GB2114200A

GB2114200A - Window glass mounting arrangements for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2114200A
Application number: GB08233495A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Werner Kruschwitz
Original assignee: Draftex Development AG
Current assignee: Draftex Development AG
Priority date: 1982-01-20
Filing date: 1982-11-24
Publication date: 1983-08-17
Also published as: GB2114200B

Abstract

A mounting arrangement for mounting a windscreen or windshield glass 10 is made of plastics or rubber material with an embedded metal carrier 22 for mounting the arrangement on a flanged joint 12 running around the window opening. The flexible material defines a slit 28 for receiving a flange of a metal frame 34 which runs around the periphery of the window glass 10, the other flange of the frame may be adhesively secured to the glass before assembly. To facilitate insertion of the window glass 10, the flexible material may be bent outwardly, in the region 39, and is then allowed to resile and locked in the resiled position by inserting a stiffening member 38 into a slot 32. The arrangement provides substantially flush-mounting of the window glass, and no part of the flexible material or of the stiffening member 38 extends further outwards of the window opening than the metal frame 34 to any significant extent. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to window glass mounting arrangements The invention relates to window glass mounting arrangements such as, for example, for use in motor vehicles.

According to the present invention, there is provided a window glass mounting arrangement for mounting a window glass in a frame of a window opening, comprising support means made with flexible material and for supporting the arrangement on the frame of the window opening and defining a surface of flexible material running around the window opening for receiving the window glass, the said surface defining a slit, a stiff longitudinally extending frame member having projecting walls which project in opposite directions, one said wall being received in the said slit and the other engaging a surface of the window glass around its periphery, and retaining means for retaining the said frame member in the said slit.

According to the invention, there is also provided a window glass mounting arrangement for mounting a window glass in a surround running around a window opening, comprising support means made with flexible material and by which the mounting arrangement is supported on the said surround so as to provide flexible material defining a surface running around the window opening for receiving the peripheral edge of the window glass, the said surface defining a longitudinally extending slit, a relatively stiff frame member having a first strip-iike portion received in the said slit, a base portion in contact with the peripheral edge of the window glass and a second strip-like portion which is in contact with a peripheral region on a surface of the window glass and projects in the opposite direction to the first portion, the flexible material being such that it does not to any substantial extent project outwardly of the window opening further than the glass, the outermost part of the flexible material defining a longitudinally extending slot which enables the flexible material on the outside of the said slit to be flexed outwardly to permit insertion of the said first strip-like portion of the frame member, and a relatively stiff longitudinally extending stiffening member sized to fit into the said slot after the flexible material on the outside of the said slot has resiled, so as to hold the frame member firmly in position and thus to lock the window glass in the opening.

According to the invention, there is further provided a window glass mounting arrangement for holding window glass in a window opening which is defined by a flanged joint running around the window opening and providing a flange extending inwardly of and parallel to the plane of the opening, comprising longitudinally extending flexible material sized to extend around the window opening and defining a channel for sealingly gripping the flange, a channel-shaped reinforcing carrier embedded within the flexible material where it defines the channel, a relatively stiff frame member applied to the peripheral region of the outside surface of the window glass and the peripheral edge thereof and having an integral strip-like portion, the flexible material defining a generally ledge-shaped surface running around the channel for receiving the window glass with the frame member applied thereto, the base of the ledge-shaped surface defining a longitudinally extending slit for receiving the striplike portion integral with the frame member, the outermost surface of the flexible material defining a longitudinally extending slot, and a relatively stiff longitudinally extending stiffening member sized to fit into the said slot, after that portion of the flexible material defining the outside wall of the said slit has been bent outwardly to permit insertion of the strip-like projection on the frame member and has then resiled, whereby to lock the frame member in the slit and to lock the window glass in position, no part of the flexible material or of the stiffening member when inserted in the said slot projecting to any significant extent outwardly of the outermost part of the frame member.

A window glass mounting arrangement embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a cross-section through the mounting arrangement.

The mounting arrangement now to be described in more detail is for mounting a window glass 10, such as the windshield glass of a motor vehicle, in a window opening in the vehicle which is surrounded by a bodywork flanged joint 1 2 lying parallel to the plane of the window opening.

The flanged joint 12 is formed between two bodywork portions 14 and 1 6.

The mounting arrangement comprises a gripping portion 18 and a mounting and sealing portion 20.

The gripping portion 18 is channel-shaped in cross-section and is made of plastics or rubber material 21 in which is embedded a reinforcing carrier 22 of any suitable form. For example, the carrier may be made of metal and in the form of side-by-side U-shaped elements either connected together or entirely disconnected. Instead, it could be made of wire looped to and fro across the channel. Preferably, it is embedded in the material 21 by a cross-head extrusion process.

The material 21 is extruded so as to provide integral gripping lips 24.

The mounting and sealing portion 20 is formed of plastics or rubber material which is integral with the plastics or rubber material of the gripping portion 1 8 and extruded therewith. It is extruded so as to provide a generally L-shaped surface 25 having a lip 26 and a slot 28. In addition, it provides lips 30 and 31 defining a generally Vshaped slot 32.

The mounting arrangement shown is manufactured in strips of indeterminate length which are then cut to suit the peripheral length of the window opening and are fixed in position by placing the gripping portion 18 over the flange joint 12 and pressing it thereon so that it firmly grips itself in position, helped by the gripping and sealing lips 24.

