Abstract:
A seal used in a vehicle steering assembly. The seal comprising a first member carried by a steering component, and a second member carried by a vehicle panel. When installing the steering component in the steering assembly, the first member mates with the second member to form at least one seal. A method is also provided for installing the seal in the vehicle steering assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 42, filed Dec. 1, 2006. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to seals, and more particularly to seals used in steering assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Steering assemblies for vehicles often include a steering column having a steering shaft that extends between a steering wheel and a steering gear. Typically the steering wheel and gear are separated by a vehicle panel such as a dash panel, a fire wall, or both—the wheel being on a passenger side of the dash panel, and the gear being on an engine side of the dash panel. Thus, the steering shaft and gear are sometimes assembled through an opening in the dash panel. In such cases, a seal is commonly provided at this opening to, among other things, shield it from dirt, fumes, and to dampen noise and vibration. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    One implementation of a presently preferred seal that is used in a vehicle steering assembly comprises a first member carried by a steering component and a second member carried by a vehicle panel. When installing the steering component in the steering assembly, the first member mates with the second member to form at least one seal. 
         [0005]    Another implementation of a presently preferred seal that is used in a vehicle steering assembly comprises a grommet seal and a dash seal. The grommet seal is sized to receive a steering gear, and the dash seal is constructed to be inserted in an opening in a dash panel. 
         [0006]    Another implementation of a presently preferred method of installing a seal in a vehicle steering assembly comprises the steps of providing a grommet seal and dash seal, mounting the grommet seal on a steering gear, mounting the dash seal in a dash panel, inserting the steering gear in the dash panel, and sealing the two seals against one another. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The following detailed description of preferred embodiments and best mode will be set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view with a portion broken away of an embodiment of a first member used in a vehicle seal; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view that shows the first member of  FIG. 1  carried by a steering component; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a second member used in the vehicle seal; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view that shows the second member of  FIG. 3  carried by a dash panel; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view that shows an embodiment of the vehicle seal installed in a steering assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Referring in more detail to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-5  show an exemplary vehicle seal  10  used in a steering assembly. Vehicle seal  10  can have a pair of members including a first member and a second member—in one embodiment, the first member can be a grommet seal  12 , and the second member can be a dash seal  14 . In any case, these members can provide one or more seals between each other, with a vehicle panel such as a dash panel  20  or a fire wall or both, and with a steering component such as a steering gear  16 . Particularly, these seals can be formed when the first member is used with steering gear  16  and when the second member is used in an opening  18  in dash panel  20 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , grommet seal  12  generally forms at least one seal with dash seal  14  when steering gear  16  is assembled to a steering shaft (not shown). Specifically, grommet seal  12  can form a double seal with dash seal  14  when steering gear  16  is inserted through opening  18 . Among other things, the grommet seal helps fit the steering gear into the dash seal when the steering gear is inserted in the dash seal, and at the same time it partly shields the dash seal from the steering component. Grommet seal  12  can be made by a dual-shot injection molding process to be part hard plastic, such as polypropylene 20% talc-filled, and part soft plastic, such as a rubber-based resin. The grommet seal can comprise several parts including a body  22  defining a passage  24 , a convex or tapered annular surface  26 , an elastic lip  28 , and an elastic pilot feature  30 . Body  22  can be made out of the above hard plastic to serve as the core or base of grommet seal  12 . Body  22  can also define several indentations  23  that are sunk in the end of the body and are adjacent convex surface  26 . These indentations allow a tool to grab the grommet seal and mount the grommet seal on the steering gear during assembly. Passage  24  can be sized to receive a part of steering gear  16  after this mounting step. As such, the passage is shaped as a cylinder that begins at a circular opening  31  and extends completely through body  22  from the indentation end and to the elastic pilot feature end. 
