GB2334990A

GB2334990A - A sealing strip for a sunroof comprising a water-directing lip along part of its length

Info

Publication number: GB2334990A
Application number: GB9804528A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Oliver Greiss
Original assignee: Draftex Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Laird Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1998-03-03
Filing date: 1998-03-03
Publication date: 1999-09-08
Also published as: GB9804528D0; WO1999044849A1

Abstract

A sealing strip 12, preferably for use in a vehicle sunroof, is formed by a continuous extrusion process and includes a lip 34 along its entire length. A cutter at the exit of the extruder removes the lip 34 except in the predetermined section where it is required. The strip may be mounted on the glass panel 8 of a tilt and slide sunroof arrangement, held by a leg portion 23 which interlockingly engages with formations within a slot 28 in the periphery of a glass panel 8. The sealing strip 12 integrally supports a flexible sealing part 20 for sealing against a vertical wall 5B of the roof 5. Along the leading edge of the frame, a water channel 14 is integrally defined. Along the corresponding part of the sealing strip 12, the lip 34 is provided which, when the panel 8 is in a tilted position, directs ingressing water A into the water channel 14.

Description

1 C.

2334990 SEALING STRIPS The invention relates to sealing strips. One sealing strip embodying the invention, and to be described in more detail below by way of example only, is for sealing around the opening sunroof in a motor vehicle body. However, sealing strips embodying the invention may be used in many other applications.

According to the invention, there is provided a sealing strip for providing a seal between the edge of an aperture and a closure member therefor, comprising a sealing portion having a predetermined continuous length corresponding to the periphery of the aperture, and lip means extending integrally from the sealing strip in a direction transverse to its length and positioned only along a part of the length of the sealing strip corresponding to a predetermined part of the periphery of the aperture.

According to the invention, there is also provided a sunroof arrangement for a vehicle, comprising means defining a frame which is formed in a roof of the vehicle and which runs around an aperture therein, a sunroof panel for the aperture and movable with respect to the aperture so as to open the aperture partially and to a greater extent, and a sealing strip mounted on the panel and extending substantially completely around the periphery 2 cl thereof, the frame means defining water-receiving channel means extending along a predetermined part, only, of the periphery of the aperture for receiving ingressing water when the panel is partially open, and a water-directing lip mounted on a predetermined part, only, of the length of the sealing strip which corresponds in length and position with the water-receiving channel means whereby the lip directs ingressing water into the channel means when the panel is partially open.

Sealing strips embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of part of the roof of a vehicle, showing the sunroof aperture and one of the sealing strips running around the sunroof panel; Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1 with the sunroof fully closed; Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 2 but shows the sunroof partially open; Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a section corresponding to Figure 2 but showing only c 3 the sealing strip.

Figure 1 shows part of the roof 5 of a motor vehicle in which is formed an aperture 6 closable by means of a sunroof panel 8. In this embodiment, the panel 8 is a glass panel and is of the "tilt and slide" form - that is, it can be tilted so as to provide partial opening and can also be slid horizontally into a slot indicated diagrammatically at 10 in Figure 1 to provide full opening.

To provide a weather-tight closure of the aperture 6, a sealing strip 12, again to be described in more detail below, surrounds the aperture. Figure 2 shows a cross-section through part of the roof 5, the glass panel 8 and the seal 12 at the front or leading edge of the aperture 6, with the panel 8 being in its fully closed position. The interior of the vehicle's passenger compartment is indicated at 13. Adjacent the leading edge 6A of the aperture 6, the roof 5 has a generally horizontal portion 5A, a substantially vertical portion 5B defining the leading or front edge of the aperture 6, a further generally horizontal portion 5C and a lip 5D. In addition, portions 5B and SC are respectively bent to form a rain channel 14 integrally positioned between them. The rain channel 14 runs in a horizontal direction along the leading edge 6A of the aperture (see Figure 1).

