Active seal assemblies for movable windows

Abstract

Active seal assemblies employing active materials that can be controlled and remotely changed to alter the seal effectiveness, wherein the active seal assemblies actively change modulus properties such as stiffness, shape orientation, and the like. In this manner, in seal applications such as a vehicle window application, the seal force can be selectively reduced during movement of the window and increased when the window is stationary, thereby selectively changing seal effectiveness. Active materials refers to several different classes of materials all of which exhibit a change in at least one attribute such as dimension, shape, and/or flexural modulus when subjected to at least one of many different types of applied activation signals, examples of such signals being thermal, electrical, magnetic, stress, and the like.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application relates to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 552,781 entitled “Active Seal Assemblies” and filed on Mar. 12, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND [0002] This disclosure generally relates to seals and more particularly, to active seal assemblies that interface with a slidable closure member such as a movable automotive window. [0003] Current methods and assemblies for sealing opposing surfaces such as movable windows, for example, include the use of flexible elastic membranes and structures that sealingly compress against an abutting surface. Typical materials include various forms of elastomers, e.g., foams and solids, that are formed into structures having solid and / or hollow cross sectional structures. The geometries of the cross sections are varied and may range from circular forms to irregular forms having multiple slots and ex...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] A process for operating a vehicle window system comprises disposing a seal assembly in sealing communication with a movable window, wherein the seal assembly comprises a active material operative to change at least one attribute in response to an activation signal, wherein a seal force of the seal assembly against the window changes with the change in the at least one attribute of the active material; simultaneously moving the window and reducing the seal force by activating the active material; and increasing the seal force when the window is stationary by discontinuing the activation signal to the active material.

Problems solved by technology

That is, other than innate changes in modulus of the seal material due to environmental stimuli, the stiffness and cross sectional geometries of the seal assemblies cannot be changed or controlled remotely.

Another problem with current seals is the tradeoff in seal effectiveness.

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