One-piece expandable weatherstrip

A belt weatherstrip adapted to engage an end flange of a vehicle for sealing between a glass window and a vehicle show surface, said end flange having an inner surface facing toward a glass channel of a vehicle and an outer surface adjacent a show surface of a vehicle, the width of said weatherstrip being adjustable along its length to accomodate adaptability to various show surface requirements, said weatherstrip comprising:

• an elongated core substrate including a flange portion for placement adjacent said inner surface of said flange, a show surface portion, and an intermediate portion connecting said flange portion with said show surface portion;
• means for securing said elongated core substrate to said end flange;
• a sealing lip member integral with said flange portion allowing slideable sealing engagement between said flange and a glass window, said sealing lip member having a transversely extending lip portion thereof overlying said intermediate portion of said core substrate;
• and
• a show surface member attached to said show surface portion of said sustrate and extending in overlapping engagement with the transversely extending lip member;
• said intermediate portion including a bend formed therein, wherein said bend may be selectively straightened to extend said show surface portion in a direction away from said outer surface of said flange for selectively widening the weatherstrip to accommodate varying contour or taper requirements of said show surface of said vehicle.

A glass run weatherstrip having an expandable leg portion for allowing angular bends of said weatherstrip, said weatherstrip comprising:

• an elongated core substrate having a width, said core substrate including a first flange portion along a first end of the width, along the length of the core substrate and a second flange portion at a second end of the width along the length of the core substrate and an intermediate leg portion therebetween, said first and second flange defining a glass run channel therebetween, said intermediate portion including a bend formed therein along the length of said weatherstrip in its normal position, said bend being straightenable to increase the length of said intermediate leg at a preselected location;
• a first glass sealing lip extending into said channel from said first flange and a second glass sealing lip extending from said second flange into the channel for providing for slideable sealing engagement of a glass window therebetween;
• and
• a means for attaching said first flange to a door flange of a window aperture of a door of a vehicle, whereby the intermediate flange may be extended when forming the glass run weatherstrip at an angle for traversing a corner of the window aperture to provide clearance for the window in the glass run channel at the angled portion of the glass run weatherstrip.

A glass run weatherstrip having an expandable leg portion for allowing extra clearance in the glass run channel at an angular bend in the weatherstrip, said weatherstrip comprising:

• an elongated core substrate having a width, said core substrate including a "U" shaped flange portion at a first end of the width of the weatherstrip and a second flange at the other end of the width of the core substrate thereby defining a glass run channel therebetween, an intermediate leg portion connecting the "U" shaped flange and the second flange, said intermediate leg portion including an arcuate bend formed therein extending into the channel in its normal state;
• an extruded outer covering extruded onto said core substrate, said outer covering including a first glass sealing lip extending into the glass run channel form the "U" shaped flange portion, a second glass sealing lip extending from the second flange into the channel for providing slideable sealing engagement of a glass window therebetween, and a retention structure extending into the channel formed by the "U" shaped flange for engaging the end flange of a window aperture, whereby the arcuate bend in the intermediate leg may be straightened when bending the glass run weatherstrip for traversing a corner of a window aperture, to lengthen the intermediate leg, thereby providing extra clearance in the glass run channel at the bend in the glass run weatherstrip.