IL30939A - Combination protective and decorative edge trim particularly for automobile doors - Google Patents

Description

< COMBINATION PROTECTIVE AND DECORATIVE EDGE TRIM PARTICULARLY FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS COMBINATION PROTECTIVE AND DECORATIVE EDGE TRIM "ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE ·« ■ ί An edge trim formed of an edge-attaching clear plastic body having encapsulated therein first and second strips of selected materials of different widths and different visual appearances or impacts, the encapsulated materials being so arranged that in the mounted position of the product along an edge they are visual to selectively varying degrees depending upon the vantage point of t e viewer relative to product. Thus, when the edg trim is s d on a car door, for example, the mere opening of the doo prominently exposes the .e of the selected materials which is brightly colorec (i.e.,, red) to thereby provide a visual signal of the c cor. Lticn of the door, while the closing of the door effectively masks this brightly colored material from view and ir.stead exposes the second, less brightly colored material to the viewer. i► when viewed head on, as occurs when the door is swung open and the protected edge is exposed directly to the viewer.

Thus, these prior art edge trims cannot adequately function as a safety signal device without noticeably detracting from the car's appearance, or vice versa.

Broadly, it is an object ot the present invention to provide an improved edge trim, particularly for the edge off a car door, overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide an automobile door edge trim having different colored materials of construction which are so arranged that one or the other of these materials is prominently projected into view, depending upon whether the door is opened or closed.

According to the invention, there is provided a combination protective and decorative edge trim for a structure having an edge of a preser bed extent bounded by prescribed bordering areas, said trim comprising a first selected strip of reflective material having an optimum visible appearance and of an extent corresponding to that of said a strip of metallic foil^ underlying said first material and having an appearance differentiated from that of said first material and of an extent corresponding to the total extents of said edge and said bordering areas, and a resilient U-shaped mounting body fabricated of transparent plastie operatively arranged in encapsulating position about said first and secohd materials such that said body is adapted to be operatively mounted along said structure edge to respectively position said first material in overlying relation to said edge and said second material in overlying relation to said bordering areas, whereby said first and P. A. 30939/3 i A combination protective and decorative edge trim demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes a clear, e&sentially U-shaped plastic body having encapsulated therein two superposed strims of first and second selected materials, the first selected material being a bright red reflective glass and the second selected material an aluminum foil. The bright red material is arranged in that portion of the encapsulating plastic body that overlies the ed^e of the automobile door such that when the doDr is swung into its open position, thifc; portion of the trim is prominently projected into view and provides an unmistakable visual signal that the - - door is open. The second selected material is disposed beneath the t>right red material and extends beyond opposite sides thereof such that when the car door is closed, and thus only the side of the edge trim is visible, only the second selected material is at that time prominently visible. By selecting silver color for the second material, it, of course, has the simulated appearance of chrome and thus is compatible with providing a decorative appearance to the car. .

The above brief description, as well as further objects features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed des- cription of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein.

: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan vi w e-P * ^sm l-ry apparatus for making the combination protective and iecorative edge trim of the present ' ' • * FIG. 2 is aide eleva ior.&i viem v>£ ..the .edge trim, o an enlarged scale and partially in sectio taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3, illustrating structural details of the edge trim; FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the edge trim, in section taken o line 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating further ■ ". ¾*· ■:. ' - ■■ ·. . ■·. ." " ·"'·,· ■ ''■ structural features *pfj$he product; FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the edge trim in position, along an exposed edge of an automobile door, namely, to wit: FIG. 4 illustrates the appearance of the edge trim when the door is in a partially open position and as seen from the . vantage point behind the door; and FIG. 5 illustrates the changed appearance of the edge trim with the automobile door in ics closed position · resulting1' in a partial masking of the edge trim.

Reference is now made to the drawings, and in particular to Figs. 4 and 5, illustrating the combination protective and decorative edge trim hereof, generally designated 10, in its operative position along an outer, exposed edge of an automobile, door 12. Specifically, in the partially open position of the automobile door 12, ≤ illustrated, in Fig. » vantage point of a viewer standing behind the door is such that the edge of the edge trim 10, herein designated 10a, is prominently presented to this viewer; on the other hand, with the door 12 in its closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 5, only the side 10b of the edge trim is prominently visible. In accordance with the present invention, the trim edge 10 has an optimum visible appearance, consisting, for example, of a material having a bright red colqr, whereas the trim side 10b has a contrasting, preferably less visible appearance, all as will be described in greater detail subsequently herein. However, 4 by virtue of the different visible appearances of the trim portions 10a and 10b, it should be readily apparent that a visible signal is automatically provided reflecting the condition of the automobile door 12. Thus, to traffic or a passerby approaching the car from behind and along a path into which the open door 12 is projected, the bright red of the trim portion 10a is an effective safety signal. In the closed position of the car door 12, however, the edge 10a is masked from view and the less prominent edge portion 10b is then visible, which portion has a silver color more compatible to its decorative function.

