Sealing member of door for car

When an insertion groove, into which various parts are inserted, is formed on a sealing member, the present disclosure may maintain a width of an opening of the insertion groove greater than or equal to a predetermined width, facilitating the insertion. A sealing member 30 includes an insertion groove S into which a trim strip 45 is inserted. The insertion groove S has a side face S1 provided with a protruding portion 41c. The protruding portion 41c protrudes toward another side face S2 and abuts on the other side face S2 to set an opening width of the insertion groove S to a predetermined opening width or wider.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-131139 filed on Jun. 30, 2015, the disclosure of which including the specification, the drawings, and the claims are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a sealing member provided to a door for a car and, in particular, belongs to a technical field of a construction which involves insertion of various kinds of parts such as a trim strip and a door flange.

Doors provided to a side of a car include a door having a window frame holding an edge portion of a window glass, and a door having no window frame; that is, a door having a frameless window. The door having the window frame is provided with a sealing member for sealing a gap between the edge portion of the window frame and an edge portion of an opening portion of the body of the car.

A known example of the construction of the door with this kind of window frame is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-131304. The window frame in the patent publication has an upper frame portion extending along a roof of the body. The upper edge portion is provided with a door flange protruding toward the outside of the compartment. The door flange has a sealing member provided from the outside of the compartment to cover the door flange. Such a construction—the sealing member is provided from the outside of the compartment to cover up the door flange on the upper frame portion—is referred to as a “hidden type”.

The sealing member disclosed in the patent publication includes an insertion groove opening toward the outside of the compartment, and continuously formed from a front portion toward a rear portion of the upper frame portion. The insertion groove receives a securing leg of a trim strip so that the trim strip is secured to the sealing member.

Moreover, the door flange, also formed on the door other than the trim strip, is inserted into the sealing member of the door for the car. Insertion of this door flange allows the sealing member to be secured to the door.

Moreover, as disclosed in the patent publication, an elongated trim strip is secured between the front portion and the rear portion of the upper frame portion in order to improve the appearance of the window frame of the door. Here, a manufacturing challenge is how to secure the trim strip to the hidden-type sealing member.

Here, typically, the window frame of a front door for the car has an upper edge portion formed to bend round such that the upper edge portion is positioned lower as extending further toward the front. Consequently, the upper edge portion is shaped to have a bent portion. Meanwhile, the sealing member is shaped liner. When secured to the upper edge portion of the window frame, this liner-shaped sealing member is forcibly bent to fit into the shape of the bent portion of the upper edge portion. Here, the sealing member cannot conform to the difference between an outer peripheral length and an inner peripheral length of the bent portion of the upper edge portion. The resulting sealing member is forcibly bent. Forcibly bending the sealing member inevitably closes an opening of an insertion groove into which the sealing member is inserted. As a result, the closed opening causes a problem; that is, inserting the securing leg of the trim strip becomes difficult, followed by degrading workability when the trim strip is fastened to the sealing member.

Moreover, when the door flange is inserted, the sealing member has to be bent and secured as described above. Thus, the problem is that the opening of the insertion groove is closed and, as a result, inserting the door flange can be difficult.

Furthermore, the insertion groove of the sealing member could possibly be closed on its own even in a non-bent portion of the sealing member. This case also makes it difficult to insert various kinds of parts into the insertion groove.

The present disclosure is conceived in view of the above problems. When an insertion groove, into which various parts are inserted, is formed on a sealing member, the present disclosure successfully maintains a width of an opening of the insertion groove greater than or equal to a predetermined width and provides high workability in the insertion.

SUMMARY

In the present disclosure, an insertion groove, into which various parts are inserted, is formed on a sealing member. An opening width setting portion is provided to protrude from one of side faces of the insertion groove.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a sealing member to be secured to a door for a car. The sealing member includes an insertion groove, formed on the sealing member, into which a part is inserted; and an opening width setting portion provided to a side face of the insertion groove, protruding toward an other side face of the insertion groove, and abutting on the other side face to set a width of an opening of the insertion groove to a predetermined opening width or wider.

In accordance with these features, the opening width setting portion provided to the side face of the insertion groove abuts on the other side face of the insertion groove. Thus, when external force is applied to narrow the width of the opening of the insertion groove, the opening width setting portion may keep the width of the opening of the insertion groove from becoming narrower than the predetermined opening width. This opening width setting portion maintains the opening of the trim strip insertion groove to be open. As a result, various kinds of parts, such as a trim strip and door flange, may be easily inserted into the insertion groove.

