Abstract:
An attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding in which the window glass and the glass molding are attached to a glass fitting section of a vehicle body via a molding clip having a glass holding section and a molding attachment section, wherein: the glass holding section is engaged with a peripheral edge of the window glass such that relative movement between the window glass and the glass molding is possible only in a direction along the peripheral edge; the molding attachment section is attached to the glass molding; and the relative movement is restricted along an inside-outside direction of the vehicle body but is allowed in a direction along the surface of the window glass.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-262042, filed on Sep. 27, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a structure and a method for attaching a window glass and a glass molding to a vehicle body. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In some vehicles, a quarter glass is provided at the rear side face of the vehicle body, and a glass molding is arranged around the peripheral edge of this quarter glass. Technology associated with such vehicles has been proposed in which a glass spacer is fitted to the peripheral edge of a vehicle side glass fitting section, and the quarter glass is secured by adhesive to a glass spacer, after which the glass molding is secured by pressing it into clip portions on the glass spacer (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H08-58383). 
         [0006]    However, in such a conventional attachment structure, because the quarter glass and the glass molding engage separately with the glass spacer, some displacement will occur between the quarter glass and the glass molding in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, if the glass molding is made of a metallic sheet material or the like which is prone to deformation, deformation of the glass molding may cause problems when fitting the glass molding to the glass spacer, and thereby deteriorating the easiness of assembling. 
         [0008]    The present invention has an object of providing a structure and a method for attaching a window glass and a glass molding, which prevent displacement between the window glass and the glass molding in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body, and improve the easiness of assembling. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention employs the followings. Namely, the present invention employs an attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding in which the window glass and the glass molding are attached to a glass fitting section of a vehicle body via a molding clip having a glass holding section and a molding attachment section, wherein: the glass holding section is engaged with a peripheral edge of the window glass such that relative movement between the window glass and the glass molding is possible only in a direction along the peripheral edge; the molding attachment section is attached to the glass molding; and the relative movement is restricted along an inside-outside direction of the vehicle body but is allowed in a direction along the surface of the window glass. 
         [0010]    According to the attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding, movement of the window glass in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body is restricted by the glass holding section of the molding clip, and the relative movement between the window glass and the glass molding in a direction along the peripheral edge of the glass is allowed by sliding of the window glass within the glass holding section. As a result, no displacement occurs between the window glass and the glass molding in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body. Furthermore, because the glass molding, when attached to the vehicle side glass fitting section, engages with and is held by the peripheral edge of the window glass via the molding clip, deformation of the glass molding will not occur, and thereby improving the assembly process. 
         [0011]    It may be arranged such that the molding clip further includes a clip elasticizing device which contacts the peripheral edge of the window glass and presses the molding clip towards a peripheral wall of the glass fitting section; and the glass molding includes a molding elasticizing device which contacts the peripheral wall of the glass fitting section and applies a repulsion force to the glass molding in a direction away from the peripheral wall. 
         [0012]    In this case, the glass molding is subjected to elastic force from the edge face of the window glass and the vehicle side glass fitting section, by way of the clip elasticizing device of the molding clip and the molding elasticizing device of the glass molding. Accordingly, because the glass molding is positioned at the location where the elastic forces of the clip elasticizing device and the molding elasticizing device balance each other, the easiness of assembling can be further improved. 
         [0013]    It may be arranged such that a plurality of the molding clips are arranged along an extending direction of the glass molding. 
         [0014]    In this case, the glass molding is held in a stable and highly rigid manner by the plurality of molding clips. As a result, the easiness of assembling can be further improved. 
         [0015]    It may be arranged such that the glass molding is substantially U-shaped, including a pair of substantially straight sections extending along the peripheral edge of the window glass, and a curved section which follows the curve of the window glass and connects the pair of substantially straight sections to each other; and a plurality of the molding clips are arranged along the extending direction of the pair of substantially straight sections. 
