Seals for car doors

Abstract

This invention discloses a sealing component for automobile doors. An upper engaging portion (42) and a lower engaging portion (43) are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the insert component (40). An upper protrusion (25a) and a lower protrusion (25b) with a vertical distance between them are provided on the exterior side of the sealing component body (21). The upper protrusion (25a) and the lower protrusion (25b) have portions made of a hard material harder than an elastic element. The upper protrusion (25a) and the lower protrusion (25b) engage with the upper engaging portion (42) and the lower engaging portion (43) of the insert component (40), respectively. Without increasing the number of parts or assembly time, this invention provides a clicking sensation during the installation of the insert component, improving workability and increasing the retaining force of the insert component on the seal after installation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sealing element for automobile doors, which is installed on automobile doors. Background Technology

[0002] To date, seals are installed on automobile doors, and sometimes decorative trim pieces are also installed on these seals. Patent Document 1 discloses a seal that is installed from the exterior of the vehicle body to the upper part of the window frame. The exterior portion of this seal has upper and lower protrusions for installing decorative trim pieces. The decorative trim piece is installed onto the seal by engaging the upper part with the upper protrusion and the lower part with the lower protrusion.

[0003] Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, a sealing element is installed clamping a flange formed on the upper edge of the door panel, and the interior side of the sealing element has a lip that contacts the glass. A clamping member made of a synthetic resin such as polyacetal resin is installed on the flange. A groove is formed at the lower part of the clamping member on the exterior side, and a locking surface is formed at the upper part. When installing the decorative trim piece, its lower part is locked in the groove of the clamping member, and the entire decorative trim piece is rotated around this locking part as a pivot point, causing the upper part to lock onto the locking surface of the clamping member.

[0004] Patent Document 1: French Patent Application Publication No. 2912348

[0005] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-132968 Summary of the Invention

[0006] -The technical problem the invention aims to solve-

[0007] As in Patent Document 1, the shape of the seal installed on the upper part of the window frame corresponds to the shape of the upper part, and it curves gently when viewed from the side. When installing the seal onto this upper part, it is bent to match the shape of the upper part and then installed from the exterior side of the vehicle. The decorative trim component is also installed in the same way.

[0008] In Patent Document 1, the upper and lower parts of the decorative trim component engage with the upper and lower protrusions on the exterior side of the seal, respectively. However, because the upper and lower protrusions are made of the same elastic element as the lip and are easily deformed, the retaining force of the decorative trim component is weak, which may lead to the trim component falling off. Furthermore, when the decorative trim component is installed onto the seal, the upper and lower protrusions elastically deform. However, because this deformation occurs slowly, no sound or vibration is produced at the end of the installation, and there is no "click-feeling." Therefore, the operator cannot distinguish the installation by sound or vibration at the end, and there is room for improvement in terms of workability.

[0009] On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, because the clamping components are made of hard resin, it can be considered that the holding force of the decorative trim component is high, and the operator can feel a click when the installation is completed. However, in Patent Document 2, because multiple clamping components are required when installing the decorative trim component, and the process of installing the clamping components onto the door panel is required, there are problems of increased component quantity and increased assembly time.

[0010] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Its purpose is to enable the operator to obtain a clicking sensation when installing the insert component without increasing the number of parts and assembly time, thereby improving workability and increasing the retaining force of the insert component on the seal after installation.

[0011] - Technical solutions for solving technical problems -

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the invention is a sealing element for an automobile door, which is assembled from the exterior of the vehicle body to a window frame and seals the gap between the window frame and the window glass. The window frame extends to form a window opening on the automobile door. The sealing element comprises a sealing body and a strip component. The sealing body is made of an elastic element and has a slot into which a sealing mounting plate portion formed on the upper side of the window frame and extending outwards is inserted. The strip component is mounted on the exterior portion of the sealing body. An upper engaging portion and a lower engaging portion are respectively provided on the upper and lower sides of the strip component. An upper protrusion and a lower protrusion, spaced apart vertically in the upper and lower directions, are provided on the exterior portion of the sealing body. The upper and lower protrusions have portions made of a hard material harder than the elastic element, and the upper and lower protrusions engage with the upper and lower engaging portions of the strip component, respectively.

