Automobile windshield molding and method of producing the same

Abstract

AAn automobile windshield molding comprisesseals a pair of extruded side molding parts, a pair of corner molding parts, and an extruded upper molding part integral with and extendingspace between the sidea windshield and corner molding partsa periphery of a window opening of a vehicle body panel. Each of theThe molding parts includes an exterior wingis extruded in a single piece and a connecting portionincludes an exterior wing to cover the space on the exterior side of the vehicle body panel. The exterior wing has an outward wing portion and an inward wing portion for covering the which covers a peripheral edge of a vehicle body panel and a peripheral edge of a surface of an automobile windshield, respectively . The inward wing portion of each of the side molding part is increased its height to define a space between the peripheral surface of has an eaves which protrudes out over the windshield associated with a side panel. This space serves as a water drain channel for guiding rain water to a predetermined position . The eaves gradually becomes spaced further and further from the windshield thereby creating first water drain channels which begin approximately at first and second corner molding parts and extend towards first and second side molding parts of the windshield molding. The distance by which the eaves protrude out over the windshield gradually increases along the first and second side molding parts thus increasing the depth of the first water drain channels.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An automobile windshield molding for  sealing the  a space between a windshield and a periphery of a window opening of a vehicle body panel, said automobile windshield molding  being  comprising a pair of  extruded side molding parts, a pair of extruded corner molding parts and an extruded upper molding part integral with and extending between said side and corner molding parts, each of said side, corner and upper molding parts  in a single piece, said automobile windshield molding comprising including: 
       (a) an exterior wing adapted to cover a  said space,  on the  an exterior side of the vehicle body panel, between the window-opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and each of side, corner and upper edges of the windshield, said exterior wing including  comprising an inward wing portion that is adapted to cover for covering the   a  peripheral surface of the windshield and an outward wing portion that is adapted to cover for covering the   a  periphery of the vehicle body panel, said interior  inward wing portion having an eaves integral with said inward wing portion which protrudes out over said windshield; and  
       (b) a connecting portion extending from an interior side of each  said exterior wing and adapted to extend through the  said space, between the window-opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and each said edge of the windshield and terminating in a foot on the interior side of the vehicle body panel and a lip on the exterior side of the vehicle body panel  wherein a combined cross section of the connecting portion and the outward wing portion is uniform along an entire length of the molding;  
       wherein said eaves has a  and said inward wing portion have bottom surface  surfaces in direct contact with said windshield at an upper molding part which  said eaves bottom surface gradually becomes spaced further and further from said windshield along said side molding parts,  inward wing portion bottom surface so as to form a  first water drain channel extending along each of said side molding parts  channels between said bottom surface of said eaves and said windshield, said first water drain channels beginning approximately at first and second corner molding parts of said automobile windshield molding and extending toward respective first and second side molding parts of said automobile windshield molding; and  
       
         wherein a distance by which said eaves extends from said connecting portion in a direction parallel to said peripheral surface gradually increases along said first and second side molding parts.  
       
     
     
       2. An automobile molding according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said side, corner and upper molding parts has a second water drain channel on the outward wing portion of said exterior wing. 
     
     
       3. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 1 , wherein said eaves has a top surface and a constant thickness measured between said top surface and said bottom surface. 
     
     
       4. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance by which said eaves protrudes out over said windshield gradually increases along each side molding part to thereby increase a depth of said water drain channel. 
     
     
       5. A method for producing a strip of an automobile windshield molding having first and second side molding parts, first and second corner molding parts, and an upper molding part each with an inward wing portion having a windshield-contacting surface and an eaves for projecting out over an automobile windshield, said method comprising the steps of: 
       (a) extruding molding material through an opening in a first die while blocking off part of said opening with a second die to thereby form a  said first side molding part of said molding , said first side molding part being configured such that said eaves of said first side molding part has a bottom surface which is displaced out of alignment with said  the windshield-contacting surface of the inward wing portion of said first side molding part;  
       (b) continuing to extrude said molding material while moving said second die relative to said first die in a first direction, thereby displacing said eaves of said first side molding part gradually toward alignment with said  the windshield-contacting surface of the inward wing portion of said first side molding part;  
       (c) extruding an upper portion of said continuing to extrude the molding strip  material wherein said second die is positioned such that the bottom surface of said eaves of said upper molding part is in the same plane with and becomes coextensive with said windshield contacting   the windshield- contacting  surface of the inward wing portion of said upper molding part; and  
       (d) continuing to extrude said molding material while moving said second die in a second direction relative to said first die, to thereby gradually displace said eaves away from said  the windshield-contacting surface of the inward wing portion of said second side molding part, and to thereby form a  said second side molding part of said molding.  
     