In a second aspect of the present disclosure according to the first aspect, the opening width setting portion has a face away from a deepest end of the insertion groove, the face being formed to be positioned deeper into the insertion groove as extending toward a protruding end of the opening width setting portion.

In accordance with this feature, when various parts are inserted into the insertion groove of the sealing member, the opening width setting portion guides inserting tips of the various parts deeper into the insertion groove.

In a third aspect of the present disclosure according to the first aspect, the sealing member includes a portion made of an elastic material, and a core harder than the elastic material, and the core is provided with the opening width setting portion.

In accordance with these features, the opening width setting portion is provided to the core harder than the elastic material, which makes the opening width setting portion difficult to deform by external force. As a result, the opening width setting portion may reduce a risk in advance that the width of the opening of the insertion groove becomes narrower.

In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure according to the third aspect, the core is formed to fit onto a door flange provided to a window frame of the door while the door flange is inserted into the inserting groove.

In accordance with this feature, the core fits onto the door flange to become harder to deform and more rigid. The opening width setting portion is provided to this rigid core, which may reliably maintain the width of the opening of the insertion groove to be open.

In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure according to the first aspect, the sealing member being secured to the door flange, and covering up the door flange at least from an outside of a compartment of the car, the door flange protruding from the window frame of the door toward the outside of the compartment, wherein the insertion groove is formed to open toward the outside of the compartment, the part includes a trim strip having a securing leg to be inserted into the insertion groove from the outside of the compartment, and the opening width setting portion engages with an engaging step portion formed on the securing leg of the trim strip.

In accordance with these features, securing the sealing member to the door flange implements a door including a hidden-type sealing member. Then, when the securing leg of the trim strip is inserted in the sealing member, the opening width setting portion engages with the engaging step portion of the securing leg. Specifically, such engagement may effectively reduce a risk that the trim strip comes off the sealing member, using the opening width setting portion for maintaining the width of the opening of the insertion groove.

In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure according to the fifth aspect, the other side face of the insertion groove is provided with a protruding portion fitting on a fitting portion formed on the securing leg of the trim strip.

In accordance with this feature, the opening width setting portion and the protruding portion engage, from the respective side faces of the insertion groove, with the securing leg of the trim strip. This engagement makes both the opening width setting portion and the protruding portion difficult to disengage from the securing leg.

According to the first aspect, the opening width setting portion is provided to one of the side faces of the insertion groove. Such a feature may maintain the width of the opening of the insertion groove greater than or equal to a predetermined width, and provide high workability when various parts such as a trim strip are fastened.

According to the second aspect, the opening width setting portion has a face away from a deepest end of the insertion groove, the face being formed to be positioned deeper into the insertion groove as extending toward a protruding end of the opening width setting portion. Such a feature allows the tip of the securing leg of the trim strip to be guided deeper into the insertion groove, when the securing leg is inserted into the insertion groove. This contributes to smooth insertion of the securing leg.

According to the third aspect, the opening width setting portion is provided to the core. Such a feature makes the opening width setting portion difficult to deform, and successfully reduces the risk in advance that the width of the opening of the insertion groove becomes narrower.

According to the fourth aspect, the opening width setting portion is provided to the core that fits onto the door flange to achieve higher rigidity. Such a feature reliably maintains the width of the opening of the insertion groove.

According to the fifth aspect, the opening width setting portion engages with the engaging step portion formed on the securing leg of the trim strip. Such a feature may effectively reduce the risk that the trim strip comes off the sealing member, using the opening width setting portion for maintaining the width of the opening of the insertion groove.

According to the sixth aspect, the other side face of the insertion groove is provided with a protruding portion fitting on the fitting portion formed on the securing leg of the trim strip. Such a feature makes both the opening width setting portion and the protruding portion difficult to disengage, and thus may effectively reduce the risk that the trim strip comes off the sealing member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below, with reference to the drawings. Note that the preferable embodiments below are essentially mere examples, and are not intended to limit the scopes of the present invention, of the application of the present invention, or of the use of the present invention.

