SEALING, TRIMMING, GLASS-GUIDING OR FINISHING STRIPS

Abstract: A sealing strip (6), such as for a vehicle door frame, comprises a gripping part (10) of channel-shape and a tubular sealing part (8). The sealing part (8) is made of extruded material which incorporates metallised or metal particles to modify or enhance its externally visible appearance.

Description: SKAT, TNG, TRTMMTNG : G ASS-GUTDTNG OR FINISHTNG STRTPS The invention relates to sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing strips. Sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing strips embodying the invention, and to be described in more detail below by way of example only, are for use in carrying out sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing functions in motor vehicle body construction. According to the invention, there is provided a sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing strip, made with extruded material and defining an externally visible surface, the material at least where it defines the externally visible surface having metallised or metal particles incorporated in it. According to the invention, there is also provided a method of modifying or enhancing the appearance of a sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing strip, made with extruded material and defining an externally visible surface, comprising the step of incorporating metallised or metal particles into the material at least where it defines the externally visible surface. Sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing strips embodying the invention, for use in motor vehicle bodies, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a motor vehicle to which the strips may be fitted; Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the sealing strips in cross-section; and Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 2 but shows a modification. Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle body 5 with one of its doors removed to show a sealing strip 6 mounted around the periphery of the door opening. In use, the closing door closes onto the sealing strip 6 to provide a weather-tight seal. One form of the sealing strip 6 is shown in Figure 2. It comprises a sealing portion 8 and a gripping or mounting portion 10. The gripping portion 10 is in the form of a longitudinal channel 12. In use, this is embracingly clamped to the surround of the door opening. More specifically, the surround of the door opening is normally defined by a flange where the inner and outer body panels are welded together. As shown in Figure 2, the gripping portion 10 comprises a reinforcing core or carrier 14 such as made of resilient metal or other material, which is embedded in flexible material 16 such as rubber or plastics material. For example, the carrier 14 may be made of metal and in the form of (inverted) U-shaped elements arranged side-by-side to define the channel 12 and connected together by integral short connecting links or disconnected from each other. Other forms of carrier are, of course, possible. The carrier may be made of wire looped to and fro. The carrier 14 may be incorporated in the material 16 using a cross-head extruder. The carrier need not be made of metal. A flexible but substantially non-extensible tape may be incorporated into the material 16. The material 16 is formed to define integral gripping lips 18 positioned on the opposite inside facing walls of the channel 12. These make contact with the opposite faces of the flange and increase the frictional gripping of the gripping portion 10. Advantageously, the material of the lips 18 is arranged to be softer than the remainder of the extruded material 16 to increase the frictional grip of the lips against the flange. As shown in Figure 2, the material 16 is formed to define a so-called "cosmetic lip" 20. This is used to cover over, and to help to secure, the edge of a trim panel or the like inside the vehicle body. The gripping portion 10 may be provided with a fabric covering 21. The sealing portion 8 is of generally hollow tubular form comprising foamed material 22 to which may be co-extruded with the material 16. However, it is not necessary for the material 22 of the sealing portion 8 to be co-extruded with the material 16 of the gripping portion 10. Instead, the sealing portion 8 may be made separately, by extrusion from appropriate material(s), and then secured to the gripping portion 10 by adhesive. In use, the gripping portion 10 mounts the sealing strip on the door surround, so that the sealing portion 8 extends around the door opening, on the outside of the vehicle body. The closing door thus partially compresses the sealing portion 10 which thereby provides a weather-tight seal. When mounted in ths way, the mouth of the channel 12 will of course face away from the centre of the door opening. In accordance with a feature of the strip being described, the material of the sealing section 8 has its external appearance modified or enhanced by the addition of metallised or metal particles. These may be added to the material 22 during or before the extrusion process. Pigments may also be added to the material 22 to colour it. Figure 3 shows a modification in which the sealing section 8 is provided with an external skin 24 which is of unfoamed material. Such a skin is advantageously added, by means of an extrusion process, when the material 22 is of open-cell foam such as when the material 22 is a thermoplastic elastomer material, for example. Where such a skin is provided, the metallised or metal particles are added to the material of the skin 24, instead of to the material 22. In certain cases, where it is described to modify or enhance the appearance of the gripping section 10, the metallised or metal particles may be added to the material during or before the extrusion process. In such a case, there would of course be no fabric covering 21. The use of added metallised or metal particles for appearance modification or enhancement purposes may also be applied to extruded plastics or similar material used to produce window guide channels or waist belts for sealing against movable glass window panes alongside the slot through which they emerge from or are lowered into the lower part of the vehicle door.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A sealing, trimming, glass-guiding or finishing strip, made with extruded material (22) and defining an externally visible surface (22,24), characterised in that the material at least where it defines the externally visible surface (22,24) has metallised or metal particles incorporated in it. 2. A strip according to claim 1, characterised in that the extruded material comprises a base part (22) at least partly covered with a skin (24), the skin (24) defining the externally visible surface. 3. A strip according to claim 2, characterised in that the metallised or metal particles are incorporated in the skin (24). 4. A strip according to claim 2 or claim 3, characterised in that the base part (22) is made of foamed material. 5. A strip according to claim 4, characterised in that the base part (22) is of open- cellular foam. 6. A strip according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that the skin (24) is unfoamed. 7. A strip according to any preceding claim, characterised in that it is in the form of a longitudinal compressible sealing part (8). 8. A strip according to claim 7, characterised in that the sealing part (8) is carried by a longitudinally extending mounting part (20) for mounting the sealing part (8) along the surround of an opening to be sealed. 9. A strip according to claim 8, characterised in that the mounting part (20) is made with extruded material (16) and defines a further externally visible surface, the material (16) of the mounting part (20) at least where it defines the externally visible surface having metallised or metal particles incorporated in it. 10. A strip according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the mounting part (20) is channel-shaped. 11. A method of modifying or enhancing the appearance of a sealing, trimming, glass- guiding or finishing strip, made with extruded material (22) and defining an externally visible surface (22,24), characterised by the step of incorporating metallised or metal particles into the material at least where it defines the externally visible surface (22,24).

Inventors: VAN DEN OORD HENRICUS, VAN DEN OORD, HENRICUS
Applicants: DEN OORD HENRICUS VAN, DRAFTEX IND LTD, DRAFTEX INDUSTRIES LIMITED, VAN DEN OORD, HENRICUS
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B60J10
IPC codes: B60J10, B60R13