Self-adjustable window molding for retaining glass

An improved extruded resilient flush-look window molding adapted for pre-attachment to a glass plate for concealing the gap between a body panel window opening and the edge of the glass plate. The molding has a stem portion with first and second self-biased retaining legs on one side thereof, adapted to engage the glass edge and a diverging third leg extending from the stem portion opposite side supporting an integral arcuate sectioned trim strip in cantilever fashion on the diverging leg upper end. The trim strip projects inwardly to overlie the gap and the molding stem portion. The divergent leg is self-biased for cammed inward flexing during insertion of the glass plate. Thus, the trim strip self-adjusts inwardly so as to maintain its engagement with the plate outer surface while accommodating production tolerance gaps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a window molding for a vehicle body and more 
particularly to a pre-affixed glass plate molding which is adjustable for 
concealing various production tolerance differentials between the plate 
and the vehicle body window opening. 
Examples of existing practice in mounting window glass plates in vehicle 
flanged window openings appear in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,851,432 issued Dec. 3, 
1974 to Griffin and U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,119 issued Aug. 21, 1979 to Hedeen 
et al. In these typical arrangements the window glass is bonded in a 
flanged vehicle body opening by a bead of cureable adhesive. The gap 
between the window glass and the vehicle body is concealed by a flexible 
molding which bridges the space or gap between the body panel window 
opening and the glass plate. In the above mentioned Griffin and Hedeen 
patents the molding is adhesively secured in the gap following 
installation of the glass. 
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,004 issued Sept. 12, 1973 to Kent discloses a trim 
strip made of flexible material with a channel portion receiving the edge 
of the glass. A decorative strip portion extends from the channel portion 
and overlies the channel and the gap between the edge of the glass plate 
and the body flange. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,751 issued Feb. 6, 1973 to 
Lockey discloses a two-piece molding with a pre-affixed retaining strip. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly, the improved molding of this invention comprises a stem portion 
having formed adjacent its upper end a pair of spaced mutually converging 
self-biasing legs which are pre-affixed to the edge of the glass. A third 
leg extends from the other side of the stem portion and is self-biased 
upwardly and outwardly at an acute angle supporting at its upper end in a 
cantilever manner a decorative arcuate-sectioned trim strip member 
adjacent the strip's outer edge. The outer edge of the trim strip has a 
lip portion adapted to contact the flange wall of the window opening 
enabling the trim strip to overlie the stem portion and gap with its free 
edge engaging the outside surface of the glass to accommodate maximum 
dimensional variations between the glass and the wall flange. In 
dimensional situations where the gap approaches a minimal tolerance 
build-up the trim strip third leg is adapted to engage the wall flange 
upon insertion of the glass plate. This causes the trim strip free edge to 
be flexed inwardly about an off-center location inboard from the molding 
stem portion while being maintained in tight frictional abutment with the 
glass outer surface to avoid gaps therebetween. The stem lower end has 
lateral protrusions which extend into a curable adhesive and maintain the 
molding in the space upon the curing of the adhesive. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
one-piece plastic molding which is pre-attached to the edge of a vehicle 
window glass plate and includes an arcuate-sectioned cantilever type trim 
strip portion which is cammed inwardly about a flexible divergent support 
leg to bridge the variable dimensioned space between the glass plate edge 
and the flanged window opening. 
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a molding for an 
adhesively bonded vehicle window as set forth above which operates to 
locate the glass plate in a window rebate providing a "flush" effect with 
the body panel. 
These and other objects and features will become apparent to those skilled 
in the art upon reading the following detailed description with reference 
to the accompanying drawings in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a molding 
generally indicated at 10 having an elongated stem portion 12. The molding 
is formed as an integral extruded member preferably of a flexible plastic 
material, such as a polyvinyl chloride. One inner side 14 of the stem 
portion has first upper 16 and second lower 18 resilient legs integral 
therewith extending continuously along the length of the stem. The legs 16 
and 18 are self-biased and angled towards each other in their "free 
state". FIG. 1 shows the legs 16 and 18 normally inwardly directed in 
their mutually converging fashion and adapted to flex into parallel 
relation upon receiving the edge 19 of a glass plate therebetween, shown 
by plate 20 in the molding "installed" position of FIG. 2. 
As best seen in FIG. 2 the lower leg 18 of the stem portion is of a 
predetermined lateral dimension greater than the upper leg 16. In the 
disclosed embodiment this later differential dimension is about two to 
three times the upper leg 16. The legs 16 and 18 together with the upper 
portion of the stem 12 form a channel having a base wall defined by a 
portion of the stem inner side 14. 
