Plug for reducing potential damage to an outer belt cap and method
A plug is disclosed that reduces a potential for damage to a cap or bright strip of a weatherstrip assembly. The plug can be an elongated member having a cross-sectional dimension that extends between and contacts an indented, transition region of a body of the weatherstrip assembly and an inner surface of the cap.
1. A plug for reducing potential damage to a cap of a weatherstrip assembly, the weatherstrip assembly including a body having a vehicle mounting portion, at least one seal member extending from a first surface of the body, and a second surface of the body including laterally spaced, outwardly facing first and second shoulders and an indented region disposed between the shoulders, the cap having first and second edges mounted on the first and second shoulders, respectively, of the body and a central portion of the cap is spaced from the indented region of the body and forming a cavity therebetween extending along a longitudinal dimension of the body, the plug comprising:
an elongated member being a separate element from the cap and having a cross-sectional dimension that extends between and contacts the indented region of the body and an inner surface of the cap; and
first and second laterally extending members protruding laterally from opposite regions of the elongated member and received in first and second notched contour regions of the first and second shoulders, respectively.
2. The plug of claim 1 wherein the elongated member includes a central opening forming a hollow cavity.
3. The plug of claim 1 wherein the elongated member includes a rounded protrusion received in the indented region of the body.
4. The plug of claim 3 further comprising additional rounded protrusions abutting the inner surface of the cap.
5. A process of limiting potential damage to a cap of a weatherstrip assembly, the weatherstrip assembly including a body having a vehicle mounting portion, at least one seal member extending from a first surface of the body, and a second surface of the body including laterally spaced, outwardly facing first and second shoulders and an indented region disposed between the shoulders, the cap having first and second edges mounted on the first and second shoulders, respectively, of the body and a central portion of the cap is spaced from the indented region of the body and forming a cavity therebetween extending along a longitudinal dimension of the body, the process comprising:
forming an elongated member to be a separate element from the cap;
forming first and second lateral extensions protruding laterally from opposite regions of the elongated member that are dimensioned for receipt respectively in first and second notched contour regions of the first and second shoulders;
dimensioning the elongated member to have a cross-sectional dimension that extends between and contacts the indented region of the body and an inner surface of the cap; and
inserting the first lateral extension into the first notched contour region of the first shoulder and subsequently fitting the second lateral extension into the second notched contour region of the second shoulder to locate the elongated member in the cavity and between the first shoulder and the second shoulder.
6. The process of claim 5 wherein the step of forming the elongated member includes extruding the elongated member.
7. The process of claim 5 wherein said step of subsequently fitting the second lateral extension into said second notched contour region comprises snap fitting the second lateral extension into said second notched contour region.
8. The process of claim 7 further comprising providing a central opening through the elongated member.