BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view with parts thereof exposed showing the construction of a motorized sliding window pane incorporated in a large window and its flexible actuating cable secured to a motor drive;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section view showing the construction of the top horizontal channel frame member and its attachment to the sliding pane;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partly fragmented, showing the construction of the top channel frame member illustrating the elongated cylindrical channel projection;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the construction of the slide arm to which the top rail is secured;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the construction of the top rail; and
FIG. 6 is a simplified schematic view showing the construction of the motor driven sprocket disc gear and the flexible cable displaceably connected thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 there is shown generally at 10 a large window having a main frame 11 in which a fixed window pane 12 is secured. An opening 13 is provided in the fixed window pane 12 and delineated by a secondary frame structure 14. The secondary frame is secured adjacent an interior surface of the fixed windows pane 12. The secondary frame structure supports a sliding a window pane 15 slidingly displaced in the secondary frame structure in the directions as indicated by arrow 16. As herein shown a second fixed window pane 17 is secured in the secondary frame structure 14.
Referring now additionally to FIGS. 2 to 5 there will be described the construction of the sliding window pane 15 and its securement to the secondary frame structure 14. As shown in FIG. 2 the sliding window pane 15 has opposed rails, namely a top rail 18 and a bottom rail 19 secured along its opposed top and bottom horizontal edges 18′ and 19′. These rails are slidingly connected to opposed associated channel frame members. The top rail 18 is connected to the top horizontal secondary channel frame member 14′ and the bottom rail 19 is slidingly captive in a guide channel 20 of a bottom channel frame member 11′ of the secondary frame 11 by a depending flange 19″.
The top channel frame member 14′ is comprised of an L-shape extrusion 25 having a flat connecting rear wall 26 which is adhesively secured by an adhesive 27 to the main window pane 12 and a transverse front projecting top flange 28 extending therefrom. An elongated cylindrical guide channel is formed integral with the extrusion and extends forwardly from the flat connecting rear wall 26 and spaced from the top flange 28. An elongated slot 29 extends along the guide channel in a lower part thereof.
As shown in FIG. 3 a flexible cable 30 extends into the guide channel 28 and constitutes a flexible attachment means to connect to the displaceable window pane 15 to displace same. This flexible cable 30 is coupled at one end portion thereof, namely end portion 31, as shown in FIG. 1, to a drive gear of an electric motor 32. This electric motor constitutes electrically operable means for displacing the displaceable frame. The other end of the flexible cable 30, namely, end 33, as shown in FIG. 3, is connected to a connecting bracket 34 which has a flange portion 35 extending through the elongated slot 29 formed at the base of the guide channel 28. The flange portion 35 connects to the top rail 18 through a slide arm 36 as shown in FIG. 4. The slide arm 36 is slidingly displaceable over the guide channel 28 and displaceable therealong. The slide arm has a depending connecting wall 37 provided with a connecting means, in the form of an opening 38 which is dimensioned for close-fit reception of the flange portion 35 of the connecting bracket 34. The slide arm 36 is also slidingly retained over the guide channel 28 by means of a pair of guide cylinders 40 and 40′ secured at opposed ends thereof. A right angle face plate 41 is clampingly secured over these cylinders which are formed integral with the connecting wall 37.
As shown in FIG. 5 the top rail 18 is provided with a top channel 45 for securement to the depending connecting wall 37 with the flange portion 35 captive in the opening 38. The wall 37 is secured in the channel 45 by fasteners not shown) extending through the holes 46 and 46′ provided both in the top rail 18 and in the connecting wall 37, respectively. The top rail channel 45 thus retains the connecting flange portion 35 of the bracket 34 captive within the opening 39 of the connecting wall 37. Accordingly, when the bracket 34 is displaced by the cable, the slide arm is also displaced as well as the sliding window pane 15 which is connected thereto via the top rail 18. The bottom rail 19 is simply guided in the guide channel 20 of the bottom frame member 11′.
As shown in FIG. 2 the glass of the sliding window pane 15 is held captive by the horizontal rails 18 and 19 and opposed vertical rails 15′.
As shown in FIG. 1 the electric motor 32 is connected to a switch 50 which is operated by a person whereby to provide electric power from a battery 51 to the motor to displace the cable 30 within the guide channel 28. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the flexible cable 30 is concealed within the main frame 11 and is guided around bends by arcuate guide channels 52, as shown in FIG. 3, to have a smooth travel around sharp corners. The electric motor 32 and the portion of the cable which protrudes out of the main frame are concealed within the wall structure surrounding the main frame.
With reference to FIG. 6 there is shown the construction of the cable and the manner in which it is displaced. The flexible cable 30 is comprised of a flexible wire rod 53 which is concealed by a flexible, sound-absorbing, spring support jacket 54 and a flexible spiral spring is disposed about this jacket. A toothed disc gear 55 is secured to the drive shaft 56 of the electric motor and displaces the cable due to its coupling between the circumferential teeth of 57 the gear 55 which are dimensioned and spaced for engagement between the windings 58 of the spiral spring 30, as herein shown.
As shown in FIG. 2 the top rail 18 is also provided with opposed weather seal receiving channels 47 to receive in sliding fit therein the weather seals 48, as illustrated in FIG. 2 and well known in the art. As also shown in FIG. 2, a screen support extrusion 49 is secured to top wall 28 of the L-shape extrusion 25 and provided with a screen retention channel 60 therein to receive a screen 61 for removable securement between the channel 60 and a bottom channel 62 formed in the bottom frame member 11′. Top leaf springs 63 biases the screen frame 61 between the channels 60 and 62 as obvious to a person skilled in the art.
Although this specific embodiment relates to a sliding window pane incorporated into a large window secured to a motorized vehicle adjacent a conductor thereof, it is within the ambit of the present invention to incorporate this sliding window pane in other window structures.
It is with ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications over the preferred embodiment described herein provided such modifications follow within the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070277443