     
       6. The A method according to  claim 5 , further comprising a step of adjusting a distance by which said eaves protrudes  of said first and second side molding parts project out over said windshield by moving a third die relative to said first and second dies during extrusion . 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said second die is moved relative to said first die by translating the second die along guides. 
     
     
       8. The A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said second die is moved relative to said first die by rotating said second die about a pivot axis. 
     
     
       9. An automobile windshield molding sealing a space between a windshield and a periphery of a window opening of a vehicle body panel, said molding comprising extruded side molding parts, extruded corner molding parts, and an extruded upper molding part integral with and extending from said corner molding parts, each of said side parts, said corner parts, and said upper molding part including: 
       ( a )  an exterior wing adapted to cover said space at an exterior side of the vehicle body panel and at each of side, corner, and upper edges of the windshield, said exterior wing including an inward wing portion for covering a peripheral surface of the windshield and an outward wing portion for covering the periphery of the vehicle body panel, said inward wing portion having an eaves which protrudes out over said windshield; and    
       ( b )  a connecting portion extending from an interior side of said exterior wing through the space between the window opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and said edges of the windshield;    
       
         wherein said eaves and said inward wing portion have bottom surfaces in direct contact with said windshield at said upper molding part, and said eaves bottom surface gradually rises and becomes spaced progressively farther from said inward wing portion bottom surface beginning approximately at said corner molding parts and extends along said side molding parts so as to form a first water drain channel extending along portions of said corner molding parts and along said side molding parts and between said bottom surface of said eaves and said windshield, said spaced eaves forming a top surface and a side surface of said first water drain channel; and  
       
       
         wherein a distance by which said eaves extends from said connecting portion in a direction parallel to said peripheral surface gradually increases along said side molding parts.  
       
     
     
       10. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein an inward edge of said eaves has a uniform outer contour appearance from the side molding parts and the corner molding parts to the upper molding part throughout the entire molding.  
     
     
       11. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein said inward wing portion of said side molding parts further comprises an inclined wall such that said first water drain channel is defined between said eaves of said side molding parts and said inclined wall.  
     
     
       12. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein said inward wing portion of said side molding parts further has a wall cooperating with said eaves for forming the first water drain channel.  
     
     
       13. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 12 , wherein said wall is in contact with the peripheral surface of the windshield throughout the entire molding and said wall gradually rises from the corner molding parts to the side molding parts.  
     
     
       14. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein said eaves have a top surface and a bottom surface and a constant thickness measured between said top surface and said bottom surface.  
     
     
       15. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein said connecting portion of each of said side, corner, and upper molding parts has a foot which extends towards the windshield.  
     
     
       16. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein said connecting portion of each of said side, corner, and upper molding parts has a lip which extends towards the vehicle body panel.  
     
     
       17. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral surface of said windshield defines a bottom of said first water drain channels.  
     
     
       18. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral surface of said windshield defines a bottom of said first water drain channel.  
     
     
       19. An automobile molding according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second water drain channel on an outward wing portion of said exterior wing.  
     
     
       20. An automobile windshield molding sealing a space between a windshield and a periphery of a window opening of a vehicle body panel, said automobile windshield molding being extruded in a single piece and comprising side molding parts, corner molding parts and an upper molding part, each molding part comprising: 
       
         an exterior wing adapted to cover said space on an exterior side of the vehicle body panel, comprising an inward wing portion that is adapted to cover a peripheral surface of the windshield and an outward wing portion that is adapted to cover a periphery of the vehicle body panel, said inward wing portion having an eaves integral with said inward wing portion which protrudes out over said windshield; and  
       
       
         a connecting portion extending from an interior side of said exterior wing and adapted to extend through said space;  
       
       
         wherein said eaves and said inward wing portion have bottom surfaces in direct contact with said windshield at the upper molding part, said eaves bottom surface gradually becomes spaced further and further from said inward wing portion bottom surface along said side molding parts so as to form first water drain channels between said bottom surface of said eaves and said windshield, and  
       
       
         wherein a distance by which said eaves extends from said connecting portion in a direction parallel to said peripheral surface gradually increases along said side molding parts.  
       
     
     
       21. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 1 , wherein said automobile molding maintains a substantially constant angle between the connecting portion and the exterior wing along the entire length of said automobile molding when installed in the vehicle.  
     
     
       22. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 10 , wherein said automobile molding maintains a substantially constant angle between the connecting portion and the exterior wing along the entire length of said automobile molding when installed in the vehicle.  
     
     
       23. An automobile windshield molding according to  claim 20 , wherein said automobile molding maintains a substantially constant angle between the connecting portion and the exterior wing along the entire length of said automobile molding when installed in the vehicle.