Micro-Cellular Foam Weather Seal
AssigneeUltrafab, Inc.
InventorsKyle Hayward, Alan J. DeMello, Daniel Babin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weather seal includes an elongated micro-cellular foam bulb, and an elongated micro-cellular foam fin element attached to and extending along the length of the foam bulb. The fin element includes a spine having opposed planar surfaces and at least one microcellular foam barb extending outwardly and at a downward angle from each surface and along the length of the spine. As an alternative to barbs, another option is to use a higher durometer foamed thermoplastic elastomer in a hollow circle shape that would push into a retention pocket. A t-slot version that has a foamed bulb and a polypropylene base is another option.
Claims14
A weather seal for use on a weather permeable barrier separating the indoor from the outdoor, comprising:
- a. an elongated, compressible micro-cellular foam bulb adapted for connection to the barrier;
- and
- b. an elongated, compressible micro-cellular foam element attached to and extending along the length of the foam bulb, wherein the foam element is spaced from the barrier.
A method for manufacturing a multi-cellular foam weather seal for use on a weather permeable barrier separating the indoor from the outdoor and having an elongated, compressible micro-cellular foam bulb adapted for connection to the barrier and an elongated, compressible micro-cellular foam element attached to and extending along the length of the foam bulb, wherein the foam element is spaced from the barrier, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. delivering the multi-cellular foam material from a storage cell to a weigh scale blender and then to a drier;
- b. delivering the multi-cellular foam material from the drier to a main extruder;
- c. delivering a polypropylene material from a storage cell to a first co-extruder;
- d. pulling the multi-cellular foam material and the polypropylene material from through the main extruder and first co-extruder, respectively, and into a die;
- e. forming the weather seal in the die;
- f. pulling the weather seal from the die and into a sizer plate;
- g. pulling the weather seal from the sizer plate into a cooling tank;
- h. blowing off excess water from the weather seal after it passes out of the cooling tank;
- and
- i. winding the weather seal on a reel.
A method for manufacturing a multi-cellular foam weather seal for use on a weather permeable barrier separating the indoor from the outdoor and having an elongated, compressible micro-cellular foam bulb adapted for connection to the barrier and an elongated, compressible micro-cellular foam element attached to and extending along the length of the foam bulb, wherein the foam element is spaced from the barrier, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. preparing a set-up sheet configured with the die tooling parameters, main extruder heat settings, and material recipe;
- b. verifying the correct die assembly is in place;
- c. verifying the correct material recipe is being used;
- d. verify the extruder heat settings are correct;
- e. stringing up a weather strip by pulling one through an assembly line to a puller;
- f. providing a micro-cellular foaming agent procedure to be followed during manufacture of the weather seal;
- g. stabilizing the pressure in the extruders for a predetermined period of time;
- h. inspecting the weather strip for quality as it comes off the manufacturing line;
- and
- i. if the weather seal does not pass the quality inspection, adjusting the speed with which the weather strip is pulled through the manufacturing line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.