Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
=.
. .
WINDOW PANEL ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF TIlE INVEIVTION
The present invention relates to improvements to window panels.
2: DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Automobile window panels tiave become inereasingly complex in necent years as
they become mote
-integrated into the structure and function of the' vehicle. The rear. hatch
pa.nel of a"hateh back" type
vehicle is usually provided with a defrost circuit, which means that it must
be supplied with power.
Usually this is done by a separate cable which is anchored to vehicle
structure adjacent the window.
However, this arrangement is problematic since the wire can become damaged or
dislodged during use.
SUMMARY OF TBE dNV$NTION
In one of its aspects, there is provided a nioulded window panel assembly
comprising a window patte
portion having a peripheral region, a periptieral support portion moulded onto
the peripheral region, the
peripheral supportportion including at least one internal passage, the
urternal passage extending along the
peripheral region from an entry location for delivering a supply of power
and/or fluid to a delivery
location.
=
. =
In some embodiments, the at least one internal passage contains at least one
power cable.
. .
In some embodiments, the power cable substantially fills the passage.
1
HON-WFJCDA -
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
In some embodiments, the peripheral support portion has at least one
intermediate support portion and a
conduit portion engaged with the interrnediate support portion and containing
the internal passage.
= In some embodiments, the intermediate support portion incfudes a chaanel
section having pair of spaced
locating tlanges, for engaging opposite sides of the window pane portion.
In some embodimeats, the spaced locating flanges extend from a body, the body
containing the internal
passage-
. i 0 In some embodiments, the window pane portion has a peripheral edge and
fiuther comprises an adliesive
layer located on the body between the spaced locating flanges, the adhesive
isYer atianged to form a bond
..between the body and the peripheral edge.
In some embodiments, the window pane portion has a peripheral edge and the
spaced locating flanges
extend from abody, the body having an inner sm=face which is spaced from the
peripheral edge to form an
internal cavity to contain the at least one internal passage.
Some embodimeats provide a power cable located in the internal cavity or in
the intetnal passage.
Some embodiments provide a plurality of conduit portions, each being engaged
with the intermediate
support portion.
In some embodiments, the plurality of conduit portions inchbdes one or more
power cables and/or one or
more fluid pipes.
In another of its aspects, the present invention provides a moulded window
panel assembly comprising a
window pane portipn baving a peripheral rcgion, a peripheral support portion
moulded onto the peripheral
region, the peripheral support portion including one or more intental passages
and a powered acxessory unit
HON-WFJCDA 2
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
- _ -
. , .
niounted adjacent the PaiFberal region, one of the internal Fassa$es inc a
power cable for supplying lud'mg
power to the powered accessory unit.
. .
In some embodiments, the powered accessory unit is a window wiper unit.
In sti41 another of its aspects, there is provided a method of fonning a
moulded window panel assembly
comprising the steps of providing a window pane portion having a peripheral
region, locating the window
pane portion in a mould with a mould cavity adjacent the peripberal region,
locating in the mould cavity
one or more than one conduit portion, arrabging the conduit portion at the
mould cavity so as to exbend
firomt a-eatry location on a resutting moulded window panel assembly for
delivering a supply of power
andlor fluid to a region adjacent a delfveTy location thereon, delivering a
flowable moulding material into
the mould cavity to form a peripheral support portion on at least a portion of
the peripheral region and to
contain the at least one condtiit portion, and withdrawing the window pane
poition, from the mould.
Some embodiments provide the step of installing at least one power cable,
fluid hose, antentm, and/or
reinforcing cable in the conduit portion.
f = .
In some embodiments, the power eable substantially fills the conduitportion.
Some embodiments provide=the step of locating atleast one intermediate support
portion in the peripheral
region of the window pane portion within the cavity and engaging the oonduit
portion with the intermediate
support portion.
. =
Some embodiments provide the steps of providing the intermediate support
portion with a channel section
having pair of spaced locatiag flanges, and engaging each locating flange:with
a corresponding side of the
. window pane portion.
f _ . . . _
Some embodiments provide the step of forming the intermediate support portion
with a body having at
. =
3
HON-WFJCDA
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
=
=
least one iatermal passage therein.
