Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CORE METAL INSERT FOR USE IN A SEALING ASSEMBLY AND
ASSOCIATED METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
s Backctround of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a core metal insert which is
used in a sealing assembly of an automobile or the like. The present invention
also relates generally to a method of manufacturing such a core metal insert.
Sealing assemblies are commonly used in automobiles in order to seal
to areas adjacent to the doors, windows, and trunk covers. The sealing
assemblies
typically include a metallic inner member and an elastomeric outer member. The
metallic inner member, commonly referred to as a "core metal insert," provides
structural integrity to the sealing assembly, while the elastomeric outer
member
provides the sealing assembly with its ability to seal against objects such as
is doors, windows or truck covers.
One challenge when designing a sealing assembly is to obtain a core
metal insert that has a configuration which facilitates long-term attachment
of the
elastomeric material to the core metal insert whereby durability of the
sealing
assembly is achieved. Note that the sealing assembly is subjected to repeated
2o contact with a movable object such as an automobile door, window or truck
cover. Thus, durability of the sealing assembly is important goal.
It would also be desirable to obtain long-term attachment of the
elastomeric material to the core metal insert without the need to chemically
treat
the core metal insert prior to attaching the elastomeric material to the core
metal
2s insert. Eliminating a .manufacturing step in the process of making the
sealing
assembly would reduce the cost of the sealing assembly.
Another challenge when designing a sealing assembly is to obtain a core
metal insert which is relatively light weight yet still provides structural
integrity to
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the sealing assembly. Reducing weight of components of an
automobile such as a sealing assembly reduces fuel consumption
of the automobile.
Yet another challenge when designing a sealing
assembly is to obtain a core metal insert that has a
configuration which facilitates bending of the core metal
insert during manufacture of the sealing assembly. In
particular, obtaining a core metal insert which is relatively
easy to bend during manufacture of the sealing assembly reduces
manufacturing costs since less exotic bending equipment may be
used to bend the core metal insert to a desired shape prior to
attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal
insert.
Sunmnary of the Invention
According to one embodiment of the present invention,
there is provided a process of manufacturing a core metal
insert, including the steps of: forming in a metal blank at
least one inboard slit which extends continuously from a left
lateral slit end to a right lateral slit end; and expanding
said metal blank to create an inboard gap therein, said
expanding step including a step of displacing a quantity of
metal of said metal blank so as to create a bridge with said
quantity of metal which (i) is positioned within said inboard
gap, and (ii) divides said inboard gap into a first inboard
subgap and a second inboard subgap, wherein said bridge is
spaced apart from both said left lateral slit end and said
right lateral slit end.
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According to a further embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided a process of manufacturing a core
metal insert, including the steps of: forming at least one
column of inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a
slitted metal blank, each inboard slit of said at least one
column of inboard slits extending continuously from a
respective left lateral slit end to a respective right lateral
slit end; and forming a linear coin swath in said slitted metal
blank which traverses each inboard slit of said at least one
linearly aligned column of inboard slits so that said slitted
metal blank is expanded to create a plurality of inboard gaps
defined therein which are aligned in a column, wherein said
linear coin swath is spaced apart from both said respective
left lateral slit end and said respective right lateral slit
end of each inboard slit of said at least one linearly aligned
column of inboard slits during said linear coin swath forming
step, and wherein said linear coin swath forming step includes
the step of displacing a quantity of metal of said slitted
metal blank so as to create a coin-formed bridge with said
quantity of metal which (i) is positioned within each of said
plurality of inboard gaps, and (ii) divides each inboard gap of
said plurality of inboard gaps into a first inboard subgap and
a second inboard subgap.
According to a further embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided a process of manufacturing a core
metal insert, including the steps of: cutting a plurality of
inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal
blank, each of said plurality of inboard slits extending
continuously from a respective left lateral slit end to a
respective right lateral slit end; and coining said slitted
metal blank so that said core metal insert is manufactured with
(i) a plurality of inboard gaps defined therein which are
aligned in a column, and (ii) a coin-formed bridge which is
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positioned within each inboard gap of said plurality of inboard
gaps and which divides each inboard gap of said plurality of
inboard gaps into a first inboard subgap and a second inboard
subgap, each of said first inboard subgap and said second
inboard subgap extends through said core metal insert, wherein
said cutting step includes the step of forming at least one
linearly aligned column of inboard slits, wherein said coining
step includes the step of forming a linear coin swath which
traverses each inboard slit of said at least one linearly
aligned column of inboard slits, and wherein said linear coin
swath is spaced apart from both said respective left lateral
slit end and said respective right lateral slit end of each
inboard slit of said at least one linearly aligned column of
inboard slits during said linear coin swath forming step.
According to another embodiment of the present
invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a core
metal insert which is adapted to be used in a sealing assembly.
