Carrierless flange cover with integral trim strip
View Patent ↗A flange cover with a trim lip is provided for finishing a vehicle flange, wherein the flange cover can include a seal. The flange cover is affixed to a single side of the flange and the trip lip projects from an opposed side of the flange to be spaced from the flange. The trim lip can be sized to contact an interior trim piece of the vehicle to occlude a gap between the flange and the interior trim piece. A seal can be operably located on an outside surface of a flange engaging leg.
1. A flange cover with trim lip for engaging a flange having a terminal edge and a first and a second opposed side, the flange cover comprising a generally concave body having a closed end, a flange engaging leg and a trim lip, the flange engaging leg extending from the closed end for being affixed to the first side of the flange, and the trim lip extending from the closed end to be spaced from the second side of the flange along an entire length of the trim lip to locate the flange between the trim lip and the flange engaging leg, the body precluding operable contact with the second side of the flange.
2. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed of a polymeric material.
3. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , wherein the body is free of a carrier.
4. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , wherein the body is free of structural metal.
5. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive for bonding an inside surface of the flange engaging leg to the first side of the flange.
6. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member extending from an outside surface of the flange engaging leg.
7. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing bulb extending from an outside surface of the flange engaging leg.
8. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , wherein the trim lip has a varying cross section along a length of the trim lip.
9. The flange cover with trim lip of claim 1 , wherein the trim lip defines a hollow section within a cross section of the trim lip.
10. A flange cover for engaging a flange having a first side and a second side, the flange cover comprising:
(a) a flange engaging portion; and
(b) a trim lip connected to the flange engaging portion, the trim lip having a free end, the trim lip spaced from the second side of the flange along a length of the trim lip to dispose a portion of the flange intermediate the trim lip and the flange engaging portion,
the flange engaging portion and the trim lip selected to preclude operable contact with the second side of the flange.
11. The flange cover of claim 10 , wherein the flange engaging portion is formed of a polymeric material.
12. The flange cover of claim 10 , wherein the flange engaging portion is free of a carrier.
13. The flange cover of claim 10 , wherein the flange engaging portion is free of structural metal.
14. The flange cover of claim 10 , further comprising an adhesive for bonding an inside surface of the flange engaging leg to the first side of the flange.
15. The flange cover of claim 10 , further comprising a sealing member extending from an outside surface of the flange engaging leg.
16. The flange cover of claim 10 , further comprising a sealing bulb extending from an outside surface of the flange engaging leg.
17. The flange cover of claim 10 , wherein the trim lip has a varying cross section along a length of the trim lip.
18. The flange cover of claim 10 , wherein the trim lip defines a hollow section within a cross section of the trim lip.
19. A flange cover for engaging a flange having a first side, a terminal edge and a second side, the flange cover comprising
(a) a single flange engaging leg adapted to engage only the first side of the flange; and
(b) a trim lip connected to the single flange engaging leg, the trim lip configured to overlie the terminal edge and be spaced from the second side of the flange to dispose a portion of the flange intermediate the trim lip and preclude operable contact of the flange cover and the second side of the flange.
20. The flange cover of claim 19 , wherein the flange engaging leg is formed of a polymeric material.
21. The flange cover of claim 19 , wherein the flange engaging leg is free of a carrier.
22. The flange cover of claim 19 , wherein the flange engaging leg is free of structural metal.
23. The flange cover of claim 19 , further comprising an adhesive for bonding an inside surface of the flange engaging leg to the first side of the flange.
24. The flange cover of claim 19 , further comprising a sealing member extending from an outside surface of the flange engaging leg.
25. The flange cover of claim 19 , further comprising a sealing bulb extending from an outside surface of the flange engaging leg.
26. The flange cover of claim 19 , wherein the trim lip has a varying cross section along a length of the trim lip.
27. The flange cover of claim 19 , wherein the trim lip defines a hollow section within a cross section of the trim lip.
28. A flange cover for operable location relative to a vehicle flange and a spaced interior trim piece separate from the flange cover, the vehicle flange having a first side and a second side, the flange cover comprising:
(a) a flange cover body configured to engage only a single side of the flange and preclude contact with the second side of the flange; and
(b) a trim lip extending from the flange cover body and locating a portion of the interior trim piece intermediate the trim lip and the second side of the flange.
29. The flange cover of claim 28 , wherein the trim lip is sized to occlude the gap.
30. The flange cover of claim 28 , further comprising one of a reinforcing member and an elongation reducing member in the flange cover body.
31. The flange cover of claim 28 , wherein the flange cover body is free of structural metal.