Moulding element for motor vehicle bodies and method for realization thereof

• US 7,121,060 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Industrie Ilpea S.p.A (Ilpea Parent Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Industrie Ilpea S.p.A (Ilpea Parent Incorporated)
• Inventors: Laudwein, Ralf, Ferrante, Pierpaolo, Cittadini, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, Phi Dieu Tran
• Application Number:
  US09/868,740
• Time in Patent Office: 2,855 Days
• Field of Search: 527/165, 522/11, 522/13, 527/166, 527/167, 428/99, 428/122, 428/60, 242/89, 242/97, 293/128, 296/188, 296/291, 296/497, 296/187.01, 296/205
• US Class Current: 52/716.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/04 External Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices thereon fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12

Abstract

A moulding element for motor vehicle bodies has been realized wherein a main section bar (2) of elongated conformation is engaged to attachment projections (9) presented by a correspondent securing area (5a) of a body (5) of a motor vehicle. The engagement between main section bar (2) and body (5) occurs by means of the interposition of a continuous support element (7) presenting a pre-set number of seats (11) able to be engaged to a pre-set number of fastening projections (9) of the body.

Claims

1. Moulding element for motor vehicle bodies comprising:

a main section bar (2) of elongated conformation;

attachment means (6) operatively associated to the main section bar (2) and destined to engage a corresponding securing area (5a) of a body (5) of a motor vehicle, said attachment means (6) including;

a continuous support element (7) engaged to the main section bar (2), said support element (7) presenting a pre-set number of attachments seats (11) located at a pre-set mutual distance for engagement with corresponding projections carried by said securing area (5a);

a longitudinal seat (8) on the main section bar (2) for receiving said continuous support element (7), the longitudinal seat (8) presenting in cross-section a longitudinal opening (10) to allow access to said attachment seat (11) and undercuts (12) acting in opposition on corresponding bearing portion (13) of the continuous support element (7), wherein said undercuts (12) of the main section bar (2) are capable of preventing extraction of the attachment means (6) through the longitudinal opening, said main section bar (2) and said continuous support element (7) not being made in resilient material; and

a flexible seal lip (4) extending longitudinally along substantially the entire length of the moulding element itself and presenting a base portion (4a) engaged to the main section bar.

2. Moulding element according to claim 1, wherein:

said longitudinal seat (8) corresponds to said continuous support element (7), the continuous support element (7) being inserted in the corresponding longitudinal seat (8);

in a first operative condition of the moulding element (1), where the continuous support element (7) is separated from the body (5), the continuous support element (7) is exclusively and directly engaged only with the main section bar (2) and, in the second operative condition of the moulding element (1) where the moulding element (1) is fully assembled and mounted on the body (5), the continuous support element is directly and exclusively attached to the main section bar (2) and to the projections (9) carried by said securing area (5a);

no other attachment means being associated to the continuous support element (7) for directly attaching the support element to the body (5).

3. Moulding element according to claim 2, wherein said longitudinal seat (8) presents, in correspondence with at least one end, an insertion opening (8a) to receive said continuous support element.

4. Moulding element according to claim 1, comprising axial locking means (14) operatively interposed between said section bar (2) and said attachment means (6).

5. Moulding element according to claim 1, comprising a finish coating (3) associated to an outer side (2a) of the main section bar, said fish coating (3) being associated to the main section bar by means of injection moulding.

6. Moulding element according to claim 1, wherein said main section bar comprises a stiffening metal core.

7. Moulding element according to claim 3, wherein the main section bar (2) presents a substantially “

C”

shaped cross section defining within its own interior the longitudinal seat (8), said seat comprising two undercuts (12), set to act in opposition on corresponding bearing portions (13) of the continuous support element (7) to prevent the extraction of the attachment means (6) through the longitudinal opening.

8. Moulding element according to claim 1, wherein the continuous support element (7) presents a preset number of attachment seats (11) delimited at least in one side of the continuous element (7) destined to face the body, by a peripheral lip defining closed line.

9. Moulding element according to claim 8, wherein the peripheral lip delimiting the attachment seat (11) defines at least an area (11a) for the insertion of fastening projections (9) and at least an area (11b) for blocking the fastening projections (9) in an axial direction of motion of the moulding element away from the body, the fastening projections (9) of the body comprising a head and a connecting stem between the head and the body, said head presenting a radial dimension greater than the radial dimension of the stem.

10. Moulding element according to claim 9 wherein in correspondence with the blocking area (11b), the peripheral lip presents a projecting portion (15) defining at least an undercut (16) set to act in opposition on a corresponding arrest portion of the head of the projection (9) to prevent separating motions between the moulding element (1) and the body (5) of the vehicle.

11. Moulding element according to claim 1, wherein the continuous support element (7) presents a pre-set number of attachment seats (11) each delimited at least in one side of the continuous element (7) destined to face the body, by a peripheral lip defining an open line connected to the subsequent and to the preceding seat.

12. Moulding element according to claim 11, wherein the peripheral lip delimiting the attachment seat (11) defines at least an area (11a) for the insertion of fastening projections (9) and at least an area (11b) for blocking the fastening projections (9) in an axial direction of motion of the moulding element way from the body, the fastening projections (9) of the body comprising a head, and a stem connecting the head and the body, said head presenting a radial dimension greater than the radial dimension of the stem.

13. Moulding element according to claim 12 wherein in correspondence with the blocking area (11b), the peripheral lip presents a projecting portion (15) defining at least an undercut (16) set to act in opposition on a corresponding arresting portion of the head of the projection (9) to prevent separating motions between the moulding element (1) and the body (5) of the vehicle.