Moulding element for motor car bodies

Abstract: A moulding element for car bodies is provided which comprises a main body (2) of elongated conformation and attachment projections (9) operatively associated with the main body (2) and adapted to engage a corresponding anchoring region (5a) formed on a car body (5). The attachment projections (9) are rigidly in engagement with a continuous support element (7) to be fitted in a longitudinal housing (10) formed in the main body (2).

Description: The present invention relates to a moulding element for motorcar bodies. In particular, the moulding element in reference is intended for being applied as finish and/or protection to motorcar bodies and more specifically to parts thereof such as doors, bumpers, edge areas at the lower perimeter of the car body, and so on. It is known that moulding elements for uses as briefly described above are traditionally comprised of a strip, typically of plastic material, which is provided with appropriate attachment means for association with the intended body portion. In particular, presently there are different typologies of moulding elements depending on the different attachment systems used for anchoring to the car body. In a first known typology of moulding elements, the strip of plastic material is anchored by use of adhesives and more specifically double-sided adhesive tapes interposed between the car body and one side of the moulding element. Drawbacks of this type of anchoring are well apparent: precariousness in connection, unreliability in time, great responsiveness to weathering and dynamic stresses. In a second type of known typology, the attachment means consists of nails or studs fastened, by welding for example, to the car body and suitably covered with plastic material so that they can be fitted, by snap or interference fit, into corresponding housings formed in a coupling face of the moulding element. Surely, this second type of known typology is more reliable than the previously described one. However, it is to note that, due to the fact that a plurality of nails or studs are to be made and connected to the car body, a great complication in terms of construction is involved and necessarily lack of precision may occur in working which, in conclusion, will bring about high production costs and often poor quality of the product. More precisely, possible lack of precision in the size and/or placement of the attachment nails or studs gives rise to an inappropriate fastening of the strip or moulding element and consequent deformation of same, which will give rise to an irreparable lack of levelness and reduced respect of geometric tolerances, in particular with reference to the outer surface of the moulding element. These consequences are clearly unacceptable from an aesthetic point of view. In an attempt to solve the mentioned drawbacks, a third typology of moulding elements has been recently widespread, in which the moulding element has a longitudinal housing intended for receiving, by snap-fitting, a plurality of coupling elements which are positioned in the longitudinal housing at locations spaced apart the same distance from each other. More specifically, the moulding element comprises an elongated main body, to be obtained by extrusion or moulding, in which the longitudinal housing is defined. Said housing, on the moulding element side to be turned to the car body, has an opening or slit from which the coupling element can partly emerge. In more detail, at the opening or slit, millings or cuttings are formed at regular intervals so as to enable insertion of each of the coupling elements while at the same time defining axial locating surfaces into which the coupling elements are snap-locked. The different coupling elements, once they have been suitably linked to each other, will each have at least one projection emerging in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal housing in order to engage corresponding slots formed in the car body. Although the last mentioned construction of known type is surely valid as regards anchoring and operating reliability, it has shown important drawbacks too. In particular, since millings are to be executed at the longitudinal housing for access of the coupling elements, an additional working step is clearly involved which will bring about additional production costs. Furthermore, since the main body in which milling is carried out is typically made of a material having good mechanical features, and sometimes is even made of two materials, milling operations are not easy. It is also to note that milling or cutting operations give rise to an important weakening in the structure forming the moulding element, thereby inevitably involving deformations and in particular surely unaesthetical undulations that reduce levelness and observance of the geometrical tolerances in the outer surface of the moulding element. Furthermore, due to the great rigidity of the section member and the presence in many cases of metal cores, problems may arise in carrying out maintenance of the abrasive elements for executing the milling operations, which will result in high working costs and product waste. In addition, the residual presence of possible burrs can cause abrasions and scratches on the painted portions of the car body. It is also known from document US 2020993, which is used to delimitate claim 1, a metal moulding comprising an iron base member and an outer cover attached to the base. The moulding is arcuated in cross-section and the outer cover is inturned about the longitudinal edges of the base member, so as to obtain rigid coupling between the outer cover and the base member itself. This latter presents a plurality of projecting loops insertable through openings provided in the plate to which the moulding is to be secured. Retaining means are inserted into said projecting parts or loops to prevent removal of the moulding from the plate. In forming the moulding, the base member is first shaped to the desired form in cross-section and projecting loops are struck outwardly of the inner side of the base member. Then the outer cover is applied to the base member and forced to close surface contact with the outer surface of the base, by means of the inturning of the edge portions about the longitudinal edges of the base. Document US 2835924 relates to a method for making elongated strips of mouldable material. In particular the elongated strips comprise a longitudinal body having a top portion integrally carrying a preformed strip which presents embedded therein a reinforcing element. The reinforcing element is an elongated body and presents several substantially annular tips projecting from the top surface of the longitudinal strip. Also document DE 4105032 shows an elongated element in the form