GB2221238A

GB2221238A - Sealing and guiding strip for windows

Info

Publication number: GB2221238A
Application number: GB8911062A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Franz-Josef Theelen
Original assignee: Draftex Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Laird Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1988-07-29
Filing date: 1989-05-15
Publication date: 1990-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-15
Also published as: FR2635299B1; IT1233720B; ES2014795A6; GB8911062D0; DE8908394U1; FR2635299A1; GB8818165D0; GB2221238B; IT8909489A0

Abstract

Strips 5, 5A for sealingly receiving a slidable glass pane 10 such as in the window opening of a motor vehicle door define a gap 12 whose sides carry sealing lips 24, 24A and flexible-walled hollow chambers 26, 26A between which the window glass 10 sealingly slides. In order to reduce or eliminate squeaking or sealing noise when the window glass 10 slides within the gap 12, the facing exterior walls of the hollow chambers 26, 26A are formed with ribs 32, 32A so as to make substantially line contact with the opposite surfaces of the window glass. This is found to reduce or eliminate the undesided noise. The two strips may be united by a wall to form a generally U-shaped channel. <IMAGE>

Description

SEALING AND GUIDING STRIPS The invention relates to sealing and guiding strips.

More particularly, the invention relates to such strips for use in sealing against and/or guiding movable windows in motor vehicles.

Motor vehicle body construction normally involves the use of several slidable panes of window glass, these, for example, being arranged to slide in a vertical direction in the window openings of the vehicle doors or in other parts of the vehicle body work. Such sliding window glass panes are normally arranged to slide against sealing and guiding strips which are positioned around the sides of the window and arranged to be in sealing contact with the window glass surfaces.

In order to be effective, such sealing engagement has to be reasonably tight in order to provide good weatherproofing and a reasonably air-tight seal to avoid wind noise. However, a tight seal may result in the creation of undesirable noise (squeaking or squealing) between the surface of the window glass and the sealing parts of the strips when the window is raised or lowered.

According to the invention, there is provided a sealing or guiding strip, defining a relatively flexible surface for making sealing or guiding engagement with the surface of a member movable relative to the flexible surface, the said flexible surface carrying a formation protruding therefrom and making substantially line contact with the flexible surface.

According to the invention, there is also provided a window glass guiding channel, comprising two opposite and substantially parallel side walls each defining a flexible surface adjacent a respective surface of the window glass, a wall portion between the side walls and extending longitudinally along the channel to define the base of the channel, mounting means for fixedly supporting each side wall, and a respective rib attached to each flexible side wall to protrude therefrom to make substantial line contact with the respective surface of the window glass, each rib extending longitudinally along the channel.

Window sealing or sliding strips and channels embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagramatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through two of the strips; and Figure 2 is a cross-section through one of the channels.

Figure 1 shows a strip 5 mounted in position on a metal flange 6 running around the window opening. The strip 5 defines a channel 8. The strip 5 is preferably made of extruded plastics or rubber material 16 which is extruded so as to define the channel 8. A metal carrier 18 is preferably embedded within the extruded material so as to embrace the channel 8. The metal carrier may take any suitable form. It may be a simple continuous metal channel. Instead, it may be made up of U-shaped elements arranged side-by-side to define a channel and connected together by short connecting links or entirely disconnected. Instead, it may be made of wire. However, other forms of carrier may be used instead.

The extruded material 16 is arranged so as to be co-extruded with lips 20 extending inwardly of the channel 8.

As shown, the strip 5 is fitted in position by placing it on the metal flange 6 so that the side walls of the latter extend into the channel 8 the lip 20 bending so as to seal against and grip the walls of the flange.

In addition, the material 16 defines a larger lower lip 22 which also bear against the side walls of the flange 6 and provide additional sealing.

A similar strip 5A is mounted on a metal flange 6A running around the window opening parallel to flange 6, parts of the strip 5A corresponding to parts of the strip 5 being similarly referenced except for the addition of the suffix A.

In this way, the two strips together define a gap 12 between them. The strips 5,5A are formed so that the two sides of the gap 12 are formed to define lips 24, 24A and side walls 25,25A which incorporate longitudinally extending hollow chambers 26, 26A.

Substantially the whole of the interior surface of the gap 12 is covered with flock 30, 30A or similar covering material.

In use, the window glass 10 of the window opening fits within the gap 12. Obviously, when the glass is within the gap 12 as illustrated, it would in practice force the ends of the lips 24, 24A apart and also force apart the facing surfaces 25,25A of the hollow chambers 26, 26A. For ease of illustration, however, these parts of the channel are shown in their relaxed positions.

The strips 5,5A illustrated can be considered to be positioned along the waist-line of the vehicle, that is, running horizontally along each side of the gap into which the glass pane 10 descends into the hollow lower part of the door. The glass pane 10 thus slides perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gap 12. Where the strips illustrated are arranged along the two sides of the window opening (that is, parallel to the sliding direction of the window pane), the window pane will be continously within the gap 12 and will slide relatively thereto in a direction extending longitudinally of the gap 12. Along the top of the window opening, the strips will be mounted in an inverted position, as compared with the configuration shown in the Figure, and the window pane 10 will be clear of the gap 12 until just before the window is fully closed.The distal edge of the window pane will then enter the gap 12 in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.

In each case, therefore, the window glass 10 has to slide relatively to the facing surfaces 25,25A of the hollow chambers 26, 26A. This sliding motion is found, under certain circumstances, to cause undesirable squeaking" noise, particularly where, as is often the case, the glass is a tight fit within the gap 12. It is found, however, that this undesirable noise can be mitigated or avoided altogether by forming ribs 32, 32A in the facing external surfaces 25,25A of the hollow chambers 26, 26A these ribs running the full length of the gap 12. These ribs thus make substantially line contact with the sliding glass surface 10 and reduce contact between the surfaces of the glass and the remainder of the facing surfaces of the hollow chambers. This is found to eliminate the undesirable noise.

Except where the window glass descends into or ascends from the hollow interior of the door, strips similar to that illustrated can be used but with their lower ends 28, 28A connected together as in Figure 2 by a wall portion 34 so that they are not separate but connected integrally. In this way, the gap 12 is instead in the form of a channel.

Claims

1. A sealing or guiding strip, defining a relatively flexible surface for making sealing or guiding engagement with the surface of a member movable relative to the flexible surface, the said flexible surface carrying a formation protruding therefrom and making substantially line contact with the flexible surface.

2. A strip according to claim 1, in combination with another similar strip mounted adjacent thereto to define a gap for receiving the movable member, the sides of the gap comprising the respective said flexible surfaces each carrying a said formation.

3. The combination of claim 2, in which the two strips are connected by a wall extending between the two strips (5,5A) and along the lengths of the strip to produce a channel whose side walls are formed by the said flexible surfaces (25,25A).

4. A strip according to claim 3, including means defining two further channels facing in the opposite direction to the first-mentioned channel which lies between them, the two further channels being adapted so as embracingly to grip respective rigid support members holding the strip in position.

5. A strip according to any preceding claim, in which the flexible surface is covered with low-friction such as flock.

6. A window glass guiding channel, comprising two opposite and substantially parallel side walls each defining a flexible surface adjacent a respective surface of the window glass, a wall portion between the side walls and extending longitudinally along the channel to define the base of the channel, mounting means for fixedly supporting each side wall, and a respective rib attached to each flexible side wall to protrude therefrom to make substantial line contact with the respective surface of the window glass, each rib extending longitudinally along the channel.

7. A sealing or guiding strip, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A window channel substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.