GB2338976A - A seal containing a slit - Google Patents

A seal containing a slit Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2338976A
GB2338976A GB9814302A GB9814302A GB2338976A GB 2338976 A GB2338976 A GB 2338976A GB 9814302 A GB9814302 A GB 9814302A GB 9814302 A GB9814302 A GB 9814302A GB 2338976 A GB2338976 A GB 2338976A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
seal
flange
sealing portion
carrier portion
slit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9814302A
Other versions
GB2338976B (en
GB9814302D0 (en
Inventor
James Frederick Keys
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Standard Products Co
Original Assignee
Standard Products Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Standard Products Co filed Critical Standard Products Co
Priority to GB9814302A priority Critical patent/GB2338976B/en
Publication of GB9814302D0 publication Critical patent/GB9814302D0/en
Publication of GB2338976A publication Critical patent/GB2338976A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2338976B publication Critical patent/GB2338976B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/80—Sealing arrangements specially adapted for opening panels, e.g. doors
    • B60J10/84—Sealing arrangements specially adapted for opening panels, e.g. doors arranged on the vehicle body
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/15—Sealing arrangements characterised by the material
    • B60J10/16—Sealing arrangements characterised by the material consisting of two or more plastic materials having different physical or chemical properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/20—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape
    • B60J10/21—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape having corner parts or bends
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/20—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape
    • B60J10/24—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape having tubular parts
    • B60J10/248—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape having tubular parts having two or more tubular cavities, e.g. formed by partition walls
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/20—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape
    • B60J10/27—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape having projections, grooves or channels in the longitudinal direction
    • B60J10/273—Sealing arrangements characterised by the shape having projections, grooves or channels in the longitudinal direction for enclosing or housing devices for purposes other than sealing, e.g. cables
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
    • B60J10/00—Sealing arrangements
    • B60J10/30—Sealing arrangements characterised by the fastening means
    • B60J10/32—Sealing arrangements characterised by the fastening means using integral U-shaped retainers
    • B60J10/33—Sealing arrangements characterised by the fastening means using integral U-shaped retainers characterised by the configuration of the retaining lips

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Seal Device For Vehicle (AREA)