The method includes the steps of (i) cutting a plurality of
inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal
blank, and (ii) coining a swath in the slitted metal blank so
that the slitted metal blank is
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expanded to create the core metal insert with a plurality of inboard gaps
defined
therein. Each inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps extends from a left
lateral inboard gap end to a right lateral inboard gap end. The swath is
oriented
relative to the plurality of inboard gaps such that, when the core metal
insert is
s viewed in a plan view, (i) the swath forms an intersection with each inboard
gap
of the plurality of inboard gaps, and (ii) the swath is spaced apart from each
of
the left lateral inboard gap end and the right lateral inboard gap end.
Yet according to another embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a core metal insert for use in a sealing assembly, the core metal
insert
io being manufactured by a process including the steps of (i) cutting a
plurality of
inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank, and (ii)
coining
a swath in the slitted metal blank so that the slitted metal blank is expanded
to
create the core metal insert with a plurality of inboard gaps defined therein.
The
coining step includes the step of displacing a quantity of metal of the
slitted metal
~s blank so as to create a coin-formed bridge with the quantity of metal which
(A) is
positioned within each of the plurality of inboard gaps, and (B) divides each
inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps into a first inboard subgap and a
second inboard subgap. Each of the first inboard subgap and the second
inboard subgap extends through the core metal insert.
2o According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is
provided a core metal insert for use in a sealing assembly, the core metal
insert
being manufactured by a process including the step of cutting a plurality of
left
lateral outermost inboard slits and a plurality of right lateral outermost
inboard
slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank. The process of
2s manufacturing the core metal insert further includes the step of coining
the slitted
metal blank so that the core metal insert is manufactured with (i) a plurality
of left
lateral outermost inboard gaps defined therein, (ii) a plurality of right
lateral
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outermost inboard gaps defined therein, (iii) a left lateral coin-formed
bridge
which is positioned within each left lateral outermost inboard gap of the
plurality
of left lateral outermost inboard gaps and which divides each left lateral
outermost inboard gap into a first left lateral outermost inboard subgap and a
s second left lateral outermost inboard subgap, each of the first left lateral
outermost inboard subgap and the second left lateral outermost inboard subgap
extends through the core metal insert, and (iv) a right lateral coin-formed
bridge
which is positioned within each right lateral outermost inboard gap of the
plurality
of right lateral outermost inboard gaps and which divides each right lateral
to outermost inboard gap into a first right lateral outermost inboard subgap
and a
second right lateral outermost inboard subgap, each of the first right lateral
outermost inboard subgap and the second right lateral outermost inboard
subgap extends through the core metal insert.
One object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful core
is metal insert.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved core
metal insert.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful
method of manufacturing a core metal insert.
2o Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
method of manufacturing a core metal insert.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal
insert that has a configuration which facilitates long-term attachment of the
elastomeric material to the core metal insert whereby durability of the
sealing
2s assembly is achieved.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal insert
which is configured so that it does not need to be chemically treated prior to
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attaching the elastomeric material to the core metal insert and yet still
enables
long-term attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal insert.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal
insert which is relatively light weight yet still provides structural
integrity to a
sealing assembly.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal
insert that has a configuration which facilitates bending of the core metal
insert
during manufacture of the sealing assembly.
Other objects and benefits of the present invention can be discerned from
io the following description and accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile which incorporates the
features of the present invention therein;
is FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a sealing assembly of the automobile of
FIG. 1 which is taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction
of the
arrows, with FIG. 2 also showing a door frame and a window of the automobile
of
FIG. 1 in phantom for clarity of description;
FIG. 3 is a plan view (or top elevational) of a metal segment which is in-
2o process of being manufactured in accordance with a method of the present
invention, with (i) the portion A comprising a completed segment of the core
metal insert which is used in the sealing assembly of FIG. 2, and (ii) the
portion B
comprising an in-process segment of a slitted metal blank;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the core metal insert of FIG. 3 which is
2s taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction of the
arrows;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a first set of rollers which function to cut
slits
into a blank metal workpiece and a second set of rollers which function to
coin
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the slitted blank metal workpiece so as to manufacture the core metal insert
of
FIG. 3 in accordance with a method of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view which is taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5
as viewed in the direction of the arrows;
s FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3 which is encircled and
indicated as FIG. 7; and
FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 7 showing a leading leg
portion and a respective trailing leg portion which collectively define an
inboard
gap which has been divided by a coin-formed bridge into a first inboard subgap
~o and a second inboard subgap.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative
forms, a specific embodiment and method thereof has been shown by way of
is example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should
be
understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the invention to the
particular
form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all
modifications,
equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention as
defined by the appended claims.
