Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~Z~(~645
FIELD OF THE I~'VENTII~
This invention generally relates to weather stripping
and more particularly concerns weather strips for providing an
airtight seal between relatively movable door or window members
while permitting those units to remain functionally unimpaired.
BACKG~OUND OF THE INVE~'TION
Increased demand for energy saving techniques has
resulted in a variety of products to prevent air leaks past
adjoining surfaces of windows or doors in an effort to minimize
undesired heat transfer. A plethora o devices have appeare~
utilizing a host of different techni4ues ranging from plain
plastic tape, felt strips, self-sticking plastic clad vinyl and
foam tapes and a variety of seals of special and sometimes
expensive construction which are installed in a variety of
ways. The following United States patents additionally provide
different examples of efforts to seal adjoinillg relatively
movable surfaces against the passage of air:
2,249,424 Hanington 3,883,993 Pullan
3,360,888 Protzman 4,126,966 Lobell
3,380,582 ~loyer, Jr., et al 4,3()2,262 ~ay
3,581,884 Cald~ell et al
~ no~n conventiollal techniques for preventin~ dralts
ai)out door~, windows, hatchways and othcr openill~s sucll as
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about air conditioners, clearly sug~est a need for providing an
inexpensive, attractive weather strip quick and easy tO manu-
facture and install in a relatively unnoticeable position on
either interior or exterior surfaces without impairing the
function of the units to be sealed and which, if desired, may
be maintained in installed position on a permanent~ virtually
service-free basis while providing a seal of high integri~y.
SU~MARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a ~uality weather
strip of exceptional attractiveness and durability is disclosed
which is particularly suite~ for low cost manufacture and
facile installation to provide a highly efficient seal against
undesired passage of air between two relatively movable sur-
faces. An elongated composite resilient plastic strip is
formed with a semi-rigid body of rectilinear cross-section and
an extension integrally formed along a side edge of the body,
the extension being of reduced lateral dimension relative to
the width of the bo~y. The extension is intentionally alld
precisely tapered froln its juncture with the side eclge of the
body to a feathered tip. lhe extension as a whole is signifi-
cantly more flexible than that of the body and serves as a
sealing member of variable pliancy featuring a gra(lually
increasing flexibility laterally across the extension toward
its tip. A double-faced adhesive foam tape is securcd to
extend longitudinally along one surface of the hody. One
surface of the extension is striated with sl~ace~i ~)rojectillg
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ribs which extend longitudinally of the extension in parallel
relation to its juncture with the body.
Other objects will be in part obvious and in part
pointed out in more detail hereinafter.
Better understanding of the objects, advantages,
features, properties and relations of this invention will be
obtained from the following detailed description and accompany-
ing drawing ~hich set forth certain illustrative embodiment and
are indicative of the various ways in which the principle of
this invention is employed.
~RIEF DESCRIPTI~N OF THE DRA~ING
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a weather strip
incorpcrating this invention;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a typical installation
utilizing the weather strip of FIG. l;
; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the weather strip
of FIG. 1 in instal1ed position; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of ~notl~er elill)odinlent
of a weather strip incorporating this invcntioll.
3~Z:~U645
DESCRI PTION OF PKEFERRED E~IBODIMENTS
Turning now to the drawing in detail, a composite
weather strip 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 wherein it is to
be understood that the strip 10 is formed in a co-extrusion
process utilizing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or an equivalent
material. A PVC compound marketed by B.F. Goodrich Chemical
Company as "Geon~' vinyl has ~een found-to perform satisfactor-
ily. 2esis~ance to discoloration from ultraviolet rays and
extreme heat and cold are characteristic of the weather strip
material in addition to providing resiliency, durability and
the capability of being formed in an integral manner with por-
tions of the resulting extruded strip 10 having significantly
varying characteristics of relative stiffness and relative
flexibility.
For most typical installations having a variety of
differen~ doors and windows, it has been found that a rela-
tively rigid elongated flat attachment body 12 of ~enerally
rectilinear cross section may be provided in widths, say, of
5/8 inch, 7/8 inch and 1-3/8 inch. For each of the described
body widths, a relatively flexible extension 14 is formed in
integral, generally coplanar relation to the body 12 along its
side edge and having lateral dimensions, respectively, of 1/4
inch, 3/8 inch snd 5/8 incll correspondlng to the described body
widths.
