Gap sealing means

• US 5,069,012 A
• Filed: 02/07/1990
• Issued: 12/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gurit Essex AG (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gurit Essex AG (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Riederer, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US07/476,269
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 296/93, 296/201, 52/400, 52/403, 52/208
• US Class Current: 52/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/70 specially adapted for windows or windscreens

Abstract

In a vehicle body, the aperture for the pane or window comprises a mounting flange stepped towards the interior of the vehicle. The pane of window is adhesively fixed to that mounting flange along a peripheral edge portion. Along the edge of the mounting flange remote from the aperture for the pane or window a gap sealing member is adhesively fixed to the stepped portion of the mounting flange. The gap sealing member is an endless hollow profile member corresponding in size to the perimeter of the pane or window and is elastically deformable. The use of such a gap sealing member is much less expensive that known sealing members of this kind, offers good appearance and may be easily mounted while it effectively seals the gap between vehicle body and pane or window against dirt and moisture.

Claims

1. A gap sealing means for providing a seal between a mounting flange of a vehicle body and a windowpane mounted to said mounting flange, said mounting flange including a first wall portion and a second wall portion extending transverse to said first wall portion, said second wall portion of said mounting flange extending generally parallel to said windowpane, said windowpane being mounted by means of a bead of adhesive material for securing said windowpane to said mounting flange, said bead of adhesive material being disposed between said second wall portion and said windowpane, and said bead of adhesive material being spaced inwardly of the periphery of said windowpane and providing a gap between said second wall portion and said windowpane, said gap sealing means comprising:

an elongate elastically deformable closed hollow profile member for sealing between said first wall portion of said mounting flange and said windowpane and for blocking contaminants from entering the gap between said second wall portion and said windowpane, said hollow profile member being spaced apart from said bead of adhesive material and having a length which essentially corresponds to the length of the perimeter of said windowpane.

2. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which said hollow profile member has a tube-like shape.

3. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which said hollow profile member has a circular cross-sectional shape.

4. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which said hollow profile member has an oval cross-sectional shape.

5. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which the wall thickness of said hollow profile member varies over its cross-sectional circumference.

6. A gap sealing means according to claim 5 in which said hollow profile member comprises, over its cross-sectional circumference, a first portion having a first wall thickness and a second portion having a second wall thickness which is less than said first wall thickness.

7. A gap sealing means according to claim 6 in which said first and second portions each extend over essentially 50% of the cross-sectional circumference of said hollow profile member.

8. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which a cutting wire is provided in the interior of said hollow profile member.

9. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which said hollow profile member consists of an ethylene-propylene-diene elastomer (EPDM) material.

10. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which said hollow profile member is colored.

11. A gap sealing means according to claim 1 in which said hollow profile member has the shape of an endless ring.

12. A gap sealing means according to claim 11 in which the two ends of said hollow profile member are adhesively fixed to each other in a butt-joint.

13. A gap sealing means adapted to seal the gap between a mounting flange of a vehicle body and a windowpane mounted to said mounting flange by means of an adhesive, said gap sealing means comprising an elongate elastically deformable closed hollow profile member having a length which essentially corresponds to the perimeter of said windowpane and being adhesively fixed to an inner surface of said mounting flange, the wall thickness of said hollow profile member varying over its cross-sectional circumference, said hollow profile member comprising, over its cross-sectional circumference, a first portion having a first wall thickness and a second portion having a second wall thickness which is less than said first wall thickness, the outside of said first portion of said hollow profile member comprising an elongate groove which is open to the outside of said hollow profile and contains an adhesive material.

14. A vehicle body comprising:

a circumferential mounting flange stepped towards the interior of said vehicle body and defining an aperture adapted to receive a windowpane, said circumferential mounting flange having a first portion directed to the interior of said vehicle body and a second portion extending perpendicularly to said first portion towards the center of said aperture;

a windowpane mounted in said aperture of said vehicle body;

a bead of adhesive material adhesively fixed between said windowpane and said second portion of said mounting flange, said bead of adhesive material running in a certain distance from the circumferential edge of said windowpane; and

a gap sealing means comprising an elongate elastically deformable closed hollow profile member having a length which essentially corresponds to the length of the perimeter of said windowpane and being adhesively fixed to the inner surface of said mounting flange in a region where said first and second portions of said mounting flange adjoin.

15. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member is elastically deformed by a peripheral edge of said windowpane.

16. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member abuts on a peripheral edge of said windowpane.

17. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member has a tube-like shape.

18. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member has a circular cross-sectional shape.

19. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member has an oval cross-sectional shape.

20. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which the wall thickness of said hollow profile member varies over its cross-sectional circumference.

21. A vehicle body according to claim 20 in which said hollow profile member comprises, over its cross-sectional circumference, a first portion having a first wall thickness and a second portion having a second wall thickness which is less than said first wall thickness.

22. A vehicle body according to claim 21 in which said first and second portions each extend over essentially 50% of the cross-sectional circumference of said hollow profile member.

23. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which a cutting wire is provided in the interior of said hollow profile member.

24. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member consists of an ethylene-propylene-diene elastomer (EPDM) material.

25. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member is colored.

26. A vehicle body according to claim 14 in which said hollow profile member has the shape of an endless ring.

27. A vehicle body according to claim 26 in which the two ends of said hollow profile member are adhesively fixed to each other in a butt-joint.

28. A vehicle body comprising:

a circumferential mounting flange stepped towards the interior of said vehicle body and defining an aperture adapted to receive a windowpane, said circumferential mounting flange having a first portion directed to the interior of said vehicle body and a second portion extending perpendicularly to said first portion towards the center of said aperture;

a windowpane mounted in said aperture of said vehicle body;

said windowpane being adhesively fixed to said second portion of said mounting flange by means of an adhesive running in a certain distance from the circumferential edge of said windowpane; and

a gap sealing means comprising an elongate elastically deformable closed hollow profile member having a length which essentially corresponds to the perimeter of said windowpane and being adhesively fixed to the inner surface of said mounting flange in a region where said first and second portions of said mounting flange adjoin, the wall thickness of said hollow profile member varying over its cross-sectional circumference, said hollow profile member comprising, over its cross-sectional circumference, a first portion having a first wall thickness and a second portion having a second wall thickness which is less than said first wall thickness, the outside of said first portion of said hollow profile member comprising an elongate groove which is open to the outside of said hollow profile and contains an adhesive material.