The present invention relates to sealing, guiding or trimming assemblies for sealing a closure member, such as a window pane in a vehicle door, to a vehicle door including a slidable closure member, a fixed closure member and such an assembly, and to a method of making such an assembly.
EP-A-1145889 discloses a sealing, guiding or trimming assembly for sealing a closure member. This assembly forms a cross-piece between the larger sliding window pane and the smaller fixed window pane (quarter light) of a vehicle door. The assembly comprises a division pillar visible from the exterior of the vehicle within which a rigid, generally T-shaped division bar is embedded. The fixed window pane is bonded to the division pillar. A sealing profile is mechanically coupled to the division pillar and division bar and sidably receives the moving window pane. The material of the sealing profile abuts the material of the division pillar. Disadvantageously, sometimes a gap between the material of the sealing profile and the material of the division pillar will be visible, particularly as the materials age. Also, disadvantageously, the mechanical interlocking of the sealing profile with the division bar requires complex formations of both the sealing profile and the division bar.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sealing, guiding or trimming assembly for sealing a closure member, the assembly including an unreinforced extruded part for sealing against a surface of the closure member; a reinforcing member in which said extruded part is at least partially accommodated; and a moulded part moulded at least partly over said reinforcing member, the moulded part being moulded onto the extruded part.
The invention also provides a vehicle door including such an assembly.
The invention also provides a sealing, guiding or trimming arrangement for sealing around a fixed closure member and a slidable closure member mounted in a vehicle door.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a sealing, guiding or trimming assembly for sealing a closure member, the method including providing an unreinforced extruded part for sealing against a surface of the closure member; mounting the extruded part in a reinforcing member; and moulding a moulded part at least partly over the reinforcing member, the moulded part being moulded onto the extruded part.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a window sealing and guiding arrangement for supporting the edges of, and separating, two substantially parallel and aligned window panes, comprising longitudinally extending flexible material having a central longitudinally extending portion from which integrally extend in opposite perpendicular directions first and second side portions which define first and second longitudinally extending parallel channels respectively facing in the said opposite directions for respectively receiving the edges of the window panes, each said side portion comprising two wall parts each forming one of the walls of the channel of that side portion, at least one wall part being aligned with the corresponding wall part of the other side portion and with an intervening part of the central portion; and a longitudinally extending reinforcing member coupled to the flexible material, one portion thereof extending along one wall part of the first side portion, along the corresponding wall part of the second side portion and along the intervening part of the central portion, and the other portion thereof being embedded in the other wall part of the first side portion, wherein the sealing and guiding arrangement includes a channel-shaped extruded part which is accommodated in the part of the reinforcing member which extend along said one wall part of the first side portion, along said corresponding wall part of the second side portion and along the intervening part of the central portion, and wherein the extruded part is moulded onto the remainder of the sealing and guiding arrangement.
Sealing, guiding or trimming assemblies, vehicle doors incorporating such assemblies and a method of making such assemblies will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the drawings like elements are generally designated with the same reference numerals.
The motor vehicle 5 shown in
As part of each window frame 6B,8B, there is provided a cross-piece 14,16. The cross-pieces 14,16 each divide the respective window openings into a small part 10A,12A and a large part 10B,12B. The window glass within each small part is fixed but the window glass within each large part is raisable and lowerable.
As briefly described above, the form of a prior art cross-piece of EP-A-1145889 is shown in
The cross-piece 16 provides two oppositely facing channels 52 and 53. The first channel 52 receives fixed window pane 54 which closes the small window opening 12A. The window pane 54 is the rear quarter light window. The second channel 54 receives the slidable window glass 56 which closes the large window opening 12B.
The second channel 53 is formed by an extruded sealing profile 58. The channel of the sealing profile 58 comprises a base 60 from which a first sealing lip 62 extends for abutting the edge of the window pane 56. Oppositely facing walls 64,66 integrally extend from the base 60 and terminate at the mouth of the channel in integrally formed oppositely facing sealing lips 68,70. The larger sealing lip 70 extends from the lower (in the Figure) wall 66 for sealing against the lower (in the Figure) surface of the window glass 56. The upper (in the Figure) sealing lip 68 extends from the wall 64 for sealing against the upper (in the Figure) surface of the window pane 56. Advantageously, the sealing lips 62,68,70 and the wall 64 have flocked surfaces 72 where they contact the window pane 56. The flocked surfaces 72 can be formed during the extrusion process that forms the extruded sealing profile 58. The sealing profile 58 may be formed from EPDM or TPE, for example.
The sealing profile 58 is unreinforced; that is, it does not include any metal or other relatively rigid reinforcement embedded therein. This facilitates opening the mouth of the sealing profile 58 to apply the flocked surfaces 72.
The cross-piece 16 further comprises a division bar 74 formed of rigid material such as hard rubber, metal or plastics (for example TPE or EPDM). The division bar 74 may be formed of a single sheet of material which is folded into the shape shown in
An extension 90 of the upper wall member 78 of the division bar 74 extends from the opposite side of the base member 76, forming a flange.