2o Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an automobile 10 which
incorporates features of the present invention therein. The automobile 10
includes a driver door 12 having a window 14 which is able to be moved between
a raised position and a lowered position within the door 12. Note that the
window 14 is shown in the raised position in FIG. 1.
2s ThF door 12 includes a sealing assembly 16 as shown in FIG. 2. During
manufacture of the automobile 10, the sealing assembly 16 is secured to a
frame
18 of the door 12. The sealing assembly 16 includes a channel 20 which
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receives an upper end of the window 14 therein when the window is located in
its
raised position as shown in F1G. 2.
The sealing assembly 16 includes a core metal insert 22 and an
elastomeric material 24 which are secured together. The core metal insert 22
is
s preferably made from steel. Moreover, types of elastomeric materials which
may
be used in the present invention is rubber or synthetic resin. Types of
rubbers
which may be appropriate for use with the present invention is sponge rubber,
EDPM rubber, or polyvinyl chloride rubber.
FIG. 3 shows a metal segment 21 which is in-process of being
to manufactured into the core metal insert 22. In particular, a portion A of
the metal
segment 21 comprises a completed segment of the core metal insert 22, while a
portion B of the metal segment 21 comprises an in-process segment of a slitted
metal blank 23. It should be appreciated that the slitted metal blank 23 is a
continuous strip of metal which may be rolled and have an extremely long
length
is (e.g. 20,000 feet).
The slitted metal blank 23 (see portion B of FIG. 3) includes a plurality of
inboard slits 26 and a plurality of outboard slits 27 defined therein. Note
that the
slits 26, 27 are created in the slitted metal blank 23 as a result of a
cutting or
slitting operation. The slits 26, 27 remain in the slitted metal blank 23
until the
2o slitted metal blank is subjected to a coining operation. The plurality of
slits 26,
27 are substantially linear in shape and are oriented in a width-wise
direction
relative to a processing direction 28 (see also FIG. 5) of the core metal
insert 22.
The inboard slits 26 are spaced inward from each of the lateral ends 25 of the
metal segment 21, while the outboard slits 27 are juxtaposed to at least one
of
2s the lateral ends 25 of the metal segment 21.
The core metal insert 22 (see portion A of FIG. 3) has a plurality of
inboard gaps 30 defined therein. The outermost inboard gaps 30 are indicated
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with the designation "LL" or "RL" to signify if it is a left lateral outermost
inboard
gap 30LL or a right lateral outermost inboard gap 30RL. In order to provide
meaning to the term "outermost" as it is used herein, it should be appreciated
that there does no exist any inboard gaps 30 to the left in a width-wise
direction
of a left lateral outermost inboard gap 30LL. Moreover, it should be
appreciated
that there does no exist any inboard gaps 30 to the right in a width-wise
direction
of a right lateral outermost inboard gap 30RL. The designations "LL" and "RL"
are used with other elements of the core metal insert 22 and such designations
have a similar meaning to that described above with respect to the left
lateral
io outermost inboard gap 30LL and the right lateral outermost inboard gap
30RL.
The core metal insert 22 further includes a plurality of leading leg portions
34 and a plurality of trailing leg portions 36. Each inboard gap 30 is defined
collectively by one of the leading leg portions 34 and a respective one of the
trailing leg portions 36. In particular, a respective leg portion pair 34, 36
is collectively define an entire outer boundary of each inboard gap 30 (see
e.g.
FIG. 8). As a result, each of the inboard gaps 30 is spaced inward from each
of
the lateral ends 25. The plurality of inboard gaps 30 form a number of columns
C1 as shown in FIG. 3. Each of the columns C1 of the inboard gaps 30 are
oriented length-wise relative to the processing direction 28.
2o It should be noted that the sectional views shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 are
taken at a location of the core metal insert 22 where no inboard gaps 30 or
outboard gaps 31 are present. This is why each of the above-identified cross
sectional views shows a continuous metal cross section along the entire width
of
the core metal insert 22. However, FIG. 4 does show an inboard gap 30 and an
2s outboard gap 31 in cross section at the right lateral side of the drawing.
The core metal insert 22 (see portion A of FIG. 3) further has a plurality of
outboard gaps 31. The outboard gaps are non-bounded by the metal of the core
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metal insert 22 and are juxtaposed to at least one of the lateral ends 25 of
the
metal segment 21 as shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, each of the outboard
gaps 31 are open at a lateral end 25 as indicated at arrow 38 in FIG. 7. The
plurality of outboard gaps 31 form a number of columns C2 as shown in FIG. 3.
s Each of the columns C2 of the outboard gaps 31 are also oriented length-wise
relative to the processing direction 28.
