Sealing device for sliding support and glass slide

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing device (1) designed to provide a seal between a window track of a motor vehicle opening and a track support bearing the track. The device (1) comprises a shell (6) having a wall (7) extending between an inner face (8) and an outer face (9). The inner face (8) is designed to bear against and conform to the outer contour of the support. The device (1) has an insulating element (16) fixed to the inner face (8) and extending beyond the inner face (8) to an inner perimeter (17) shaped to bring each insulating element (16) into contact with and conform to the outer shape of the track when the inner face (8) rests on the track support and when the track is supported by the support. The insulating element (16) provides an airtight seal between the track and the support. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Sealing device for window slide support and slide

[0001] The technical field relates to sealing devices designed to ensure a seal between a slide support and a glass slide, assemblies comprising such a sealing device, openings comprising such an assembly and motor vehicles comprising such an opening.

[0002] Automobile manufacturers are particularly attentive to offering their customers comfortable vehicles for their passengers. Among the essential comfort criteria is, of course, the management of noise generated by the vehicle's movement. A significant source of unwanted noise comes from the noise generated by airflow around the moving vehicle due to local pressure differences. Acoustic characteristics are among those that most influence a customer's judgment of the perceived quality of the vehicle they are test-driving. It is therefore important for automobile manufacturers to improve the acoustic characteristics of their vehicles as much as possible.

[0003] In this context, it is particularly important to reduce as much as possible the extraneous noises generated around the windows and in the openings.

[0004] Conventionally, a window pane moves within a window track which is housed in a track support located at the bottom of the window track. However, the connection between the track and its support is not particularly airtight, so air currents between the track and its support can be generated in this area and cause unwanted noises to propagate into the passenger compartment.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to reduce the unwanted noise that may propagate between the window track and its track support.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a sealing device designed to ensure at least partial airtightness of the connection between the window track and the track support in order to limit or prevent air circulation.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a sealing device designed to ensure a seal between a window track of a motor vehicle opening and a track support supporting the track, the device comprising a shell having at least one wall, each extending between an opposing inner and outer face, each inner face being designed to bear against and conform to the outer contour of the track support, the device further having at least one insulation element, each fixed to the inner face of a wall and extending outward from the inner face to an inner perimeter shaped to bring each insulation element into contact and conform to the outer shape of the slide, when the inner face of the shell is in contact with the slide support and when the slide is supported by the support, the assembly of each insulation element ensuring an airtight seal between the slide and the support.

[0008] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a sealing device according to the invention, the inner face of each wall of the shell being mounted in support of the outer contour of a slide support, a glass slide being mounted in support of each insulation element along the inner perimeter, the device ensuring airtightness between the slide and the support.

[0009] The invention further relates to an opening of a motor vehicle equipped with an assembly according to the invention.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one opening according to the invention.

[0011] Thus, the sealing device ensures a tight seal between the track support and the glass track. The device, supported on the inner face of the track support and on the glass track via the insulating element, is positioned between the track and the support. Each insulating element, extending from its inner face towards its inner perimeter, in contact with the track, thus provides an airtight seal. Airtightness means that the insulating element prevents and / or significantly slows air movement between the track and its support. Therefore, by limiting or preventing air passage between the track and the track support, unwanted noise is considerably reduced.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one insulation element has a bearing surface designed to allow bearing on the surface of one end of the slide support.

[0013] According to one possibility, each insulation element is formed of a polymer foam.

[0014] Advantageously, the foam is chosen to form acoustic insulation.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the sealing device includes clipping means designed to clip the device onto the slide support.

[0016] Advantageously, the clipping means comprise a clipping pin protruding from the inner face and designed to interact with a clipping hole provided in the slide support to ensure the attachment of the device to the support.

[0017] According to one possibility, the shell forms a profile made of plastic material.

[0018] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description that follows, given solely as a non-limiting example and made with reference to the attached drawings on which:

[0019] [Fig.1] [Fig.1] represents a perspective view of a sealing device according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a partial perspective view of an opening according to the invention showing an assembly according to the invention comprising the sealing device of the [Fig.1];

[0021] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of the device of the [Fig.1] mounted on a support in order to obtain the assembly of the [Fig.2];

[0022] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] shows a view of the assembly of [Fig.2] in which the The shell and support were omitted to show the interaction between the window slide and the sealing device;

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] A sealing device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig. 1], is designed to be mounted on an opening 2 according to the invention, partially illustrated in [Fig. 2], of a vehicle according to the invention. The device 1 is designed to provide a seal between a window guide 3, illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, of the opening 2 and a guide support 4, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, supporting the guide 3. Advantageously, the device 1 is intended to provide a seal at the bottom of the guide 3 when the opening 2 is mounted on the vehicle.

[0025] An assembly 5 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig.2], is formed of the device 1 assembled between the support 4 and the glass slide 3.

[0026] The device 1 comprises a shell 6, visible in [Fig. 1], having at least one wall 7, each extending between an inner face 8 and an outer face 9. Each wall 7 extends from a base 10, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 1], the shell 6 forms a plastic profile. In this case, the shell 6 has a single wall 7.

[0027] Each inner face 8 is designed to bear against and conform to the outer contour 11 of the slide support 4, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. In order to bring each inner face 8 into contact with the outer contour 11 of the support 4, the shell 6 advantageously has a flexibility allowing elastic deformation. As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the shell 6 has an L-shaped cross-section. Furthermore, in cross-section, the shell 6 is provided with a flange 12 at one end of one arm of the L.

