Dual durometer rub rail
OwnerGerald Kesslerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rub rail assembly includes a rub rail support channel member suitably attached, such as by screws or the like, to a surface to be protected, and a rub rail member which is engaged with the rub rail support member. The rub rail member in turn is formed of two relatively thin layers dual durometer co-extruded, the upper layer being soft plastic and the bottom layer being stiff plastic. The thickness is sufficiently small so that the rub rail member can be coiled prior to installation, and so that it can be deformed transversely to a generally hemi-cylindrical shape for engagement with the rub rail support member.
Claims14
An extruded rub rail member defining an axis of extrusion and being adapted for secure attachment to a well-mounted attachment means, the rub rail member comprising:
- a first portion having a predetermined width and a length extending in the direction of said axis of extrusion, said first portion including engaging means, carried by one surface, for engaging the wall-mounted attachment means;
- a second portion having a predetermined width and a length extending in the direction of said axis of extrusion, said second portion overlying and engaging the surface of said first portion disposed opposite to said one surface and being integral therewith;
- said first and second portions being disposed in contiguous engagement throughout their entire widths and lengths,
- said first portion consisting of a rigid plastic material, and said second portion consisting of a flexible plastic material,
- said rub rail member being sufficiently thin so as to be bendable in its widthwise direction to form an arcuate configuration and coilable in its lengthwise direction.
A rub rail member having an elongated form and comprising:
- a thin upper layer of flexible plastic or elastomeric material having a durometer value of 65-95 Shore A and a thickness sufficiently small as to permit co-extrusion thereof in a consistent uniform fashion, said upper layer being regular and uniform without surface defects;
- and
- a thin lower layer of stiff plastic material having a durometer value greater than that of said flexible plastic and a thickness sufficiently small so that said rub rail member can be coiled longitudinally and flexed laterally;
- said upper layer and said lower layer being adjacent and overlying contiguous layers integral along coextruded faces thereof and having a combined thickness of no greater than about 80 mils.
A rub rail assembly, comprising:
- a first extruded rub rail support member having an axis of extrusion and means extending normal to said axis of extrusion for attaching said first support member to a surface to be protected;
- a second extruded rub rail member engaged with said first extruded rub rail support member, said second rub rail member having an axis of extrusion disposed parallel to said axis of extrusion of said first rub rail member,
- said second rub rail member including two thin adjacent and overlying contiguous layers of plastic material having a combined thickness of no greater than about 80 mils,
- a first of said thin layers disposed closest to said first rub rail support member being secured to said first rub rail support member and consisting of a substantially rigid plastic material, a second of said thin layers disposed away from said first rub rail support member consisting of a substantially flexible plastic or elastomer material,
- the width of said second rub rail member being substantially more than the width of said first rub rail support member, such that when said first layer of said second rub rail member is secured to said first rub rail support member, said first and second layers of said second rub rail member are deformed arcuately about said axis of extrusion, and said second rub rail member delimits a cylindrical segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.