JP7599320B2 - Automotive windshield moldings and body panels - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a windshield molding for automobiles that is inserted into the gap between the edge of the windshield and the outer wall of a window frame opening in a vehicle body panel and fits onto the edge of the windshield.

Conventionally, in automobiles, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, an automobile windshield molding 100 is attached to the gap S between the edge G1 of the windshield G and the outer wall F1 of the window frame opening F of the vehicle body panel P, and the gap S is closed by the windshield molding 100. Reference numeral 108 denotes a metal core material, and reference numeral A denotes an adhesive that fixes the edge G1 of the windshield G to the window frame opening F.

The windshield molding 100 has a constant cross-sectional shape formed by extrusion molding using a deformable material such as plastic or rubber, and has a main body 101 that is inserted between the edge G1 of the windshield G and the wall F1 of the window frame opening F, and a fitting groove 107 that fits into the edge G1 of the windshield G. The fitting groove 107 is provided on one side of the main body 101 that faces the edge G1 of the windshield G, and is composed of a head 105 that protrudes to one side of the main body 101, and a glass inner surface support part 109. Reference numeral 111 denotes a lip that protrudes from the main body 101 to the opposite side to the fitting groove 107, and abuts against the wall F1 of the window frame opening F to press the main body 101 against the edge G1 of the windshield G.

In recent years, in order to increase safety by reducing the driver's line of sight movement while driving, some automobiles have been designed so that driving information such as vehicle speed displayed on a display device 121 mounted on an instrument panel or the like is projected onto the windshield Ga by a head-up display device 125 mounted on the front side of the windshield Ga and reflected toward the driver D, so that the driver D can visually recognize a virtual image 127 of the reflected driving information in a position in front of the windshield Ga, as shown in FIG.

In automobiles in which driving information and the like is reflected by the windshield Ga, a gradually-changing thickness windshield Ga as shown in FIG. 7 is used to prevent the driver from seeing double images, that is, images reflected on the inner and outer surfaces of the windshield Ga.
The gradually-changing thickness window glass Ga has a thickness t that decreases from the top to the bottom when installed in an automobile, being maximum at the top end and minimum at the bottom end.

Patent No. 6415914

However, conventional windshield moldings do not take into account the change in thickness of the gradually variable thickness windshield glass, so in the thinner parts of the gradually variable thickness windshield glass, the fitting grooves of the windshield molding fit loosely against the edges of the gradually variable thickness windshield glass, while in the thicker parts of the gradually variable thickness windshield glass, the fitting grooves of the windshield molding fit tightly against the edges of the gradually variable thickness windshield glass, making the fitting process difficult and causing problems such as an inconsistent fit.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide an automobile windshield molding that can be easily fitted to a windshield with a gradually varying thickness and can maintain a constant fitting state.

The first means is a windshield molding for an automobile that is attached to the edge of a gradually-variable-thickness windshield, and has a main body that is inserted into the gap between the edge of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield fixed to a window frame opening of a vehicle panel and the wall of the window frame opening, and a fitting groove that fits into the edge of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield, the fitting groove being provided on one side of the main body and being defined between a head that protrudes from one side of the main body and a glass inner surface support part that protrudes from one side of the main body at a distance from the head, and the width of the fitting groove is the same as or larger than the maximum thickness value of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield at the base side of the head and is smaller than the minimum thickness value of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield at the tip side of the head.
The second means is a vehicle body panel including a gradually-changing thickness window glass and the windshield molding for an automobile of the first means attached to an edge of the gradually-changing thickness window glass.

According to the present invention, the width of the fitting groove of the windshield molding is equal to or greater than the maximum thickness of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass at the base of the head, and is smaller than the minimum thickness of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass at the tip of the head, so that the fitting groove can accommodate any position on the edge of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass, making the fitting operation easier and ensuring a good fit.

1 is a perspective view of a windshield molding according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a cross-sectional view at a specific position. FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the windshield molding shown in FIG. 1 . 2 is a perspective view showing a part of an automobile equipped with the windshield molding shown in FIG. 1 and a cross-sectional view at a specific position. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of an automobile equipped with a conventional windshield molding. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4, showing a conventional windshield molding. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a head-up display device. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a gradually thickness-changing window glass.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The windshield molding 10 shown in FIG. 1 is inserted into the gap Sa between the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga fixed to the window frame opening Fa of the body panel Pa of an automobile and the outer peripheral wall Fa1 of the window frame opening Fa as shown in FIG. 3, to close the gap Sa. The symbol Aa denotes an adhesive that fixes the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga to the window frame opening Fa.