[0028] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], in order to secure the sealing device 1 to the support 4, the device 1 includes clipping means 13 designed to clip the device 1 onto the support 4. The clipping means 13 have, by For example, a clip pin 14 protruding from the inner face 8 and designed to interact with a clip hole 15 provided in the slide support 4. In the fixed position on the support 4, the clip pin 14 is thus inserted into the clip hole 15.

[0029] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, the sealing device 1 according to the invention further comprises at least one insulation element 16, each fixed to the inner face 8 of a wall 7 and extending projecting from the inner face 8 to an inner perimeter 17. As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the inner perimeter 17 is shaped to bring each insulation element 16 into contact with and conform to the outer shape 18 of the slide 3, when the inner face 8 of the shell 6 is in contact with the slide support 4 and when the slide 3 is supported by the support 4. For example, each insulation element 16 is fixed to the base 10 of the shell 6. The base 10 extends from the inner face 8 to at most the inner perimeter 17. In the example illustrated in the figures, the device 1 comprises a single insulation element 16. In cross-section, the element Insulation 16 extends along the inner face 8.The assembly of each insulation element 16, in this case the single insulation element 16, ensures an airtight seal between the glass track 3 and the track support 4. Each insulation element 16 is made of polymer foam. Advantageously, the foam is chosen to provide acoustic insulation.

[0030] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], at least one insulation element 16 has a bearing surface 19 designed to allow one end 20 of the sliding support 4 to bear on the bearing surface 19. In this case, the bearing surface 19 is substantially flat and extends substantially in a plane perpendicular to an area 21 of the wall 7 where each insulation element 16 is fixed. In this case, the end 20 of the support 4 is the upper end of the support 4 in the opening 2, that is, located above the other vertical end 20, when the support is mounted on the opening 2.

[0031] It should be noted that, according to one possibility of the invention, the fixing of the slide 3 on its support 4 is ensured independently of the device 1. In this case, the wall 7 of the shell 6 extends over only a part of the support 4 and the slide 3 is directly engaged in the support 4 on the other part of the support 4.

[0032] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, in the assembly 5 according to the invention the inner face 8 of each wall 7 of the shell 6 is mounted in support of the outer contour 11 of the support 4, while the glass slide 3 is in support of each insulation element 16 along the inner perimeter 17. The device 1 then ensures airtightness between the slide 3 and the support 4.

[0033] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the insulation element 16 has at least one boss 22 projecting from the bearing surface 19. Each boss 22 defines a groove 23 between the inner face 8 and each boss 22, so that the support 4 is positioned in the groove 23 when its end 20 rests on the bearing surface 19. For example, each boss 22 is formed of an additional layer, bonded to the bearing surface 19, of the material used to form the insulation element 16.

[0034] Thus, the sealing device 1 ensures a tight seal between the slide support 4 and the glass slide 3. The device 1, supported on the one hand by the slide support 4 via its inner face 8 and on the other hand by the glass slide 3, is positioned between the slide 3 and the support 4. Each insulating element 16, extending from the inner face 8 towards the inner perimeter 17, in contact with the slide 3, thus ensures an airtight seal. Therefore, by limiting or preventing the passage of air between the slide 3 and the slide support 4, unwanted noise is considerably reduced.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the sealing device described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments may be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A sealing device (1) designed to provide a seal between a window track (3) of a motor vehicle opening (2) and a track support (4) supporting the track (3), the device (1) comprising a shell (6) having at least one wall (7), each extending between an opposing inner face (8) and outer face (9), each inner face (8) being designed to bear against and conform to the outer contour (11) of the track support (4), the device (1) further comprising at least one insulation element (16), each fixed to the inner face (8) of a wall (7) and projecting from the inner face (8) to an inner perimeter (17) shaped to bring each insulation element (16) into contact with and conform to the outer shape (18) of the track (3), when the inner face (8) of the shell (6) is bearing against the track support (4) and when the slide (3) is supported by the support (4),the assembly of each insulation element (16) ensuring an airtight seal between the groove (3) and the support (4).

2. Sealing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one insulation element (16) has a bearing surface (19) designed to allow bearing on the surface (19) of one end (20) of the slide support (4).

3. Sealing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each insulation element (16) is formed of a polymer foam.

4. Sealing device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the foam is chosen to form acoustic insulation.

5. Sealing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises clipping means (13) designed to clip the device (1) onto the slide support (4).

6. Sealing device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the clipping means (13) comprise a clipping pin (14) projecting from the inner face (8) and designed to interact with a clipping orifice (15) provided in the slide support (4) to ensure the fixing of the device (1) on the support (4).

7. Sealing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shell (6) forms a plastic profile.

8. Assembly (5) comprising a sealing device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, the inner face (8) of each wall (7) of the shell (6) being mounted to support the outer contour (11) of a slide support (4), a glass slide (3) being mounted to support each insulation element (16) along the inner perimeter (17), the device (1) ensuring airtightness between the slide (3) and the support (4).

9. Opening (2) of a motor vehicle equipped with an assembly (5) according to claim 8.

10. Motor vehicle comprising at least one opening (2) according to claim 9.

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