Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
77~361
rMPROVEMENTS IN ~ND REL~TING TO SEALING STRIPS
The invention relates to channel-shaped finishing
or sealing strips particularly though not exclusively for
use on vehicle bodies such as ~or covering bodywork
flanges running around openings such as door openings.
In such applications, such a strip may carry a soft seal
running along its outside surface and so positioned that,
when the strip is mounted on the flange, a door of the
body opening closes onto the seal to prevent entry of
draughts and water.
According to the invention, there is provided a
sealing strip, comprising a longitudinally extending
channel-shaped gripping section for embracingly gripping
a mountin~ edge, a soft longitudinally extending sealing
section ~ounted on and along an outside surface of the
gripping section so as to be supported thereby in a
sealing position when the gripping section embraces the
mounting edge, and bracing means adapted to brace the
sealing secti~n along at least part of its length, the
bracing means comprising means defining a longitudinally
extending recess and a bracing member for insertion and
retention in the r~cess.
According to the invention, there is also provided
a sealing strip for sealing a vehicle door opening,
comprising a channel-shaped gripping section for
grippingly and sealingly em~racing a m~unting ~lange
.~ .
~$
~ ~7~61
-- 2 --
running around the door opening, a relatively soft
sealing section mounted on the outside surface of the
gripping section and running along the length thereof,
a recess defined to run along the length of the sealing
section, and a separate bracing member adapted to be
inserted in the recess along at least part of the length
of the sealing section.
According to the invention, there is further
provided a sealing strip for providing a seal around a
door opening in a vehicle body, comprising a channel-
shaped gripping section for grippingly and sealingly
embracing a msunting flange nmning around the door
opening, a se~ling section ~ounted on the outside
s~xface of one si.de wall of the gripping seotion so as
~:1 to be supported thereby and to ~n at least partly
around the pe~iphery of the door opening and having a
soft hollow tubular part to provide a seal onto which
the door closes, means defining a recess running
i longitudinall~ along the strip adjacent the mouth of
the channel and the sealing section, and a separate
bracing member sixed and shaped so as to be inserted in
and to run along a part of the length of the said
recess so as to brace and stif~en the sealing section
o~er that said length.
- 2a -
Finishing and seal:in~ strips em~odying the
invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying diagra~atic drawings
in which:
Figure 1 is a perspecti~e view of one of the strips;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through another
of the strips; and
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional ~iew through a
further
1~ '7~6
-- 3 --
one of the strips.
As shown in Figure 1, the sealing strip has a gripping
section 5 comprising channel-shaped 1exible material 6,
such as plastics or rubber material, in which is comple~ely
embedded a reinforcing carrier 8, shown dotted in Figure 1.
The carrier 8 may take any suitable form and may be
made of metal. For example, it may comprise a series of
U-shaped elements arranged side-by-side so as to define
a channel and each either connected to the adJacent elements
by short flexible connecting links or not connected. Other
forms of carrier may be used instead; for example, the
carrier may comprise loops of wire formed into channel shape.
The flexible material 6 is formed on its inner surface
with gripping and sealing lips lOA, lOB and lOC on one
inside surface and a larger gripping and sealing lip 12 on
the opposite inside wall surface. These lips extend along
the full length of the channel. The arrangement of lips
shown in Figure 1 is purely by way of example. There may
be more or less than the three small lips and there may be
more or less than one large lip. There may be the same
number of lips on each inside wall surface and the lips may
be of the same size if desired. The lips are preferably
extruded integrally with the channel-shaped flexible
material 6. They may be of the same hardness as the
material 6. However, it may be advantageous for them to
~ 7~7~
-- 4 --
be made of relatively soft material and in such a case
they may, though ~his is not essential, be softer than the
material 6.
Attached along one outside wall of the gripping section
5 is a sealing section 14 of hollow generally tubular form,
and of approxima~ely D-shape in cross-section with an
integral lip 15. The sealing section 14 may be made of
the same material as the material 6 or may be made of
different material. Advantageously, however, it is soft
and spongy, such as made of sponge rubber for example.
It may be adhesively secured to the material 6 (as in this
example), or instead may be integrally extruded with it.
As shown, the sealing section 14 is shapPd to define
a channel or recess 20 running along the length of the strip,
the mouth of the channel 20 being partially closed by lips
16 and 18, again running along the length of the strip.
