Weather strip and fixing structure of same
A weather strip of the present invention includes a molded portion including a base having at least one hole. The weather strip also includes a seal portion, which extends from the base and has a hollow region and at least one protrusion formed at an inside of a side wall of the seal portion. Each protrusion is locally formed corresponding to a position of each hole of the base. The weather strip includes a clip, which is inserted into the hole in the base, used for fixing the base to a vehicle door. The protrusion prevents the clip from rotating in the hollow region of the seal portion.
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This application is based on and incorporates by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-343842, which was filed on Nov. 29, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to weather strips, and specifically relates to a vehicle weather strip and a fixing structure for securing the weather strip to a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional vehicle weather strip generally includes a base and a hollow seal portion that extends from the base. The weather strip is fixed to a vehicle body or a door frame. The base of the weather strip is generally fixed to a weather strip retainer of the vehicle body or the door frame. A fixing structure of the conventional vehicle weather strip such as a double-sided adhesive tape or a plurality of clips at a portion, where the retainer is not mounted, is also well known.
When one of the clips is used to fix a molded portion of the weather strip to the vehicle body or door frame, a clip head is located within a hollow region of the seal portion. For example, as a related art weather strip shown in
As shown by the double-dotted line in
An object of the invention is to overcome the above-mentioned limitations. A weather strip of the present invention, which includes a molded portion by which the weather strip is fixed to a part such as a vehicle door or a vehicle body, prevents rotation of a securing clip and therefore prevents deformation thereof caused by rotation of the clip.
A weather strip according to the present invention includes a molded portion with a base having at least one hole defined therein. The weather strip also includes a hollow seal region that extends from the base, and the molded portion of the weather strip has at least one protrusion formed inside of a side wall of the hollow seal region. The protrusion is located at a position corresponding to a position of the hole in the base. Furthermore, the weather strip includes a clip that is inserted into the hole in the base to fix the base to a vehicle body. The protrusion prevents the clip from rotating in the hollow seal portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
As shown in
A fixing structure used to fix the door weather strip 5 to the door frame DF will be explained. As shown in
The frame molding 12 includes an outer wall 3 and a retaining part 14 that orthogonally extends from the outer wall 13. The frame molding 12 is fixed to set the retaining part 14 on an upper surface of the planar portion 10. A hook-shaped portion 16 is formed on an inward end of the retaining part 14, and an engaging projection 17 is formed on an upper end of the outer wall 13. Thus, the cross sectional view of the retaining part 14 forms C-shape on which a significant portion of the door weather strip 5 such as, for example, the upper extruded portion 6, is fixed.
As mentioned above, the door weather strip 5 includes extruded portions 6, 7 and molded portions 8, 9. As shown in
As shown in
In the present embodiment, the horizontally elongated clip head 51 is located along the longitudinal direction of the front extruded portion 7. Also, the seal portion 32 includes a narrow part 33. As the clip head 51 is stabilized within the narrow part 33 in the hollow region 31, it is prevented from rotating.
Referring now to the molded portion 8 as shown in
As shown in
Still referring to
As shown in
The base 45 is also fixed to the door frame DF with the clip 50 as well as the base 42 of the front extruded portion 7. The clip head 51 is inserted into the hollow region 46 through a hole 45a that is formed on the base 45 of the molded portion 8. Thus, the clip 50 is fixed to the base 45. In this context, the clip head 51 is located in the hollow region 46, the clip neck 52 is located in the hole 45a, and the clip leg 55 projects from the molded portion 8. The base 45 of the molded portion 8 is hold between the clip head 51 and the clip flange 53. The clip leg 55 is inserted into the door frame hole. Thus, the base 45 of the molded portion 8 is fixed on the door frame DF.
In the present embodiment, the horizontally elongated clip head 51 is located along the longitudinal direction of the base 42, 45. If the seal portion 44,47 includes a narrow part like the narrow part 33 of the seal portion 32 of the front extruded portion 7, a structure of a mold apparatus for the molded portion 8 must be an under cut structure, which is complicated to design and manufacture. Therefore, the seal portion 44, 47 does not include such a narrow part, but rather includes a pair of the side walls that are formed vertically to the base, and a half-arc wall connecting the pair of the side walls. Thus, the mold apparatus required for manufacturing the molded portion 8 is simplified.
