Actuatable sliding panel assembly; retrofit kit and method for retrofitting a sliding panel for mechanically assisted movement between open and closed positions

A kit for mechanically assisting movement of a slidable panel of a panel assembly between open and closed positions, comprising:

• an elongate driven rail configured for attachment to the slidable panel, said elongate driven rail extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends, with said longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to a direction of travel of said slidable panel upon being attached to said slidable panel, said elongate driven rail having an H-shaped region as viewed in cross-section, a fixation channel being formed on one side of said H-shaped region, said fixation channel being configured to receive a free edge of said slidable panel therein, and a slide channel being formed on an opposite side of said H-shaped region, said slide channel being configured to facilitate sliding movement of said slidable panel along the direction of travel, said elongate driven rail having a driven surface extending laterally outwardly in cantilevered fashion from an upstanding leg of said H-shaped region;
• a rotatable drive member configured to be disposed beneath said driven surface for operable engagement with said driven surface to drive said elongate driven rail and said slidable panel along the direction of travel between open and closed positions;
• a motor operably attached to said rotatable drive member, said motor being selectively actuatable to rotate said rotatable drive member in opposite directions to drive said slidable panel along the direction of travel between open and closed positions;
• and
• a clutch assembly operably connecting an output shaft of said motor to said drive member, said clutch assembly being selectively adjustable to regulate the torque applied by said output shaft to said drive member.

A method of retrofitting a slidable panel of a panel assembly having a manually actuated sliding movement to mechanically assisted, actuatable sliding movement, comprising:

• fixing an elongate driven rail to the slidable panel with said elongate driven rail extending substantially parallel to a direction of travel of the slidable panel, said elongate driven rail having an H-shaped region as viewed in cross-section with a fixation channel being on one side of the H-shaped region, with the slidable panel being fixed in the fixation channel, and a slide channel being on an opposite side of the H-shaped region, said elongate driven rail having a driven surface cantilevered laterally outwardly from an upstanding leg of the H-shaped region, the driven surface being formed as a monolithic piece of material with the H-shaped region;
• and
• disposing a rotatable drive member beneath the driven surface in operable engagement with the driven surface of the elongate driven rail;
• and
• operably coupling a motor to the rotatable drive member and configuring the motor for selective actuation to rotate the rotatable drive member in opposite directions to drive the slidable panel between open and closed positions.