Attachment structure of weather strip for motor vehicle

An attachment structure of a weather strip having a base portion and a tubular seal portion to an opening portion of a motor vehicle or a periphery of a closing member for opening and closing the opening portion. The attachment structure includes a channel part having a U-shaped cross-section and including side walls provided in the opening portion of the motor vehicle or the periphery of the closing member to define a channel. The base portion of the weather strip includes an inserting part adapted to be inserted in the channel and a holding part for holding one of the side walls with the inserting part. The inserting part and the holding part define a slot. The inserting part includes a holding lip which projects from an end of the inserting part obliquely outward. The one side wall is inserted in the slot of the base portion, and the inserting part of the base portion is inserted in the channel such that the holding part holds the one side wall with the inserting part, and the holding lip of the inserting part elastically contacts the other side wall defining the channel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese patent applications No. 2003-023241 and 2003-023249, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an attachment structure for attaching a weather strip to an opening portion of a motor vehicle, or a closing member for opening and closing the opening portion, thereby providing a seal between the opening portion and the closing member.

2. Description of Related Art

Weather strips are attached to opening portions of motor vehicles, or closing members for opening and closing the opening portions, such as side doors, sliding roofs, trunk lids, etc, to provide a seal between the opening portions and the closing members.

Several examples of the conventional attachment structures for attaching such weather strips will be explained with reference toFIGS. 1 through 4.

FIG. 1illustrates a roof of a motor vehicle, which is provided with a sliding roof10for opening and closing a roof opening formed in a roof panel12, andFIGS. 2 through 4illustrate conventional roof panel weather strips for sealing between a periphery of the sliding roof10and an opening portion14of the roof panel12, each being a cross-section taken along the line of A—A of FIG.1.

FIG. 2shows a roof panel weather strip16including a base portion18as a trim having a U-shaped cross-section, and a tubular seal portion20integrally formed with the base portion18.

A resin moulding22is attached to a periphery of the sliding roof10. A hook-shaped end of the resin moulding22is inserted in the base portion18to attach the roof panel weather strip16to the sliding roof10. A metal insert24is embedded in the base portion18to increase the holding force against the hook-shaped end of the resin moulding22.

When the sliding roof10is closed, the tubular seal portion20of the roof panel weather strip16contacts and presses the opening portion14to provide a seal between the periphery of the sliding roof10and the opening portion14of the roof panel12(Publication of unexamined patent application No. Hei 8-276750, ex.).

This conventional structure, however, has the problem that the metal insert24embedded in the base portion18increases the weight of the roof panel weather strip16, thereby increasing the weight of a vehicle body. In addition, since the holding lips project from inside surfaces of the base portion18, the base portion18is difficult to form compact.

FIG. 3shows another roof panel weather strip26including a base portion28having a U-shaped cross-section, and a tubular seal portion30integrally formed with the base portion28.

A resin moulding32is attached to a periphery of the sliding roof10, and the base portion28is bonded to the resin moulding32with a double-sided adhesive tape34to bond the roof panel weather strip26to the sliding roof10(Publication of unexamined patent application No. 2001-301470, ex.).

This conventional structure, however, has the problem that the double-sided adhesive tape34which is expensive increases the production costs of the roof panel weather strip26. In addition, the bonding step of the double-sided adhesive tape34in position is further needed, thereby increasing labor and time for attaching the roof panel weather strip26to the sliding roof10.

FIG. 4shows still another conventional roof panel weather strip36including a base portion38and a tubular seal portion40integrally formed with the base portion38. The base portion38of the roof panel weather strip36is attached to a periphery of the sliding roof10by inserting a flange42of a metal frame44secured to the sliding roof10in a slot46provided in the base portion38. The base portion38has a seal lip48for sealing a periphery of the sliding roof10(Publication of unexamined patent application No. Hei 8-58392, ex.).

This conventional structure, however, has the problem that the seal lip48does not serve to prevent tilting of the base portion38relative to the sliding roof10. In addition, the base portion38does not closely contact the flange42of the metal frame44so as not to increase the holding force of the base portion38against the metal frame44, whereby the base portion38may not be stably attached to the sliding roof10.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an attachment structure of a weather strip for sealing between an opening portion of a motor vehicle and a closing member for opening and closing the opening portion, such as a side door, a sliding roof, a trunk lid, etc, which ensures the weather strip to be readily and stably attached to the motor vehicle.