[0013] According to this configuration, since the sealing element body is a component made of an elastic element, for example, when the upper part of the window frame bends slowly, the sealing element body can be bent and installed onto the sealing element mounting plate to match the shape. Furthermore, when installing the insert component, for example, after the lower engaging portion of the insert component engages with the lower protrusion of the sealing element body, the insert component is rotated with the vicinity of the lower engaging portion as a fulcrum, and then the upper engaging portion of the insert component engages with the upper protrusion of the sealing element body, thereby installing the insert component onto the sealing element body. Because the upper protrusion of the sealing element body is made of a rigid material, a sound and vibration are easily generated at the moment of engagement, providing a clicking sensation. This allows the operator to determine when the installation is complete, thus improving workability. In addition, no clamping components or other parts are required, so the number of parts and assembly time are not increased.

[0014] It should be noted that, alternatively, when installing the insert component, after the upper engaging part of the insert component engages with the upper protrusion of the seal body, the insert component is rotated with the vicinity of the upper engaging part as a fulcrum, and then the lower engaging part of the insert component engages with the lower protrusion of the seal body.

[0015] The second aspect of the invention is characterized in that: the sealing element body has an upper wall extending along the upper surface of the sealing element mounting plate, a lower wall extending along the lower surface of the sealing element mounting plate, and an outer wall connecting the outer end of the upper wall and the outer end of the lower wall; a core made of a hard material harder than the elastic element is embedded in the upper wall, the lower wall, and the outer wall; and the upper protrusion and the lower protrusion are integrally formed with the elastic element in a manner that protrudes from the elastic element.

[0016] According to this configuration, after the sealing element body is installed onto the sealing element mounting plate, the upper and lower walls clamp the sealing element mounting plate in the vertical direction. At this time, because the core is embedded in the sealing element body, the sealing element body is firmly fixed to the sealing element mounting plate.

[0017] The third aspect of the invention is characterized in that: the outer wall portion extends to a position lower than the lower wall portion, the lower side protrusion is provided in the portion of the outer wall portion that is lower than the lower wall portion, and a reinforcing plate portion made of a hard material harder than the elastic member is provided in the portion of the outer exterior surface of the outer wall portion that is lower than the lower wall portion.

[0018] That is, if the outer wall portion, which is made of an elastic element, extends to a position lower than the lower wall portion, the portion of the outer wall portion that is lower than the lower wall portion is prone to elastic deformation. Therefore, when a force in the detaching direction is applied to the insert member, the lower protrusion may displace and easily detach from the insert member. In this invention, because a reinforcing plate portion made of a rigid material is provided in the elastically deformable portion of the outer wall portion, the displacement of the lower protrusion can be suppressed by the reinforcing plate portion, making it difficult for the insert member to detach.

[0019] The fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that: the lower part of the reinforcing plate is connected to the base of the lower protrusion.

[0020] According to this configuration, by connecting the reinforcing plate portion to the lower protrusion, the reinforcing effect of the reinforcing plate portion can be improved. Furthermore, the reinforcing plate portion and the lower protrusion can be integrally formed.

[0021] The fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that: the lower protrusion protrudes downward, the outer side portion of the lower protrusion is a rigid part made of the rigid material, the inner side portion of the lower protrusion is a soft part made of the elastic member, and the lower engaging portion of the insert member is bent towards the inner side of the vehicle interior so as to contact the soft part.

[0022] According to this configuration, when the insert component is installed on the seal body, the lower engaging portion of the insert component contacts the soft, protruding portion on the lower side of the seal body. This suppresses wobbling of the insert component and also inhibits sliding of the insert component in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, thus making positional displacement difficult.

[0023] The sixth aspect of the invention is characterized in that: the upper protrusion protrudes upward, and the upper engaging portion of the insert member is bent towards the interior of the vehicle and bent downward.

[0024] According to this configuration, when assembling the insert component, with the lower engaging portion engaged with the lower protrusion, the insert component is rotated with the vicinity of the lower engaging portion as a fulcrum. Then, the upper engaging portion of the insert component engages with the upper protrusion of the sealing body, thereby allowing the insert component to be installed onto the sealing body. In other words, when there is a soft part on the lower protrusion, it may be difficult to produce a clicking sensation when installing the insert component. However, in this invention, the lower engaging portion is engaged with the lower protrusion first, and then the upper engaging portion is engaged with the upper protrusion. At this time, the upper engaging portion bends towards the interior of the vehicle and downwards, thus easily producing a clicking sensation.

[0025] -The effects of the invention-

[0026] According to the present invention, an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion made of rigid material are provided on the outer side of the sealing body made of elastic element, so that the upper and lower engaging parts of the insert component engage with the upper and lower protrusions respectively. Therefore, without increasing the number of parts and assembly time, the operator can obtain a click-like feeling when installing the insert component, thereby improving workability, and the retaining force of the insert component on the seal can be improved after installation. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a diagram of a car door as viewed from the exterior of the vehicle, including the car door seals described in the embodiments.