The windshield molding 10 is composed of side parts 10a, 10b that are attached to the side edges of the gradually-changing thickness windshield glass Ga shown in FIG. 7, and an upper part 10c that is attached to the upper edge of the gradually-changing thickness windshield glass Ga, and the side parts 10a, 10b are joined to both ends of the upper part 10c by welding or the like. The side parts 10a, 10b and the upper part 10c of the windshield molding 10 are extruded to have the same cross-sectional shape and are made of plastic or rubber.

Each part of the windshield molding 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The windshield molding 10 has a main body 11 and a fitting groove 41.

The main body 11 is inserted into the gap Sa between the edge Ga1 of the gradually changing thickness window glass Ga and the outer peripheral wall Fa1 of the window frame opening Fa. A metal core material 29 is embedded in the main body 11.

The fitting groove 41 is the portion into which the edge Ga1 of the gradually changing thickness window glass Ga is inserted and fitted, and is provided on one side portion 12 of the main body portion 11 that faces the edge Ga1 of the gradually changing thickness window glass Ga.

The fitting groove 41 is formed between a head 21 protruding from one side portion 12 of the main body portion 11 and a glass inner surface support portion 31 protruding from one side portion 12 away from the head 21.

The head 21 is a part that abuts the outer surface of the edge Ga1 of the gradually thickened window glass Ga, and a base side 23 is provided at one end of the main body 11 that corresponds to the outer surface side of the Ga of the gradually thickened window glass Ga, and a tip side 25 is formed so as to protrude from one side portion 12 of the main body 11.
The amount of projection of the head 21 from the one side portion 12 of the body 11 is set to be greater than the amount of projection of the support portion 31 on the glass inner surface side.

The head 21 is formed to protrude from one side 12 of the main body 11 with the tip side 25 inclined toward the glass inner surface support part 31, and the distance d between the head 21 and the glass inner surface support part 31 is made smaller from the base side 23 of the head 21 toward the tip side 25.
A head bending groove 27 is formed on the base side 23 of the head 21 on the surface facing the glass inner surface support part 31, and the presence of this head bending groove 27 makes it easier to bend the head 21 in a direction that widens the distance d (width of the fitting groove 41) between the head 21 and the glass inner surface support part 31.

The glass inner surface support part 31 is a part that abuts against and supports the inner surface of the edge Ga1 of the gradually changing thickness window glass Ga, and is formed so that the amount of protrusion from one side part 12 of the main body part 11 is smaller than the amount of protrusion of the head part 21.

The distance d between the head 21 and the glass inner surface support portion 31 corresponds to the width of the fitting groove 41. In the following description, the symbol d is also used as the symbol indicating the width of the fitting groove 41.
With regard to the width d of the fitting groove 41, the width d1 on the base side 23 of the head 21 is set to be equal to or larger than the maximum thickness value of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga, and the width d2 on the tip side 25 of the head 21 is set to be smaller than the minimum thickness value of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga. In the example of Fig. 2, the width d1 at the boundary position with the head bending groove 27 is set to be equal to or larger than the maximum thickness value of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga.

The body 11 has an end lip 35 formed on the end opposite the head 21 that abuts against the periphery of the window frame opening Fa, and a side lip 37 formed on the side opposite the fitting groove 41 that abuts against the outer peripheral wall Fa1 of the window frame opening Fa.

The attached state of the windshield molding 10 is shown in Figure 3. The windshield molding 10 is attached by inserting the main body 11 of the windshield molding 10 into the gap Sa between the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga fixed to the window frame opening Fa of the vehicle body panel Pa and the outer peripheral wall Fa1 of the window frame opening Fa, with the fitting groove 41 facing the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga, and inserting and fitting the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness window glass Ga into the fitting groove 41.

At this time, the thickness of the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga increases from the bottom end to the top end of the gradually-changing window glass Ga, so that at the small thickness position on the lower side of the gradually-changing window glass Ga, as shown in the 3a-3a cross-sectional view, the tip side 25 of the head 21, where the width of the fitting groove 41 of the windshield molding 10 is narrow, abuts against the outer surface of the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga, and the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga is sandwiched between the tip side 25 of the head 21 and the glass inner surface support part 31.

On the other hand, at the upper thickness position of the gradually-changing window glass Ga, as shown in the 3b-3b cross-sectional view, at the tip side 25 of the head 21 where the width of the fitting groove 41 of the windshield molding 10 is narrow, the head 21 bends outward in accordance with the thickness of the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga, widening the width of the fitting groove 41, and the part from the tip side 25 to the base side 23 of the head 21 abuts against the outer surface of the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga, and the part from the tip side 25 to the base side 23 of the head 21 and the glass inner surface support part 31 sandwich the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga.