         [0016]    In this case, the substantially U-shaped glass molding which is easily deformed about the curved section is supported in a highly rigid manner by the plurality of molding clips. As a result, the glass molding, together with the window glass, can be stably attached to the vehicle side glass fitting section. 
         [0017]    In addition, the present invention also employs an attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding for attaching the window glass and the glass molding to a glass fitting section of a vehicle body, the attachment structure including: a molding clip which connects between the window glass and the glass molding such that relative movement between the window glass and the glass molding is allowed only in a direction along a surface of the window glass; and an biasing device which is provided between the glass fitting section and the window glass, and that biases the molding clip towards the window glass. 
         [0018]    According to the attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding as described above, the relative movement between the window glass and the glass molding attachment structure is allowed only in the direction along the surface of the window glass via the molding clip. Furthermore, the glass molding is urged towards the window glass by the urging device. Accordingly, displacement between the window glass and the glass molding in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body can be prevented, and the easiness of assembling can be further improved. 
         [0019]    In addition, the present invention also employs an attachment method for a window glass and a glass molding where the window glass and the glass molding are attached to a glass fitting section of a vehicle body via a molding clip having a glass holding section and a molding attachment section, the attachment method including: attaching the molding attachment section to the glass molding; engaging the glass holding section with a peripheral edge of the window glass such that relative movement between the window glass and the glass molding is allowed only in a direction along the peripheral edge of the window glass; and restricting the relative movement in an inside-outside direction of the vehicle body, while allowing the relative movement along a surface of the window glass. 
         [0020]    According to the attachment method for a window glass and a glass molding, in the same manner as when the attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding described above is used, displacement of the window glass in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body is restricted by the glass holding section of the molding clip, and the relative position between the window glass and the glass molding in a direction along the glass surface is adjusted by sliding of the window glass within the glass holding section. As a result, no displacement occurs between the window glass and the glass molding in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body. Furthermore, because the glass molding, when attached to the vehicle side glass fitting section, engages with and is held by the peripheral edge of the window glass via the molding clip, deformation in the glass molding will not occur, and thereby improving the assembly process. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the rear part of a vehicle body according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a glass assembly according to the embodiment, viewed from the reverse side. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a glass assembly according to the embodiment, viewed from the reverse side. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a molding clip according to the embodiment. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another molding clip according to the embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0027]    An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, “front” and “rear” refer to the front and rear in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and “top” and “bottom” refer to the top and bottom in the vertical direction. 
         [0028]    In  FIG. 1 , reference numeral  1  denotes a vehicle which uses an attachment structure for a window glass and a glass molding according to the present invention, reference numeral  2  denotes a rear quarter glass serving as the window glass, reference numeral  3  denotes a hollow sealing lip which attaches to the front edge of the rear quarter glass  2  and closely contacts the rear edge of a rear side door  4 , and reference numeral  5  denotes a glass molding which, with the exception of the front edge, is attached to the peripheral edge of the rear quarter glass  2 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are, respectively, an exploded perspective view of a glass assembly including the rear quarter glass  2  and the glass molding  5  and the like viewed from the reverse side (the inside of the vehicle body), and a perspective view showing the glass assembly in its assembled state. FIG  4  is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0030]    The rear quarter glass  2  has a substantially triangular shape, of which the angular portion facing the rear of the vehicle body is curved in a circular arc shape, the base is substantially parallel with the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the side adjoining the base is inclined downward from the roof towards the rear of the vehicle body. The rear quarter glass  2  is attached to a rearward vehicle panel  6 . A vehicle side glass fitting section  7  which is recessed in a stepped manner, is provided at the position where the rear quarter glass  2  attaches to the vehicle panel  6 . 
