FLANGE FINISHER WITH WEATHERSTRIP

PAROI DE BRIDE A BANDE D'ETANCHEITE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A flange finisher particularly well adapted for
attachment to a flange of a motor vehicle as a pair side walls
joined by a web portion to form a U-shaped channel. Extending from
one side wall into the channel are a plurality of small ribs.
Extending from the other side wall into the channel and in
opposition to the small ribs is a long foot wall which carries a
plurality of ridges.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A flange finisher having a pair of side walls
joined by a web to form a U-shaped channel, a plurality of
relatively short ribs extending into said channel from one
of said pair of side walls, sealing means having a hook
configuration extending from one of said side walls such
that said sealing means extends above said U-shaped channel
and said hook end is adapted to contact and seal a flange
received in said U-shaped channel, a second sealing means
in said U-shaped channel, said second sealing means
comprised of a sponge rubber member having a pair of lateral
ends spanning said web such that said lateral ends are
joined at the junction of said side wall and web so that a
cavity is formed between said member and said web, said
sponge rubber member adapted to seal with said flange, and
a relatively long foot with a plurality of ridges thereon
extending into said channel from the other of said pair of
side walls.

2. A flange finisher as in claim 1 wherein said
side walls and web comprise a metal core having a rubber
cover thereover.

3. A flange finisher as in claim 2 wherein one of
said side walls has a sealing bubble attached thereto
extending away from said channel.



4. A flange finisher having a pair of side walls
joined by a web to form a U-shaped channel, one or more
relatively short ribs extending into said channel from one
of said pair of side walls, said one or more ribs having
squared ends, a sealing finger having a hook shape extending
from one of said side walls such that said sealing finger
hook end extends over said U-shaped channel and is adapted
to contact a flange inserted into said U-shaped channel, a
second sealing means in said U-shaped channel, said second
sealing means comprised of a sponge rubber member having a
pair of lateral ends spanning said web such that said
lateral ends are joined at the junction of said side wall
and web so that a cavity is formed between said member and
said web, said sponge rubber member adapted to seal with
said flange, and a relatively long foot with a plurality of
ridges thereon extending into said channel from the other
of said pair of side walls.

5. A flange finisher having a pair of side walls
joined by a web forming a U-shaped channel, said side walls
defining a pair of planes substantially parallel to one
another and said web defining a plane substantially
perpendicular to said side walls, a plurality of relatively
short ribs extending into said channel from one of said pair
of side walls, a sealing finger extending from one of said
side walls such that said sealing finger is substantially
coplanar with the plane defined by said side wall and an end
portion of said sealing finger extending in a plane over



Claim 5 cont'd...

said channel substantially perpendicular to said side wall
plane, a second sealing means in said U-shaped channel, said
second sealing means comprised of a sponge rubber member
having a pair of lateral ends spanning said web such that
said lateral ends are joined at the junction of said side
wall and web so that a cavity is formed between said member
and said web, said sponge rubber member adapted to seal with
said flange, and a relatively long foot with a plurality of
ridges thereon extending into said channel from the other
of said pair of side walls.

Description

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me p3~esent im~ticn relat~s ~ a Btr:Lp 8trl~
intended to be ~ttached to a flange, ~or example a flange on a
~wtor vehicle. Mc~re particularly the ~sent relate~ a flange
fir~sher ~ntended to be attached t:~ ~ flu~e oql a ~tor vehicle snd
ha~ring a weather~trip ~or th~ purpose s~f ~ea~.
Flang~ ~ini}ihers f~ use ~ the ~uta~tive ~Lstry are



E~vide ~ lal:~re plea6~ng ~ear~~ e edges of flanges,
pinohwelds and t he li~ are ofte31 faLnd OQl autc~tive
vehicle bodies ~nd pr~ective head gear. Flange finiE~ are also



~ eo ~orth in:~utar~t~ve vehiclE!s. ~l~e finishers generally
have a U-~haped bDt~y o~pris~g a w~ ian jo~ng t~ ~i~wall
~ions to ~orm a U~d ~ ch~l ~ith a plur~ f ribs



q~e ribs ~re s~apted to ~ip an as30ci~ td 1~ye edge ~ the
ilange f~iEiher is ~d there~. }~ples o~ .lan~ fini~
are taugh~ in U.S. Pater~ts ND. 4,1B8,765 E~rua~ 19, 1980 to
Ja~n~ 4,092~813 June 6, 1978 to Eggerts ~o. 4,318,249 March
9, 1982 to ~etht N~" 4,324,826 Ap~l 13,, 1982 ~o ginster, and
No. 4,348,4~3 5ep~er 7, 19~2 to ~ein.