FIG. 1is a side view of a front door1, for a car, provided with a sealing member30for the door of the car, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.FIG. 2is a side view of a rear door2, for the car, provided with a sealing member50for the door of the car, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. The front door1and the rear door2are arranged to a side of the car (not shown). The front door1opens and closes an opening portion (not shown) defined in the front, and to the side, of the car. The rear door2opens and closes an opening portion (not shown) defined in the rear, and to the side, of the car.

The front door1includes a door body10to be an approximately lower half of the front door1, and a window frame11to be an approximately upper half of the front door1. Even though not shown, a front end portion of the door body10is secured to a pillar of the car body via a hinge having a vertically extending rotational pin. The door body10includes an inner panel (not shown) and an outer panel10amade of, for example, a steel plate. The door body10houses a window glass13which rises and falls, and a window regulator (not shown) to raise and lower the window glass13.

The window frame11functions as a sash to hold an edge portion of the window glass13. As illustrated inFIG. 7, the window frame11according to these embodiments is a combination of a first panel member P1and a second panel member P2made of, for example, a pressed metal plate. However, the window frame11may be made by roll forming, for example.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the window frame11includes a front longitudinal frame edge portion11a, a rear longitudinal frame edge portion11b, and a upper frame edge portion11c. The front longitudinal frame edge portion11aextends upward from an upper front edge of the door body10. The rear longitudinal frame edge portion11bextends upward from an upper rear edge of the door body10. The rear longitudinal frame edge portion11bextends above the front longitudinal frame edge portion11a. The upper frame edge portion11cextends between a top end of the front longitudinal frame edge portion11aand a top end of the rear longitudinal frame edge portion11b, in the front-rear direction along an edge portion (not shown) of a roof of the body.

In front of the front longitudinal frame edge portion11aof the window frame11, a door mirror securing portion14is provided to extend upward the door body10. A not-shown door mirror is secured to the door mirror securing portion14. An upper edge portion of the door mirror securing portion14is formed to lead to a front end portion of the upper frame edge portion11cof the window frame11. The upper end portion slopes downward as extending toward the front.

As illustrated inFIG. 7, a door flange11dis provided to the upper frame edge portion11cof the window frame11, and protruding toward the outside of the compartment. Edge portions of the first panel member P1and the second panel member P2, included in the window frame11, are shaped to extend toward the outside of the compartment, and vertically overlap with each other to form the door flange11d. In the door flange11d, the edge portion of the first panel member P1is positioned above the edge portion of the second panel member P2. Moreover, the edge portion of the first panel member P1is positioned slightly more inwardly toward the compartment than the edge portion of the second panel member P2. However, the positioning of the edges shall not be limited to this. The front portion of the door flange11dcontinuously extends to the front portion of the door mirror securing portion14.

Furthermore, a sealing member fitting plate portion11eis provided below the upper frame edge portion11cto extend downward. Edge portions of the first panel member P1and the second panel member P2, included in the window frame11, are shaped to extend downward and overlap with each other in the inside-outside direction of the compartment to form the sealing member fitting plate portion11e.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the upper frame edge portion11cis bent in the middle in the front-rear direction when seen from the side. Then, in the upper frame edge portion11c, a portion before the bent portion slopes downward and extends toward the front. Moreover, in the frame upper edge portion11c, a portion behind the bent portion slopes at a more obtuse angle than the sloping angle of the front portion and extends toward the bent portion. Note that the shape of the frame upper edge portion11cshall not be limited to that illustrated inFIG. 1. The frame upper edge portion11cmay be bent round upward overall. The position of the bent portion and the sloping angle of the frame upper edge portion11cmay be set in any given manner so as to conform the shape of the roof of the body.

The door flange11dis provided with the sealing member30. Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 6, a trim strip45is secured to the sealing member30to be positioned outside the compartment with respect to the sealing member30.

Basically, the rear door2illustrated inFIG. 2is the same in construction as the front door1. Specifically, the rear door2includes a door body20, and a window frame21holding an edge portion of a window glass23. The window frame21includes a front longitudinal edge portion21a, a rear longitudinal edge portion21b, and an upper edge portion21c. Then, as illustrated inFIG. 4, the rear door2is provided with a sealing member50. The numerical reference65inFIG. 2denotes a trim strip. The numerical reference20adenotes an outer panel.

