Abstract:
A door sash header for an automotive vehicle includes a glazing seal retainer, an external trim retention portion, and a multi-channel weatherstrip retention structure which utilizes upwardly and downwardly opening channels cooperating with the door sash to retain a weatherstrip upon the header without the need for additional fastening devices such as mechanical fasteners or adhesives.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present application relates to a door construction for an automotive vehicle. 
   BACKGROUND 
   In general, the sash header of an automotive door is required to serve several utilities. These include: retaining external trim at the uppermost part of the vehicle door; retaining internal trim at an upper part of the door; providing a means for attaching a glazing seal to an upper part of the door; and providing attachment and a support mechanism for the primary weatherstrip of the door. Of course, with high volume automotive vehicles it is desirable to perform these functions using the least amount of material, the least assembly time, the lowest cost, and the lowest possible complexity. U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,204 discloses a molding attachment structure for an automotive door which provides at least some of the functions listed above, but with anticipated increased cost and complexity due to the need for push through fasteners to contain a primary weatherstrip to the header. In addition to increasing complexity and cost, such fasteners also provide additional paths for corrosion. 
   The present door sash header overcomes problems noted with components found in the prior art by providing a unitary roll-formed header not needing any fasteners for the installation of either the header or the components, such as a primary weatherstrip attached to the header. 
   SUMMARY 
   A door sash header for an automotive vehicle includes a partially cup-shaped glazing seal retainer having a base portion attached to an inner door panel, and an external trim retention portion comprising a wall section overlaid in part on an external wall of the glazing seal retainer. A multi-channel, primary weatherstrip retention structure extends generally inboard of the external trim retention portion and defines an outboard, upwardly opening channel for retaining an external trim, and an inboard, downwardly opening channel. The upwardly opening channel has a base which cooperates with the downwardly opening channel to retain a weatherstrip upon the sash header. In a preferred embodiment, the glazing seal retainer portion of the sash header is welded to the sash or inner door panel. The external trim retention portion extends generally upwardly from the glazing seal retainer. The weatherstrip retention structure further cooperates with a portion of the sash welded to the base portion of the cup-shaped glazing seal retainer to retain the primary weatherstrip upon the door sash header. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention that the present door sash header allows the mounting of not only external trim, but also a glazing seal and a primary weatherstrip, all without the need for any separate fasteners. 
   It is a further advantage of the present invention that the present door sash header provides superior support for a door primary weatherstrip so as to reduce the likelihood of wind and/or water leakage into the passenger compartment of a vehicle. 
   Other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will become apparent to the reader of this specification. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a vehicle having a door sash header according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of a door having a sash header according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a portion of a door having a sash header as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , taken along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , vehicle  10  has door  12 , with glazing  14  installed therein. Door  12  includes outer panel  16  and sash header  50 . In essence, the term “sash” refers to section  24  of door  12  above the beltline, (labeled “B”), in  FIG. 1 . 
     FIG. 2  shows door  12  as having outer panel  16 , which is applied over inner panel  18 . Sash  24  is a unitary part of inner door panel  18 , and may be either welded to panel  18  or integral with panel  18 . Sash header  50  is shown in its exploded position but is assembled as shown in  FIG. 3 . Finally, external trim molding  28  is shown in  FIG. 2 , also in an exploded position. 
   Turning now to  FIG. 3 , glazing  14  is shown as being engaged with glazing seal  26 , which is housed within and retained to sash header  50  by means of glazing seal retainer  52 , which is a first integral part of sash header  50 . Glazing seal retainer  52  is partially cup-shaped and begins with portions  52   a  and  52   b , which are welded to sash  24  at mutually perpendicular locations  24   a  and  24   c , respectively. 
   Sash header  50  further includes external trim retention portion  52   c , which in addition to providing a clip-on surface for attaching external trim  28 , also functions as the third part of cup-shaped glazing seal retainer  52 . Trim retention portion  52   c  extends generally upwardly, and is formed as a wall section overlaid and conjoined with the remaining portion of glazing seal retainer  52 . 
   The upper portion of external trim  28  hooks into upwardly opening channel  56 , which is located outboard from downwardly opening channel  54 . Both of channels  54  and  56 , as well as portions  52   a ,  52   b , and  52   c  of sash header  50  are unitary and part of a single roll-formed construction. In essence, downwardly opening channel  54  and upwardly opening channel  56 , taken together, function as a multi-channel weatherstrip retention structure. 
   Weatherstrip  40  preferably functions as a primary weatherstrip. Secondary weatherstrip  41 , having a closed bulb configuration, is attached to door opening panel  20  of vehicle  10 . Primary weatherstrip  40  includes bulb  42  and margin lip seal  46 , which is supported by lip seal base  44 . Note that lip seal base  44  is supported not only by the weatherstrip retention structure, which in the illustrated case is the base,  54   b , of downwardly opening channel  54 , but also by external trim  28 . 
   Primary weatherstrip  40  has a base  48 , incorporating support fingers  49 , which are in contact with portion  24   c  of sash  24 . In essence, downwardly opening channel  54  and upwardly opening channel  56 , and more particularly, base portion  56   b  of upwardly opening channel  56 , cooperate with the portion,  24   c , of sash  24  overlaid upon glazing seal retainer  52  to retain primary weatherstrip  40  upon sash header  50 . Because neither discrete mechanical fasteners, nor adhesives, are needed for retaining weatherstrip  40  upon door  12 , cost, complexity, and assembly time are all reduced. 
   The present sash header also provides support and a mounting location for internal trim  30 , which is applied to sash  24  and to portion  52   a  of glazing seal retainer  52 . Trim  30  bears upon secondary weatherstrip  41 , which, as noted above, is carried upon door opening panel  20 . 
   While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.