CHANNEL-SHAPED STRIPS

MOULURES PROFILEES DE TINITION

English Abstract

S P E C I F I C A T I O N
BE IT KNOWN THAT ROBERT G.BRIGHT, a British subject,
of Viersen, Germany, have invented certain new and useful
improvements in and relating to CHANNEL-SHAPED STRIPS,
of which the following is a Specification.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A sealing, trimming or finishing strip has a metal
carrier advantageously made up of U-shaped side-by-side
metal elements interconnected by integral connecting
links. The carrier is completely embedded in flexible
material, such as rubber or plastics material, which
defines inner gripping and sealing lips. A sealing
portion is also provided. Substantially all of the
material on the inside of the carrier (including the
material of the lips) is sufficiently transparent or
translucent to enable the carrier, or at least the
connecting links thereof, to be visible through it.
This facilitates cutting of the strip into lengths,
because it enables the cutter to be located so as to
cut through the connecting links of the carrier, rather
than through the U-shaped elements thereof. The channel-
shaped material externally of the carrier is visually
opaque.

Claims

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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A channel-shaped strip, comprising a reinforcing
channel-shaped carrier, and
channel-shaped flexible material in which the
carrier is embedded,
substantially all of the flexible material on
the inside of the carrier being such that the carrier
is visually apparent through it and substantially all
of the channel-shaped flexible material on the outside
of the carrier visually concealing the carrier.
2. A strip according to claim 1, in which the flexible
material integrally defines at least one lip which runs
longitudinally along the channel, the lip projecting
inwardly of the channel from an inside side wall thereof.
3. A strip according to claim 1, in which substantially
all of the flexible material on the inside of the
carrier is of softer consistency than the channel-shaped
flexible material on the outside of the carrier.
4. A strip according to claim 1, including a sealing
portion attached to one of its outside walls and running
longitudinally along the strip.
5. A strip according to claim 4, in which the sealing
portion is integral with the flexible material.

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6. A strip according to claim 4, in which the sealing
portion is adhesively attached to the flexible material.
7. A channel-shaped strip, comprising
a reinforcing metal carrier made up of a
plurality of side-by-side U-shaped elements which are
interconnected to each other by means of integral
connecting links,
substantially channel-shaped flexible material
completely embedding the carrier and defining integral
lips running along opposite inside walls of the channel,
substantially all of the flexible material on
the inside of the carrier being sufficiently translucent
that the connecting links are visible through it and
being of softer consistency than the remainder of the
channel-shaped flexible material, the said remainder
being opaque.
8. A strip according to claim 7, having a sealing
portion running longitudinally along one of its outside
walls.

Description

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BACKGROUND OF_THE INVENTION
The invention relates to channel-shaped strips such
as for sealing, trimming or finishing purposes for
example. Such strips may be used, for example, in motor
vehicle bodies for sealing, trimming and finishing
purposes - such as around door or window openings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a
channel-shaped strip, comprising a reinforcing channel-
shaped carrier, and channel-shaped flexible material in
which the carrier is embedded, substantially all of the
flexible material on the inside of the carrier being
such that the carrier is visually apparent through it
and substantially all of the channel-shaped flexible
material on the outside of the carrier visually concealing
the carrier.
According to the invention, there is also provided
a channel-shaped strip, comprising a reinforcing metal
carrier made up of a plurality of side-by-side U-shaped
elements which are interconnected to each other by means
of integral connecting links, substantially channel-
shaped flexible material completely embedding the
carrier and defining integral lips running along opposite
inside walls of the channel, substantially all of the
flexible material on the inside of the carrier being

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sufficiently translucent that the connecting links are
~isible through it and being of s~fter consistency than
the remainder of the channel-shaped flexible material,
the said remainder being opaque.
DESCRIPTIOI~ OF THE_DRAI~INGS `
Channel-shaped trimming, sealing or finishing strips
emb~dying the invention will now be described, by way
of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective ~ectional view of one of
the strips; and
Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of reinforcing
carriers which may be used in the strips.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODI~:NTS
As sh~wn in Figure 1, the ~trip has a reinforcing
metal carrier ~ which is completely embedded in flexible
material such as rubber or plastics material 6. The
material 6 is extruded so as to define integral gripping
or sealing lips 8 running along the opposite inside
side walls of the channel. There may be more or less
lips than the number shown in the Figure. A sealing
portion (not shown) may be attached to an outside side
wall of the channel. This sealing portion may be
attached to the material 6 as by means of adhesive,
or possibly by means of a mechanical interlockin~
arrangement. Instead, however; it may be extruded
integrally with the material 6. The sealing portion
is prefera~ly of cellular or foamed consistency.

