Abstract:
A seal ( 110,210,310 ) is disclosed in which the seal ( 110, 210, 310 ) is adhesively bonded to part of a body structure ( 2 ) of a motor vehicle ( 1 ) using double-sided adhesive tape ( 120,220,320 ). The seal ( 110, 210, 310 ) includes a location feature ( 116, 223, 316 ) to position it correctly on the motor vehicle ( 1 ) and a tear bead ( 120,220,320 ) that is used to assist with bonding of the seal ( 110, 210, 310 ) to the body structure ( 2 ) of the motor vehicle ( 1 ). One feature of the invention is that no expensive assembly equipment is required, the seal ( 110, 210, 310 ) being bonded in place by applying a load through the closure of a cooperating door ( 4 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a seal for sealing between an aperture and a moveable closure member and in particular to a door seal for a motor vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Seals, and in particular, a door seal for attaching around a body door opening in an motor vehicle, must perform many functions. 
         [0003]    Primarily such a seal must prevent the ingress of moisture, such as, rain, sleet, ice, snow and car wash water into the passenger compartment. The seal must also prevent noise such as road, engine, and wind noise from penetrating into the passenger compartment. In addition, the seal determines the quality of the fit between a vehicle door and the vehicle body, a good fit affects door closing effort and seal appearance, important elements in customer perception of vehicle quality. 
         [0004]    To accomplish these functions effectively, a seal must not only be designed to properly interact with a weld flange to which it is typically attached and the adjacent door and body surfaces but must also be easily attached to the weld flange while being difficult to remove. Easy attachment is necessary to expedite vehicle assembly, while seal extraction effort must be high in order to provide seal retention and prevent seal disengagement during door usage. 
         [0005]    It is well known in the art to provide a seal such as that shown in  FIG. 3  for a vehicle door having a U-shaped portion that is reinforced with a steel core to provide a means for securing the seal to a weld flange. Such an arrangement has the disadvantages that the seal is heavy, expensive to manufacture, difficult to handle due to the generally inflexible nature of the steel reinforcing core and requires considerable force to attach the seal to the weld seal. If the steel core could be eliminated then a significant weight saving would be achieved which is advantageous in that vehicle weight directly affects fuel consumption. 
         [0006]    The inventors have realised that if the seal is attached using adhesive tape then a steel reinforcing structure is no longer required thereby overcoming one of the disadvantages of the prior art. 
         [0007]    One of the problems for the application of an adhesive tape mounted aperture seal is to find a consistent and reliable process for applying pressure to the tape to bond it to the mounting panel surface and a second problem is the need to accurately position the seal on the mounting panel during attachment, a possible solution is to use complex and expensive automated manufacturing equipment to locate and apply the seal. 
         [0008]    It is therefore a first object of this invention to provide a seal that can be located and adhesively bonded to a mounting surface without the need for complex and expensive automated manufacturing equipment. 
         [0009]    A further disadvantage with such a prior art seal of the type shown in  FIG. 3  is that a rubber section forming part of the seal extends to an inner side of the weld flange and is often visible from an interior of the motor vehicle. The presence of the rubber section forming the seal within the passenger compartment does not give a good impression of quality and this is particularly the case for premium vehicles. 
         [0010]    It is a secondary object of this invention to provide a seal that has no such rubber section so as to improve the impression of quality. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a seal arrangement for sealing between an aperture in a motor vehicle body structure and a moveable closure member used to selectively close off the aperture, the seal arrangement comprising a seal which extends around the entire aperture in a continuous manner and which has a base portion which is adhesively fastened near a flange defining a peripheral edge of the aperture and a tubular portion extending outwardly from the base portion for contact with the closure member to form a seal therebetween, wherein the seal arrangement further comprises a trim member having a location feature for at least partially locate the seal on the body structure. 
         [0012]    The trim member may extend around the peripheral edge of the aperture and the location feature of the trim member may be, in use, engaged with a recess formed in the seal. 
         [0013]    The base portion of the seal may be adhesively fastened to an outer face of a flange defining the peripheral edge of the aperture. 
         [0014]    The base portion of the seal may be adhesively fastened to an outer surface of the body structure located adjacent to a flange defining the peripheral edge of the aperture. 
         [0015]    The base portion may have a recess formed therein to increase the flexibility of the base portion and the adhesive tape may be secured in the recess. 
