CA2017941A1

CA2017941A1 - Sealing device for the window of a vehicle door, and door having this device

Info

Publication number: CA2017941A1
Application number: CA002017941A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jean Dauvergne; Carlo Bertolini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Rockwell Automotive Body Systems France SA
Priority date: 1989-06-02
Filing date: 1990-05-31
Publication date: 1990-12-02
Also published as: EP0401080A1; ES2044467T3; BR9002605A; DE69002401D1; FR2647719B1; FR2647719A1; DE69002401T2; JPH0832504B2; JPH03217323A; EP0401080B1

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Sealing device for the window of a vehicle door, and door having this device.

Sealing device for the window (2) of a vehicle door (1), characterized in that it comprises at least one seal (6) with two flexible lips (7, 8) applied against each other, and a metal section (15) integral with the inner face of the window, having a limb (15b) substanti-ally perpendicular to the window, this metal section (15) being positioned such that its limbs (15b) penetrates into the seal (6) between the lips (7, 8) applied tightly against the said limb, both when the window (2) is in the raised closed position, flush with the outer surface of the bodywork of the vehicle, and when this window is in the lower open position after having made a lateral displacement (d) towards the inside of the vehicle. This sealing system is completed by a guide device which enables the window (2) to be flush with the surface of the bodywork on all four sides in the closed position.

Description

'~(317941 The sub~ect of the pre~ent invention is a sealing device for the window of a vehicle door, as well as the corresponding door.
Vehicle doors are known having windows with three sides flush with the ~urface of the bodywork. An essen-tial difficulty in being able to obtain the flush contact of the four ~ides of the window with the surface of the bodywork lie~ with the seal~ng device for the window.
Indeed, it is relatively easy to achieve the sealing of a window with three flu~h sides, the window having only one movement along the cylindrical shape of the window during the opening or closing phase.
Now in order to be able to obtain the flush contact of the fourth side of the w~ndow as well, the latter must execute a movement in a direction substanti-ally perpendicular to its surface in order to be able to be aligned with the outer panel of the door.
A conventional seAling device does not allow such a displacement, in particular because of the excessive deformations which the rubber of the weatherseals must undergo.
~he ob~ect of the invention is therefore to provide a sealing device arranged 80 as to enable such a transverse displacement of the window in order to ensure its flush contact on all four sides with the surface of the bodywork when it is in the closed position, whilst at the same time preventing excessivQ deformations of the weatherseals which would lead to permanent deformations, sources of sealing defects.
According to the invention, the sealing device comprises at least one seal having two flexible lips applied against each other, and a metal section integral with the inner face of the window, having a limb oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the window, this metal section being positioned such that its above-mentioned limb penetrates into the seal between the lips applled tightly again~t the said limb, both when the window is in the raised closed position, flush on all four sides with the outer surface of the bodywork of the - ,, , . , , ~ : ,, , ,, , , -, , "
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vehicle, and when thi~ window is in the lower open position after having made a lateral displacement towards the in~ide of the vehicle, and in any intermediate position.
The vehicle door equipped with this sealing device also comprises mean~ for laterally displacing and guiding the window from it~ lower open position into it upper clo~ed po~ition, and vice ver~a, ~uch that in the closed po~ition the window i8 flush on all four sides with the outer surface of the bodywork.
According to one embodiment, the means for laterally displacing and guiding the window between its open and closed positions have rails which are carried by posts of the frame of the door and extend along the front and rear sides of the window, each of these rails i~
provided with means for longitudinally guiding an above-mentioned metal section, fixed along the inner edge of the window 80 as to guide the displacement of the window, and the upper ends of thesQ guide rails are angled towards the outside of the vehicle over a distance corresponding to the lateral displacemQnt which the window, and its metal sections interacting with the rails, must make 80 that the window i~ flush with the surface of the bodywork in the upper closed position.
Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description below, made with ref-erence to the attached drawings which illustrate, as a non-limiting example, one embodiment.
Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a motor vehicle door equipped with a window-sealing device according to the invention, the outer panel having been removed.
Figure 2 is a view in cross-section of the window-sealing device at the level of the upper edge of the window, along 2-2 in Fig. 1 in the ca~e where the upper part of the door has no frame for receiving the window in the closed po8ition.
Pigure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 in the case where the door i~ provided with a frame for receiving the , j , .... .. . ..

