Seal arrangement for connecting seals

A seal arrangement for connecting two seals in a fluid-tight and mechanically robust connection without vulcanization or adhesive bonding. The seal connector is provided with a sleeve-shaped receiver on one end of one seal for receiving an end of the other seal. The two seals are further releasably connected to one another by a lug on the connector which fits around the other seal.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a seal arrangement for connecting two seals with 
different seal profiles, comprising a transition connection piece which is 
arranged between respective end regions of the two seals and to which the 
ends are fixed. 
Seal elements which are used in the motor vehicle industry have such large 
dimensions that handling and storage is difficult. For this reason, 
dividing places are provided for the seals so that the seals rest against 
one another at their end faces and are connected to one another. Seals of 
this kind can be connected in a variety of ways. It is customary to 
connect the seals to one another by vulcanization or cold bonding. If 
hollow profile seals are used, it is known that the seals can be matched 
to one another in such a way that it is possible to fit them together 
loosely. 
In many cases, it is necessary to connect seals of different types to one 
another. Quite often these seals have different cross-sections. This 
results in joints which are aesthetically disadvantageous and which 
provide for a loose fitting and hence an inadequate connection. For this 
reason, vulcanizing or cold-bonding methods are used in the assembly of 
the seals. In conveyor line assembly these methods lead to a delay. 
German Offenlegungsschrift 3,729,179 provides a seal with a transition 
piece, arranged between the end regions of the seal for connecting these 
seal ends. Receivers for the end regions of the seal are arranged on the 
transition piece. The seal, which is designed with a cavity, is pushed 
onto the receivers of the transition piece. In this embodiment, there is a 
non-positive connection between the end region of the seal and the 
receiver of the transition piece. Relatively large connection surfaces are 
available between the seal ends and the receivers of the transition piece. 
The seal ends of the seal are adhesively bonded to the receivers of the 
transition piece by means of a bonding agent. 
The object on which the present invention is based is to design a seal 
arrangement of the above general type in such a way that a robust 
connection of the seal is achieved and the assembly of the seal 
arrangement is simplified. In particular the seal arrangement does not 
require adhesive bonding and vulcanizing operations during assembly. 
This object is achieved by having a transition piece fixedly connected to 
the first seal and connected releasably to the second seal. The transition 
piece has a sleeve-shaped receiver designed as sealing surface for 
releasably receiving an end of the other seal and an accurately fitting 
lug engaging in an accurately fitting recess in the other seal when the 
seals are connected. 
The seal arrangement provides that a sleeve-shaped receiver for the second 
seal is formed on one seal and that the two seals are connected to one 
another releasably via a lug connection which fits accurately with respect 
to the joining contact point of the seal ends The seals, resting against 
one another at their end faces, can thus be connected to one another with 
an accurate fit without vulcanizing or adhesive bonding operations. This 
is of advantage in the case of conveyor line assembly. Compared to the 
loose fitting together of the two seals, the accurately fitting lug 
connection guarantees that the seals do not spring apart even in the case 
of high stressing. The gap formed at the contact point between the two 
seals is covered over fluid-tightly by the sleeve-shaped receiver. 
The sleeve-shaped receiver is preferably designed as a thin-walled, 
resilient tube which is provided with a longitudinal opening for 
surrounding and engaging the sealing surface of the second seal. A seal 
arrangement designed in this way is aesthetically advantageous since an 
almost flush transition between the two seals is achieved. 
An advantageous method of securing the tubular receiver is obtained by a 
fixed securing rail, the flange of which engages around a foot part of the 
second seal. The flange is provided in the region of the lug connection. 
The receiver can be secured between the seals and by a lip formed on the 
receiver which is located between a flange of a securing rail and the 
second seal. The securing rail serves to accommodate a foot part of the 
second seal. No additional parts are necessary for securing the covering 
part. 
An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the first seal is 
designed as an outer window-channel seal of a side door of a motor 
vehicle. The receiver and the part provided with the lug are arranged as a 
vulcanization molded part on one seal and provided at each of the front 
ends of the window-channel seal. The molded part is furthermore equipped 
with fixing parts for fixing on the side door. This molded part is 
vulcanized on the door-channel seal during production. By such an 
arrangement, no vulcanization work is necessary during assembly and the 
contact point between the two seals is shifted out of a visible region on 
the vehicle. 
