Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BA~KGROUND AND SUM~9 RY OF TEIE INVENTION -
This invention relates to trim strips or molding strips
~hich can be attached to structures for decorative and protective
purposes The trim or molding strips ol this invention are especially --
suitable for use in protecting and decoraling vehicles such as auto-
mobiles As used hereina~ter, the term "molding" Yiill be used with
the understanding that it includes both molding strips and trim strips
Moldings have been used for many years to improve the - ,~
appearance and protect structurrs such as automobiles, Molding
attached to the side of an automobile is particularly effective to
protect the automol)ile from damage such as might occur when the
door Or an adjacent automobile is carelessly swung open Moldings
uscd to protect lhe e~terior of autonlobiles are generally subjccted to
considerable abuse which includes not only the aforementioned contacts
but also exposure to tempcrature extremes, wind, rain, ice and snow
Yet suitabl- aotomol~ilc moldin~s arc cxpecteO to m Int-in thci~
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appearance and protect the automobile for long periods of use
through many seasonal changes. To provide satisfactory service,
moldings must last for years without pulling away from the side
of the automobile to which they are attached. Also, moldings
must be hard enough to resist but soft enough to cushion a moderate
blow directed against them in order to protect the finish of the
automobile to which they are attached.
Thus, it is difficult to fully meet all of the
requirements for such moldings. The prior art includes several
patents reflecting efforts to develop moldings having improved
characteristics. Examples include U.S. patents 3,543,465, December
1, 1970 to Jackson; 3,982,780, September 28, 1976 to Kieth;
3,916,055, October 28, 1975 to Wagner; 3,380,193, April 30, 1968
to Hill; 3,472,546, October 14, 1969 to Samuels; 3,843,475, October
22, 1974 to Kent; and 3,938,795, February 17, 1976 to Haas.
There is a continued need, however, to develop improved
moldings which are light in weight, are made from inexpensive
materials, and are able to serve both decorative and protective
functions well. The objects of this invention are to provide
moldings having these characteristics. These and other objects
and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from
the following disclosure.
According to the present invention there is provided a
protective and decorative molding including an elongated, channel-
shaped plastic member having an uneven and irregular inwardly
facing surface defining an inner space, a lightweight flexible
pliant foam filling and extending beyond the inner space of the
c~annel member and bonded thereto, and means for attaching the
foam to a supporting structure.
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Suitable attachment means include, for example, a
pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the foam surface extending
beyond the elongated, channel-shaped plastic member. The molding
can have a decorative layer, such as a metalized plastic film,
attached to or imbedded in the outer surface of the channel-shaped
plastic member. The outer surface of the plastic member and
decorative layer may be covered by an additional layer of
protective clear plastic material. The molding of the present
invention is an economical, practical, light-weight molding serving
both decorative and protective functions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view, broken away and in sec-
tion, of a molding.
Figure 2 is a perspective view, broken away and in sec-
tion, of an alternative embodiment of a molding of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates a
molding, indicated generally by reference numeral 1. The molding
shown in Figure 1 comprises a channel-shaped, elongated member 2
made of a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material such as polyvinyl
chloride, and having an inner surface 4 and an outer surface 6.
Outer surface 6 is covered by a thin, clear
1137139
laycr ~ wlllcll c;ln l)c madc of, ror c~;ample, a vlnyl com~olln(l or an
lonomerlc rc~in such ;13 "Surlyn" ~vailablc commcrcially EIom ~
duPont dc Ncmours & Co.. L~yer 8 also covers dccorativc film 10
whlch is imbedded in elon~ated member 2 to provide a metallic
appearance to a portion 12 of outer surface 6 andwhich may be any of
the several decorative films such as metal foil or metalized plastic -
film well known in the art. Although not shown in the drawing, layer
8 may itself be covered with a thin layer of acrylic resin which pro-
vides additional protection against, for example, ultra-violet light.
Foam 16 is a light-weight, pliant and flexible foam such
as po~yurethane foam and is bonded or otherwise fil{edly attached to
inner surface 4 of elongated member 2. Foam 16 locates within and
slightly beyond the inner space of channel-shaperl elongated member
2, generally indicated by numeral 14. As illustrated in Figure 1,
the term "inner space" refers to the interior volume enclosed ~vithin
channel-shaped elongated member 2 and an elongated imaginary plane
17 which cxtends across the opening of the channel-shaped, elongated
member. While elongated member 2 provides structural strength to
.
the molding 1, foam 16 both fills the inner space 14 of elongated
member 2 and provides a substantially flat or planar surface 18 to
which adhesive layer 20 is attached.