To provide a seal of increased integrity for a variety
of different sealing applications, the flexible extension 14
*Trademark
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features a cross-section which is generally unifor~ tapered
from its juncture along one side edge 16 of the body 1~ toward
a free terrninal edge or feathered tip 18. Th~ extension 14
accordingly is intentionally and precisely formed to exhibit a
variable pliancy which gradually increases in flexibility
laterally of the extension 14 to~ard its tip 18. I~ihile PVC is
a relatively rigid extrusion compound, it has been found that
an elastolner may be added to the PVC in the co-extrusion
process in the formation of extension 14 which, whell coupled
Wit71 the reduced thickness of the tapering extension 14,
provides an ~dded flexibility relative to that of tlle body 12.
The body 12 may be formed to exhibit a durometer hardness of
about 82 ~ 3, whereby tlle desired characteristics of strip 10
as fully explained below are obtained while yet ensuring a
relatively stiff strip for ensuring ease of installation. ~lore
specifically, in one series of tests per American ~ociety of
Testing and Materials (ASI~l) D-638, body 12 was found to
exhibit a tensile strength of 6,200 psi and a tensile modulus
of 355,000 psi; the flexural strength of body 12 ~as 11,300 and
the flexural modulus was found to be 410,U~0 psi per ~ST~ 7~P
test met}lod.
Io accolnrnodate irregularities in surfaces a~ljoining a
joint to be sealed and prcvent unil~tcl)ded sticking in an
installed position ~hile provi~ing furtller structural strellgth
and added resistance to undesired deforlnation norlnal to a
lon~itudinally extending flex axis in the ~rccisely forlne~
exteilsion 14, a plurality of rihs 2() are foriilc~l to projcc~ from
surface 22 of tile disclosed extension 14.
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To additionally accomodate troublesome surface irregu-
larities without compromising the desired ease of installation,
the body 12 of strip 10 is provided with cushioning means which
comprises a vinyl foam tape 24 having a coat of adhesive
respectively applied to each of its opposite faces. In the
illustrated embodiment, tape 24 is shown applied to surface 26
of body 12. If ~esired and depending on the particular appli-
cation, it will be understood that ta-pe 24 may be applied ~o
body 10 on its surface opposite surface 26. A double coated
vinyl foam tape specified as "IM 2750 ~lac-Tac" made by Morgan
Tape Company has been found to perform satisfactorily. Tape 24
is provided with a removable protective cover, not shown, which
may be readily stripped prior to installation to expose a tacky
outer adhesive surface 24A of tape 24 which extends longi-
tudinally along body 12. A 1/2 inch wide tape has been used
and found to be suitable for a 5/8 inch wide body; a 3/4 inch
t~pe and 1 inch tape have been satisfac~orily used, respec-
tively, with body widths of 7/8 inch and 1~3/8 inch. Tape 24
accordingly assures an effective cushioning bond of strip 10 to
.an irregular surface.
As seen in FlG. 1, the composite plastic strip 10 is
of uni~orm cross section throughout its length which may be
made to any convenient desired dimension and later may be
readily cut with any suitable tool to custom lengths upon
installation. During installation, an attractive seal is
effected by weather strip 10 of this invention upon simply
cutting strip 10 to length, stripping the protective cover from
ollter adhesive face 24A of tape 24 and then pressing strip body
*Trademark
7 -
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121(~645
12 into position on one of two movable surfaces 28 and 30.
Such action affixes strip 10 by means of its tape 2~ to that
one surface with the juncture 16 (between the body 12 and its
flexible extension 14) being in adjacent parallel relation to
joint 32 between the two relatively movable surfaces 28 30
adjoining the joint to be sealed. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the rela-
tively movable surfaces are depicted as a fixed frame 28 and a
sash 30 of a double hung window. Irl FIG. 2 the rela~ively
rigid attachment body 12 is sho~n partially installed in fixed
relation to sash 30 strip 10 being in a completely installed
l~osition in FIG. 3. Upon engagement of flexible extension 14
with frame 28 ribbed face 22 of extension 14 is defl~cted
along its flex axis which extends parallel to joint 32, into
installed position (FIG. 3) wherein strip extension 14 is shown
assuming an arcuately configured cross-section ~ith ribs 20
providing line contact engagement of strip 10 to surface 28.
