Heated sliding window assembly

Abstract

A heated sliding window assembly includes at least one fixed window. A rail is attached to the fixed window. A sliding window is moveable along the rail between open and closed positions. The sliding window includes a heater grid and an electrical contact. A conductive member is attached to the at least one fixed window. The conductive member provides electrical coupling between the conductive member and the electrical contact through the entire movement range of the sliding window between the open and closed positions for providing current to the heater grid.

Claims

1. A heated sliding window assembly comprising: at least one fixed window positioned on a back of a vehicle; a rail attached to the fixed window; a sliding window positioned on the back of the vehicle, the sliding window moveable along the rail between open and closed positions, the sliding window including a first heater grid directly attached to a glass of the sliding window and electrical contacts attached to the sliding window; the at least one fixed window includes a second heater grid attached thereto; electrically conductive members mounted on the at least one fixed window, the conductive members providing sliding electrical couplings with the electrical contacts by physically slidingly engaging the sliding window electrical contacts through the entire movement range of the sliding window between the open and closed positions for providing current to the first heater grid and providing current to the second heater grid.

2. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 1 wherein the first heater grid and the second heater grid are connected in series.

3. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 1 including a frame the rail and the at least one fixed window attached to the frame.

4. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 1 including a guide bracket positioned in a channel formed in the rail, the guide bracket having a slot formed therein, the slot receiving the sliding window.

5. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 1 wherein the conductive members comprise a pair of spaced apart metal strips.

6. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 5 wherein the electrical contacts comprise a pair of leads attached to the sliding window, the pair of leads aligned with and contacting the pair of spaced apart metal strips.

7. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 6 wherein the pair of leads are electrically connected to the first heater grid.

8. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 7 wherein the pair of spaced apart metal strips are electrically connected to the second heater grid.

9. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 1 including a cover attached to the sliding window and protecting the electrical contacts.

10. A heated sliding window assembly comprising: at least one fixed window positioned on a back of a vehicle; a sliding window positioned on the back of the vehicle, the sliding window moveable relative to the fixed window between open and closed positions, the sliding window including a first heater grid directly attached to a glass of the sliding window; the at least one fixed window includes a second heater grid attached thereto; electrically conductive members mounted on the at least one fixed window, the conductive members slidingly electrically physically coupling to attached to the sliding window by physically slidingly engaging the electrical contacts through the entire movement range of the sliding window between the open and closed positions for providing current to the first heater grid and providing current to the second heater grid.

11. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 10 wherein the first heater grid and the second heater grid are connected in series.

12. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 11 wherein the conductive members comprise a pair of spaced apart metal strips.

13. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 12 wherein the electrical contacts comprise a pair of leads attached to the sliding window, the pair of leads aligned with and contacting the pair of spaced apart metal strips.

14. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 13 wherein the pair of leads are electrically connected to the first heater grid and wherein the pair of spaced apart metal strips are electrically connected to the second heater grid.

15. The heated sliding window assembly of claim 13 including a cover attached to the sliding window and protecting the electrical contacts.

16. A heated sliding window assembly comprising: at least one fixed window positioned on a back of a vehicle; a sliding window positioned on the back of the vehicle, the sliding window moveable relative to the fixed window, the sliding window moveable between open and closed positions, the sliding window including a first heater grid directly attached to a glass of the sliding window; the at least one fixed window including a second heater grid directly attached to a glass of the at least one fixed window; electrically conductive members mounted on the at least one fixed window, the conductive members physically coupled to sliding window electrical contacts attached to the sliding window, the conductive members slidingly electrically coupling the sliding window and the at least one fixed window by physically slidingly engaging the electrical contacts through the entire movement range of the sliding window between the open and closed positions for providing current to the first heater grid and the second heater grid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a heated sliding window assembly;

(2) FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a heated sliding window assembly including an electrical contact and a conductive member; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 detailing the fixed and sliding windows as well as the electrical contact and conductive member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a heated sliding window assembly 5. The heated sliding window assembly 5 may include horizontal and vertical applications and may be utilized in various positions on a vehicle. The following detailed description of various embodiments will be given with reference to a heated sliding window assembly 5 positioned in an opening in a back of a motor vehicle. It is to be understood that various other orientations and movements may also be utilized.