The width of the fitting groove 41 of the windshield molding 10 is equal to or greater than the maximum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass Ga at the base side 23 of the head 21, so even if the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing window glass Ga is the thickest part, it is easy to insert it all the way into the fitting groove 41.

In addition, since the width of the fitting groove 41 of the windshield molding 10 is smaller than the minimum thickness of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield glass Ga at the tip side 25 of the head 21, even if the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield glass Ga is in a thin portion, the tip side 25 of the head 21 abuts against the outer surface of the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield glass Ga, so that the edge Ga1 of the gradually-variable-thickness windshield glass Ga can be properly fitted into the fitting groove 41 of the windshield molding 10.

Furthermore, the head 21 of the windshield molding 10 has a head bending groove 27 on the base side 23, so that the head 21 can be easily bent in response to an increase in the thickness of the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing thickness windshield glass Ga, making it easier to insert and fit the edge Ga1 of the gradually-changing thickness windshield glass Ga into the fitting portion 41 of the windshield molding 10.

As described above, according to the present invention, the fitting groove of the windshield molding can be adapted to any position on the edge of the gradually changing thickness window glass, which makes it easier to fit the molding to the edge of the gradually changing thickness window glass and ensures a good fit.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Windshield molding 11 Main body 12 One side of main body 21 Head 23 Base side of head 25 Tip side of head 27 Groove for bending head 29 Core material 31 Inner glass support part 35 End lip 37 Side lip 41 Fitting groove d Groove width and distance between head and inner glass support part Fa Window frame opening Fa1 Wall of window frame opening Ga Gradual thickness variable window glass Ga1 Edge of gradually thickness variable window glass Sa Gap between edge of gradually thickness variable window glass and wall of window frame opening Pa Vehicle body panel

Claims (5)

A windshield molding for an automobile to be attached to an edge of a gradually-changing thickness windshield,
The glass has a body portion that is inserted into a gap between an edge of the window glass that is fixed to a window frame opening of a vehicle body panel and a wall of the window frame opening, and a fitting groove that fits onto the edge of the window glass that is gradually changed in thickness,
The fitting groove is provided on one side of the main body, protruding from a tip of the one side of the main body and forming an end of the automobile windshield molding, and is configured between a head portion and a glass inner surface support portion protruding from the one side of the main body away from the head portion,
The width of the fitting groove is equal to or larger than the maximum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass at the base side of the head, and is smaller than the minimum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass at the tip side of the head,
The main body portion has an end lip formed on the end opposite the head portion that abuts against the periphery of the window frame opening, and a side lip formed on the side opposite the fitting groove that abuts against the outer peripheral wall of the window frame opening . 2. The windshield molding for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein a cavity is formed between the main body and the side lip. A windshield molding for an automobile to be attached to an edge of a gradually-changing thickness windshield,
The glass has a body portion that is inserted into a gap between an edge of the window glass that is fixed to a window frame opening of a vehicle body panel and a wall of the window frame opening, and a fitting groove that fits onto the edge of the window glass that is gradually changed in thickness,
The fitting groove is provided on one side of the main body, protruding from a tip of the one side of the main body and forming an end of the automobile windshield molding, and is configured between a head portion and a glass inner surface support portion protruding from the one side of the main body away from the head portion,
The width of the fitting groove is equal to or larger than the maximum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass at the base side of the head, and is smaller than the minimum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass at the tip side of the head,
13. A windshield molding for an automobile, comprising: a head portion having a groove for bending said head portion on a base side thereof. A windshield molding for an automobile to be attached to an edge of a gradually-changing thickness windshield,
The glass has a body portion that is inserted into a gap between an edge of the window glass that is fixed to a window frame opening of a vehicle body panel and a wall of the window frame opening, and a fitting groove that fits onto the edge of the window glass that is gradually changed in thickness,
The fitting groove is provided on one side of the main body, protruding from a tip of the one side of the main body and forming an end of the automobile windshield molding, and is configured between a head portion and a glass inner surface support portion protruding from the one side of the main body away from the head portion,
The width of the fitting groove is equal to or larger than the maximum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass at the base side of the head, and is smaller than the minimum thickness of the gradually-changing window glass at the tip side of the head,
13. A windshield molding for an automobile, comprising: a metal core material embedded in said main body portion. A vehicle body panel comprising: the gradually-changing thickness window glass; and the windshield molding for an automobile according to claim 1 attached to an edge of the gradually-changing thickness window glass.

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