Tubular Or Tubular Portion Patents (Class 49/498.1)
  • Patent number: 7363749
    Abstract: A seal assembly is provided for sealing a motor vehicle defining an opening having a periphery, and having a flange extending about the periphery. The seal assembly includes a base. The seal assembly also includes spaced apart locking and positioning legs extending out from the base. The positioning and locking legs define a channel therebetween for receiving the flange. A retention portion is fixedly secured to the positioning leg and extends into the channel continuously along the positioning leg to bias the flange against the locking leg such that the seal assembly is locked into engagement over the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Decoma International Inc.
    Inventors: Faisal Sultan, Munish Jain, Antonio Aguiar
  • Patent number: 7340862
    Abstract: A sealing gasket-support combination includes a sealing gasket for mounting on a support on a motor vehicle door. The support includes at least one corner having a small radius of curvature. The gasket includes at least a flexible or semi-rigid fixing portion fixed to the support by an adhesive. The gasket also includes an elastically-deformable tubular portion for providing sealing. The elastically-deformable portion includes a non-deformed cross-section in a free state and a deformed cross-section in a deformed state that is due to the corner of the support, wherein once the gasket has been mounted on the support, the deformed cross-section occupies an area that is substantially within the area occupied by the non-deformed cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Hutchinson
    Inventors: Sylvain Baratin, Stéphane Drivon
  • Patent number: 7306839
    Abstract: The core mold in the molding device (51) for forming the molded member (4) of the weather strip (1) is provided with a center core (61) having a center core body (63), and a side core (62) having a pair of side core bodies (66L, 66R) The base bottom portion (21) of the molded member (4) is made so that a center slit (33) having substantially an H-shape, a pair of slide slits (32L, 32R), and slit-less bridge portion (34). In order to open the molds, the side core (62) is slid, and the center core body (63) is thereby separated from the side core bodies (66L, 66R). The center core body (63) is thereby withdrawn from the weather strip (1), and the side core bodies (66L, 66R) thereafter are withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kubo, Masahiko Ito
  • Publication number: 20070245635
    Abstract: To provide an attachment structure of a weather strip for a vehicle capable of maintaining high-level sealing property even if the vehicle door is sucked outside during the run, while keeping excellent door-closing performance. The attachment structure comprises a base member to be attached to a retainer formed in a door sash, and a hollow seal portion integrally formed with the base member. The hollow seal portion is brought into contact with a body panel while the door is closed. A part of the body panel with which the hollow seal portion makes an elastic contact is configured as a parallel-sealing surface in parallel or roughly parallel to a sucked-out direction of the door during the run.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Koso Deguchi, Eiichi Baba, Hiromu Oda, Eiji Ono
  • Patent number: 7281354
    Abstract: A weather strip mounted on a door open edge of a vehicle body has a hollow sealing portion which includes first and second hollow portions which are connected. The second hollow portion protrudes from a side of an attaching portion which is mounted onto a flange of the door open edge, and the first hollow portion protrudes from the second hollow portion. The hollow sealing portion has an outer side, with which a door is brought into contact, the outer side including at least one surface of each of the first and second hollow portions and being, a smoothly continuous curved surface without any discontinuous points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyonori Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20070209286
    Abstract: In a molded part composed of a seal, which is integrally formed at the lower end of a weather-strip mounted to a front pillar of an open-top car, and which covers the upper end of the seal of an inner seal mounted to the body at the lower side and joined, and a seal lip that makes flexible contact with an interior trim, a retainer with an L-shaped cross-section is integrally formed on the rear surface of the lip, and this retainer abuts the flange of the body panel; concurrently, it abuts the interior trim from the rear surface, whereby the lip base is supported, and when a door is closed and the seal of the molded part is compressed, floating of the end of the lip from the interior trim 12 is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventor: Junji Nadano
  • Publication number: 20070199247
    Abstract: A weather strip for a motor vehicle, which is capable of being elongated or contracted upon the attachment to a vehicle body, thereby facilitating the attachment thereof. The weather strip has a ring-shaped configuration by connecting longitudinal ends thereof to each other with a connecting section, and includes a base portion for attachment to a flange provided in a closing member for closing an opening in a vehicle body or an opening portion around the opening, and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion for contacting a facing member, that is the opening portion or the closing member and sealing a gap therebetween. The base portion includes at least a bottom wall and an outer side wall and has a generally L-shaped cross-section. A double-sided adhesive tape is bonded to an interior face of the outer side wall except for a predetermined area which ranges between both longitudinal ends of the connecting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kisato Oba, Masahiro Nozaki