;~17941 vehicle, and when this window is in the lower open position after having made a lateral displacement towards the inside of the vehicle, and in any inter?~edi??te position.
The vehicle door equipped with this sealing device also comprises means for laterally displacing and guiding the window from its lower open position into it upper clo~ed position, and vice versa, such that in the closed position the window is flu~h on all four sides with the outer surface of the body~??ork.
According to one embodLment, the means for laterally displacing and guiding the window between its open and closed positions have rails which are carried by posts of the frame of the door and extend along the front and rear sides of the window, each of these rails i8 ~ -provided with means for longitudinally guiding an above-mentioned metal section, fixed along the inner edge of the window 80 as to guide the displacement of the window, and the upper ends of these guide rails are angled towards the outside of the vehicle over a distance corresponding to the lateral displacement which the window, and its metal sections interacting with the rails, must make 80 that the window is flush with the surface of the bod~??work in the upper closed position.
Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description below, made with ref-erence to the attached drawing~ which illustrate, as a non-limitins? example, one embodiment.
Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a motor vehicle door equipped with a window-sealing device - -~
according to the invention, the outer panel having been removed.
Figure 2 is a view in cross-section of the window-sealing device at the level of the upper edge of the window, along 2-2 in Fig. 1 in the case where the upper part of the door has no frame for receiving the window in the closed position.
Pigure 3 i~ a view similar to Fig. 2 in the case where the door is provided with a frame for receiving the :: , ?~ . i, ' -.

Z0~7941 In the embodiment in Pig. 4, adapted to a frame-less door, the sealing device comprises a seal 6 with two flexible lips 7 and 8 directed towards each other and normally applied against each other in the absence of any element placed between them. The seal 6 i~ fixed on to a central pillar 9 or a rear pillar of the body of the vehicle, depending on whether the door~ a front door or a rear door, for example, as ~hown, by being pu~hed in between two partC 11 and 12, the bottom of the seal 6 bearing against a support 13 extending between the parts 11 and 12. The ~eal 6 may be held in place in a comple-mentary manner by an outer lip 14 covering the edge of the part 11.
The lips 7, 8 define one side of a recess 16 extending over the entire height of the seal 6 and having an appropriate depth in a direction perpendicular to the window, as explained hereinbelow.
The sealing device also comprises a metal sec-tion 15 integral with the inner face of the window 2 and fixed along its vertical rear side by a limb 15a adhes-ively bonded to the window 2 or fixed to the latter by any other means known per ~e. The metal section 15 has, in a complementary manner, a limb 15b oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the window 2 and is therefore, in the examples shown, in an L ~hape. The metal section 15 and the ~eal 6 are positioned and dimensioned such that the limb 15b penetrates into the seal 6 between the lips 7 and 8 applied tightly against the opposite faces of the said limb 15b, both when the window 2 is in the raised closed position (shown in solid lines in Fig. 4), and when the window 2 is in the lower open position after having made a lateral displacement d towards the inside of the vehicle (position in dot-dash lines in Pig. 4).
So that the sealing may be maintained during this lateral displ~cement d, the recess 16 has a depth which is fairly considerably greater than the amplitude d of tho d~splacement of the window 2.
During these displacement~ d, the flexible lip~
.

