Sealing strips

• US 5,826,378 A
• Filed: 05/10/1996
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GDX North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Draftex Industries Limited
• Inventors: Gallas, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): DePumpo, Daniel G.
• Application Number:
  US08/646,681
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 277/184, 49/475.1, 49/478.1, 49/490.1, 49/498.1
• US Class Current: 49/498.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/24 having tubular parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/248 having two or more tubular cavities, e.g. formed by partition walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/273 for enclosing or housing devices for purposes other than sealing, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/32 using integral U-shaped retainers
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/50 characterised by means for prevention or reduction of noise, e.g. of rattling or vibration of windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/80 specially adapted for opening panels, e.g. doors for non-fixed roofs B60J10/90

Abstract

A sealing strip for sealing between a flange defining the door opening, such as in a motor vehicle body, and the door of the opening, comprises a channel-shaped gripping part for gripping the flange and supporting a hollow tubular sealing part, preferably made of sponge rubber. The latter is partially compressed between the flange and the closing door so as to provide a barrier against ingress of moisture and draft. In order to provide improved blocking of acoustic energy, so as to reduce the amount of exterior noise (road noise, aerodynamic noise) transmitted into the interior of the the vehicle, the hollow tubular sealing part supports a metal wire running lengthwise along and within the hollow tube and supported from the tubular side wall so as to be capable of vibrating in a transverse direction. The mass of the wire and the rigidity with which it is supported are such that the resonant frequency with which the wire vibrates is less than a frequency band of acoustic energy to be attenuated, whereby the additional material tends to vibrate in opposition to, and thus attenuates, acoustic energy within that frequency band.

Claims

1. A closure arrangement for an opening, comprising

a frame of the opening,

a closure member movable towards the frame to close the opening, and

a sealing strip for sealing around at least part of the frame when the opening is closed by the closure member, the sealing strip comprising

longitudinally extending compressible material having a first portion positioned to be compressed between the frame and the closing closure member to seal around said at least part of the frame,

said longitudinally extending compressible material having a second portion positioned so as to be substantially uncompressed between the frame and the closing closure member, and

metallic material carried by said second portion of the compressible material and providing an increase in the mass of the compressible material so as to attenuate acoustic energy tending to pass between the frame and the closed closure member.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which

the compressible material is in the form of a hollow tube which is partially collaped by compression by the closing closure member, and

the metallic material is mounted on a part of a wall of the tube which constitutes said second portion of the compressible material and which is clear of both the closing closure member and the frame.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, in which the metallic material is positioned on the outside of the wall of the tube.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, in which the metallic material is positioned on the inside of the wall of the tube.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2, in which the metallic material is positioned in the wall of the tube.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which said first portion of the compressible material is in the form of a hollow tube which is positioned to be partially collapsed between the closing closure member and the frame, the tube having an internal partition wall which constitutes said second portion of the compressible material and which carries the metallic material.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the metallic material is carried on said second portion of the compressible material by being co-extruded therewith.

8. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the mass of the metallic material and the density of said second portion of the compressible material are so selected in relation to the frequency of the acoustic wave energy to be attentuated as to provide dynamic attenuation of the acoustic energy.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, in which the mass of the metallic material and the rigidity with which it is supported by said second portion of the compressible material provide a resonant frequency of vibration of the metallic material which is less than a frequency band of said acoustic energy.

10. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the sealing strip is mounted on a channel-shaped gripping part adapted to engage the frame.

11. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the compressible material is soft rubber.

12. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the metallic material is a length of metal wire extending continuously along at least part of the longitudinal extension of the compressible material.

13. A closure arrangement for closing an external opening of a motor vehicle, comprising

a frame extending around the opening,

a closure member for closing the opening, and

a sealing strip for sealing around at least part of the frame when the opening is closed by the closure member, the sealing strip comprising

a first portion of compressible material having a longitudinal extension corresponding to said at least part of the frame and positioned to be compressed between the frame and the closing closure member to provide a sealing barrier therebetween,

a second portion of compressible material integral with and having a longitudinal extension corresponding with said first portion of compressible material, said second portion of compressible material being positioned so as to be substantially uncompressed between the frame and the closing closure member,

the second portion of compressible material supporting a length of metal wire having a predetermined mass and extending along at least part of said longitudinal extension, the wire being supported with a predetermined degree of rigidity from said second portion of the compressible material for mechanical vibration in response to acoustic energy which arises externally of the vehicle,

the predetermined mass of the metal wire and the predetermined rigidity with which it is supported providing a resonant frequency of vibration of the wire which is less than a frequency band of said acoustic energy, the wire thereby tending to vibrate in opposition to, and to attenuate, acoustic energy within that frequency band.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, in which said first and second portions of the compressible material are together in the form of a tubular wall defining a longitudinally extending hollow tube, said second portion of the compressible material being so positioned in relation to said first portion thereof, and the cross-sectional size of the wire and the predetermined rigidity with which it is supported by said second portion of compressible material being so selected, that the wire when vibrating does not contact the tubular wall of the hollow tube when the latter is compressed by the closing closure member.

15. An arrangement according to claim 14, in which the wire is mounted on a surface of the tubular wall outside the tube.

16. An arrangement according to claim 14, in which the wire is mounted on a surface of the tubular wall inside the tube.

17. An arrangement according to claim 14, in which the wire is embedded in the tubular wall.

18. An arrangement according to claim 13, in which the wire is covered by elastomeric material.

19. An arrangement according to claim 13, in which the wire is embedded in said second portion of the compressible material.

20. An arrangement according to claim 14, in which said second portion of the compressible material defines a partition wall extending along at least part of the longitudinal extension of the tube and also extending across the hollow interior of the tube, the wire being supported on the partition wall.

21. An arrangement according to claim 13, in which the sealing strip is mounted on a channel-shaped gripping part which is adapted to engage the frame.

22. An arrangement according to claim 13, in which the compressible material is soft rubber.