The sealing member30which is referred to as a “hidden type”, is provided from the outside of the compartment to cover up the door flange11d. The sealing member30is formed to cover up a top face and a bottom face of the door flange11d. The sealing member30seals a gap between the edge portion of the window frame11and the edge portion of the opening portion of the body. The sealing member30also seals a gap between the edge portion of the window frame11and the edge portion of the window glass13. The sealing member30includes a portion made of a waterproof elastic material such as ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) and thermoplastic elastomer olefin (TPO), and a core40including a material different from the elastic material. The core40may be made of any given material which may include, but not specifically limited to, an aluminum alloy, steel, stainless steel, and hard resin such as resin in which talc and glass fibers are blended together.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, the sealing member30includes: an upper seal edge portion31extending along the upper frame edge portion11cof the window frame11; a front longitudinal seal edge portion32extending along the front longitudinal frame edge portion11aof the window frame11; and a rear longitudinal seal edge portion33extending along the rear longitudinal frame edge portion11bof the window frame11. The upper seal edge portion31, the front longitudinal seal edge portion32, and the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33are integrated into one.

Lower portions of the front longitudinal seal edge portion32and the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33extend into the door body10to be positioned near a lower portion of the door body10and held by a holding member (not shown) provided inside the door body10. The front longitudinal seal edge portion32and the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33extend in the moving direction of the respective front edge portion and rear edge portion of the window glass13in rising and falling, so that the front edge portion and the rear edge portion of the window glass13are slidably in contact with the front longitudinal seal edge portion32and the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, a front seal portion34is continuously provided to the front portion of the upper seal edge portion31to extend before the front longitudinal seal edge portion32. As illustratedFIG. 1, the front seal portion34is formed to extend along the upper edge portion of the door mirror securing portion14. Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 3, a rear seal portion35is continuously provided to the rear portion of the upper seal edge portion31to extend behind the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33.

The sealing member30is a combination of an extrusion-molded portion made by extrusion molding and a die-formed portion made by die forming. As illustrated inFIG. 3, there is a die-formed portion, in the front seal portion34of the sealing member30, below a boundary L1defined by a dashed-dotted line. Furthermore, there is another die-formed portion, in the rear seal portion35of the sealing member30, behind a boundary L2defined by a dashed-dotted line. Furthermore, there is another die-formed portion surrounded by a boundary L3defined by a dashed-dotted line on the border between the upper seal edge portion31and the front longitudinal seal edge portion32of the sealing member30. Furthermore, there is another die-formed portion surrounded by a boundary L4defined by a dashed-dotted line on the border between the upper seal edge portion31and the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33of the sealing member30. The extrusion-molded portion is other than the above two die-formed portions.

The upper seal edge portion31of the sealing member30has a cross-sectional shape as illustrated inFIG. 7. The cross-sectional shape is approximately the same the front end portion through the rear end portion of the upper seal edge portion31; whereas, cross-sectional shapes of the front seal portion34and the rear seal portion35are different from the cross-sectional shape of the upper seal edge portion31.

Specifically, the upper seal edge portion31includes a core40forming an upper portion of the upper seal edge portion31and a plate portion44extending downward from the core40. The core40includes: a top plate portion41extending inside-outside direction of the compartment along the top face of the door flange11d; a longitudinal plate portion42extending downward from an end portion, of the top plate portion41, close to the outside of the compartment; and a bottom plate portion43extending toward the inside of the compartment along the bottom face of the door flange11d. Furthermore, the top plate portion41has an end portion, to the inside of the compartment, provided with a protruding plate portion41aprotruding upward, and then bending and extending toward the outside of the compartment. The core40has an upper portion provided with a trim strip insertion groove S, and a lower portion provided with a door flange insertion groove R. The trim strip insertion groove S is defined by the top plate portion41and the protruding plate portion41a, and open toward the outside of the compartment. The door flange insertion groove R is defined by the top plate portion41, the longitudinal plate portion42, and the bottom plate portion43, and open toward the inside of the compartment.

When the door flange11dis inserted into the door flange insertion groove R included in the lower portion of the core40, the core40fits onto the door flange11dto be fixed. In the fixed state, the top plate portion41, the longitudinal plate portion42, and the bottom plate portion43of the core40respectively cover up the top face, an outer end portion, and the bottom face of the door flange11d. Furthermore, the trim strip45has a securing leg47. When the securing leg47is inserted into the trim strip insertion groove S included in the upper portion of the core40, as described below, the trim strip45is secured to the sealing member30.

