Applique for A-pillar area of vehicle
AssigneeGuardian Industries Corp.
InventorJoseph J. Randazzo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pillar applique for use at a pillar area (e.g., A-pillar area) of a vehicle. The pillar applique includes a substrate portion and a thermoplastic elastomer portion. Each of the substrate portion (21) and the thermoplastic elastomer portion (23) are formed via injection molding in certain embodiments of the invention, and the thermoplastic elastomer portion may be injection molded over the substrate portion during its forming process (or vice versa) so that the two portions may be bonded to one another without the need for additional adhesive.
Claims8
Applique for use at a pillar area of a vehicle, the applique comprising:
- an injection molded substrate including nylon and propylene;
- an injection molded flexible thermoplastic elastomer portion including at least one flexible lip or leg for engaging a surface or edge of a vehicle window, and wherein said substrate and said thermoplastic elastomer portion are bonded together during injection molding step;
- and
- wherein said thermoplastic elastomer portion and said substrate are of different materials having different hardness values which are selected so that the thermoplastic elastomer portion and the substrate are molded or bonded to one another during the injection molding step without a separate adhesive layer therebetween.
Applique for use at a pillar area of a vehicle, the applique comprising:
- a polymer inclusive substrate;
- a polymer inclusive flexible thermoplastic elastomer portion including at least one flexible lip or leg for engaging a surface or edge of a vehicle window, wherein said substrate and said thermoplastic elastomer portion are bonded together;
- and
- wherein said thermoplastic elastomer portion and said substrate are of different materials having different hardness values which are selected so that the thermoplastic elastomer portion and the substrate are molded or bonded to one another during the without a separate adhesive layer therebetween.
A method of making a vehicle pillar applique, the method comprising:
- a) injection molding one of:
- 1) a polymer inclusive substrate, and 2) a thermoplastic elastomer portion;
- b) in a subsequent injection molding step, injection molding the other of 1) said polymer inclusive substrate, and 2) said thermoplastic elastomer portion, to the one injection molded in step a);
- and
- c) attaching the applique to a vehicle proximate a pillar area thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.