  • Patent number: 7252294
    Abstract: A weather strip has a trim part adapted to be mounted on a flange, a seal part having a hollow portion and a cover lip. The trim part has a bottom wall portion, and an interior and an exterior side wall portions which constitute a pair of side wall portions and is formed into a shape, as a whole, having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and an insert of a center bonded type is embedded in the interior of the trim part so constructed. In a skeletal piece of the insert, an angle ?a formed by a bottom wall part embedded in the bottom wall portion and an internal part embedded in the interior side wall portion and an angle ?b formed by the bottom wall part and an external part embedded in the exterior side wall portion are made to form acute angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Yamada, Satoshi Inagaki, Hiroshi Kuzuya
  • Patent number: 7197850
    Abstract: A door weather strip has a mounting base portion, a hollow seal portion, a sub-seal lip, and a backside seal lip. Leading lips are provided in the middle of a front pillar part in such a way as to connect the backside seal lip to the sub-seal lip. Each of the leading lips forms an acute angle with respect to an extending direction of the backside seal lip. Especially, in an attached state, an intersection angle ? formed between the backside seal slip and each of the leading lips is set to be smaller than an angle ? formed between the extending direction of the backside seal lip, and a vertical line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Mizutani, Atsushi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7178809
    Abstract: A roof weather strip for use in a convertible car is composed of a plurality of weather strip pieces corresponding to the folding of a sliding roof thereof. When the sliding roof is unfolded to form a roof of the convertible car, longitudinal end parts of adjacent roof weather strip pieces contact each other to define a continuously extending roof weather strip for sealing a side edge of the sliding roof. Each of the weather strip pieces has a base portion, a tubular door glass-sealing portion, and a sliding roof-sealing portion. In each of the longitudinal end parts, the sliding roof-sealing portion is formed tubular, and the tubular sliding roof-sealing portion and the tubular door glass-sealing portion are closed with end faces, respectively, which are provided in each of the longitudinal end parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kuzuya, Yoshihiro Kurosaki, Toshiya Miyashita
  • Patent number: 7082721
    Abstract: An illuminating weatherseal (10) can seal a gap between confronting surfaces and illuminate the adjacent environment. The illuminating weatherseal includes a light emitting line (80) extending along a longitudinal dimension of the weatherseal (10), wherein the light is emitted from the light emitting line (80) along a path non coincident with the longitudinal dimension. A switch can be incorporated into the illuminating weatherseal (10) for selectively actuating the light emitting line (80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Schlegel Corporation
    Inventor: William Whitehead
  • Patent number: 7083222
    Abstract: There is provided a mounting structure of a weather strip comprising a weather strip 2 mounted on a door panel 1A or a body panel 1B of an automobile. The weather strip 2 comprises a fin portion 4 formed in a die molded part 3 of the weather strip 2 to cover existing holes 1b or mounting holes 1a formed in the panel 1, an insert plate 6 mounted in the fin portion 4, a locking projection 7 protrudely formed from the insert plate 6 and projects out of the fin portion 4, and an engagement member 8 attached to the locking projection 7 capable of disconnecting. The engagement member 8 is inserted into a existing hole 1b or an mounting hole 1a formed in the panel 1 for an engagement and to mount the weather strip 2 on the panel 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromu Oda, Kouji Nawate
  • Patent number: 7080485
    Abstract: A gasket for forming a seal between an outer door member and an inner door member, as well as a cabinet of a refrigeration unit. The gasket is adapted to seal the inner door edge of the inner door member to the outer door member, as well as between the outer door member and the cabinet. The gasket includes a semi-rigid profile portion joined to a bellows seal portion. The profile includes a base with a substantially C-shaped cross-section having upper and lower sections and a vertical or oblique section therebetween. An elbow piece formed at the lower section acts as a hinge for allowing elastic splaying of the lower section to snap-engage the edge of the inner door member. The lower section includes a projection that interfaces with an entire perimeter of the inner door member and that is directed toward the upper section to engage with a corresponding grooved seat formed on the inner door member. The bellows portion forms a seal with the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Industrie Ilpea S.p.A.
