Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Ricky V Katcherian

Daniel R Hunt

Donald F Rinke

Stephen R Roddy

Raymond D Price

Fixed windshield panes, rear window panes and quarter window panes are mounted on adhesive beads deposited on flanges in respective openings in the bodies of vehicles. In order to maintain a gap between a top edge of one of these fixed window panes and a roof panel, a pair of spacers, made of foam material, are positioned between the bead of adhesive and a rim portion of the roof panel prior to mounting the fixed glass pane. The spacers each have a first portion adjacent the bead and a second portion between the top edge of the fixed glass pane and the rim. Either during or after curing of the bead of adhesive retaining the fixed glass window pane, the second portions of the spacers are torn away leaving open the gap between the top edge of the fixed glass pane and the roof panel at locations of the spacers.

Devices and methods for locating fixed glass panes on automotive vehicles

A molding installation has a molding concealing a space between an edge of a window panel and a compartment lid. The molding is mounted on a body panel of the motor vehicle by a curable adhesive. The molding has a C-shaped channel member of plastic material fitted on the edge of the window panel and having spaced apart outer and inner legs which forcibly grip the opposed outer and inner faces of the window panel. A means of spacing the channel is coextruded with the channel member and adapted for engaging the body panel of the motor vehicle to space the window panel from the motor vehicle. A locking nub is coextruded with the channel member and has a head spaced from the channel member by a neck. The head is adapted to seat within the curable adhesive to mechanically retain the molding onto the body panel. A decorative portion is extruded integral with the means of spacing and has a brim projects towards the compartment lid for overlying the space between window panel and the compartment lid. A close out lip is extruded integral with the means of spacing and underlies the brim and depends into engagement with the body panel underlying the compartment lid and adapted for covering the underlying body panel.

Window reveal molding

A motor vehicle molding assembly for concealing the space between the edges of a window panel and a door which are mounted to a pillar. The molding assembly has a retainer mounted to the pillar. The retainer has a first projection projecting generally perpendicular to the pillar, with a hook formed at the end of the first projection. A dual durometer molding has a rigid portion having a groove with a catch portion adapted to receive and engage the hook of the retainer to secure the molding to the door pillar. A pliable portion encases the rigid portion and has a pair of legs depending towards and engaging the retainer mounted to the pillar for biasing the dual durometer molding away from the retainer and maintaining the engagement of the hook with the catch portion. A continuous flexible lip is extruded integral with the pliable portion and bridges across the top of the legs and the interposed rigid portion. The lip has a window engaging portion overlying the edge of the window and a door engaging portion underlying the door whereby the dual durometer molding bridges across the space between the window panel and the door.

A vehicle window molding installation including a molding concealing a space between a flange vehicle body panel and an edge of a window panel mounted on the body panel flange by a curable adhesive. The molding is a C-shaped channel member of plastic material fitted onto the edge of the window panel and having spaced apart outer and inner legs which forcibly grip the opposed outer and inner faces of the window panel. The channel member receives a bead of adhesive by which the channel member is adhesively mounted onto the window panel. A continuous flexible lip is extruded integral with the channel member and extends therefrom in a direction coplanar with the outer surface of the window panel and is effective upon mounting of the window panel upon the the body panel flange by the curable adhesive to bridge across the space between the window panel and the body panel. A continuous foot is extruded integral with the inner leg of the channel member and adapted to seat within the curable adhesive adhering the window panel to the body panel flange so that the adhesive surrounds the foot and thereby mechanically retains the lower leg of the molding onto both the window panel and the body panel independently of the bead of adhesive within the channel member to thereby further anchor the molding against being dislodged from the vehicle body.

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Ricky V Katcherian