         [0031]    The hollow sealing lip  3  is formed so as to have a substantially constant cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal direction, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , the base side thereof is adhesively fastened to the front end of the rear quarter glass  2 . Furthermore, glass clips  8  are adhesively secured to the front edge of the reverse side of the rear quarter glass  2  at two vertically spaced locations. The glass clips  8  each have a foot section  8   a  which protrudes towards the inside of the vehicle body, and these foot sections  8   a  are each inserted into a positioning hole (not shown) on the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 . 
         [0032]    On the other hand, the glass molding  5  is composed of a plurality of components, most significantly, a thin-walled metallic sheet material exposed primarily to the vehicle exterior. The overall shape of this glass molding  5 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is substantially a U shape consisting of a pair of substantially straight regions (substantially straight sections) a 1  and a 2  corresponding to the base and rear oblique side of the rear quarter glass  2 , and a curved region (curved section) b which connects the substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2 . At the outside peripheral edge of the glass molding  5 , an elastic lip  30  (molding elasticizing device) is provided in an integral manner, the edge of which closely contacts a peripheral wall  7   a  of the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 . Consequently, the peripheral wall  7   a  applies a repulsion force to the glass molding  5  in a direction away from the peripheral wall  7   a.    
         [0033]    Anchoring molding clips  10  with foot sections  10   a  which protrude towards the inside of the vehicle body, are provided near the end of each of the substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2  at the open end of the U, and on part of the curved region b. The foot sections  10   a  of these anchoring molding clips  10  are each inserted into a positioning hole (not shown) on the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 . 
         [0034]    Furthermore, the substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2  of the glass molding  5  are formed so as to have a box shape in cross-section which is open on the reverse side as shown in  FIG. 4 . A plurality of molding clips  11  and  12  are attached to the inside of the open part on reverse face of the substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a molding clip  11  attached to the substantially straight region a 1 . As shown in this figure and in  FIG. 4 , in the molding clip  11 , a pair of sandwiching pieces  14  and  15  is provided in a protruding manner on a substantially rectangular clip base  13 , which together form a groove shaped glass holding section  16 . This glass holding section  16  sandwiches the edge  2   a  of the rear quarter glass  2  such that the glass can slide in a direction along the glass surface. Furthermore, on the clip base  13 , a flat biasing projection  17  (clip elasticizing device) which extends obliquely towards the open side of the glass holding section  16 , is provided so as to contact the edge face of the rear quarter glass  2  engaged within the glass holding section  16 . Accordingly, the elasticity of the biasing projection  17  forces the molding clip  11  towards the peripheral wall  7   a  of the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 . 
         [0036]    Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 5 , on the one sandwiching piece  14 , a pair of locking projections  18  is provided whose ends extend away from the sandwiching piece  14  and engage with the inner peripheral wall Sa of the glass molding  5 . In addition, on the back of the clip base  13  (the surface opposite to that where the glass holding section  16  is formed), a stepped locking section  20  is formed as shown in  FIG. 4 , which locks the edge of the outer peripheral wall  5   b  of the glass molding  5 . The glass molding  5  is attached to the molding clip  11  so as to cover part of the clip base  13  and the one sandwiching piece  14 , and is held in place by the locking projections  18  and the locking section  20 . In this embodiment, the locking projections  18  and the locking section  20  constitute the molding attachment section. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 5 , ribs  21  are formed on the surface of the one sandwiching piece  14  which contacts the side face of the rear quarter glass  2 . These ribs  21  are formed along the direction of the opening of the glass holding section  16 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the molding clip  12  attached to the other straight region a 2 . As shown in this figure and in  FIG. 4 , the molding clip  12  has substantially the same construction as the molding clip  11  described above, with the exception that ribs  22  are provided instead of the biasing projection  17  on the clip base  13  at positions facing the edge face of the rear quarter glass  2 . Other parts of the molding clip  12  that serve the same function as those in the molding clip  11  are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description is omitted. 