On a bottom face of the top plate portion41in the core40, two protruding portions36a, extending in a longitudinal direction of the upper seal edge portion31, are formed at an interval in the inside-outside direction of the compartment. Made of an elastic material, the protruding portions36aare flexible, and flex in contact with the door flange11dwhile the core40fits onto the door flange11d.

The protruding plate portion41aof the top plate portion41in the core40is provided with an inner lip portion37aand an outer lip portion37b. The inner lip portion37abends round and extends toward the outside of the compartment from an end portion, of the protruding plate portion41a, close to the inside of the compartment. The outer lip portion37bbends round and extends upward from an end portion, of the protruding plate portion41a, close to the outside of the compartment. When the front door1is closed, the inner lip portion37aand the outer lip portion37bprovide a seal by making contact with the edge portion of the opening portion of the body.

Of the two side faces S1and S2of the trim strip insertion groove S, the side face S1(one of the side faces) positioned above has a protruding portion (an opening width setting portion)41cformed near the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S. The protruding portion41cprotrudes toward, and abuts on, the side face S2(the other side face) positioned below so that a width of an opening of the trim strip insertion groove S is set to a predetermined opening width or wider.

The protruding portion41cis integrally formed with the top plate portion41of the core40, and made of a material harder than the elastic material. This makes the protruding portion41cdifficult to deform by external force. The predetermined opening width is approximately as wide as the thickness of a tip portion of the securing leg47in the trim strip45, which will be described later. The predetermined opening width allows the tip portion of the securing leg47to be easily inserted into the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S. The predetermined opening width may be set to any given width, depending on a thing to be inserted, for example.

The protruding portion41chas a face41dpositioned toward the opening (the outside of the compartment) of the trim strip insertion groove S. The face41dslants to be positioned deeper (the inside of the compartment) into the trim strip insertion groove S, as extending toward a protruding end portion (downward) of the protruding portion41c. The protruding portion41cmay be longitudinally formed across the both ends of the sealing member30. The protruding portion41cmay be longitudinally and intermittently formed on the sealing member30.

After the sealing member30is formed, the protruding tip portion of the protruding portion41cmay abut on the side face S2provided in the lower portion of the trim strip insertion groove S. Once the sealing member30is formed, the protruding tip portion may be separated from the side face S2. Beneficially, however, the dimensions of the protruding tip portion of the protruding portion41cmay be set so that the protruding tip portion abuts on the side face S2after the sealing member30is secured to the window frame11.

A top face of the top plate portion41in the core40is provided with a fitting protrusion portion41bpositioned deeper into the trim strip insertion groove S than opening width setting portion41c.

On a lower portion of the bottom plate portion43in the core40, a glass contacting portion39is provided to extend downward. After extending downward, the glass contacting portion39is folded toward the inside of the compartment, and formed to have an approximate V-shaped cross section. When a tip of the glass contacting portion39makes contact with the edge portion of the window glass13, a sealing effect is provided. Moreover, the glass contacting portion39has a base end portion provided with an extending plate portion39aextending toward the inside of the compartment. This extending plate portion39aalso makes contact with the edge portion of the window glass13.

On a lower portion of an exterior face of the glass contacting portion39, a claw-receiving recessed portion39bis formed to receive a securing claw48, which is described later, of the trim strip45. The claw-receiving recessed portion39bhas an interior surface provided with a hook portion39cextending toward the inside of the claw-receiving recessed portion39b. The securing claw48of the trim strip45is hooked over the hook portion39c.

The plate portion44, included in a lower portion of the upper seal edge portion31, is integrally formed with the bottom plate portion43of the core40included in an upper portion of the upper seal edge portion31. Instead of being integrally formed with the bottom plate portion43, the plate portion44may be formed as a separate member and secured to the window frame11. Note that the upper seal edge portion31may be either bent round as illustrated inFIG. 3or formed liner.

The plate portion44is formed to cover, from the outside of the compartment, a portion of the upper frame edge portion11cbelow the door flange11d. The plate portion44has a face, to the outside of the compartment, provided with (i) an upper lip portion44aformed in the vertical middle of the face and (ii) a lower lip portion44bformed on a lower portion of the face. When the upper lip portion44aand the lower lip portion44bmake contact with the edge portion of the window glass13, sealing performance is provided.

On a lower portion of the plate portion44, a protruding portion44cis provided to extend downward. The protruding portion44chas a fitting groove44dformed to open upward. The sealing member fitting plate portion11eof the upper frame edge portion11cfits in the fitting groove44d.

