Thermoplastic vehicle weather stripping
OwnerSam M. Jyawook, Shawn J. Jyawookinventors
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Abstract
Weather stripping for use in sealing an interface between selected vehicle portions is made using a thermoplastic material such as TPV with a supercritical fluid introduced during the manufacturing process to provide a microcellular structure. The microcellular structure of one example implementation of this invention includes a cell density in a range from about 109 to about 1015 per cubic centimeter. Average cell sizes preferably are less than 2 microns. A preferred range in one example is between about 0.1 micron and about 1.0 micron. The inventive design provides superior performance with cost savings compared to rubber weather stripping.
Claims20
A weather stripping for use in sealing an interface between selected portions of a vehicle, comprising:
- a body portion that is adapted to be supported on a selected one of the vehicle portions;
- and
- a sealing portion extending at least partially away from the body portion, the sealing portion and the body portion comprising a thermoplastic material with at least the sealing portion having a microcellular structure.
A method of making weather stripping for use in sealing an interface between selected portions of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- melting a thermoplastic material;
- introducing a supercritical fluid into the melted thermoplastic material;
- forming a microcellular structure in the thermoplastic material using the supercritical fluid;
- and
- forming the weather stripping from the thermoplastic material having the microcellular structure.
A weather stripping for use in sealing an interface between selected portions of a vehicle, the weather stripping having a body portion that is adapted to be supported on a selected one of the vehicle portions and a sealing portion extending at least partially away from the body portion, made by the process comprising the steps of:
- melting a thermoplastic material;
- introducing a supercritical fluid into the melted thermoplastic material;
- forming a microcellular structure in the thermoplastic material using the supercritical fluid;
- and
- forming the weather stripping from the thermoplastic material having the microcellular structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.