The attachment structure of a weather strip in accordance with the present invention includes a channel for attaching a base portion of the weather strip therein, which is defined by walls having a U-shaped cross-section and provided in one of the opening portion of the motor vehicle, and a periphery of a closing member. The weather strip includes the base portion composed of a solid material and a tubular seal portion composed of a sponge material. The base portion has a generally U-shaped cross-section and defines a slot for inserting one side wall defining the channel therein. The base portion includes an inserting part which is adapted to be inserted in the channel, and a holding part for holding the one side wall defining the channel with the inserting part inserted in the channel. The inserting part includes a holding lip which projects from an end of the inserting part obliquely outward. The tubular seal portion protrudes from the base portion integrally therewith,

The one side wall defining the channel is inserted in the slot of the base portion, and the inserting part of the base portion is inserted in the channel with the holding lip elastically contacting the other side wall defining the channel, whereby the weather strip is attached to the opening portion of the motor vehicle or the periphery of the closing member for opening and closing the opening portion.

With the attachment structure of the present invention, since the base portion of the weather strip is composed of a solid material such as a solid rubber, solid thermoplastic elastomer, etc, the base portion exhibits high rigidity, and accordingly, can be sufficiently attached to the opening portion, etc. without a metal insert embedded therein. And since the tubular seal portion of the weather strip is composed of a sponge material such as a sponge rubber, sponge thermoplastic elastomer, etc., the tubular seal portion exhibits high flexibility, and accordingly, contacts a facing member elastically irrespective of the variation in the lap between the tubular seal portion and the facing member, thereby exerting a sufficient pressing force and a stable sealing force against the facing member.

Since the inserting part of the base portion can be inserted in the channel with the holding lip elastically contacting the other side wall defining the channel, and one side wall defining the channel can be inserted in the slot provided in the base portion, the base portion can be attached to the opening portion of the motor vehicle or the periphery of the closing member for opening and closing the opening portion using the slot provided in the base portion, and the channel provided in the opening portion or the closing member.

And the holding part and the inserting part of the base portion can hold the one side wall defining the channel, thereby ensuring a stable holding of the base portion on the opening portion, etc.

In addition, since the inserting part includes a holding lip at an end thereof, the holding lip flexibly contacts the other side wall defining the channel, thereby facilitating the insertion of the base portion in the channel, and making the inserted base portion difficult to come off the channel. And since the holding lip presses the inserting part of the base portion on the one side wall, thereby enabling the attachment of the base portion to the opening portion, etc. with a sufficient holding force.

Furthermore, since the tubular seal portion protrudes from the base portion integrally therewith, the tubular seal portion does not deform due to the stable attachment of the base portion to the opening portion, and accordingly, contacts a facing surface of a closing member, etc. in a direction approximately perpendicular thereto, thereby effecting a stable sealing force against the closing member, etc. And since the tubular seal portion is hollow, it exhibits elasticity, and effects a nearly identical sealing force irrespective of the variation in the lap between the tubular seal portion and the facing surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the weather strip is a roof panel weather strip for sealing between a sliding roof provided in a roof panel, and an opening portion of the roof panel. The tubular seal portion protrudes from the holding part of the base portion of the roof panel weather strip toward the sliding roof, and, when the sliding roof is closed, contacts a periphery of the sliding roof. A frame member is provided in the opening portion of the roof panel for attaching the roof panel weather strip thereto. The frame member includes a base part for securing the frame member to the opening portion, and a channel part having a U-shaped cross-section for inserting the inserting part of the roof panel weather strip therein. The roof panel weather strip is attached such that one side wall of the channel part is inserted in the slot of the base portion and an end of the holding lip elastically contacts an inner surface of the other side wall of the channel part.

With this arrangement, since the frame member can be manufactured separately from the opening portion of the roof panel, the frame member can be readily produced, and can be secured to the opening portion of the roof panel after the roof panel weather strip is mounted on the frame member, thereby facilitating the attachment of the roof panel weather strip to the opening portion.

In another preferred embodiment, the inserting part of the base portion is provided with a projection which projects from an upper part of an outside surface thereof, and the holding part of the base portion is provided with a protrusion which protrudes from an end thereof.

With this arrangement, the projection provided in the inserting part elastically contacts the other side wall defining the channel as well as the holding lip provided in the inserting part, thereby holding the inserting part in the channel stably. In addition, the protrusion provided in the holding part engages with an outer surface of a bottom wall defining the channel when the inserting part comes loose in the channel, thereby preventing the weather strip from coming off the channel.

Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the attachment structure of a roof panel weather strip for sealing between a sliding roof and an opening portion of a roof panel of a motor vehicle will be explained as one example of the attachment structure of the present invention. The attachment structure in accordance with the present invention is also applicable to the weather strip for sealing between a side door or a trunk lid and a facing opening portion, etc.

As shown inFIG. 5, the roof panel weather strip includes a first weather strip50and a second weather strip52, and these weather strips50and52are attached to a frame member54having a four-sided configuration, which is secured to the opening portion of the roof panel12(FIG.1). And a sliding roof10for closing and opening a roof opening of the roof panel12is mounted above the first weather strip50and the second weather strip52.

The second weather strip52has an annular four-sided configuration, and seals around a periphery of the sliding roof10having a rectangular configuration. The first weather strip50has a straight line-shaped configuration, and is attached outside a longitudinal side of the second weather strip52in parallel with each other, thereby sealing a side edge of the sliding roof10.

The sliding roof10is composed of three sliding roofs in the present embodiment. Alternatively, the sliding roof10may be composed of a single sliding roof. It is preferable to form the sliding roof10of a glass panel or a transparent synthetic resin panel for effecting excellent lighting properties, and improving the designing properties of the sliding roof10.

InFIG. 5, the sliding roof10is composed of a first sliding roof10a, a second sliding roof10band a third sliding roof10cwhich are arranged longitudinally of a vehicle body.

The first sliding roof10ais mounted so as to tilt up and down about a front edge thereof while each of the second and third sliding roofs10band10cis mounted so as to tilt up and down about a front edge thereof and slide longitudinally of the vehicle body.

To open the sliding roof10thus arranged, the first sliding roof10ais tilted up about the front edge thereof by a driving device (not shown) to lift a rear part thereof. Then, the second and third sliding roofs10band10care respectively tilted up about the front edge thereof to lift a rear part thereof, and also slid rearward. And the second sliding roof10bis further slid rearward to the position above the third sliding roof10c, whereby, as shown inFIG. 6, the second and third sliding roofs10band10coverlap each other to open the roof opening to its maximum without the sling roof10greatly projecting rearward.

To close the sliding roof10, the second and third sliding roofs10band10care respectively slid frontward, and tilted down about the front edge thereof to lower the rear part thereof. Then, the first sliding roof10ais tilted down about the front edge thereof to lower the rear part thereof. Consequently, the sliding roof10contacts and presses the first weather strip50and the second weather strip52to seal between the sliding roof10and the opening portion14.

FIG. 7shows a cross-sectional view of a side part of the roof panel12when the sliding roof10is closed. As shown, the first weather strips50and the second weather strip52provide double sealing along a side edge of the sliding roof10.

The frame member54includes a base part56to be secured to an inner panel58of the roof panel12, a protruding part60which protrudes from the base part56into the roof opening for mounting the second weather strip52thereon, a vertical part62which extends from the base part56vertically upward, and a channel part64(FIG. 8) having a U-shaped cross-section which defines a channel along an upper end of the vertical part62for attaching the first weather strip50. Reference numeral66denotes an outer panel of the roof panel12, and reference numeral68denotes a roof moulding.

Next, the first weather strip50will be explained in detail.FIG. 8is a cross-sectional view of the first weather strip50, which is taken along the line A—A of FIG.1.

As shown, the first weather strip50includes a base portion70attached in the channel part64of the frame member54, and a tubular seal portion72for contatcting and pressing a resin moulding74provided along a side edge of the sliding roof10.

The base portion70is composed of a solid rubber, and the tubular seal portion72is composed of a sponge rubber. The base portion70and the tubular seal portion72are formed by extruding synthetic rubbers such as EPDM rubbers. The tubular seal portion72extends and covers an upper surface of the base portion70to conceal a joint between the solid rubber and the sponge rubber, thereby improving the appearance around the sliding roof10.

The base portion70has a U-shaped cross-section, and includes a holding part78, an inserting part80and an upper wall82to define a slot84. The inserting part80is provided with a holding lip86along an end thereof so as to extend obliquely upward and outward. The inserting part80is further provided with a projection88on an outside surface thereof near the upper wall82.

