GB2123464A

GB2123464A - Vehicle doors

Info

Publication number: GB2123464A
Application number: GB08220177A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Cole
Original assignee: Talbot Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Peugeot Motor Co PLC
Priority date: 1982-07-12
Filing date: 1982-07-12
Publication date: 1984-02-01

Abstract

A vehicle door (11) has an inflatable seal (1) encircling the periphery of the door to seal with the door frame in the closed position of the door. A rubber bulb (14) is mounted on the door and is connected (15) through a valve (22) to the seal. The bulb is deflated to inflate the seal by a plunger (16) pressed against the bulb by engagement with the door frame when the door is closed. The valve 22 has a connection to the vehicle door latch to release the air pressure from the seal when the latch is operated to open the door. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle doors This invention relates to vehicle doors and is particularly although not exclusively applicable to motor vehicle doors.

The term "vehicle door" is intended to include within its scope side doors, rear doors or tailgates and also opening roof panels or lights (whether sliding or hinged) of a vehicle body.

The invention provides a vehicle door having an inflatable seal encircling at least a part of the periphery of the door to seal with a door frame in the closed position of the door, means to inflate the seal in response to the closure of the door in the frame and valve means to release pressure from the seal in response to opening of the door.

The provision of the inflatable seal enables the door to be closed with a minimum of effort since the seal is not inflated to become effective until closure of the door takes place.

Pump means may have an operating member arranged on the door to be displaced with respect to the door by the door frame on closure of the door in the frame, the pump means being arranged to pressurise the door seal in response to said displacement of the member.

The pump means may comprise a resilient bulb located within the door and having a conduit connection to the door seal and the operating member comprises a plunger mounted on the door bearing on the bulb and projecting from the door to engage and be depressed into the door by closure of the door, the depression of the door being arranged to compress the bulb to expel air therefrom into the conduit and thence to the inflatable seal, the bulb having a return spring for restoring the bulb to its natural shape when the plunger is released from the door frame on opening of the door.

In any of the arrangements referred to above, an exhaust valve may be provided for the inflatable seal for releasing air pressure therefrom, the door having a door latch mechanism connected to the exhaust valve to close the valve in response to closure of the door to allow the seal to be pressurised and to open the valve in response to opening of the door to release the seal.

Preferably the exhaust valve comprises a rotary valve connected between the pump means and the door seal, the valve having ports connected to the pump means, the seal and to atmosphere and a rotary valve member which in one position communicates the pump means with the seal and in a second position communicates the seal with the exhaust port, the valve member being connected to the door latch operating mechanism to be moved into said one position on closure of the door and in to the second position on opening of the door.

The following is a description of one embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic view of a part of a vehicle door and sealing arrangement for the door.

Referring to the arrangement shown in the drawings, a motor vehicle door is indicated generally at 10 the door has a front wall 11 supported by hinges (not shown) on a door post 12 forming part of a door frame in the vehicle body for the door.

The door has an encircling hollow circular section seal 13 extending around at least a part of preferably the whole of the periphery of the door to form a seal with the inner periphery of the door frame in the closed position of the door. A pump in the form of a rubber bulb 14 is mounted within the door body adjacent the front wall 11 of the door and a conduit 1 5 connects the bulb to the seal 13.

A plunger 16 is mounted in an aperture 17 in the front wall of the door and has a base 18 which bears on the bulb 14. The plunger 16 has a head 19 which engages in the recess 20 in the door post 1 2 as the door closes. Closure of the door in the door frame depresses the plunger into the door to cause the base 18 of the plunger to compress the bulb 14 expelling air from the bulb along the conduit 15 into the seal 13. Opening of the door releases the plunger from the door post and the bulb 14 is restored to its normal shape and plunger 16 is returned to its extended position by a compression spring 21 enclosed within the bulb 14.

The conduit 15 has a rotary valve 22 located in the conduit between the bulb 14 and the seal 13.

The rotary valve has a port 23 to which the bulb 14 is connected, a port 24 to which the seal 13 is connected and a port 25 connected to exhaust.

The valve has a rotatable valve member 26 for connecting the ports 23 and 24 together to communicate the bulb 14 with the seal 13 whilst closing the exhaust 25 in one position of the member and, in the second position of the member for connecting port 24 with port 25 to connect the seal 13 to atmosphere whilst closing the port to the bulb 14. The rotary valve 16 is connected to the latch mechanism of the door which is not shown. Operation of the latch mechanism on closure of the door causes the rotary valve member 26 to move into the first position communicating the bulb 14 with the seal 13 for charging of the seal 13. As indicated earlier, closure of the door compresses the valve to inflate the seal 13 through the valve 22 and create an effective seal with the door frame.Operation of the door latch to open the door is arranged to rotate the valve member 26 into the second position communicating the seal with atmosphere and thereby releasing air pressure from the seal to allow the door to open. A non-return inlet valve 27 is provided in the conduit 15 between the bulb 14 and valve 22 so that as the door opens air is drawn in through the valve 27 by the bulb 14 as it resumes its normal shape so that the bulb is re-charged for the next closure of the door.

Since the door is closed with the seal in its deflated condition, the door shuts with minimum effort and the inflation of the seal which takes place on closure provide an effective seal for the door in the closed position.

It will be understood that many modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example the bulb could be replaced by other forms of pump such as bellows. The sealing arrangement can be used on passenger doors and also rear or tailgate doors of the vehicle and also hinged or sliding roof arrangements.

By way of example a typical door seal tube will have a length of 3500 mm and a cross-section of 100 mm2 giving a volume of 350 mm3. A suitable rubber bulb for inflating the seal of that size will have a diameter of 90 mm that is an air volume of approximately 380 cm3.

Claims

1. A vehicle door having an inflatable seal encircling at least a part of the periphery of the door to seal with a door frame in the closed position of the door, means to inflate the seal in response to the closure of the door in the frame and valve means to release pressure from the seal in response to opening of the door.

2. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pump means has an operating member arranged on the door to be displaced with respect to the door by the door frame on closure of the door in the frame, the pump means being arranged to pressurise the door seal in response to said displacement of the member.

3. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pump means comprise a resilient bulb located within the door and having a conduit connection to the door seal and the operating member comprises a plunger mounted on the door bearing on the bulb and projecting from the door to engage and be depressed into the door by closure of the door, the depression of the door being arranged to compress the bulb to expel air therefrom into the conduit and thence to the inflatable seal, the bulb having a return spring for restoring the bulb to its natural shape when the plunger is released from the door frame on opening of the door.

4. A vehicle door as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein an exhaust valve is provided for the inflatable seal for releasing air pressure therefrom, the door having a door latch mechanism connected to the exhaust valve to close the valve in response to closure of the door to allow the seal to be pressurised and to open the valve in response to opening of the door to release the seal.

5. A vehicle door as claimed in claim 4 wherein the exhaust valve comprises a rotary valve connected between the pump means and the door seal, the valve having ports connected to the pump means, the seal and to atmosphere and a rotary valve member which in one position communicates the pump means with the seal and in a second position communicates the seal with the exhaust port, the valve member being connected to the door latch operating mechanism to be moved into said one position on closure of the door and into the second position on opening of the door.

6. A vehicle device as claimed in claim 5 and in the case where a conduit connects the pump means to the seal, wherein the rotary valve is located in the conduit and the conduit also contains a non-return inlet valve between the pump means and the rotary valve to allow air to be drawn into the bulb of the pump means when the door is opened for re-pressurising the seal on closure of the door.

7. A vehicle door having a sealing arrangement substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.