Description

2338976 SEAL This invention relates to a seal of the type which has a
carrier portion intended to be secured to a flange and a sealing portion which has a hollow zone, such a sealing portion being known as a "bubble".
This type of seal is often used as a door seal, a boot seal, or a bonnet seal. This type of seal is well known.
When this known type of seal is fitted to a rectilinear flange, usually a secure fitting can be achieved, without any impairment of the sealing quality of the "bubble". However, a problem can occur when a seal of this known type is to be mounted on a flange which has rectilinear regions separated by a curvilinear region, which can be thought of as an S bend. In practice, this configuration of flange can be found in the waist area in the body aperture of the side of the vehicle; and in practice the bubble will either deform in shape or collapse completely as the seal follows the configuration of the flange, which results in the seal not functioning properly in this area. one conventional way of endeavouring to alleviate the problem is to introduce a sponge slug into the bubble in the area of the S-bend; whilst this enables the bubble to retain its shape, it increases the stiffness of the sealing portion, thus leading to an increase in door closure efforts. Another approach to solving the problem is to cut away the bubble locally and to mould on a bubble of the desired configuration, this is costly and also results in an obvious join line between the moulded component (which is added on) and the main extruded component.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seal comprising (a) a configured carrier portion intended for attachment to a flange and (b) a sealing portion which includes a hollow zone; wherein the configured carrier portion has, in the longitudinal direction, a first rectilinear region, a curvilinear region and a second rectilinear region, it being intended that the carrier portion should be applied to a flange having corresponding regions; wherein, prior to the carrier portion being thus configured, a slit is present between the sealing portion and the carrier portion, or between that part of the sealing portion provided with the hollow zone and the remainder of the sealing portion attached to the carrier portion, the slit being over at least that region corresponding to the curvilinear region; and wherein, with the carrier portion thus configured, those faces on opposing sides of the slit are secured to each other, with the sealing portion generally following the configuration of the carrier portion and without any significant collapsing of the hollow zone.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a seal comprising (a) a configured carrier portion intended for attachment to a flange and (b) a sealing portion which includes a hollow zone; wherein the configured carrier portion has, in the longitudinal direction, a first rectilinear region, a curvilinear region and a second rectilinear region, it being intended that the carrier portion should be applied to a flange having corresponding regions; which method comprises the steps:
(i) forming the seal in a rectilinear condition; (ii) fitting the sealing portion of the seal to a dummy flange which mimics the flange to which the seal is ultimately to be f itted in use and which has rectilinear and curvilinear regions; (iii) before or after step (ii) or before (i), forming a slit between the sealing portion and the carrier portion, or between that part of the sealing portion provided with a hollow zone and the remainder of the sealing portion attached to the carrier portion, the slit being formed in at least those regions of the seal where the seal is to be fitted to a curvilinear region of the flange; (iv) whilst the sealing portion is fitted to the dummy flange, securing to each other those faces on opposite sides of the slit, thus allowing the sealing portion generally to follow the configuration of the carrier portion and without any significant collapsing of the hollow zone; and (v) removing the seal from the dummy flange.
In the method of the present invention the dummy flange replicates the flange present in the vehicle to which the seal is to be applied, although the dummy flange is preferably slightly thinner than the real flange, to facilitate removal of the seal from the dummy flange without causing any damage to the seal at that stage.
It will be appreciated that when the seal is removed from the dummy flange it retains the desired configuration, ready for use by the motor vehicle manufacturer in its assembly line.
Using a seal in accordance with the present invention enables a good seal in the motor vehicle without any increase in door closure effort or effort in closing any other closure member, such as a bonnet or boot.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 shows a cross-section through one embodiment of seal in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a f lange having an S-bend.
Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a seal generally indicated by the reference numeral 1.
The seal 1 has two main portions, namely the carrier portion 2 and the sealing portion 3. The carrier portion 2 includes a base 4 and two opposing side walls and 6, as well as an embedded reinforcing core 7.
Defined between the base 4 and side walls 5 and 6 is channel 8 into which project limbs 9 from the side wall 5, and limbs 10 from the side wall 6. The carrier portion 2 is also provided with a bore 11 which can, if desired, accommodate an elongate element intended to limit undue extension of the seal.
The sealing portion 3 comprises an annular sponge member 12 which includes a hollow zone 13 and which is provided with a "flat" 14 which is secured (usually by co-extrusion) to the exterior of the side wall 6.
Located within the "flat" region 14 of the sealing portion 3 is a slit or cut 15 parallel to, and only slightly spaced from, the exterior of the side wall 6.
Extending between the free end region of the side wall 6 and an adjacent region of the sealing portion 3 is an additional hollow triangular sealing element 16, which provides an additional sealing function. - With regard to Figure 2, there is shown a flange formed from an inner flange component 21 and an outer flange component 22. The flange 20 has, in the longitudinal direction, a rectilinear region 23 running into a curvilinear region 24 which, in turn, runs into a rectilinear region 25.
In practice, the seal of Figure I is extruded in a completely rectilinear form, but without any slit 15 being provided. The seal 1 is provided in a length corresponding to the length of the flange to which in practice it is to be secured.
Then that region or those regions of the seal which, in practice, are to be applied to a curvilinear region of the flange, are provided with the slit 15 by means of a conventional slitting device. The thus slit seal 1 is then applied to a dummy flange which at least is provided with a curvilinear region which replicates the curvilinear region 24 of the ultimate flange 20.
The sealing portion 3 of the seal 1 closely follows the dummy flange, and the fact that the sealing region 3 is separated by the slit 15 from the carrier portion 2 over the curvilinear region means that the sealing portion 3 can be compressed or extended relative to the carrier portion 2 but without any significant distortion of the hollow zone 13 occurring. Such distortion would occur in the annular sponge member 12 if there were not provision, as enabled by the slit 15, for the sealing portion 3 to move relative to the carrier portion 2 where the curvilinear region 24 is present. Then, once there has been a suitable adjustment between the sealing portion 3 and the carrier portion 2, those faces on opposite sides of the slit 15 are secured to each other, by means of an adhesive. once the adhesive has set, the seal one is removed from the dummy flange and shipped to the motor vehicle manufacture, who can apply the thus suitably configured seal to the relevant flange.
Although the annular sponge member 12 is shown as being of circular external cross-section over most of its periphery, with a concentric hollow zone 13, obviously the sealing portion 3 could have a totally different external shape and the shape of the hollow zone could also be non-circular.