         [0015]    Convex surface  26  can be formed in, or carried by, the body and can constitute a continuous sealing surface. In this embodiment, its otherwise convex shape is interrupted at an end  25  by indentations  23  and passage  24  so that the convex surface is only partially convex or tapered. And this convex or tapered shape can extend in one direction from end  25  to another end  29 , and in another direction circumferentially around body  22 . Convex surface  26 , like body  22 , can be made out of the hard plastic. Elastic lip  28  has an inward facing surface  27  that constitutes another continuous sealing surface. The elastic lip can be made out of the above soft plastic and can flex inward and outward about its attachment to body  22 . Elastic lip  28  can extend away from and around the midway periphery of body  22  where it generally follows the circumferential end  29  of convex surface  26 . Elastic pilot feature  30  can also be made out of the soft plastic. The elastic pilot feature is used to facilitate mounting grommet seal  12  onto steering gear  16 . Elastic pilot feature  30  can extend from an end of body  22  opposite indentations  23 . The elastic pilot feature can include a pair of recesses  32  formed in its end, and can further include an annular rib  33  formed on its inner surface. During mounting, recesses  32  can each receive a part of the steering gear&#39;s body, such as with an interference or snap-fit. This way grommet seal  12  can be mounted on steering gear  16 , held thereon, and prevented from rotating without using external fasteners. The annular rib  33  can constitute another continuous sealing surface. The rib  33  may extend circumferentially around the inner surface of pilot feature  30  and protrudes radially inward from the inner surface. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , dash seal  14  generally forms at least a single seal between it and dash panel  20 . Specifically, in one embodiment, dash seal  14  can be constructed to be inserted in opening  18  and forms a seal around the opening when it is secured in the opening. As stated earlier, the dash seal can also form a double seal with grommet seal  12 . And like the grommet seal, dash seal  14  can be made by a dual-shot injection molding process to be part hard plastic, such as polypropylene 20% talc-filled, and part soft plastic, such as a rubber-based resin. Dash seal  14  can comprise several parts including a body  34  defining a passage  36 , and the body can further have a hardened portion  35  ( FIG. 4 ) and an elastic portion  37  ( FIG. 3 ). Passage  36  can be sized to receive part of steering gear  16  and part of grommet seal  12 ; as such, the passage extends completely through the body. 
         [0017]    Hardened portion  35  can serve as the core or base of the dash seal. It can be made out of the above hard plastic to have a thickness of approximately three millimeters. The hardened portion can further include a snap-in feature  38  and an indexing feature  40 . As best shown in  FIG. 4 , snap-in feature  38  permits snap-fit insertion and retention of dash seal  14  into opening  18 . This way the dash panel can carry the dash seal without using external fasteners. The snap-in feature can be located at one end of dash seal  14  where it extends from a periphery of passage  36 . Snap-in feature  38  can further include three clips  42  that are equally spaced about the periphery of passage  36 . Each clip  42  can have a slanted outer surface and can be somewhat resilient so that it will snap into opening  18  when press-fit therein. Each of the three clips can also be designed to break if and when it is subject to an impact force exerted on it that exceeds a predetermined breaking force. This is so dash seal  14  can be severed from dash panel  20  if the steering wheel is impacted, for example, during a vehicle accident. And as mentioned, hardened portion  35  can also include indexing feature  40 . The indexing feature guides dash seal  14  into opening  18  before snapping the seal in the opening. Like the snap-in feature, indexing feature  40  can extend from the periphery of passage  36 . The indexing feature can include a single tab  44  extending vertically from that periphery and beyond clip  42 . 
         [0018]    As best shown in  FIG. 3 , elastic portion  37  can lie over part of hardened portion  35  and can be made out of the above soft plastic to have a thickness of approximately five millimeters, which together with the hardened portion, gives an approximately 8 millimeter thick cylindrical body wall  39 . Besides its thickness, the body wall can have a varying height throughout its cylindrical shape. The elastic portion can include a concave surface  46 , an annular surface  48 , and a lip  50 . Concave surface  46  can be formed in elastic portion  37  at an end where it can constitute a continuous sealing surface that complements the shape of convex surface  26  of grommet seal  12 . In this embodiment, its otherwise concave shape is interrupted by passage  36  so that the convex surface is only partially concave or tapered. And this concave or tapered shape can extend in one direction from an opening  52  to a circumferential end  53 . The concave surface  46  can be generally located within and surrounded by cylindrical wall  39 . As noted, concave surface  46  defines an opening  52  that leads to passage  36 , and can further include ribs  54  along its outer surface. Ribs  54  can form a closer fit between dash seal  14  and grommet seal  12 . These ribs can extend around concave surface  46  and can be spaced parallel with each other. 
