SYSTEM FOR BRIDGING A GAP BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT COMPONENTS

Abstract

A system for bridging a distance between two adjacent components is disclosed, the system including a first component and a second component arranged at a distance from the first component. The system further includes a bridging element arranged to bridge the distance between the first component and the second component. The bridging element may be elastic at least in certain regions and include a first region which is fastened to the first component. The bridging element further has a second region which has a first bearing surface extending towards the first component and a second bearing surface extending towards the second component. A thickness of the bridging element may be defined by the distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface and selected such that the bridging element limits the distance to a minimum distance.

Claims

1. A system for bridging a distance between two adjacent components, the system comprising: a first component and a second component arranged at a distance from the first component, a bridging element arranged to bridge a distance between the first component and the second component, the bridging element configured to be elastic at least in regions, and the bridging element comprising a first region fastened to the first component, wherein the bridging element comprises a second region comprising a first bearing surface arranged towards the first component and a second bearing surface arranged towards the second component, wherein a thickness of the bridging element defined by the distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface is such that the bridging element limits the distance to a minimum distance.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the minimum distance is in a range between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the bridging element is arranged attached to the first component in a preloaded manner such that the second contact surface comes into contact with the second component.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein, in order to limit the minimum distance, the second contact surface is arranged in contact with the second component and the first contact surface is arranged in contact with the first component.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first component further comprises an abutment recess configured to come into contact with the first abutment surface and to receive the second region at least in regions.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the abutment recess further comprises a length extending in a direction perpendicular to the distance, the length being between 1 mm and 3 mm in length.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first component further comprises a mounting rib configured to attach to the first portion of the bridging element.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first area of the bridging element is configured to be plugged onto the fastening rib.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the bridging element further comprises a guide body extending in the direction of the second component.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first component is a door panel and the second component is a door tube structure of a vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Further features, advantages and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments of a system for bridging a distance between two adjacent components as well as from the supporting figures, wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic representation of a bridging element from the prior art;

[0033] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a system according to the invention for bridging a distance between two adjacent components; and

[0034] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a system according to the invention for bridging a distance between two adjacent components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic representation of a bridging element 30 of the prior art. The bridging element 30 is arranged for bridging a distance A between a first component 10 and a second component 20. The bridging element 30 is a hard, U-shaped profile that is fitted onto an integrally formed rib on the component 10. The first component 10 is, for example, a door panel and the second component is, for example, a door tube assembly. It can be seen that the system illustrated in FIG. 1 is not suitable for compensating for tolerances. When the distance A, as shown as A.sub.min, is minimal, the bridging element 30 comes into contact with the first component 10 and the second component 20. If the distance A is greater, as .sub.max represented for example by the maximum distance A, a large gap is created between the bridging element 30 and the second component 20. Accordingly, the system is then no longer light-tight. In addition, high assembly forces are required due to the hard profile.

[0036] FIG. 2 depicts a first embodiment of a system 100 according to the invention for bridging the distance A between two adjacent components 10 and 20. The components 10 and 20 may again be, for example, a door panel and a door tube assembly.

[0037] A distance A is formed between the first component 10 and the second component 20, the distance A being measured at a position where a gap between the two components 10 and 20 is at its smallest. Here, this is a lower portion of the first component 10 that extends obliquely downward toward the second component 20.

[0038] The system 100 comprises a bridging element 30 according to the present invention. The bridging element 30 comprises a first portion 31 attached to a mounting rib 14 of the first component 10. In particular, the first portion 31 is plugged onto the fastening rib 14. Alternatively to the fastening rib 14, a recess can also be provided into which the first area 31 can be plugged. The first area 31 is then preferably at least substantially pin-shaped. The bridging element 30 extends from the first region 31 in the direction of the second component 20, with the bridging element 30 being bent downwards. More precisely, the bridging element 30 is bent in the direction of the lower region of the first component 10.

[0039] The bridging element 30 has a second region 32. The second region 32 is formed at an end of the bridging element 30 opposite the first region 31. The second region 32 has a first abutment surface 33 toward the first component 10 and a second abutment surface 34 toward the second component 20. A thickness d of the bridging element 30 is drawn as a distance between the first abutment surface 33 and the second abutment surface 34.

[0040] In FIG. 2, the component 10 and the component 20 are shown once with a minimum distance Aand.sub.min once with a maximum.sub.max distance Ad. The second component 20 is shown twice for this purpose. To show the minimum distance A.sub.min, the component 20 is shown with a solid line, and to show the maximum distance A.sub.max, the component 20 is shown with a dashed line further to the left. Similarly, the bridging element 30 is shown with a solid line to represent its position at a minimum distance A.sub.min and is shown with a dashed line to represent its position at maximum distance A.sub.max. As would be appreciated, there are a variety of other distances between these two limits.

[0041] As can be seen in FIG. 2, when the minimum distance A.sub.min is present, the second contact surface 34 comes into contact with the second component 20 and the first contact surface 33 comes into contact with the first component 10. The thickness d of the bridging element 30 in the second area 32 can thus be used.sub.min to control or limit the minimum distance A.

[0042] When the maximum gap A.sub.max is present, the second area 32 is also pressed in the direction of the second component 20 due to the bias of the bridging element 30, so that the second contact surface 34 is in contact with the second area 32. As a result, the system 100 is light-tight even with a maximum gap between the two components 10, 20. However, as can be seen from the dashed illustration of the bridging element 30, when the maximum gap A.sub.max is present, the first component 10 is not in contact with the first contact surface 33.

[0043] The first component 10 has an abutment recess 12 with a length L, which is designed to come into contact with the first abutment surface 33 and to receive the second region 32 at least in regions. In particular, the contact recess 12 comes into contact with the first contact surface 33 when the minimum distance A.sub.min is present. The contact recess 12 is located at the lower region of the first component 10, which extends obliquely downwards towards the second component 20. More precisely, the abutment recess 12 is located at an upper portion of the lower region, with the smallest gap between the components 10 and 20 being formed at a lower portion of the lower region.

[0044] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the system 100 according to the present invention for bridging the distance A between the components 10 and 20. The system 100 according to the invention in FIG. 3 essentially corresponds to the system 100 shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, only the differences will be discussed below.

[0045] The bridging element 30 shown in FIG. 3 additionally has a guide body 35. The guide body 35 is designed as a rib and extends at least substantially parallel to the fastening rib 14 in the direction of the second component 20. This can simplify the assembly of the bridging element 30 particularly well. The assembly of the bridging element 30 is carried out by means of a tool, for example by means of an assembly roller. The assembly roller is arranged between the bridging element 30 and the second component 20 for assembly and is then rolled along the transition between the two components, pressing the bridging element 30 onto the fastening rib 14 of the first component 10.

[0046] The assembly roller can be guided by the guide body 35, thus simplifying the assembly process. For this purpose, the assembly roller has a circumferential guide groove, the size and shape of which is designed to accommodate the guide body 35 for guiding.

[0047] It should be noted that the features of the present invention described with reference to individual embodiments or variants, such as the type and design of the individual components and their precise dimensioning and spatial arrangement, can also be present in other embodiments, except where otherwise indicated or where this is self-evident for technical reasons. Moreover, of such features of individual embodiments described in combination, not necessarily all features must always be realized in a respective embodiment.