Vehicle Belt Molding

Abstract

To suppress a wrinkle of a closure lip from occurring in a resin belt-molding with curvature.SOLUTION: A belt molding 26 comprises: a molding body 32 which is fixed to a door outer panel 24; a seal lip 34 which protrudes from the molding body 32 and contacts with a window glass 22 at the tip thereof; and a closure lip 42 which extends from the molding body 32 to the seal lip 34 contacting with the window glass 22. Within a range of a bend part of the belt molding 26, the arc length of the closure lip 42 at a bottom 42b of the closure lip 42 is 1 to 1.0033 times the arc length of the closure lip 42 at a tip 42a of the closure lip 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a belt molding disposed along the lower edge of a side window of a vehicle, particularly a belt molding made of resin.

Background Art

[0002] A window molding for filling the gap between a door or a vehicle body and a window glass is disposed at the edge of a window of a vehicle. A window molding disposed along the lower edge of a side window of a vehicle, i.e., along a so-called belt line, is sometimes called a belt molding. The belt molding (belt mold 10) shown in Patent Document 1 below includes a molding body (outer and inner side wall portions 11, 12 on the vehicle exterior and interior sides, and a connecting portion 13) attached to a door panel (2), a seal lip (14) erected on the molding body (12), and a closing lip (decorative lip 17). The closing lip (17) closes a groove-shaped gap formed between the molding body (12) and the seal lip (14) so as to cover it and make it inconspicuous. Note that the member names and reference numerals in the above parentheses are those used in Patent Document 1 below and are not related to the member names and reference numerals used in the embodiments of the present application.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the belt line of a vehicle is curved from a design perspective, it is necessary to curve the belt molding in accordance with the curvature of the belt line. First, a linear material is produced, and then a predetermined portion is curved to produce a curved belt molding. In a resin belt molding, when the linear material is curved, wavy wrinkles may occur on the closing lip, which may impair the appearance.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to suppress the occurrence of wrinkles on the closing lip in a curved belt molding.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The belt molding of a vehicle according to the present invention is a resin belt molding arranged along the lower edge of a side window of a vehicle, and includes a molding body fixed to the edge of the window, a seal lip protruding from the molding body and contacting the window glass at the tip, and a closing lip extending from the molding body toward the seal lip contacting the window glass. Further, the belt molding includes a curved portion corresponding to a portion where the edge of the window is curved concave, and in the range of the curved portion, the arc length of the closing lip at the base of the closing lip is 1 times or more and 1.0033 times or less the arc length of the closing lip at the tip of the closing lip.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] By setting the arc length of the closing lip at the base of the closing lip to be 1 times or more and 1.0033 times or less the arc length of the closing lip at the tip of the closing lip, the occurrence of wrinkles on the closing lip is suppressed when the linear material is curved in the manufacturing process of the belt molding.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, terms representing relative positions and directions such as front, rear, left, right, up, and down represent relative positions and directions with respect to the vehicle. Also, in the left-right direction (width direction) of the vehicle, the side closer to the center line extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is referred to as the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and the far side is referred to as the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In each figure, the direction of arrow FR is forward, the direction of arrow UP is upward, the direction of arrow LH is leftward, and the direction of arrow OUT is the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a view showing the side of vehicle 10. Vehicle 10 is a so-called four-door vehicle having two side doors, namely a front door 12 for the front seat and a rear door 14 for the rear seat, on each of the left and right sides. Rear door 14 has a door panel 16 and a door frame 18 located above door panel 16 and fixed to door panel 16. A window 20 is defined by the upper edge of door panel 16 and door frame 18. A window glass 22 is disposed in window 20. Window glass 22 can be lowered and at least partially housed within door panel 16, thereby opening window 20. Door panel 16 has a door outer panel 24 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and a door inner panel (not shown) located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and window glass 22 is housed between door outer panel 24 and the door inner panel. A molding 26 is disposed along the upper edge of door outer panel 24. Front door 12 also has the same structure as rear door 14 described above.

[0011] The lower edge of each window of the front door and the rear door, that is, the line formed by the upper edge of the door panel, may be called the belt line. Belt line 28 of vehicle 10 extends substantially horizontally as shown in FIG. 1, but is inclined so that the rear end is higher at the rear end portion. Belt line 28 has a curved portion that is concave between the horizontally extending portion and the inclined portion. The aforementioned molding 26 is disposed on this belt line 28. Hereinafter, molding 26 will be referred to as belt molding 26.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing belt molding 26. As described above, belt line 28 is inclined so that the rear end is higher at the rear end portion and has a curved portion that curves at the portion where it transitions from the horizontal portion to the inclined portion. Belt molding 26 has a curved portion 30 corresponding to the curved portion of belt line 28. Belt molding 26 has substantially the same cross-sectional shape except for the front end portion and the rear end portion including the attached cap.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the belt molding 26. The belt molding 26 has a molding body 32 that engages with the upper edge portion of the door outer panel 24 that defines the lower edge of the window 20, and an upper seal lip 34 and a lower seal lip 36 that project from the molding body 32 toward the window glass 22. The upper portion of the molding body 32 has a downwardly open U-shape, and in this portion, the upper edge portion of the door outer panel 24 is clamped, and the belt molding 26 is fixed to the upper edge portion of the door outer panel 24. The upper and lower seal lips 34, 36 have tips that are in contact with the window glass 22, and by contacting, the tips are directed obliquely upward. Flocked portions 38, 40 are provided at the portions of the upper and lower seal lips 34, 36 that contact the window glass 22. The flocked portions 38, 40 may be formed by attaching a sheet with short fibers flocked on the surface to the upper and lower seal lips 34, 36, or may also be formed by performing a surface treatment on the upper and lower seal lips 34, 36.

