Sealing structure for an automotive vehicle
AssigneesNissan Motor Co., Ltd., Nissan Shatai Company, Limited
InventorsYoshimasa Tuchiya, Takayo Chikaraishi, Kazunori Kawamo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sealing structure for an automotive vehicle prevents turbulent air flow around a front pillar and thus reduces noise due to wind. This seal is provided by a weatherstrip which also seals the space between the front pillar and a front door against water. The weatherstrip is provided with an extension extending towards the opening of the above space to close same. The extension lies approximately flush with the outer surfaces of the front pillar and the front door to form a substantially continuous external surface. This continuous external surface around the front pillar improves the aerodynamics of the vehicle.
Claims10
A sealing structure for the automotive vehicle comprising:
- first and second members of a vehicle body having edges opposing each other with a clearance therebetween, said first and second members having outer surfaces arranged to form substantially smooth vehicle body surface and defining an internal space extending from said clearance;
- a weatherstrip disposed within said internal space and secured to one of said first and second members and having a sealing lip portion sealingly contacting the other of said members so as to establish water-tight seal therebetween;
- and
- an elastically deformable extension integral with said weatherstrip and extending towards said clearance so that said extension elastically contacts said edges of both of said first and second members to establish a seal therebetween, part of the surface of said extension lying approximately in alignment with said outer surfaces of said first and second member.
A weatherstrip in an automotive vehicle body comprising:
- a major portion adapted to be secured to a first vehicle body member having an outer surface with a edge;
- a sealing lip portion extending from said major portion and adapted to sealingly contact a second vehicle body member in water-tight fashion to establish a water-tight seal between said body members, said second member having an outer surface arranged in alignment with said outer surface of said first body member, and a edge opposing to said edge of said first body member with some clearance therebetween;
- and
- a closure member integral with said major portion and extending towards said clearance between said body members, said closure member having a surface which lies in alignment with the external surfaces of said body members to form a substantially smooth vehicle body surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.