Claims (10)

1. A longitudinally-extending seal comprising (a) a configured carrier portion intended for attachment to a f lange and (b) a sealing portion which includes a hollow zone; wherein the configured carrier portion has, in the longitudinal direction, a first rectilinear region, a curvilinear region and a second rectilinear region, it being intended that the carrier portion should be applied to a flange having corresponding regions; wherein, prior to the carrier portion being thus configured, a slit is present between the sealing portion and the carrier portion, or between that part of the sealing portion provided with the hollow zone is and the remainder of the sealing portion attached to the carrier portion, the slit being over at least that region corresponding to the curvilinear region; and wherein, with the carrier portion thus configured, those faces on opposing sides of the slit are secured to each other, with the sealing portion generally following the configuration of the carrier portion and without any significant collapsing of the hollow zone.
2. A seal according to claim 1, wherein the carrier portion includes an embedded core.
3. A seal according to claim I or 2, wherein the carrier portion defines a channel into which project one or more limbs.
4. A seal according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the hollow zone is of generally circular cross-section.
5. A seal according to any preceding claim, which also includes an additional sealing element.
6. A method of manufacturing a seal comprising (a) 'a configured carrier portion intended for attachment to a flange and (b) a sealing portion which includes a hollow zone; wherein the configured carrier portion has, in the longitudinal direction, a first rectilinear region, a curvilinear region and a second rectilinear region, it being intended that the carrier portion should be applied to a flange having corresponding regions; which method comprises the steps:
(i) forming the seal in a rectilinear condition; (ii) fitting the sealing portion of the seal to a dummy flange which mimics the flange to which the seal is ultimately to be fitted in use and which has rectilinear and curvilinear regions; (iii) before or after step (ii) or before (i), forming a slit between the sealing portion and the carrier portion, or between that part of the sealing portion provided with a hollow zone and the remainder of the sealing portion attached to the carrier portion, the slit being formed in at least those regions of the seal where the seal is to be fitted to a curvilinear region of the flange; (iv) whilst the sealing portion is fitted to the dummy flange, securing to each other those faces on opposite sides of the slit, thus allowing the sealing portion generally to follow the configuration of the carrier portion and without any significant collapsing of the hollow zone; and (v) removing the seal from the dummy flange.
7. A method according to clain, 6, wherein an adhesive is used to secure to each other those faces on opposite sides of the slit, in step (iv).
8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the dummy flange has a thickness less than that of the flange to which the sealing portion is ultimately to be applied, to enable the sealing portion to be removed from the dummy flange without damaging any components of the sealing portion.
9. A motor vehicle having a flange, to which is secured a seal according to any one of claims 1 to S.
10. A seal according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.
GB9814302A 1998-07-01 1998-07-01 Seal Expired - Fee Related GB2338976B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9814302A GB2338976B (en) 1998-07-01 1998-07-01 Seal

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9814302A GB2338976B (en) 1998-07-01 1998-07-01 Seal

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9814302D0 GB9814302D0 (en) 1998-09-02
GB2338976A true GB2338976A (en) 2000-01-12
GB2338976B GB2338976B (en) 2002-08-21

Family

ID=10834791

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9814302A Expired - Fee Related GB2338976B (en) 1998-07-01 1998-07-01 Seal

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2338976B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010052039A1 (en) 2008-11-05 2010-05-14 Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems Gmbh Method for producing a sealing profile for a motor vehicle and such a sealing profile

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2127884A (en) * 1982-10-02 1984-04-18 Draftex Dev Ag Sealing strips
EP0524447A1 (en) * 1991-07-24 1993-01-27 Gebr. Happich GmbH Window frame particularly for vehicle
US5249353A (en) * 1990-08-28 1993-10-05 Metzeler Automotive Profiles Gmbh Method for producing a sealing profile

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2127884A (en) * 1982-10-02 1984-04-18 Draftex Dev Ag Sealing strips
US5249353A (en) * 1990-08-28 1993-10-05 Metzeler Automotive Profiles Gmbh Method for producing a sealing profile
EP0524447A1 (en) * 1991-07-24 1993-01-27 Gebr. Happich GmbH Window frame particularly for vehicle

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010052039A1 (en) 2008-11-05 2010-05-14 Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems Gmbh Method for producing a sealing profile for a motor vehicle and such a sealing profile
DE102008055942B4 (en) * 2008-11-05 2012-03-01 Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems Gmbh Method for producing a sealing profile for a motor vehicle and such a sealing profile

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2338976B (en) 2002-08-21
GB9814302D0 (en) 1998-09-02

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20090701