Sealing system for movable window of rear window assembly

#The present invention relates to a slider window assembly for a vehicle and, more particularly, a rear slider window assembly for a vehicle and, more particularly, a rear slider window assembly for a pickup truck or the like.

#It is known to provide a slider window assembly for an opening of a vehicle, such as a rear slider window assembly for a rear opening of a pickup truck. Conventional slider window assemblies for rear openings of trucks or the like typically include two or more panels, such as one or two fixed window panels and a slidable window panel. The slidable window panel is supported by rails and may be moved along the rails to open and close the window. The slidable window panel may be manually moved or may be driven or moved by a cable drive system.

#The present invention provides a rear slider window assembly that has a unitarily formed perimeter seal for sealing the movable window panel relative to the fixed window panels when the movable window panel is closed. The perimeter seal comprises elongated sealing portions with corner sealing tabs or lips molded or formed at the ends of respective elongated sealing portions.

#FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a pickup truck having a rear slider window assembly in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear slider window assembly having a window seal of the present invention;

#FIG. 3 is an inside plan view of the rear slider window assembly of FIG. 2;

#Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a rear slider window assembly 10 of a vehicle 12 (such as a pickup truck or the like) includes a fixed window panel 16 (or a pair of side fixed window panels or fixed window panel portions) having an opening 18 established therethrough, and a movable window panel 20 that is movable relative to a frame or rails 22, 24 and fixed window panel 16 between an opened position and a closed position (FIGS. 1-3). The rails include an upper rail 22 and a lower rail 24, with the upper and lower edge regions of movable window panel 20 (FIG. 1) movably or slidably received in and along the respective upper and lower rails 22, 24. The window assembly 10 includes a perimeter seal 26 disposed at the fixed window panels and around window opening or aperture 18 established between the side panel portions of the fixed panel 16. When the movable window panel is closed, the perimeter seal 26 seals against a perimeter region of the surface of the movable window panel that faces the fixed window panel. The perimeter seal comprises a continuous seal having corner regions that include an integral sealing lip at the corner of at least the upper and lower ends of one of the vertical sealing portions (at the latch side of the movable window panel), as discussed below.

#In the illustrated embodiment, the window assembly may comprise two fixed window panels or panel portions that are spaced apart so as to define an opening therebetween (and with upper and lower appliqués or trim or filler panels or elements 19a, 19b disposed at the upper and lower regions of the opening and between the fixed window panels). Optionally, the window assembly may comprise a hole-in-glass window configuration, where the single fixed glass panel has an aperture or hole or opening established therethrough to define separate spaced apart fixed window panels or panel portions. The window assembly may utilize aspects of the window assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,915,018 and/or 8,881,458, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2003-0213179, and/or such as in RE41502, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The perimeter seal may utilize aspects of the sealing systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,475,364, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

#Upper and lower rails 22, 24 may comprise any suitable channel or rail element configured to slidably receive an upper or lower edge portion of the movable window panel. Slider or movable window panel 20 is movable along lower rail 24 and upper rail 22 of frame portion 14 to open and close the aperture or opening, such as in a manner similar to known slider window assemblies. The movable window panel 20 may include or may be disposed at a lower carrier, which may receive the lower perimeter edge region of the slider window panel 20 therein and is slidably or movably received in the channel portion of the lower rail 24 of frame portion 14. The rails and window assembly may utilize aspects of the rails and window assemblies described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/352,799, filed Nov. 16, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.