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US 8,919,045 B2Granted
Bulb seal
AssigneeEdwards Industries, Inc.
InventorsBrett P. Bellmore, Kevin Baxter, Stephen G. Leonard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of producing a seal. The method can include forming an elongated strip of a thermoplastic material having laterally spaced, interlockable portions; bending such strip along a longitudinal line disposed between the spaced interlockable portions to position the interlockable portions in opposed relation; and interlocking the interlockable portions together when such portions are disposed in opposed relation to provide a bulb segment and a mount segment.
Claims3
A seal comprising:
- an elongated strip,
- the elongated strip comprising an intermediate segment and a plurality of lateral segments,
- the intermediate segment comprising a first thermoplastic material,
- wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises at least one material selected from a group of materials consisting of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic elastomeric polyolefin (TPO), a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), a styrene/ethylene-butelene/styrene block copolymer (SEBS) and an ethylene propylene-diene monomer (EPMD),
- wherein the lateral segments comprise a second thermoplastic material and a filler material,
- wherein the intermediate segment does not comprise the filler material,
- wherein the second thermoplastic material has a durometer hardness greater than said first thermoplastic material,
- wherein the second thermoplastic material comprises at least one material selected from a group of materials consisting of polypropylene (PP), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) and a thermoplastic elastomeric polyolefin (TPO),
- wherein the filler material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, mica, talc, wood floor and glass beads,
- wherein the elongated strip is bent to form a bulb section of the first thermoplastic material provided with a polygonal cross-sectional configuration,
- wherein a mount section is defined by
- first portions of the lateral segments disposed in abutting relation and secured together, and
- second portions of the lateral segments projecting laterally of the respective first portions, providing an inverted T-shaped configuration,
- wherein the material of the bulb section has a durometer hardness in the range of 20 to 90 Shore A and the material of the mount section has a durometer hardness in the range of 40 to 90 Shore D.
11 more elements
A seal formed by the method consisting of:
- extruding an elongated strip of material including an intermediate segment of a first thermoplastic material and a series of bowed portions, and lateral segments of a second thermoplastic material having a durometer hardness greater than the first thermoplastic material and a filler material, with each of the lateral segments having a first portion provided with lockable means and a second portion disposed at an angle relative to the first portion;
- wherein the intermediate segment does not comprise the filler material;
- bending the elongated strip to straighten the bowed portions to form a bulb section provided with a polygonal cross sectional configuration, aligning the first portions of the lateral segments in side-by-side relation;
- and
- interengaging the locking means of the first portions of the lateral segments, providing a bulb section formed of the intermediate segment, and a mount section having an inverted T-shaped configuration formed of the lateral segments including the first portions thereof supporting the bulb section and the second portions thereof forming a support base,
- wherein the first thermoplastic material comprises at least one material selected from a group of materials consisting of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic elastomeric polyolefin (TPO), a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), a styrene/ethylene-butelene/styrene block copolymer (SEBS) and an ethylene propylene-diene monomer (EPMD), and the second thermoplastic material comprises at least one material selected from a group of materials consisting of polypropylene (PP), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPB) and a thermoplastic elastomeric polyolefin (TPO),
- wherein the filler material of the lateral segments is present in an amount of up to 40% by weight based on the total weight of the lateral segments, and
- wherein the filler material comprises at least one material from a group of materials consisting of calcium carbonate, mica, talc, wood floor and glass beads,
- wherein the material of the bulb section has a durometer hardness in the range of 20 to 90 Shore A and the material of the mount section has a durometer hardness in the range of 40 to 90 Shore D.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.