EP-4735284-A1 - AUTOMOTIVE DOOR AND WINDOW SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments may include a vehicle without a B-pillar that has barn doors and partially frameless windows. The barn doors may include a window seal system having a primary seal for creating a watertight barrier when the window is in a first closed position. Upon the vehicle exceeding a predetermined speed threshold, the vehicle may automatically raise the window from the first closed position to being in a second closed position in which a secondary seal secures the window to prevent buffeting of the window. Disclosed embodiments may further include a seal and door structure that provides a pair of seals (an inner seal and an outer seal) between the front and rear barn doors that provide a watertight barrier when the doors are closed together and that also allows for each of the front and rear doors to be independently opened and closed in a barn-door fashion.

Inventors

• KUNZ ARRACHE, Pablo
• PINSONNEAULT, JEAN PIERRE
• CASTRIOTA, JASON

Assignees

• Via Fortuna, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240628

Claims (1)

1. Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. A system comprising: a vehicle door comprising: a door body comprising a framing portion; and a window configured to be vertically repositioned to open and close the window, the window comprising a frameless portion and a framed portion, wherein the framed portion of the window corresponds to the framing portion of the door body; and a vehicle body comprising: a primary seal configured to compress against an internal face of the framed portion and frameless portion of the window to create a watertight seal when the window is in a first closed position and a second closed position; and a secondary seal configured to secure at least the frameless portion of the window in place when the window is in the second closed position. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle body further comprises a lip configured to attach the primary seal to the vehicle body along a portion of the vehicle body that is proximate to the frameless portion of the window when the vehicle door is closed. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the primary seal comprises: a first portion that is mounted to the lip of the vehicle body, the first portion being configured to engage at least a portion of the frameless portion of the window; a second portion that is through-hole mounted into the vehicle body, the second portion being configured to engage at least a portion of the framing portion of the door body; and a transitional portion positioned between the first portion and second portion that allows the primary seal to form a continuous barrier. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle body further comprises a door latch striker plate having one or more door latch strikers that are configured to secure the vehicle door to the 59 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 vehicle body when the vehicle door closed, the door latch striker plate being positioned proximate the transitional portion of the primary seal when the vehicle door is closed. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary seal comprises one or more internal compartments. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more internal compartments comprise one or more of a delta (Δ) shape, an eight (8) shape or a modified delta (Δ) shape having an S-shape member on one side. 7. The system of claim 4, wherein the primary seal further comprises a latch striker plate seal that is configured to form a seal around the latch striker plate when the vehicle door is closed. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein: the secondary seal comprises a pillow and a lip, wherein the pillow comprises an internal indentation on a wall of the pillow that is proximate the lip; and in response to the window being placed in the second closed position, the pillow is configured to compress around a top portion of the window and the lip is configured to bend towards the window at least in part at the internal indentation of the pillow and press against an outer portion of the window to secure the window in place. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein one or more of the primary seal and the secondary seal are configured to form a continuous seal around a door ring housing the vehicle door. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein: the window further comprises an insert attached to a first edge of the window, the framing portion of the door body further comprises a window guide configured to receive the insert, the window guide being positioned within an internal structure of the framing portion of the door body, the internal structure comprising a seal positioned behind the window to form a 60 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 channel between a second edge of the window and an edge of an exterior trim piece for directing fluid externally away from the door body. 11. A system comprising: a vehicle door comprising a window; a vehicle body comprising a recess for receiving a portion of the window, the recess comprising a first seal and a second seal; one or more processors; and a memory in communication with the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to cause the system to: in response to determining that the vehicle body has exceeded a predetermined speed threshold, automatically cause the window to move from a first closed position to a second closed position. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein: when the window is in the first closed position, the first seal compresses against the window to form a watertight barrier and positions the window such that an outer surface of the window is substantially flush with an outer surface of the vehicle body; and when the window is in the second closed position with the window positioned higher than in the first closed position, a pillow of the second seal is configured to compress around a portion of the window and a lip of the second seal is configured to secure an outer surface of the window. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first seal comprises one or more compartments comprising one or more of a delta (Δ) shape, an eight (8) shape or a modified delta (Δ) shape having an S-shape member on one side. 14. The system of claim 10, wherein a first portion of the first seal is mounted to a flange of the vehicle body and is configured to receive a frameless portion of the vehicle door, a second portion of the first seal is clipped into the vehicle body, and a transitional portion of the first seal 61 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 is positioned between the first portion of the first seal and the second portion of the first seal such that the first seal forms a continuous barrier. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first seal further comprises a latch striker plate seal that is formed around a latch striker plate of the vehicle. 16. The system of claim 11, wherein automatically causing the window to move from the first closed position to the second closed position comprises transmitting instructions, by the one or more processors, to one or more window motors to raise a window position from a first height at the first closed position to a second height at the second closed position, the second height being higher than the first height. 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the system to: in response to determining that a speed of the vehicle body has dropped from being above the predetermined speed threshold to being below the predetermined speed threshold, automatically cause the window to move from the second closed position to the first closed position. 