SEALING STRUCTURE OF DOOR WEATHER STRIP

Abstract

An outer lip is continuous with an outer-cabin side wall which has a linear shape of a hollow seal member. The outer lip makes elastic contact with a surface of a body in a direction substantially perpendicular when a door is closed. A rear lip extends from a position close to a base root of the outer lip toward an outer-cabin side and makes elastic contact with a peripheral edge of the door. A thickness of the outer-cabin side wall of the hollow seal member is not less than a thickness of a vertical part of the outer lip; and an inner-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall of the hollow seal member is closer to an inside of the automobile than an inner-cabin side surface of the vertical part of the outer lip.

Claims

1. A sealing structure of a door weather strip, the door weather strip comprising: an installation base member operatively coupled to a peripheral edge of a door of an automobile; a hollow seal member which is integrally molded with an inner-cabin side and an outer-cabin side of the installation base member and which makes elastic contact with a door opening edge of a body when the door is in a closed position; and an outer lip integrally molded with an outer-cabin side of the hollow seal member; an outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member having a linear shape, the outer-cabin side wall extending from the outer-cabin side of said installation base member toward a side of the door opening edge of said body, a base root of said outer lip being continuous with the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member, a top end of said outer lip being bent toward an outer-cabin side, a vertical part of the outer lip extending toward the door opening edge of said body, the vertical part connecting the base root and the top end of said outer lip, the vertical part being substantially in parallel with the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member, said outer lip making elastic contact with a surface of said body in a direction substantially perpendicular when said door is closed, wherein: a thickness of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is not less than a thickness of the vertical part of said outer lip; and an inner-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is closer to an inside of the automobile than an inner-cabin side surface of the vertical part of said outer lip.

2. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the door weather strip comprises a rear lip, the rear lip extending from said outer lip toward the outer-cabin side, the rear lip making elastic contact with the peripheral edge of said door, the rear lip extending from an outer-cabin side surface of the vertical part of said outer lip.

3. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said door weather strip is arranged on a position for a die molded part, the die molded part being connected with a lower part of an extrusion molded part, the extrusion molded part being positioned on a roof side of the automobile and making elastic contact with a roof when the door is in the closed position.

4. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the die molded part continuously comprises a part in a longitudinal direction of said door weather strip, the part meeting conditions that: the thickness of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is not less than the thickness of the vertical part of said outer lip; and the inner-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is closer to the inside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface of the vertical part of said outer lip.

5. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the die molded part partially comprises a part in a longitudinal direction of said door weather strip, the part meeting conditions that: the thickness of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is not less than the thickness of the vertical part of said outer lip; and the inner-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is closer to the inside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface of the vertical part of said outer lip.

6. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 2, wherein: said door weather strip is arranged on a position for a die molded part, the die molded part being connected with a lower part of an extrusion molded part, the extrusion molded part being positioned on a roof side of the automobile and making elastic contact with a roof when the door is in the closed position.

7. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 6, wherein: the die molded part continuously comprises a part in a longitudinal direction of said door weather strip, the part meeting conditions that: the thickness of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is not less than the thickness of the vertical part of said outer lip; and the inner-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is closer to the inside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface of the vertical part of said outer lip.

8. The sealing structure of the door weather strip as claimed in claim 6, wherein: the die molded part partially comprises a part in a longitudinal direction of said door weather strip, the part meeting conditions that: the thickness of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is not less than the thickness of the vertical part of said outer lip; and the inner-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall of said hollow seal member is closer to the inside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface of the vertical part of said outer lip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is an I-I line enlarged cross section of FIG. 8, illustrating a sealing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention of a door weather strip;

[0026] FIG. 2 is the I-I line enlarged cross section of FIG. 8 with the door weather strip of FIG. 1 making elastic contact with a door opening edge of a body;

