Automobile roof rail and seal system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018345870-A1
Application number	US-201715608114-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 30, 2017
Priority date	May 30, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automobile roof rail system includes a rail having opposed first and second side walls defining a cavity between the first and second side walls. A retention feature is provided with each of the first side wall and the second side wall. A resilient material first seal is engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the first side wall, and a resilient material second seal is engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the second side wall. A living hinge separates a free second end of each of the first seal and the second seal from the first end. The free second end of each of the first seal and the second seal is directed into the cavity in an as-molded condition.

First claim

1 . An automobile roof rail system, comprising:
a rail having a first side wall and a second side wall defining a cavity between the first side wall and the second side wall; a retention feature provided with each of the first side wall and the second side wall; a resilient material seal engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the first side wall and the second side wall; and a living hinge separating a free second end of each seal from the first end of each seal, the free second end of each seal freely positioned in the cavity.

2 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 1 , wherein the free second end of each seal is freely suspended in the cavity after engaged coupling of the first end of the seal with the retention feature, and prior to installation of the rail onto a vehicle roof raised gusset.

3 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 2 , wherein the rail when positioned over the raised gusset of a roof portion of a vehicle in a rail installed position on the roof portion receives the raised gusset within the cavity, the raised gusset causing the second end of the seal to deflect thereby contacting both the roof portion and the gusset in the rail installed position.

4 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 1 , wherein the retention feature defines a female slot extending longitudinally in the at least one side wall.

5 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 4 , wherein the female slot defines a dovetail shape, and wherein a male portion of the seal is frictionally received in and retained by the female slot, the male portion of the seal having a shape matching the dovetail shape of female slot.

6 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 2 , wherein the retention feature defines a male member extending into the cavity.

7 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 6 , wherein the seal includes a female cavity having a shape matching an outer surface of the male member, wherein the male member is frictionally received in the female cavity of the seal.

8 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one side wall includes an end face spaced freely away from a roof portion of a vehicle with the rail in a rail installed position on a vehicle roof portion.

9 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 8 , wherein no portion of the seal extends outwardly with respect to a vertical plane contacting an outer corner of the at least one side wall at the end face.

10 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a resilient material having a first durometer in the first end and a second durometer lower than the first durometer in the second end.

11 . An automobile roof rail system, comprising:
a rail having opposed first and second side walls joined by a cross member defining a cavity between the first and second side walls and the cross member; a retention feature provided with each of the first side wall and the second side wall facing into the cavity; a resilient material first seal matingly engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the first side wall, and a resilient material second seal matingly engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the second side wall; and each of the first seal and the second seal having a free second end, the free second end of each of the first seal and the second seal directed into the cavity in an as-molded condition after mating engagement onto the retention feature, but prior to installation of the rail onto a vehicle roof portion.

12 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 11 , wherein each of the first seal and the second seal include a living hinge separating the free second end of each of the first seal and the second seal from the first end of the first seal and the second seal.

13 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 12 , wherein each of the first seal and the second seal include a transition portion which transitions in thickness from the first end to the second end.

14 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 13 , wherein each of the first seal and the second seal include an upwardly curved deflecting end connected to the transition portion using the living hinge.

15 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 11 , wherein the retention feature defines a female slot extending longitudinally in each of the first and the second side walls.

16 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 15 , wherein the female slot defines a dovetail shape, and wherein a male portion of the first seal and the second seal is frictionally received in and retained by the female slot, the male portion of the seal having a shape matching the dovetail shape of the female slot.

17 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 11 :
wherein the retention feature defines a male member extending from each of the first and the second side walls into the cavity; and wherein the first seal and the second seal each include a female cavity having a shape matching an outer surface of the male member of one of the first or second side walls, wherein each male member is frictionally received in the female cavity of one of the first seal or the second seal.

18 . An automobile roof rail system, comprising:
a metal rail having opposed first and second side walls defining a cavity between the first and second side walls; a retention feature provided with each of the first side wall and the second side wall; a resilient material first seal matingly engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the first side wall, and a resilient material second seal matingly engaged at a first end with the retention feature of the second side wall; each of the first seal and the second seal having a living hinge separating a free second end of each of the first seal and the second seal from the first end of the first seal and the second seal; the free second end of each of the first seal and the second seal in an as-molded condition directed into the cavity and defining a curved shape having a convex surface facing downward toward and in contact with a raised gusset extending upward from a roof portion of a vehicle with the raised gusset received in the cavity; and each of the first side wall and the second side wall include an end face spaced freely away from the roof portion of the vehicle with the rail in a rail installed position on the vehicle roof portion, with no portion of the first seal extending outwardly of the first side wall in the rail installed position and no portion of the second seal extending outwardly of the second side wall in the rail installed position.

19 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 18 , wherein a durometer of the first seal and the second seal varies from the first end to the second end.

20 . The automobile roof rail system of claim 18 , wherein the second end of the seal contacts both the roof portion and the gusset in the rail installed position.

Assignees

• Dura Operating Llc

Inventors

• Wilks Patrick Lee

Classifications

• B60R9/00

  Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like · CPC title

• B60R9/058

  characterised by releasable attaching means between carrier and roof · CPC title

• B60R9/048 Primary

  Carriers characterised by article-gripping {, -covering,}-retaining, or -locking means · CPC title

• B60R9/04 Primary

  Carriers associated with vehicle roof (B60R9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R13/06

  Sealing strips (sealing arrangements for vehicle windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors, or similar devices B60J10/00) · CPC title