The seal 12 is secured onto the edge of the panel 8. The seal 4 comprises extruded plastics or rubber material 16 in the form of a relatively stiff base part 18 extending along the front edge of the panel 8 and integrally supporting a thinner and more flexible wall part 20 defining a hollow interior 22. The base part 18 has an integral leg part 23 extending substantially perpendicular from it. The leg part 23 has lips 24 integrally extending in an inclined direction away from one face of the leg.

A reinforcement 26, such as made of metal, is embedded in the base part 18 with an integral extension into the leg part 23. The reinforcement 26 may take any suitable form. It may, for example, comprise unapertured metal strip. Instead, the metal strip could be apertured, such as being provided with slits or slots, to increase its flexibility.

The sealing strip 12 is advantageously formed by a continuous extrusion process. This process may use a cross-head extruder by means of which the reinforcement 26 is embedded in the material 16.

As shown in Figure 2, the sealing strip 12 is mounted on the front edge 8A of the panel 8 by inserting the leg part 22 into a slot 28 in the leading edge 8A of the panel 8. The slot 28 is provided with recesses 30 and 32 which receive the lips 24 of the leg part 23. The material of the lips 24 is sufficiently flexible to enable the lips to bend as the leg part 23 is inserted, thereby allowing full insertion whereupon the lips 24 then resile and become locked in the recesses 30 and 32 to hold the strip 12 firmly in position. In this way, therefore, the seal 12 is attached to the roof panel 8 so that the outer wall 20 of the sealing strip resiliently seals against the vertical part 5B of the roof.

In addition, however, the outer wall part 20 of the sealing strip 12 has an integral lip 34 which extends in an outward and downwardly inclined direction, reaching towards and partially into the water channel 14.

Lower lips 36 and 37 of the base part 18 of the seal 12 sealingly contacts the substantially horizontal part 5C of the roof. In addition, the base part 18 has a lip 38 which seats on an inclined upper corner surface of the glass panel 8.

As shown in Figure 2, therefore, the sealing strip 12 is held firmly in position along the edge of the glass panel 8 to provide a weather-tight seal.

Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 2 but shows the glass panel 8 in its partially open, tilted, configuration - so that the rear part (not shown in Figure 3) of the panel 8 is clear of the roof 6 and thus provides partial opening of the aperture 6.

6 As shown in Figure 3, the configuration of the sealing strip 12 is such that the lip 34 is now withdrawn from the water channel 14 but is still in sealing contact with the portion 5C of the roof 5. Therefore, any water entering the gap 36, which now appears between the wall portion 20 of the sealing strip 12 and the vertical part 5B of the roof, is directed by the lip 34 into the water channel 14 - as shown by the arrows A. The water channel 14 is connected (by means not shown) to a duct which carries the water safely away and thus prevents it entering the interior 13 of the vehicle.

Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 2 but shows the shapes of the roof 5 and the sealing strip 12 along a side edge 8B of the glass panel 8. Along the side of the aperture 6, the roof 5 is not formed with the water channel 14 but otherwise has the same general configuration as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In addition, however, the sealing strip 12 does not have the lip 34 along this part of the sealing strip.

Figure 5 shows the sealing strip on its own. Items in Figure 5 corresponding to those in the other Figures are similarly referenced. In accordance with a feature of the invention, the sealing strip 12 is extruded in a continuous length and formed with the lip 34. However, along appropriate parts of the length of the sealing strip 12, the lip 34 is removed where it is not required. In other words, the lip 34 is present along the part 7 of the sealing strip which will be fitted to the leading edge 8A of the glass panel 8 but is omitted where it is to be fitted to the side edges (e.g. edge 8B, Figure 3) of the glass panel and along its rear edge 8C. More specifically, and where the sealing strip is produced by an extrusion process, the extrusion die may be shaped so that the sealing strip, as it issues from the extruder, integrally carries the lip 34 but a cutter may be controllably positioned adjacent the exit from the extruder and arranged to cut off the lip 34 along those parts of the length of the strip where it is not required. Because of the speed at which the strip issues from the extruder, there will not be an abrupt transition between a position where the lip 34 is present and a position where it is not present; instead, the lip will be progressively reduced in size by the cutter.