[0028] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A sectional view taken along line II-II in the image;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of part A;

[0030] Figure 4 This is equivalent to explaining the key points of installing the insert component. Figure 3 The image;

[0031] Figure 5 The variations of the implementation method involve the equivalent of Figure 3 The image.

[0032] - Symbol Explanation -

[0033] 1 - Car door; 3 - Window frame; 3c - Upper edge of frame; 4 - Window glass; 8 - Window opening; 10 - Glass guide groove mounting plate; 20 - Car door seal; 21 - Seal body; 23 - Upper wall; 24 - Lower wall; 25 - Outer wall; 21a - Slot; 23b - Lower sealing lip; 25a - Upper protrusion; 25b - Lower protrusion; 25A - Rigid part; 25B ​​- Soft part; 28 - Reinforcing plate; 30 - Core; 31 - Upper plate; 32 - Lower plate; 33 - Outer plate; 40 - Insert strip component; 42 - Upper engaging part; 43 - Lower engaging part. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following preferred embodiments are merely illustrative examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention, its application, or its uses.

[0035] Figure 1This is a side view of a car door 1 as seen from the exterior of the vehicle. The car door 1 includes a car door seal 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The car door 1 is a front door located on the side and front of a car (not shown), and it opens and closes an opening (not shown) formed on the side and front of the car. Although not shown, the present invention can also be applied to a seal located on a rear door when a rear door is provided on the side of the car.

[0036] It should be noted that in the description of this implementation method, the front side of the vehicle is referred to as "front" and the rear side of the vehicle is referred to as "rear".

[0037] The car door 1 has a door body 2 that constitutes the lower half of the car door 1 and a window frame 3 that constitutes the upper half. The door body 2 is composed of an inner panel (not shown) and an outer panel 2a made of steel plate or the like.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, a sealing plate portion 10 extending outwards from the vehicle exterior and an opening 8 towards the window are formed on the window frame 3. Figure 1 (As shown in the figure) the inner peripheral flange 11 protruding inside.

[0039] (Structure of the seal)

[0040] The seal 20 is a so-called shielding glass guide channel that covers at least the exterior portion of the window frame 3. The seal 20 is installed onto the window frame 3 from the exterior side of the vehicle and is a component that seals the gap between the window frame 3 and the window glass 4, as detailed later. The seal 20 is formed to also cover the outer surface of the window frame 3, namely the outer surface of the seal mounting plate portion 10 and the inner peripheral flange 11.

[0041] like Figure 2 As shown, the seal 20 includes a seal body 21 assembled to the seal mounting plate 10 of the window frame 3, an inner sidewall 22 integrally formed with the seal body 21, a core 30, and an insert member 40 assembled to the exterior exterior portion of the seal body 21. The material of the core 30 is different from that of the seal body 21. Specifically, the material of the core 30 can be a hard material harder than the elastic element constituting the seal body 21, such as hard resin (e.g., resin mixed with talc or glass fiber), aluminum alloy, steel, stainless steel, etc. On the other hand, the material constituting the seal body 21 can be a soft material (elastic element) softer and more elastic than the core 30, such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), TPO (thermoplastic olefin elastomer), etc. The inner sidewall 22 can be made of the aforementioned EPDM, TPO, etc. The aforementioned EPDM and TPO can be foamed materials or solid materials.

[0042] The seal 20 is composed of an extruded part obtained by extrusion molding and a die-formed part obtained by die molding. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the portion of the seal 20 between the upper edge 20A and the longitudinal edge 20B of the front seal, enclosed by the boundary lines L1 and L2 (shown as dashed lines), is the die-forming portion. Similarly, the portion of the seal 20 between the upper edge 20A and the longitudinal edge 20C of the rear seal, enclosed by the boundary lines L3 and L4 (shown as dashed lines), is also a die-forming portion. All other portions are extrusion forming portions.

[0043] like Figure 2 As shown, a slot 21a is formed on the sealing body 21. The slot 21a is for the sealing mounting plate portion 10 of the window frame 3 to be inserted and opens toward the interior side of the vehicle. The slot 21a extends relatively long along the extending direction of the sealing mounting plate portion 10.

