Flush-Fitted Vehicle Door Glazing With Slim Rail Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Combining a fixed glazed section with a vertically movable panel in vehicle doors poses challenges in maximizing clear opening, minimizing component bulk, ensuring safety, and maintaining reliable and durable guidance and sealing, particularly under high-pressure conditions.

Innovation Solution

A glazed device with rails secured by an adhesive bead to the fixed part, featuring a frame extending over lateral and upper edges, and incorporating sealing joints and angled rails to prevent water infiltration and guide the movable panel, with optional stops for assembly stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a frame and rails assembly is used to support and guide the movable panel, then effective guidance and support are achieved, but the overall width of the assembly increases, reducing the clear window opening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclear window openingVSAvoidframe and rail assembly width
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frame and rails are merged into a single integrated component structure. The rails are attached to the frame in such a way that they form a unified assembly, eliminating the need for separate frame and rail components. This integration reduces the overall width of the assembly while maintaining the necessary structural support and guidance functions for the movable panel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Area of stationary object

If the frame width is reduced to maximize clear opening, then window opening is increased, but the structural strength and sealing capability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclear window openingVSAvoidframe structural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The frame exhibits varying thickness along its length, with localized reinforcement at critical areas such as the corners and regions where the movable panel attaches. This allows the frame to maintain sufficient structural strength and sealing capability at these load-bearing points while having reduced width in non-critical areas, thereby maximizing the clear window opening without compromising overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Area of stationary object

If the frame width is reduced to maximize clear opening, then window opening is increased, but sealing reliability under high-pressure conditions may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclear window openingVSAvoidsealing capability under pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system incorporates localized sealing elements at critical junctions where water infiltration is most likely to occur, such as the corners and the interface between the movable panel and frame. These localized sealing features ensure reliable sealing under high-pressure conditions while allowing the overall frame width to be minimized for maximum clear opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If a complex sealing system is added to ensure sealing under high-pressure conditions, then sealing reliability is improved, but the frame and rail assembly width increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing capabilityVSAvoidframe and rail assembly width
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing elements are integrated directly into the frame structure itself, rather than being added as separate external components. The frame incorporates built-in sealing channels and gasket mounting features that are part of the frame's cross-section design. This integration ensures reliable sealing under high-pressure conditions while minimizing the overall width of the frame and rail assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances window opening by reducing frame and rail width, ensures effective sealing, and maintains durable guidance and safety, even under pressure, through innovative sealing and structural design.

Implementation Method 1

said rails are secured by a bead of glue to said fixed part, along said lateral edges, and a frame extending at least over the lateral and upper edges of said opening is secured to the rails for its lateral edges and glued to said fixed part with said bead of glue

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP4426570B1Glazed device for a vehicle door, comprising a flush-fitted movable panel, and corresponding door
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 ADVANCED COMFORT SYST FRANCE ACS
  • EP4426570B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4426570B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4426570B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a glazed device to be mounted on an inner door shell to form a motor vehicle door or on a bodywork element, comprising a glazed fixed part (1) and a movable glazed panel (2) that can slide relative to the fixed part along a substantially vertical axis and can selectively at least partially cover or uncover an opening (11) in the fixed part (1), said fixed panel being guided along rails (5) supported by the fixed part (1). The rails are secured to the fixed part (1) along the side edges by a bead of glue (8), and a frame (4), which extends at least on the side edges and the upper edge of the opening (11), is secured to the rails (5) for its side edges and is glued to the fixed part (1) by means of the bead of glue (8) for its upper edge.