Automobile weatherstripping

• US 4,702,039 A
• Filed: 01/28/1987
• Issued: 10/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GDX North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gencorp Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bocchinfuso, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US07/007,543
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 49/491, 49/490, 49/497, 49/498, 49/496, 49/475, 24/289, 24/555
• US Class Current: 49/490.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/16 consisting of two or more plastic materials having different physical or chemical properties B60J10/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/242 with vent holes
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/33 characterised by the configuration of the retaining lips
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/80 specially adapted for opening panels, e.g. doors for non-fixed roofs B60J10/90
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2309 with a hollow sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2314 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44855 Terminal end of resilient member having engagement or disengagement enhancing structural modifications

Abstract

A resilient weatherstrip for an automobile door is described as having a hollow, mushroom-shaped bulbous portion which is integral with a metal reinforced carrier that attaches to the flange of the automobile frame surrounding the door. The carrier has special fingers with stops for engaging abutments which project into the opening through which the flange passes as the carrier is mounted in the door opening. The flange pushes the fingers apart so that the stops will interlock with the abutments should the carrier attempt to leave the flange.

Claims

1. A resilient weatherstrip between two parts, one of which is stationary and the other of which is movable in relation thereto, comprising:

(a) a hollow bulbous portion for compressively engaging the movable part as it moves towards the stationary part, the bulbous portion being mushroom shaped having cap and stem portions, the bulbous portion in cross-section including;

(I) a cap portion which has an outer surface which is smoothly curved outwardly away from the stem portion; and

(II) a stem portion which has a pair of spaced apart legs which curve inwardly towards each other from the cap portion in a direction away from the cap portion, the legs being thinnest adjacent to the cap portion and increasing in thickness as they extend from the cap portion which also increases in thickness from the legs to the peak of the cap portion and which is thicker than the legs adjacent the cap portion, so that the legs at their thinnest portion will bend more easily than the cap portion, one of the legs having at least one aperture therein for allowing the escapement of air from within the hollow bulbous portion; and

(b) means for fastening the bulbous portion to the stationary part.

2. The weatherstrip of claim 1, wherein the means include:

(b) a carrier for attachment to the stationary part, the carrier, in cross-section, including;

(III) a generally U-shaped body with an open end in longitudinal spaced relation from a closed end, and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending from the closed end to the open end.

(IV) a pair of abutments projecting from the sidewalls inwardly towards each other into the space between the sidewalls, the abutments each having a stop engaging face in spaced relation from the open end of the body.

(V) a pair of fingers extending from the sidewalls adjacent the open end of the body inwardly towards the closed end of the body beyond the abutments and terminating at free distal ends, the fingers designed to compressively engage therebetween, a flange of the stationary part;

(VI) a pair of stops at the free distal ends of the fingers for engaging the abutments when the carrier is mounted on a flange of the stationary part and the carrier attempts to leave the flange; and

the abutments and stops having engaging faces which are substantially parallel and which are normal to the longitudinal axis of the space between the sidewalls of the body.

3. A resilient weatherstrip between two parts, one of which is stationary and the other of which is movable in relation thereto, comprising:

(a) a carrier for attachment to the stationary part, the carrier, in cross-section, including;

(I) a generally U-shaped body with an open end in longitudinal spaced relation from a closed end, and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending from the closed end to the open end;

(II) a U-shaped piece of metal embedded in the closed end and sidewalls of the body;

(III) a pair of abutments projecting from the sidewalls inwardly towards each other into the space between the sidewalls, the abutments each having a stop engaging face in spaced relation from the open end of the body.

(IV) a pair of fingers extending from the sidewalls adjacent the open end of the body inwardly towards the closed end of the body beyond the abutments and terminating at free distal ends, the fingers designed to compressively engage therebetween, a flange of the stationary part;

(V) a pair of stops at the free distal ends of the fingers for engaging the abutments when the carrier is mounted on a flange of the stationary part and the carrier attempts to leave the flange; and

(b) a hollow bulbous portion extending from the carrier for compressively engaging the movable part when it moves towards the stationary part, the bulbous portion being mushroom shaped and including;

(VI) a cap which has an outer surface that is smoothly curved outwardly in a direction away from the carrier; and

(VII) a stem between the cap and the carrier, the stem comprising a pair of spread legs which curve inwardly towards each other from the cap to the carrier, the legs being thinnest adjacent the cap and uniformly increasing in thickness toward the carrier, the cap likewise increasing in thickness from the legs to the peak of the cap and being thicker than the legs adjacent the cap, so that the legs will more easily bend, and one of the legs having at least one aperture for allowing the escapement of air from within the hollow bulbous portion.

4. The weatherstrip of claim 3, wherein the abutments and stops have engaging faces which are substantially parallel to each other and normal to the longitudinal axis of the space between the sidewalls to provide a positive interlock between the abutments and stops.

5. The weatherstrip of claim 4, wherein the bulbous portion is normal to the carrier which is designed for attachment to a flange of an automobile frame adjacent a door opening.

6. The weatherstrip of claim 4, wherein the bulbous portion is axially aligned with the carrier which is designed for attachment to a flange of an automobile frame adjacent a decklid opening.

7. A resilient weatherstrip between two parts, one of which is stationary and the other of which is movable in relation thereto, comprising:

(a) a carrier for attachment to the stationary part, the carrier, in cross-section, including;

(I) a generally U-shaped body with an open end in longitudinal spaced relation from a closed end, and a pair of opposing sidewalls extending from the closed end to the open end;

(II) a pair of abutments projecting from the sidewalls inwardly towards each other into the space between the sidewalls, the abutments each having a stop engaging face in spaced relation from the open end of the body;

(III) a pair of fingers extending from the sidewalls adjacent the open end of the body and inwardly towards the closed end of the body beyond the abutments and terminating at free distal ends, the fingers designed to compressively engage therebetween, a flange of the stationary part;

(IV) a pair of stops at the free distal ends of the fingers for engaging the abutments when the carrier is mounted on a flange of the stationary part and the carrier attempts to leave the flange;

the abutments and stops having engaging faces which are substantially parallel to each other and normal to the longitudinal axis of the space between the sidewalls to provide a positive interlock between the abutments and the stops; and

(b) a hollow bulbous portion extending from the carrier for compressively engaging the movable part when it moves toward the stationary part.

8. The weatherstrip of claim 7, which includes a U-shaped piece of metal embedded in the closed end and sidewalls of the carrier.

9. The weatherstrip of claim 8, wherein the bulbous portion is normal to the carrier which is designed for attachment to a flange of an automobile frame adjacent a door opening.

10. The weatherstrip of claim 8, wherein the bulbous portion if axially aligned with the carrier which is designed for attachment to a flange of an automobile frame adjacent a decklid opening.

11. The weatherstrip of claim 8, wherein the bulbous portion is mushroom shaped and includes;

in cross section,

(V) a cap portion which has an outer surface which is smoothly curved outwardly away from the stem portion; and

(VI) a stem portion which has a pair of spaced apart legs which curve inwardly towards each other from the cap portion in a direction away from the cap portion, the legs being thinnese adjacent the cap portion and increasing in thickness as they extend from the cap portion which also increases in thickness from the legs to the peak of the cap portion and which is thicker than the legs adjacent the cap portion, so that the legs at their thinnest portion will bend more easily than the cap portion;

one of the legs having at least one aperture therein for allowing the escapement of air from within the hollow bulbous portion.