The main part of the cross-piece 16 comprises division pillar 92. The upper surface (in the Figure) 94 of the division pillar is visible from the exterior of the vehicle, and the lower surface 96 may be visible from the interior of the vehicle. The division pillar may be formed by moulding. The material of the division pillar 92 may be TPE or EPDM. The division pillar may be formed of the same type of material as the sealing profile 58. The division pillar 92 forms the generally U-shaped recess 52 within which the window pane 54 is fixed and the larger, oppositely facing, generally U-shaped recess within which the sealing profile is accommodated.
Preferably, the cross-piece 16 is formed by the following steps:
The steps performed above are preferably performed in the order specified, although the order of steps 1 and 2 may be reversed.
In steps 3 and 4, the window pane 54 may not be placed in the mould and may not be moulded onto the division pillar 92. Instead, the window glass 54 may be fixed to the cross piece by some other means—such as adhesive and/or mechanical interconnection. This fixing of the window glass 54 may be performed after the cross-piece 16 is formed.
The cross-piece 16 formed by the steps has the extruded sealing profile 58 bonded thereto by the moulding. process. No gap between the moulded material of the division pillar 92 and the extruded material of the sealing profile 58 will form at regions 98 and 100 because the moulded and extruded materials are bonded (moulded) together. This provides a pleasing visual appearance. Further, such an arrangement serves to securely locate the sealing profile 58 with respect to the division pillar 92 and the division bar 74. It advantageously serves to locate the distal ends of the walls 64,66 of the sealing profile 58 from which the lips 68,70 extend. This may improve the quality of the seal between the lips 68,70 against the window glass 56, thereby reducing noise and moisture ingress.
The thus formed cross-piece 16, optionally with the quarter light window pane 54 attached, may then be connected to other parts of the window seal for the door 8, to be described in more detail below. Also, to be described in more detail below, the cross-piece 16 may be connected to other parts of the window seal during the formation of the division pillar 92.
Both the sealing profile 58 and the division pillar 92 may be formed of the same material: for example either EPDM or TPE. Alternatively, one of these parts may be formed from EPDM, and the other from TPE.
Although not shown in
The cross-piece 16 (and similarly the cross-piece 14) may be incorporated into a complete window seal as shown in
Similarly, the window seal 40 has a B-pillar and roof-line glass run part 40B and a waist sealing portion 40C which together with the cross-piece 16 defines a seal for receiving the slidable window pane 56. The seal extends completely around the slidable window pane 56. The B-pillar and roof-line glass run part 40B and the waist sealing portion 40C may be formed by moulding but are preferably formed by extrusion because they advantageously include flocked surfaces which contact the slidable window pane 56. The B-pillar and roof-line glass run part 40B may comprise two separately formed portions: one being the B-pillar glass run part and one being the roof-line glass run part. The B-pillar and roof-line glass run part 40B (or either or both of the aforementioned portions thereof) may be integrally extruded with the extruded sealing profile 58 and/or the waist sealing profile 40C; they may be formed simultaneously in the same extrusion apparatus.
The sectional views of
The cross-piece 16 may be inserted into slots at 48 and 50 in the seal 40. It may be fixed in position in one or both of the slots, such as by vulcanisation preferably.
Alternatively, the division pillar 16 may be formed simultaneously with moulding it to any or all of the C-pillar glass run part 40A, the B-pillar and roof- line glass run part 40B and the waist sealing part 40C. For example, the assembled extruded sealing part 58 and division bar 74 may be placed in a mould together with the quarter light fixed window glass 54 (as described above in relation to
The moulding operation that forms the division pillar 92 may mould the division pillar 92 onto the C-pillar glass run part 40A and the waist sealing part 40C. Such an arrangement may include the quarter light fixed window pane 54.
However, rather than the seal parts 40A,40B and 40C being pre-formed before being placed in the mould with the assembled extruded sealing part 58 and division bar 74, any or all of the sealing parts 40A,40B and 40C may be formed by applying material to the mould so that those parts are formed simultaneously with the division pillar 92 in a single moulding operation.
As shown in
The complete or partially complete window seal 40, as shown in
If required a bonding agent, primer or adhesive may be applied between the fixed quarter light window pane 54 and the moulded material of the division pillar 92 and/or layer 102 to improve the bond between the moulded material and the window pane 54. An adhesive, primer or bonding agent may also be applied between the division pillar 92 and the division bar 94. Alternatively, the moulded material may be directly moulded onto the window pane 54 and the division bar 74.
The C pillar glass run part 40A may have the same form (profile) as the roof-line glass run part 40B.
A mould 148 on which a sealing part 160 is formed is not present when the sealing assembly is in use.
The sealing strip 130 is typically made of an extruded material such as EPDM material. The strip 130 defines a first U-shaped channel and incorporates a channel shaped reinforcing carrier 131 embedded within the material of the strip during the extrusion process. The carrier 131 may be made of metal and may take any suitable form. It may be in the form of a continuous unapertured metal channel. Instead, it may be slotted or slitted or otherwise apertured to increase its flexibility. In another form, it comprises a series of side-by-side generally U-shaped metal elements defining the channel and either entirely disconnected from each other or connected such as by short integral flexible connecting links. In a further form, the carrier 131 comprises looped wire. Other forms of carrier may also be used.