[0044] The sealing body 21 has an upper wall portion 23, a lower wall portion 24, and an outer wall portion 25. The upper wall portion 23 extends along the upper surface of the sealing mounting plate portion 10 of the window frame 3 in a front-rear direction, the lower wall portion 24 extends along the lower surface of the sealing mounting plate portion 10 of the window frame 3 in a front-rear direction, and the outer wall portion 25 connects the exterior-facing end of the upper wall portion 23 to the exterior-facing end of the lower wall portion 24. The outer wall portion 25 extends in a vertical direction, and the exterior-facing portion of the sealing body 21 is formed by the outer wall portion 25. The outer wall portion 25 extends to a position lower than the lower wall portion 24. The portion of the outer wall portion 25 lower than the lower wall portion 24 is the portion without the embedded core 30, and is more prone to elastic deformation compared to the portion with the embedded core 30. The exterior-facing portion of the outer wall portion 25 is covered by the insert member 40, described later. The aforementioned slot 21a opens between the end of the upper wall portion 23 on the interior side and the end of the lower wall portion 24 on the interior side.

[0045] Two upper sealing lips 23a, 23a are provided on the upper surface of the upper wall portion 23 of the sealing body 21, and the two upper sealing lips 23a, 23a extend upward. The upper sealing lips 23a, 23a contact the body panel (not shown) when the door 1 is closed. An outer protrusion 23c is provided on the upper surface of the upper wall portion 23, which is further outside the vehicle body than the upper sealing lips 23a. The outer protrusion 23c protrudes outside the vehicle body and extends in the front-rear direction. This outer protrusion 23c contacts the upper side of the insert member 40 from above.

[0046] The lower surface of the upper wall portion 23 of the sealing body 21 is the inner surface of the slot 21a. Lower sealing lips 23b, 23b, 23b are provided on the lower surface of the upper wall portion 23, and the lower sealing lips 23b, 23b, 23b protrude downward. The lower sealing lips 23b, 23b, 23b contact the upper surface of the sealing mounting plate portion 10, that is, the upper surface of the third plate portion 7.

[0047] A lower protruding piece 24a is provided on the lower surface of the lower wall portion 24 of the sealing body 21. This lower protruding piece 24a contacts the upper edge of the window glass 4 when it is closed. The upper surface of the lower wall portion 24 is also the inner surface of the slot 21a, and a protrusion 24b is provided on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 24. The protrusion 24b is smaller than the lower sealing lip 23b and contacts the lower surface of the sealing mounting plate portion 10, that is, the lower surface of the outer plate portion 5c of the first plate portion 5. Because the protrusion 24b is smaller than the lower sealing lip 23b, the sealing mounting plate portion 10 is offset to the lower side of the center portion in the vertical direction within the slot 21a.

[0048] like Figure 2 As shown, the interior side portion of the lower wall 24 is connected to the inner side wall 22. The inner side wall 22 extends downward to the inner peripheral flange 11 of the window frame 3, then bends upward towards the interior side to form an inner decorative lip 26, which engages with the inner peripheral flange 11. Figure 2 The symbol 100 in the text indicates interior trim components.

[0049] Inner sealing lips 22a and 22a are provided on the inner sidewall 22. The inner sealing lips 22a and 22a are in contact with the interior surface of the vehicle window glass 4.

[0050] An upper protrusion 25a is provided on the upper side of the outer wall portion 25 of the sealing body 21. The upper protrusion 25a is hook-shaped, protrudes outward to the outside of the vehicle body and then bends upward towards the inside of the vehicle body, and is provided continuously in the front-rear direction. The top end of the upper protrusion 25a is close to the top end of the outer protrusion 23c.

[0051] The upper protrusion 25a is made of a hard material that is harder than the elastic element constituting the outer wall portion 25. Specifically, it can be made of the same material as the core portion 30. The upper protrusion 25a is integrally formed with the outer wall portion 25. For example, the sealing body 21 and the core portion 30 can be extruded together. During this extrusion molding, by supplying the hard material constituting the upper protrusion 25a to the upper side of the outer wall portion 25, the upper protrusion 25a can be formed simultaneously with the forming of the sealing body 21. It should be noted that the upper protrusion 25a and the sealing body 21 can also be formed through different processes.

[0052] Because the upper protrusion 25a is made of a rigid material, the deformation of the upper protrusion 25a itself is minimal when an external force is applied. However, because the base end of the upper protrusion 25a is integrated with the outer wall portion 25, which is made of an elastic member, the outer wall portion 25 near the base end of the upper protrusion 25a elastically deforms when an external force is applied, thereby allowing the upper protrusion 25a to displace. However, because the core portion 30 is embedded in the outer wall portion 25, the displacement of the upper protrusion 25a is small, which can prevent the insert member 40 described later from falling off.