[0027] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of another door weather strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a IV-IV line enlarged cross section of FIG. 3, illustrating a thin part of another door weather strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 5 is an I-I line enlarged cross section of FIG. 8, illustrating a sealing structure according to a comparative example of a door weather strip with respect to the sealing structure according to the embodiment of the present invention of the door weather strip;

[0030] FIG. 6 is the I-I line enlarged cross section of FIG. 8 with the door weather strip of FIG. 5 making elastic contact with the door opening edge of the body;

[0031] FIG. 7 is a side view of an outward appearance of an automobile;

[0032] FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view of the door weather strip of FIG. 7; and

[0033] FIG. 9 is an I-I line enlarged cross section of FIG. 8, illustrating a sealing structure according to a prior art of a door weather strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8, a sealing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention of a door weather strip 30 will be described. FIG. 7 is a side view of an automobile with so-called “swing doors” in which rear ends of a front door 1 and a rear door 2 open outside on a circular arc track in a width direction of an automobile around hinge mechanisms as fulcrums. The hinge mechanisms are fixed on front ends of the doors and extend in an upper and lower direction. The door weather strip 30 is for use as a sealing structure of the door weather strip 30, which is arranged on a position for a die molded part 71 (FIG. 8) on the front door 1, especially, in a range 91 between a lower part of an extrusion molded part 62 and a corner part 50. The die molded part 71 is operatively coupled to a door edge of the front door 1 by the hinge mechanism. The die molded part 71 is connected with a lower part of an extrusion molded part 62, which is positioned on a roof side of the automobile and makes elastic contact with a roof when the front door 1 is in a closed position.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1, the door weather strip 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: an installation base member 31 operatively coupled to a peripheral edge of a front door 1 of the automobile; a hollow seal member 32, which is integrally molded with an inner-cabin side and an outer-cabin side of the installation base member 31 and which makes elastic contact with a door opening edge of a body 10 when the front door 1 is in a closed position; an outer lip 33, which is integrally molded with an outer-cabin side of the hollow seal member 32 and which makes elastic contact with the door opening edge of the body 10 together with the hollow seal member 32 when the front door 1 is in the closed position; and a rear lip 34, which extends from a position close to a base root 33b of the outer lip 33 toward an outer-cabin side and makes elastic contact with the peripheral edge of the front door 1.

[0036] The installation base member 31 has a shape of a plate, of which width extends in an inner-outer cabin direction. The installation base member 31 is operatively coupled to a vertical surface 1a (surface which extends in the inner-outer cabin direction when the door is closed) of a door inner panel by a clip or a double sided tape, which are not shown. The vertical surface 1a is substantially perpendicular to a door surface (outward surface of the whole door) of the front door 1. A slit 35 (or a hole) is formed at a center of installation base member 31 in cross section for pulling out a core after die molding. In the present embodiment, the phrase “substantially perpendicular” includes an intersection angle of not less than 45 degrees, an intersection angle of not less than 70 degrees and an intersection angle of not less than 80 degrees. More strictly, the phrase includes an angle of approximately 90 degrees (an angle of more than 90 degrees also) as well as the angle of 90 degrees.

[0037] The installation base member 31 has: a notch 36 formed on an inner-cabin side end thereof; and a lip 37 formed on an outer-cabin side end thereof. Specifically, the notch 36 is formed on a position of connection with a seal wall 32b of the hollow seal member 32. The lip 37 makes elastic contact with the front door 1 and prevents entrance of water. The hollow seal member 32 includes: an outer-cabin side wall 32a and the seal wall 32b. The outer-cabin side wall 32a has a linear shape and extends from the outer-cabin side of the installation base member 31 toward a side of the door opening edge of the body 10, that is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the installation base member 31. The seal wall 32b is connected with: an inner-cabin side of an end of the outer-cabin side wall 32a; and the inner-cabin side end of the installation base member 31. The seal wall 32b is curved toward an outer circumference of the front door 1.

[0038] The outer lip 33 has a substantially tongue-shaped cross section and is formed on an outer-cabin side of the hollow seal member 32.