18. A method comprising: receiving vehicle input data of a vehicle, the vehicle input data comprising at least a vehicle speed; determining whether the vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined value; and responsive to determining the vehicle speed is greater than the predetermined value, transmitting instructions to one or more window motors to cause the one or more window motors to raise a window position of a window from a first closed position to a second closed position. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein when the window is in the first closed position, a first seal of a vehicle body of the vehicle forms a watertight barrier between the vehicle body and the window and when the window is in the second closed position, a second seal of the vehicle body compresses around a top portion of the window to secure the window in place. 62 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising: responsive to determining the vehicle speed has been reduced from being greater than the predetermined value to being less than or equal to the predetermined value, transmit instructions to the one or more window motors to lower the window position of the window from the second closed position to the first closed position. 21. A vehicle comprising: a front door comprising a first seal and a second seal, the front door hinged at the front of the vehicle; and a rear door comprising a first sealing surface configured to receive the first seal and a second sealing surface configured to receive the second seal, the rear door hinged at the rear of the vehicle; wherein the front door and the rear door are capable of independently opening and closing. 22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the front door comprises: a first vehicle interior-facing face; a first vehicle exterior-facing face; and a rear door-facing face, wherein the first seal and the second seal are positioned on the rear door-facing face of the front door. 23. The vehicle of claim 22, wherein the rear door comprises: a second vehicle interior-facing face; a second vehicle exterior-facing face; and a front door-facing face, wherein the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface are disposed on the front door-facing face of the rear door. 63 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the first seal extends outwards from the rear door-facing face of the front door such that a first portion of the first seal compresses against the first sealing surface of the rear door when the front door and rear door are in a closed position. 25. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein the second seal extends outwards from the rear door- facing face of the front door such that a first portion of the second seal compresses against the second sealing surface of the rear door when the front door and rear door are in a closed position. 26. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the first seal comprises a rubber material comprising a rounded cross-sectional shape shaving one or more hollow cavities that are configured to allow the first seal to compress when pressed against the first sealing surface of the rear door. 27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein the second seal comprises a rubber material comprising a rounded cross-sectional shape and comprising one or more hollow cavities that are configured to allow the second seal to compress when pressed against the second sealing surface of the rear door. 28. The vehicle of claim 27, wherein the first seal is positioned at a first portion of the rear door-facing face of the front door that is proximate to the first vehicle interior-facing face of the front door and the second seal is positioned at a second portion of the rear door-facing face of the front door that is proximate to the first vehicle exterior-facing face of the front door. 29. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the first seal and the second seal each comprise a shape and material that: exert sufficient outward pressure to create a watertight seal between the front door and rear door when the front door and rear door are in a closed position; and provide sufficient flexibility to allow each of the front door and the rear door to be opened independently of one another. 64 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 30. The vehicle of claim 21, further comprising a soft-close door system that is configured to provide a mechanical assist in initially opening one or more of the front door or the rear door and completing the closing of the one or more of the front door or the rear door, and an anti-pinch switch positioned on an internal surface of an exterior trim piece, the anti-pinch switch being positioned proximate the external surface of one of the front door or rear door. 31. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein: the front door comprises a first frame structure proximate the rear door-facing face of the front door, the first frame structure extending from a bottom of the front door to a top of the front door; the rear door comprises a second frame structure proximate the front door-facing face of the rear door, the second frame structure extending from a bottom of the rear door to a top of the rear door; and when the front door and rear door are both in a closed position, the first frame structure and second frame structure form a quasi-B-pillar. 32. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more latching mechanisms configured to engage one or more latch strikers of the vehicle and secure one or more of the front door and the rear door in a closed position. 33. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein the one or more latch strikers comprise a first upper latch striker positioned to latch to an upper portion of the front door, a first lower latch striker positioned to latch to a lower portion of the front door, a second upper latch striker positioned to latch to an upper portion of the rear door and a second lower latch striker positioned to latch to a lower portion of the rear door. 34. A vehicle body comprising a first side comprising a front door that rotates on one or more front hinges and a rear door that rotates on one or more rear hinges such that the front door and rear door close together in a barn-door fashion, wherein the first side does not have a B-pillar. 65 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 35. The vehicle body of claim 34, wherein when the front door and the rear door are both in a closed position, an outer seal of the front door compresses against a first sealing surface of the rear door and an inner seal of the front door compresses against a second sealing surface of the rear door to create a watertight seal between the front door and the rear door. 36. The vehicle body of claim 34, wherein when the front door and the rear door are both in a closed position, a first frame of the front door is positioned adjacent to a second frame of the rear door to form a quasi-B-pillar. 37. The vehicle body of claim 34, wherein when the front door and the rear door are both in a closed position, the rear door is configured to open independently of the front door in response to a user-initiated door opening action. 38. A vehicle body without a B-pillar, the vehicle body comprising a front door and a rear door configured to close together in a barn-door fashion, wherein the front door and rear door are configured to open and close independently of one another. 39. The vehicle body of claim 38, wherein the front door comprises a first seal configured to compress against a first portion of the rear door and a second seal configured to compress against a second portion of the rear door when the front door and rear door are both in a closed position. 40. The vehicle body of claim 38, wherein the front door comprises a first frame structure, the rear door comprises a second frame structure, and when the front door and rear door are both in a closed position the first frame structure and the second frame structure are configured to form a B-pillar structure. 66 173029889v1