    Inventor: Paolo Cittadini
  • Patent number: 7052072
    Abstract: In order to attach a seal on an aperture rim of a motor vehicle body in the space-frame design, wherein said aperture rim is edged by a profile frame and is closable by means of a door or flap, for the purpose of minimising the installation effort as well as the weight, the invention provides for a profile seal (13a, 14a) comprising a lip (13a, 14a) to be jammed between the profile frame (1) and a cover panel (11) which edges the outside of the profile frame (1) and is attached to said profile frame (1), wherein said seal is supported at the rear by the profile frame (1), which is profiled accordingly, so that the closing force which is exerted on said profile seal (13, 14) by the door (T1, T2) or flap can be absorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Stahl AG
    Inventor: Lothar Patberg
  • Patent number: 7045189
    Abstract: A molding for closing a recess between a pair of body panels includes a head portion, a stem portion, and at least one leg member. The head portion has a width sufficient to close the opening when the molding is installed in the recess. The stem portion can be formed of a harder plastic material than the leg member and has a width enabling the stem portion to pass through an opening in the recess. The leg member is formed of a softer material and extends from the stem portion for frictional engagement with the side wall of the recess. A living hinge can be formed in the leg member to facilitate deflection of the leg member during insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors of Canada Limited
    Inventors: Paul Hui, William J. Raymor
  • Patent number: 7017305
    Abstract: In a weather strip fitted to a body opening section, a bulkhead between a seal hollow chamber and a hollow chamber is so configured as to form an opening angle not smaller than right angle toward an outside of the body opening section constantly in each section, relative to a load input direction when a door panel is closed. The hollow section is constantly assumes an approximately the same deflection, irrespective of the input direction when the door panel is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kinugawa Rubber Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Ikuta
  • Patent number: 6988766
    Abstract: A sealing structure for providing a seal between panels composing a roof panel with excellent sealing properties and good appearance therearound. The roof panel includes at least one sliding panel and non-sliding panels arranged adjacent to the sliding panel in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle roof, and a weather strip is attached to provide a seal between the sliding panel and the non-sliding panels. The weather strip has a base portion for attachment to a frame member, and a tubular seal portion formed integrally with the base portion on the upper side thereof. The tubular seal portion has a bridge part in an interior space thereof to support the tubular seal portion against the sliding panel which is in its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Yamada
  • Patent number: 6972140
    Abstract: A door opening trim weather strip for a motor vehicle, which exhibits excellent noise insulating properties between a door opening portion of a vehicle body and a door of a motor vehicle, and requires a small force for closing the door, thereby improving feelings in closing the door. The door opening trim weather strip includes a trim portion in which a flange provided in the door opening portion is adapted to be inserted, and a tubular seal portion for sealing between the door opening portion and the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6968649
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement comprising a channel-shaped mounting portion which includes a support member supporting a seal portion. A covering covers the seal portion and a portion of both the mounting portion and the support member. The support member includes a metal reinforcement for preventing wrinkling of the seal portion at bends of the sealing arrangement. The sealing arrangement further includes an anisotropic web made of a textile or similar material which connects the mounting portion to the support member to counteract the forces of gravity on the seal portion. The web is more stretchable in a longitudinal direction of the web than in a lateral direction of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Laird Holdings Limited
    Inventor: Henricus Van Den Oord
  • Patent number: 6966590
    Abstract: A resilient seal is mountable around the edge of an opening in a sidewall of a mobile living quarters through which a slide-out room travels. The seal includes two parts that slide together—a mounting portion and a-bulb seal portion—with the bulb seal portion being compressed when the slide-out room is closed. A wiper seal portion extending from the mounting portion is for contacting the adjacent wall of the slide-out room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Inventors: Edwin E. Ksiezopolki, Norman L. Newhouse, II
  • Patent number: 6938378
    Abstract: A weather strip for attachment along a side of a roof of a motor vehicle has a bottom portion to be attached to a door opening portion and a seal wall of which side ends are respectively connected to the bottom portion. The bottom portion and the seal wall define a tubular space of which the height is less than the width thereof. A widthwise inside half of the bottom portion is composed of a solid rubber, and is attached to the door opening portion via a base plate of a roof-side moulding. A widthwise outside half of the bottom portion and the seal wall are continuously formed of a sponge rubber. The widthwise outside half of the bottom portion serves as an extended part of the seal wall, and flexes along with the seal wall when the seal wall is pushed by a door glass upwardly, thereby sufficiently wrapping a peripheral edge of the door glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nozaki, Shuji Nakano
