Method for mounting a sealing device between a housing of an air-conditioning installation and a partition wall present in or on the vehicle interior of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12134299-B2
Application number	US-202117541113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2021
Priority date	Dec 2, 2020
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

A method for mounting a sealing device between a housing of an air-conditioning installation and a partition wall present in the motor vehicle, includes the following measures (a) arranging the housing and the partition wall relative to one another so that a housing aperture present in the housing and a wall aperture present in the partition wall are positioned adjacently to one another, (b) arranging a sealing device having a frame-shaped sealing body formed as profile part, which in profile is formed substantially V-shaped with a first and second leg, between the two apertures, (c) reducing a distance between the two apertures by moving the housing towards the partition wall until a transition connecting the legs with one another folds over towards the wall aperture or away from the same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for mounting a sealing device between a housing of an air-conditioning installation and a partition wall present in a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
(a) arranging the housing and the partition wall relative to one another so that a housing aperture present in the housing and a wall aperture present in the partition wall are positioned adjacent to one another;
(b) arranging a sealing device having a frame-shaped sealing body formed as a profile part, which in profile is formed substantially V-shaped with a first and second leg, between the two apertures in such a manner that:
the sealing body aperture circumferentially enclosed by the frame-shaped sealing body fluidically communicates with the two apertures in such a manner that
in profile a transition between the two legs of the sealing body lies, with a contact portion of the transition against the partition wall and a first end portion of the first leg facing away from the transition lies against the housing; and

(c) reducing a distance between the two apertures by moving the housing towards the partition wall at least until the transition folds over towards the wall aperture or away from the wall aperture.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sealing body prior to carrying out measure (c) is positioned between the housing and the partition wall so that the transition is arranged substantially at a right angle to the partition wall, and
the sealing body is configured such that in a longitudinal section along an axial direction, which points from the housing aperture to the wall aperture, after the carrying out of measure (c), the transition is arranged at an acute angle towards the axial direction.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in measure (a) an extension portion molded in profile on to the V-shaped sealing body is also inserted through the wall aperture as well.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first leg is formed curved in profile,
a curvature apex of the first leg faces the second leg, and
the curvature radius of the first leg is reduced in size during the folding-over of the transition in measure (c).

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second leg in profile has an S-shaped geometry, and
the S-shaped geometry of the second leg during the folding-over of the transition is stretched, in particular unfolded.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
on the first and/or on the second leg at least one thick point and/or at least one thin point are/is present, and
with the at least one thick point or thin point a folding-over direction, in which the transition is folded over in measure (c), is defined.

7. A sealing device for the fluid-tight sealing of a fluid connection between an air-conditioning installation and a partition wall, in particular subject to carrying out the method according to claim 1 , the sealing device comprising:
a frame-shaped sealing body formed as profile part, which circumferentially encloses a sealing body aperture and which in profile has a substantially V-shaped geometry with a first and second leg, which in a transition, merge into one another typically at an acute angle.

8. The sealing device according to claim 7 , wherein in profile the first leg comprises a first axial end portion facing away from the transition, which at an acute angle merges into an extension portion extending towards the transition.

9. The sealing device according to claim 8 , wherein the extension portion in profile extends in a straight line.

10. The sealing device according to claim 7 , wherein the second leg in profile comprises a second axial end portion facing away from the transition, from which at an angle, typically at an acute angle, a hook-like extension projects.

11. The sealing device according to claim 7 , wherein in profile on the second axial end portion of the second leg a recess is formed.

12. The sealing device according to claim 7 , wherein the material of the sealing body includes or is an elastomer, in particular EPDM.

13. A motor vehicle having a vehicle interior, which is delimited by a partition wall or in which a partition wall is arranged, wherein in the partition wall a wall aperture is arranged, the motor vehicle comprising:
an air-conditioning installation arranged adjacently to the partition wall, which comprises a housing, in which a housing aperture is arranged; and
a sealing device according to claim 7 arranged between the wall aperture and the housing aperture such that it seals off a fluid connection formed between the two apertures by the sealing body aperture fluid-tight relative to the outer surroundings of the air-conditioning installation in a fluid-tight manner.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the elastically deformed transition portion of the sealing body supports itself with the contact portion on the partition wall, in particular on an enclosure portion of the partition wall enclosing the wall aperture.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the first axial end portion of the sealing body supports itself outside on the housing, in particular on an enclosure portion of the housing enclosing the housing aperture.

16. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the second axial end portion of the sealing body supports itself outside on the housing in particular on an enclosure portion of the housing enclosing the housing aperture.

17. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein for the lateral fixing of the sealing body a projection formed on the housing of the air-conditioning installation engages in the recess formed on the sealing body.

18. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein on the partition wall an acoustic and/or thermal insulation is arranged, on which the hook-like extension supports itself.

19. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the extension portion engages through the wall aperture.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Feith Thomas
• Sickelmann Michael
• Hederer Robin
• Schreiber Ronny

Classifications

• F16J15/104

  characterised by structure · CPC title

• B60H2001/00635

  Air-tight sealing devices · CPC title

• F16J15/52

  by means of sealing bellows or diaphragms (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• B60H1/00535

  Mounting or fastening of the housing to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60H1/26

  Ventilating openings in vehicle exterior; Ducts for conveying ventilating air · CPC title