Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Storm-front shield – apron – or robe
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-16
2004-11-09
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Storm-front shield, apron, or robe
C276S020000, C276S020000, C276S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814385
ABSTRACT:
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application Serial Number 2001-324022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to molded articles (moldings) that are designed to be disposed around window panels for a vehicle and to window panels, in which a molded article has been disposed thereon (hereinafter “window panel units”).
2. Description of the Related Art
A window panel for a vehicle is typically received within a shouldered window frame that is defined around a window opening formed in a body panel of the vehicle. Generally, in order to shield or cover a clearance between the periphery of the window panel and the window frame, a strip-like resin molded article is attached to the window panel along the periphery of the window panel. Examples of such window panels include a front windowpane (windshield) and a rear windowpane, and examples of the molded article include window moldings (e.g., a weather strip).
As shown in
FIG. 9
, a known window molding
110
for a vehicle includes a head portion
112
, a leg portion
121
, an engagement portion
122
and an elastic lip portion
130
, which portions are integrally molded. The window molding
110
is adapted to closely receive the peripheral edge of a window panel
107
between the head portion
112
and the engagement portion
122
in order to securely attach the molding
110
to the window panel
107
.
However, because the head portion
112
of such window molding
110
has an inherent height or thickness H, the head portion
112
projects from an outer surface
107
c
of the window panel
107
over the height H. Consequently, a step is formed between the window panel outer surface
107
c
and the window molding
110
. Therefore, the window molding
110
was not designed so that an upper or ornamental surface
113
of the head portion
112
is flush with the window panel outer surface
107
c
. As a result, such window molding
110
cannot be used for vehicles that require excellent aerodynamic performance or other such characteristics.
As shown in
FIG. 10
, window molding
210
for a vehicle has been previously invented by the present inventor in order to reduce drawbacks of the known window molding shown in FIG.
9
. The window molding
210
includes a head portion
212
, a leg portion
221
, an engagement portion
222
and an elastic lip portion
230
, which portions are integrally molded. Unlike the window molding
110
shown in
FIG. 9
, the head portion
212
extends in the opposite direction with respect to the engagement portion
222
.
In such window molding
210
, the head portion
212
does not substantially extend over an outer surface
207
c
of a window panel
207
. Therefor it is possible to design the window molding
210
such that an upper or ornamental surface
213
of the head portion
212
is substantially flush with the window panel outer surface
207
c.
However, the window molding
210
thus constructed cannot be reliably or securely attached to the window panel
207
, because the head portion
212
does not contact the window panel outer surface
207
c
. As a result, a gap may be produced between the peripheral edge of the window panel
207
and the window molding
210
, which gap is not desirable. Also, the window molding
210
thus constructed may possibly slip or fall off of the window panel
207
during use.
In addition, when the window molding
210
is attached to a corner or curved portion (not shown) of the window panel
207
, the head portion
212
is bent or flexed along the curvature of the window panel corner portion. As a result, compressive stresses will be produced at a radial inner side of the head portion
212
. While, tensile stresses will be produced at a radial outer side of the head portion
212
. When these stresses are produced in the head portion
212
, corresponding restoring forces for relieving such stresses may be applied to the head portion
212
. As a result, the inner side of the head portion
212
may be outwardly bent or deformed (i.e., toward the exterior of the vehicle). On the other hand, the outer side of the head portion
212
may be inwardly bent or deformed (i.e., toward the interior (cabin) of the vehicle). Such deformation of the head portion
212
may spoil an attractive appearance of the window molding
210
.
Further, in some applications, an ornamental film
216
may be provided on the upper surface
213
of the head portion
212
for decorative purposes. However, if the film
216
has less flexibility, the head portion
212
may significantly deform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, one object of the present invention to provide improved molded articles for use with a vehicle. It is another object of the present invention to provide improved window panel units that include a molded article disposed around a peripheral edge of a window panel for a vehicle.
For example, in one aspect of the present invention, molded articles for a vehicle are described that may be arranged and constructed to be received within a space or clearance defined between a window frame of a vehicle body panel and a peripheral edge of a window panel disposed therein. Representative molded articles may include a molding body arranged and constructed to partially contact the window panel when the molded article is received within the space. An elastic lip preferably extends from the molding body and is arranged and constructed to partially and elastically contact the window frame. In this case, the elastic lip will elastically deform when the molded article is received within the space. Further, a connecting strip may extend between the elastic lip and the molding body. The connecting strip is preferably arranged and constructed to apply a force to a portion of the molding body when the elastic lip is elastically deformed.
Molded articles according to the present invention can be reliably secured within the space, because the connecting strip presses the molding body against the window panel when the molded article is disposed within the space or clearance between the vehicle body and the peripheral edge of the window panel. In addition, the molding body can be effectively prevented from undesirably deforming at the corners of the window panel, because the molding body may preferably forcibly supported by the connecting strip. Therefore, the present molded articles maintain an attractive appearance when disposed in the vehicle.
Other objects, features and advantage of the present invention will be readily understood after reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings and the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5001876 (1991-03-01), Harper et al.
patent: 5248179 (1993-09-01), Biermacher et al.
patent: 5553423 (1996-09-01), Kato
patent: 5603546 (1997-02-01), Desir, Sr.
patent: 5752352 (1998-05-01), Goto et al.
patent: 5779297 (1998-07-01), Flauss
patent: 6095586 (2000-08-01), Yada et al.
patent: 6227598 (2001-05-01), Ichioka et al.
patent: 6238769 (2001-05-01), Nishio et al.
patent: 6332640 (2001-12-01), Cornils et al.
patent: 6460300 (2002-10-01), Mikkaichi et al.
patent: 6487823 (2002-12-01), Lagrue
patent: 2003/0090122 (2003-05-01), Meizlish
patent: 405338438 (1993-12-01), None
patent: 406099734 (1994-04-01), None
Dayoan D. Glenn
Gutman H.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Tokai Kogyo Co. Ltd.
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