[0039] The outer lip 33 includes: a top end 33a; a base root 33b; and a vertical part 33c which connects the base root 33b and the top end 33a. The base root 33b of the outer lip 33 is continuous with the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32. The vertical part 33c is substantially in parallel with the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 and extends toward the side of the door opening edge of the body 10, that is in the direction substantially perpendicular to the installation base member 31. The top end 33a of the outer lip 33 is bent from an end of the vertical part 33c toward the outer-cabin side by way of a corner 33n.

[0040] When the front door 1 is closed, a track of movement 80 of the front door 1 intersects a vertical surface 10a, which extends in an inner-outer cabin direction, of the body 10 in a direction substantially perpendicular and the outer lip 33 makes elastic contact with the vertical surface 10a of the body 10 in the direction substantially perpendicular. With this configuration, a direction in which the vertical part 33c forming the outer lip 33 extends is substantially in parallel with the track of movement 80 of the front door 1. In the present embodiment, the track of movement 80 of the front door 1 is depicted passing through the top end 33a of the outer lip 33. The phrase “a track of movement 80 of the front door 1 intersects a vertical surface 10a, which extends in an inner-outer cabin direction, of the body 10 in a direction substantially perpendicular” includes configurations that the track of movement 80 intersects the vertical surface 10a from an indoor side at an angle of not less than 45 degrees (intersection angle 500≧45 degrees), an angle of not less than 70 degrees (intersection angle 500≧70 degrees), an angle of not less than 80 degrees (intersection angle 500≧80 degrees) and more strictly, an angle of not less than 90 degrees.

[0041] In the same manner as the outer lip 33, the rear lip 34 has a substantially tongue-shaped cross section. The rear lip 34 extends from an outer-cabin side surface 33cE of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33 toward the outer-cabin side.

[0042] A thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is not less than a thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33. In the present embodiment, the thickness 32aS is about one and half times the thickness 33cS.

[0043] Preferably, the thickness 32aS is not more than twice the thickness 33cS. It is preferable that: the thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is not less than 1 mm and not more than 2 mm; and the thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33 is not less than 1 mm; for preventing lack of rigidity.

[0044] The thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33 is the same as thickness of the base root 33b. Also, an inner-cabin side surface 32aF of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is closer to the inside of the automobile than an inner-cabin side surface 33cF of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33. This configuration secures difference in thickness between the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 and the outer lip 33. The thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is greater than a thickness 32bS of the seal wall 32b of the hollow seal member 32 or a thickness 31S of the installation base member 31.

[0045] An outer-cabin side surface 32aE of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is flush with the outer-cabin side surface 33cE of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33.

[0046] According to the sealing structure according to the embodiment of the present invention of the above-structured door weather strip, the outer-cabin side wall 32a which forms the hollow seal member 32 of the door weather strip 30 has the linear shape and extends from an outer-cabin side end of the installation base member 31 toward the side of the door opening edge of the body 10 when the door is closed. In addition, the outer lip 33 extends along the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32. With this configuration, when the door is closed and the outer lip 33 makes elastic contact with the vertical surface 10a of the body 10 in the direction which is substantially perpendicular, the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is subjected to a reaction force directly from the outer lip 33.

[0047] Also, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is not less than the thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33. With this configuration, the linear outer-cabin side wall 32a catches the reaction force from the outer lip 33 stably and sufficiently. Also, the inner-cabin side surface 32aF of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is closer to the inside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface 33cF of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33. When the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is subjected to the large reaction force, this configuration prevents an end of the outer lip 33 on the side of the base root 33b from falling down toward the inner-cabin side with respect to an end of the outer-cabin side wall 32a on a side of the installation base member 31.

[0048] With this configuration, the force in a direction that the end of the outer lip 33 on the side of the base root 33b falls down toward the outer-cabin side acts on the end of the outer-cabin side wall 32a on the side of the installation base member 31. This configuration increases force of the rear lip 34 for making elastic contact with the door peripheral edge of the front door 1 and improves sealing performance.

