Sealing system for movable window of rear window assembly

• US 10,011,158 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tooker, Troy F., Johnson, David K., Hulst, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rephann, Justin B
• Application Number:
  US15/332,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20170036523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/007 received in frames to be attached to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/1853 horizontally in direction transverse to vehicle longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/21 having corner parts or bends

Abstract

A method of forming a unitary perimeter seal for attachment at a fixed window panel of a slider window assembly of a vehicle includes forming upper, lower and side sealing portions each having elongated body portions and sealing lips extending substantially therealong. The upper and lower sealing portion are arranged with first ends adjacent a respective end of a first side sealing portion and second ends adjacent a respective end of a second side sealing portion. The sealing portions are arranged so as to result in a perimeter frame that circumscribes an opening for the slider window assembly. Corner regions are molded at and partially over adjacent ends of the elongated body portions of the sealing portions, such that the corner regions include a curved sealing lip that provides a transition between the sealing lips of the adjacent ends of the sealing portions.

Claims

1. A method of forming a unitary perimeter seal for attachment at a fixed window panel of a slider window assembly of a vehicle, said unitary perimeter seal configured to slidingly seal against a movable window panel of said slider window assembly, said method comprising:

extruding an upper sealing portion, a lower sealing portion, a first side sealing portion and a second side sealing portion, wherein said upper sealing portion, said lower sealing portion, said first side sealing portion and said second side sealing portion each have elongated body portions and sealing lips extending substantially therealong;

arranging said upper sealing portion with one of its ends adjacent an end of said first side sealing portion and another of its ends adjacent an end of said second side sealing portion;

arranging said lower sealing portion with one of its ends adjacent another end of said first side sealing portion and another of its ends adjacent another end of said second side sealing portion;

wherein the steps of arranging said upper and lower sealing portions with their ends adjacent respective ends of said first and second side sealing portions results in a perimeter frame that circumscribes an opening for said slider window assembly of the vehicle; and

molding corner regions at and partially over adjacent ends of said elongated body portions of said sealing portions, wherein said corner regions comprise a curved sealing lip that provides a transition between said sealing lips of said adjacent ends of said sealing portions.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising truncating said sealing lips of at least some of said sealing portions, and wherein the step of molding corner regions comprises molding said curved sealing lip at and between truncated ends of said sealing lips of said adjacent ends of said sealing portions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of molding corner regions comprises molding a sealing lip along said elongated body portion of at least one of said sealing portions between a truncated end of said sealing lip of said at least one of said sealing portions and the end of said elongated body portion of said at least one of said sealing portions.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising establishing an adhesive strip along said body portion of each of said sealing portions at a surface of said elongated body portion opposite said sealing lip.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said upper sealing portion, said lower sealing portion, said first side sealing portion and said second side sealing portion are extruded as separate individual sealing portions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of molding corner regions comprises molding a corner body portion partially over body portions of adjacent elongated sealing portions to join and retain said adjacent elongated sealing portions relative to one another and form the unitary perimeter seal that circumscribes the opening.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said curved sealing lip of at least some of said corner regions extends from the respective body portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extruding one of said elongated sealing portions comprises extruding a Y-shaped sealing lip, and wherein said Y-shaped sealing lip has an outer lip and an inner lip closer to said opening than said outer lip.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said curved sealing lip of said molded corner regions at opposite ends of said one of said elongated sealing portions comprises an arcuate shaped single sealing lip that provides a curved transition between said inner lip of said Y-shaped sealing lip and another sealing lip of an adjacent elongated sealing portion that is adjacent to a respective one of the ends of said one of said elongated sealing portions.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said inner lip of said Y-shaped sealing lip is truncated so as to not extend to the ends of said one of said elongated body portions, and wherein said curved sealing lips of said corner sealing portions provide a continuous sealing lip between truncated ends of said inner sealing lip and respective ends of the adjacent elongated sealing portions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extruding one of said elongated sealing portions comprises extruding a double sealing lip having an outer lip and an inner lip closer to said opening than said outer lip, and wherein said curved sealing lips of said corner regions at opposite ends of said one of said elongated sealing portions comprise arcuate shaped single sealing lips that provide a curved transition between said inner lip of said double sealing lip and another sealing lip of an adjacent elongated sealing portion that is adjacent to a respective one of the ends of said one of said elongated sealing portions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said sealing lip of each of said elongated sealing portions is truncated so as to not extend to the ends of said elongated body portion, and wherein said corner regions are molded at said adjacent ends of said elongated sealing portions to provide a continuous sealing lip between truncated sealing lips of the adjacent elongated sealing portions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises a single fixed window panel having an opening therethrough, and wherein said perimeter seal is adhesively attached at a surface of the single fixed window panel around the opening through the single fixed window.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one fixed window panel comprises first and second fixed window panels defining an opening therebetween, and wherein said perimeter seal is adhesively attached at respective surfaces of the first and second fixed window panels and at respective surfaces of upper and lower appliqué

