Weatherstrip adapted to be captured in t-slots

• US 20100170160A1
• Filed: 06/21/2006
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel W. Richter, James V. Albanese
• Original Assignee: Ultrafab, Inc.
• Inventors: Richter, Daniel W., Albanese, James V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/489.100
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2307 with a single sealing-line or -plane between the wing and the part co-operating with the wing

Abstract

A weatherstrip for use with a T-slot. The weatherstrip includes a scaling element, such as a pile of yarn, on one side thereof and a bead on the opposite side thereof. The bead includes a curved surface for engaging an interior surface of the T-slot. Preferably, the bead is a material which adheres to the weatherstrip and comprises a hot melt glue such as ethylene vinyl acetate.

Claims

1. In a weatherstrip having a sealing element on a backing which is capturable in a T-slot with the sealing element projecting out of the slot, the improvement comprising a compressible member extending along said backing and adhering thereto, said member having a compressability and flexibility much greater than said backing, said member and backing having approximately the same thickness, said compressibility being sufficient to enable said member to be compressed into interfering relationship with said T-slot along an interior surface thereof.

2. The weatherstrip according to claim 1 wherein said sealing element is a compressible body and said backing is a strip, said member being a bead having a curved surface defining a profile lengthwise along said strip of variable height providing said interfering relationship.

3. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead and sealing element are disposed opposite each other on opposite sides of said strip.

4. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead is one of a pair of compressible beads extending laterally outward from along opposite edges of said backing strip.

5. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead is an extrusion of material adhesively attached to said backing.

6. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead is of a plastic material which is semi-rigid when solidified.

7. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead is of a flexible thermoplastic elastomer.

8. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead is selected from hot meltable polyethelyene, a hot meltable olefin material, and a hot meltable glue.

9. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein bead is solidified hot melt glue.

10. The weatherstrip according to claim 9 wherein said glue contains an ethylene vinyl acetate material.

11. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said staling element is a pile of yarn extending length-wise along said backing strip centrally between edges thereof, said bead being disposed along a side of said backing opposite from said sealing element and also centrally of said backing.

12. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said backing has a channel defined by flanges extending along said backing on a side thereof opposite said sealing element, said bead being disposed in said channel with said curved surface extending out of said channel beyond said flanges.

13. The weatherstrip according to claim 12 wherein said flanges are formed from material upset from said backing, either centrally of said backing or outside said flanges between the edges of said backing and said flanges, such that said backing is reduced in cross-sectioned thickness between said flanges when said material is upset inside said flanges said reduced in cross-section outside said flanges when said material is upset from outside said flanges.

14. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said backing has a channel centered on said opposite side of said backing, said channel being defined by flanges in which said bead is disposed with said curved surface extending out of said channel beyond said flanges.

15. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said backing strip is arcuately curved in cross section, and has a sufficient curvature to be in engagement with roof surfaces of said T-slot along an opening providing an entry for said backing into the interior of said T-slot.

16. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said T-slot has a floor with a ridge engagable with said bead when said weatherstrip is disposed with the backing thereof in said T-slot.

17. The weatherstrip according to claim 16 wherein said ridges have a profile which is of different height above the floor of said T-slot sufficient to restrict movement of said weatherstrip lengthwise thereof along said T-slot.

18. The weatherstrip according to claim 2 wherein said bead has a durometer between 50-90 (Shore A).

19. The weatherstrip according to claim 18 wherein said backing is polypropylene.

20. A method for forming a member along the backside of a weatherstrip to improve capture of the weatherstripping in a T-slot comprising the steps of:

conveying a weatherstrip along a path; and

applying a member of compressible material along the backside of the weatherstrip as said weatherstrip is conveyed in a manner to provide said member with a wavy profile of variable height.

21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising the step of:

forming a channel along the backside of the weatherstrip into which said longitudinal member is applied by said applying step.

22. The method according to claim 20 wherein said member is centrally disposed along the backside of the weatherstrip by said applying step.