  • Patent number: 6936320
    Abstract: A weather strip has a molded section and extruded sections. A seal part of the molded section is connected to an end face of a hollow seal part of the extruded section. Concave cutout portions, which serve as a deformation facilitating portion or a stress absorbing portion, are respectively formed in regions of the seal part, each of which is located in the vicinity of a connection surface between the seal part and a corresponding one of the extruded sections. The molded section is made of TPO instead of a rubber material. Although stress acting in the direction of extension of the weather strip may be applied, the presence of the concave cutout portions limits the concentration of stress on the connection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kubo, Masahiko Ito
  • Patent number: 6932415
    Abstract: The present invention is a door sealing assembly for sealing a vehicle door to a body. The door includes a frameless door glass and a mirror patch adjacent a front edge of the door glass. The assembly includes a first seal member that is adapted to be attached to the vehicle body and sealingly engages the mirror patch, and a second seal member that is adapted to be attached to the vehicle body and sealingly engages the door glass. A third seal member is adapted to be attached to the mirror patch and sealingly engages the door glass and the second seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Darren M. Van Houzen, John James Senopole
  • Patent number: 6889472
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a weather strip attached to a flange (2) of a door opening part (1) of a vehicle body and that has a mounting base part (51) and a hollow seal part (52) in which tip ends of side-face projections (521,522) protruding from one side face of the mounting base part (51) so as to increase the width of the hollow seal part (52) toward the tip ends thereof are connected to each other by a seal wall (523). The projecting widths of the side-face projections (521,522) are changed in each of a first part (5A), a second part (5B), and a third part (5C), each of which is provided along a corresponding one of a roofside portion (1A), a front vertical portion (1B), and a rear vertical portion (1C) of the door opening (1). This changes the tilt angle of the seal wall 523 with respect to the flange (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nozaki, Shuji Nakano, Masaki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6883847
    Abstract: A flange cover with a trim lip is provided for finishing a vehicle flange, wherein the flange cover can include a seal. The flange cover is affixed to a single side of the flange and the trip lip projects from an opposed side of the flange to be spaced from the flange. The trim lip can be sized to contact an interior trim piece of the vehicle to occlude a gap between the flange and the interior trim piece. A seal can be operably located on an outside surface of a flange engaging leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Schlegel Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin R. Willett
  • Patent number: 6877279
    Abstract: A sealing apparatus for a closure includes an elongated seal strip having a longitudinal length and including a flexible and resilient seal portion defining a substantially hollow cavity. The sealing apparatus further includes a bumper member comprising a bumper element positioned within the cavity. Methods of making a sealing apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen Russell, Kenichi Kitayama, John Barlow, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6854225
    Abstract: A self-adjusting loading dock seal engages a vehicle and facilitates at least one of loading and unloading thereof relative to a loading dock. The loading dock seal includes at least one dock attachment member, a dock seal member, and at least one spring-loaded adjustment member. The dock attachment member is configured for attachment to a loading dock. The dock seal member is positioned above the dock attachment member and is configured for sealingly engaging a vehicle positioned thereagainst. Each spring-loaded adjustment member operatively connects a dock attachment member to the dock seal member, and is configured for facilitating limited vertical movement of the dock seal member relative to the dock attachment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignees: United Parcel Service of America, Inc., M&J Shelton Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Shelton, Robert Michael Esperto
  • Patent number: 6849310
    Abstract: A contiguous surface film for a composite strip, such as a weatherseal is disclosed, wherein the surface film is formed of a colliquefied powder coating. The surface film can be located on a carrier, sealing or trim portion of the weatherseal, wherein the surface film can be colored, and selected to provide a desired surface characteristic such as reduced coefficient of friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Schlegel Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin R. Willett
  • Patent number: 6848217