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In use, the sealing strip is fitted onto the edge
flange 10 running around the door opening of a motor
vehicle body so that the channel-shape embraces the
flange with the gripping lips 8 making gripping and
sealing contact wiht opposite sides of the flange 10.
The strip is mounted so that the sealing portion
referred to above, if present, faces the outside of
the body opening so as to provide a seal onto which
the door of the opening closes, providing draught
and weatherproofing.
Figures2and 3show forms which the metal carrier 5
may take. As shown,theycomprise a number of U-shaped
elements 12 which are arranged side-by-side so as to
define a channel and are integrally connected by means
of links 14.
~ owever, other forms of carrier may be used instead.
The metal carrier 5 may beembedded within the
material 6 by means of a cross-head extrusion process.
The flexible material 6 is arranged so that substan-
tially all of the material on the inside of the carrier
5 (including the material of the lips 8) is sufficiently
transparent or at least translucent so that the carrier 5
is visible through it to such an extent that the
connecting links 14 (see Figs.2 and 3) are visible. The channel-
shaped material 6 on the outside of the carrier is,

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however, opaque so that the carrier 5 is not visible
through it (the material of the additional sealing
portion, if fitted, would also normally be opaque).
Advantageously, the transparent or translucent
material 6 on the inside of the carrier S (including the
lips 8) is also made of softer consistency than the
channel-shaped material 6 on the outside of the carrier S,
In use, such channel-shaped strips may be supplied
in indefinite length to the vehicle body manufacturer
and the fitter then cuts off a suitable length to fit
round the vehicle body opening. Instead, however, the
strips may be supplied to the vehicle body manufacturer
in ready-made partial or complete loops which are pre-
sized to fit the peripheral lengths of the vehicle body
openings. In either case, however, it will be apparent
that a cutting operation is necessary on the strip.
The purpose of making the material 6 on the inside of
the carrier 5 sufficiently transparent or translucent
so as to render the connecting links 14 of the carrier
visible through it is to facilitate this cutting operation.
Because the connecting links are visible, this enables
them to be readily located so that the strip may be
easily cut - by locating the cutter in the correct
position, which would normally be between two of the
elements 12. This therefore avoids the difficulty and

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damage or distortion which can result to the strip, when
the carrier is not visible through the inner material 6,
if the cutter is incorrectly positioned and an
attempt is made to cut through one of the elements 12.
Furthermore, by ensuring that the strip is cut in the
correct position, through the connecting links 14 between
two adjacent elements 12, the cut ends of the strip can
be properly sealed so as to prevent the ingress of
moisture which might cause corrosion of the carrier 5.
Because the material 6 on the inside of the carrier
5 is of relatively soft consistency, the lips 8 are of
this relatively soft consistency and this gives them
good gripping and sealing capabilities. Because all
the material 6 on the inside ~f the carrier 5 needs to
be transparent or translucent, as described above, in
order to enable the connecting links to be located,
it is also clearly advantageous to make all this
transparent material of relatively soft consistency;
this simplifies manufacture because it enables a common
"mix" of material for all the material on the inside
of the carrier to be used.
The channel-shaped material 6 on the outside of
the carrier may also all be relatively soft if desired.
For example, it may be of foamed consistency to provide
improved cushioning. Instead, however, a relatively

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harder consistency may be required in certain circum-
stances. In each case, nowever, the channel-shaped
material 6 on the outside of the carrier is visually
opaque because it is not desired that the carrier 5
should be visible when the strip has been fitted onto
the mounting flange.