Movable vehicle window with window channel sealing element

Abstract

Door (101, 101A) for a vehicle (102) which includes the following: a window pane (103) that forms a window (104) of the door (101, 101A), wherein the window pane (103) is to be able to move between a closed position and open positions; a sealing element (301) with a deflectable section (302) for pressing against the window pane (103) to provide a seal when the window (104) is in at least some of the open positions; and a sealing carrier (303) comprising a strip attached to the window pane (103) to keep the deflectable section (302) of the sealing element 301 away from the window pane (103) when the window (104) is in the closed position, wherein the sealing carrier (303) defines a channel (710) for receiving particle material.

Claims

[1] Door (101, 101A) for a vehicle (102), comprising: a window pane (103) forming a window (104) of the door (101, 101A), the window pane (103) being movable between a closed position and open positions; a sealing element (301) having a deflectable portion (302) for pressing against the window pane (103) to provide a seal when the window (104) is in at least some of the open positions; and a seal carrier (303) comprising a strip attached to the window pane (103) to keep the deflectable portion (302) of the seal member 301 away from the window pane (103) when the window (104) is in the closed position, the seal carrier (303) defining a channel (710) for receiving particulate material. [2] The door (101, 101A) of claim 1, wherein the seal carrier (303) is arranged to keep the deflectable portion (302) away from the window pane (103) when the window (104) is in at least some of the open positions adjacent to the closed position. [3] The door (101, 101A) of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the deflectable portion (302) has a height sufficiently large to allow the seal carrier (303) to keep the deflectable portion (302) away from the window pane (103) when moved from the closed position to at least some of the open positions adjacent to the closed position. [4] A door (101, 101A) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising actuator means (306), wherein the actuator means (306) is arranged to automatically move the window pane (103) a preset distance from a closed position to an open position when the door (101, 101A) is to be opened, and the deflectable portion (302) has a sufficiently great height to enable the seal carrier (303) to keep the deflectable portion (302) away from the window pane (103) when it is moved the preset distance from the closed position. [5] The door (101, 101A) of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the deflectable portion (302) is configured to be kept away from the window pane (103) by the seal carrier (303) when the window (104) is in all open positions within 8 mm of the closed position. [6] Door (101, 101A) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sealing element (301) has a surface arranged to bear against the sealing carrier (303), the surface having a height of at least 8 mm extending in the direction of the height of the window pane (103). [7] The door (101, 101A) of claim 6, wherein the deflectable portion (302) is configured to deflect about a pivot portion (705), and the height of the surface extends from the pivot portion (705) to a distal edge (802) of the deflectable portion (302). [8] Door (101, 101A) according to claim 1, wherein the channel (710) has an opening oriented towards an upper edge (201) of the window pane (103). [9] The door (101, 101A) of claim 8, wherein the channel (710) is located between an upper portion of the seal carrier (303) and the window pane (103). [10] The door (101, 101A) of claim 9, wherein the upper portion of the seal carrier (303) may include a plurality of support members (1001) spaced along the length of the channel (710) to keep the upper portion away from the window pane (103). [11] Door (101, 101A) according to the preceding claims, wherein the channel (710) has a width of between 0.8 mm and 1.7 mm. [12] Door (101, 101A) according to claim 11, wherein the width of the channel (710) is between 1.2 and 1.5 mm. [13] Door (101, 101A) according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the seal carrier (303) comprises a polymer material bonded to the window pane (103) by an adhesive. [14] Door (101, 101A) according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the window pane (103) comprises glass. [15] The door (101, 101A) of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the door (101, 101A) comprises actuator means (306) configured to move the window pane (103) between the closed position and the open position. [16] Door (101, 101A) according to claim 15, wherein the actuator means (306) comprises a window regulator. [17] A door (101, 101A) according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the actuator means (306) is arranged to be activated in response to a manual input. [18] Door (101, 101A) according to one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the sealing element (301) is held on a door panel (602) by a shaft strip (603) and the deflectable portion (302) and the sealing carrier (303) lie below an uppermost surface of the shaft strip (603). [19] Door (101) according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the window (104) is frameless at least along an upper edge (201) of the window pane (103). [20] Door (101A) according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the door (101, 101A) defines a frame (1201) along at least one uppermost edge (1301) of the window pane (103). [21] The door (101, 101A) of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the seal carrier (303) has an upper edge (801) arranged to be higher than a distal edge (802) of the deflectable portion (302) when the window pane (103) is in the closed position, and the upper edge (801) extends over the distal edge (802) when the window (104) is moved from open positions to the closed position. [22] A vehicle (102) comprising a door according to any one of claims 1 to 21. [23] An apparatus for providing a window (104) in a vehicle (102), the apparatus comprising: a window pane (103) configured to be mounted in a vehicle (102) to a window regulator to move the window pane (103) between a closed position and an open position; and a seal carrier (303) having a strip attached to the window pane (103) and extending across the width of the window pane (103) to keep a flexible seal (301) away from the window pane (103) when the window pane (103) is in a closed position, the seal carrier (303) defining a channel (710) for receiving particulate material. [24] The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the window pane (103) has a lower edge (1103) configured for connection to a window regulator, and the channel (710) has an opening facing away from the lower edge (1103). [25] Apparatus according to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the channel (710) is arranged between an upper portion of the seal carrier (303) and the window pane (103). [26] A method (1400) for manufacturing a device of a window (104) of a door (101, 101A) in a vehicle (102), the method (1400) comprising: Attaching (1401) a seal carrier (303) with a strip to a window pane (103) such that the seal carrier (303) extends across the width of the window pane (103); wherein the seal carrier (303) defines a channel (710) for receiving particulate material; Placing (1402) the window pane (103) in a door (101, 101A) and supporting the window pane (103) by an actuator means (306) configured to support the window pane (103) and move the window pane (103) between a closed position and open positions; Arranging (1403) a sealing element (301) against the window pane (103) to form at least part of a seal between a door panel and the window pane (103); Moving (1404) the window pane (103) by open positions in which a deflectable portion (302) of the sealing element (301) presses against the window pane (103) to provide a seal, by open positions in which the seal carrier (303) keeps the deflectable section (302) away from the window pane (103), to a closed position in which the seal carrier (303) keeps the deflectable portion (302) away from the window pane (103). [27] The method of claim 26, wherein the window is frameless at least along an upper edge (201) of the window pane (103) and the window pane (103) is moved through open positions in which the seal carrier (303) keeps the deflectable portion (302) away from the window pane (103) to a closed position in which the seal carrier (303) keeps the deflectable portion (302) away from the window pane (103) when the door (101, 101A) is closed. [28] A window pane (103) for forming a window (104) of a door (101, 101A) of a vehicle (102), the window pane (103) being movable between a closed position and an open position, the window pane (103) comprising a seal carrier (303) comprising a strip attached to the window pane (103) for keeping a deflectable portion (302) of a seal element (301) of the door (101, 101A) away from the window pane (103) when the window pane (103) is in the closed position, the seal carrier (303) defining a channel (710) for receiving particulate matter. [29] A seal carrier (303) for a window pane (103) for a window (104) of a door (101, 101A) of a vehicle (102), the seal carrier (303) comprising a strip for attachment to a window pane (103) for, in use, keeping a deflectable portion (302) of a sealing element (301) away from a window pane (103) when the window (104) is in a closed position, the seal carrier (303) defining a channel (710) for receiving particulate material.

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