Window enclosure for an automotive upper door frame

• US 5,317,835 A
• Filed: 09/10/1992
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henniges Automotive Sealing Systems North America Incorporated (Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Gencorp Incorporated
• Inventors: Schneider, Steven E., Dupuy, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): KANNAN, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US07/942,867
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 49/440, 49/441, 49/502, 49/374, 49/375, 49/376, 49/377, 49/378
• US Class Current: 49/441
• 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 10/235 the parts being joined along their longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/265 the surface being primarily decorative
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/27 having projections, grooves or channels in the longitudinal direction for separately inserted fastening means, e.g. beads or strips, B60J10/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/30 characterised by the fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/75 for sealing the lower part of the panes
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/76 for window sashes; for glass run channels
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/78 adjacent to corner pieces, mirror supports or quarter windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/79 for flush-glass windows, i.e. for windows flush with the vehicle body or the window frame

Abstract

A window enclosure strip is provided for a window mounted in a vehicle door. The strip includes a mount channel which cooperates with a mount member on the door. The strip also includes a glass run portion having an exterior glass contacting member and an interior glass contacting member which form a seal with the window pane when the window pane is in a closed position in the vehicle. Further, the seal strip includes a self-trim for the door interior and exterior. The mount channel is formed of a relatively stiff material so as to eliminate the need for an additional stiffening member. On the other hand, the interior and exterior glass sealing members are relatively soft for the purposes of sealing against water, air, and noise. A continuous cut-line seal is provided to bridge the gap between the door and the body and reduce wind noise and water intrusion.

Claims

1. A window enclosure strip for a movable windowpane mounted in a vehicle door, said door including a mount member, said enclosure strip comprising;

a relatively rigid polymeric mount channel capable of being fixed onto said mount member and having a first side wall and a second side wall connected by a transverse web;

a glass run channel having a relatively flexible polymeric interior sealing lip and a relatively flexible polymeric exterior sealing lip, each of said lips having glass contacting surfaces being biased into a sealing contact with said window pane when said window pane is in a closed position in said vehicle and said glass run channel including a relatively flexible lateral glass contacting surface which is capable of contacting a lateral edge of said window pane and which is at least partially coextensive with a side wall of said mount channel, and said interior sealing lip comprising a continuous web having an anchoring edge, said anchoring edge cooperating with a continuous groove, said continuous groove being formed in a wall of said mount channel;

an exterior reveal trim member having a lateral interior surface and a lateral exterior surface, said lateral interior surface being at least partially adjacent the transverse channel of said mount channel and said lateral exterior surface forming a smooth continuous wind contacting surface and being at least partially co-extensive with said exterior sealing lip of said glass run channel; and

said mount channel, said glass run channel and said exterior reveal trim member being an integral unit having functionally isolated components.

2. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount channel is substantially self-supported.

3. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount channel includes a ridge which projects into said mount channel and which cooperates with said mount member to bias said mount channel into position on said mount member.

4. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 3, wherein said mount channel includes a series of said ridges.

5. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 4, wherein said mount channel includes an extending lip, said lip cooperating with said door so as to seal said channel and said window from intrusion by dust.

6. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 5, wherein said lip is formed of a material which is softer than the material of said channel.

7. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channel includes at least one stiffening shoulder.

8. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said exterior sealing lip has a laterally extending leg including a laterally extending surface, said laterally extending surface being capable of contacting a window pane lateral surface, and said exterior sealing lip further comprising a longitudinally extending member, said longitudinal member contacting a longitudinal surface of said window pane.

9. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 8, further including a cut-line seal member, wherein said exterior sealing lip is integral with and distal to said cut-line seal member.

10. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mount channel has a lateral surface which opposes said mount member, and said reveal trim member has a lateral surface which opposes the lateral surface of the mount channel.

11. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said window is a glass cassette window.

12. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 1, wherein said reveal trim surface extends backward into said glass run channel to form said exterior sealing lip, said exterior sealing lip having a glass contacting surface which is continuous with said reveal trim surface.

13. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 12, said interior sealing lip biases said movable window into contact with said glass contacting surface.

14. A window enclosure strip as set forth in claim 13, wherein said upper door frame is an integral portion of a window glass cassette.