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7 and 8 remain applied tightly against the faces of the limb 15b of the metal section 15 by virtue of their appropriate ~hape.
When the window 2 is in the closed position, 5flush with the ~urface of the bodywork of the vehicle, its sealing i~ ensured, in a complementary manner, by a second seal 17 fixed on the outer part of the pillar 9 and placed in between the rear edge of the window 2 and an additional central window 18 integral with the 10pillar 9.
When the door is opened, the metal section 15.
leaves the lips 7, 8 of the seal.
In the case where the door is equ~pped with a frame 19 (Fig. 5), the rear post of this frame is pro-15filed 80 as to provide a seat for receiving and retaining the weatherseal 21. The latter has, like the seal 6, two flexible lips 22, 23 directed towards each other and which are applied tightly against the limb l5b of the metal section 15. Similarly, a recess 24 with a suf-20ficient depth to allow the lateral displacement~ of the 1 ~h 15b is reserved in the seal 21, between the closed (in solid lines in Fig. 5) and open (in dot-dash lines) positions of the window 2. As in the seal 6, the lips 22 - - -and 23 form one of the sides of the seat 24 of the 25limb l5b.
The sealing between the door frame 19 and the pillar 25 (central or rear of the body) is ensured by a second flexible seal 26 fixed to a flange 27 of the pillar 25.
30~he sealing of the upper side of the window is also realized in a different manner depending on whether the door 1 i8 or is not provided with a frame.
In Fig. 2, which corresponds to a frameless door 1, the window 2 is flush, in the closed position, 35with the roof 20 of the vehicle, and its upper edge bears against a flexible seal 28 fixed to the edge of the roof 20. The body 30 of the vehicle al~o has a weather- -~eal 29 ending in a flexible lip which is applied against the inner ~urface of the window 2. This seal 29 , -, , ., ,, . . " ~ , :

- ~n~7941 furthermore perform~ the role of a gutter for channelling off the rain when the window 2 is lowered.
In the case where the door is equipped with a frame 19 (Fig. 3), the latter i8 it~elf equipped with a seal 31 having two lip~ 32, 33 oriented in opposite directions. The inner lip 32 i~ applied again~t the frame 19, whereas the outer lip 33, oriented towards the roof 20, i~ applied tightly along the upper edge of the window 2 when the latter is in the closed position. Also in this position, the upper edge of the window is applied against a complementary seal 34 carried by the body beneath the edge of the roof 20. A seal 26a carried by a flange 27a of the body ensures the sealing between the latter and the frame 19.
Along the lower edge of the window 2, the sealing device has (Fig. 6) a fitting 35 fixed to the window 2, and two seals with flexible lip8 36, 37 fixed to the inner panel 38 and to the outer panel 39 of the door, respectively. The upper lip 36 is incurved and oriented towards the window 80 as to be applied against a cor- -responding concave surface 35a of the fitting 35 when the wlndow 2 is in the rai~ed position, flu~h with the outer surface of the panel 39. The seal 37 has an upper end part 37a and a lip 37b directed downwards. The part 37a ensures the sealing of the lower part of the window 2 when tbe latter is closed. It will be noted that, in the closed position, the window 2 i8 virtually flu~h with the surface of ~he bodywork 10.
When the window 2 makes a lateral di~placement towards its lower position between the panels 38 and 39, the lip 36 first slides on the bearing surface 35a and then on the inner face of the window 2, while the outer --face of the latter slides on the lower lip 37b. These lip~ therefore ensure the wiping of the window as it i~
ralsed or lowered.
The guide and drive means will now be de~cribed whlch ensble the window 2 to mske a lateral di3placement between lt~ lower position in the door and its upper clo~ed po~ition, with reference to Figs. 7 to 13.