         [0016]    The seal may be located entirely on an outer side of the flange facing the closure member so as to conceal the seal from view when viewed from an interior of the motor vehicle. 
         [0017]    The closure member may be one of a door, a tailgate for a hatchback vehicle, a hinged window and a glass sunroof. 
         [0018]    According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a seal for providing a seal between an aperture in a body structure of a motor vehicle and a closure member used to selectively close off the aperture, the seal having an integrally formed base portion for attachment near to a peripheral edge of the aperture by a double sided adhesive tape and a tubular portion extending outwardly from the base portion for contact with the closure member to form a seal therebetween, wherein, the seal has a recess for engagement, in use, with a location feature attached to the body structure and in that, when manufactured, the seal includes a removable tear bead bridging between the base portion and the tubular portion and located such that it is substantially in register with the adhesive tape. 
         [0019]    The recess may be defined between the base portion and the tubular portion to accommodate, in use, the location feature. 
         [0020]    The recess may have a complementary shape to the location feature. 
         [0021]    According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a seal to an aperture in a body structure selectively closed by a closure member wherein the method comprises extruding a seal comprising an integrally formed base portion for attachment near to a peripheral edge of the aperture, a tubular portion extending outwardly from the base portion for contact with the closure member to form a seal therebetween and a tear bead bridging between the base portion and the tubular portion, adhesively bonding a first side of a double-sided adhesive tape to the base portion, engaging the seal with a location feature attached to the body structure, removing a protective strip from a second side of the double-sided adhesive tape, bringing the second side of the double-side tape into contact with the body structure, applying a load through the seal to the adhesive tape so as to fasten the seal to the body structure, removing the load and removing the tear strip from the seal. 
         [0022]    Applying a load through the seal to the adhesive tape so as to fasten the seal to the body structure may comprise closing the closure member so as to trap the seal between the closure member and the body structure. 
         [0023]    Engaging the seal with a location feature attached to the body structure may comprise engaging the seal with a trim member attached to the body structure. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a right hand side view of a motor vehicle having a door seal according to the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is an exploded side view of the vehicle shown in  FIG. 1  showing front and rear door seals prior to assembly to the vehicle; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a cross section along the line X-X on  FIG. 1  showing a prior art door seal; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a cross section along the line X-X on  FIG. 1  showing a rear door seal according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a cross section on a larger scale of the rear door seal shown in  FIG. 4  in an in use condition with a door in an open position; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a cross section on a larger scale of the rear door seal shown in  FIG. 4  in a partially assembled state with a tear bead still in place; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a cross section along the line X-X on  FIG. 1  showing a rear door seal according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is a cross section on a larger scale of the rear door seal shown in  FIG. 7  in a partially assembled state with a tear bead still in place; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  is a cross section on a larger scale of the rear door seal shown in  FIG. 7  in an in use condition with the door in an open position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  there is shown a motor vehicle  1  having a body structure  2  defining front and rear door apertures  5  and  6  of which only the right hand side apertures  5 ,  6  are shown. 
         [0035]    The front door aperture  5  is defined by an inner peripheral edge  7  and the rear door aperture is defined by an inner peripheral edge  8 . The front door aperture  5  has a seal  9  extending around it and the rear door aperture  6  has a rear door seal  10  extending around it. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 3  which shows a prior art rear door seal, the peripheral edge  8  of the rear door aperture  6  is formed by a weld flange  11  formed at the juncture of inner and outer panels  12 ,  13  forming part of the body structure  2  of the motor vehicle  1  sometimes known as a cantrail. 
         [0037]    The rear door seal  10  comprises of a U-shaped base portion  14  for attachment to the flange  11  of the door aperture  6  and a tubular portion  15  extending outwardly from the U-shaped base portion  14  for contact with an inner side of the rear door  4  to form a seal therebetween. A U-shaped steel reinforcing member  16  is embedded in the U-shaped base portion  14  to provide the required gripping force to hold the rear door seal  10  on the flange  11 . 
         [0038]    A rubber section  17  forming part of the rear door seal  10  extends to an inner side of the weld flange  11  and overlies a trim panel  18  so that the rubber section  17  is visible from an interior of the motor vehicle  1 . 
         [0039]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , which show a first embodiment of a rear door seal  110  that is intended as a direct replacement for the prior art rear door seal  10  shown in  FIG. 3 , the peripheral edge  8  of the rear door aperture  6  is as previously described formed by a weld flange  11 . 
