Illuminated bulb seal

• US 10,427,509 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kena, Mukdam, McElroy, Michael Murphy
• Primary Examiner(s): Trail, Allyson N
• Application Number:
  US15/835,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20190176601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 362511, 428 99, 428217
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/273 for enclosing or housing devices for purposes other than sealing, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/34 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/84 arranged on the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/304 Adaptations of signalling devices having a part on the vehicle body and another on the boot door
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/324 for signalling that a door is open or intended to be opened
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/30 for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/50 Mounting arrangements for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments B60Q3/30; specially adapted for specific vehicle types B60Q3/40
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/62 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/101 permanently, e.g. welding, gluing or riveting

Abstract

A system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a seal having a compressible bulb to provide sealing between a vehicle flange and a moveable panel, and a channel formed in an exterior surface of the bulb. A light source is positioned within the channel to extend along a length of the seal. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, forming a seal to have a compressible bulb that has a channel formed in an exterior surface of the bulb, and installing a light cable within the channel to extend along a length of the seal.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a seal having a compressible bulb to provide sealing between a vehicle flange and a moveable panel;

a channel formed in an exterior surface of the bulb; and

a light source positioned within the channel to extend along a length of the seal.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the channel extends along an entire length of the seal and wherein the light source extends along an entire length of the channel.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the light source is exposed and visible when installed in the channel.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the light source comprises at least one fiber optic cable or flexible light pipe.

5. The system according to claim 1 including an adhesive source to seat and hold the light source within the channel.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the seal includes a rigid substrate configured to mount the bulb to the vehicle flange.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the seal includes a lip defining a scuff plate cavity and configured to extend over a scuff plate associated with the vehicle flange.

8. The system according to claim 7 including at least one opening in a seal wall extending between the lip and the rigid substrate to route the light source to a light emitter.

9. The system according to claim 6 wherein the bulb defines a cavity between the substrate and an inner surface of the bulb, and wherein the light source is seated in the channel external of the cavity.

23. The system according to claim 1 wherein the compressible bulb provides an enclosed cavity that collapses when the bulb is compressed between the flange and the panel, and wherein the channel comprises an inwardly extending portion that indents toward the cavity and provides the exterior surface to mount the light source.

10. A system, comprising:

a vehicle flange;

a panel moveable relative to the flange between an open and closed position;

a seal having a rigid substrate attached to the flange and a compressible bulb to engage the panel;

a channel formed in an exterior surface of the bulb; and

a light source positioned within the channel to extend along a length of the seal.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the channel extends along an entire length of the seal and wherein the light source extends along an entire length of the channel.

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the bulb defines a cavity between the substrate and an inner surface of the bulb, and wherein the light source is seated in the channel external of the cavity, and wherein the channel is formed from a higher density material than a remaining portion of the bulb.

13. The system according to claim 10 wherein the seal includes a lip defining a cavity and extending over a scuff plate associated with the flange, and a wall that connects the lip to the substrate, and including at least one opening in the wall to route the light source to a light emitter.

14. The system according to claim 10 wherein the panel comprises at least one of a vehicle door, lift-gate, trunk, hood, and hatchback.

22. The system according to claim 10 wherein the compressible bulb provides an enclosed cavity that collapses when the bulb is compressed between the flange and the panel, and wherein the channel comprises an inwardly extending portion that indents toward the cavity and provides the exterior surface to mount the light source.

15. A method, comprising:

forming a seal to have a compressible bulb that has a channel formed in an exterior surface of the bulb; and

installing a light cable within the channel to extend along a length of the seal.

16. The method according to claim 15 including bending back at least one lip of the channel and manually inserting the light cable into the channel.

17. The method according to claim 15 including extruding the seal, bending back at least one lip of the channel as the seal exits an extruder, and automatically inserting the light cable into the channel via a spool.

18. The method according to claim 15 including leaving at least a portion of the light cable exposed and visible after installing the light cable in the channel.

19. The method according to claim 15 including forming the seal to have a rigid substrate configured to mount the bulb to a vehicle flange such that the bulb defines a cavity between the substrate and an inner surface of the bulb, and including seating the light cable into the channel external of the cavity.

20. The method according to claim 15 including installing an adhesive member within the channel to seat and hold the light cable within the channel.

21. The method according to claim 15 including forming the seal to have a rigid mount portion, and wherein the compressible bulb provides an enclosed cavity that collapses when the bulb is compressed between the rigid mount portion and an associated closure panel to provide a sealed interface, and forming the channel from a higher density material than a remaining portion of the bulb.