Some embodiments provide the steps of applying an adhesive layer on the body
between the spaced
locating flanges, so that the adhesive layer forms a bond between the body and
a pariphera] edge of the
whidow pane portion.
Some embodiments provide ihe steps of forming the intermediate support portion
with a body, applying an
adhesive layer on the body between the spaced locating flanges, so that the
adhesive layer forms a bond
between the body and a peripheral edge of the window pane portion, and
arranging the body with an inner
surface which is spaced from the periphetal edge'to form an internal cavity to
contain the at least one
intetnal conduit portion. = =
' =
Some embodiments provide the step of placing a power cable in the cavity.
Some embodiments provide the step of locating a plurality of conduit portions
in the cavity.
In some embodiments, the plurality of conduit portions includes one or more
power cables and/or one or
more fluid pipes.
In yet another of its aspects, there is provided a moulded window panel
assembly cornprising a window
pane means having a peripheral region, peripheral support means moulded onto
the peripheral region, the
peripheral support means includ'mgat least one inbernai passage means, the
internal passage means
extending along the peripheral region from an entry location for delivering
a..supply of power andlor fluid
to a delivery location.
In yet another of its aspects, there is provided a method of forming a moulded
window panel assembly
comprising a step for providing a window pane portion baving a peripheral
region, a step for locating the
window pane portion in a mould with a mould cavity adjacent the peripheral
region, a step for locating in
the mould cavity one or more than one conduit portion, a atep for arranging
the conduit portion in the
4
HON-WFJCDA
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
. , !
mould cavity so as to extend from a entry location on a resulting moulded
window.panel assembh for
delivering a supply of powor and/dr fluid to a region adjacent a delivery
location thereon, a step for
delivering a flowable moulding material into the mould cavity to form a
peripheral support portioii on at
least a portion of the peripheral=region and to contain the at least
onecondttit pvrtion, and a step for
withdrawing the window pane portion from the mould.
. .i
In yet another of its aspects, there is provided a moulded window panel
assembly comprising a window
pane portion having a peripheral region, an inner moulded strip extending
along the peripheral region, the
inner moulded strip including s conduit portion, the conduit portion
containing an intennal passage, the
intemal passage extending along the peripheral regiori from an entry location
to a delivery location for
delivering a supply of power andlor fluid to the delivery location, the inner
moulded strip including an
elongate channel section having a pair of spaced elongate locating flanges for
engaging opposite sides of
the peripheral region, and an outer periplieral support portion moulded onto
the inner moulded strip and
the peripheral region.
= '
In yet another of its aspects, there is provided a moulded window panei
assembly comprising a window
pane portion having a peripheral region, an inner moulded strip extending
along the peripheral region, the
inner moulded strip including a conduit portion, the conduit portion
coritaining at least one internal
passage, the internal passage extending along the peripheral region &om an
entry location to a delivery
location for delivering a supply of power and/or fluid thereto , the inner
moulded strip including an
_ .
elongate channel section having pair of spaced elongate locating flanges for
engaging opposite sides of the
peripheral region, an outer peripheral support portion moulded onto the inner
moulded strip and the
peripheral region, and a powered accessory unit mounted adjacent the
peripherat region, the at least one
internal passage including atleastone power cable for supplying power to the
powered accessory unit.
In yet another of its aspects, there is provided a method of forming amoulded
window panel assembly
= =
comprising the steps of providing a window pane portion having a peripheral
region, locating on the
=
peripheral region an inner moulcled strip to extend along the peripheral
region, the inner. moulded strip
HON-WFlCI)A
: . .
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
including a conduit portion containing at least ame internal passage, the
intenal passage to extend along
the peripheral region from an entry location to a delivery location for
delivering a supply of power andtor
fluid theteto, locating the window pane portion in a mould with a mould cavity
adjacent the peripheral
region delivering a flowable moulding material into the mould cavity to form
an outer peripheral support {
{
portion on at least a portion of the peripheral region and to contain tbe
inner moulded strip, and
withdrawing the window pane portion from'the mould.
