Cowl assembly with snap-on seals

• US 20040124669A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collins & Aikman Automotive Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Collins & Aikman Automotive Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Eynon, Stephen James, Murto, Mathew Theodore, Gall, John Carl, Clapham, Edwin Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 6,830,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/28 the openings being situated directly in front of vehicle front window
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/081 Cowls ventilating openings situated directly in front of the vehicle front window B60H1/28

Abstract

A vehicle body ventilation system for a vehicle having a windshield, a hood, and a cowl assembly, wherein the cowl assembly comprises a cowl grille panel having a front and a rear edge and a first seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein the carrier portion is frictionally engaged with the front edge of the cowl grille panel. A second seal is provided that includes a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein the carrier portion is frictionally engaged with the rear edge of the cowl grille panel. The carrier portion of the first seal and the second seal are of a first durometer and the sealing portion of the first seal and the sealing portion of the second seal each are of a second durometer for sealing to a vehicle windshield and hood, wherein the second durometer is less than the first durometer.

Claims

1. A vehicle body ventilation system for a vehicle having a windshield, a hood, and a cowl assembly, wherein the cowl assembly comprises:

a cowl grille panel having a front and a rear edge,

a first seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel, and

a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel,

wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer, wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.

2. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein said first and second seals are formed by molding.

3. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein said first and second seals are co-extruded.

4. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein said sealing portion of said first seal is a hollow profile shape.

5. The ventilation system of claim 1, wherein said first and said second seal are retained on said first and said second edges of said cowl grille panel by a cross locking feature formed by a die lock of said first seal carrier portion on said front edge and by said second seal carrier portion on said rear edge.

6. A vehicle body ventilation system for a vehicle having a windshield, a hood, an air plenum, and a cowl assembly, wherein the cowl assembly comprises:

a cowl grille panel having a front and a rear edge,

a first seal including a sealing portion for sealing against said air plenum and said hood and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel,

a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel,

wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and air plenum and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.

7. The vehicle body ventilation system of claim 6 wherein said sealing portion of said first seal for sealing to said plenum comprises a hollow profile shape.

8. A vehicle body ventilation system for a vehicle having a windshield, a hood, an air plenum, and a cowl assembly, wherein the cowl assembly comprises:

a cowl grille panel having a front and a rear edge,

a first seal including a sealing portion for sealing against said hood and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel and said air plenum,

a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel, wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.

9. Seals for sealing a cowl grille panel to a windshield and hood of a vehicle, said seals comprising:

a first seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel, and

a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel, wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.

10. The seals of claim 9, wherein said first and second seals are formed by molding.

11. The seals of claim 9, wherein said first and second seals are co-extruded.

12. The seals of claim 9, wherein said seal portion of said first seal is a hollow profile shape.

13. The seals of claim 9, wherein said first and said second seal are retained on said first and said second edges of said cowl grille panel by a cross locking feature formed by a die lock of said first seal carrier portion on said front edge and by said second seal carrier portion on said rear edge.

14. Seals for sealing a cowl grille panel to a windshield, hood and air plenum of a vehicle, said seals comprising

a first seal including a sealing portion for sealing against said air plenum and said hood and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel,

a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel, wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and air plenum and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.

15. The seals of claim 14 wherein said sealing portion of said first seal for sealing to said plenum comprises a hollow profile shape

16. A method of sealing a ventilation system for a vehicle having a cowl assembly, characterized by:

providing a cowl grille panel having a front and a rear edge,

providing a first seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel, and

providing a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel, wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.

17. Seals for sealing a cowl grille panel to a windshield, hood and air plenum of a vehicle, said seals comprising

a first seal including a sealing portion for sealing against said hood and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said front edge of said cowl grille panel and said air plenum,

a second seal including a sealing portion and a carrier portion wherein said carrier portion is frictionally engaged with said rear edge of said cowl grille panel, wherein the carrier portion of said first seal and said second seal is of a first durometer and said sealing portion of said first seal and said sealing portion of said second seal each are of a second durometer, wherein said sealing portion of said first seal seals against a vehicle hood and said sealing portion of said second seal seals against a vehicle windshield, wherein said second durometer is less than said first durometer.