Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-13
2002-09-03
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S146900, C296S154000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443519
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sealing system on a motor vehicle with two sealing profile sections on two adjacent body parts, which can be moved relative to one another.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional sealing systems of motor vehicle parts consist generally of peripheral hollow chamber seals which are positioned against the adjacent body part with their closed outer surfaces. Water which penetrates into the sealing gap is conventionally drained down in sheet metal lock seams on the body parts. When the body parts are moved the water which has collected in the sealing gaps can penetrate into the motor vehicle interior.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to devise a sealing system which has an improved sealing and water drainage function. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each of the adjacent sealing profile sections has at least one channel for carrying water, these water-carrying channels of the sealing profile sections at least partially overlap when the body parts adjoin one another. The water can pass unhindered from one channel into the adjacent channel due to the sealing profile sections tightly adjoining in the overlapping areas.
In a preferred embodiment, the overlapping areas are located in an area which is inclined relative to the horizontal. This arrangement of the joints or overlapping areas prevents water from remaining in these areas and thus from being able to penetrate into the gaps of the overlapping areas as a result of capillary action. Preferably, at least on of the two channels has an open cross section which is preferably opened to the top to collect rain water and wash water and which forms a type of gutter.
According to another advantageous embodiment, it is provided that at least one of the two channels has a closed cross section. Here they are especially channels which have a highly vertical component in their alignment. Open or closed channels of adjacent sealing profile sections can be inserted into these closed channels by overlapping transfer sections.
It is advantageous for easy, independent insertion of the adjacent sealing profile sections into one another if one of the two channels in the overlapping area has a cross section which is reduced relative to the cross section of the adjacent channel. In this way the channels can be tightly inserted into one another with the corresponding matching of their dimensions. In particular, when the channels are inserted into those channels with a closed cross section it is advantageous if the overlapping section of the channel which has been inserted into the closed sealing profile section has an end area which uniformly tapers conically towards its end.
It is furthermore advantageous if a sealing profile section on a drain point which is suitable for this purpose towards the body has at least one defined water discharge area. This makes it possible to drain the collected water at suitable points onto the body so that not all the rain water which has been held by the sealing system need be routed to the lowermost point of a hose-shaped sealing system. For this drainage of residual water in a closed cross section at the lowest point there is advantageously a hole which penetrates the wall of this channel. This hole can for example be located at the lowest point of the lower door seal. One preferred application of the sealing system arises for a movable side member of a convertible-like motor vehicle roof system in which at least one sealing profile section is located on this side member which can be either completely removable or can be made to swivel and the adjacent sealing profile section is located on one of the adjacent columns, such as the A column or B column.
Another advantageous application arises in the overlapping area of a sealing profile section which is located on the bottom of a movable side member with an adjacent sealing profile section on one door of the motor vehicle.
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Gordon Stephen T.
Gutman H.
Nixon & Peabody LLP
Safran David S.
Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH
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