It is advantageous if a portion of the molded part is designed as a solid 
profile, since stability is thereby increased. 
The second seal can be designed as door-frame seal, the sealing surface of 
which is designed with a tubular hollow profile. At its front ends, the 
door-frame seal rests against the molded part of the first seal, designed 
as a window-channel seal and is connected to the first seal via the lug 
connections. The lug is arranged on the molded part to engage in a recess 
provided in a foot Part of the door-frame seal. This recess is arranged to 
fit accurately relative to the contact point of the molded part and the 
door-frame seal. The gap arising at the contact point is covered and 
sealed off by the sleeve-shaped receiver arranged on the molded part. 
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will 
become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention 
when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a seal arrangement which is 
constructed from a first seal 3 and a second seal 4. The first seal 3 is 
designed as an outer window-channel seal of the side door of a motor 
vehicle and has a cross-section as illustrated in FIG. 3. A seal of this 
kind has a foot part which is secured in a corresponding receiver on the 
vehicle side door. The sealing surface of the window-channel seal 3 is 
designed as a hollow profile which rests against the side window pane. The 
second seal 4 is a door-frame seal of the side door of a motor vehicle 
(not illustrated) and is shown in perspective representation (FIG. 2). 
The seal arrangement 3, 4 is envisaged for the side door of a coupe. Side 
doors of this kind do not have a window frame surrounding the side window 
when closed. Accordingly, the outer window-channel seal 3 is also only 
arranged at the upper edge of the side doors (not illustrated). The 
door-frame seal 4 is necessary for sealing the side doors with respect to 
the vehicle body. In principle, it is conceivable to design the two seals 
3, 4 as one sealing component. However, this would give rise to a very 
large component (window-channel seal about 1000 mm long, door-frame seal 
about 2000 mm long). This would make both handling during assembly and 
storage more difficult. In order to avoid the disadvantages of 
vulcanization and adhesive bonding work during conveyor line assembly, the 
two seals 3, 4 are provided with a plug-in connection convenient for 
assembly. 
According to FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, a molded connection part 3' is arranged 
almost perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the first seal 3 
and is provided at the end face of the first seal 3. The molded connection 
part 3' is vulcanized onto the seal 3 during the production of the latter. 
A sleeve-shaped receiver 6 for receiving a sealing part 4' of the second 
seal 4 is formed on the molded part 3'. An end face of the sealing part 4' 
rests at the contact point 8 in the receiver 6 of the molded connection 
part 3'. The length of the molded connection part 3' is selected so that 
the joint between the molded part 3' and the second seal 4 lies outside a 
visible region. 
Cross-sections of the molded connection part 3' between the first seal 3 
and the contact point 8 of the second seal 4 are illustrated in FIGS. 6a 
to 6c. The molded connection part 3' is formed with a sealing surface 
matched to the door-frame seal 4. In the region of the contact point 8 
(FIG. 6d) the sealing part 4' is inclosed into the tubular receiver 6. On 
the receiver 6 there is a lip 6' which is used for attachment to a flange 
7' of a securing rail 7 which is secured on the door panel 9 (FIG. 7). 
The molded connection part 3' is connected to a plate-shaped part 3". A 
securing projection 8' is provided on the part 3" for fixing and/or 
centering the molded part 3' on the side doors. A lug 12 is formed in the 
region of the lower edge of the part 3". The lug 12 engages in a recess 11 
on the second seal 4. The recess 11 is made at a dimensionally fixed 
distance from the end of the second seal 4. An accurately fitting lug 
connection of the sealing parts is thereby achieved By means of the 
releasable plug-in connection, vulcanization or adhesive bonding work 
during assembly is made unnecessary. The lug connection is designed with 
an easily releasable catch arrangement. 
FIG. 7 illustrates a section through the seal arrangement in the assembled 
state on the side door in the region of the lug connection 11, 12. The lug 
12 of the part 3" engages in the recess 11 of the door-frame seal 4. The 
seal arrangement is fixed by means of a securing rail 7, which is secured 
on the door panel 9. A flange 7' formed on the securing rail 7 engages 
around the foot part 4" of the second seal 4. 
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in 
detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of 
illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of 
limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be 
limited only by the terms of the appended claims.