The purpose of the channel 20 is to receive a tubular
bracing member 22 which may be held in position merely by
being a relatively tight ~it within the cross-section of the
channel 20 (and by being retained therein by the lips 16 and
18~, and/or may be adhesively secured within the channel 20.
In use, the strip is fitted onto the flange running
around the door opening of a vehicle body, so that ~he
flange is embraced by the gripping section 5. The lips lOA,
lOB, lOC and 12 make frictional sealing and gripping contact
- 5 -
with the sides of the flange and hold the strip firmly
in position. The reinforcing carrier 8 assists by virtue
of its resilient stiffening effect. The strip is positioned
on tlle flange so that the sealing section 14 runs around the
outside o~ the door opening so that the door closes onto it,
partially compressing it to effect a weatherproof seal.
It will be appreciated that door openings in vehicle
bodies are not normally symmetrically shaped. The flange
running around the door opening may not only be curved to
follow the shape of the door opening in the general plane
of the side of the vehicle but may also be curved in a plane
normal to that plane. Furthermore, the actual door con-
struction is not the same around the entire periphery of
the door; normally, the door has a relatively heavy con-
struction below the vehicle waist line, with a relatively
lightweight window frame above. For these and other
reasons, therefore, the angle at which the door meets the
sealing section 14 varies around the periphery of the
door opening. This means that there is a requirement
that the sealing section 14 should (for optimum sealing)
vary in its position rela~ive to the gripping section 5
around the periphery of the door opening and/or should
vary in stiffness around the door opening. These require-
are achieved by the use of the bracing member 22.
In order to meet these requirements, therefore, the
- 6 --
sealing strip is pre-formed into a frame (which may or may
not be completely closed on itself) to match the shape of
the door opening and the bracing member 22 is placed in
position along those lengths of ~he strip where (when the
sealing strip is in position on the vehicle) extra stiffness
of the sealing section 14 is required and/or the sealing
section 14 is required to stand more proudly from the
gripping section 5. In use, therefore, when the pre-
formed frame is later fitted to the door opening by the
vehicle manufacturer, the sealing member 14 is stiffened
over these lengths by virtue of the extra thickness of
the material provided by the bracing member 22.
Along other lengths of the frame, the bracing member
22 is omitted. Along these lengths, therefore, the seal-
ing section 14 is more easily compressed by the door.
In this way, therefore, the sealing strip can be easily
made to conform to the different sealing requirements
around the door opening imposed by variati~ns in the con-
struction of the door frame and the door itself.
The bracing member 22 is advantageously made of flexible
material such as rubber or plastics material and may be
tubular in form as shown. It may, for example, be made of
sponge rubber.
Figure 2 shows a modified form of construction and items
in Figure 2 corresponding to items in Figure 1 are
'7~36~1L
-- 7 --
correspondingly referenced.
As shown in Figure 2, the lip 15 is extended to close
off the mouth of the channel 20. The lip 15 may be
initially shaped so as to lie in the position illustrated.
Instead, however, it could, in its rest position, extend
downwardly (as viewed in Figure 2) so as to leave the mouth
of the channel 20 open, and therefore be pushed up into the
position illustrated in Figure 2 when the sealing strip is
mounted in position on the flange, by virtue of the engage-
ment of the distal edge of the lip 15 with the rebate
running around the base of the flange. If desired, a
similar effect could be obtained with the embodiment shown
in Figure 1, by attaching a small tube or the like to the
lip 15 at X to run along the length of the strip. This
tube is positioned to engage the flange rebate and thus urge
the lip 15 across the opening of the channel 20.
It will be appreciated that the bracing memb~r 22 need
not be of the same form and/or have the same stiffness at
all positions where it is ~sed around the door frame. As
it is a separate piece, which is fitted in position
separately, it may vary in ltS construction and/or stiff-
ness.
Figure 3 shows another modified form of construction
and items in Figure 3 corresponding to ite~ls in Figure 1
are correspondingly referenced.
~ 6~
As shown in Figure 3, the channel 20, for receiving
the bracing member 22, is defined not solely by the
material of the sealing section 14 but partly by that
material and partly by the outside wall of the gripping
section 5.
It will be understood ~ha~ the sealing section 14
nee~ not have the form illustrated: it could, for example
be in the form o a lip. It will also be understood that
it is not essential for the sealing strip to be pre-formed
into a frame to match the shape o the door opening: it
could simply be supplied in lengths which could then be
ma~ched to the lengths required and bracing members 22
fitted where appropriate, in the manner explained.