FIG. 2 shows outer body panel 22 forming a window opening 24 defined by an 
L-shaped rebate having a wall or reveal flange 26 and an inwardly directed 
fence flange 28 extending substantially at right angles to the wall 
flange. The fence flange 28 supports the window glass plate 20 in opening 
24 by a bead 30 of curable adhesive sealant or agent, such as made from 
polyurethane resin base, applied continuously around the fence flange 28 
opening 24. A resilient dam 32, formed of suitable elastomeric material, 
is affixed to the inner side 33 of the window plate 20. The dam 32 acts as 
a stopper for the bead of curable adhesive 30 while also providing a 
resilient support for the glass plate. 
The stem portion 12 has integrally formed therewith a third or trim strip 
divergent support leg 34 extending continuously along the length of the 
molding stem on its outer or other side 37. The support leg 34 is 
self-biased in its "free" position normally extending upwardly and 
outwardly at a predetermined acute angle "A" from the plane of the stem 
portion 12. The divergent leg is located on the stem lower end portion 
subjacent the medial transverse plane defined by center line 36, 
substantially coplanar with the inner side 33 of the installed plate 20. 
In the disclosed form the diverging leg is inclined at an acute angle "A" 
of about 35.degree. from the plane of the stem portion 12. 
Upon the support leg 34 being flexed inwardly to a position substantially 
contiguous with the stem outer side 37 the support leg 34 and stem have a 
combined lateral thickness dimension which determines the minimal gap 
dimensional variation between the window panel edge 19 and the window 
opening wall flange 26. 
The trim strip portion 40 of the molding is formed integral with the upper 
end of the support leg 34 to provide a cantilever-type resilient molding. 
The trim strip portion 40 has a generally arcuate cross-section opening to 
the stem providing a substantially convexly curved appearance from the 
outside. The support leg 34 is hingedly or pivotally integrally connected 
to the stem portion at juncture or valley 35 located below the plane of 
the plate inner surface 33. The support leg 34 is also hingedly integrally 
connected at its upper extremity adjacent the proximal outer end of strip 
40 at its under or concavo curved surface 41. It will be seen that the 
trim strip portion 40 is provided with a short outwardly and arcuately 
extending sealing finger or lip portion 42. The lip portion is positioned 
to yieldingly engage and overlie the radiused corner portion 43 of the 
body panel in an overlying "flush-look" manner. 
As seen in FIG. 2 the arcuate trim portion 40 has its outer surface 44 
curvature substantially defined by a radius with its center "C" normally 
located adjacent the intersection of the support leg 34 with the stem 
transverse medial plane of dashed-line 36. Thus, upon positioning the 
window plate 20 and its preattached molding 10 within the flanged window 
opening the contact of the lip portion 42 with the body panel radius 43 
results in distal free end 46 of the trim strip yieldably engaging the 
plate 20 upper surface 48. The gap between the body panel and glass plate 
together with the molding stem portion 12 is thus substantially concealed. 
With reference to FIG. 3 the gap between the glass plate edge 19 and the 
wall flange 26 is of the order of one-half the maximum gap situation shown 
in FIG. 2. It will be noted that upon the placement of the glass plate 20 
and molding 10 assembly in the window opening the radiused portion 43 will 
engage the support leg 34. This engagement of the diverging support leg 34 
with the radius 43 of the body results in the leg 34 being swung toward 
the stem 12. This swinging movement causes the trim strip to be moved 
inwardly along the glass plate surface 48. The arcuate shape of the trim 
strip results in the strip distal end 46 being maintained in engagement 
with the glass plate outer surface 48. 
It will be appreciated that the third leg 34 has a predetermined transverse 
or lateral dimension whereby it is substantially equal to but greater than 
the transverse dimension of said stem measured from the valley 35 to its 
upper end. This allows the trim strip concave surface 41 to move relative 
to the stem upper first leg 16 without interference. 
As shown in FIG. 3 the arcuate trim strip 40 has its center of curvature of 
surface 44 is translated inwardly to a curvature axis "C" located adjacent 
the intersection of the support leg 34 with the stem transverse medial 
plane indicated by dashed-line 36. Thus, the molding commonly known to the 
trade as a "flush" effect or look. 
The support leg 34 also acts as a flexible vibration or shock absorbing 
stop between the glass plate and the reveal flange wall 26. The 
construction also insures that arrow like protrusions 50 on the lower end 
of the stem 12 will not be excessively distorted or flexed to interfere 
with their being thrust into the bead 30 of curable adhesive during 
installation of the window glass plate 20.