    Abstract: A weather strip for sealing a gap between an opening and a partition panel in a vehicle, including a grip part attached on the vehicle body, a lip part that contacts the partition panel, and a connection part connecting the grip part with the lip part. The grip part, the lip part, and the connection part being integral with each other, and upper surfaces of the grip part and the lip part are formed approximately as a flat plane so as to improve a waterproof property of the weather strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Hashimoto, Sugami Mitate, Akira Tamagawa
  • Patent number: 6843024
    Abstract: A weather strip having a high sealing capability and an aesthetic appearance when attached to a vehicle body. The weather strip includes an extruded portion and a molded portion connected to the extruded portion and having a trim and a hollow seal. The trim includes a first wall from which the hollow seal extends. The first wall has a slot provided with a rounded corner. A second wall extends from the first wall in a direction opposite the hollow seal. A third wall extends from the second wall in a manner opposing the first wall. The third wall includes a cutaway portion defined at a position facing the slot of the first wall. The cutaway portion includes a rounded corner. A core used to mold the hollow seal of the molded portion is removed from the molded portion through the slot and the cutaway portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nozaki, Yoshihisa Kubo, Tomonori Inoue
  • Publication number: 20040261322
    Abstract: A sealing gasket for mounting on a support that is to receive it, in particular on a motor vehicle door, the support presenting at least one corner of small radius of curvature, the gasket comprising at least a flexible or semi-rigid fixing portion fixed to its support by an adhesive, and an elastically-deformable tubular portion for providing sealing, wherein once the gasket has been mounted on its support, the elastically-deformable portion is such that in said corner of the support, its right section is subjected to deformation that occupies an area that lies substantially within the area occupied by the right section of the gasket when in the free state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Sylvain Baratin, Stephane Drivon
  • Publication number: 20040255520
    Abstract: A sealing gasket for mounting around a motor vehicle door presenting at least one corner of small radius of curvature, the gasket being mounted directly on its support without being subjected to any specific localized treatment operation in a support corner of small radius of curvature, and comprising at least a flexible or semi-rigid fixing portion fixed by adhesive to its support and an elastically-deformable tubular portion for providing sealing, wherein the elastically-deformable portion of the gasket is given a shape extending from its fixing portion that is generally triangular, being defined by two lateral pillars which between them form an angle of about 10° to 80°, and which are united by an arch, said angle being defined using two straight lines passing substantially through the middles of the two lateral pillars at ⅖ths and at ⅘ths of the total height of the gasket measured from its fixing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Sylvain Baratin, Bertrand Florentz
  • Patent number: 6832451
    Abstract: There is provided a weather strip for use on a sunroof which can be firmly built in a seal holder even if there occur variations in molding dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignees: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Yachiyo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamashita, Masayuki Daio, Masaharu Ohnishi, Hirofumi Yamane, Tatsuaki Uehara, Koichi Hotta
  • Patent number: 6820372
    Abstract: A sealing structure includes a door opening portion formed around a door opening in a vehicle body, and a weather strip secured to the door opening portion. The weather strip has a base portion and a tubular seal portion which is pushed by a vehicle door when the door opening is closed. End edges of an outer body panel and an inner body panel which compose the door opening portion are placed on and joined to each other, thereby forming a flat joint. The outer body panel has a concave surface from the outside of the flat joint to a side surface of the vehicle body. The concave surface is composed of a first surface which bends from the outside of the flat joint into an L-shaped configuration and extends outwardly of the door opening portion, and a second surface which bends from the first surface into an L-shaped configuration and extends towards the side surface of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Nozaki
  • Patent number: 6814393
    Abstract: The sealing strip of the present invention includes a retention section having an upper hub, a first retention leg, a second retention leg rearward of the first retention leg, an upper recess rearward of the upper hub, and first and second lower recesses. The first lower recess is positioned between the first and second retention legs and the second lower recess is positioned rearward of the second retention leg. The sealing strip also includes a sealing section formed with the retention section. The invention is also related to a vehicle panel assembly including a first panel having a channel, a second panel, and a sealing strip coupled to the first panel. The sealing strip includes a retention section having an upper hub, a first retention leg, a second retention leg, an upper recess, and first and second lower recesses. The sealing strip again includes a sealing section which is integrally formed with the retention section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nagata
  • Patent number: 6811213