[0049] This configuration does not allows appearance of an unnecessary large space among the outer lip 33, a peripheral edge of a door panel and a peripheral edge of the automobile body opening edge and solves problems such as entrance of water and wind, and occurrence of noise. In addition, this configuration prevents the rear lip 34 from straying from the door peripheral edge. Accordingly, water does not enter the inner-cabin side through a gap between the rear lip 34 and the door peripheral edge, and appearance is improved.

[0050] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a sealing structure according to a comparative example of a door weather strip 30 for comparison with the sealing structure according to the embodiment of the present invention of the door weather strip 30. FIG. 5 shows: the door weather strip 30 prior to making elastic contact with the door opening edge of the body 10; and an imaginary body 10 when the door is in the closed position, which is tentatively piled on the door weather strip 30. FIG. 6 shows the door weather strip 30, which makes elastic contact with the door opening edge of the body 10. In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is not more than the thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33; and the inner-cabin side surface 32aF of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is closer to an outside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface 33cF of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33.

[0051] When the door is closed and the outer lip 33 makes elastic contact with the vertical surface 10a of the body 10 in the direction which is substantially perpendicular, the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is subjected to a reaction force directly from the outer lip 33. With this configuration, the reaction force overpowers the thickness 32aS, which is reduced, of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32. In addition, the inner-cabin side surface 32aF of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is closer to the outside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface 33cF of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33. With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 6, an end of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 on the side of the base root 33b of the outer lip 33 falls down toward the inner-cabin side with respect to the end of the outer-cabin side wall 32a on the side of the installation base member 31.

[0052] As the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 falls down toward the inner-cabin side, the rear lip 34 strays from the peripheral edge of the front door 1 and water may enter the inner-cabin side through the gap between the front door 1 and the rear lip 34. To the contrary, In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 falls down in the direction that the rear lip 34 makes elastic contact with the peripheral edge of the front door 1 and water does not enter the inner-cabin side.

[0053] In the present embodiment, in a range 91 of the die molded part 71, the part is continuously provided in the longitudinal direction of the door weather strip 30. The part meets conditions that: the thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is not less than the thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33; and the inner-cabin side surface 32aF of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is closer to the inside of the automobile than the inner-cabin side surface 33cF of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33. But, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the part may be partially provided in the longitudinal direction of the door weather strip 30.

[0054] Specifically, in the range 91 of the die molded part 71, the thickness 32aS, which is increased, of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 (II-II line cross section of FIG. 3) and the thickness 32aS, which is reduced, of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 (IV-IV line cross section of FIG. 3) as shown in FIG. 4 are arranged by turns. The thickness 32aS, which is increased, of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 (II-II line cross section of FIG. 3) has the same cross sectional shape as the cross sectional shape of FIG. 1. The thickness 32aS, which is reduced, of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 (IV-IV line cross section of FIG. 3) is formed by scraping the outer-cabin side surface of the outer-cabin side wall 32a toward the inner-cabin side. It is preferable that the thickness 32aS, which is reduced, of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is not more than the thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33 and not less than 1 mm for preventing lack of rigidity. In FIG. 4, the thickness 32aS of the outer-cabin side wall 32a of the hollow seal member 32 is the same as the thickness 33cS of the vertical part 33c of the outer lip 33.

[0055] The present embodiment exemplifies the sealing structure of the door weather strip 30 in the range 91 of the die molded part 71 on the side of the front door 1. But the present invention is also applicable to a die molded part 72 on the side of the front door 1 and die molded parts 73, 74 of a door weather strip 40 on a side of the rear door 2. It is effective and preferable that the present invention is applied on the die molded parts in a manner that: when the door is closed, the track of movement 80 of the door intersects the vertical surface 10a, which extends in the inner-outer cabin direction, of the body 10 in the direction substantially perpendicular; and the outer lip 33 makes elastic contact with the vertical surface 10a of the body 10 in the direction substantially perpendicular.