[0053] A lower protrusion 25b is provided in the outer wall portion 25 of the sealing body 21, lower than the lower wall portion 24, and the lower protrusion 25b protrudes downward. The lower protrusion 25b and the upper protrusion 25a are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The lower protrusion 25b protrudes to a position lower than the lower wall portion 24 and the lower protruding piece portion 24a of the sealing body 21. The outer side portion of the lower protrusion 25b is a rigid portion 25A made of the aforementioned rigid material. The rigid portion 25A can be formed in the same way as the upper protrusion 25a.

[0054] The interior side portion of the lower protrusion 25b is a soft portion 25B made of the elastic member. The hard portion 25A extends in the vertical direction and can also be referred to as a cover portion covering the exterior side portion of the soft portion 25B. Therefore, the lower protrusion 25b has a multi-layered structure with a hard portion 25A and a soft portion 25B. The thickness (dimension in the interior / exterior direction) of the hard portion 25A is set to be shorter than the dimension in the same direction of the upper protrusion 25a. Furthermore, the thickness of the hard portion 25A can be the same as the thickness of the soft portion 25B, or the soft portion 25B can be thicker, or the hard portion 25A can be thicker.

[0055] Because the lower protrusion 25b includes a rigid portion 25A, the deformation of the lower protrusion 25b itself is minimal when an external force is applied. However, similar to the upper protrusion 25a, because the base end of the lower protrusion 25b is integrated with the outer wall portion 25, which is composed of an elastic member, the outer wall portion 25 near the base end of the lower protrusion 25b elastically deforms when an external force is applied, thereby allowing the lower protrusion 25b to displace. Furthermore, because the thickness of the rigid portion 25A is thinner than that of the upper protrusion 25a, the lower protrusion 25b itself may sometimes deform in a slightly bent manner. However, because the core portion 30 is embedded in the outer wall portion 25 and includes the rigid portion 25A, the displacement and deformation of the lower protrusion 25b are small, which can suppress the detachment of the insert member 40 described later.

[0056] The material of the hard portion 25A can be the same as the material of the upper protrusion 25a, or they can be different. When the material of the hard portion 25A is the same as the material of the upper protrusion 25a, the hardness of the hard portion 25A and the upper protrusion 25a can be approximately the same. When the material of the hard portion 25A is different from the material of the upper protrusion 25a, the hardness of the hard portion 25A and the upper protrusion 25a can be different. In this case, the hard portion 25A can be harder, or the upper protrusion 25a can be harder.

[0057] A reinforcing plate portion 28, made of a rigid material harder than the elastic member, is provided on the outer exterior surface of the outer wall portion 25, below the lower wall portion 24. The material of the reinforcing plate portion 28 can be the same as or different from that of the rigid portion 25A. The reinforcing plate portion 28 extends vertically and horizontally. The lower part of the reinforcing plate portion 28 is connected to the base of the rigid portion 25A that constitutes the lower protrusion 25b. The upper part of the reinforcing plate portion 28 is located at approximately the same height as the lower wall portion 24. Therefore, the reinforcing plate portion 28 is integrated with the lower wall portion 25 in a stacked state on the portion of the outer wall portion 25 below the lower wall portion 24. In this way, the lower portion of the outer wall portion 25 below the lower wall portion 24 is reinforced by the reinforcing plate portion 28, thereby suppressing deformation of this portion in the direction of the vehicle interior or the vehicle exterior. The fact that the lower part of the outer wall 25 is difficult to deform toward the outside of the vehicle means that the lower protrusion 25b is difficult to displace toward the outside of the vehicle. The reinforcing plate 28 can also be called a displacement suppression part that suppresses the displacement of the lower protrusion 25b toward the outside of the vehicle.

[0058] An outer sealing lip 25c protruding towards the interior of the vehicle is formed in the lower end portion of the outer wall portion 25, which is closer to the interior side than the lower protrusion 25b. The outer sealing lip 25c contacts the exterior surface of the vehicle window glass 4. The lower end portion 25e of the outer sealing lip 25c is located lower than the lower end portion (top part in the protruding direction) of the lower protrusion 25b.

[0059] A groove 25d is formed between the lower protrusion 25b and the outer sealing lip 25c. The groove 25d opens downward and extends in the front-to-back direction.

[0060] A compression lip 25f is provided on the outer surface of the outer wall portion 25 of the sealing body 21, protruding upwards and outwards from the outer side of the vehicle. The compression lip 25f contacts approximately the middle portion of the inner surface of the insert member 40 in the vertical direction. The upper end of the reinforcing plate portion 28 is located near the base end of the compression lip 25f.