    Abstract: There is provided a weather strip for use on a sunroof capable of preventing squeak noises being generated in advance between a hollow seal part and a roof panel during traveling of a car by allowing the hollow seal part to satisfactorily follow vibrations of the roof panel. The weather strip ensures sealing property between a roof glass mounted on the sunroof of a car and a roof panel and comprises a built-in base part attached to the roof glass, and a hollow seal part composed of continuous ends integrally formed with the built-in base part and having substantially a circular cross section, a tip end contact part elastically contacting the roof panel, wherein thicker parts protruding inward and being continuous with the built-in base part are formed on the continuous ends of the hollow seal part and protrusions protruding inward are formed on substantially middle parts between the continuous ends and the tip end contact part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignees: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Yachiyo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yamashita, Masayuki Daio, Masaharu Ohnishi, Hirofumi Yamane, Tatsuaki Uehara, Koichi Hotta
  • Publication number: 20040144036
    Abstract: A weatherseal, especially for sealing a door, a window pane or roof of a motor vehicle, is provided with a base body made of a first elastomeric material. The base body comprises a sealing portion as well as a fastening portion. The fastening portion is joined to an adhesion body defining a materially positive connection of the base body to a component. To achieve good economy by relatively cost-effective fabrication the adhesion body is made of a second elastomeric material having a cellular structure and comprising a contact surface to which an adhesive is applied. Base body and adhesion body are coextruded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Metzeler Automotive Profile Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Knut Heyden, Thomas Sterk
  • Patent number: 6739094
    Abstract: A weatherseal employing a magnetic appendage for enhancing the sealing with a mounting surface. The weatherseal includes an elastomeric base that conforms to and engages the mounting surface. The seal portion extends from the base for selective engagement with a second surface, such as a door of a vehicle. An appendage is fabricated from a magnetic elastomer that is sufficiently flexible to conform to irregularities in the mounting surface. Preferably, only the appendage is formed of the magnetic elastomer to achieve an effective seal with only a small amount of the expensive magnetic elastomer to enhance the seal with the mounting surface and avoid, for example, the use of more expensive welded mounting channels that add undesired weight to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Cooper Technology Services, LLC
    Inventors: David Harold Berry, Zuoxing Yu, Jonathan William Edward Stanley
  • Publication number: 20040088925
    Abstract: A door seal structure for sealing between a door opening portion of a vehicle body and a door frame of a vehicle door. The door seal structure has a protrusion formed in the door frame and protruding inwardly of a glass run holding part for holding a glass run, and a cover member for covering the protrusion and concealing it from a vehicle compartment when the vehicle door is closed. The protrusion has a longitudinally extending depression near a protruding wall of the protrusion, and an inner end edge of the cover member is seated in the longitudinally extending depression. When the vehicle door is closed, the protrusion of the door frame is not seen from the vehicle compartment, and the inner end edge of the cover member does not contact a tubular seal portion of an opening weather strip attached along the door opening portion to prevent wear of the tubular seal portion. Accordingly, the appearance and durability around the door frame are improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventor: Masahiro Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20040079032
    Abstract: A seal includes a deformable body portion and a base portion. The base portion defines a base cavity and an aperture extending from the base cavity to a groove extending along the outer surface of the base portion. The aperture is adapted to receive a post fastener, while the groove is adapted to receive a radial stop of the post fastener in a recessed position. The base portion includes first and second lips that are received within clip portions provided by a clip. The seal is secured to the peripheral surface of the door such that a first portion of the seal is attached to the door with the clips while a second portion of the seal is attached to the door with the post fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Stephen Russell, John Collins, Kazuo Onodera
  • Patent number: 6723414
    Abstract: A vehicle glass run is formed with a horizontal-side extrusion part, vertical-side extrusion parts, and corner molding parts for connecting the terminal ends of those in an L shape by molding. The horizontal-side extrusion part and the vertical-side extrusion parts are made of a first material of an olefin thermoplastic elastomer. The corner molding parts are made of a second material which is an olefin thermoplastic elastomer and has a viscosity lower than that of the first material. The material swiftly reaches the terminal ends of the extrusion parts, and heat welds them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Aritake, Hitoshi Omori
  • Publication number: 20040051427