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~nl~941 Firstly, with reference to Figs. 7 to 9, a rail 41 can be seen, formed along the inner face of a rear post 40 of the door 1 and produced in the form, for example, of a groove forming a cam guiding the metal section lg. For this purpose, the lowqr end l5c of the limb 15b of the latter has a stud 42 which engages slidably in the cam groove 41, the upper end 41a of which i~ angled towards the outside of the vehicle over a distance corresponding to the lateral displacement d which the window and its metal section 15 must make in order for the window to pass from its closed position (Fig. 8) into its open position (Fig. 9).
The metal section lS is furthermore equipped at its lower end with a piece 43 made integral with the window-lift cable 4 passing around a pulley 44 situated in the lower part of the door 1. The piece 43 has a transverse extension or finger 45 which freely passe~
through the lower end 15c of the limb 15b. This arrange-ment enables the profile 15 to be displaced transversely on the piece 43 at the end of the closing travel of the window 2, the cable 4 moving the metal section 15 and the window 2.
As can be seen, in particular, in Fig. 8, the radius of curvature of the window 2 may vary, ranging from a value R for its lower part to a value R' less than R for its upper part. The weatherseal and its limb l5b are then dimensioned 80 as to enable this variation in the radius of curvature to be absorbed, for example by variation in the length of its limb 15b of which its upper part 15bl, corresponding to the radiu~ R', can be seen to be substantially wider than its lower part.
The guide means for the window will now be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 13.
The front post 46 of the door 1 extend~ over a 3S height greater than that of it~ rear post 40 80 as to be ~ble to receive the vertical front side of the window 2 in the upper clo~ed po~ition. Rail~ 47 and 48 for guiding the di~placement of the window 2, which are formed by c~mJ such a~, for ex4mple, grooves, are arranged in the , ,. ,, ,, ~ , ", . , , ,, , , ", , , , ~ ., ,, . ;. . ..
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'~"17"-~1 front post 46. These two cam grooves 47 and 48 are offset both transversely and in terms of he$ght such that the rail or outer cam 47 begins in a zone of the post 46 ~ituated considerably above it~ lower edge, and extends virtually as far as its upper end. On the other hand, the rail 48 extend~ from close to the lower edge of the po~t 46 and ~top~ well before the lower end of this post, below the lower edge of the closed window 2. The rail 48 terminate~ in an angled end 48a which extends trans-versely over a di~tance corresponding to the lateral displacement d which the window 2 must make in order to pass from its open position into it~ closed position, and vice versa.
Each cam 47, 48 receives, in a sliding manner, a guide ~lement such as a respective stud 49, 51 integral with a metal section 52 which may have the same L-shaped profile as the metal ~ection 15 (Figs. 11 and 12). The upper 49 and lower 51 ~tuds are then integral with the ends of the transverse limb 52b of the metal section 52, the second limb 52a of which is fixed to the inner face of the window 2. It should be noted that the track of the outer cam 47 approaches, in its upper part 47a, the outer surface of the bodywork. Moreover, as with the rear side of the window 2, the metal section 52 is made integral, at its lower end, with a drive piece 43, the tran~verse finger 45 of which passes freely through the lower end of the metal section 52. The piece 43 is attached to the cable 5 of the window lift 3, this cable pa~sing around a return pulley 60.
In the lower closed position, the window 2, its metal section 52 and the drive piece 43 are in the position shown in Fig. 11. When the window lift 3 is activated, the cable 5 and the piece 43 drive the metal section 52 and the window 2 upwards, with the result that the studs 49 and 51 slide in the guide cams 47 and 48 respectively, the window 2 coming progressively closer to the outer surface of the bodywork. At the end of trAvel, the stud 51 slides tran~versely into the end part 48a of the c~ rail 48 and come~ into abutment, with the result . . .

, . ,,,,~ . , , , ., " , , , .' . . . ';':' i ' .',,',,, , , , :; , ,,, ' ,: ' ' , ' znl7s41 that the window 2 i8 placed in the flu~h po~ition in Fig. 12.
A guide and sealing device is in this way formed which enables the window 2 to be flush with the surface of the bodywork on all four sides.
The window lift 3 may be replaced by a window lift with swinging arms which are connected to the window metal sections lS, 52 by appropriate drive links. It should al~o be noted that the lower edge of the window 2 may be other than rectilinear (band-shaped part).

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Claims

1. Sealing device for the window (2) of a vehicle door (1), characterized in that it comprises at least one seal (6 or 21) with two flexible lips (7, 8; 22, 23) applied against each other, and a metal section (15) integral with the inner face of the window, having a limb (15b) oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the window, this metal section (15) being positioned such that its abovementioned limb (15b) penetrates into the seal (6, 21) between the lips applied tightly against the said limb, both when the window (2) is in the raised closed position, flush on all four sides with the outer surface of the bodywork (10) of the vehicle, and when this window is in the lower open position after having made a lateral displacement (d) towards the inside of the vehicle, and in any intermediate position.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that it has a fitting (35) fixed along the lower edge of the window (2) and two sealing lips (36, 37) fixed to the door (1) and arranged such that, in the upper closed position of the window, one (36) of the lips is applied tightly against the fitting, and that in the lower open position of the window, after lateral displacement of the latter, the second lip (37) is applied tightly against the outer surface of the window.

