Weather strip for automobile

• US 6,684,575 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Nishikawa Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company), Nishikawa Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Ogawa, Takashi, Yamashita, Takashi, Raisu, Syuuji, Oda, Hiromu
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US10/186,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 494/751, 494/901, 494/951, 494/981
• US Class Current: 49/498.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/248 having two or more tubular cavities, e.g. formed by partition walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/277 for facilitating specific deformation of sealing parts, e.g. for ensuring proper folding
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/38 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/84 arranged on the vehicle body

Abstract

A weather strip includes an attachment base (10) and a hollow seal portion (30). The hollow seal portion (30) is integrally moulded with the outer wall (11) of the attachment base (10), and it makes a resilient contact with the door (42) when the door (42) of a vehicle is closed. The hollow seal portion (30) has a first wall (31), second wall (32), third wall (33), fourth wall (34) and bridge (35). The bridge (35) is spanned between the second wall (32) and the fourth wall (34). The hollow seal portion (30) includes bending points which bend when the door (42) is closed. The bending points include a connection part (51) formed between the second wall (32) and the third wall (33), a connection part (52) formed between the third wall (33) and the fourth wall (34), and a connection part (53) formed between the first wall (31) and the fourth wall (34).

Claims

1. A weather strip for a vehicle, said weather strip comprising:

an attachment base and a hollow seal portion,

wherein said attachment base is U-shaped in section and attached to a flange provided along with a door opening of a body of the vehicle, and said hollow seal portion is integrally moulded with an outer wall of said attachment base and makes resilient contact with a door of the vehicle when the door is closed, and

wherein;

said hollow seal portion includes a first wall a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall and a bridge;

said first wall protrudes from the outer wall of the attachment base near a bottom wall of the attachment base;

said second wall is formed longer than the first wall and protrudes from a near end of the outer wall;

said first wall and second wall extend from the outer wall in opposite directions;

said third wall is connected with an end of the second wall at one end, forming an approximately rectangular shape with the second wall;

said fourth wall is connected to another end of the third wall at one end, and is connected with an end of the first wall at another end;

said fourth wall is made longer than the first, second and third walls and has a bulge curved toward outside of the vehicle; and

said bridge spans between the second wall and the fourth wall;

said hollow seal portion has bending points which bend when the door of the vehicle is closed, and said bending points include a connection part formed between the second wall and the third wall, a connection part formed between the third wall and the fourth wall, and a connection part formed between the first wall and the fourth wall.

2. A weather strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connection part formed between the second wall and the third wall and the connection part formed between the third wall and the fourth wall are formed thinner than other portions of the hollow seal portion.

3. A weather strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein said bridge is bulge curved toward the first wall.

4. A weather strip as claimed in claim 3, wherein said attachment base comprises an inner metal member embedded therein, and said inner metal member extends approximately to a middle of the second wall.

5. A weather strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein said attachment base comprises an inner metal member embedded therein, and said inner metal member extends approximately to a middle of the second wall.

6. A weather strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bridge is bulge curved toward the first wall.

7. A weather strip as claimed in claim 6, wherein said attachment base comprises an inner metal member embedded therein, and said inner metal member extends approximately to a middle of the second wall.

8. A weather strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein said attachment base comprises an inner metal member embedded therein, and said inner metal member extends approximately to a middle of the second wall.