Description

Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 AUTOMOTIVE DOOR AND WINDOW SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application of, and claims priority under Article 8 of the PCT to U.S. Provisional Application No.63/524,238, filed June 30, 2023, the entire contents and substance of which is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The disclosed technology relates to automotive door and window systems, devices, and methods. Specifically, this disclosed technology relates to automotive window and door technologies that enable flush or substantially-flush sealing between the window glass, the trim of the door, and the roof of the vehicle. Additionally, these technologies allow for the use of ‘barn- style’ vehicle doors that open from the middle of the vehicle and toward the front and rear of the vehicle, but allow each door (e.g., the front door or the rear door) to be opened independently of the other door. BACKGROUND [0003] Historical use of automotive doors that open from common point (e.g., having a front hinged front door and a rear hinged rear door) have been plagued with engineering difficulties. Likewise, attempts to create windows on automobiles that have glass that is flush with body panels and trim pieces has been similarly troublesome. Additionally, attempts to create frameless or partially frameless windows has been met with comparable challenges. [0004] Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods for automotive door and window systems. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to this and other considerations. SUMMARY [0005] Disclosed embodiments may include a vehicle without a B-pillar that has barn doors and partially frameless windows. The barn doors may include a window seal system having a 1 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 primary seal for creating a watertight barrier when the window is in a first closed position. Upon the vehicle exceeding a predetermined speed threshold, the vehicle may automatically raise a window from the first closed position to being in a second closed position in which a secondary seal secures the window to prevent buffeting of the window. Disclosed embodiments may further include a seal and door structure that provides a pair of seals (an inner seal and an outer seal) between the front and rear barn doors that provide a watertight barrier when the doors are closed together and that also allows for each of the front and rear doors to be independently opened and closed in a barn-door fashion. [0006] Disclosed embodiments may include a system including a vehicle door and a vehicle body. The vehicle door having a door body including a framing portion and a window configured to be vertically repositioned to open and close the window. The window has a frameless portion and a framed portion. The framed portion of the window corresponds to the framing portion of the door body. The vehicle body includes a primary seal configured to compress against an internal face of the framed portion and frameless portion of the window to create a watertight seal when the window is in a first closed position and a second closed position. The vehicle body further includes a secondary seal configured to secure at least the frameless portion of the window in place when the window is in the second closed position. [0007] Disclosed embodiments may include a system including a vehicle door including a window, a vehicle body including a recess for receiving a portion of the window, one or more processors and a memory in communication with the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to cause the system to automatically cause the window to move from a first closed position to a second closed position in response to determining that the vehicle body has exceeded a predetermined speed threshold. The recess of the vehicle body may include a first seal and a second seal. [0008] Disclosed embodiments may include a method that includes receiving vehicle input data of a vehicle that includes at least vehicle speed. The method may include determining whether the vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined value. The method may further include transmitting instructions to one or more window motors to cause the one or more window motors to raise a window position of a window from a first closed position to a second closed position in response to determining the vehicle speed is greater than the predetermined value. 2 173029889v1 Attorney Docket No.: 259252.000112 [0009] Disclosed embodiments may include a vehicle including a front door and a rear door. The front door may include a first seal and a second seal. The front door may be hinged at the front of the vehicle. The rear door may include first sealing surface configured to receive the first seal and a second sealing surface configur