The window glass 10, in combination with a metal frame 34, is then placed into position in the ledge which surrounds the window opening and is formed by the L-shaped surface 25. The metal frame 34 has two substantially parallel portions 34a and 34b joined by a horizontal portion 34c.

When fitting the glass 10 and the metal frame 34 into position, the lip 30 is bent outwardly into a generally horizontal attitude and is then allowed to resile when the metal frame 34 has been placed into position, so that the portion 34a of the metal frame is positioned in the slot 28. The bending outwards of the lip 30 may be facilitated by means of a cord which is placed in position in the slot 28 before the fitting process.

Finally, a stiffening member 38, made of relatively hard plastics or rubber material for example, is forced into the slot 32, around the whole length of the mounting arrangement, so as to become locked into position by the re-entrant portions 39, 40. The stiffening member 38 thus holds the lip 30 firmly in the attitude shown, locking the frame 34 into position and holding the window glass 10 firmly in the window opening.

The stiffening member 38 advantageously carries a bright trim strip 41.

The lip 31 enables the arrangement to adjust itself in a variety of differently shaped body portions 1 6.

The mounting arrangement is advantageous because it provides an outer surface which is substantially flush with the outer surface of the window glass 10.

If desired, the mounting arrangement may be preformed into a closed loop sized to fit a particular size of window opening.

Various modifications can be made. For example, the metal frame 34 may be arranged so that the portion 34b is on the inward surface of the glass 10 rather than on the outward surface thereof, the portion 34b being joined to the glass surface by adhesive for example.

Claims

1. A window glass mounting arrangement for mounting a window glass in a frame of a window opening, comprising support means made with flexible material and for supporting the arrangement on the frame of the window opening and defining a surface of flexible material running around the window opening for receiving the window glass, the said surface defining a slit, a stiff longitudinally extending frame member having projecting walls which project in opposite directions, one said wall being received in the said slit and the other engaging a surface of the window glass around its periphery, and retaining means for retaining the same frame member in the said slit.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the flexible material defines a longitudinal slot in a face thereof facing outwardly of the window opening and spaced from the said surface, and the retaining means comprises a removable stiffening member received and held in the said slot for stiffening the flexible material alongside the said slit so as firmly to hold the frame member in position.

3. A window glass mounting arrangement for mounting a window glass in a surround running around a window opening, comprising support means made with flexible material and by which the mounting arrangement is support on the said surround so as to provide flexible material defining a surface running around the window opening for receiving the peripheral edge of the window glass, the said surface defining a longitudinally extending slit, a relatively stiff frame member having a first strip-like portion received in the said slit, a base portion in contact with the peripheral edge of the window glass and a second strip-like portion which is in contact with a peripheral region on a surface of the window glass and projects in the opposite direction to the first portion, the flexible material being such that it does not to any substantial extent project outwardly of the window opening further than the glass, the outermost part of the flexible material defining a longitudinally extending slot which enables the flexible material on the outside of the said slit to be flexed outwardly to permit insertion of the said first strip-like portion of the frame member, and a relatively stiff longitudinally extending stiffening member sized to fit into the said slot after the flexible material on the outside of the said slot has resiled, so as to hold the frame member firmly in position and thus to lock the window glass in the opening.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, in which the stiffening member is sized so that, when positioned in the said slot, it does not to any significant extent project outwardly further than the flexible material.

5. An arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the stiffening member includes a decorative trim forming over its outer surface.

6. An arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to 5, in which the flexible material defining the said slot has re-entrant portions running along the mouth of the slot and directed inwardly of the mouth so as to help to lock the stiffening member in the slot.

7. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, for use where the window opening is defined by a flanged joint running around the window opening and providing a flange extending parallel to the window opening, in which the said support means comprises a channel defined in the flexible material and sized to fit over and grip the said flange.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, including a channel-shaped reinforcing carrier embedded within the flexible material where the said channel is defined therein.

9. An arrangement according to claim 7 or 8, in which the flexible material defines gripping and sealing lips on at least one of the inside walls of the channel for making gripping and sealing contact with the sides of the said flange.

10. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the frame member is made of metal.

11. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the frame member is adhesively secured to the window glass.

12. An arrangement according to any preceding claim, in which the frame member is in contact with the outward surface of the window glass.

13. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the frame member is in contact with the inward surface of the window glass.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, in which the frame member is adhesively attached to the inward surface of the window glass.

1 5. A window glass mounting arrangement for holding window glass in a window opening which is defined by a flanged joint running around the window opening and providing a flange extending inwardly of and parallel to the plane of the opening, comprising longitudinally extending flexible material sized to extend around the window opening and defining a channel for sealingly gripping the flange, a channel-shaped reinforcing carrier embedded within the flexible material where it defines the channel, a relatively stiff frame member applied to the peripheral region of the outside surface of the window glass and the peripheral edge thereof and having an integral strip-like portion, the flexible material defining a generally ledge-shaped surface running around the channel for receiving the window glass with the frame member applied thereto, the base of the ledge-shaped surface defining a longitudinally extending slit for receiving the strip-like portion integral with the frame member, the outermost surface of the flexible material defining a longitudinally extending slot, and a relatively stiff longitudinally extending stiffening member sized to fit into the said slot, after that portion of the flexible material defining the outside wall of the said slit has been bent outwardly to permit insertion of the strip-like projection on the frame member and has then resiled, whereby to lock the frame member in the slit and to lock the window glass in position, no part of the flexible material or of the stiffening member when inserted in the said slot projecting to any significant extent outwardly of the outermost part of the frame member.

1 6. A window glass mounting arrangement, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.