# US 12,179,562 B2 · Flush window module for a vehicle and method for mounting same

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- Number: US 12,179,562 B2
- Document ID: US12179562B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/619,658
- Filed: 2020-06-12
- Published: 2022-11-10
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-17
- Assignees: Hutchinson
- Applicants: Hutchinson
- Inventors: Sylvain Baratin; Cyril Lajoux
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179562B2

## CPC

- B60J 10/79: for flush-glass windows, i.e. for windows flush with the vehicle body or the window frame
- B60J 1/10: fixedly mounted {(B60J1/085 takes precedence)}
- B60J 1/17: vertically
- B60J 10/77: for sashless windows, i.e. for frameless windows forming a seal directly with the vehicle body
- B60J 10/78: adjacent to corner pieces, mirror supports or quarter windows
- B60R 13/0206: {Arrangements of fasteners and clips specially adapted for attaching inner vehicle liners or mouldings (devices for fastening or securing F16B)}
- B60R 13/0243: {Doors}
- B60R 13/04: {External} Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices {thereon (fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12)}
- B62D 65/06: the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor {(assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45)}
- B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)

## Abstract

A window module (60) for a vehicle, in particular automobile, comprising: a fixed window (22) comprising an internal face (22c) and an external face (22d), a movable window (14) comprising an internal face (14c) and an external face (14d), edges (14b, 22a) of the windows facing one another and defining a clearance (J) between them, and the external faces (14d, 22d) of the windows being substantially aligned, an elongated guide (26) extending along said edges and attached to the internal face (14c) of the movable window (14), an elongated upright (62) extending along said edges and attached to the internal face (22c) of the fixed window (22), and a trim element (70) fitted and attached to the upright, this trim element comprising at least one member (72) for retaining the guide in a housing (L) of the upright.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A window module for a vehicle, in particular an automobile, comprising:
a fixed window comprising an internal face and an external face,
a movable window comprising an internal face and an external face, edges of the windows facing one another and defining a clearance between them, and the external faces of the windows being substantially aligned,
an elongated guide extending along said edges and attached to the internal face of the movable window,
an elongated upright extending along said edges and attached to the internal face of the fixed window, this upright having in cross-section a general U or L shape, one lateral branch of which extends along and facing said clearance, the upright comprising an external face which faces said internal face of said fixed window and/or said internal face of said movable window, said external face of said upright defining at least partly a housing extending along said edges and intended to receive at least one part of the guide, said upright further comprising an internal face opposite said external face, and
a slide joint engaged at least partly in said housing, said slide joint defining a space for receiving said at least one part of the guide,
wherein a trim element is fitted and attached to said internal face of the upright, this trim element having an elongated shape and extending along the upright, this trim element comprising at least one retaining member which projects from said external face of the upright and which passes through an orifice of said slide joint, said at least one retaining member comprising a face for retaining said at least one part of the guide in said housing, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane which is perpendicular to the internal faces of the windows and which passes through said clearance, and
wherein said face of said at least one retaining member extends parallel to the plane and said face abuts against said slide joint.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The window module of claim 1, wherein the trim element comprises a plurality of retaining members distributed along at least one portion of the trim element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The window module of claim 1, wherein said at least one retaining member passes through an opening of said upright.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said at least one retaining member bears on an edge of said upright that extends along the edges of the windows.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said trim element comprises at least one hooking tooth on said upright.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The window module according to claim 5, wherein said at least one retaining member comprises a hooking tooth, which abuts against said external face of the upright.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said face of said at least one retaining member abuts against said at least one part of the guide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said face abuts against a wall of the slide joint engaged at least partly in said housing, and said wall of the slide joint abuts against said at least one part of the guide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The window module of claim 8, wherein said at least one retaining member is engaged in a groove of the slide joint.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said slide joint comprises:
at least one lip which is located at a level of said clearance and which abuts against said edges of the windows.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein the guide comprises at least one internal leg against which the face or a wall of the slide joint is intended to be in abutment.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein the upright extends longitudinally beyond the edge of the fixed window and comprises a part intended to be housed in a casing of a door.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The window module according to claim 12, wherein said part of the upright comprises an external face on which are located further protruding retaining members configured to cooperate with said part of the guide and/or said slide joint.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A vehicle comprising at least one window module according to claim 1.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method for mounting a window module according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
a) mounting the movable window next to the fixed window, and inserting said part of the guide into the housing of the upright, and
b) mounting the trim element on the upright so that the face of said at least one member engages directly or indirectly with the part of the guide.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein it comprises, between the steps a) and b), a step i) of mounting the slide joint in the housing of the upright, the part of the guide being engaged in a space for receiving the slide joint during the step b).

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16, wherein the part of the guide is inserted by a local elastic deformation of the slide joint during the step i).

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16, wherein the upright comprises a part receiving a part of the slide joint and the trim element, and another part receiving another part of the slide joint and intended to extend into a casing of a door.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15, wherein the trim element is attached to the upright by elastic snap-fit.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said slide joint comprises at least one lip in abutment against the internal face of the movable window and at least one lip in abutment against an internal face of the part of the guide.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said upright is made in a non-elastically deformable plastic material and said slide joint is made of an elastically-deformable material.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said upright is attached to the internal face of the fixed window.

### Claim 23 (depends on 9)

The window module according to claim 9, wherein the groove has a U, V or trapezoidal cross-section.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said slide joint comprises at least one lip which is located at the level of said clearance and which is in abutment against said edges of the windows.

### Claim 25 (depends on 11)

The window module according to claim 11, wherein the guide comprises two internal legs aligned and spaced apart from each other and against which the face or the wall of the slide joint is intended to be in abutment.

### Claim 26 (depends on 12)

The window module according to claim 12, wherein said part intended to be housed in the casing of the door comprises at least one leg for attachment to the casing.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The window module according to claim 1, wherein said trim element is an aesthetic trim element and is suitable to be visible by a user of the vehicle.