Method for electrically connecting to window heater of vehicular liftgate window assembly

Abstract

A method for providing electrical connection to a heater grid outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly includes providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a vehicle and (i) establishing a heater grid at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, (ii) establishing busbars at the inner surface inboard of a perimeter region and at terminal ends of the electrically conductive traces, and (iii) establishing busbar connecting portions at the inner surface that electrically connect to and extend from the respective busbars across the perimeter region to an outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. The perimeter region includes a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.

1 . A method for providing electrical connection to a window heater outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to be pivotable between a closed position, where the glass window panel is disposed at a rear opening of the vehicle and against a seal that circumscribes the rear opening of the vehicle, and an opened position, where the glass window panel is raised to a generally horizontal orientation;   establishing a window heater at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, the window heater comprising a plurality of electrically conductive traces established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of a perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   establishing busbars at the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of the perimeter region and at respective terminal ends of the plurality of electrically conductive traces;   establishing a pair of busbar connecting portions at the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the busbar connecting portions electrically connect to and extend from the respective busbars across the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel to an outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel that is outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   electrically connecting electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions at the outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to a power source of the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle; and   wherein the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel comprises a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a protective covering element at each of the busbar connecting portions at the perimeter region to limit the seal contacting the busbar connecting portions when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein disposing the protective covering element comprises adhesively attaching a protective tape to the inner surface of the glass window panel and over a portion of each of the busbar connecting portions at the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing the pair of busbar connecting portions comprises establishing first and second busbar connecting portions, and wherein establishing the first and second busbar connecting portions comprises (i) establishing an outboard portion of the first busbar connecting portion at a first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and (ii) establishing an outboard portion of the second busbar connecting portion at a second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel is at an opposite side of glass window panel from the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the busbars and the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel between the first outboard region and the second outboard region. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein electrically connecting electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions comprises (i) electrically connecting a positive electrical connector at the first busbar connecting portion at the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel and (ii) electrically connecting a negative electrical connector at the second busbar connecting portion at the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the outboard portion of the first busbar connecting portion extends upward toward an upper region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the outboard portion of the second busbar connecting portion extends upward toward the upper region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the electrical connectors are electrically connected to the first and second busbar connecting portions at the upper region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the busbar connecting portions are established at the inner surface of the glass window panel and extend upward toward an upper region of the outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the electrical connectors are electrically connected to the busbar connecting portions at the upper region of the outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein electrically connecting electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions comprises soldering the electrical connectors to the busbar connecting portions. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connectors comprise tab-type connectors. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connectors comprise snap-type connectors. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the glass window panel has a non-light-transmitting coating established at the outboard region at least where the busbar connecting portions are established. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the non-light-transmitting coating circumscribes a transparent region of the glass window panel, and wherein the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel at the transparent region. 
     
     
         14 . A method for providing electrical connection to a window heater outside of a sealing area of a vehicular rear liftgate window assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a glass window panel configured to be pivotally mounted at a rear portion of a vehicle so as to be pivotable between a closed position, where the glass window panel is disposed at a rear opening of the vehicle and against a seal that circumscribes the rear opening of the vehicle, and an opened position, where the glass window panel is raised to a generally horizontal orientation;   establishing a window heater at a central region of an inner surface of the glass window panel, the window heater comprising a plurality of electrically conductive traces established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of a perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   establishing a first busbar at the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of the perimeter region and at first terminal ends of the plurality of electrically conductive traces;   establishing a second busbar at the inner surface of the glass window panel inboard of the perimeter region and at second terminal ends of the plurality of electrically conductive traces;   establishing a first busbar connecting portion at the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the first busbar connecting portion electrically connects to and extends from the first busbar across the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel to a first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel that is outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   establishing a second busbar connecting portion at the inner surface of the glass window panel, wherein the second busbar connecting portion electrically connects to and extends from the second busbar across the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel to a second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel that is outboard of the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   electrically connecting a positive electrical connector at the first busbar connecting portion at the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   electrically connecting a negative electrical connector at the second busbar connecting portion at the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel;   wherein the glass window panel has a non-light-transmitting coating established at the first and second outboard regions at least where the first and second busbar connecting portions are established;   wherein the positive and negative electrical connectors are configured to electrically connect to a power source of the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle; and   wherein the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel comprises a sealing region that contacts a seal at the vehicle when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising disposing a first protective covering element at the first busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region and disposing a second protective covering element at the second busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region to limit the seal contacting the first and second busbar connecting portions when the glass window panel is pivotally mounted at the vehicle and when the glass window panel is in the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein disposing the first and second protective covering elements comprises (i) adhesively attaching a first protective tape to the inner surface of the glass window panel and over a portion of the first busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel and (ii) adhesively attaching a second protective tape to the inner surface of the glass window panel and over a portion of the second busbar connecting portion at the perimeter region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel is at an opposite side of glass window panel from the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the first and second busbars and the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the central region of the inner surface of the glass window panel between the first outboard region and the second outboard region. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first busbar connecting portion extends upward toward an upper region of the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the positive electrical connector is electrically connected to the first busbar connecting portion at the upper region of the first outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the second busbar connecting portion extends upward toward an upper region of the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel, and wherein the negative electrical connector is electrically connected to the second busbar connecting portion at the upper region of the second outboard region of the inner surface of the glass window panel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein electrically connecting the positive electrical connector to the first busbar connecting portion comprises soldering the positive electrical connector to the first busbar connecting portion, and wherein electrically connecting the negative electrical connector to the second busbar connecting portion comprises soldering the negative electrical connector to the second busbar connecting portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the non-light-transmitting coating circumscribes a transparent region of the glass window panel, and wherein the plurality of electrically conductive traces of the window heater are established at the inner surface of the glass window panel at the transparent region.