         [0040]    The rear door seal  110  comprises of a base portion  114  for attachment to the flange  11  of the door aperture  6  and a tubular portion  115  extending outwardly from the base portion  114  for contact with an inner side of the rear door  4  to form a seal therebetween. 
         [0041]    A recess  116  is defined between the base portion  114  and the tubular portion  115  to accommodate a hooked end  117  of a trim member  118 . The trim member  118  extends around the end of the flange  11  and is fastened by fastening means (not shown) to the inner panel  12  at a position located away from the flange  11 . The trim member  118  is used to locate the rear door seal  110  on the body structure  2  as will be described in more detail below. 
         [0042]    The door seal  110  is located entirely on an outer side of the flange  11  facing the door  4  so as to conceal the door seal  110  from view when viewed from an interior of the motor vehicle  1 . The door seal  110  is fastened to the flange  11  by a double sided adhesive tape  120 . The base portion  114  has a rebate or recess  119  formed therein to increase the flexibility of the base portion  114  and the adhesive tape  120  is secured in the recess  119 . The increased flexibility of the base portion  114  allows the door seal  11  to flex slightly thereby accommodating irregularities in the surface of the flange  11 . 
         [0043]    In the as manufactured state shown in  FIG. 6 , the door seal  110  includes a removable tear strip or tear bead  125  bridging between the base portion  114  and the tubular portion  115 . The tear bead  125  is substantially in register with the location of the adhesive tape  120 , that is to say, the location of the tear bead  125  is such that force may be transmitted therethrough to the base portion  114  in the region where the adhesive tape  120  is bonded to the base portion  114 . 
         [0044]    During attachment of the door seal  110  to the body structure  2  or, to be more precise, to the outer side of the flange  11 , the door seal  110  is pressed into firm contact with the body structure  2  by closing the door  4  so as to form a strong adhesive bond between the door seal  110  and the body structure  2 . The door  4  is therefore used as a clamping mechanism and no other special or expensive clamping equipment is required nor is any location equipment required because the seal  110  is self locating. 
         [0045]    It will be appreciated that the door  4  may remain closed for a predetermined period in order to ensure that a good bond is formed between the door seal  110  and the flange  11 . Then, after attaching the door seal  110  to the body structure  2 , the door is opened and the tear bead  125  is removed from the door seal  110 , by pulling the tear bead from the seal. 
         [0046]    The function of the tear bead  125  is therefore to increase temporarily the stiffness of the door seal  110  so that sufficient force can be applied to the adhesive tape  120  to bond it to the flange  11 . It will be appreciated that it is desirable to use a door seal  110  having a tubular portion  115  that is relatively soft and flexible in order to ensure that the force required to urge the door  4  to its closed position remains low while enabling a good seal to be produced between the body structure  2  and the door  4 . If the tubular portion  115  is made from a material with sufficient stiffness to provide the required clamping load during bonding of the adhesive tape  120  to the flange  11  then the force required to shut the door  4  would be excessive. The tear bead  125  therefore acts during assembly of the door seal  110  to the motor vehicle  1  as a relatively rigid transfer medium or path to transfer force from the door  4  to the adhesive tape  120 . 
         [0047]    It will be appreciated that the base portion  114  and the tubular portion  115  may be made from differing materials that are co-extruded to form the door seal  110 . For example and without limitation, the base portion  114  may be made from a solid EPDM material and the tubular portion  115  may be made from foamed EPDM material. 
         [0048]    The method of attaching the door seal  110  to the flange  11  comprises extruding the door seal  110  and adhesively bonding a first side of the double-sided adhesive tape  120  to the base portion  114 . 
         [0049]    Then a protective strip (not shown) is removed from a second side of the double-sided adhesive tape  120  and the recess  116  in the door seal  110  is engaged with the hooked end  117  (or location feature) of the trim member  118  attached to the body structure while maintaining the second side of the adhesive tape  120  out of contact with the flange  11 . 
         [0050]    Then, the second side of the double-side tape  120  is brought into contact with the flange  11  on the body structure  2  by rotation of the door seal  110  causing it to fully engage with the hooked end  117  of the trim member  118 . 