3. Device a c c o r d i n g t o c l a i m 1 , characterized in that it comprises a further weatherseal (17) fastened on a bodywork element along at least one of the front and rear sides of the window (2) and which is positioned so as to be applied against the edge of the window when the latter is in the upper closed position, flush with the outer surface of the bodywork.

4. Device a c c o r d i n g t o c l a i m 1, in-tended in particular for non-cylindrical windows, charac-terized in that the limb (15b) of the metal section (15), substantially perpendicular to the window, and the weatherseal (21) are dimensioned so as to be able to absorb a variation in the radius of curvature (R) of the window (2), for example by a variation in the width of the said limb (15b, 15b1).

5. Vehicle door, characterized in that it has a sealing device a c c o r d i n g t o c l a i m 1 , a s well as means for laterally displacing and guiding the window (2) from its lower open position into its upper closed position, and vice versa, such that in the closed position the window is flush on all four sides with the outer surface of the bodywork.

6. Door according to Claim 5, having no frame for receiving the window (2) in the raised closed position, characterized in that its sealing device comprises two seals (6) fixed to elements (9) of the body of the vehicle along the front and rear sides of the window.

7. Door according to Claim 5, comprising a frame for receiving the window (2) in the raised closed position, characterized in that its sealing device comprises two seals (21) fixed to posts (19) of the frame.

8. Door a c c o r d i n g t o c l a i m 5 , characterized in that the means for laterally displacing and guiding the window (2) between its open and closed positions have rails (41, 48) which are carried by posts (40, 46) of the frame of the door (1) and extend along the front and rear sides of the window, each of these rails is provided with means for longitudinally guiding an abovementioned metal section (15, 52), fixed along the inner edge of the window so as to guide the displacement of the window, and the upper ends (41a, 48a) of these guide rails (41, 48) are angled towards the outside of the vehicle over a distance corresponding to the lateral displacement (d) which the window, and its metal sections (15, 52) interacting with the rails, must make so that the window is flush with the surface of the bodywork in the upper closed position.

9. Door according to Claim 8, characterized in that the rails are two cams (47, 48), in the form, for ex-ample, of grooves, which each receive in a sliding manner an element (49, 51) such as a stud, integral with the associated window metal section (52), these two cams (47, 48) are offset transversely, the inner cam (48) receives a guide element (51) fixed to the lower part of the metal section (52), and the upper end (48a) of this inner cam (48) is angled transversely towards the outside of the vehicle over a length corresponding to the lateral displacement (d) which the window (2) must make at the end of its travel towards its closed position, while the track of the outer cam (47) approaches, in its upper part (47a), the outer surface of the bodywork.

10. Door according to Claim 9, characterized in that the means for guiding the window (2) comprise a cam (41), in the form, for example, of a groove along the rear edge of the window, which is formed in a post (40) of the frame of the door (1), this groove (41) receiving, in a sliding manner, a guide element (42) such as a stud integral with the associated window metal section (15) and its upper end (41a) is angled transversely towards the outside of the vehicle over a length corresponding to the lateral displacement (d) of the window at the end of its travel towards its closed position.

11. Door a c c o r d i n g t o c l a i m 9 , characterized in that the elements (42, 49, 51) for guiding the metal sections (15, 52) on the cams (41, 47, 48) are fixed to the ends of the limbs (15b, 52b) of the metal sections which are substantially perpendicular to the window (2).

12. Door a c c o r d i n g t o c l a i m 5 , characterized in that each metal section (15, 52) is equipped with a piece (43) capable of being driven by a window-lift mechanism (3) and which has a transverse extension (45) passing freely through the metal section, which metal section may thus be displaced transversely on the said piece at the end of the closing travel of the window (2).

13. Door according to Claim 12, characterized in that the piece (43) driving the metal section (15, 52) is integral with a cable (4, 5) of the window lift (3).