Elastomeric profiled sealing member

A profiled sealing member made of elastomeric material. The sealing member is disposed on a vehicle body, especially for sealing off side door window panes. Via a hollow space that can be pressurized or inflated, the profiled sealing member also extends about that edge portion of the window that is directed toward the outside of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a profiled sealing member that is made of 
elastomeric material, such as rubber or rubber-like synthetic material, 
and is to be disposed on a closeable opening of a motor vehicle body to 
seal off a window or windows, especially side door window panes, relative 
to the opening of the vehicle body. The profiled sealing member has a 
resiliently flexible sealing portion and a hollow space that can be 
pressurized and evacuated. 
With profiled sealing members, which are usually mounted on the body of a 
motor vehicle, for example on the opening for a door, the free edge 
portion of the side window pane rests from the outside against the 
resiliently flexible sealing portion of the profiled sealing member. Known 
embodiments of such profiled sealing members are partially hose-shaped, or 
are made of a soft rubber or plastic. Side window panes that are sealed 
off with these known profiled sealing members tend to flutter at high 
vehicle speeds. In addition, unwelcome rattling noises can occur, 
especially where the roadway is in poor condition. Furthermore, the 
heretofore known profiled sealing members are not always in a position to 
optimally compensate for the unavoidable tolerances of the dimensions of 
the window panes and seals that occur during mass production, so that it 
is not possible to ensure to the desired extent that all of the window 
pane edges will be protected from the penetration of water, dust, or air 
draft. 
U.K. patent application No. 2 067 337 Kruschwitz dated July 30, 1981 
proposes a profiled sealing member where the aforementioned drawbacks are 
partially avoided. This known profiled sealing member essentially 
comprises a rubber or plastic hollow member against which the side window 
pane of a motor vehicle door resiliently rests. When the vehicle moves, 
air is pressed through an opening in a feed line to the hollow member, as 
a result of which the air pressure in the hollow member increases. The 
effect of this pressure increase is that the hollow member expands and 
thereby rests more securely against the window. In this way, a fluttering 
of the side window panes can be reduced at higher vehicle speeds. 
It is an object of the present invention to improve a profiled sealing 
member of the aforementioned general type in such a way that not only the 
fluttering or movement of window panes at greater speeds is prevented, but 
it should also be possible to achieve a satisfactory sealing effect at 
greater gap tolerances. Furthermore, unwelcome rattling noises should also 
be capable of being avoided, even at low speeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The profiled sealing member of the present invention is characterized 
primarily in that a sealing and support element is provided that delimits 
the hollow space outwardly, remote from the vehicle body opening on which 
the sealing member is disposed; when the hollow space is under pressure, 
the sealing and support element is adapted to extend about that edge 
portion of a window that is directed toward the outside of the vehicle. 
As a result, the inventive profiled sealing member fulfills not only a 
sealing function, but rather at the same time the window pane is securely 
held in position, and is pressed against the resiliently flexible sealing 
portion, as a result of the enveloping of the edge region by the 
pressurized hollow space, so that the aforementioned drawbacks of the 
heretofore known profiled sealing members, such as a fluttering of the 
window panes at higher speeds, as well as rattling noises, no longer 
occur. To accomplish this, it is not necessary to retain or seal all of 
the free edge portions of the window pane or side panes with an 
inventively embodied profiled sealing member; rather, disposing the 
inventive profiled sealing member on, for example, only that side of the 
frame or body that is adjacent the roof of the vehicle would be 
conceivable. A further advantage is that the inventive profiled sealing 
member is quite able to compensate for the aforementioned unavoidable 
manufacturing tolerances. If the retaining function of the profiled 
sealing member is discontinued by lowering or relieving the pressure, the 
forces required for moving the window pane, especially a sliding window, 
are advantageously slight. 
Pursuant to one preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, 
when the retaining function is discontinued, the sealing and support 
element is drawn into the interior of the hollow space, whereby the hollow 
space is at normal pressure or a slight partial vacuum. If therefore the 
inventive profiled sealing member is used to seal and retain the side 
window panes of vehicle doors, a problem-free opening and closing of the 
vehicle door is ensured, even if the compressed air system fails. 
