Illuminating weatherseal
First Claim
1. An automotive weatherseal in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, one of the confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold, the automotive weatherseal sealing the gap when of the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal, comprising:
- (a) an elongate polymeric body attached to the first confronting surface, the polymeric body including a sealing portion spaced from the second confronting surface in the spaced apart open position of the confronting surfaces and the sealing portion contacting the second confronting surface in the adjacent closed position of the confronting surfaces, the polymeric body including an elongate seating channel extending along a longitudinal dimension of at least a portion of the polymeric body, the seating channel longitudinally extending to a location spaced from the threshold; and
(b) an elongate light generating line disposed in the seating channel at the location spaced from the threshold and having a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof extending generally parallel to longitudinal dimension.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An illuminating weatherseal (10) can seal a gap between confronting surfaces and illuminate the adjacent environment. The illuminating weatherseal includes a light emitting line (80) extending along a longitudinal dimension of the weatherseal (10), wherein the light is emitted from the light emitting line (80) along a path non coincident with the longitudinal dimension. A switch can be incorporated into the illuminating weatherseal (10) for selectively actuating the light emitting line (80).
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Citations
75 Claims
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1. An automotive weatherseal in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, one of the confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold, the automotive weatherseal sealing the gap when of the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal, comprising:
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(a) an elongate polymeric body attached to the first confronting surface, the polymeric body including a sealing portion spaced from the second confronting surface in the spaced apart open position of the confronting surfaces and the sealing portion contacting the second confronting surface in the adjacent closed position of the confronting surfaces, the polymeric body including an elongate seating channel extending along a longitudinal dimension of at least a portion of the polymeric body, the seating channel longitudinally extending to a location spaced from the threshold; and (b) an elongate light generating line disposed in the seating channel at the location spaced from the threshold and having a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof extending generally parallel to longitudinal dimension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 73, 74)
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14. An automotive weatherseal assembly in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, one of the confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold and the automotive weatherseal assembly sealing the gap when the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal assembly comprising:
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(a) a weatherseal body attached to the first confronting surface and having a longitudinal dimension extending longitudinally beyond the threshold, the weatherseal body including a sealing portion contacting the second confronting surface when the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position; and (b) a light generating line mounted on at least a portion of the body longitudinally beyond the threshold and having a longitudinal axis with a portion of the axis extending generally parallel to said longitudinal dimension. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An automotive weatherseal assembly in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, one of the confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold and the automotive weatherseal assembly sealing the gap when the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal assembly comprising:
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(a) a weatherseal body having a sealing surface disposed along the opening at least when the confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position; and (b) an elongate light emitting line extending along a longitudinal dimension of the weatherseal body at a location longitudinally spaced from the threshold, wherein the light line has a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof extending generally parallel to said longitudinal dimension. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An automotive trim piece engaging a flange extending around an opening in an automobile, the opening having a threshold, the trim piece comprising:
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(a) an elongate polymeric body having a longitudinal axis and a flange engaging section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis, the polymeric body connected to the flange at a position longitudinally spaced from the threshold; (b) a reinforcing member connected to the polymeric body; and (c) an elongate light emitting line connected to the polymeric body at the position longitudinally spaced from the threshold to emit light along a path non-parallel to the longitudinal axis wherein the light line has a longitudinal axis, a portion of which extends generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said body. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An automotive weatherseal in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, and one of the first and the second confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold and the automotive weatherseal sealing the gap when the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal comprising:
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(a) an elongate polymeric body attached to the first confronting surface, the polymeric body including a sealing portion spaced from the second confronting surface in the spaced apart open position of the confronting surfaces and the sealing portion contacting the second confronting surface in the adjacent closed position of the confronting surfaces, the polymeric body including an elongate seating channel extending along a longitudinal dimension of the polymeric body and having a portion thereof longitudinally spaced from the threshold; and (b) an elongate light emitting line disposed in the seating channel in said portion following and having a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof extending generally parallel to said longitudinal dimension. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 75)
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45. An automotive weatherseal assembly in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, and one of the first and the second confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold and the automotive weatherseal assembly sealing the gap when the first and second confronting surfaces are in said closed position, the weatherseal assembly comprising:
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(a) a weatherseal body connected to the first confronting surface; and (b) an elongate light emitting line having a longitudinal axis, a portion of which extends generally parallel to a longitudinal dimension of at least a portion of the weatherseal body longitudinally spaced from the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. An automotive weatherseal in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position and one of the confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold and the automotive weatherseal sealing the gap when the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal, comprising:
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(a) an elongate polymeric body attached to the first confronting surface and longitudinally spaced from the threshold, the polymeric body including a sealing portion spaced from the second confronting surface in the spaced apart open position of the confronting surfaces and the sealing portion contacting the second confronting surface in the adjacent closed position of the confronting surfaces; and (b) an elongate light emitting line connected to the polymeric body longitudinally spaced from the threshold and having a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said body. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An automotive weatherseal in a gap intermediate a first and a second confronting surface of an automobile, the first and second confronting surfaces relatively moveable between a spaced apart open position and an adjacent closed position, one of the confronting surfaces defining an opening of the automobile, the opening having a threshold and the automotive weatherseal sealing the gap when the first and second confronting surfaces are in the adjacent closed position, the automotive weatherseal, comprising:
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(a) an elongate polymeric body attached to the first confronting surface, the polymeric body including a sealing portion spaced from the second confronting surface in the spaced apart open position of the confronting surfaces and the sealing portion contacting the second confronting surface about a majority of the opening in the adjacent closed position of the confronting surfaces; and (b) an elongate light generating line connected to a length of the polymeric body at a location longitudinally spaced from the threshold and having a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said body. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. An automotive weatherseal intermediate a door and a confronting surface of a vehicle defining an opening of the vehicle the opening including a threshold, the door moveable between an open position and a closed position, the weatherseal comprising:
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(a) an elongate polymeric body attached to the door and sealing against the confronting surface of the vehicle when the door is in the closed position; and (b) an elongate light emitting line mounted on a portion of the polymetric body which is longitudinally spaced from said threshold and having a longitudinal axis with a portion thereof generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said body. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification