Abstract:
A glass run channel for a vehicle door window opening includes first and second mutually spaced legs having relatively high hardness, a trim lip comprising a member having relatively high hardness and a relatively soft laminate covering a surface of the member. The trim lip includes a hard low friction ramp on a reverse facing lip. The trim lip incorporates a low durometer bead at the door surface interference and a low durometer interface to the high hardness leg, allowing the trim lip to operate independently from the inboard leg.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to a vehicle door, and more particularly to a channel that provides a run in which a glass window pane moves. 
         [0002]    The door of a motor vehicle provides a glass run, which guides movement of a glass window pane as the door&#39;s window is opened and closed. A conventional header for the glass run exposes door paint visible from the occupant position between the glass run channel and the body-mounted seal when the door is closed, thereby inducing a low level of perceived quality. 
         [0003]    Other header designs use lengthy trims to conceal the paint, but these components are extremely difficult to install and sometimes result in installation errors. Other techniques to conceal the paint employ a larger width glass run channel, which tends to generate wind noise. 
         [0004]    A need exists in the industry for a door header extrusion that includes means for concealing the paint while providing easy, reliable installation of the weather strip and avoiding installation problems. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    A glass run channel for a vehicle door window opening includes first and second mutually spaced legs having relatively high hardness, a trim lip comprising a member having relatively high hardness and a relatively soft laminate covering a surface of the member, sealing lips having relatively low hardness, secured to and extending from the legs, a lateral lip extending between and secured to the legs, the legs, trim lip sealing lips and lateral lip being formed in one piece. 
         [0006]    The glass run channel seals a moveable glass pane, installs easily and seals against wind noise and water leakage with consistent reliability. 
         [0007]    The glass run channel includes a long trim lip to conceal exposed paint, thereby improving the perceived quality of the vehicle. 
         [0008]    Installation of the glass run channel on the door is facilitated by a dense ramp feature and use of material having a low coefficient of friction. 
         [0009]    The glass run channel includes a reverse trim lip in combination with an engineered column and ramp feature to keep the lip in contact with the closed door. 
         [0010]    The glass run channel avoids the cost of adding a door interior garnish molding, which hides the door paint visible to the interior occupant. 
         [0011]    The scope of applicability of the preferred embodiment will become apparent from the following detailed description, claims and drawings. It should be understood, that the description and specific examples, although indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only. Various changes and modifications to the described embodiments and examples will become apparent to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic, side view of a vehicle door showing a glass run channel located in the window opening; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic, cross section taken at plane  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a glass run channel  30  located for installation around the periphery  26  of a window opening  28  in a vehicle door  32 , such as a door that provides access to a passenger compartment. When referring to glass run channel herein, it refers to an above beltline glass run channel that extends around the periphery of the window opening. 
         [0015]    As  FIG. 2  illustrates, generally the door  32  is a welded assembly of sheet metal components including a door channel member  36 . When the door  32  is closed, an inboard surface  34  of the door  32  contacts and compresses a bead seal  38 , secured to the body  40  of the vehicle. Sealing lips (not numbered) securing the bead seal  38  to the body  40  are shown in their unflexed positions, but would be flexed to secure against the body  40  in an actual installation. The bead seal  38  is known to those skilled in the art and so will not be discussed further herein. 
         [0016]    The glass run channel  30  is a unitary extrusion comprising legs,  42 ,  44 ; sealing lips  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  extending outward from the legs; and a trim lip  46 . The legs  42 ,  44  have a relative high elastic stiffness and relatively high hardness, a preferred durometer being in the range 70 to 90 shore A. The sealing lips  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  have a relatively low elastic stiffness, bending modulus and hardness relative to those of the legs, a preferred durometer being in the range 45 to 70 shore A. 
         [0017]    Preferably the legs and lips of glass run channel  30  are coextruded of thermo plastic vulcanite (TPV); ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), a type of synthetic rubber; polypropylene; or a combination of these materials. TPV provides a wide range of hardness from very hard to very soft and can be extruded with very low-friction coatings. 
         [0018]    The outboard surface  56  of the door&#39;s glass pane  58  contacts sealing lip  48 . The inboard surface of the glass pane can contact three sealing lips  50 ,  52 ,  54 . The sealing lips  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  seal the passenger compartment against wind noise and water leakage. The sealing lips  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  are shown unflexed, but would flex out of the way of the glass pane  58  when installed in the door  32 . 
         [0019]    The trim lip  46  comprises an elastically stiff member  59 , whose preferred upper and lower durometer range is substantially identical to that of the legs  42 ,  44 , and a laminate  60  formed of appearance grade, soft material co-extruded with, and located on the interior surface of the trim lip  46 . A preferred durometer of laminate  60  is in the range 45 to 70 shore A. 
         [0020]    Trim lip  46  is formed with a ramp  64  inclined toward the interior of the vehicle. A bead  66  of the material of the soft laminate  60  located at an end of the ramp  64  contacts surface  62  of the door  32 . No knit line, where the co-extruded materials of member  59  and laminate  60  meet, is visible. The trim lip  46  covers the surface  62  of the door  32  that would otherwise be visible to an occupant of the vehicle. The glass run channel  30  minimizes the width of an exposed paint stripe  68  on surface  62  to about 3 or 4 mm. 
         [0021]    Soft material of the co-extruded glass run channel  30  is located at the intersection of leg  44  and member  59  providing a hinge area  69  that separates the member  59  from the sealing lip  52 , allowing the ramp  64  on trim lip  46  to deflect laterally as it engages surface  62  of the door  32  when the glass run channel  30  is being installed. 
         [0022]    The outboard end of a soft lateral lip  70  is formed with a first finger  72  directed along the glass pane  58  between leg  42  and door member  36 . The thickness of an overlapping strip  74  of the door member  36  faces the end  76  of first finger  72 , thereby obstructing movement of the finger  72  out of the space that contains the glass run channel  30  in the door  32 . When glass run channel  30  is being installed in the door, finger  72  deflects around the thickness of the door member  36  as the header legs  42 ,  44 ,  46  are forced into the door member. Following its installation, finger  72  becomes captured between leg  42  and the adjacent surface of the door member  36 , thereby retaining the glass run channel  30  in the door member. 
         [0023]    Similarly, the inboard end of lateral lip  70  is formed with a second finger  80  directed along the glass pane  58  between leg  44  and the door member  36 . Door member  36  is formed with a joggle that faces the end  82  of the second finger  80 , thereby obstructing movement of the second finger out of the space that contains the glass run channel  30  in the door. When glass run channel  30  is being installed in the door, finger  80  deflects around the joggle as the header legs  42 ,  44 ,  46  are forced into the door member  36 . Following its installation, finger  80  becomes captured between leg  44  and the adjacent surface of the door member. 
         [0024]    With the trim lip  46  incorporating a low durometer bead  66  at the door surface interference and a low durometer interface  69  at the high hardness leg, this allows the trim lip to operate independently from the inboard leg  44 —even though all features are formed in a one-piece extrusion. 
         [0025]    Use of the relatively hard material for the legs  42 ,  44  along long portions of the glass run channel  30  facilitates installation of the glass run channel  30  in the door channel  36 . The glass run channel  30  structurally separates the sealing functions from the trim function such that the trim lip  46  is not affected by the moving glass  58  in the door  32 . 
         [0026]    While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.