Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Window or window sash – sill – mullion – or glazing – Panel or panel edging – directly clamped or adhered to wall
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-28
2001-11-27
Stephan, Beth A. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Window or window sash, sill, mullion, or glazing
Panel or panel edging, directly clamped or adhered to wall
C296S191000, C296S216060, C428S014000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321495
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window device for use in a motor vehicle, in particular, to a window device for use as a sunroof in a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a long time, it has been known that a window device for use as a sunroof in a motor vehicle is made of a polymethyl methacrylate resin or a polycarbonate resin, since this kind of material has only a very small specific gravity and thus it is considered suitable for use as an appropriate material of a light transmissible member for manufacturing a light weight motor vehicle. In a case where a window of a motor vehicle is made of a synthetic resin, since a synthetic resin has a lower elastic modulus than a glass material, the resin material is usually combined with an iron or aluminum reinforcing material along the edge portions of the window so as to obtain a desired reinforcement to prevent a possible bending or twisting.
However, there has been a problem with a window made of a synthetic resin. That is, a resin window panel has a comparatively large deformation amount caused by a thermal expansion due to a temperature change. In fact, such kind of thermal deformation amount is larger than an iron or aluminum material which is usually employed to make a reinforcing member in a window. To cope with the above problem, it has been suggested that a resin window panel be laterally movably combined with reinforcing members which are to be secured on the vehicle main body, so as to form a thermal expansion absorbing structure which is cable of absorbing a thermal expansion caused by a temperature change. This kind of thermal expansion absorbing structure may, for example, be found in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-214011.
FIG. 18
is a cross sectional view indicating the above mentioned thermal expansion absorbing structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-214011. As shown in
FIG. 18
, tip portions
103
of a plurality of projections
102
located close to the outer edge of a resin window panel
101
, are inserted in holes
105
formed through a reinforcing plate member
104
, by making use of an elastic deflectable property of the resin material. Further, a sponge rubber
106
, which is capable of absorbing a length change caused due to a thermal expansion of the resin window, is interposed into an annular space formed between the outer periphery of each projection
102
and the inner wall of a hole
105
.
However, if a sunroof of a motor vehicle is made of a synthetic resin, and if the motor vehicle is running at a high speed, there will be a relatively large detaching force which acts on the resin window panel, resulting in a tendency to cause the resin window panel to leave its original position. In order to avoid such trouble, a combining strength of the resin window panel which is useful in combining itself with a reinforcing member, is required to be large enough to act against the above detaching force.
Nevertheless, a problem with the thermal expansion absorbing structure disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-214011 may be concluded as follows. Namely, since the tip portions
103
of the projections
102
of a resin window panel
101
are inserted in the holes
105
of a reinforcing plate member
104
by making use of an elastic deflectable property of the resin material, a comparatively large inserting force is needed to effect such an insertion if an engaging amount for the combination of the two (the projection
102
and the hole
105
) is large. Moreover, if a large force is used to act as an inserting force, there will occur a crack or breaking in the tip portions
103
of the projections
102
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above discussed problems associated with the above mentioned prior arts, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved window device for use in a motor vehicle, in which an inserting force for inserting protruded engaging members into corresponding engaging holes is allowed to be greatly reduced on one hand, and a detaching force tending to cause a resin window panel to leave its original installation position may be overcome on the other.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a window device for use in a motor vehicle, comprising: a resin window panel having at least one pair of rib members protrudingly formed on the inner surface thereof, said pair of rib members being facing each other with each having an outwardly facing tip portion; and a reinforcing member having at least one engaging hole corresponding to the at least one pair of rib members. The resin window panel and the reinforcing member may be combined with each other by inserting tip portions of the at least one pair of rib members into the at least one engaging hole of the reinforcing member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is further provided another window device for use in a motor vehicle, comprising: a reinforcing member having at least one engaging hole; a resin window panel having at least one protruded engaging portion formed on its inner surface for freely inserting into a corresponding engaging hole of the reinforcing member, and an insertion amount restricting portion which is adapted to engage on the reinforcing member so as to restrict an insertion amount of the above protruded engaging portion; and an engaging head formed by calk-treating the front end of the above protruded engaging portion after being inserted in an engaging hole, said engaging head being adapted to retain a metal piece on the edge of the engaging hole.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5698276 (1997-12-01), Mirabitur
patent: 5702779 (1997-12-01), Siebelink, Jr. et al.
patent: 57-29414 (1982-02-01), None
patent: 62-214011 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 62-199525 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 6-106976 (1994-04-01), None
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki
Stephan Beth A.
Woodcock & Washburn LLP
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