Sealing member
View Patent ↗A sealing member for a vehicle opening includes a first co-extrusion layer formed from a first elastomeric composition, a second co-extrusion layer formed from a second elastomeric composition, and a third co-extrusion layer formed from a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition. The first co-extrusion layer defines a mounting channel, a window channel, and a front face spaced from the mounting channel and the window channel. The second co-extrusion layer has a portion disposed on the front face of the first co-extrusion layer and a sealing lip disposed on the first co-extrusion layer abutting the portion and extending away from the first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end. The third co-extrusion layer is disposed on the portion and the sealing lip of the second co-extrusion layer for covering segments of the second co-extrusion layer that are visible from an exterior of the vehicle.
1. A sealing member for a vehicle opening comprising:
a first co-extrusion layer defining a mounting channel, a window channel, and a front face spaced from said mounting channel and said window channel, said first co-extrusion layer formed from a first elastomeric composition;
a second co-extrusion layer having a portion disposed on said front face of said first co-extrusion layer and a sealing lip disposed on said first co-extrusion layer abutting said portion and extending away from said first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end, said second co-extrusion layer formed from a second elastomeric composition which is different than said first elastomeric composition; and
a third co-extrusion layer disposed on said portion and said sealing lip of said second co-extrusion layer for covering segments of said second co-extrusion layer that are visible from an exterior of the vehicle, said third co-extrusion layer formed from a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition which is different than said first and second elastomeric compositions.
2. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 whereby said sealing lip is further defined as a first sealing lip and wherein said second co-extrusion layer includes a second sealing lip extending away from said first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end wherein said first sealing lip and said second sealing lip are spaced from one another for creating a seal against the vehicle.
3. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first sealing lip and said second sealing lip are substantially parallel to one another for creating a seal against the vehicle.
4. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front face is substantially parallel to said window channel.
5. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said portion has an exterior lip extending into said window channel of said first co-extrusion layer.
6. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said front face defines a length of said portion.
7. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition comprises a thermoplastic material chosen from polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, and combinations thereof.
8. A sealing member as set forth in claim 7 wherein said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition comprises greater than 5 parts by weight of said thermoplastic material, based on 100 parts by weight of said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition.
9. A sealing member as set forth in claim 7 wherein said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition also comprises ethylene propylene diene monomer.
10. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said third co-extrusion layer has a thickness of from 0.1 to 4 mm.
11. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second co-extrusion layer further includes a second portion disposed within said window channel of said first co-extrusion layer.
12. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second co-extrusion layer further includes a second portion disposed within said window channel of said first co-extrusion layer and wherein said second portion has a plurality of interior lips for sealing and guiding a window.
13. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first co-extrusion layer further includes a C-shaped reinforcing member for reinforcing said mounting channel.
14. A sealing member as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first co-extrusion layer further defines at least one channel for receiving a trim member.
15. A sealing member as set forth in claim 14 wherein said at least one channel is further defined as a pair of spaced channels dividing said front face into an upper portion, a central portion, and a lower portion, with said second co-extrusion layer only formed on a portion of said upper and lower portions.
16. A sealing member for a vehicle opening comprising:
a first co-extrusion layer defining a mounting channel, a window channel, and a front face spaced from said mounting channel and said window channel, said first co-extrusion layer formed from a first elastomeric composition;
a second co-extrusion layer disposed on said first co-extrusion layer and having a second sealing lip extending away from said first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end, said second co-extrusion layer formed from a second elastomeric composition which is different than said first elastomeric composition; and
a third co-extrusion layer having a portion disposed on said front face of said first co-extrusion layer for covering segments of first co-extrusion layer that are visible from an exterior of the vehicle, with said third co-extrusion layer having a first sealing lip disposed on said first co-extrusion layer abutting said portion and extending away from said first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end, said first sealing lip spaced from said second sealing lip for creating a seal against the vehicle, said third co-extrusion layer formed from a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition which is different than said first and second elastomeric compositions.
17. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first sealing lip and said second sealing lip are substantially parallel to one another for creating a seal against the vehicle.
18. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said front face is substantially parallel to said window channel.
19. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said portion has an exterior lip extending into said window channel of said first co-extrusion layer.
20. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said front face defines a length of the third co-extrusion layer.
21. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition comprises a thermoplastic material chosen from polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, and combinations thereof.
22. A sealing member as set forth in claim 21 wherein said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition comprises greater than 5 parts by weight of said thermoplastic material, based on 100 parts by weight of said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition.
23. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition also comprises ethylene propylene diene monomer.
24. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said third co-extrusion layer has a thickness of from 0.1 to 4 mm.
25. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second co-extrusion layer further includes a second portion disposed within said window channel of said first co-extrusion layer and wherein said second portion has a plurality of interior lips for sealing and guiding a window.
26. A sealing member as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first co-extrusion layer further includes a C-shaped reinforcing member for reinforcing said mounting channel.
27. A method of forming a glass run sealing member comprising a first co-extrusion layer, a second co-extrusion layer, and a third co- extrusion layer, said method comprising the steps of:
co-extruding a first elastomeric composition to form the first co-extrusion layer, the first co-extrusion layer defining a mounting channel, a window channel, and a front face spaced from the mounting channel and the window channel;
co-extruding a second elastomeric composition, which is different than the first elastomeric composition, to form the second co-extrusion layer on the first co-extrusion layer, the second co-extrusion layer having a portion disposed on the front face of the first co-extrusion layer and a sealing lip disposed on the first co-extrusion layer abutting the portion and extending away from the first co-extrusion layer towards a distal end; and
co-extruding a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition, which is different than the first and second elastomeric compositions, to form the third co-extrusion layer on the second co-extrusion layer, the third co-extrusion layer disposed on the portion and the sealing lip of the second co-extrusion layer for covering segments of the second co-extrusion layer that are visible from an exterior of the vehicle.
28. A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the steps of co-extruding the first elastomeric composition to form the first co-extrusion layer and co-extruding the second elastomeric composition to form the second co-extrusion layer are conducted simultaneously.
29. A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the step of co-extruding the thermoplastic vulcanizate composition to form the third co-extrusion layer is conducted subsequent to the co-extrusion of the first and second co-extrusion layers.
30. A method as set forth in claim 27 further comprising the step of heating the first and second co-extrusion layers to cure the first and second elastomeric compositions prior to co-extruding the thermoplastic vulcanizate composition to form the third co-extrusion layer.