[0061] like Figure 3As shown, the core 30 has an upper plate portion 31, a lower plate portion 32, and an outer plate portion 33. The upper plate portion 31 extends along the upper surface of the sealing element mounting plate portion 10 (the upper surface of the third plate portion 7), the lower plate portion 32 extends along the lower surface of the sealing element mounting plate portion 10 (the outermost plate portion 5c of the first plate portion 5), and the outer plate portion 33 extends from the outer end of the upper plate portion 31 to the outer end of the lower plate portion 32. The upper plate portion 31 of the core 30 is embedded in the upper wall portion 23 of the sealing element body 21, the lower plate portion 32 of the core 30 is embedded in the lower wall portion 24 of the sealing element body 21, and the outer plate portion 33 of the core 30 is embedded in the outer wall portion 25 of the sealing element body 21.

[0062] The trim member 40, for example, can be made of metal or a hard resin plated with metal, and is a decorative member extending along the front-rear direction of the upper edge 3c of the window frame 3. The middle part of the trim member 40 in the vertical direction is the body part 41, which is arranged to protrude outside the vehicle. An upper engaging part 42 is provided on the part of the trim member 40 that is higher than the body part 41, and the upper engaging part 42 engages with the upper protrusion 25a of the sealing body 21. The upper engaging part 42 is formed by a portion that bends from the upper end of the body part 41 toward the interior of the vehicle and bends downward. The upper engaging part 42 hooks onto the upper protrusion 25a of the sealing body 21 from the upper side and engages with the upper protrusion 25a. When the upper engaging part 42 is engaged with the upper protrusion 25a, the outer protrusion 23c contacts the upper surface of the upper engaging part 42. In this way, no gap will be generated between the upper end of the insert component 40 and the upper end of the sealing body 21, thus improving the aesthetics.

[0063] like Figure 2 As shown, a lower engaging portion 43 is provided on the portion of the insert member 40 that is lower than the main body portion 41. The lower engaging portion 43 engages with the lower protrusion 25b of the sealing member body 21. The lower engaging portion 43 is composed of a portion that bends from the lower end of the main body portion 41 toward the interior of the vehicle and then bends upward. The lower engaging portion 43 engages with the lower protrusion 25b from the interior of the vehicle when it is inserted into the groove 25d formed on the sealing member body 21 from below.

[0064] With the lower engaging portion 43 engaged with the lower protrusion 25b, the upper end (top portion) of the lower engaging portion 43 contacts the soft portion 25B. Furthermore, the interior surface of the lower engaging portion 43 contacts the lower end 25e of the outer sealing lip 25c from the exterior surface. Additionally, the upper end of the lower engaging portion 43 also contacts the inner surface of the groove 25d.

[0065] The upper engaging portion 42 engages with the upper protrusion 25a, and the lower engaging portion 43 engages with the lower protrusion 25b, thereby placing the insert member 40 in a state where it is installed onto the sealing body 21. Figure 3As shown, with the insert component 40 already installed on the seal body 21, the compression lip 25f contacts the back side (interior surface of the vehicle interior) of the body portion 41 of the insert component 40, causing a force toward the exterior of the vehicle interior to act on the body portion 41. This makes it difficult for the upper engaging portion 42 to detach from the upper protrusion 25a, and also difficult for the lower engaging portion 43 to detach from the lower protrusion 25b.

[0066] With the insert component 40 installed on the seal body 21, a gap S is formed between the top end of the upper engaging portion 42 of the insert component 40 (corresponding to the upper side of the insert component 40) and the upper portion 21b of the seal body 21 on the exterior side of the vehicle body. This gap S is guaranteed to be above a specified size and is a gap that allows the insert component 40 to move excessively towards the interior side of the vehicle body (in the direction indicated by the hollow arrow X) when the insert component 40 is installed on the seal body 21.

[0067] In detail, when engaging the upper engaging portion 42 of the trim member 40 with the upper protrusion 25a, after positioning the upper engaging portion 42 on the exterior side of the upper protrusion 25a, move the upper engaging portion 42 in the direction of arrow X and press it against the upper protrusion 25a, thereby displacing the upper protrusion 25a towards the interior side of the vehicle. At this time, it is necessary to first move the trim member 40 from the finished installation position ( Figure 3 (Shown in solid line) The upper protrusion 25a is moved excessively towards the interior of the vehicle. This excessive movement allows the upper protrusion 25a to fully displace towards the interior of the vehicle. As a result, the upper engaging portion 42 of the insert member 40 hooks onto the upper protrusion 25a. Then, the insert member 40 returns to its final installation position using the restoring force of the elastic element. The dimensions specified above are sufficient to ensure that the upper engaging portion 42 of the insert member 40 can hook onto the upper protrusion 25a.

