Vehicle sunroof seal assembly

[0002] This invention relates a unique method and apparatus for sealing sunroof frame members to each other with a seal molded into the frame members.

[0003] Sunroof frames are mounted within a vehicle roof opening to support a slidable and/or pivotable sunroof The frames are typically fixed to the vehicle roof and must be securely held in place and sealed to prevent water from leaking into the passenger compartment.

[0004] Among the frame members are corner pieces which include water channels for draining water away from the interior of the vehicle. The corner pieces and water channels are typically sealed with a butyl sealant. Typically, this sealant is injected between the two pieces. The two pieces are then heated, bonding the two together.

[0005] One disadvantage with this method is that the butyl sealant is difficult to work with. Special equipment is required to inject the butyl between the frame members, which significantly increases cost. Further, the process is messy and time consuming. During assembly, excess butyl material is forced out from between the sunroof frame members. This butyl material gets on the assemblers and on the assembly fixtures. The excess butyl must be cleaned away, which creates disposal problems and generates a significant amount in wasted material.

[0006] Thus, it is desirable to have a method and apparatus for sealing sunroof frame members to each other that eliminates the need for sealant injections during assembly. The method and apparatus should also be clean, inexpensive, and decrease assembly time.

[0007] In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a vehicle sunroof mount assembly includes a unique method and apparatus for sealing sunroof frame members to each other. The vehicle sunroof mount assembly includes a first frame member mounted to a vehicle structure along a first portion of a vehicle roof opening. The first frame member has a first mount interface. A second frame member is mounted to the vehicle structure along a second portion of the vehicle roof opening and has a second mount interface positioned in an overlapping relationship to the first mount interface. A seal is molded into a portion of one of the mount interfaces and presents an exposed engagement surface for engaging the other of the mount interfaces to seal the first frame member to the second frame member.

[0008] Preferably, the two frame members include a first plastic corner and a second aluminum extrusion. The two are placed together, with the gasket being molded onto the plastic corner. The two are then heated, bonding the two together.

[0009] The method of sealing sunroof frame members together includes the steps of molding the first frame member from a first material in a pre-formed mold, indexing the mold, molding the seal from a second material into the first frame member while in the mold, and securing a second frame member to the first frame member such that the seal is sandwiched between the first and second frame members.

[0010] The use of two-shot molding process to form a seal in a sunroof frame member eliminates the need secondary sealants and provides for a cleaner assembly. This facilitates assembly and reduces cost.

[0011] These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle having a sunroof.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a sunroof and frame assembly incorporating the subject invention.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded view, partially cut-away, of a portion adjoining sunroof frame members incorporation the subject invention.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away view of a portion of a sunroof frame and seal assembly according to the subject invention.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing a molding process used to form the seal.

[0017] A vehicle roof is generally shown at 10 in FIG. 1. The roof 10 that includes a unroof opening 14 that is generally rectangular in shape with a sunroof frame 20, comprised of a plurality of frame members, is mounted within the opening 14 to support a sunroof 22. The subject invention relates to a method and apparatus for sealing frame members to each other. The subjection invention can be utilized with a sliding sunroof, a pivoting sunroof, or a sliding and pivoting sunroof. Further, the subject invention can be utilized with a manually operated sunroof or a power sunroof.

[0018] The frame 20 incorporates a plastic corner piece 24, having a tube 26 for draining water. An aluminum part 28 has typically been attached to the plastic corner. The frame has typically been sealed at 30 with the butyl, as described above.

[0019] The present invention improves upon this structure by modifying the corner piece 24 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The corner piece 24, which can have several shapes and cross-sections, is provided with a molded gasket material 32, which roughly follows the path of the old butyl material 30. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the gasket material 32 will cross laterally across the plastic corner 24, and extend along a flat portion as shown in FIG. 4. The extrusion 28 is initially placed onto the plastic corner 24, and onto the gasket material 32. The two are then heated, bonding the two together.

[0020] A two-shot molding process is used to mold the seal or gasket 32 into at least one of the frame members. The process includes molding a sunroof frame member such as corner 24 which is formed from a first material in a pre-formed mold, indicated at 84. The frame member is preferably formed from a plastic material, however, other materials known in the art could also be used. The mold is indexed 88, and a second material is injected into the mold to form the seal 32 while the first frame member is still in the mold, 90. The second material is preferably a resilient rubber material, however, other known materials can be used. Thus, the frame member and the seal 32 are formed together as a single piece. During final assembly, a second frame member is secured to the first frame member 92 such that the seal 32 is sandwiched between the frame members. The two are then bonded 94.

[0021] The use of two-shot molding process to form a seal within the sunroof frame members themselves eliminates the need for secondary sealants, which results in a cleaner assembly process. This facilitates assembly and reduces cost.

[0022] Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, it should be understood that a worker of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many modifications come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.