WATER DRAINAGE ARRANGEMENT FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a water drain arrangement for a body of a vehicle. The water drain arrangement includes a drain channel, a tubular feed-through device extending through a first opening of a first wall panel of the body and a second opening of a second wall panel of the body. The water drain arrangement includes a body shell-fixed sleeve extending through the first shell opening of the first wall panel and is coupled to the first wall panel in a fluid-tight manner. A first end of the feed-through device is inserted through a first end of the body shell-fixed sleeve and includes a drain extending through a second end of the feed-through device. A free end of the drain channel is held in a fluid-tight manner in a seat of the feed-through device, which is disposed at a second end of the feed-through device.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A water drain arrangement for a body of a vehicle, comprising: a drain channel; a tubular-shaped feed-through device extending through a first body shell opening of a first wall panel of the body and a second body shell opening of a second wall panel of the body; and a body shell-fixed sleeve extending through the first body shell opening of the first wall panel of the body and coupled to the first wall panel of the body in a fluid-tight manner, wherein a first end of the feed-through device is received through a first end of the body shell-fixed sleeve, and the first end of the feed-through device comprises a drain extending through a second end of the feed-through device, wherein a second end of the feed-through device comprises a seat receiving a free end of the drain channel, and the free end of the drain channel is held in a fluid-tight manner against the seat of the feed-through device, wherein the body shell-fixed sleeve includes a first sealing collar connected to the first wall panel of the body of the vehicle and covers the first body shell opening to seal the connection between the first wall panel of the body and the body shell-fixed sleeve, and wherein the seat of the feed-through device includes a second sealing collar engaging the second wall panel of the body of the vehicle and covers the second body shell opening the second wall panel of the body in a sealing manner.

12. The water drain arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising: a first sealing element arranged between the first sealing collar and the first wall panel.

13. The water drain arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising: an anti-retraction device disposed on an outer wall of the drain, wherein the anti-rotation device is configured to be set in a mounted state such that the anti-rotation device engages the first sealing collar of the body shell-fixed sleeve.

14. The water drain arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising: a first seal disposed on the feed-through device between the seat and the drain, wherein the first seal engages an interior surface of the body shell-fixed sleeve to define a sealed interface between the interior surface of the body shell-fixed sleeve and the exterior surface of the feed-through device.

15. The water drain arrangement according to claim 11, wherein an end of the seat of the feed-through device comprises an insertion funnel.

16. The water drain arrangement according to claim 11, wherein an inner wall of the seat includes a stop defining an insertion depth of the drain channel received in the seat of the feed-through device.

17. The water drain arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising: a second seal disposed on an exterior surface of the free end of the drain channel, wherein the second seal engages an inner wall of the seat to define a sealed interface between the inner wall of the seat and the exterior surface of the free end of the drain channel.

18. The water drain arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the second seal comprises one or more rubber-elastic sealing lips.

19. The water drain arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the first seal comprises one or more rubber-elastic sealing lips.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0018] One embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawings, the same reference signs denote components or elements that carry out the same or analogous functions. In the drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of a section of a vehicle floor with an embodiment of a water drain arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention for a vehicle; and

[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the water drain arrangement for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021] As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, a water drain arrangement 10 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a drain channel 12, a tubular feed-through device 20 guided through two body shell openings 5.2, 5.4, introduced into opposite wall panels 5.1, 5.3, of a hollow profile 5 of a vehicle body, and a body shell-fixed sleeve 16 which penetrates a first of the two body shell openings 5.2, 5.4 of the hollow profile 5 and is connected to the hollow profile 5 in a fluid-tight manner. In this case, the feed-through device 20 is inserted in a fluid-tight manner into the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 and penetrates it with a drain 28 arranged at an inserted end of the feed-through device 20. The free end of the drain channel 12 is inserted into and held in a fluid-tight manner in a seat 22 of the feed-through device 20, which is arranged at an end of the feed-through device 20 opposite the drain 28.

[0022] In the embodiment shown, the water drain arrangement 10 is used to drain condensate from a vehicle aggregate 1 which in this case corresponds to an air conditioning system 1A. For this purpose, at least one inlet channel 11 is connected to the drain channel 12 in order to drain the condensate from the vehicle aggregate 1. As can also be seen from FIG. 1, two inlet channels 11A, 11B are brought together and connected to the drain channel 12 in the embodiment shown. The drain channel 12 is designed as a hose 12A in the embodiment shown.

[0023] As can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the hollow profile 5 shown corresponds to a cross member 5A arranged in the region of a vehicle floor 3. Therefore, a first wall panel 5.1 of the hollow profile 5 in the embodiment shown corresponds to a lower wall panel, which forms an outer border of the vehicle floor 3. This means that the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 is inserted into a first opening 5.2 of the first or lower wall panel 5.1 and connected to the hollow profile 5. The tubular feed-through device 20 is inserted from above through a second body shell opening 5.4 in a second wall panel 5.3, which in this case corresponds to an upper wall panel facing the vehicle interior, into the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 such that the feed-through device 20 completely bridges a hollow space in the hollow profile 5.

