DE2924574A1 - U-SHAPED SEALING STRIP - Google Patents

Description

U-shaped sealing strip

The invention relates to a U-shaped sealing strip according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such strips are known and are used, for example, in motor vehicle construction for protection against corrosion. the Vehicle bodywork often has flanges where, for example, two adjacent parts of the bodywork or load-bearing profile— parts are brought together and bent in such a way that the surfaces lie against one another, and then welded together to form a flange to become. Such flanges are difficult to protect against corrosion damage, especially when they are on the Underside of the motor vehicle are and therefore particularly vulnerable are. It is particularly important with such flanges that neither water nor moisture be welded between the two Can penetrate surfaces.

The object of the present invention is to provide a U-shaped sealing strip to be designed with the features mentioned above so that the greatest possible protection against corrosion damage is guaranteed.

The present object is achieved according to the invention by that the material is such that the inside of the bar, depending on the supply of heat, seals and adheres to the surface of the flange.

The invention is explained in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 the sealing strip according to the invention in a perspective view,

FIG. 2 is an end view of the bar of FIG. 1

placed on a flange in the initial stage,

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3 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 2, but at a later stage,

4 shows a cross section through another embodiment of the sealing strip,

5 shows a cross section through a further embodiment of the sealing strip,

6 shows a cross section of part of a motor vehicle body with the sealing strip placed on a flange according to FIG. 4 in a schematic representation, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of another part of a motor vehicle body with the on one Flange applied sealing strip according to Figure 5.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the sealing strip comprises a U-shaped core or carrier 5, which is made of metal or a other suitable material and embedded in synthetic resin or rubber or a similar flexible covering material 6 is. The carrier 5 is designed to be flexible so that the sealing strip can be bent about its longitudinal axes. For example, they can be made up of a series of side-by-side U-shaped elements that either are completely separated from each other or perhaps connected by short flexible links. The carrier can e.g. instead consist of a non-perforated metal profile, the sides and bottom of which are corrugated. In another Embodiment, the metal support can be made of wire elements or loops. In any case, the carrier serves to to carry the sealing strip, but it remains flexible enough to withstand all bends and curves in use follow.

The coating material 6 can be sprayed onto the carrier 5 or applied by another suitable method.

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In addition, the sealing strip has a coating of a thermoplastic material 8 on its inside, which will be described in more detail below.

The coating material 6 is injected or otherwise shaped in such a way that two inwardly directed clamping ribs 10 and 12 develop. However, these clamping ribs are not absolutely necessary, and there may be more than one rib on one or both sides the opposing profile walls can be provided.

In operation, the bar is pulled over a flange edge £ L4, like can be seen from Figure 2. The sides of the bar and the clamping ribs 10 and 12 grip the sides of the flange and hold them in position. When the bar (and flange) * is exposed to heat v / ground, for example by being exposed to a relatively high ambient temperature, the material 8 expands in such a way that that it fills the space between the inner surface of the strip and the flange 14 and is firmly attached to the surface of the flange adheres. In this way, the material seals the flange against rust and at the same time protects it against further corrosion. Of course, leaks along the flange within the strip are also eliminated.

The flange can be the flange around a door or similar opening of a motor vehicle. Instead, it could also be a flange be somewhere on the vehicle body, e.g. a flange, where the edges of two housing parts, or the edges of a housing part and a chassis part, abut and by welding be joined together. In both cases, the heat mentioned at the beginning can come from the paint drying oven that the sealing strip exposed when the body is put in the oven. The temperature can be in the range between 70 C - 120 C lie. If necessary, the heat can also be supplied in other ways. The extent of the expansion does not depend solely on the temperature to which the material 8 is exposed, but also the time during which it is kept at this temperature will.

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The thermoplastic material 8 is selected so that it is suitable depending on the temperature thus supplied Way and becomes sticky enough to adhere to the flange surfaces. The amount of material 8 (and / or the time during which it must be kept at the elevated temperature) is or are such that, in relation to the known extent of expansion of the material at the temperature to which it is exposed, it expands so much that it is just sufficient to establish a satisfactory seal between the strip and the flange, but the expansion is not as great is to completely or partially detach the bar from the flange.