         [0051]    A load is then applied through the door seal  110  to the adhesive tape  120  so as to fasten the door seal  110  to the flange  11  on body structure  2  by closing the door  4  so as to trap the door seal  110  between the door  4  and the flange  11 . 
         [0052]    Finally the door  4  is opened and the tear strip  125  is removed from the door seal  110  so as to put the door seal  110  into an ‘in use’ state. 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7 to 9  there is shown a third embodiment of a door seal according to the invention. 
         [0054]    As before, the rear door seal  310 , hereinafter door seal  310 , comprises of a base portion  314  for attachment to an outer panel  13  of the body structure  2  near to the door aperture  6  and a tubular portion  315  extending outwardly from the base portion  314  for contact with an inner side of the rear door  4  to form a seal therebetween. 
         [0055]    A recess  316  is defined between the base portion  314  and the tubular portion  315  to accommodate a hooked end  317  of a trim member  318 . The trim member  318  extends around the end of the flange  11  and is fastened by fastening means (not shown) to the inner panel  12  at a position located away from the flange  11 . The trim member  318  is used to locate the rear door seal  310  on the body structure  2 . 
         [0056]    The door seal  310  is located entirely on an outer side of the flange  11  facing the door  4  so as to conceal the door seal  310  from view when viewed from an interior of the motor vehicle  1  and is fastened to the outer panel  13  of the body structure  2  by a double sided adhesive tape  320 . The base portion  314  has a recess  319  formed therein to increase the flexibility of the base portion  314  and the adhesive tape  320  is secured in the recess  319 . The increased flexibility of the base portion  314  allows the door seal  11  to flex slightly thereby accommodating irregularities in the surface of the body structure  2  to which it is fastened. 
         [0057]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , in the as manufactured state, the door seal  310  includes a tear bead  325  bridging between the base portion  314  and the tubular portion  315 . The tear bead  325  is substantially aligned with the location of the adhesive tape  320  that is to say the location of the tear bead  325  is such that force may be transmitted therethrough to the base portion  314  in the region where the adhesive tape  320  is bonded to the base portion  314 . 
         [0058]    During attachment of the door seal  310  to the body structure  2  or, to be more precise, to an outer surface of the outer panel  13  of the body structure  2  located adjacent to the flange  11  defining the peripheral edge  8  of the door aperture  6 , the door seal  310  is pressed into firm contact with the body structure  2  by closing the door  4  so as to form a strong adhesive bond between the door seal  310  and the body structure  2 . The door  4  is therefore used as a clamping mechanism and no other special or expensive clamping equipment is required. It is an advantage of adhesively bonding the door seal  310  directly to the body structure  2  near to the flange  11  rather than directly to the flange  11  that there is likely to be less irregularities in the body structure  2  than there are in the flange  11  and so it is easier to obtain a good joint between the door seal  310  and the body structure  2 . 
         [0059]    As before, the door  4  may remain closed for a predetermined period in order to ensure that a good bond is formed between the door seal  310  and the flange  11  and, after attaching the door seal  310  to the body structure  2 , the door  4  is opened and the tear bead  325  is removed from the door seal  310 . 
         [0060]    The function of the tear bead  325  is as before and will not be described again in detail. 
         [0061]    As before, the base portion  314  and the tubular portion  315  may be made from differing materials that are co-extruded to form the door seal  310 . 
         [0062]    The method of attaching the door seal  310  to the body structure is the same as that previously described with respect to  FIGS. 4 to 6  with the exception that the second side of the adhesive tape  320  is brought into contact with the outer surface of outer panel  13  in a location adjacent to the flange  11  rather than with the flange  11 . 
         [0063]    The rotation of the door seal  310  as the second side of the adhesive tape  320  is brought into contact with the outer panel  13  causes it to fully engage with the hooked end  317  of the trim member  318 . 
         [0064]    As before, a load is then applied through the door seal  310  to the adhesive tape  320  so as to fasten the door seal  310  to outer surface of the body structure  2  located adjacent to the flange  11  by closing the door  4  so as to trap the door seal  310  between the door  4  and the flange  11  and finally the door  4  is opened and the tear strip  325  is removed from the door seal  310  so as to put the door seal  310  into an in use state. 
         [0065]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a rear door seal for a motor vehicle it will be appreciated that it is equally applicable to a front door seal of for sealing between a vehicle body structure and one of a tailgate or liftgate for a hatchback vehicle, a hinged window and a glass sunroof.