The invention relates to sealing and mounting strips for sealing around members—for example, vehicle closure members, such as doors.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a sealing or mounting strip on a member, the method including providing a fixed extrusion device for producing an extruded sealing or mounting strip, moving the member with respect to the fixed extrusion device, while operating the extrusion device to produce the extruded sealing or mounting strip, such that the sealing or mounting strip is formed along a desired path on the member.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the method of manufacturing an assembly, the method including forming the main body portion of the assembly; mounting the assembly on movement apparatus and moving the assembly to respective processing stations, at each of which a manufacturing step of the assembly is performed, wherein at one of said processing stations a sealing or mounting strip is formed on the assembly by a fixed extrusion device, and, while operating the extrusion device to produce the extruded sealing or mounting strip, the sealing or mounting strip is formed along a desired path on the assembly by controlled movement of the assembly with respect to the fixed extrusion device by the movement apparatus.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for forming a sealing or mounting strip on a member, the apparatus including a fixed extrusion device and moving means onto which the member is mounted in use for moving the member with respect to the fixed extrusion device such that the strip is formed along a desired path on the member.
A method of forming a sealing or mounting strip, a method of manufacturing an assembly and apparatus for forming a sealing or mounting strip will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
In the figures like elements are generally designated with the same reference numeral.
The door seal is positioned on the door so as to run completely or substantially completely around the periphery of the door as shown in
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the seal is formed by extruding an appropriate material, such as synthetic resin, rubber or the like, directly onto the periphery 9 of the door 4.
The seal is formed in the desired position shown by the chain-dotted line 10 around the periphery 9 of the door 4 by moving the door 4 with respect to the fixed extrusion die 15. The door 4 is mounted in a frame 27 which clamps the door/4 at four spaced apart positions around the door's edge. The frame 27 is movable by any suitable means (not shown), such as by a robot typically used in automated vehicle fabrication plants. Of course, any other suitable movement means may be employed. The frame 27 is freely rotatable and translatable by the movement means. The movement means is capable accurately positioning the door with respect to the extrusion die 15 in order to allow for precise positioning of the seal on the periphery 9 of the door 4.
The door 4 is formed from two principal metal panels, an outer generally flat panel 28A, which forms the exterior surface of the door when mounted on the vehicle body, and an inner panel 28B comprising the periphery 9, which extends generally perpendicular to the exterior surface, and a generally planar interior surface of the door which lies generally parallel to the exterior surface. This interior surface typically has one or more openings in it to allow the components of the door to be fitted, such as the interior door handle 29, window winding apparatus (not shown), audio loudspeakers (not shown), etc. The outer and inner panels of the door 4 are attached together by any suitable means, such as by folding excess material at the edge of the outer panel tightly over the edge of the inner panel and welding the panels together.
Once the main body (comprising the outer and inner panels) of the door 4 is formed, the door is mounted on the frame 27. With the door 4 mounted in this manner, the door may be moved around the production plant by suitable movement means to various different areas within the production plant, at which various steps in the production of the finished door are performed. For example, the door, supported on the frame 27, may pass to an area within the production plant at which the door 4 is painted. The door 4 may then pass to an area where the door mirror 31 is fitted, to another area where the strap 8 is fitted, etc.
Such automated movement of a door 4 supported by a frame 27, or other suitable means, is typically employed in the manufacturing process of vehicle doors, and other vehicle body components.
In accordance with the present invention, a fixed extrusion die 15 can be used to apply the seal around the periphery 9 of the door 4 because movement of the door 4 is provided by movement of the frame 27 to which the door 4 is attached. In prior art methods of extruding a seal onto a door 4, the door has been held fixed whilst a moving extrusion die 15 travels around the periphery of the door 4 applying the seal thereto.
A movable extrusion die is more complex, more costly and less reliable than a fixed extrusion die. Provision has to be made to supply extrudate material to the moving extrusion die by means of flexible supply pipes.
According to the embodiment of the present invention being described, these disadvantages are obviated by employing a fixed extrusion die 15. By making use of the frame 27 and movement means already provided in a conventional automated vehicle fabrication plant, little or no additional cost is incurred by providing for movement of the door 4 with respect to the fixed extrusion die 15. The arrangement of the embodiment is additionally advantageous because, at the time of formation of the seal, the step of removing the door 4 from the frame 27 is avoided, as is the step of re-attaching the door 4 to the frame 27.
The precise form of the seal and the type of extrusion process to form the seal may be selected from the many known types of seal and extrusion processes.
The mounting strip 44 allows for the subsequent mounting of a sealing strip 49 around the periphery 9 of the door 4 by engaging the sealing strip 49 with the mounting strip 45.
The sealing strip 49 of
The mounting strip 44 is extruded to form a member which is rigid relative to the lips 56 to facilitate proper mounting of the sealing strip 49 to the mounting strip 44 and secure locating of the sealing strip once mounted.
The mounting strip 44 may be formed of PU (polyurethane) material.
Whilst in the second embodiment mounting strip 44 is shown as being T-shaped, alternative configurations of the mounting strip could be employed, provided that they allow co-operation with a suitably shaped base of the sealing strip 49 so that the sealing strip 49 can be secured to the mounting strip 44.
The provision of the relatively rigid mounting strip 44 may improve the sealing around the door 4. Improved sealing may be provided when the sealing strip 49 is firmly compressed between the door periphery 9 and the door opening when the door 4 closes. To achieve this it is necessary for there to be a firm support surface on the opposite side of the sealing strip 49 to the door opening. Since the peripheral surface 9 of the door 4 is almost parallel to the direction of the compressive force, the door periphery 9 cannot itself provide this firm support surface, but it is provided by the mounting strip 44.
During extrusion of the sealing strip 37 or the mounting strip 44, means may be provided to regulate the temperature of the extrudate as it exits the port 17.
Whilst in the embodiments the fixing of a sealing or mounting strip to a vehicle door is described, it should be understood that the sealing or mounting strip may be fitted to any member, assembly or component in accordance with the invention. This may be a closure member.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0229652.3 | Dec 2002 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB03/05917 | 12/12/2003 | WO | 1/26/2007 |