Active seal architectures

摘要

Active seal architectures adapted for producing a variable sealing and/or closing force between a closure panel and perimeter, includes a mounting clip, a flexible outer layer fixedly connected to the clip, defining an interior space, and longitudinally extending along the perimeter; and an interior structure comprising and reconfigurable by an active material disposed within the space, and operable to impart differing first and second forces upon the layer and panel when the material is activated and deactivated respectively.

主权项

1. An active seal strip producing a variable sealing force, the seal strip being adapted for placement on a vehicle opening structure defining a vehicle opening perimeter in a vehicle body in which a vehicle closure panel is configured to engage the perimeter of the vehicle opening structure so as to close the opening, the active seal strip being adapted to produce a variable sealing force between the vehicle opening structure and the vehicle closure panel, the active seal strip comprising:
a mounting clip for placement of the active seal strip on the perimeter of the vehicle opening structure, the clip comprising a support surface; and a flexible, hollow member fixedly connected to the clip support surface, the flexible hollow member having two, lateral, substantially parallel, flexible walls directly connected to and extending from the mounting clip, the walls each having a length and being substantially perpendicular to the clip support surface, the hollow member further having a flexible top surface connecting the walls and defining an interior space, the flexible hollow member having a length and extending longitudinally along the perimeter of a vehicle body opening, the top surface of the flexible, hollow member being adapted to be engaged in a sealing mode by the vehicle closure panel when the vehicle closure panel is moved to a closed position, the flexible top surface then being compressed toward the mounting clip and the substantially parallel, flexible walls cooperating with the flexible top surface by expanding laterally into opposing, outwardly-bowed configurations with respect to the longitudinal path of the seal along the perimeter of the vehicle body opening, such compression providing a sealing force between the vehicle closure panel and the flexible hollow member; and an interior structure located within the flexible, hollow member and extending along the length of the flexible, hollow member, the interior structure comprising one or more active material elements transitionable between an activated and a deactivated state, each active material element, in its activated state, expanding and outwardly bowing the lateral walls of the hollow member and lowering the top surface of the hollow member for reduced sealing force and, in its deactivated state, permitting the top surface of the hollow member to rise to engage the vehicle closure panel with increased sealing force and enable the lateral walls of the hollow member to contract inwardly, wherein the two substantially parallel, flexible walls are substantially perpendicular to the clip support surface along the entire length of each substantially parallel, flexible wall when the one or more active material element are in their deactivated state.