         [0019]    Annular surface  48  can be formed generally flat and can lie in a plane that is inclined with respect to a center axis of passage  36 , and can constitute another continuous sealing surface of dash seal  14 . The annular surface can be located just outside of concave surface  46  where it is sized to complement the shape of surface  27  of elastic lip  28 . The annular surface can extend in one direction from end  53  to an edge  55 . Lip  50 , on the other hand, can be located opposite the annular surface and can form a seal with dash panel  20  continuously around opening  18 . At the opening, a bottom surface  51  can constitute another continuous sealing surface of the dash seal. In this embodiment, lip  50  can simply be a radially expanded end of body  34 . 
         [0020]    When using this exemplary vehicle seal  10 , grommet seal  12  is mounted on steering gear  16  so that it is carried thereby. This mounting can be done by the before-mentioned tool or simply by an operator, and can be done before the steering gear is installed in the steering assembly. In any case, an end  17  of steering gear  16  is inserted through passage  24  and grommet seal  12  is slid down steering gear  16  so that end  17  protrudes out of opening  31 . At the other end of grommet seal  12 , recesses  32  each receive a part of steering gear  16  as these parts are press-fit therein. Grommet seal  12  is now secured on steering gear  16 . In this position, pilot feature  30  fits closely around steering gear  16  and the rib  33  located on the pilot feature&#39;s inner surface contacts flush against the steering gear. This contact defines an interface that forms a seal therebetween. 
         [0021]    Along with this, dash seal  14  is snapped into opening  18  so that it is carried by dash panel  20 . This snapping can also be done by a tool or simply by an operator, but again it can be done before the steering gear is installed in the steering assembly. As dash seal  14  approaches opening  18 , tab  44  of indexing feature  40  locates an edge of opening  18  so clips  42  of snap-in feature  38  are aligned therewith. The clip&#39;s slanted outer surfaces find the edge of opening  18  and are flexed or squeezed inward as the dash seal  14  is forced in the opening. Once beyond the edge, each clip  42  returns to its unflexed position with a portion of each clip overlying an inner surface  19  of dash panel  20  to secure the dash seal in the dash panel. In this position, lip  50  is held closely around opening  18  so that bottom surface  51  continuously contacts an outer surface  21  of dash panel  20 . This contact defines an interface that forms a seal therebetween. 
         [0022]    And once vehicle seal  10  is installed, steering gear  16  can be installed in the steering assembly; that is, it can be assembled to the steering shaft through opening  18  in dash panel  20 . This assembly step can be a part of a larger decking operation of the steering assembly. In this step, steering gear  16  is moved toward opening  18  with end  17  protruding out of grommet seal  12  leading the way. End  17  is inserted first through opening  52  of dash seal  14 , and then eventually through opening  18  where it can reach the steering shaft. As shown in  FIG. 5 , once inserted, dash seal  14  partly encloses grommet seal  12  as the two seals mate, and several seals can be formed. For example, a first seal can be formed between convex surface  26  and concave surface  36  as the two bear and are held against each other by a force coming from the assembled steering gear and steering shaft. Likewise, a second seal can be formed between surface  27  of elastic lip  28  and annular surface  48  as the two bear and are held against each other. Like the other seals, these are the result of opposing respective contacting surfaces that define an interface therebetween. 
         [0023]    As mentioned throughout, vehicle seal  10  can be used in the steering assembly without using external fasteners. In one sense, the seal can be automatically installed as the steering assembly is put together; that is, the grommet seal and the dash seal can be automatically mated as the steering gear is assembled to the steering shaft. While this may reduce steps in its installation and in a steering assembly decking operation, external fasteners can still be used to secure the vehicle seal members if so desired. 
         [0024]    While certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described, persons of ordinary skill in this art will readily recognize that the preceding description has been set forth in terms of description rather than limitation, and that various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is defined by the following claims.