         [0038]    When attaching the rear quarter glass  2  and the molding clip  12  to the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 , first the glass molding  5  is assembled, and then the anchoring molding clips  10  and the molding clips  11  and  12  are attached at predetermined locations of the glass molding  5  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0039]    On the other hand, the hollow sealing lip  3  and the glass clips  8  are attached to the rear quarter glass  2  in advance. 
         [0040]    Next, the groove shaped glass holding section  16  of each molding clip  11  and  12  attached as described above to the glass molding  5 , engages with the edge  2   a  of the rear quarter glass  2  on the base and rear oblique side, in a freely sliding manner (see  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 ). The glass assembly including the glass molding  5  having undergone preliminary assembly is inserted into the depression in the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 , where the glass clips  8  at the front end of the rear quarter glass  2  and the anchoring molding clips  10  at three locations on the glass molding  5  engage with the each corresponding positioning hole in the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  respectively. 
         [0041]    When the glass assembly is inserted into the depression in the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  as described above, the elastic lip  30  on the outer periphery of the glass molding  5  makes pressure contact with the peripheral wall  7   a . As a result, the pair of substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2  of the glass molding  5  are pushed towards the rear quarter glass  2  by the elasticity of the elastic lip  30 . On the other hand, the molding clips  11  and  12  attached to the substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2  of the glass molding  5  are pushed towards the peripheral wall  7   a  of the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  by the edge face of the rear quarter glass  2 , via the glass holding section  16 . Accordingly, the glass molding  5  is maintained at the proper position between the rear quarter glass  2  and the peripheral wall  7   a  of the vehicle side glass fitting section  7 . In particular, the molding clip  11  attached to the upper substantially straight region a 1  is pushed towards the peripheral wall  7   a  of the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  by the elasticity of the biasing projection  17  which contacts the edge face of the rear quarter glass  2 . As a result, the substantially straight region a 1  of the glass molding  5  is automatically positioned where the elastic forces of the elastic lip  30  and the biasing projection  17  balance each other. 
         [0042]    Moreover, because an adhesive  32  is applied in advance between the rear quarter glass  2  and the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  as shown in  FIG. 4 , the rear quarter glass  2  and the glass molding  5 , once properly positioned, are secured to the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  by the adhesive  32  which is spread around. 
         [0043]    As described above, with the attachment structure and method of the present invention, because the molding clips  11  and  12  are attached to the glass molding  5  so as to sandwich the edges of the rear quarter glass  2  in the glass holding section  16 , displacement between the glass molding  5  and the rear quarter glass  2  in the inside-outside direction of the vehicle body can be reliably prevented. 
         [0044]    Furthermore, the glass molding  5  is attached to the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  not separately, but in the form of a glass assembly incorporating the rear quarter glass  2 . Consequently, despite the glass molding  5  having a thin-walled substantially U-shaped construction whose overall shape is prone to deformation, the glass molding  5  can be easily attached to the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  together with the rear quarter glass  2 . 
         [0045]    Furthermore, the attachment structure and method of the present invention provides an advantage in that the glass and the glass molding can be fitted to the vehicle body with great efficiency because the position of the glass molding  5  is automatically adjusted to an appropriate position where the elastic forces of the biasing projection  17  of the molding clip  11  and the elastic lip  30  of the glass molding  5  balance each other. 
         [0046]    In addition, in this embodiment, because the molding clips  11  and  12  are provided at a plurality of locations along the longitudinal direction of the glass molding  5 , the glass molding  5  is supported in a stable and highly rigid manner by the rear quarter glass  2 . Accordingly, the glass molding  5  can be easily assembled into the vehicle side glass fitting section  7  together with the rear quarter glass  2 . 
         [0047]    In particular, in this embodiment, because a plurality of molding clips  11  and  12  are provided along the extending direction of the substantially straight regions a 1  and a 2  of the easily deformable substantially U-shaped glass molding  5 , the easiness of assembling can be further improved. 
         [0048]    While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated above, it should be understood that this is exemplary of the invention and is not to be considered as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing description, and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.