of a band having a plurality of projections for snap engagement of the elongated member to a corrisponding carrying structure. The projections are rigidly carried by the elongated member. It is also known from document DE 4126442 a moulding element for car bodies comprising retaining elements each adapted to engage a corresponding anchoring region formed on a car body. The retaining element presents opposite coupling portions shaped so as to engage in a corrisponding seat made on a main body of elongated conformation. Once the retaining elements have been anchored to the car, the main body is slidingly fitted over the retaining elements until it reaches its correct position on the car body. Under this situation, it is a fundamental object of the present invention to provide a new embodiment of moulding element for car bodies that, in addition to affording high performance in terms of strength and reliability in time as regards anchoring to the body, is also of cheap production and easy assembling, without on the other hand involving an important increase in material consumption. The foregoing and further objects that will become more apparent in the progress of the present description are substantially attained by a moulding element in accordance with the description of the appended claims. Further features and advantages will be best understood from the detailed description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of a moulding element in accordance with the invention, given hereinafter by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view relating to a coupling side of a moulding element to a car body in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal view in which attachment means for engagement of the moulding element in accordance with the invention with a car body is highlighted; and Fig. 4 is a plan view from top of the attachment means shown in Fig. 3. With reference to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, a moulding element for body cars has been generally identified by reference numeral 1. As already mentioned, the moulding element 1 can be employed as a protection element, aesthetic surface finish or covering element at various regions of a car body, on the sides of the body at the lower edge thereof for example, at the front and rear bumpers, on doors, and so on. The moulding element 1 is comprised of a main body 2 optionally provided with a metal core of an elongated conformation and to be obtained by extrusion, moulding, or other operations, for example. The main body has an outer side 2a with which a surface-finish covering 3 is associated; since this covering is to be rigidly coupled with the main body, preferably it can be joined thereto by injection moulding techniques or coextrusion with the main body. Preferably, although not necessarily, the main body may also be provided with a flexible sealing lip 4 substantially extending over the whole longitudinal extension of the moulding element 1 and having a base portion 4a rigidly engaged with the main body 2. From a construction point of view, coupling tween the main body 2 and sealing lip 4 can be obtained by several different techniques, by coextrusion of them for example, carried out continuously. In order to achieve engagement of the main body 2, hence the moulding element 1, with a corresponding anchoring region 5a formed on the car body 5, attachment means 6 is provided which is operatively associated with the main body at an inner side 2b of said main body opposite to said outer side 2a. In an original manner, the attachment means comprises a continuous support element 7 substantially extending over the whole longitudinal extension of the main body 2 and linked to the latter preferably by fitting in a corresponding longitudinal housing 8 formed in the inner side 2b of the main body 2. The continuous support element 7 is arranged to carry a predetermined number of attachment projections 9 that are rigidly fixed and placed at a given distance from each other. In other words, the continuous support element 7 practically constitutes a rigid connecting element between the different attachment projections 9 so that said projections are joined together in a predetermined number, conveniently spaced apart by a preestablished pitch and in mutual alignment relationship. In more detail, it is to note that the longitudinal housing 8 formed in the main body 2, seen in transverse section has a longitudinal opening 10, also extending substantially over the whole length of the moulding element, arranged to enable said projections 9 to emerge at least partly from the longitudinal housing in order to engage, as mentioned, slots 11 formed in the car body. Still referring to the transverse section, the longitudinal housing 8 has at least one undercut 12 arranged to act and abut against a corresponding abutment portion 13 of the continuous support element 7 to prevent it from being drawn out through the longitudinal opening. It is to note that, in the embodiment shown, two undercuts 12 are preferably provided, for symmetry purposes, and they cooperate with respective abutment portions 13. Practically, both the continuous support element 7 and the longitudinal housing 8 have a transverse bulkiness greater than that of the longitudinal opening 10 at least at predetermined lengths thereof, so that the continuous support element 7 may be received in the housing 8 without being drawn out therefrom through the longitudinal opening 10. Actually, in order to enable coupling of the attachment means 6 with the main body 2 during the assembling step, the longitudinal housing 8 is provided to have, at at least one of its ends, a fitting opening 8a to receive the continuous support element 7 which may pass through the fitting opening itself and may be caused to slide in the housing 8 until it reaches the desired axial positioning. Once the attachment means 6 is conveniently positioned relative to the main body 2, the continuous element is axially fastened by use of axial lock means 14 operatively interposed between the main body and the continuous support element. More specifically, this axial lock means may be conventional locking members of the screw-threaded type for example or, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, a slot 15 having a dovetail-shaped undercut for example, adapted to receive a corresponding portion integral with the main body. It is to note that in the embodiment shown the finish covering 3, once rigidly associated with the main body 2, will have a portion adapted to be inserted in the axial-lock slot 15 formed in the continuous support element 7, so as to retain said element in the axial direction. Referring now to the particular structure of the attachment means 6, it is to note that projections 9 can be of one piece construction with or, alternatively, inserted by snap-fitting, threaded or interference fitting, in the continuous support element which has lightening reliefs 16 disposed at regular intervals between consecutive projections 9. These reliefs can be particularly useful for fastening of support 2 within an injection mould where finish covering 3 is carried out. As particularly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, each of the attachment projections 9 comprises a portion 9a for connection with the continuous support element 7, a connecting neck 9b emerging from said connecting portion 9a away from the continuous support element 7 and adapted, under operating conditions, to pass through the longitudinal opening 10 and possibly the slot on the car body 5, and a head 9c, placed at the end of said connecting neck 9b and having a transverse section of swollen conformation relative to the connecting neck. It is to note that the head of each projection is practically the portion intended for engagement of the corresponding housings or slots 11 formed in the anchoring region 5a of the car body 5 (see Fig. 2). Finally, from the point of view of materials, it is to note that the continuous support element 7 and projections 9 can be made, by moulding for example, of: polyoxymethylene; acetal resins; reinforced polyamides; thermoplastic or thermosetting materials possibly reinforced with fibres of various nature adapted for the purpose; metal alloys. In turn, the main body 2 and covering 3 can be respectively made of: extruded PVC compounds with a metal or fibre core, or any other thermoplastic or thermosetting material or vulcanized rubbers adapted to the purpose, reinforced or not with fibres or metal cores, and of: PVC compounds of the soft type for example, so as to better absorb possible shocks, or any other thermoplastic or thermosetting material or vulcanized rubbers adapted to the purpose. The invention achieves important advantages. It is first to note that the moulding element in accordance with the present invention substantially solves all drawbacks typical of the embodiments of known type, while ensuring an efficient anchoring, high operating reliability and reduced costs, as regards both production of the different elements forming it and assembling of them. It should be in particular recognized that all milling and/or cutting operations necessary for a correct fastening of the attachment means 6 to the main body 2 are substantially eliminated. In addition, due to the particular conformation of the continuous element 7 integrally carrying a plurality of attachment projections, positioning of all projections can be carried out by a single operation, thereby greatly saving time in assembling. In addition to enabling time to be saved in construction and assembling, the moulding element 1 in reference is also very valid because problems of structural weakening are substantially eliminated due to the absence of material-removal operations and, above all, occurrence of permanent deformations or undulations on the substantially finished workpiece is completely excluded. In conclusion, therefore, the moulding element in accordance with the invention can be produced at reduced costs although it reaches qualitative results hardly achievable and only at prohibitive costs with known systems, as regards both observance of geometrical tolerances and mechanical strength.

Claims: A moulding element for car bodies comprising: a main body (2) of elongated conformation; attachment means (6) operatively associated with the main body (2) and adapted to engage a corresponding anchoring region (5a) formed on a car body (5), said attachment means (6) including a continuous support element (7) substantially extending over the whole longitudinal extension of the main body (2) and joined to the main body itself by fitting in a corresponding longitudinal housing (8) formed in said main body (2), said attachment means (6) also including a plurality of attachment projections (9), disposed at a predetermined distance from each other and fastened to the continuous support element (7); said longitudinal housing (8) seen in cross-section having a longitudinal opening (10) to enable said projections (9) to emerge at least partly from the longitudinal housing, and at least one undercut (12) arranged to act and abut against a corresponding abutment portion (13) of the continuous support element (7) to prevent the attachment means (6) from being drawn out through said longitudinal opening (10), characterized in that it further comprises a finish covering associated by injection moulding with an outer side (2a) of the main body (2), in that the continuous support element (7) is provided with lightening reliefs (16) disposed at regular intervals between consecutive projections and in that said longitudinal housing (8) at at least one of its ends has a fitting opening (8a) adapted to receive said continuous support element (7) which is adapted to slide in the housing (8) through the fitting opening (8a)until reaches the desired axial positioning. A moulding element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said main body (2) is defined by an extruded section member. A moulding element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said attachment projections (9) are of one piece construction with the continuous support element (7). A moulding element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each of said attachment projections (9) comprises a portion (9a) for connection with the continuous support element, a connecting neck (9b) emerging from said connecting portion and intended, under operating conditions, for passing through said longitudinal opening (10), and a head (9c) placed at the end of said connecting neck and having, in cross section, a swollen conformation relative to said neck, said head being arranged to engage corresponding housings or slots (11) formed in said anchoring region (5a) of the car body (5). A moulding element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises axial lock means (14) operatively interposed between said main body (2) and said attachment means (6). A moulding element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a flexible sealing lip (4) substantially extending over the whole longitudinal extension of the moulding element and having a base portion (4a) connected to the main body (2). A moulding element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said main body (2) may comprise a stiffening metal core.

Inventors: CITTADINI PAOLO, FERRANTE PIER PAOLO, LAUDWEIN RALF, CITTADINI, PAOLO, FERRANTE, PIER PAOLO, LAUDWEIN, RALF
Applicants: ILPEA IND SPA, INDUSTRIE ILPEA S.P.A.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B60R13
IPC codes: B60R13