Extruded seal carrier and method of use

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier defining a first carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a first seal-access side, the carrier also defining a second carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions, the carrier has a height extending from the first seal-access side in a direction toward the second seal-access side and a width perpendicular to the height, wherein the height is larger than the width;
• a first volume of sealant material being entirely contained within the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• and
• a second volume of sealant material being entirely contained within the second carrier channel, the second volume of sealant material being accessible from the second seal-access side of the second carrier channel, and the second volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• wherein the carrier includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel;
• and
• wherein the cover structure includes at least one resilient flap.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier including a first seal-access side and a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions;
• and
• sealant material carried by the carrier, the sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side and the second seal-access side of the carrier, the sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• wherein the carrier further includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side, the cover structure including a pair of resilient flaps each having base ends attached to the carrier, the resilient flaps being adapted to prevent contaminates from entering the sealant material.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier including a first seal-access side and a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions;
• and
• sealant material carried by the carrier, the sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side and the second seal-access side of the carrier, the sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis
• an enclosure interface comprising:
• a first housing piece and a second housing piece that meet at an interface, at least one of the first and the second housing pieces defining an enclosure sealing channel that extends along the interface;
• and
• the sealing apparatus positioned at least partially within the enclosure sealing channel;
• wherein when the first and the second housing pieces are mounted together so as to meet at the interface, the sealant material forms a first interface seal at the first seal-access side with the first housing piece and the sealant material also forms a second interface seal at the second seal-access side with the second housing piece;
• and
• wherein the carrier further includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side and wherein the first housing piece includes an integral sealing projection that penetrates the cover structure and embeds in the sealant material to form the first interface seal.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier defining a first carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a first seal-access side, the carrier also defining a second carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions;
• a first volume of sealant material being entirely contained within the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• and
• a second volume of sealant material being entirely contained within the second carrier channel, the second volume of sealant material being accessible from the second seal-access side of the second carrier channel, and the second volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• wherein the carrier further includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the cover structure including a pair of resilient flaps each having base ends attached to the carrier, the resilient flaps being adapted to prevent contaminates from entering the first and second volume of sealant materials.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier defining a first carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a first seal-access side, the carrier also defining a second carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions;
• a first volume of sealant material being entirely contained within the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• and
• a second volume of sealant material being entirely contained within the second carrier channel, the second volume of sealant material being accessible from the second seal-access side of the second carrier channel, and the second volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• wherein the carrier further includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the cover structure including a pair of resilient flaps each having base ends attached to the carrier.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier defining a first carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a first seal-access side, the carrier also defining a second carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions;
• a first volume of sealant material contained within the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• and
• a second volume of sealant material contained within the second carrier channel, the second volume of sealant material being accessible from the second seal-access side of the second carrier channel, and the second volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• wherein the carrier includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel;
• wherein the cover structure includes at least one resilient flap;
• and
• wherein the cover structure includes first and second resilient flaps moveable from a closed position to an open position, each of the first and the second resilient flaps having a base end integral with a main body of the carrier, each of the first and the second resilient flaps having a free end, the free ends of the first and the second resilient flaps opposing one another when the cover structure is in a closed position, and the first and the second resilient flaps flexing away from one another and toward the first volume of sealant material about their base ends when the first and the second resilient flaps are moved from the closed position of the resilient flaps toward the open position of the resilient flaps.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier defining a first carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a first seal-access side, the carrier also defining a second carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions, the carrier has a height that extends between the first and second seal-access sides and a width perpendicular to the height, wherein the height is larger than the width;
• a first volume of sealant material contained within the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• and
• a second volume of sealant material contained within the second carrier channel, the second volume of sealant material being accessible from the second seal-access side of the second carrier channel, and the second volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis;
• wherein the carrier includes a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the cover structure including first and second resilient flaps moveable from a closed position to an open position, each of the first and the second resilient flaps having a base end integral with a main body of the carrier, each of the first and the second resilient flaps having a free end, the free ends of the first and the second resilient flaps opposing one another when the cover structure is in a closed position, and the first and the second resilient flaps flexing away from one another and toward the first volume of sealant material about their base ends when the first and the second resilient flaps are moved from the closed position of the resilient flaps toward the open position of the resilient flaps.

A sealing apparatus comprising:

• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier including a first seal-access side and a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions, the carrier has a height that extends between the first and second seal-access sides and a width perpendicular to the height, wherein the height is larger than the width;
• and
• sealant material carried by the carrier, the sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side and the second seal-access side of the carrier, the sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis, and the sealant material being recessed relative to the first and second seal-access sides of the carrier;
• an enclosure interface comprising:
• a first housing piece and a second housing piece that meet at an interface, at least one of the first and the second housing pieces defining an enclosure sealing channel that extends along the interface;
• and
• the sealing apparatus positioned at least partially within the enclosure sealing channel;
• wherein when the first and the second housing pieces are mounted together so as to meet at the interface, the sealant material forms a first interface seal at the first seal-access side with the first housing piece and the sealant material also forms a second interface seal at the second seal-access side with the second housing piece;
• the carrier further including a cover structure that at least partially covers the first seal-access side and wherein the first housing piece includes an integral sealing projection that penetrates the cover structure and embeds in the sealant material to form the first interface seal.

An enclosure including a sealing apparatus, the enclosure comprising:

• a housing including a first housing piece and a second housing piece, the first housing piece defining an opening having a perimeter, the first and the second housing pieces mounting together to cover the opening, the housing defining an enclosure channel that extends around the perimeter of the opening, the enclosure channel including at least one primary channel section interconnected by at least one junction section;
• the sealing apparatus comprising:
• a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier including a first seal-access side and a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions, the carrier has a height extending from the first seal-access side in a direction toward the second seal-access side and a width perpendicular to the height, wherein the height is larger than the width;
• and
• sealant material carried by the carrier, the sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side and the second seal-access side of the carrier, the sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis, and the entirety of the sealant material being recessed relative to the first and second seal-access sides of the carrier;
• the sealing apparatus positioned at least partially within the enclosure channel for forming a seal between the first and the second housing pieces around the perimeter of the opening, the carrier of the sealing apparatus being positioned in the at least one primary channel section, the sealant material of the sealing apparatus being a first volume of sealant material;
• and
• at least one second volume of sealant material positioned within the at least one junction section of the enclosure channel, the second volume of sealant material being in communication with the first volume of sealant material, wherein when the first and the second housing pieces are mounted together the first and the second volumes of sealant material form a first seal with the first housing piece that extends continuously around the perimeter of the opening, and the first and the second volumes of sealant material form a second seal with the second housing piece that extends continuously around the perimeter of the opening.