ASSEMBLY HAVING INTEGRAL SEALING MEANS

• US 3,678,635 A
• Filed: 03/26/1971
• Issued: 07/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Louis D. Vagi, Maurice M. Westerdale
• Original Assignee: Louis D. Vagi, Maurice M. Westerdale
• Inventors: Vagi, Louis D., Westerdale, Maurice M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faw, Jr., Price C.
• Application Number:
  US05/128,426
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 52/28,27,173,393,400,403,510 248/26,27 240/8.1R,8.2,8.22
• US Class Current: 52/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2653 with arrangement for sealing the device with respect to the vehicle body, or for concealing gaps between the device and the vehicle body

Abstract

An assembly of an accessory base member to a panel having an aperture therein, the aperture being concealed beneath the base member. The base member has a continuous peripheral flange adapted to abut the panel and an integral continuous flexible skirt located between the flange and the aperture edge. With the base member mounted on the panel, the flexible skirt deforms against the panel to provide a compression seal between the base member and the panel. The compression seal prevents entry of water and dust into the vehicle body through the aperture.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a panel having an aperture therein, an accessory mounted on the panel having a base member concealing the panel aperture therebeneath the base member having a continuous peripheral flange abutting the panel in spaced relationship to the edge of the aperture, and a continuous flexible skirt extending from the base member between the flange and the edge of the aperture, the flexible skirt in pre-mounted condition of the base member projecting beyond the panel abutting flange and in mounted condition being deformed against the panel to provide a compression seal between the base member and the panel.

2. AN assembly according to claim 1, in which:

the base member is of molded stiffly resilient synthetic resin and has the flange and skirt integrally formed thereon.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, in which:

the flange is of a wall thickness wherein it is relatively stiff and the skirt is substantially thinner than the flange and tapers to a decreased thickness from its attachment to the base member toward its distal end to provide increased flexibility toward its contact area with the panel.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, in which:

the flange is substantially thicker than the skirt, and the skirt tapers to a decreased thickness from its attachment to the base member to its distal end to provide increased flexibility toward the panel contacting end.