Meanwhile, as illustrated inFIG. 3, the front seal portion34and the rear seal portion35are not provided with the plate portion44. Accordingly, the front seal portion34and the rear seal portion35are narrower in width than the upper seal edge portion31.

Furthermore, as illustrated inFIG. 4, the sealing member50of the rear door2is similar in structure to the sealing member30of the front door1, and includes a upper seal edge portion51, a front longitudinal seal edge portion52, and a rear longitudinal seal edge portion53.

The trim strip45is secured so as to face the outside of the compartment with respect to the sealing member30. The trim strip45is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy to give a metallic touch to the front door1. Note that the trim strip45may also be made of resin. In such a case, a portion of the trim strip45facing the outside of the compartment may be plated or provided with a metallic plate so that the trim strip45looks metallic.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the trim strip45is an elongated member extending the front end portion of the front seal portion34through the rear end portion of the rear seal portion35in the sealing member30. As illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, the trim strip45includes: a body plate portion46extending along the exterior face of the longitudinal plate portion42of the core40; the securing leg47protruding toward the inside of the compartment from an upper portion on an interior face, of the body plate portion46, close to the compartment; and the securing claw48protruding toward the inside of the compartment from a lower portion of the interior face, of the body plate portion46, close to the compartment. The body plate portion46has an upper edge portion provided with a bent portion46abent toward the inside of the compartment. In this bent portion46a, an upper end portion of the core40is positioned.

The securing leg47is a portion to be inserted into the trim strip insertion groove S of the sealing member30. The securing leg47is formed to extend so as to arrive close to a bottom portion of the trim strip insertion groove S when inserted. The securing leg47has a protruding tip portion (an inserting tip portion) provided with a fitting portion47aThe fitting portion47aincludes a protruding portion protruding downward from a bottom face of the securing leg47. This fitting portion47ahooks over the fitting protrusion portion41bof the core40from the protruding tip portion, and engages with the fitting protrusion portion41b.

Moreover, the securing leg47has a top face including an engaging step portion47brecessed downward and formed in the middle, of the securing leg47, along the protrusion. As illustrated inFIG. 6, the engaging step portion47bfits to, and engages with, the securing leg47while the securing leg47is inserted into the trim strip insertion groove S.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, a trim strip65of the rear door2is similar in configuration to the trim strip45of the front door1, and secured to the rear door2. The trim strip65of the rear door2and the trim strip45of the front door1are continuously arranged with each other when seen from the side.

(How to Secure Sealing Member and Trim Strip)

Described next is how to secure the sealing member30and the trim strip45. Described first is how to secure the sealing member30. As illustrated inFIG. 7, in securing the sealing member30to the window frame11, the sealing member30is placed outside the compartment with respect to the window frame11. The opening portion of the door flange insertion groove R in the sealing member30is positioned opposite a tip portion of the door flange11din the window frame11. After that, the tip portion of the door flange11dis inserted into, and fit into, the door flange insertion groove R of the sealing member30. In a similar manner, the front seal portion34of the sealing member30is secured to the door mirror securing portion14, and the rear seal portion35is secured to an upper end portion of the rear longitudinal frame edge portion11b. Lower portions of the front longitudinal seal edge portion32and the rear longitudinal seal edge portion33may be inserted later into the door body10.

Moreover, the sealing member fitting plate portion11eof the upper frame edge portion11cis fitted into the fitting groove44dprovided to a lower portion of the sealing member30, so that the plate portion44of the sealing member30is fixed to the window frame11.

When secured to the window frame11, the sealing member30is forcibly bent to fit into the shape of the bent portion of the frame upper edge portion11cin the window frame11. As a result, external force is applied to narrow the width of the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S. Here, the protruding portion41cis formed on the side face S1in the upper portion of the trim strip insertion groove S in the sealing member30. When the tip portion of the protruding portion41cabuts on the side face S2in the lower portion of the trim strip insertion groove S, the opening width of the trim strip insertion groove S is set to a predetermined width or wider. Such a function keeps the width of the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S from narrowing, and maintains the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S to be open.

