Windshield molding installation arrangement

Abstract: A strip of molding (3) for a vehicle windshield which is installed on the side edge of windshield glass (W), being insertingly mounted on one end of a strip of channel (1) having a U-shaped cross section, and being able to be installed together with a strip of drip seal (4), permitting to reduce installation time and create a neat appearance. A connective portion (3b) which comes in contact with the drip seal (4) can be provided in the windshield molding (3) so that any abnormal sounds will be eliminated.

Description: This invention relates to an installation arrangement of a strip of windshield molding which is mounted on the side edge of windshield glass. In the prior art, the seal mechanism between the front door 51 and the windshield glass W as sectioned on line B-B of Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, for example, is as shown in Figure 4. To effect a good seal between the front door 51 and the car body and to prevent the intrusion of water therein, a strip of drip seal 54 is mounted on the front pillar 52 by an L-shaped fixture 53 which is attached to the front pillar 52 by clips 57. In addition, a strip of windshield molding 56, the inside of which is reinforced by stainless steel 55, is mounted on the side edge of the windshield glass W. Since the windshield molding 56 and drip seal 54 are separately installed, it is therefore a problem with the prior art that the man-hours necessary for the installation thereof is inevitably increased. The prior art also has problems such as increased manufacturing cost due to the injection molding manufacturing method and an abnormal sound caused by contact between the front door 51 and the windshield molding 56. The present invention provides a windshield molding and door seal assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising a windshield molding strip for receiving a side edge of windshield glass, a drip seal strip for contacting the front door of the vehicle, and a carrier for the two and for attachment to the vehicle body, characterized in that the carrier is a channel having a substantially U-shaped cross section, the windshield molding strip being insertably mounted on one limb of the channel. Thus the windshield molding arrangement of the invention can reduce the man-hours necessary for the installation thereof and improve the mounting work efficiency and also can ensure a neat post-installation appearance. It also reduces or eliminates abnormal sounds generated by the structure. Further developments in line with claim 1 are referred to in the dependent claims. The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view taken on line B-B of Figure 3 which shows an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line A-A of Figure 3, Figure 3 is a side view of a front door embodying the present invention, and Figure 4 is a cross-section view of the prior art corresponding to Figure 1. In Figure 1, which is a cross sectional view taken on the line B-B of Figure 3, mounted between the front end of the front door 51 and the side edge of the windshield glass W, there are a strip of drip seal 2 and a strip of windshield molding 3 both of which are supported together as a unit by a piece of channel having a quasi-U-shaped cross section which is then bonded, e.g. by welding, to a front pillar 52 of the car body. That is, the drip seal 2 can be insertingly mounted on one end of the U-shaped channel 1 while the windshield molding 3 can be insertingly mounted, i.e. is a push-fit, on the other end. The windshield molding 3 is made of soft vinyl chloride and is extruded to a shape having a retainer portion 3a which contacts the front surface of the windshield glass W when insertingly mounted on one end of the channel 1, a hollow connective portion 3b which comes in contact with the aforementioned drip seal 2, and a grooved portion 3c into which one projecting end of the channel can be inserted. Provided inside the windshield molding is a piece of hard vinyl chloride reinforcement 4 which is an integral part thereof. This reinforcement 4 can be simultaneously extruded together with the aforementioned retainer portion 3a, hollow connective portion 3b and grooved portion 3c at a low manufacturing cost. The windshield molding 3 is extruded to the aforementioned shape and is mounted insertingly on the end of the channel 1 so that the aforementioned retainer portion 3a retains well the side edge of the windshield glass W while the aforementioned connective portion 3b comes into contact, seemingly as one single member, with the drip seal 2. Thus, a good seal between the windshield W and the front door 51 is obtained and the windshield molding 3 and the drip seal 2 are assembled leaving no gaps therebetween thus preventing any abnormal sound such as wind whistling. The drip seal 2 can effectively prevent the entry of water at the front door similarly as in the prior art. Since the drip seal 2 and the windshield molding 3 are yet independent components, the mounting arrangement of this invention permits to effectively deal with uneven contacts between the front door 51 and the windshield W due to variations in fitting work by adjusting, for example, the flange angles of the U-shaped channel 1. Further, the channel 1 can be bonded by such a means as welding to the car body thus enabling the exclusion of the clips 57 which are used in the prior art. The windshield molding 3 is mounted together as a unit with drip seal 2 on the channel 1 so that the installation can be achieved with ease and reduced man-hours and a considerably neater appearance can be achieved as well. Further, the windshield molding 3 can be extruded so that the manufacturing cost will be greatly reduced and the extruded connective portion 3b can be of elastic material which eliminates an abnormal sound by improving contact between the front door 51 and the windshield molding 3. Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line A-A of Figure 3. In the area shown in Figure 2 where the windshield glass is absent, only the drip seal 2 is provided between the car body B and the front door 51. This drip seal 2 is supported by a strip of L-shaped fixture 53 which is attached to the car body B. Accordingly, the U-shaped channel 1 is used only for the portion of drip seal 2 provided along the side edge of the windshield glass W so that the windshield molding 3 can be assembled by easily mounting it on one end of this channel 1.

Claims: A windshield molding and door seal assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising a windshield molding strip (3) for receiving a side edge of windshield glass (W), a drip seal strip (2) for contacting the front door of the vehicle, and a carrier (1) for the two and for attachment to the vehicle body, characterized in that the carrier (1) is a channel having a substantially U-shaped cross section, the windshield molding strip (3) being insertably mounted on one limb of the channel (1). An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the windshield molding (3) is shaped to have a connective portion (3b) which comes in contact with the drip seal (2), a retainer portion (3a) which contacts the windshield glass (W), and a grooved portion (3c) into which the projecting end of the channel (1) can be inserted. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the windshield molding strip (3) is made of soft vinyl chloride and is extruded to shape. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the inside of the windshield molding strip (3) is reinforced by a piece of hard vinyl (4) which is extruded as an integral part of the windshield molding strip (3). A windshield molding strip (3) for use in the assembly of any one of the preceding claims.

Inventors: KAZUHIRO ASABA C O AICHI KIKAI, SHOJI INOUE C O KINUGAWA GOMU, YUGI NAGAHASHI C O KINUGAWA GO, KAZUHIRO ASABA C/O AICHI KIKAI KOGYO K.K., SHOJI INOUE C/O KINUGAWA GOMU KOGYO K.K., YUGI NAGAHASHI C/O KINUGAWA GOMU KOGYO K.K.
Applicants: AICHI MACHINE IND, KINUGAWA RUBBER IND, AICHI KIKAI KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KINUGAWA GOMU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B60J10
IPC codes: B60J1, B60J10, E06B9, B60R13