[0068] (Installation of seals)

[0069] The following describes how to install the seal 20, as described above, onto the window frame 3 of the vehicle door 1. First, the procedure for installing the insert component 40 onto the seal body 21 will be explained. Figure 4 As shown, when installing the insert component 40, firstly, the lower engaging portion 43 of the insert component 40 hooks onto the lower protrusion 25b of the sealing body 21 and inserts it into the groove 25d from below. At this time, the upper portion of the insert component 40 can be positioned further outside the vehicle body than the lower portion of the insert component 40.

[0070] Then, as Figure 4As indicated by arrow Y, the trim member 40 is rotated with the lower engaging portion 43 as a fulcrum, causing the upper side of the trim member 40 to move towards the interior of the vehicle. Furthermore, while the upper engaging portion 42 of the trim member 40 is in contact with the exterior portion of the upper protrusion 25a, it moves towards... Figure 3 The insert component 40 is pressed in the direction indicated by arrow X. This causes the upper protrusion 25a to shift towards the interior of the vehicle, resulting in excessive movement of the upper engaging portion 42. After this excessive movement exceeds a predetermined distance, the upper protrusion 25a will momentarily move past the upper engaging portion 42 and become positioned further outside the vehicle than the upper engaging portion 42, at which point a sound and vibration will be produced. This sound and vibration is the so-called "click," which is obtained by causing the rigid upper protrusion 25a to pass over the rigid upper engaging portion 42. After the upper engaging portion 42 of the insert component 40 hooks onto and engages the upper protrusion 25a, removing the external force results in... Figure 3 As shown by the solid line, the insert component 40 is installed in the correct position.

[0071] It should be noted that, alternatively, when installing the insert component 40, after the upper engaging portion 42 of the insert component 40 engages with the upper protrusion 25a of the sealing body 21, the insert component 40 is rotated with the vicinity of the upper engaging portion 42 as a fulcrum, and then the lower engaging portion 43 of the insert component 40 engages with the lower protrusion 25b of the sealing body 21.

[0072] The following describes the key points for installing the seal 20 onto the window frame 3. Position the seal 20 on the exterior side of the window frame 3, and then move the seal 20 towards the interior side of the window frame 3 so that the seal mounting plate 10 of the window frame 3 is inserted into the slot 21a of the seal 20.

[0073] At this time, as mentioned above, the upper edge 3c of the window frame 3 is curved along the shape of the car roof. However, it is actually difficult to make the sealing body 21 (including the core 30) conform to the curved shape of the upper edge 3c of the frame. Therefore, after the sealing body 21 and the core 30 are integrally formed in a straight line, the curved shape of the upper edge 3c of the frame causes the sealing body 21 to be installed while bent.

[0074] In this embodiment, because the junction of the upper plate portion 31 and the outer plate portion 33 in the cross-section of the core portion 30 has a curved shape with a large curvature, the core portion 30 can be bent and deformed with less force compared to a core portion with angles. Therefore, when the sealing body 21 is installed on the upper edge portion 3c of the window frame 3, the sealing body 21 is easily bent along the upper edge portion 3c.

[0075] After the sealing plate portion 10 is inserted into the slot 21a of the sealing member 20, the lower sealing lips 23b, 23b, 23b contact the upper surface of the sealing plate portion 10, thereby ensuring the sealing between the sealing plate portion 10 and the sealing member body 21. Furthermore, when the sealing plate portion 10 is inserted to its deepest point in the slot 21a of the sealing member 20, the outer plate portion 5c of the first plate portion 5 of the sealing plate portion 10 is positioned.

[0076] The strip component 40 can be assembled onto the window frame 3 of the car door 1 before the sealing body 21 is installed, or the strip component 40 can be installed onto the sealing body 21 after the sealing body 21 is installed onto the window frame 3 of the car door 1.

[0077] (The role and effects of the implementation method)

[0078] As explained above, because the sealing body 21 is a component made of an elastic element, when the upper edge 3c of the window frame 3 is slowly bent, the sealing body 21 can be bent and installed onto the sealing mounting plate 10 to match the shape. Furthermore, when installing the insert component 40, for example, the insert component 40 is rotated with the lower engaging portion 43 as a fulcrum, and then the upper engaging portion 42 of the insert component 40 engages with the upper protrusion 25a of the sealing body 21, thereby installing the insert component 40 onto the sealing body 21. Because the upper protrusion 25a of the sealing body 21 is made of a rigid material, a clicking sensation is felt during engagement. This allows the operator to determine when the installation is complete, thus improving workability. Furthermore, no clamping components or other parts are required when installing the insert component 40, so the number of parts and assembly time are not increased.