In this way, therefore, a sealing strip can be produced in a continuous length with the lip 34 present along that part of the length where it is required but absent elsewhere. The sealing strip can then be easily assembled onto the glass panel 8 in the manner explained and there will only be a single joint between abutting ends of the strip. This abutting joint is advantageously positioned otherwise than along the part of the strip carrying the lip 34. In this way, an arrangement is produced which is advantageous as compared with a sealing strip produced in two separate lengths, one length carrying a lip corresponding to the lip 34 and for positioning along the front 8 edge 8A of the glass panel and the other length omitting any such lip and being for fitting along the side and rear edges of the glass panel 8. With the latter type of arrangement, therefore, there would have to be two joints along the length of the complete strip.

As shown at 40 in Figure 5, the external surface of the sealing portion 20 and of the lips 34 and 37 may be covered with flock or other low friction material. The flock is omitted from Figures 2 to 4 to aid clarity.

I- 1 9

Claims

1. A sealing strip for providing a seal between the edge of an aperture and a closure member therefor, comprising a sealing portion having a predetermined continuous length corresponding to the periphery of the aperture, and lip means extending integrally from the sealing strip in a direction transverse to its length and positioned only along a part of the length of the sealing strip corresponding to a predetermined part of the periphery of the aperture.

2. A strip according to claim 1, in which the lip is integrally mounted on the sealing portion.

3. A strip according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a base portion extending for the length of the strip and integrally supporting the sealing portion, the sealing portion being in the form of a wall of a hollow interior.

4. A strip according to any preceding claim and formed by an extrusion process, in which the lip is present as the strip is extruded and is removed by a cutting action except along that part of the length of the strip corresponding to the predetermined position.

5. A strip according to any preceding claim, in combination with a closure member for the aperture, the sealing strip being secured to a peripheral edge of the closure member and extending completely around the periphery with its two ends in substantial abutment.

6. A strip according to claim 5, in which the closure member is in the form of a panel having a slot in its peripheral edge, the strip integrally carrying a leg part arranged to enter the slot and interlock therewith to hold the strip on the peripheral edge of the panel.

7. A strip according to claim 6, in which an inner wall of the slot defines one or more recesses for interlockingly receiving a respective formation carried by and extending from the leg portion.

8. A strip according to claim 7, in which the formation is sufficiently flexible to enable it to bend and thereby to allow the leg portion to enter the recess.

9. A sunroof arrangement for a vehicle, comprising means defining a frame which is formed in a roof of the vehicle and which runs around an aperture therein, a sunroof panel for the aperture and movable with respect to the aperture so as to open the aperture partially and to a greater extent, and a sealing strip mounted on the panel and extending substantially completely around the periphery thereof, the frame means defining waterreceiving channel means extending along a predetermined part, only, of the periphery of the aperture for receiving ingressing water when the panel is partially open, and a water-directing lip mounted on a predetermined part, only, of the length of the sealing strip which corresponds in length and position with the water-receiving channel means whereby the lip directs ingressing water into the channel means when the panel is partially open.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, in which the sealing strip integrally carries a sealing portion extending along its length, the lip being mounted on the sealing portion.

11. An arrangement according to claim 10, in which the sealing portion is part of the wall of a hollow chamber.

12. An arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to 11, in which the sealing strip is mounted on a peripheral edge of the panel.

13. An arrangement according to claim 12, in which the sealing strip has a base portion seated on the peripheral edge of the panel and a leg portion extending transversely of the base portion and interlockingly engaging within a slot in the peripheral edge of the panel.

12

14. An arrangement according to any one of claims 9 which the sealing strip is formed by a continuous extrusion process which forms the lip in continuous fashion, the lip being removed by a cutting action immediately after the extrusion except along that part of the length of the sealing strip corresponding to the said predetermined part of the sealing strip.

to 13, in

15. An arrangement according to any one of claims 9 to 14, in which the sunroof panel is of the tilt and slide type.

16. A sealing strip, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A tilt and slide sunroof arrangement for a vehicle, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.