With some vehicles the driver and passenger enclosure is provided by separate units which are joined together. Thus, cab and sleeper units of a truck provide one example of such a vehicle. The cab and sleeper are typically independently bolted or secured to the vehicle chassis. During operation, the truck cab and sleeper box move relative to one another as the chassis twists in response to travel across uneven ground. To accommodate this relative movement, the cab and sleeper are generally separated by a gap of up to three inches. The cab and sleeper units typically have opposed walls which are formed with an opening for convenient passenger access between the compartments. A weather seal is provided between the cab and sleeper to prevent moisture from entering the separation gap and passing into the passenger compartment when the vehicle is exposed to either elements.
One type of weather seal used with vehicles is a rubber boot. Mounting frames formed for retaining the rubber boot are secured to the opposed walls of the cab and sleeper units. Several attachment screws secure the rubber boot to the opposed mounting frames, substantially enclosing the separation between the adjacent units. A compression ring is often included to evenly distribute the forces which are exerted by the attachment screws. The rubber boot protects the interior of the passenger compartment by substantially preventing water and debris from passing through the aligned openings in the opposed walls, cab and sleeper box walls.
Several fastener-receiving holes are formed in the boot, with the attachment screws being inserted into the holes to mount the boot to the cab and sleeper units. When the vehicle is exposed to the elements, moisture may seep around the screws and through the holes formed in the boot. The moisture may then collect within the gap and pass into the interior of the vehicle, damaging the upholstery and potentially inducing the formation of rust. During operation of the vehicle, the boot will partially absorb the forces exerted by the relative movement of the cab and sleeper units. However, the vibration of the chassis and the forces exerted on the boot by the motion of the cab and sleeper units may slightly enlarge the size of the fastener-receiving holes, increasing the amount of moisture entering the passenger compartments.
The forces applied to the boot and attachment screws during operation may additionally gradually loosen the screws, with the rubber boot eventually becoming separated from the mounting frames. The released portions of the boot must then be secured to the mounting frame, or if necessary the boot must be replaced. Unless the driver has access to the tools required for replacing the seal, the driver must return the vehicle to an appropriate service facility if the boot loosens or pulls free during operation. Thus, maintenance, repair and replacement of the rubber boot assembly can be a time consuming interruption which may potentially significantly delay the truck driver.
A flexible boot assembly which is secured to the adjacent compartments without the use of fasteners and fastener-receiving holes would substantially prevent moisture and debris from entering the interior of the vehicle. By eliminating the use of screws or other types of fasteners, efficient replacement of the boot assembly may be completed without requiring specialized tools and a plurality of replacement parts. Such a fastener-free boot assembly would substantially prevent the entrance of moisture into the vehicle interior, even after long periods of continuous operation. Such a boot assembly would also absorb the forces exerted by motion of the cab and sleeper units without developing potential leakage paths.
One type of prior art flexible boot currently commercially available is mounted to a frame provided on the opposed walls of the vehicle compartments without attachment screws. The frame typically includes an opening formed to receive the flexible boot, which has opposed, arrowhead-shaped edges. The arrowhead-shaped edge, which is formed for insertion into the opening on the flange, is forced into the opening to secure the boot to the adjacent cab and sleeper compartments.
The arrowhead-shaped boot edges secure the sealing boot between the opposed walls of the adjacent compartments to prevent the leakage of water into the vehicle interior. The barb portion, large enough in size to hold the boot in place, requires a substantial installation force. The edges must be hammered or otherwise forcefully driven into the openings in the frame member. The installation of the sealing boot is both manually taxing and time consuming. The installation process is impeded by the restricted work area provided between the cab and sleeper. Moreover, to prevent release of the boot from the frame during vehicle operation, the arrowhead barb must be completely retained within the frame.
During operation of the vehicle, debris, snow and ice will collect on top of the sealing boot. The operational forces and vibration of the vehicle, and the weight of the material collecting on the boot, gradually urge the arrowhead-shaped barbs from the openings of one or both of the mounting frames. The arrowhead-shaped edge must be reinserted to prevent water from leaking into the interior of the vehicle. If the boot is not replaced, moisture will enter the compartments, eventually damaging the vehicle interior. Since the sealing boot is difficult to install, the time required to replace the sealing boot will significantly detain the driver. When replacement of the boot is necessary, the arrowhead-shaped barb must be disengaged from the channel. Manually removing the arrowhead-shaped barb from the channel is at least as difficult and time consuming as the insertion process, as the barb must be forcefully removed from the channel.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a fastener-free flexible boot assembly which may be installed without requiring the application of a significant amount of force to mount the boot to the vehicle. Should the boot assembly inadvertently become disengaged during operation, such a boot should be capable of being rapidly and efficiently re-installed without the expenditure of substantial time and effort. Moreover, such a fastener-free, flexible boot should be formed to withstand the forces applied during operation of the vehicle, including the weight of the snow and ice collecting on top of the boot, and should remain substantially intact during operation even in severe weather conditions. Still further, a flexible boot which may be manually removed without substantial effort would significantly improve the ease with which the cab and sleeper may be disassembled or the boot replaced.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexible boot assembly for obstructing the passage of water into the vehicle interior. The present boot assembly is installed without the use of screws, other types of fasteners or specialized tools, and it is easy to install and manually remove. Moreover, the fastener-free boot assembly of the present invention can be used in a novel method for conveniently and efficiently installing the boot assembly.
A primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a boot system for lining the passageway between compartments of a vehicle.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a boot assembly which may be easily installed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which will withstand the operational forces of the vehicle, preventing disengagement of the boot assembly during operation of the vehicle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which may be manually removed without difficulty.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which will withstand the weight of materials collecting on an exterior surface of the boot assembly.
A more general object of the present invention is to provide a boot system which may be inexpensively manufactured and efficiently and conveniently assembled.
The boot assembly and method of the present invention have other objects and features of advantage which will become apparent from and are set forth in more detail in the description of the Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention and the accompanying drawings.