In a preferred embodiment of the edge trim 10, as illustrated more particularly in Figs. 2, 3, the trim will be understood to be comprised of an elongated body which, as best shown in Fig. 3, is substantii-ily U-shape^d in cross .section and includes in the area thereof coextensive with the previously noted edge 10a an encapsulated strip of a selected first ; material 14, preferably a reflective material such as glass having the previously noted prominen color red or a similar color. Arranged beneath the first mater a7 1 (s a. strip f a- selected second matey i a.1' /<£ an alurnina foil and thereby has a less prominent silver color. <\As may be clearly appreciated from Fig. 3, the width of the strip of the. second material 16 is considerably greater than that of the first material strip 14 such that there are portions thereof 1 extending from opposite sides of the material 14 into areas of the edge trim 10 which are coextensive with the previously noted sides 10b of the product. e-go kftjfo is an enc rably fabricated of a clear or transparent thermoplastic material. -The- U-shaped body 18, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, has two legs 18a and 18b bounding an internal mounting opening 18c therebetween, which will be understood to be of an appropriate size and ex-ten to accommodate therein the edge of the automobile door 12. A pair of spaced apart,^pa allel gripping projections 18d are advantageously molded on the surface bounding opening 18c and have been found to contribute to a firm engagement of the edge trim 10 on whatever edge the trim is placed. In some instances in fact, it is advisable to a"..so use an adhesive coating ,on this internal surface and the resulting engagement, for all practical purposes, is permanent.

Although any one of several commercial embodiments of * apparatus are available for producing the edge trim 10 as hereinbefore described, the apparatus preferred is a conven-tional extrusion head, generall designated 20, such as is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1. In the operatio of this apparatus, the first material 14 is appropriately put up in a supply roll 14a, as is also the second material 16 in a supply roll 16a, and these two materials 14, 16 are then appropriately fed, in contacting relation with each other , into 'the extruder head 20. During passage through the extruder head 20, the two strips of material .14, 16 are appropriately encapsulated within a clear plastic body and then feci thro gh a. sap ng die 22 which shapes the plastic body 18, the; aluminum foil 16 and the glass strip 14 into the U-shape which has already been From the foregoing description, it should therefore be readily appreciated that the combination protective and decor- - ative edge trim 10 by virtue of having the first material 14 extend only throughout an area which il coextensive with the actual edge to be protected and having a second material 16, with an appearance which is differentiated from the appearance of the first material, of an extent which is coextensive with bordering areas of the edge to be protected, thus provides an appearance in which the two materials- 14 and 16 are select- ively visible to varying degrees as a function of the vantage point of the viewer relative to the edge trim. That is, as already noted in connection with Fig. 4, when the viewer is ., looking directly at the edge portion 10a, naturally the first material 14 is the most prominently visible portion of the edge trim, whereas, when the vantage point of the viewer is to the side of the edge trim, the second material 16 coextensive with the edge side 10b is then the portion thereof which is the r most prominently visible. Thus, the edge trim 10 when used along the edge of a door is effective in providing one visual signal or appearance indicating the open condition of the door and a second visual appearance when the door is closed.

» A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appro-priate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

Claims (2)

1. WHAT IS CLAIMED A combination protective and decorative trim for a structure having edge of a prescribed bounded by bordering said t comprising a first selected strip of reflective material having an optimum visible appearance and of an exten corresponding to that of said a second selected material comprising a strip of metallic foil underlying said first material and having an appearance differentiated from that of said first material and of an extent corresponding to the to extents of said edge and said bordering and a resilient mounting body fabricated of plastic operatively arranged encapsulating position about said first and second materials such that said body adapted to be operatively said structure edge to respectively position said first material in overlying relation to said edge and said second material in overlying relation to said bordering said first and second materials are visible to selectively varying degrees as a function of the point of viewer relative to said edge t An edge trim as i Claim 1 wherein said first selected material is a strip of reflective glass and said second selected material is a strip of aluminum An edge trim as de in

2. Claim 2 wherein said encapsulating plastic body has interior mounting opening bounded by leg portions thereof and gripping projections are formed on surface bounding said mountin An edge trim as defined in Claim including an adhesive costing on said mounting opening surface effective to provide a engagement said edge trim to structure edge projected into said mounting An trim substantially as described reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying COHEN ZEDEK Box lei Aviv Attorneys for insufficientOCRQuality