    Abstract: Sealing assembly comprising a bellows-scal gasket (20) and a profile (1) with a base (3) provided, at opposite ends, with sealing strips (4, 15) and a groove (23) for a replacement of the bellows-seal gasket (20); the profile (1) has at least one side branch (7) terminating in a grooved scat (9) with a C-shaped cross-section for receiving an edge (28) of an inner door panel (31) against which a sealing strip (2) provided at the end of the grooved seat (9) is pressed under the action of elastic return of the side branch (7); the inner door panel (31) is bend with a radius that ensures an optimal contact with one of the sealing strips (15) of the base (3) of the profile (1). The bellows-seal gasket (20) and the profile (1) may be formed of plastic material in a single piece or fitted together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Paolo Cittadini, Adriano Merla
  • Publication number: 20040040215
    Abstract: There is provided a weather strip for a car without a metal insert which comprises a grip part having a U-shaped grip body in section and a seal part integrally molded to the outer surface of the grip part. The weather strip is installed to a flange provided to a door opening, a trunk portion and the like. The grip body is unprovided with a metal insert, and, at least, the bottom wall and the inner wall of the grip part is made of highly hardened rubber or resin having a hardness of more than Hs 90 degree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Fujita, Syuuji Raisu
  • Publication number: 20040031203
    Abstract: A sealing apparatus for a closure includes an elongated seal strip having a longitudinal length and including a flexible and resilient seal portion defining a substantially hollow cavity. The sealing apparatus further includes a bumper member comprising a bumper element positioned within the cavity. Methods of making a sealing apparatus are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Stephen Russell, Kenichi Kitayama, John Barlow
  • Patent number: 6685252
    Abstract: A seal arrangement is used for a folding roof of a hardtop vehicle, which has a front roof part, a rear roof part and a frame. The rear roof part can be moved from a closed position into a storage position inside a rear luggage space. The frame has a rear window and is pivotable in relation to the lateral roof pillars. The seal arrangement includes a sealing strip at least partially disposed in a region adjacent to a front end of the rear window, and an additional seal extending under the rear window and from the region of the pivoting axis to a rear edge of the rear window. The sealing strip extends under the front roof part and the lateral roof pillars and into a region of a pivoting axis of the rear window. The sealing strip includes a main seal having a surface, a comfort seal, and a channel disposed between the main seal and comfort seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Graf, Uwe Wacker
  • Patent number: 6684575
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignees: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromu Oda, Syuuji Raisu, Takashi Yamashita, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6684574
    Abstract: A U-shaped insert for a weather strip includes a plurality of segments, which are spaced apart by a predetermined interval. Adjacent pairs of the segments are attached together by a pair of coupling members. The coupling members of each pair of the segments are substantially parallel to one another. Acutely angled corners are formed by each coupling member and the segments to which it is attached. The acutely angled corners include notches, which are cylindrical and extend into the associated segment. This permits deformation of the insert, while the insert resists tensile deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keizo Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20040006921
    Abstract: A seal having a wall or element contoured and of a predetermined shape as, for example, in the form of a right circular cylinder, an extension member and a curved sheet member joined to an extension member, with the curved sheet member along the element and curved about the element such that the curved sheet member is spaced from a surface to which the extension member is attached, such as a window sill, so that the curved sheet member is spaced from the surface and the element rolls and is compressed to seal the interface between the sash and the sill when the sash is closed against the sill with minimum abrasion of the seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventor: Richard E. Miller
  • Patent number: 6677020
    Abstract: The invention concerns a joint wherein inside the second extruded profile (5) and along part at least of the length thereof is housed a third extruded profile (7), with U-shaped cross-section, of reduced dimensions compared to those of the second extruded profile (5) and whereof the ends of the branches are also adjacent to the same wing or at the base of the first extruded profile (1), said third extruded profile (7) being likewise made of an elastically deformable material and being designed to counter local resistance to compressive effort exerted by the opening, while reinforcing sealing and soundproof conditions at the opening frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: BTR Sealing Systems France
    Inventor: Bernard Dron
  • Patent number: 6668489
    Abstract: A sound insulating weather strip for automobile comprising: a hollow seal portion to be attached to at least one of a door and a body panel of a car; and a low density foam sponge material comprising a rubber or synthetic resin, and provided at a portion in said hollow seal portion which is to be held and compressed between said door or a glass and said body panel when said door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Nishikawa Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Baba, Yoshihiro Kohara