[0014] When the upper seal lip 34 is in contact with the window glass 22 and the tip is directed obliquely upward, a groove is formed between the upper seal lip 34 and the molding body 32. In order to make this groove inconspicuous, a closing lip 42 that covers this groove is provided. The height of the closing lip 42, that is, the amount of protrusion from the molding body 32, is approximately 2 mm. The closing lip 42 is provided near the upper edge of the surface of the molding body 32 facing the window glass 22, and extends from here toward the upper seal lip 34 that is in contact with the window glass 22.

[0015] A shielding lip 44 for covering the gap with the door outer panel 24 is provided at the lower edge on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the molding body 32.

[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the curved portion 30 of the belt molding 26 and its surroundings, and shows a state as viewed from a direction orthogonal to the surface of the window glass 22. The curved portion 30 is provided between the radii indicated by two dashed-dotted lines in FIG. 4. The angle formed by these two radii is approximately 20°. The curved portion 30 is curved with a radius of curvature R.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a view showing details of the belt molding 26, particularly the closing lip 42. The tip 42a and the base 42b of the closing lip 42 are also curved at the curved portion 30 as shown in the right region of FIG. 5. In the right region of FIG. 5, only these are shown in order to clearly show the tip 42a and the base 42b. In the range of the curved portion 30, the arc length of the closing lip 42 at the tip 42a of the closing lip 42 is denoted as the tip arc length a, and the arc length of the closing lip 42 at the base 42b is denoted as the base arc length b.

[0018] The belt molding 26 is made of resin, but resins with different hardnesses are used for the molding body 32 and each of the lips 34, 36, 42, 44. A relatively hard resin is used for the molding body 32, and a relatively soft and easily deformable resin is used for the upper and lower seal lips 34, 36, the closing lip 42, and the shielding lip 44.

[0019] In the production of the belt molding 26, two types of hard and soft resins are two-color extrusion molded to produce a linear material having the cross-sectional shape shown in FIG. 3. Then, a predetermined portion is curved to form the curved portion 30, and the belt molding 26 having the curved portion is produced. The flocking portions 38 and 40 may be formed in the process of producing the linear material. After forming the curved portion 30, attach afterparts such as end caps. When the linear material is curved, the closing lip 42 may not smoothly curve along the curve of the belt line 28, and wrinkles may occur in a wavy manner in the direction along this curve. If the tip arc length a and the root arc length b of the closing lip 42 when curved are different, there will be a difference in the change in the length in the longitudinal direction of the belt molding 26 before and after curving at the tip and the root of the closing lip 42, resulting in wrinkles in the closing lip 42. In this belt molding 26, the difference between the tip arc length a and the root arc length b is set within a range where wrinkles do not occur.

[0020] FIG. 6 shows the evaluation of wrinkles with respect to the arc length ratio b / a. It can be seen that if the arc length ratio b / a is 1 or more and 1.0033 or less, the occurrence of wrinkles is at an acceptable level. In other words, if the arc length b of the closing lip 42 at the root 42b is 1 times or more and 1.0033 times or less the arc length a at the tip 42a, the occurrence of wrinkles can be suppressed to an acceptable level. To achieve a predetermined arc length ratio, adjust the direction in which the closing lip 42 extends from the molding body 32. When the extending direction of the closing lip 42 is perpendicular to the surface of the window glass 22, the tip arc length a and the root arc length b are equal. When tilted upward from this perpendicular direction, the root arc length b becomes longer than the tip arc length a. By adjusting the extending direction of the closing lip 42, the desired arc length ratio b / a can be achieved.

[0021] Returning to FIG. 3 for explanation, when the upper seal lip 34 contacts the window glass 22 that is rising, in FIG. 3, it rotates counterclockwise so that the tip is lifted. At this time, when the closing lip 42 abuts against the back surface of the upper seal lip 34, the seal reaction force, which is the force received by the upper seal lip 34 from the window glass 22, increases. In this belt molding 26, the angle at which the closing lip 42 extends is determined so that the seal reaction force does not become extremely large.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the closing lip 42 is angled slightly upward from the direction perpendicular to the window glass 22. In the cross-section shown in FIG. 3, let the dimension between the tip 42a and the base 42b of the closing lip 42 in the direction along the surface of the window glass 22 be h. FIG. 6 shows an evaluation of the lip reaction force with respect to the dimension h, and it can be seen that if the dimension h is 0.6 mm or more, the requirements for the lip reaction force are met.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0023] 10 Vehicle, 12 Front Door, 14 Rear Door, 16 Door Panel, 18 Door Frame, 20 Window, 22 Window Glass, 24 Door Outer Panel, 26 Belt Molding, 28 Belt Line, 30 Curved Portion, 32 Molding Body, 34 Upper Seal Lip, 36 Lower Seal Lip, 38, 40 Flocked Portion, 42 Closing Lip, 42a Tip of Closing Lip, 42b Base of Closing Lip, 44 Shielding Lip, a Tip Arc Length, b Base Arc Length.

Claims

**Claim 1** A resin belt molding disposed along the lower edge of a side window of a vehicle, a molding body fixed to the edge of the window, a seal lip protruding from the molding body and contacting the window glass at its tip, and a closing lip extending from the molding body toward the seal lip in contact with the window glass, characterized by having the belt molding including a curved portion corresponding to a portion where the edge of the window is curved to be concave, and in the range of the curved portion, the arc length of the closing lip at the base of the closing lip being 1 times or more and 1.0033 times or less the arc length of the closing lip at the tip of the closing lip, a belt molding for a vehicle.

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