s so as to be attached around the opening between the first and second fixed windows.

15. A method of forming a unitary perimeter seal for attachment at a fixed window panel of a slider window assembly of a vehicle, said unitary perimeter seal configured to slidingly seal against a movable window panel of said slider window assembly, said method comprising:

forming an upper sealing portion having an elongated body portion and a sealing lip extending substantially therealong;

forming a lower sealing portion having an elongated body portion and a sealing lip extending substantially therealong;

forming a first side sealing portion having an elongated body portion and a Y-shaped sealing lip extending substantially therealong;

forming a second side sealing portion having an elongated body portion and a double sealing lip extending substantially therealong;

arranging said upper sealing portion with one of its ends adjacent an end of said first side sealing portion and another of its ends adjacent an end of said second side sealing portion;

arranging said lower sealing portion with one of its ends adjacent another end of said first side sealing portion and another of its ends adjacent another end of said second side sealing portion;

wherein the steps of arranging said upper and lower sealing portions with their ends adjacent respective ends of said first and second side sealing portions results in a perimeter frame that circumscribes an opening for said slider window assembly of the vehicle;

wherein said Y-shaped sealing lip has an outer lip and an inner lip closer to said opening than said outer lip, and wherein said double sealing lip has an outer lip and an inner lip closer to said opening than said outer lip;

molding corner regions at and partially over adjacent ends of said elongated body portions of said sealing portions, wherein said corner regions comprise a curved sealing lip that provides a transition between said sealing lips of said adjacent ends of said sealing portions;

wherein said curved sealing lip between an upper end of said first side sealing portion and an adjacent end of said upper sealing portion provides a transition between said inner lip of said Y-shaped sealing lip and said sealing lip of said upper sealing portion;

wherein said curved sealing lip between a lower end of said first side sealing portion and an adjacent end of said lower sealing portion provides a transition between said inner lip of said Y-shaped sealing lip and said sealing lip of said lower sealing portion;

wherein said curved sealing lip between an upper end of said second side sealing portion and an adjacent end of said upper sealing portion provides a transition between said inner lip of said double sealing lip and said sealing lip of said upper sealing portion; and

wherein said curved sealing lip between a lower end of said second side sealing portion and an adjacent end of said lower sealing portion provides a transition between said inner lip of said double sealing lip and said sealing lip of said lower sealing portion.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising truncating said sealing lips of at least some of said sealing portions, and wherein the step of molding corner regions comprises molding said curved sealing lip at and between truncated ends of said sealing lips of said adjacent ends of said sealing portions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of truncating said sealing lips comprises truncating said inner lip of said Y-shaped sealing lip at opposite ends of said first side sealing portion.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of truncating said sealing lips comprises truncating said inner lip of said double sealing lip at opposite ends of said second side sealing portion.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising establishing an adhesive strip along said body portion of each of said sealing portions at a surface of said elongated body portion opposite said sealing lip.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of molding corner regions comprises molding a corner body portion partially over body portions of adjacent elongated sealing portions to join and retain said adjacent elongated sealing portions relative to one another and form the unitary perimeter seal that circumscribes the opening.