Patent ID: 8123278

Claim:
A vehicle comprising a body; a pair of opposing-hinged doors including a first door rotatably attached to the body for rotation in a first rotation direction, and a second door disposed adjacent the first door and rotatably attached to the body for rotation in a second rotation direction opposite the first direction; wherein each of the first door and the second door define a tumblehome portion; wherein the tumblehome portion of the first door and the tumblehome portion of the second door are spaced from each other to define a gap between the first door and the second door when the first door and the second door are in a closed position; an appliqué coupled to at least one of the first door and the second door adjacent the tumblehome portions of the first door and the second door, and moveable between a sealing position and a withdrawn position, wherein the appliqué extends across the gap between the tumblehome portions when in the sealing position to cover the gap and seal against both the first door and the second door, and wherein the appliqué is spaced from at least one of the first door and the second door when in the withdrawn position to allow for the simultaneous rotation of the first door and the second door without interference between the tumblehome portions of the first door and the second door; an actuator coupled to the appliqué and configured for moving the appliqué into at least one of the sealing position and the withdrawn position; a pivotable connection interconnecting the appliqué and one of the first door and the second door, wherein the appliqué is pivotable between the sealing position and the withdrawn position about a pivot axis defined by the pivotable connection; wherein the actuator includes a spring interconnecting the appliqué and one of the first door and the second door, wherein the spring is configured to pivot the appliqué about the pivot axis and into the withdrawn position; and a bar slideably moveable relative to the appliqué between an extended position securing the appliqué in the sealing position, and a retracted position allowing the pivotable movement of the appliqué about the pivot axis into the withdrawn position.