Patent ID: 7695048

Claim:
A sealing system for a vehicle with a hinge that pivotally connects a rear door panel to a side body panel such that the rear door panel can pivot about a substantially vertical axis between a closed position where the rear door panel is substantially perpendicular to the side body panel and an open position where the rear door panel is generally parallel to the side body panel, wherein the rear door panel and the side body panel define a hinge gap when the rear door panel is at the open position, the sealing system comprising: a hinge seal mounted to at least one of the rear door panel or the side body panel such that the hinge seal disengages the other of the rear door panel or the side body panel as the rear door panel pivots to the closed position, and the hinge seal engages both the rear door panel and the side body panel to bridge the hinge gap when the rear door panel is at the open position.