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yet, once installed, would be securely retained onto the
flange edge and strongly resistant to removal from the
flange edge. Thus, in accurdance with the present invention
a flange finisher is provided which can be fitted to a
flange without undue force and yet has :increased resistance
to removal from the flange once fitted thereon. A flange
finisher of the present invention has a pair of side walls
joined by a web portion to form a U-shaped channel.
Extending from one side wall into the channel are a
plurality of small ribs. Extending from the other side wall
into the channel and in opposition to the small ribs is a
long foot wall which carries a plurality of ridges. Further
understanding of the present invention will be had from the
following disclosure.
Thus, the present invention may be considered as
defining a pair of side walls joined by a web to form a U-
shaped channel, one or more relatively short ribs extending
into the channel from one of the pair of side walls, sealing
means having a hook configuration extending from one of the
side walls such that the sealIng means extends above the U-
shaped channel and is adapted to contact a flange inserted
into the channel, a second sealing means in the channel, the
second means comprised of a sponge rubber member having a
; pair of~lateral ends spann~ing the web such that the lateral
ends are joined at the junction of the side wall and web so
that a cavity is formed between the member and the web, the
sponge rubber member adapted to seal with the flange, and
a re]atively long foot with a plurality of ridges thereon
extending into the channel from the other of the pair of
side walls.
~CM:Vl~ 2
s~ S 1~

1 31 6~67

Brief Description of the Drawin~
The Figure is a perspective view, in section and
broken away, o~ a flange finisher of the present invention.

De~cription of the Invention
5Now r~ferring to the drawing, the Figure shows a
preferred embodiment of a flange finisher of the present
invention which is indicated generally by the numeral 10.
Flange finisher 10 is intended to clampingly engage the edge
o~ a flange such as flange 12 shown in broken lines in the
figure.
Flange finisher lO has side walls 14 and 16, the edge
portions of which are joined by web 18 to form a channel 20.
Flange finisher 10 can include an associated sealing bubble
~ 22~and sealing ~inger 24 which are preferably made of sponge
: 15 rubber, for example, EPDM.



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~ 3~ 69~7

Fla~ge fini~her 10 pre~erably has a ~e~al ~Dre 26 which
~3n be any ~etal carrier or oore o~nYentlonal ln ~he art, suitable
cores are disclo~ed, ~or example, ln U.S. Paten~s ~bs. 3,165,793
~anuaxy l9j 1965 tD ~ynch, 3,167,825 F~bruary 2 ".965 bo ~oller and
4,339,860 July 20, 1982 to Hayashi. Ihe flanse finisher 10 of the
present invention can te ~ade ~y extruding EPDM ~r other rubker
ccver ~aterial over a flat ~etal core ~nd then forming inbD the
U-shape as is illustrated in the drawing. Al ~ tively, the ~ore
~y ke eliminated fnon flange finisher lQ if the ~over ~aterial is
of ~uffi~ent ~trength ~uch a~ EPDM of 40 ~o 60 shore D duro~eber.
PXDj~ ~nwardly from 8idbwall 16 ~re A plurality of
short ribs 28. Ribs 28 preferably have squared ends 30 ~nd extend
at an angle from ~ide w~ll 16, eotendlng both toward the intRrior
of ~ 1 20 and toward web 18. ~ib~ 28 are relati~ely sh~rt,
g les~ than half the width of charJ~l 20.
Projecting ~rwardly ~rom sidew311 14 i~ a l~ng ~oot 32.
Foot 32 exteodJ ~ an angl~ from ~1dew~11 14, ~xtcnding bsth t~ward
the ~nberior of chcnnel 20 and tow~rd web 18. Foot 32 is of a
~ngth g~eate~ than rib~ 28 ~ p~eferably has a length gneater
than half the ~idth of chDnnel 20~ Ihe ~ide of ~oDt 32 ~ ally
facing the op~n n~uth of chGnnel 20 carries a plurality of ridges
34 whi~h ~re ~2bpted to ~but c~adrJt flrrge 12 when flange fini~her
10 læ installed thereon. ~ loc~ted w1thin ~hannel 20 18 a foam
rubber ~eal 36 ~hich runs along web 18.
; Flange f~nisher 10 can ~ eas~ly ~nstalled ontD a æl~nge
and has ~hR ~lexibili~y bD ac~omDDd~te large vDr~nce~c ln 1ange
thichnc~ses. ~la~ge fini~her 10 ig especlally 0ultable ~Dr UEe ~n
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1 31 6967

oonr~or~ with auta~tive ~rehicle door ox trunk sealing
a~)liCa~iC~18.
~ ile a E~pecific ~nt of ~5 ~n~nt~ n has been
described and ~ l lustrated herein ~t i~ to be u~der~tood may ~e

fran the 8pirit of the ~nventior~.




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