US 12,338,674 B2
Dual window system with privacy panel
Stuart C. Salter, White Lake, MI (US); Chester Stanislaus Walawender, Livonia, MI (US); Paul Kenneth Dellock, Northville, MI (US); Michael John Harmon, Northville, MI (US); Jesse Rene Diephuis, West Bloomfield, MI (US); David Brian Glickman, Southfield, MI (US); Clayton Benjamin Ford, Dearborn, MI (US); and Hussain Z Tajmahal, Detroit, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/832,835.
Prior Publication US 2023/0392430 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. E05F 17/00 (2006.01); B60J 1/20 (2006.01); E05F 15/695 (2015.01)
CPC E05F 17/002 (2013.01) [B60J 1/2011 (2013.01); E05F 15/695 (2015.01); E05Y 2201/434 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/64 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/654 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/668 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/684 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/694 (2013.01); E05Y 2400/40 (2013.01); E05Y 2400/45 (2013.01); E05Y 2400/85 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/55 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a first panel configured to be movably mounted within a vehicle structure to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the vehicle structure comprises an upper window frame that is fixed to a door frame structure, and wherein the upper window frame comprises a U-shaped channel;
a second panel moveable independently of the first panel within the vehicle structure by a drive mechanism between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, wherein the first panel is non-opaque and the second panel is opaque, and wherein the second panel automatically or selectively moves to the deployed position to provide a privacy mode within a passenger compartment;
a guide channel received within the U-shaped channel of the upper window frame and including a plurality of prongs to provide a first channel for the first panel and second channel for the second panel;
a control system configured to control the drive mechanism to selectively or automatically move the second panel within the second channel to the deployed position in response to at least one of a plurality of activation conditions; and
wherein the drive mechanism comprises at least one drive motor that associated with:
a scissor system comprising a first arm and a second arm that are connected to each other at a pivot, and including a first bar mounted to a bottom edge of the first panel, a second bar mounted along a bottom edge of the second panel, and a coupler mounted to the first bar to selectively couple the first bar to the second bar; or
a pulley/cable system comprising a center spine that is centrally located within the door frame structure, wherein the center spine includes both a first track formed on one side that slidably receives the first panel and a second track formed on an opposite side that slidably receives the second panel.