The strip 130 is extruded to provide gripping means in the form of integral resiliently deformable lips 132 extending inwardly of the channel which help to hold the strip 130 securely in position on the flange 126. Other gripping means may also be used. The gripping force of the lips 132 is assisted by the resilience of the metal carrier. These lips may be extruded so as to be of softer material than the remainder of the extruded material of the sealing strip 130 to increase their frictional grip.
The strip 130 includes the window glass receiving channel 44, formed by first and second respectively opposing walls 134,136 and a base 135. The first wall 134 extends alongside the panel 124 and has a longitudinal recess 138, the recess 138 having a recess base 140 and an open side 142. The recess 138 extends longitudinally along the sealing strip 130, the open side 142 being open to the interior of the window glass receiving channel and being of narrower width than the width of the recess base 140.
The second wall 136 of the window glass receiving channel has a resilient sealing lip 146 extending therefrom inwardly of the window glass receiving channel. The lip 146 is shown in an unstressed position overlapping with the window glass 54 for illustrative purposes.
The sealing strip 130 has an upper part 119 (as shown in the figures and indicated by the cross hatching) which may be formed of relatively hard material. The other parts of the sealing strip 130 are relatively soft, including an upper skin which overlies the upper part 119. The part 119 and the other parts of the sealing strip 130 are integrally extruded. The sealing strip 130 includes resilient sealing lip 131 for engaging the periphery of a rear door opening in the motor vehicle body when the rear door 8 is closed.
The outwardly facing surfaces of the lips 131 and 146 are coated with flock 137. The flock can be formed as part of the extrusion process which forms the strip 130.
The window glass 54 has a first side 152 and a second side 154 joined by an edge 156. The window glass 54 has a part 158, typically made of polypropylene (hereinafter referred to as the PP part), formed (for example, moulded) on a portion of the first side 152 near the edge 156 and extends around the edge 156 to the second side 154. The edge of the window glass 54 is located in the window glass receiving channel. The PP part 158 has a projection 159 extending away from the first side 154 of the window glass 54 towards the first wall 134 of the window glass receiving channel.
A further part 160, typically made of a moulded material such as thermo-plastic polyester elastomer material (referred to hereinafter as the TPE part), is formed (for example, moulded) on the PP part 158 at 162 and on the window glass at 164. The TPE part 160 is shaped by the surface of the mould 148 to form a clamping lip 163, which extends around flange 128 and is shown undeformed and overlapping with the flange 128 for illustrative purposes.
In use, the sealing strip 130 is mounted in position on the flange 126 by positioning the strip 130 so that the flange 126 engages in the U shaped channel and the clamping lip 163 is located to extend around the second flange 126. The strip 130 firmly grips the second flange 126 with the lips 132.
The resilient sealing lip 146 closes a gap between the PP part 158 at the first side 152 of the window glass 54 to prevent the ingress of moisture into the window glass receiving channel.
The sealing assembly is made by a method including the following steps: the sealing strip 130 is formed in an extrusion process; the PP part 158 is formed (moulded) onto the window glass 54, the window glass, or at least the portion of the window glass with the PP part 158 formed thereon is placed in the mould 148 together with the already formed sealing strip 130; the TPE part 160 is moulded in the mould 148 so as to join it to the sealing strip 130, the PP part 158 along join 162 and the window glass along join 164. The TPE part 160 bonds to the PP part 158 and the window glass 54. The TPE part 160 partially forms in the recess 138 to form the protrusion 161. The protrusion 161 forms in a shape corresponding to the shape of the recess 138. Due to the shape of the recess 138, as described above, the protrusion 161 is secured in the recess 138 and the TPE part 160 is thereby secured to the sealing strip 130. The TPE part 160 is therefore mechanically interlocked with the sealing strip 130. The window glass 54 is thereby secured to the sealing assembly.
It is not essential for the TPE part 160 to bond to the window glass 54—the TPE part 160 could only bond to the PP part 158.
The roof-line glass run part 40B may have a similar configuration to the C-pillar glass run part 40A shown in
A mould 148 has a middle channel 164 and the TPE part 160 is formed to have a TPE projection 165 corresponding in shape to the shape of the middle channel 164. The projection 165 is shown shaped as moulded and overlapping the panel 122 for illustrative purposes only. The mould 148 is absent in use. The panels 122,122 are shaped as shown to form first and second flanges 126,128 having perpendicularly extending planes.
In use, the sealing assembly is mounted on the flange 126. The projection 165 resiliently presses against the panel 122, as shown in
The relatively hard material of the division pillar 92 may have a Shore D-hardness of 40. The softer material of the layer 102 may have a Shore A-hardness of 60. The material selected for the hard material of the division pillar 92 may be polypropylene and the material for the relatively soft layer 102 may be TPE (thermoplastic elastomer). Alternatively, the relatively hard and/or the relatively soft material could be formed from plastics or PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0428265.3 | Dec 2004 | GB | national |
0514408.4 | Jul 2005 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB05/03997 | 12/21/2005 | WO | 00 | 6/21/2007 |