[0024] As can also be seen from FIG. 2, in the depicted embodiment of the water drain arrangement 10, a continuous first sealing collar 18 is formed on an outer wall of the body shell-fixed sleeve 16, which collar is connected to the corresponding first wall panel 5.1 of the hollow profile 5 and acts as a cover disk 18A covering the first body shell opening 5.2 in the first wall panel 5.1 in a sealing manner. In the embodiment shown, the first sealing collar 18 has an unspecified coating as a sealing element which bears against the first wall panel 5.1 of the hollow body 5 in a sealing manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the first sealing collar 18 is welded to the first wall panel 5.1 outside of the coating.

[0025] In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the first sealing collar 18 of the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 is glued to the first wall panel 5.1 of the hollow body 5. In this case, the adhesive layer acts simultaneously as a sealing element between the sealing collar 18 of the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 and the first wall panel 5.1 of the hollow body.

[0026] As can also be seen from FIG. 2, at least one anti-retraction device 29 is formed on an outer wall of the drain 28, which in the assembled state shown rests on the first sealing collar 18 of the body shell-fixed sleeve 16. In the embodiment shown, two anti-retraction devices 29 designed as elastic latching lugs 29A are arranged opposite one another on the outer wall of the drain 28. In order to maintain elasticity when inserting the feed-through device 20 into the body shell-fixed sleeve 16, elongated recesses 28.1 are introduced into the drain 28 between the latching lugs 29A. As a result, the latching lugs 29A can be pressed inwards when the drain 28 is inserted into the body shell-fixed sleeve 16. After passing through, the elastic latching lugs 29A return to their starting position and bear against the first sealing collar 18 of the body shell-fixed sleeve 16.

[0027] As can also be seen from FIG. 2, the tubular feed-through device 20 has different outer diameters and inner diameters. The outer diameters and the inner diameters of the tubular feed-through device 20 in the region of the seat 22 and in the region of the drain 28 are greater than at an intermediate piece of the feed-through device 20 between the seat 22 and the drain 28. This results in a stepped through-opening and a tapering in the region of the intermediate piece. In addition, a first seal 27, which interacts with the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 in a sealing manner, is arranged on the feed-through device 20 between the seat 22 and the drain 28. In the embodiment shown, the first seal 27 has four rubber-elastic sealing lips 27A which are injection-molded onto the feed-through device 20 and bear against an inner wall of the body shell-fixed sleeve 16 in a sealing manner.

[0028] As can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, an insertion funnel 24 is formed at the free end of the seat 22 of the feed-through device 20. In addition, a stop 22.1, which predetermines the insertion depth of the drain channel 12, is formed on an inner wall of the seat 22 of the feed-through device 20. In the embodiment shown, the stop 22.1 is realized by the step in the through-opening of the feed-through device 20.

[0029] As can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, a continuous second sealing collar 26 is formed on an outer wall of the seat 22 of the feed-through device 20, which collar rests on the corresponding second wall panel 5.3 of the hollow profile 5 and acts as a cover disk 26A covering the second body shell opening 5.4 in the second wall panel 5.3 of the hollow profile 5 in a sealing manner. Since the hollow profile 5 has a triangular cross section in the illustrated embodiment, the second sealing collar 26 is formed at a corresponding angle obliquely on the outer wall of the seat 22 of the feed-through device 20.

[0030] As can also be seen from FIG. 1, a second seal 14, which interacts with the seat 22 of the feed-through device 20 in a sealing manner, is arranged at the free end of the drain channel 12. In the embodiment shown, the second seal 14 has four rubber-elastic sealing lips 14A which are injection-molded onto the drain channel 20 and bear against the inner wall of the seat 22 in a sealing manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0031] 1 Vehicle aggregate [0032] 1A Air conditioning system [0033] 3 Vehicle floor [0034] 5 Hollow profile [0035] 5A Cross member [0036] 5.1 First (lower) wall panel [0037] 5.2 First body shell opening [0038] 5.3 Second (upper) wall panel [0039] 5.4 Second body shell opening [0040] 10 Water drain arrangement [0041] 11, 11A, 11B Inlet channel [0042] 12 Drain channel [0043] 12A Hose [0044] 14 Second seal [0045] 14A Sealing lip [0046] 16 Body shell-fixed sleeve [0047] 18 First sealing collar [0048] 18A Cover disk [0049] 20 Feed-through device [0050] 22 Seat [0051] 22.1 Stop [0052] 24 Insertion funnel [0053] 26 Second sealing collar [0054] 26A Cover disk [0055] 27 First seal [0056] 27A Sealing lip [0057] 28 Drain [0058] 28.1 Recess [0059] 29 Anti-retraction device