Another advantage is that the sealing strip placed on a flange of the motor vehicle body is the Flange also protects against stone chip damage from the road surface.

In a modified embodiment, the material 8 does not have to cover the entire surface of the inside of the strip, but only part of it.

In a further embodiment, both surfaces of the carrier 5 are not completely coated with the material 6. The inner surfaces, or Te ₁ Ue of it, cannot be coated with the material 6. The parts of the carrier that remain free can be protected against corrosion with the aid of a suitable agent with which these parts are coated.

In FIG. 4, the parts comparable to FIGS. 1-3 are provided with corresponding reference numerals.

In the case of the bar according to FIG. 4, the material 6 is shaped in such a way that the two sides of the U-profile are inclined towards one another, see above that the profile opening 19 is closed and the interior of the Profile filled with the material 20, or is substantially filled. The material 20 is a foamed synthetic resin material,

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preferably of a closed cell structure.

In operation, the bar is pulled over a flange edge 14 (see FIG. 6) to protect it against corrosion, so that the Flange penetrates into the foam components 20, as shown in Figure, which schematically shows a cross-section of a body part with two body parts 22 and 24 joined together with the aid of the flange 14.

If the body with the sealing strip applied to the flange 14 has a sufficiently high temperature over a is exposed for a sufficiently long period of time, the foam component 20 solidifies rather than substantially forming one weatherproof protection for the flange 20, but also ensures that the bar is firmly seated on the flange.

The required temperature can be in the order of 140 ⁰ C - 160 ° C are. The time required can be approximately 20 minutes. This temperature and time roughly corresponds to what the body is exposed to while drying after painting.

The U-shaped strip shown in FIG. 5 differs in its other shape, with its two side walls being essentially are evenly inclined to one another in such a way that a closed profile mouth 19 is formed. Also, the inside is of the profile free of additional material. In this case, however, the material 6 has a different composition and melts when exposed to heat.

In operation, a sealing strip in that shown in FIG Wise pulled over a flange 14 in that the flange penetrates into the mouth opening 19 and pushes the side walls of the profile apart. The flange 14 shown in Figure 7 in turn represents the flange between two body parts 22 and 24. If the body body is exposed to the elevated temperature for a predetermined time, the material 6 is exposed to the

Temperature influenced in such a way that it presses against the sides of the flange 14 in the plastic state. This way it will be for the flange edge in turn created an essentially weather-resistant corrosion protection.

The temperature and time can be of the same order of magnitude as explained in connection with FIG. 6 above.

Any suitable heat-responsive material can be used in the embodiments disclosed above. For example a polyamide material can be used for such a material. Another material can be ethylene vinyl acetate.

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ORIGINAL INSPECT ^)

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Claims (5)

Expectations l.j U-shaped sealing strip sum encompassing a flange edge Or the like. Which, at least in the area of its inside, has a material that is sensitive to heat, characterized that the material (8; 20; 6, Fig. 5) is such that the Depending on the heat supply, the inside of the bar rests against the surface of the flange (14) in a sealing and adhesive manner » 2. Sealing strip according to claim I _3, characterized in that the material consists of a foam-like material (8) which forms a thin U-shaped layer on the inside of the strip and expands depending on the supply of heat to the space between the strip and the surface of the flange (14) to be filled. 3. Sealing strip according to claim I _5, characterized in that the material consists of a foam-like material (20) which essentially fills the entire space within the strip and is such that it compresses when heat is supplied. 292 * 574 4. Sealing strip according to claim 1, characterized in that the material is a meltable material (6, Fig. 5), which melts depending on the supply of heat and adapts to the surface of the flange (14). 5. Sealing strip according to one of claims 1-4, characterized characterized in that the material (8; 20; 6, Fig. 5) on the heat supply appeals to. Heat input in the range of 7Q ° C - 120 ⁰ C or 140 ° C - 160 ⁰ C. Sealing strip according to one of claims 1-5, characterized characterized in that a U-shaped metal support (5) is provided which is embedded in a flexible covering material (6) that is substantially resistant to temperatures up to a certain level, and that that to heat appealing material (8, 20} on the flexible cover material (6) on its inside U-shaped surface is applied and responds to a temperature which is above the ambient temperature, but below the aforementioned Temperature limit is.