[0079] Furthermore, when an external force (a force in the separation direction) is applied to the insert member 40 towards the exterior of the vehicle body, the upper engaging portion 42 and the lower engaging portion 43 of the insert member 40 engage with the upper protrusion 25a and the lower protrusion 25b of the sealing body 21, which have rigid portions, respectively, making it difficult for the insert member 40 to detach from the upper protrusion 25a and the lower protrusion 25b. That is, because the upper engaging portion 42 and the lower engaging portion 43 of the insert member 40 are made of rigid material, deformation under the action of an external force in the separation direction can be suppressed. Moreover, because the upper protrusion 25a of the sealing body 21 is made of rigid material, and the lower protrusion 25b includes a rigid portion 25A, deformation of the upper protrusion 25a and the lower protrusion 25b can also be suppressed under the action of an external force in the separation direction. Because the reinforcing plate 28 reinforces the portion of the outer wall 25 that is lower than the lower wall 24, deformation of the outer wall 25 toward the outside of the vehicle body is suppressed, making it difficult for the lower protrusion 25b to displace toward the outside of the vehicle body. As can be seen from the above, the upper engaging portion 42 and the lower engaging portion 43 are difficult to detach from the upper protrusion 25a and the lower protrusion 25b, thus suppressing the detachment of the insert member 40.

[0080] Furthermore, when the insert component 40 is installed on the seal body 21, the lower engaging portion 43 of the insert component 40 can contact the soft portion 25B of the lower protrusion 25b of the seal body 21. This suppresses the wobbling of the insert component 40 and also suppresses the sliding of the insert component in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, making it difficult for positional displacement to occur.

[0081] The above embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, variations and modifications falling within the scope of the claims are all within the scope of this invention.

[0082] For example, it can also be like Figure 5 As in the variation of the embodiment shown, the lower protrusion 25b of the sealing body 21 is made of, for example, only a rigid material. In this case, the lower engaging portion 43 of the insert member 40 contacts the rigid portion. Furthermore, because the rigidity of the lower protrusion 25b is increased, the effect of preventing the insert member 40 from falling off is further improved.

[0083] -Industry Applicability-

[0084] In summary, the automotive door seal of this invention can be installed from the exterior of the vehicle onto the window frame.

Claims

1. A sealing element for an automobile door, which is assembled from the exterior of the vehicle body to a window frame and seals the gap between the window frame and the window glass, wherein the window frame extends to form a window opening on the automobile door, characterized in that: The automotive door seal includes a seal body, an insert component, and an extrusion molding section. The sealing element body is composed of an elastic element and has a slot into which a sealing element mounting plate formed on the upper side of the window frame and extending outwards towards the exterior of the vehicle can be inserted. The insert component is installed on the exterior part of the sealing body. The extrusion molding section is obtained by extrusion molding. The insert component is provided with an upper engaging part and a lower engaging part on its upper and lower sides, respectively. The outer side portion of the sealing element body is provided with an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion that are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The upper protrusion and the lower protrusion have portions made of a hard material harder than the elastic element. The upper protrusion and the lower protrusion engage with the upper engaging portion and the lower engaging portion of the insert component, respectively. The upper and lower engaging portions are made of the rigid material. The upper protrusion is entirely composed of the rigid material. The sealing element body has an upper wall portion extending along the upper surface of the sealing element mounting plate portion, a lower wall portion extending along the lower surface of the sealing element mounting plate portion, and an outer wall portion connecting the outer end of the upper wall portion to the outer end of the lower wall portion. A core made of a hard material harder than the elastic element is embedded in the upper wall portion, the lower wall portion, and the outer wall portion. The upper and lower protrusions are integrally formed with the elastic element in a manner that protrudes from the elastic element. The outer wall portion extends to a position further below the lower wall portion. The lower protrusion is located in the portion of the outer wall that is lower than the lower wall portion. A reinforcing plate made of a rigid material harder than the elastic element is provided on the outer surface of the vehicle exterior wall portion, which is located lower than the lower wall portion. The lower part of the reinforcing plate is connected to the base of the lower protrusion. The lower protrusion protrudes downwards. The lower protruding exterior portion of the vehicle body is a rigid part made of the aforementioned rigid material. The lower protruding interior portion is a soft part composed of the elastic element. The lower engaging portion of the insert component is bent towards the interior of the vehicle to contact the soft material. The upper protrusion protrudes upwards. The upper engaging portion of the insert component is bent toward the interior of the vehicle and folded downwards.

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