The core metal insert 22 further includes a plurality of linear coin swaths
40. Each coin swath 40 is created in the slitted metal blank 23 as a result of
the
slitted metal blank being subjected to a coining process. As the slitted metal
to blank is coined to form the linear coin swaths 40, a quantity of metal is
displaced
so as to create a number of coin-formed bridges 42 each which is positioned in
each inboard gap of certain columns of inboard gaps C1 as shown in FIG. 3.
Each of the coin swaths 40 are linear in shape and are oriented in a length-
wise
direction relative to the processing direction 28. Note that the linear coin
swaths
Is 40 are perpendicularly oriented relative to the linear slits 26 of the
slitted metal
blank 23.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each coin-formed bridge 42 includes a
leading bridge portion 44 which extends into a respective inboard gap 30 from
a
respective leading leg portion 34. Similarly, each coin-formed bridge 42
further
2o includes a trailing bridge portion 46 which extends into a respective
inboard gap
30 from a respective trailing leg portion 36. The leading bridge portion 44
contacts the trailing bridge portion 46 so that the coin-formed bridge 42
continuously extends from the leading leg portion 34 to the trailing leg
portion as
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
2s Each coin-formed bridge 42 divides a respective inboard gap 30 into a
first inboard subgap 48 and a second inboard subgap 50 (see FIG. 8). Each
subgap 48, 50 extends through the core metal insert 22 in a manner similar to
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the described with respect to gaps 30 and 31. This is an important aspect of
the
present invention since during manufacture of the sealing assembly 16, melted
elastomeric material 24 flows through and becomes permanently located within
each of the numerous subgaps 48 and 50, and thereafter adheres or bonds to
s itself so as to entrap the core metal insert 22 securely within the
elastomeric
material 24. The presence of a relatively large number of the subgaps 48, 50
defined within the core metal insert 22 functions to enhance the entrapment of
the core metal insert 22 within the elastomeric material 24. This increases
the
durability of the sealing assembly 16. This increased durability is achieved
even
to without chemically treating the core metal insert 22 prior to attaching or
adhering
the elastomeric material 24 to the core metal insert.
It should be noted that, when the core metal insert 22 is viewed in a plan
view such as FIG. 3, the linear coin swaths 40 each forms or defines an
intersection 52 with a respective inboard gap 30 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
The
t5 locations of the coin-formed bridges 42 defines the locations of the
intersections
52.
Each of the inboard gaps 30 extends from a left lateral inboard gap end
17 to a right lateral inboard gap end 19 as shown in FIG. 8. Each of the coin
swaths 40 is defined in the core metal insert 22 such that each swath 40 is
2o spaced apart from each respective left lateral inboard gap end 17 and each
respective right lateral inboard gap end 19 as shown in FIG. 8 (see also FIG.
7).
Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a first set of rollers 54 and a
second set of rollers 56. Each of the first set of rollers 54 and the second
set of
rollers 56 are driven by a motor 58. The first set of rollers 54 operate to
perform
2s a cutting or slitting process whereby slits 26 are cut into a blank metal
plate. The
second set of rollers 56 cuts or slits a metal blank 60 which is received into
a nip
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62 defined between the rollers 54. The output of the first set of rollers 54
is the
slitted metal blank 23.
The second set of rollers 56 operate to perform a coining process on the
slitted metal blank 23 whereby the slitted metal blank 23 is expanded to
create
s the core metal insert 22 with the plurality of inboard gaps 30 and the
plurality of
outboard gaps 31 defined therein. The second set of rollers 56 functions to
coin
the slitted metal blank 23 which is received into a nip 64 defined between the
rollers 56. The second set of rollers 36 also function to form coin swaths 40
in
the slitted metal blank 23 thereby displacing a quantity of metal into certain
of the
to plurality of inboard gaps 30 so as to create the plurality of coin-formed
bridges 42
thereby forming the subgaps 48 and 50. The output of the second set of rollers
56 is the core metal insert 22.
The second set of rollers 56 include an upper roller 66 and a lower roller
67. The upper roller 66 includes a plurality of swath die members 68 which
is cooperate with the lower roller 67 to form the swaths 40 into the core
metal insert
22.
It should be noted that, as shown in FIG.3, the core metal insert 22
advantageously has a left lateral coin swath 40LL coined therein such that a
number of left lateral coin-formed bridges 42LL are respectively positioned in
2o each of the plurality left lateral outermost inboard gaps 30LL.
Additionally, the
core metal insert 22 advantageously has a right lateral coin swath 40RL coined
therein such that a number of right lateral coin-formed bridges 42RL are
respectively positioned in each of the plurality right lateral outermost
inboard
gaps 30RL. Coining the core metal insert 22 in such a manner provides for more
2s even expansion of the core metal insert 22 in the processing direction 28.
While the invention has been described in detail in the drawings and
foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not
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restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred
embodiments
and methods have been shown and described and that all changes and
modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be
protected.
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