For the resiliently flexible support of that edge portion of the window 
pane that faces the interior of the vehicle, it is advantageous if a 
further hollow space is provided in the sealing portion of the profiled 
sealing member, whereby this further hollow space can also be connected to 
the compressed air system. 
The profiled sealing member of the present invention is provided in 
particular for sealing and retaining side window panes of vehicle doors 
that do not have a complete frame for guiding and holding the side window 
panes. Accordingly, the profiled sealing member is secured to the door 
frame of the vehicle body at least on one side of the frame, especially on 
that side of the frame that is associated with the roof of the vehicle. Of 
course, other sides of the door frame could also be provided with an 
inventive profiled sealing member, at least partially, and primarily where 
the movable side window pane is to be sealed off. It is readily possible 
to have any desired combination of the inventive profiled sealing member 
and other known sealing member constructions. 
Further specific features of the present invention will be described in 
detail subsequently. 
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawing in detail, the profiled sealing member 1, 
which is made of rubber or plastic, is secured to the vehicle in the door 
opening by suitable means. In the illustrated embodiment, the profiled 
sealing member 1 has a base portion 2 that is retained in a receiving slot 
3 of a part that is securely connected to the vehicle. 
In addition to the base portion 2, the profiled sealing member 1 is 
provided with a sealing portion 4 for the resilient and flexible support 
of that edge region of the window pane that faces the interior of the 
vehicle. A hollow space 8 is provided in the sealing portion 4. 
Furthermore, the profiled sealing member 1 has a further hollow space 5 
that extends over the entire length of the profiled sealing member 1. This 
hollow space 5 is delimited toward the outside by a flexible sealing and 
support element 6 of uniform thickness. 
The arrangement of the profiled sealing member 1 on the vehicle is such 
that when the door is closed, the sealing and support element 6 faces the 
end face or end faces of the side window pane 7. In the non-effective 
position shown in FIG. 1, the sealing and support element 6 is drawn into 
the hollow space 5, with either a slight partial vacuum of, for example, 
0.5 bar, or preferably normal atmospheric pressure existing in the hollow 
space 5. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle door can be opened 
and closed without difficulty even when the side window pane 7 is closed, 
i.e. is rolled all the way up. 
If when the vehicle door is closed, the side window pane 7 is disposed in 
its uppermost, i.e. closed, position, the profiled sealing member 1 should 
perform its sealing and support function. For this purpose, it is 
necessary to inflate the hollow space 5, in other words, to place the 
hollow space 5 under a higher pressure. It is sufficient to generate a 
pressure differential of 0.5 bar relative to the originally prevailing 
inner pressure. In so doing, the sealing and support element 6 extends 
about the edge portion of the side window pane 7 on the outer side of the 
vehicle. On the inner side of the vehicle, the window pane 7 is pressed 
against the sealing portion 4 of the profiled sealing member 1. 
Due to the fact that the profiled sealing member 1 extends about the edge 
of the window pane on the outer side of the vehicle under pressure, the 
window pane 7 is securely held in position, so that the window pane cannot 
move or shift in a direction perpendicular to its surface at high vehicle 
speeds. As a result, unwelcome rattling noises are also avoided. In 
addition, the inventive profiled sealing member 1 does a better job of 
compensating for unavoidable manufacturing tolerances than do the 
conventional constructions. 
The retaining function of the profiled sealing member 1 is discontinued 
when the vehicle door or the side window pane is to be opened or closed. 
For this purpose, an appropriate cooperation with a central, pneumatically 
operated door-locking mechanism is preferred for the generation of a 
partial vacuum or pressure in the hollow space 5 of the profiled sealing 
member 1. To open and close the side window panes, a simultaneous 
generation of pressure or partial vacuum together with an electrical 
window raising or lowering mechanism can be provided. At any rate, a 
number of technically feasible operating mechanisms are available. 
It should be understood that it is also possible to secure the inventive 
profiled sealing member 1 to the vehicle using a base portion that is 
embodied differently than the base portion 1 shown in the illustrated 
embodiment. 
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific 
disclosure of the specification and drawing, but also encompasses any 
modifications within the scope of the appended claims.