Vehicle Door Secondary Sealing System
A seal for use with a vehicle door is provided, the seal preferably used as a secondary or tertiary seal to provide additional passenger cabin sound isolation and weather proofing. The seal is attached to a seam within the door jamb, the seal formed by coupling a central body panel flange to a rear quarter panel flange.
1 . A vehicle door sealing system comprising:
a single piece central body panel attached to a first portion of an underlying vehicle frame, wherein said single piece central body panel includes a contoured region that extends away from a vehicle passenger cabin door opening, said contoured region of said single piece central body panel further comprising a first panel flange;
a rear quarter panel attached to a second portion of said underlying vehicle frame, said rear quarter panel further comprising a second panel flange, wherein said second panel flange is complementary to said first panel flange;
a flange seam formed by coupling said first panel flange to said second panel flange, wherein said flange seam is separate from and outwardly displaced from a central body panel seam formed by coupling said single piece central body panel to said first portion of said underlying vehicle frame, and wherein said flange seam is within a door jamb corresponding to said vehicle passenger cabin door opening; and
a seal attached to and covering at least a portion of said flange seam, wherein said seal is fabricated from a resilient, elastomeric material, and wherein said seal is compressed when a vehicle door corresponding to said vehicle passenger cabin door opening is in a closed position.
2 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , said seal further comprising a groove configured to fit over said flange seam when said seal is attached to said portion of said flange seam.
3 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 2 , said seal further comprising a plurality of protrusions within said groove configured to secure said seal to said flange seam when said seal is attached to said portion of said flange seam.
4 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , said seal further comprising a cavity extending longitudinally through said seal, wherein said cavity is compressed when said vehicle door corresponding to said vehicle passenger cabin door opening is in said closed position.
5 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , wherein said seal is fabricated from a natural elastomer.
6 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , wherein said seal is fabricated from a synthetic elastomer.
7 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , wherein said first panel flange is coupled to said second panel flange by a plurality of rivets.
8 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , wherein said first panel flange is coupled to said second panel flange by a plurality of welds.
9 . The vehicle door sealing system of claim 1 , wherein said seal is bonded to said flange seam.