Accordingly, a worker may easily insert the securing leg47of the trim strip45into the maintained opening of the trim strip insertion groove S in the sealing member30. When the securing leg47of the trim strip45is inserted into the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S and pressing force is applied along the insertion, the securing leg47presses the face41dof the protruding portion41c. This pressing force causes the core40to elastically deform so that the protruding portion41cis displaced upward. Such a feature reduces a risk that the protruding portion41cblocks the insertion of the securing leg47of the trim strip45.

When the securing leg47of the trim strip45is thoroughly inserted, the fitting portion47ahooks over and fits onto the fitting protrusion portion41bof the core40from the protruding tip. Moreover, the protruding portion41cfits onto and engages with the engaging step portion47b. Furthermore, when the securing claw48of the trim strip45is inserted into the claw-receiving recessed portion39bof the sealing member30, the securing claw48of the trim strip45hooks over the hook portion39c. This makes the trim strip45difficult to come off.

Effects of First Embodiment

As can be seen, the sealing member30according to this embodiment includes the protruding portion41cprovided to the side face S1in the upper portion of the trim strip insertion groove S. Such a feature may reliably set the opening width of the trim strip insertion groove S to a predetermined width or wider, and provide high workability in fastening of the trim strip45.

Furthermore, the protruding portion41chas the face41daway from a deepest end of the insertion groove S, the face being formed to be positioned deeper into the insertion groove as extending toward a protruding end of the protruding portion41c. Such a feature allows the tip of the securing leg47of the trim strip45to be guided deeper into the trim strip insertion groove S, when the securing leg47is inserted into the trim strip insertion groove S. This contributes to smooth insertion of the securing leg47.

Moreover, the protruding portion41cengages with the engaging step portion47bformed on the securing leg47of the trim strip45. Such a feature effectively reduces the risk that the trim strip45comes off the sealing member30, using the protruding portion41cfor maintaining the width of the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S.

Note that, in the above embodiments, the protruding portion41cis formed on the side face S1in the upper portion of the trim strip insertion groove S. Instead of the side face S1as illustrated in a modification example 1, the side face S2in the lower portion of the trim strip insertion groove S may be provided with a protruding portion41eacting as the opening width setting portion. The protruding portion41emay abut on the side face S1to maintain the width of the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S. In this case, too, the protruding portion41ehas a face41fpositioned toward the opening (the outside of the compartment) of the trim strip insertion groove S. The face41fslants to be positioned deeper (the inside of the compartment) into the trim strip insertion groove S, as extending toward a protruding end (upward) of the protruding portion41e. In this modified example 1, the fitting portion47ais formed to protrude upward. Moreover, the engaging step portion47bis provided to the bottom face of the securing leg47. Furthermore, the side face S1in the upper portion of the trim strip insertion groove S is provided with a fitting protrusion portion41g.

Moreover, as a modified example 2 illustrated inFIG. 9shows, the side face S1in the upper portion of the trim strip insertion groove S may be provided with a protruding portion41hacting as an opening width setting portion. The side face S2in the lower portion of the trim strip insertion groove S may be provided with a protruding portion41iacting as an opening width setting portion. The protruding portion41hprovided above abuts on the protruding portion41ithat is a portion of the side face S2provided below; whereas, the protruding portion41iprovided below abuts on a portion of the side face S1provided above. Such a feature allows the width of the opening of the trim strip insertion groove S to be set to a predetermined opening width or wider. In this modified example 2, the protruding portion41hand the protruding portion41imay guide the securing leg47of the trim strip45to the widthwise middle of the trim strip insertion groove S.

Moreover, one protruding portion41cmay be formed on each of the side faces S1and S2in the upper portion and lower portion of the trim strip insertion groove S.

Furthermore, in the embodiments, the opening width setting portion is provided to the side face S1of the trim strip insertion groove S. Instead, the opening width setting portion may be formed on at least one of a side face R1in the upper portion of the door flange insertion groove R or a side face R2in the lower portion of the door flange insertion groove R, to abut on the other one of the side face R1or the side face R2and set the width of the opening of the door flange insertion groove R to a predetermined opening width or wider.

Moreover, the present disclosure may be widely applicable to any structure in which various parts other than the trim strip45and the door flange11dare inserted into an insertion groove formed on the sealing member30.

The above embodiments are mere examples in all respects, and shall not be limited in interpretation. In addition, all the changes, including the shape, to the equivalents in the claims shall be within the scope of the present disclosure.

As can be seen, the present disclosure may be applicable when a trim strip is secured to a sealing member, or a sealing member is secured to a door flange.