Vehicle Window Seal Assembly with Tubular Gap Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sealing arrangements for vehicle doors fail to effectively seal the gap between the vehicle door's vertical window and the adjacent body pillar, leading to compromised aerodynamics and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A tubular sealing portion with a non-circular cross-sectional shape and acute tube-wall corners is used, made from a combination of rigid thermoplastic and flexible elastomer materials, ensuring reliable contact pressure and reduced wear, and featuring a sliding layer around the corner to enhance sealing and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing arrangement is used, then the window can be sealed to the window-frame limb, but the gap between the window and body pillar cannot be sealed
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is designed to perform multiple sealing functions: it seals the window to the window-frame limb through the U-shaped portion, and simultaneously seals the gap between the window and body pillar through the tubular sealing portion. This multi-functional design allows a single sealing element to address both sealing requirements that were previously separate.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is divided into distinct functional portions: a U-shaped portion for sealing the window to the window-frame limb, and a tubular sealing portion for sealing the gap to the body pillar. Each portion is optimized for its specific sealing task, with the tubular portion featuring acute tube-wall corners for effective gap sealing.
2Shape
If the window is offset inward to allow the body pillar to adjoin the window, then aerodynamic properties and appearance are improved, but a gap is created that requires sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular sealing portion acts as an intermediary element between the window and the body pillar. It fills and seals the gap created by the inward offset of the window, allowing the aerodynamically optimized flush profile to be maintained while preventing the harmful effects of the gap (aerodynamic drag, noise, weather infiltration).
3Reliability
If a tubular sealing portion with acute tube-wall corners is used, then sealing reliability is improved, but wear increases due to frequent contact
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element combines different materials with complementary properties: a rigid core part for structural support and shape retention, and an elastomeric material for the sealing portions that provides flexibility, wear resistance, and effective contact with both the window and body pillar. This composite construction allows the acute tube-wall corners to maintain reliable sealing while the elastomeric material resists wear from frequent door operations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the tube-wall portions extend at a distance apart from the core part, then flexibility is improved, but structural stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element exhibits local quality variations: the core part is rigid to provide structural stability and maintain the geometric shape necessary for effective sealing, while the sealing portions made of elastomeric material provide flexibility to accommodate movements and maintain contact pressure. This localized differentiation of material properties allows the tube-wall portions to extend at a distance from the core while maintaining both flexibility and structural stability.
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
The solution provides a flush and aerodynamically optimized vehicle body by effectively sealing the gap between the window and body pillar, ensuring reliable sealing and reduced wear, while maintaining a good appearance.
Implementation Method 1
The tube-wall portion which butts against the window expediently comprises a sliding layer, which extends preferably over, and around, the tube-wall corner. The arrangement in which the sliding layer extends around the corner gives rise to a considerable reduction in wear when the vehicle door is being frequently opened and closed.
Data Source
AI summary
A seal assembly including a seal element which has at least one seal portion for sealing a vertically movable window pane of a vehicle door against a vertical window frame limb. The seal element additionally has a seal portion for forming a gap which is formed between a center that borders the vehicle door and a vertical window pane edge side facing the center.