To attach the first weather strip50to the frame member54, the inside wall76of the frame member54is inserted in the slot84of the base portion70. At this time, the inserting part80of the base portion70is inserted in the channel part64of the frame member54, and the holding lip86provided along the end of the inserting part80contacts an outside wall of the channel part64, that is the wall opposite to the inside wall76, and bends to be pressed on the inserting part80just under the projection88provided in the inserting part80in flush with or slightly inwardly of the projection88, thereby facilitating the insertion of the inserting part80in the channel part64.

When the inserting part80is inserted in the channel64, the holding lip86and the projection88elastically contact the outside wall of the channel part64, thereby holding the inserting part80, and pressing the inserting part80on the inside wall76along two lines. Consequently, the inside wall76of the channel part64can be held by the holding part78and the inserting part80with a sufficient holding force, whereby the first weather strip50can be securely held by the frame member54.

In addition, the base portion70of a solid rubber exhibits high rigidity so that the base portion70can be securely attached to the frame member54. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to embed a metal insert or the like in the base portion70.

The holding part78of the base portion70has a protrusion90which protrudes obliquely upward from a lower end thereof. When the inserting part80of the base portion70becomes loose in the channel part64, the protrusion90engages with a bottom wall of the channel part64to prevent the first weather strip50from coming off the channel64.

In addition, to prevent the first weather strip50from coming loose relative to the frame member54in the longitudinal direction thereof, and enable more stable attachment of the first weather strip50to the frame member54, a longitudinal end thereof may be secured to the frame member54.

As shown inFIGS. 9 through 11, the first weather strip50includes a main part92and a longitudinal end part94. As shown inFIG. 9, the cross-sectional shape of the longitudinal end part94is nearly identical to that of the main part92in the vicinity of a joint between the end part94and the main part92. At an end96of the longitudinal end part94, an upper surface thereof is tapered to have a generally triangular section.

As shown inFIG. 10, a bottom surface of the end96of the longitudinal end part94is formed flat in flush with a bottom surface of the base portion70of the main part92. An inserting slot98is provided in the end96for inserting a projecting part100(FIG. 11) of the frame member54therein. As shown inFIG. 11, the inserting slot98extends in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal end part94toward the vicinity of the end thereof. In the attached state of the weather strip50, the bottom surface of the end96of the longitudinal end part94contacts the inner panel58of the roof panel12, and the projecting end100of the frame member54is inserted in the inserting slot98. Consequently, the end96of the longitudinal end part94is sandwiched between and held by the inner panel58of the roof panel12and the frame member54, thereby preventing the first weather strip50from coming loose relative to the roof panel12, when the sliding roof10moves to exert such a force as to deform the first weather strip50, whereby the weather strip50can be securely attached to the opening portion14.

The projecting end100of the frame member54is provided at each of front corners of the four-sided frame member54so as to face the longitudinal end part94of the first weather strip50.

The longitudinal end part94of a solid material exhibits high rigidity. By holding the end96of the longitudinal end part94with the projecting end100of the frame member54, the entire portion of the end part94is held and is securely attached to the frame member54.

The tubular seal portion72of the first weather strip50is provided inside the base portion70. When the sliding roof10is closed, the moulding74attached to a periphery thereof contacts the tubular seal portion72and seals between the sliding roof10and the opening portion14of the roof panel12. The tubular seal portion72composed of a sponge rubber exhibits flexibility, and accordingly, readily absorbs the variation in the relative position between the moulding74and the tubular seal portion72.

In addition, since the base portion70can be mounted on the frame member54securely, the tubular seal portion72contacts and presses a facing surface of the moulding74in a direction nearly perpendicular thereto without generating any deformation thereof, thereby exhibiting excellent sealing properties.

Consequently, the first weather strip50and the second weather strip52provide a double seal along both sides of a vehicle body, thereby preventing rainwater, etc. from intruding into a vehicle compartment, and accordingly improving the sealing properties. Rainwater, etc. leaked between the first weather strip50and the facing surface of the moulding74enters a drain provided in the protruding part60of the frame member54, and is discharged outside the vehicle body. Accordingly, no drip channel is needed under the first weather strip50so that the structure of the roof panel12can be made compact.

The roof moulding68provided between the outer panel66of the roof panel12and the first weather strip50covers a gap therebetween to improve the appearance around the first weather strip50.

In accordance with the present invention, since the base portion of the weather strip can be attached using the channel part provided in the opening portion of the roof panel, etc., the weather strip can be stably attached to the opening portion, etc., and a compact attachment structure with sufficient sealing properties can be effected. In addition, a lightweight weather strip can be produced at low costs.