the movable window panel and to a second electrical connector at the inner surface of the fixed window panel. The first electrical connector is electrically connected to the first electrical element via a thin flat connector that extends from the first electrical connector and wraps around a perimeter edge of the inner glass panel of the movable window panel.

Claims

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

a fixed window panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a frame portion fixedly attached at an inner surface of said fixed window panel;

a movable window panel having an inner surface and an outer surface and being movable along said frame portion, wherein said movable window panel is movable between a closed position and an opened position;

wherein said movable window panel comprises a laminated glass panel having an electrical element disposed between an inner glass panel and an outer glass panel of said laminated glass panel;

wherein, with said rear slider window assembly installed on a vehicle, said electrical element is in electrical connection with a wire harness of the vehicle and remains in electrical connection with the wire harness of the vehicle irrespective of whether said movable window panel is in the opened position or the closed position;

wherein said electrical element of said movable window panel is in electrical connection with the wire harness of the vehicle by a flexible connector that has one end electrically connected to a first electrical connector on said inner surface of said movable window panel, and wherein another end of said flexible connector is electrically connected to a second electrical connector on said inner surface of said fixed window panel; and

wherein said first electrical connector is electrically connected to said electrical element by a wraparound connector that extends from said first electrical connector on said inner surface of said movable window panel and wraps around a perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said movable window panel to electrically connect to said electrical element disposed between said inner glass panel and said outer glass panel of said laminated glass panel.

2. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said electrical element comprises a transparent heating element disposed between said inner and outer glass panels of said movable window panel.

3. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said flexible connector flexes in response to movement of said movable window panel relative to said fixed window panel, and wherein said flexible connector is flexible in a flexing direction while being non-flexible in a non-flexing direction, said non-flexing direction being transverse to said flexing direction.

4. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said wraparound connector comprises a flat wire.

5. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, comprising a retaining element that encapsulates a portion of said wraparound connector between said first electrical connector and said perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said movable window panel.

6. The rear slider window assembly of claim 5, wherein said retaining element is overmolded at said inner surface of said movable window panel to encapsulate said portion of said wraparound connector to retain said wraparound connector relative to said movable window panel.

7. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixed window panel comprises a laminated fixed window panel having a second electrical element disposed between an inner glass panel and an outer glass panel of said laminated fixed window panel.

8. The rear slider window assembly of claim 7, wherein, with said rear slider window assembly installed on the vehicle, said second electrical element is in electrical connection with the wire harness of the vehicle by a second wraparound connector that extends from said second electrical connector and wraps around a perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said fixed window panel.

9. The rear slider window assembly of claim 8, comprising a retaining element that encapsulates a portion of said second wraparound connector between said second electrical connector and said perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said fixed window panel.

10. The rear slider window assembly of claim 9, wherein said retaining element is overmolded at said inner surface of said fixed window panel to encapsulate said portion of said second wraparound connector to retain said second wraparound connector relative to said fixed window panel.

11. The rear slider window assembly of claim 8, wherein said second electrical element comprises a transparent heating element disposed between said inner and outer glass panels of said fixed window panel.

12. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said second electrical connector is configured to electrically connect to the wire harness of the vehicle when said rear slider window assembly is installed on the vehicle.

13. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to respective ends of said flexible connector by a respective plug-socket connection.

14. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixed window panel comprises a single fixed window panel with an aperture formed therethrough, and wherein said movable window panel is movable relative to said aperture between the closed position and the opened position.

15. The rear slider window assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixed window panel comprises a first fixed window panel and wherein said rear slider window assembly comprises a second fixed window panel with an opening between said first and second fixed window panels, and wherein said movable window panel is movable relative to said opening between the closed position and the opened position.

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

a fixed window panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a frame portion fixedly attached at an inner surface of said fixed window panel;

a movable window panel having an inner surface and an outer surface and being movable along said frame portion, wherein said movable window panel is movable between a closed position and an opened position;

wherein said movable window panel comprises a laminated glass panel having a first heater element disposed between an inner glass panel and an outer glass panel of said laminated glass panel;

wherein said movable window panel has a first electrical connector disposed on said inner surface of said movable window panel, and wherein said first electrical connector is electrically connected to said first heater element by a first wraparound connector that extends from said first electrical connector on said inner surface of said movable window panel and wraps around a perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said movable window panel and electrically connects to said first heater element disposed between said inner glass panel and said outer glass panel of said laminated glass panel;

a first retaining element that encapsulates a portion of said first wraparound connector between said first electrical connector and said perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said movable window panel;

wherein said fixed window panel comprises a laminated fixed glass panel having a second heater element disposed between an inner glass panel and an outer glass panel of said laminated fixed glass panel;

wherein said fixed window panel has a second electrical connector disposed on said inner surface of said fixed window panel, and wherein said second electrical connector is electrically connected to said second heater element by a second wraparound connector that extends from said second electrical connector on said inner surface of said fixed window panel and wraps around a perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said laminated fixed glass panel and electrically connects to said second heater element disposed between said inner glass panel and said outer glass panel of said laminated fixed glass panel;

wherein said first electrical connector is electrically connected to said second electrical connector by a flexible connector that maintains electrical connection to said first and second electrical connectors irrespective of whether said movable window panel is in the opened position or the closed position; and

wherein, with said rear slider window assembly installed on a vehicle, said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector are in electrical connection with a wire harness of the vehicle.

17. The rear slider window assembly of claim 16, wherein said first retaining element is overmolded on said inner surface of said movable window panel to encapsulate said portion of said first wraparound connector to retain said first wraparound connector relative to said movable window panel.

18. The rear slider window assembly of claim 16, comprising a second retaining element that encapsulates a portion of said second wraparound connector between said second electrical connector and said perimeter edge of said inner glass panel of said fixed window panel.

19. The rear slider window assembly of claim 18, wherein said second retaining element is overmolded on said inner surface of said fixed window panel to encapsulate said portion of said second wraparound connector to retain said second wraparound connector relative to said fixed window panel.

20. The rear slider window assembly of claim 16, wherein said first and second electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to the wire harness of the vehicle when said rear slider window assembly is installed on the vehicle by a third electrical connector disposed on said inner surface of said fixed window panel.