The disclosed tapered and ribbed features of deflectable exten-
sion 14 have been found to provide an effective sealing force
applied by the extension 14 particularly adjacent its fixed
body 12 which in turn provides an exceptionally good ~eal witl
an engaged surface in cooperation with its cushioned tape 24
despite surface irregularities~ under a variety of extreme
ambient conditions. Significantly effective resistancc to the
passage of air through the joint of the sealed surfaces is
accordingly effected by disclosed strip 10. ~lore specificall~
in accordance with tests performed per ~Sl`~ ~ 283-73 the
following ~ata ~as observe~ on old wood frame C~s~ cllt windo~s
-` ~2~6~5
wherein tlle "sealed" condition utilized strip 10 of this
invention:
TES'r PRESSURE _INn VELOCITY ACrUAL LEAI~AGE
I~A I`~
Unsealed 1.56psf 25 mph5.75 c~m/foot
of sash
Sealed 1.56psf 25 mph0.85 cfm/foot
of sash
The strip 10 of this invention has been found to
perform satisfactorily under rigorous wear testing for door
closures and sliding along wood surfaces. It is to be noted
that the function of the closures such as double-hung, slider
and casement type windo~s, doors, hatchways and the like is
totally unimpaired, and eacll such closure is free to be movecl
between opened and closed positions with the weatller strip 10
installed in non-interfering relation to the frame and the
closure at all times.
}~y virtue of the double-faced adhesive tape 24, no
unsightly fasteners or holes n~ar the appearance of .111 exposed
"dress" face lOA of the strip 10. The strip lU will bc under-
stood to be suited for both interior and exterior applications
and exhibits resistance to ultra-violet rays w~lile insuring an
excellent adnesive bond to h'OOd, metal and vinyl witl) good peel
resistance under room conditions as well as under extremc
temperature variations therefrom. The polyvin~l chloride
material itself effects a smooth surface for el t~cting easy
relative sliding movelllcllts, alld ull(lesired fricti~ l rcsiSt;lll.t
is further re~uced by virtue of the linc contact cng.lg~elllcnt
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12~()6~5
provided by ribs 20 without impairing the effectiveness of the
seal main~aining the shape of the strip.
As shown in Fl~. 4, the strip 110 of this invention
may be made in a variety of sizes, and modifications may be
introduced within the scope of the contemplated invention.
FIG. 4 more specifically illustra~es a body 112 of greater
thickness than that shown in ~he s~rip 10 of FIGS. 1-3, and the
body 112 is of increased rigidity for use in heavy duty appli-
cations such as on garage doors and the like. Two separate
double-faced adhésive tape strips 124, 124 are shown secured in
parallel relation to one another and will be understood to
extend longitudinally of the body 112 and its side edge
extension 114 which is formed in integral generally coplanar
relation to the body 112. As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3,
the engagement between the deflectable extension 114 and a
surface (not shown) engaged thereby may be varied to a limited
exten~ depending on the location of edge 116 of the attachment
body 112 relative to the joint to be sealed, thereby providing
a seal which may be varied somewhat from application to
application from primarily a tip seal to a seal of increased
surface-to^surface contact engagement.
Based on the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen
that the semi-rigid body provides a desired rigidity for the
mounting of the oam tape ;and to maintain its integrity
throughout the stages of packaging and installation without
a~ro~sing the inal quality of tlle seal. lhe foam tape not
only functions to fix the strip but additionally provides a
~ lZl~645
cusllionin~ effect for enhancing the effectiveness of the seal
provided by the bo~y over irregular surfaces. l`he disclosed
precisely tapered extension coacts with the body in providing a
significant sealing force adjacent their juncture precisely
where it is required at the joint between the surfaces to be
sealed. The ribbed extension surface provides resistallce to
undesired deformation perpendicular to the flex axis and, in
addition to increased structural strength, the ribs minimize
sliding frictional resistance over the variety of the surfaces
to whicll the aesthetically pleasing weather strip of this
invention may be applied.
As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art,
various modifications, adaptations and variations of the
foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing
from the teachings of this invention.