--~ portion 15 of foam 16 extends beyond tlle inner space
of channel-shaped elongated member 2 thereby forming shoulders
-22, and e~ton(ls out~vardly to form shoulders 19 WhiCIl facilitate the
sealingS of inncr surîace 4 from outside elements which migllt aEfcct
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thc hon(l t)ciwccn inncr surfacc ~ an~l foam lG. Thc substantInlly
plnnar surfacc 18 of foam 16 has an adhcsIvc layer 20 thcreon for
attach1n~ the molding 1 to the side of an automobLle. It is an advantage
of the present Invention th~t because foam 16 Is a soft, pliant material
extending beyond inner space 14 of elongated member 2, there 1s no
need for a cushioning layer between adhesive 20 and foam 16, and
adhesive 20 can be applied directly to foam 16 which serves, itself,
to cushion planar surface 18 and allow it to conform to an irregular
surface for bonding. Also foam 16 extends beyond inner spaçe 14 to
facilitate the use of a pressure sensitive adhesive as adhesive 20.
Thus, when molding 1 is pressed against the side of an automobile,
foam 16 is compressed, thereby evenly distributing the pressure on
the adhesive beh~een the automobile and substantially planar surface -
18 to best effect adhesion by adhesive 20. Also foam 16 provides a
resilient cushioning effect with respect to the side of an automobile --
when channel-shaped elongated member 2 is struck by a moderate
blow such as that which might result from the opening of a door of an
adjacent automobile.
Channel-shaped elongated member 2 can be made, for
example, by extrusion, of any suitable plastic material by which is
meant a material which is durable and sufficiently strong to resist
damage resulting from, e. g. car door edges. The plastic material
should have elastic memory so that indentations from moderate irnpact
~ill soon disappear. It has bcen found preferable to employ a plastic
having :3 hardncss of from al~out 80 Shore 1~ to about 55 Shore D
.
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(15 Sec. delay AST~. Suitable plastic materials meeting these
requirements are well known in the art and include polyvinyl
chloride plastic generally referred to as PVC. Of course, the
plastic material can contain plasticizers, pigments, and other
additives to improve the properties or appearance of the material.
Foam 16 is a light-weight, pliant and flexible foam such
as a poly-urethane foam which can be made by reacting a polyol
with an isocyanate in the presence of a catalyst and a blowing
agent. Generation of foam, in situ, in the inner space 14 of
elongated member 2 offers an advantage in that the foam material
will tend to bond to inner surface 4 of channel-shaped elongated
member 2 during the reaction. Of course, a primer or adhesive
might also be used to coat inner surface 4 for a stronger bond.
Shoulders 22 and substantially planar surface 18 of foam 16 can
be made by suitably confining the foam during the foam generation
step or by cutting away excess foam material to form shoulders 22
and substantially planar surface 18.
Suitable adhesive materials for adhesive layer 20 are
commercially available and are those well known in the art. For
ease of application and to take best advantage of the present
invention, pressure sensitive adhesives are preferred.
Figure 2, shows a feature of the present invention,
generally indicated by numeral la, wherein channel-shaped
elongated member 2 has an outer surface 6 without any protective
layer thereon and an inner surface 34 characterized
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by an irrc~ular and uncvcn uurface. It i9 contcmplatcd th:Lt tlle
lrrcGular natllrc of inncr surfacc 3~ will scrve to incrcase the
bonding strcn~tll bctwcen foam 16 and challnel-shapcd elon~ated
member 2 by providing a multiplicity of angles and increasing the
surface arca therebetween. Sl-own with edgcs imbedded in cuter
surfacc 6 of elongated channel 2 is decorative film 30 which may
be a polyvinylfluoride film such as is commercially available under
the trade name "Tedlar" from E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co.
and which presents a decorative surface 32 to enhance the visual
impression of molding la. A double faced tape, generally indicated
at 36, having film layer 24 sandwiched between adhesive layers
26 and 28, is bonded to planar surface 18 of foam 16 by means of
adhesive layer 26. Adhesive layer 28, which is preferably a pres~
sure sensitive adhesive, is employed to attach molding la to the
exterior surface ofJ for example, an automobile. ~ -
Moldings made in accordance with the present invention
can be used not only to protect the sides of automobiles but also
to protect the trunk lid or roof of automobiles or vans as luggage ; -;
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strips The moldings can also be used as fascias for the rear or -- -
front of automobiles or vans. Iiurthermore, while the description
of the present invention has been largely in the context of its appll-
cation to automobilesJ it will be readily apparent to those skilled - i
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in the art that tlle moldings of this invention would be usefully --~
applicd to other vchicles as wcll as other structurcs such as appli-
ances and the lil;e. While a specific form of this invention has bcen
dcscribcd and illustlatcd hercin, it is to be understood that the in-
vention may bc varicd within thc scope of tlle appcncled claims with-
out dcparting from tl-c spirit of lhc invcntion.
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