Granted Patent B2

US 7,730,668 · App. 11/336,732 · Granted Jun 8, 2010

Abstract

Claims (35)

1. A motor vehicle egress window comprising, in combination:

a. an outer frame forming an auxiliary egress opening for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, the egress opening having a horizontal upper portion and a horizontal lower portion, each being straight and parallel with one another, and a vertical left side portion and a vertical right side portion, each being straight and parallel with one another, wherein the outer frame comprises

i. a one-piece outer frame member having a continuous inner surface extending circumferentially along at least the vertical left side portion, horizontal lower portion and vertical right side portion,

ii. multiple striker pins mounted directly to the outer frame member along the horizontal lower portion and oriented to extend radially inwardly from the molded inner surface, and

iii. an upwardly open outer frame hinge hook extending along the horizontal upper frame portion; and

b. an inner frame unit hingedly mounted to the outer frame for movement between a closed position in which it closes the auxiliary egress opening formed by the outer frame and an open position, comprising

i. a one-piece inner frame member having a circumferentially continuous molded surface configured to mate with a corresponding portion of the inner surface of the outer frame member when the inner frame is in the closed position,

ii. at least one glazing pane mounted in the inner frame,

iii. multiple rotary slam latches, each mounted to a horizontal lower portion of the inner frame member and operative when the inner frame is in the closed position to latch to a corresponding one of the striker pins of the outer frame to releasably hold the inner frame unit in the closed position,

iv. a release mechanism comprising

a manually operative release handle mounted to a vertical side portion of the inner frame, and

release linkage comprising

a flexible cable extending in a circumferentially extending rail of the inner frame at least from the release handle to a first one of the rotary slam latches mounted to the horizontal lower portion of the inner frame, and

a rigid link member extending from the first one of the rotary slam latches to a second of the of the rotary slam latches,

the release mechanism being operative upon operation of the release handle to simultaneously unlatch the multiple rotary slam latches to release the striker pins to free the inner frame unit to move to the open position, and

v. a downwardly open inner frame hinge hook extending from the inner frame member along an upper horizontal portion of the inner frame member and received by the outer frame hinge hook.

2. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 1 wherein each of the multiple rotary slam latches comprises a biasing member operative upon actuation of the latch to urge the inner frame unit toward the open position.

3. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 1 wherein the outer frame further comprises at least one circumferentially extending supplemental outer frame member.

4. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 3 wherein the supplemental outer frame member is fully circumferential around the auxiliary egress opening.

5. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 3 wherein the inner frame unit comprises multiple glazing panes, including at least an outer pane and a removable, sacrificial inner pane parallel with the outer pane.

6. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 3 wherein the inner frame unit and the outer frame radially overlap each other.

7. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 6 wherein the inner frame unit opens to outboard, and the outer frame unit has an inboard, radially inward extending surface against which a corresponding portion of the inner frame unit seats in the closed position.

8. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 1 wherein the continuous inner surface of the outer frame member is a molded surface.

9. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 1 wherein the egress latches are evenly spaced along the horizontal lower portion of the inner frame.

10. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 1 wherein the inner frame unit is mounted to the outer frame for movement also from the open position to the closed position.

11. The motor vehicle egress window of claim 1 wherein the inner frame unit is hinged to the outer frame for movement also from the open position to the closed position.

12. A motor vehicle egress window for insertion into an auxiliary egress opening comprising, in combination:

a. an outer frame member having at least a first striker pin mounted thereto; and

b. an inner frame unit mounted for movement relative to the outer frame member between a closed position in which it closes the auxiliary egress opening and an open position, comprising

i. a circumferential inner frame,

ii. a glazing pane mounted to the circumferential inner frame,

iii. at least a first egress latch mounted to the circumferential inner frame and operative when the inner frame unit is in the closed position to latch to the first striker pin of the outer frame to hold the inner frame unit in the closed position, and

iv. a release mechanism comprising

a manually operative release handle mounted to the circumferential inner frame, having a latched position and an unlatched position, and

release linkage comprising at least a first link extending circumferentially along the inner frame from the release handle to the first egress latch, operative upon operation of the release handle from the latched position to the unlatched position to open the first egress latch to release the striker pin to free the inner frame unit to move to the open position.

Assignments (18)