BRIEF DESCRIPTTON OF THB DRAWINGS
Sevecal preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described;
by way of exarnple only,
with reference to the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective assembly view of a window panel assembly;
Figure la is an end view of a window panel assembly in an operative
orientation in a vehicle;
Figures lb, lc and id are front views of alternative window panel assembliea;
Figure 2 is a magnified fragmentary perspective view of a portion ofthe
assembly of figure 1;
Figtue 3 is a plan view of the assembly of figw+e 1;
Figures 4 through 8 are magnified fiagmentary perspective views of
altetnatives to the portion of the
assembly shown in figure 2;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional scbematic view of a method to fornm the
wiiidow panel assembly of
figure l; and
6
f3ON-WEJCDA
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternative to the method
shown in Sgure 9.
DESCRIP7ION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
. . . '
Figures 1 to 3 show a moulded window panel assembly 10 having a window pane
portion 12 with a
. ..._ = _ = ,
peripheral region 14 and a peripheral edge 16. The window pane portion 12 has
a number of passages 12a
for hinge, travel control and latch niechanisms for mounting the moulded
window panel assembly in the
tailgate of a passenger vehicle, for example as shown in figure Ia. A
pi;ripheral support portion 18 is
pioulded onto the poripheral region 14. Of eourse, the peripheral support
portion 18 may extend along
subsfantially tho entire peripheral region 14, of the window pane portion 12,
as desired The peripheral
support portion 18 includes at least one intemal passage, in this case two
interna[ passages.20, which
extend along the peripheral region 14 from an entry location shown at 22.for
delivering a supply of power
and/or fluid to a delivery locatlon shown at 24. A cover plate 24a is shown
for covering the delivery
locatlon following installation.
15.
In this case, the mouMed wlndow panel assembly 10 has a second entry location
shown at 26. This may be
~ ' = -
desirable to deliver more than one supply of power or fluid to the delivery
location 24. There may, of
course, be more than one delivery location 24; if desired. The delivery
location is provided for the
window wiper unit, whife a seoond delivery location may be provided for
another power or fluid
consuming device, such as a brake light. As can be seen, the moulded.window
panel assembly 10 is a rear
window of a vehicle, such as a sport utility as shown in figure Ia,, though
other embodiments may involve
window panel assemblies for other applications, such as all terrain vehicles,
motorcycles and water craft as
shown in figtves,at 10b, l0e and IOd in figures lb, lc and ld tEspeatively, as
well as windows for
residential and commercial buildings, for instance. Furthermore, tl4e window
pane portion may be made of
polymeric materials other than glass, such as those known in the trade as
LEXAN and PLEXIC3LAS5, as
well as laminates of glass, plastic and other materials, among others.
Refaring to figure 2, the 'internal passages 20 contain at least one
power.cable 28 and it can be seen that
7
HON-WfilCDA . .
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
the power cable substantially fills the ititernal passage 20, though the power
cable 28 may not fill the entire
internal passage 20 but rather may simply be loosely contained therein.
Alternatively, the power cable may
essentially form the passage. In this case; the conduit portion may be
provided by an outer slcin 28a of the
power cable 28. In'figare 3, the power cables 28 are joined to a common
connector plug 28b to connect
with the window wiper unit (not shown).
=
Referring to figure 2, the moulded window panel assembly 10 has an
intermediate support portion 30, or
otherwise known as a pre-fom strip with a oonduit portion 32 containing the
internal passages 20.
Rafierring to the example shown in 8gure. 5, the intermediate support portion
30 inchuies a ohannel section
34 having pair of spaced locating flanges 36 extending from a body 38. The
spaced locating flanges 36
engage opposite sides of the window pane portion 12, along its periphery as
seen in figare 2, though other
configurations for the intermediate support portion 30 may also be employed as
desired. In figures l to 3,
the body 38 contains the intemal passages 20, though the passage may be formed
adjacent the body 38, if
desired.
