Slider window assembly with sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9731580-B2
Application number	US-201514920172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes (i) a frame portion having upper and lower rails, (ii) at least one fixed window panel at least partially defining an opening, and (iii) a movable window panel that is movable along the upper and lower rails between a closed position and an opened position. A sensing system is operable to determine when the movable window panel is in the closed position and when the movable window panel is not in the closed position. The sensing system includes a magneto-responsive sensor connected to the frame portion and a magnetic element connected to the movable window panel. When the movable window panel is in the closed position, the sensor detects the the magnetic element. When the sensing system determines that the movable window panel is not in the closed position, an indicator is activated to alert the vehicle driver that the movable window panel is not closed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A slider window assembly for a vehicle, said slider window assembly comprising:
a frame portion having an upper rail and a lower rail;
at least one fixed window panel, said at least one fixed window panel at least partially defining an opening, wherein said upper and lower rails are fixedly attached to an interior surface of said at least one fixed window panel;
a movable window panel that is movable along and between said upper rail and said lower rail, wherein said movable window panel is movable between a closed position, where said movable window panel closes said opening, and an opened position, where said movable window panel is located at least partially away from said opening;
a carrier that receives a lower perimeter edge region of said movable window panel therein, wherein said carrier is received in a channel portion of said lower rail and moves along said channel portion of said lower rail with said movable window panel as said movable window panel is moved between said opened position and said closed position;
wherein said lower rail has an end stop at an end of said channel portion, and wherein said end stop is configured to limit movement of said carrier along said channel portion when said movable window panel is moved to said closed position;
a sensing system operable to determine when the movable window panel is in said closed position and when the movable window panel is not in said closed position, wherein said sensing system comprises (i) a non-contacting magneto-responsive sensor adjacent said end stop at said end of said channel portion of said lower rail and (ii) a magnetic element on an end portion of said carrier, wherein said magnetic element approaches said non-contacting magneto-responsive sensor adjacent said end stop at said end of said channel portion of said lower rail when said movable window panel moves from said open position towards said closed position;
wherein, when said movable window panel is in said closed position, said magneto-responsive sensor detects said magnetic element;
wherein, when said movable window panel is not in said closed position, said magneto-responsive sensor does not detect said magnetic element; and
wherein, when said magneto-responsive sensor does not detect said magnetic element, said sensing system determines that said movable window panel is not in said closed position and generates an indicator activating output signal that causes activation of an indicator in a cabin of the vehicle to alert a driver in the vehicle that the movable window panel is not in said closed position, and wherein the indicator in the cabin of the vehicle is viewable by the driver in the vehicle.

2. The slider window assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sensing system generates a second output signal different than said indicator activating output signal when said sensing system determines that said movable window panel is in said closed position.

3. The slider window assembly of claim 1 , wherein said movable window panel is movable between said opened and closed positions by a cable drive system, and wherein cables of said cable drive system are guided by cable guides, and wherein said end stop comprises one of said cable guides and said magneto-responsive sensor is adjacent said one of said cable guides.

4. The slider window assembly of claim 3 , wherein said magneto-responsive sensor comprises a base portion and a sensor portion, and wherein said base portion is configured to contact said carrier when said movable window panel is moved to said closed position, and wherein, when said movable window panel is in said closed position and said base portion is contacting said carrier, said sensor portion is spaced from said magnetic element on said end portion of said carrier.

5. The slider window assembly of claim 4 , wherein said sensor portion of said magneto-responsive sensor is above said end portion of said carrier when said movable window panel is in said closed position.

6. The slider window assembly of claim 5 , wherein said magneto-responsive sensor and associated circuitry are part of a sensor unit that is adjacent said end stop.

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

8. The slider window assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises a single fixed window panel defining said opening.

9. The slider window assembly of claim 1 , wherein said magneto-responsive sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor.

10. The slider window assembly of claim 1 , wherein said magneto-responsive sensor and associated circuitry are part of a unit, and wherein said unit is at least partially in said end stop at said end of said channel portion of said lower rail.

11. The slider window assembly of claim 10 , wherein said end stop comprises a cable guide at said end of said channel portion of said lower rail.

12. A slider window assembly for a vehicle, said slider window assembly comprising:
a frame portion having an upper rail and a lower rail;
at least one fixed window panel, said at least one fixed window panel at least partially defining an opening, wherein said upper and lower rails are fixedly attached to an interior surface of said at least one fixed window panel;
a movable window panel that is movable along said upper rail and said lower rail, wherein a lower portion of said movable window panel is partially received in a carrier that is movably received in a channel portion of said lower rail, wherein said movable window panel is movable between a closed position, where said movable window panel is closes said opening, and an opened position, where said movable window panel is located at least partially away from said opening;
wherein said movable window panel is movable between said opened and closed positions by a cable drive system, and wherein cables of said cable drive system are guided by cable guides at opposite ends of said channel portion of said lower rail;
a sensing system operable to determine when the movable window panel is in said closed position and when the movable window panel is not in said closed position, wherein said sensing system comprises (i) a non-contacting magneto-responsive sensor adjacent one of said cable guides and (ii) a magnetic element on an end portion of said carrier of said movable window panel, said magnetic element approaches said non-contacting magneto-responsive sensor at said one of said cable guides when said movable window panel moves from said opened position towards said closed position;
wherein said carrier comprises a cable receiving portion at said end portion of said carrier and wherein said magnetic element is disposed above said cable receiving portion;
wherein, when said movable window panel is in said closed position, said magneto-responsive sensor is positioned at least partially above said cable receiving portion and said magneto-responsive sensor detects said magnetic element;
wherein, when said movable window panel is not in said closed position, said magneto-responsive sensor does not detect said magnetic element; and
wherein, when said magneto-responsive sensor does not detect said magnetic element, said sensing system determines that said movable window panel is not in said closed position and generates an indicator activating output signal that causes activation of an indicator in a cabin of the vehicle to alert a driver in the vehicle that the movable window panel is not in said closed position, and wherein the indicator in the cabin of the vehicle is viewable by the driver of

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• Snider Darin J
• Young Qi Xiao

Classifications

• E05Y2900/55

  Windows · CPC title

• G01V3/08

  operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12) · CPC title

• E05F15/60

  using electrical actuators · CPC title

• G01R33/07

  Hall effect devices · CPC title

• E05F15/643

  operated by flexible elongated pulling elements, e.g. belts, chains or cables (by flexible elongated push-pull mechanisms E05F15/635) · CPC title