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OwnerEwald Strehl, Norbert Heller +1inventors
InventorsEwald Strehl, Norbert Heller, Klaus Krawczyk
Estimating the term…
A sealing, trimming or finishing strip has a gripping part (2) made of extruded elastomeric material and advantageously incorporating an embedded reinforcement or carrier (10). In use, the gripping part (2) embraces a flange (22) such as framing a closable opening in a motor vehicle body, to support a soft sealing part (4) which is compressed by the closing door for the opening, thus forming a seal. On at least one inside side wall of the channel of the gripping part (2), one or more gripping elements (14) are integrally mounted. Each such gripping element comprises a thin Web-like support (18) with an enlarged end or foot (16). Each foot presents a relatively large surface area which makes frictional area contact with the mount to hold the gripping part (2) in position. Each foot (16) has foot portions (16B, 16C) lying on opposite sides of a plane through the foot and through the support (18). Any “pull-off force” tending to remove the strip from the flange (22) will tend to cause each foot (16) to pivot in a clockwise direction (as viewed in the Figure) on the support (18). One foot portion (16C) will tend to move away from frictional contact with the flange (22). The other foot portion (16B) will be forced into tighter frictional contact with the flange (22) and will thus provide high resistance to pull-off forces.
A sealing, trimming or finishing strip, comprising a longitudinally extending channel-shaped gripping part (2) for embracingly gripping a mount (22), at least one inside side wall of the channel supporting a gripping element (14) in the form of a relatively thin web (18) of flexible material extending inwardly of the channel from an integral junction (30) with the side wall and also extending along the length of the strip, the web (18) having a thickness which increases progressively in the direction away from the side wall to form at its distal edge a foot (16) of enlarged cross-section compared with the web (18), characterised in that the foot (16) has two integral foot portions (16B,16C) which define respective distal surface portions integrally forming a generally flat distal foot surface (16A), the two foot portions (16B,16C) being positioned on opposite sides of a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the foot surface (16A) and extends through and parallel to the length of the web (18), the foot surface (16A) being resiliently forced into frictional area contact with the mount (22) when the gripping part (2) embraces the mount (22) with the web (18) extending tranverse to the mount (22), the web (18) being pivotal at its junction (30) with the side wall of the channel such that any tendency of movement of one of the surface portions (16B,16C) away from the mount (22) urges the other surface portion (16B,16C) thereof into firmer frictional contact with the mount (22) to resist removal of the gripping part (2) from the mount (22).
A strip according to any preceding claim, characterised by one or more formations (12) on the opposite inside channel side wall for making frictional contact with a part of the mount (22) opposite to the part thereof contacted by the foot of the or each gripping element (14).
A strip according to any preceding claim, including blocking means (16D;32;34) for substantially preventing a first one of the two surface portions of the or each gripping element (14) from pivotting into firmer frictional contact with the mount (22) when the gripping part (2) is bodily forced into embracing relationship with the mount (22).
A strip according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the said distal foot surface (16A) is at least slightly concave in shape.
A strip according to any preceding claim, characterised in that it is substantially made of elastomeric material.
A strip according to any preceding claim, characterised by a channel-shaped carrier or reinforcement (10) made of resilient material and embedded in the channel of the gripping part (2).
A strip according to any preceding claim, characterised by a soft sealing part (4) carried by an external surface of the gripping part (2) whereby to be positioned when the gripping part (2) embraces the mount (22) to be at least partially and sealingly compressed by a closure member for an opening which is at least partly framed by the mount (22).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.