Referring to figure 2, an adhesive layer 40 is located on the body 38 between
the spaced locating flanges 36
and the adhesive layer 40 is an-anged to forma bond between the body 38 and
the peripheral edge 16. The
adhesive layer 40 may be made of a maberial known by the tradename MYLAR or
other such materials
capable of withshanding the temperattn=es encountered during a plastic
moulding process. If desired, the
adhesive lay6r may be applied on one or both of'dbe spaced tocating flanges 36
and/or the inner surfaee 38a
of the body 38. The adhesive layer 40 may be applied either continuously or at
regular or irregular spaced
intervals along the length of the body 38. Alternatively, the intertnediate
support portion 30 may be formed
to establish a relatively snug friction, fit when the intermediate support
portion 30 is app6ed to the window
pane portion 12. ,
.25
!n one variation as shown in figure 4, the body 38 has an inner surface 38a
which is spaced from the
peripheral edge 16 to form an intemal cavity 42 to contain the intemal
passages. A power cable may thus
be located in the internal cavity 42 or in the internal passages or both, as
desired.
8
HON-WFJCDA
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
. = t
. '
Refecring to figures 6 and 8, the conduit pqrtiort 32 may, if desired, be
integrally formed with the
qttermediate support portion 30 to contain one or more power cables 28 as
sbown in figure 6, or one or
moro power cables 28 and/or one more t]uid pipes 46 as shown in figure S. 5 .
Tho moulded window panel assembly 10 may be formed by a number of methods,
including by an ipjection
moulding (or also known as encapsulation) teclmique, as represenbed 'm figure
9. In one example, the
inLermediate support portion 30 is, in advance, moulded with two power cables
28 in situ. An adhesive
layer 40 is applied to the inner surfacx 3 ga of the body 38 and the lattsr is
applied to the peripheral region
14 of the window pane portion 12.
With the intermediate support portion in place, tlie window pane portion 12 is
plaoed in a mould, two
mating dies of which are shown at 50, with a mould cavity 52 which is oriented
to be adjacent the
peripheral region 14.
. ' .
With the window pane portion and the conduit portion in place, a flowable
moulding material is delivered
to the mould cavity under conditions suffieient to form a peripheral support
portion on at least a portion of
tbeperipheral ragion and to contain the at least one conduit portion. Aller a
suitable setting period, the
window panel assembly 10 may then be withdrawn from the mould cavity 52..
If desired, anzngements may be used to protect the power cables 28 and to,seal
the mould in the region of
the delivery location 24 during the moulding process. For instance, as'shown
in figure 10, a prefonaned
block 54 may be diinensioned to match the dimensions of the delivery location
24 and be provided with an
inner cavity 54a to receive the power cables 28: In this particular exatnple,
the mould cavity 52 is enlarged
at 52a to acoomn-odate the preformed block 54. Attaaatively, the preforroed
block 54 may be shaped to fit
in the mould cavity 52 with the need for an enlargement.
. .
While the window paml assembly 10 makes use of an intetmediate support
portion, it will be understood
HON-WSlCDA
, .
CA 02512356 2008-05-02
. ,
that other arrangcments may be used to position in the conduits in position in
the=mould cavity. For
instance, the cond , iit may be fastened directly to the peripheral edge 16 of
the window, such as by the use
of glues or adhesi%e materials, clips or other fasteners or the like.
Whilethe present nvention has been deseribed for wbat are presently considered
the prefeired
' embodiments, the invention is not so limited. To the contrary, the invention
is intended to cover various
niodifications and equivalent arrangements incltsded within the spirit sad
scope of the appended claims.
The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretadon
so as to encompass all such
awdifications and oquivalent structures and functions.
la.
Thus, the window panel assembly 10 provides a peripheral support portion which
is formed on a window
pane andw6ich provides for one or more passages therein for such things as
power cables or fluid hoses,
radio or other communications antetmae or otheC vehicle or other accessories
which may be suitably located
in such an internal passage, and/or strengthening members such as reinfor+cing
cable, suth as gtass or steel
fibres aud the like
HON-WElCDA