(5) The heated sliding window assembly 5 may include a rail 10 that is attached to the vehicle. The rail 10 may include a channel 12 formed therein. The rail 10 may be attached to either an upper or lower portion of a window frame 14 with the rail 10 depicted on the lower portion of a window frame in FIGS. 1-3. The heated sliding window assembly 5 may also include at least one fixed window 16 that is affixed to the vehicle. A sliding window 18 is moveable along the rail 10 between open and closed positions. The sliding window 18 may include a heater grid 20 and an electrical contact 22. A conductive member 24 electrically couples the sliding window 18 through the entire movement range of the sliding window 18 between the open and closed positions for providing current to the heater grid 20.

(6) In one aspect, the at least one fixed window 16 may include a second heater grid 26 in conjunction with the heater grid 20 on the sliding window 18. In one aspect, the heater grid 20 and the second heater grid 26 may be connected in series.

(7) Referring to FIG. 3, the heated sliding window assembly 5 may include a guide bracket 28 that is positioned in the channel 12 formed in the rail 10. The guide bracket 28 may include a slot 30 formed therein that receives the sliding window 18. In this manner, the guide bracket 28 may provide stability for lateral movement of the sliding window 18 within the rail 10.

(8) As stated above, various drive mechanisms may be attached to the sliding window 18 for moving the sliding window 18 between the open and closed positions. For example, drive mechanisms including a pull drive system having cables that apply a pulling force to the sliding window 18 in opposing directions may be utilized. Additionally, various other drive mechanisms such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,769; U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,922; U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,611; U.S. Pat. No. 7,437,852 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,617 provide various examples of power sliding window assemblies the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

(9) Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the conductive member 24 may be attached to the at least one fixed window 16. However, it should be realized that the conductive member 24 may be positioned in alternate locations such as on a frame of the window assembly, within a rail of the window assembly, or the conductive member 24 may be positioned on the sliding window 18 as opposed to the at least one fixed window 16 with corresponding contacts on the at least one fixed window 16. It should be realized that the conductive member 24 may be positioned in various locations to provide electrical coupling between the conductive member 24 and the sliding window 18. In one aspect, the conductive member 24 may include a non-conductive substrate 32 that has a pair of spaced metal strips 34 mounted on the fixed window. The electrical contact 22 of the sliding window 18 may include a pair of leads 36 that are attached to the sliding window 18. The pair of leads 36 may be aligned with the pair of spaced metal strips 34 and contact the spaced metal strips 34 of the conductive member 24. In one aspect, the pair of leads 36 may be electrically connected to the heater grid 20 and the pair of spaced metal strips 34 may also be electrically connected to the second heater grid 26. In this manner, the leads 36 may be soldered or otherwise attached to a portion of the sliding window 18 such that the leads 36 provide electrical connection with the heater grid 20. Additionally, the pair of spaced metal strips 34 may include a portion that is adapted to connect to a bus or other portion of a fixed window 16 such that they are electrically connected to the second heater grid 26.

(10) In one aspect, the heated sliding window 18 assembly may include a cover 38 that is attached to the sliding window 18 that protects the electrical contact 22. The cover 38 may be formed of various materials including plastics and other non-conductive materials. In one aspect, the cover 38 may move in conjunction with the sliding window 18 assembly to provide protection for the electrical contact 22 on the sliding window 18.

(11) In use, the sliding window 18 of the heated sliding window assembly 5 may be moved along the rail 10 between open and closed positions. As the sliding window 18 moves between the closed and open positions the electrical contact 22 of the sliding window 18 is in abutment with the conductive member 24. In this manner, an electrical coupling between the electrical contact 22 and conductive member 24 allows current to pass through an electrical circuit that includes the heater grid 20 of the sliding window 18 and the second heater grid 26 of the at least one fixed window 16. As the sliding window 18 is moved between the open and closed positions, contact is maintained throughout the movement to provide current to the heater grid 20 of the sliding window 18 as well as complete the circuit including the heater grid 20 of the sliding window 18 and the second heater grid 26 of the at least one fixed window 16. In this manner, the electrical circuit may provide continuous current to various portions of the heated sliding window assembly 5. Additionally, other elements included in connection with the heated sliding window assembly 5 may maintain continuity in the circuit upon movement of the sliding window 18. In this manner, a continuous circuit may be provided linking a ground to a source of power for various components included in the electrical circuit.