One side of the inside wall of the seal portion 44, 47 includes protrusions 48, 49 that are locally formed corresponding to a position of the hole 42a, 45a and are adjacent to the base 45. One side of the clip head 51 contacts the protrusion 48, 49. Therefore, the clip head 51 is prevented to rotate thereof.
As shown in
When the clip 50 is inserted into the holes 42a, 45a of the molded portion 8, the protrusions 48,49 of the molded portion 8 guide the clip head 51 along thereof. Therefore, it becomes easier to fix the clip 50 to the molded portion 8.
The protrusions 48,49 are not continuously formed along the longitudinal direction of the molded portion 8, while the protrusions 48, 49 are independently formed corresponding to positions of the holes 42a, 45a. Therefore, it is easy to pick up a core mold of the mold apparatus, and to decrease an amount of material that is used for the molded portion 8. Because the protrusions 48, 49 are formed on only one side of the molded portion wall, it is also easy to decrease the amount of the material.
The protrusions 48, 49 may be continuously formed along the side wall of the seal portion. Thus, one side of the clip head 51 contacts the protrusions 48, 49. Therefore, the clip head 51 is prevented from rotating. Because the protrusions 48, 49 are formed on only one side of the molded portion wall, it is also easy to decrease the amount of the material.
This disclosure is intended to explain how to fashion and use various embodiments in accordance with the invention rather than to limit the true, intended, and fair scope and spirit thereof. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims, as may be amended during the pendency of this application for patent, and all equivalents thereof, when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
Claims
1. A vehicle door weather strip, comprising:
- a molded base defining at least one attachment hole therein; and
- a seal portion extending from the base and defining a hollow region therein, the seal portion including at least one clip rotation prevention protrusion formed inside of the hollow region and adjacent to the base.
2. A weather strip according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion is located corresponding to a position where the attachment hole is located.
3. A weather strip according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion is continuously formed along a side wall of the seal portion that defines the hollow region.
4. A weather strip according to claim 1, further comprising a clip for fixing the base to a vehicle body through the attachment hole and including a horizontally elongated clip head, a clip neck clip neck that has a smaller diameter than the length of the clip head and a clip leg that is inserted into a fixing hole of the vehicle body.
5. A weather strip according to claim 1, further comprising a clip for fixing the base to a vehicle door through the attachment hole and including a horizontally elongated clip head, a clip neck clip neck that has a smaller diameter than the length of the clip head and a clip leg that is inserted into a fixing hole of the vehicle door.
6. A weather strip according to claim 2, wherein the at least one protrusion is formed along only one side wall of the seal portion that defines the hollow region.
7. A weather strip according to claim 4, wherein the at least one protrusion has a predetermined height to prevent rotation of the clip head.
8. A weather strip according to claim 1, wherein the hollow region of the seal portion is defined by a pair of side walls and a half-arc wall connecting the pair of side walls.
9. A vehicle door weather strip, comprising:
- extruded portions for sealing a vehicle door; and
- molded portions each integrated with one end of each of the extruded portions for sealing the vehicle door; wherein the molded portions include a molded base with at least one attachment hole defined therein, a seal portion extending from the base and including a hollow region defined therein, and a protrusion formed within the hollow region adjacent to the base.
10. A fixing structure of a vehicle weather strip, comprising:
- a molded base defining at least one attachment hole;
- a seal portion extending from the molded base and definig a hollow region therein;
- a clip for fixing the molded base to a vehicle door through the attachment hole and including a horizontally elongated clip head that is located in the hollow region, a clip neck that has a smaller diameter than the length of the clip head and a clip leg that is inserted into a fixing hole of the vehicle door; and
- a protrusion formed inside the hollow region and adjacent to the base, wherein the clip rotation prevention protrusion prevents the clip head from rotating in the hollow region of the seal portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 29, 2005
Publication Date: Jun 1, 2006
Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI Co., Ltd., (Aichi-ken)
Inventors: Satoshi Mugishima (Nishikasugai-gun), Teruhito Goto (Nishikasugai-gun)
Application Number: 11/288,433
International Classification: E04C 2/38 (20060101);