Chrome-plated bodyside molding for vehicle and method of making same
AssigneeGuardian Automotive Trim, Inc.
InventorBrian McCormack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiple piece bodyside molding includes a cover piece connected to a base piece. The cover is formed in a manner and shape so that it may be chrome-plated while reducing the likelihood of bath/tank contamination during the chrome-plating process. Subsequent to being chrome-plated, the cover is connected to the base so as to form the resulting bodyside molding. The cover may be attached to the base via ultrasonic welding, vibration welding, snap-on connectors, or via heat-deforming or extension tabs in different embodiments of the invention.
Claims11
A bodyside molding to be attached to a vehicle, the bodyside molding comprising:
- a base having first and second spaced apart thru-apertures defined therein, said apertures extending all the way through said base;
- a chrome plated cover including first and second sidewalls between which a channel is defined;
- and
- wherein an end portion of said first sidewall is connected to a first portion of said base by extending at least partially through said first aperture and an end portion of said second sidewall is connected to a second portion of said base by extending at least partially through said second aperture.
A bodyside molding to be attached to a vehicle, the bodyside molding comprising:
- a base having first and second spaced apart apertures defined therein;
- a chrome plated cover including first and second sidewalls between which a channel is defined;
- wherein an end of said first sidewall is connected to a first portion of said base and an end of said second sidewall is connected to a second portion of said base;
- wherein said end of said first sidewall includes a first tab and a second tab extending outwardly from a main body of said cover, and wherein said first tab extends through a first aperture in said base and said second tab does not extend through said first aperture;
- and
- wherein at least portions of said first and second tabs are approximately parallel to one another.
A bodyside molding to be attached to a vehicle, the bodyside molding comprising:
- a base having first and second spaced apart apertures defined therein;
- a chrome plated cover including first and second sidewalls between which a channel is defined;
- wherein an end of said first sidewall is connected to a first portion of said base and an end of said second sidewall is connected to a second portion of said base;
- and
- wherein said end of said first sidewall which extends through a first aperture in said base is heated to a deformable state, and said end of said second sidewall which extends through a second aperture in said base is heated to a deformable state, so that said ends are deformed in order to connect said cover to said base.
A method of making a bodyside molding for a vehicle, said method comprising:
- forming a cover piece;
- forming a base piece;
- electroplating at least a portion of the cover piece;
- attaching first and second end portions of the electroplated cover piece to first and second spaced apart portions of the base, by inserting first and second ends of said first and second end portions, respectively, through respective thru-apertures defined in said base piece.
A bodyside molding to be attached to a vehicle, the bodyside molding comprising:
- a base having first and second spaced apart thru-apertures defined therein, said apertures extending all the way through said base;
- a cover including first and second sidewalls;
- and
- wherein an end portion of said first sidewall is connected to a first portion of said base by extending at least partially through said first aperture and an end portion of said second sidewall is connected to a second portion of said base by extending at least partially through said second aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.