Truck windows

1 . A heavy-duty truck, comprising:

a cabin;

a window having an upper edge region and a lower edge region;

at least one hinge that rotatably couples the upper edge region of the window to the cabin to move between a closed position and an open position; and

at least one motor-driven actuator coupled to the lower edge region of the window such that actuation of the motor-driven actuator in a first direction moves the lower edge region of the window away from the cabin, thereby opening the window to the open position, and actuation of the motor-driven actuator in a second direction opposite to the first direction moves the lower edge region of the window toward the cabin, thereby closing the window to the closed position,

wherein the motor-driven actuator includes an output shaft that extends along a substantially vertical axis, and an arm that extends substantially horizontally from the output shaft to the lower edge region of the window.

2 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 1 wherein the hinge rotatably couples the upper edge region of the window to a window frame secured to a window opening of the cabin.

3 . A heavy-duty truck, comprising:

a cabin;

a window having an upper edge region and a lower edge region;

at least one hinge that rotatably couples the upper edge region of the window to the cabin to move between a closed position and an open position; and

at least one motor-driven actuator coupled to the lower edge region of the window such that actuation of the motor-driven actuator in a first direction moves the lower edge region of the window away from the cabin, thereby opening the window to the open position, and actuation of the motor-driven actuator in a second direction opposite to the first direction moves the lower edge region of the window toward the cabin, thereby closing the window to the closed position,

wherein the at least one hinge comprises a pair of hinges that rotatably couple the upper edge region to the window to the cabin, and wherein the at least one motor-driven actuator comprises a pair of motor-driven actuators that are coupled to the lower edge of the window such that actuation of the pair of motor-driven actuators in a first direction moves the lower edge region of the window away from the cabin, thereby opening the window to the open position, and actuation of the pair of motor-driven actuators in a second direction opposite to the first direction moves the lower edge region of the window toward the cabin, thereby closing the window to the closed position.

4 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 1 , wherein:

the window, the at least one hinge and the at least one motor-driven actuator form a first window assembly of the heavy-duty truck, and wherein the heavy-duty truck further comprises a second window assembly,

the first window assembly is on a first side of the cabin and the second window assembly is on a second side of the cabin opposite to the first side of the cabin, and

the second window assembly is a mirror image of the first window assembly.

5 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 4 , wherein:

the first window assembly is configured to be actuated, independently of the second window assembly, by a first electrical signal initiated by a human occupant of the cabin interacting with a human-machine interface inside the cabin; and

the second window assembly is configured to be actuated, independently of the first window assembly, by a second electrical signal initiated by the human occupant of the cabin interacting with the human-machine interface inside the cabin.

6 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 1 wherein the heavy-duty truck is a center-drive truck.

7 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 1 wherein the cabin is devoid of roll-down windows that translate substantially vertically to open.

8 . A heavy-duty truck, comprising:

a cabin including a first side door having a first side door window, and including a second side door having a second side door window;

drive wheels;

one or more windshield sections positioned between and forward of the first side door window and the second side door window, the one or more windshield sections forming a windshield that extends between the first side door window and the second side door window;

a lower first side window positioned forward of the first side door window and below the windshield and spaced apart from the first side door window and the windshield; and

a lower second side window positioned forward of the second side door window and below the windshield and spaced apart from the second side door window and the windshield,

wherein each of the lower first side window and the lower second side window is located within a hood of the heavy-duty truck, with a respective portion of the hood extending rearward and separating a respective one of the lower first side window and the lower second side window from the windshield, and

wherein each of the lower first side window and the lower second side window extend from a respective rear end near a respective one of the first and second side doors to a respective front end beyond the drive wheels.

9 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 8 wherein each of the lower first side window and lower second side window is rotatable relative to the cabin and is configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position.

10 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 9 wherein each of the first side door window and second side door window is stationary and not configured to open or close relative to the first side door and second side door, respectively, and wherein the windshield is stationary and is not configured to open or close.

11 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 8 wherein:

at least a majority of each of the lower first side window and lower second side window by surface area is located at an elevation that is between a lower end of the windshield and an upper end of a respective fender of the heavy-duty truck; and

at least a majority of each of the lower first side window lower second side window is located along a fore-aft axis at a location that is between a rear end of the drive wheels of the heavy-duty truck and a headlight of the heavy-duty truck.

12 . A heavy-duty truck, comprising:

a cabin including a first side door having a first side door window, and including a second side door having a second side door window;

drive wheels;

one or more windshield sections positioned between and forward of the first side door window and the second side door window, the one or more windshield sections forming a windshield that extends between the first side door window and the second side door window;

a lower first side window positioned forward of the first side door window and below the windshield; and

a lower second side window positioned forward of the second side door window and below the windshield,

wherein each of the lower first side window and the lower second side window is located within a hood of the heavy-duty truck, with a respective portion of the hood extending rearward and separating a respective one of the lower first side window and the lower second side window from the windshield,

wherein each of the lower first side window and the lower second side window extend from a respective rear end near a respective one of the first and second side doors to a respective front end beyond the drive wheels, and

wherein, when the heavy-duty truck is on a roadway surface and a driver is seated in the cabin in a driving position, a portion of the roadway surface visible to the driver includes a respective island of visibility on each side of the heavy-duty truck that includes a portion of the roadway surface visible through a respective one of the lower first side window and the lower second side window.

13 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 12 , wherein:

the lower second side window is arranged in a mirror-image configuration to the lower first side window on a second side of the cabin opposite to a first side of the cabin.

14 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 12 wherein each of the lower first side window and lower second side window is rotatable relative to the cabin and is configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position.

15 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 14 wherein each of the first side door window and second side door window is stationary and is not configured to open or close relative to the first side door and second side door, respectively, and wherein the windshield is stationary and is not configured to open or close.

16 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 12 , wherein, when a driver seated in the cabin has a height at the median adult male height and a passenger vehicle is driving in a center of a lane adjacent to the heavy-duty truck, the driver has visibility of at least 50%, at least 55% or at least 60% of the profile of the passenger vehicle that would be visible to the driver if the cabin did not obstruct their view.

17 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 12 , wherein, when a driver seated in the cabin has a height at the fifth percentile adult female height and a passenger vehicle is driving at an edge of a lane adjacent to the heavy-duty truck, the driver has visibility of at least 25%, at least 30%, or at least 35% of the profile of the passenger vehicle that would be visible to the driver if the cabin did not obstruct their view.

18 . The heavy-duty truck of claim 12 , wherein the one or more windshield sections of the windshield includes a respective supplemental windshield section that is adjacent to and aft of a main windshield on a respective side of the cabin and separated by or interfacing at a respective A-pillar of the heavy-duty truck.