GB2236785A

GB2236785A - Draught excluder

Info

Publication number: GB2236785A
Application number: GB8920443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barbara Kemp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-09-09
Filing date: 1989-09-09
Publication date: 1991-04-17
Also published as: GB8920443D0

Abstract

A lay flat tube (12), extending along the full length of the downward facing bottom edge of the door and partway up the hinged edge, is provided with a foldable side tube (13) for delivery of a fluid to its interior. <IMAGE>

Description

DRAUGHT EXCLUDER This invention relates to a draught excluder to seal a gap under a door.

Draught excluders proposed hitherto for scaling the gaps beneath the doors between rooms in houses suffer from two main disadvantages. Firstly, they are poor at sealing gaps of irregular depth. Secondly, they are visible and usually obtrusive. An object of the present invention is to ameliorate these disadvantages.

An earlier proposal of the present applicant is set forth in British Patent Application No.8816396.9

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a draught excluder to seal a gap under a door and comprising a length of a lay float tube with two major surfaces on one of which is a longitudinal strip by which the tube may be bonded to the door edge to extend along the full length of the downward-facing bottom edge of the door and part way up the hinged edge of the door, the tube being provided with a side tube for delivery of a selected quantity of fluid to the interior of the lay flat tube, the side tube being sealable hermically to seal the fuid within the lay flat tube.

In the sense that the side tube receives a fluid for inflation of the tube and is then sealed to prevent exit of the fluid from within the tube, the side tube consitutes a non-return valve.

One convenient way of sealing the side tube is to fold it up in a series of folds starting at its distal end, and then tuck the folded side tube between the lay flat tube and the under surface of the door.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a draught excluder to seal a gap under a door and comprising a length of a lay flat tube with two major surfaces on one of which cll i n. ioncj::i Lud# nnl trip by which the tube may be bonded to the door edge to extend along the -full length of the downward-facing bottom edge of the door and part way up the hinged edge of the door, the tube containing a quantity of a fluid which, on contact with air, locally, undergoes an increase in viscosity such that it ceases to be fluid, whereby a desired amount of the fluid may be obtained within the tube by providing a path for the fluid to exit the tube, compressing the tube until its volume has fallen to the desired level, and then allowing the reaction between the fluid and ambient air at the outlet of the path to seal the path and hence the tube.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a piece of polyvinyl chloride sheeting from which is made a first embodiment of the invention; Figs. 2 & 3 and 4 are plan views of the said embodiment showing successive stages of its inflation.

Figs. 5 and 6 are front elevations of a door showing the said embodiment in situ.

Referring to Figure 1, the piece 10 of PVC is of 250 gauge (but other thicknesses may be used whenever necessary or appropriate). It is symmetrical about a central line 11.

By folding it over itself, along the line 11, and sealing all around the adjacent adges, one may obtain (sce Figure 2) a main tube 12 with closed ends and open-ended side tube 13.

To inflate the main tube 12 an inflation fluid (normally air) is introduced (see Figure 2) through thc side tube 13 in the manner of balloon. After inflation, the side tube can be folded over itself several times, starting at its open distal end, to seal the side tube. By folding the folded side tube 14 on top of the main tube 12 an unobtrusive and virtually flush-fitting sealed inflation site is achieved.

One convenient method of inflation is to use a drinking straw extending into the side tube to blow the fluid into the main tube, with the distal end of the side tube sealing around the outside cylindrical surface of the straw during inflation and subsequent withdrawal of the straw.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the lay flat tube 12 would normally be adhered to the bottom edge 20 and lower part of the hinged edge 21 of a door 22 prior to inflation of the tube. A convenient way to provide the adhesive is to use tape with adhesive on both its sides, preferably already adhered to the lay flat tube but with the adhesive layer facing away from the tube covered by a peelable protective layer until it is stripped back prior to adhering the tube 12 to the door edge.

In use, the tube 12 is installed on the door and the door is closed. Fluid is introduced into the tube 12 through the side tube 13 until the tube 12 is inflated as much as is permitted by the available gap for the tube 12 to occupy beneath the door 22. Then the tube 12 is sealed. Upon opening the door, fluid flows to the part of the length of the tube which, when the door is shut, is squashed between the hinge edge of the door and the door frame. This fluid flow results in a lesser thickness of the tube 12 in the portion of its length which runs along the bottom edge of the door 22, and relief of any pressure from the tube 12 on to the floor beneath the door 22.

In its second aspect the invention provides a draught excluder which should be better able to withstand accidental puncturing of the tube 12 in everyc7ay use for, as soon as a puncture occurs, the air at the puncture site -will cause the fluid which fills the bag to set solid locally around the puncture site thereby sealing the hole in the bag 12.

Claims

1. A draught excluder to seal a gap under a door and comprising a length of a lay flat tube with two major surfaces on one of which is a longitudinal strip by which the tube may be bonded to the door edge to extend along the full length of the downward-facing bottom edge of the door and partway up the hinged edge of the door, the tube being provided with a side tube for delivery of a selected quantity of fluid to the interior of the lay flat tube, the side tube being sealable hermetically to seal the fluid within the lay flat tube.

2. A draught excluder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the side tube is foldable.

3. A draught excluder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the tube contains a quantity of fluid which, on contact with air locally undergoes an increase in viscosity such that it ceases to be fluid, whereby a desired amount of the fluid may be obtained within the tube by providing a path for the fluid to exit the tube, compressing the tube until its volume has fallen to the desired level, and then allowing the reaction between the fluid and ambient air at the outlet of the path to seal the path and hence the tube.

4. A draught excluder as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the longitudinal strip comprises a tape with adhesive on both sides but with the adhesive layer facing away from the tube covered by a peelable protective layer.

5. A draught excluder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.