US2736076A

US2736076A - Sealing strip

Info

Publication number: US2736076A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1956-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 1973-02-28

Description

Feb. 28, 1956 R. J- BUSH ET AL SEALING STRIP Filed Jan. 50, 1955 H ZZ .sM 1 2%; Z m m w a 5 1. 4 L. q 1 5% W2 x 7 United States Patent O F SEALING STRIP Russell J. Bush, Dayton, and Cletus L. Moorman, Trotwood, Ohio, assiguors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 30, 1953, Serial No. 334,108

Claims. (Cl. 20-69) v This invention relates to elastomeric sealing strips and more particularly to a sealing strip for use between two abutting structures.

An object of the present invention is to provide an elongate elastomeric strip having a base portion and a plurality of hollow bulb-like members integrally formed thereon, each of said members having a predetermined configuration and spacing therebetween for forming a plurality of confined air spaces when the members are deformed in the direction of the base.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a sealing strip including a plurality of longitudinally extending bulb portions particularly adapted to compensate for variations between a door and frame closure. This object is materialized by providing an elongate elastomeric strip, secured to either the door or the closure, which strip is inherently adapted to form a plurality of confined air spaces when the strip is compressed as the door is brought into abutting relation with its closure. The plurality of confined air spaces are formed in situ during the closing process by utilizing a spacing between the bulbs and configuration of hollow bulbs. The air spaces formed include confined air spaces between adjacent bulbs and a plurality of spaces within the hollow bulbs formed as the hollow Within the bulb is divided by the buckling of the bulb walls.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an elongate elastomeric composite sealing strip having a base portion and a plurality of vertically extending hollow dumbbell shaped bulb portions integrally formed and longitudinally extending thereon. Said bulb portions having a spacing therebetween and longitudinally extending weakened wall portions constructed and arranged so that 2n|(nl) confined air spaces are formed as the bulbs are sufficiently compressed in the direction of the base, wherein n in the formula denotes the number of individual bulbs located on the base.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary view in perspective of a section of an improved sealing strip showing a plurality of hollow bulbs on a base.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the strip in Fig. 1 showing the bulbs compressed between two structures.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sealing strip in Fig. 1 mounted on a closure.

In the drawings reference numeral 20 designates a composite sealing strip having a base portion 22 adapted to be secured to a supporting structure with or without the aid of reinforcing means 24 which are supplied along extending edges 25 of the base portion 22. In Fig. 3 of the drawings numeral 26 indicates a closure and 28 a door adapted to fit into said closure. The door 28 has an abut- 2,736,076 Patented Feb. 28, 1956.

2 ting portion 30 and a raised portion 32. The abutting portion 30 of door 28 is adapted to be brought into juxtaposition with the closure 26 and raised portion 32 thereof is sized so as to be accommodated within opening 34 for providing additional insulation tothe door 28. The sealing strip .20 has base portion 22 secured about the peripheral edges of the opening 34 and is positioned to engage abutting portion 30 of door 28. e

In the form of the invention shown, the two longitudinally extending hollow bulbs 40 are formed integrally with the base portion 22 each of which include a wall portion 42 and a top portion 44 thereon. The bulbs are formed with longitudinal creases, folds or convolutions therein which condition the wall toward bending or buckling in a predetermined direction. This same condition may be accomplished by physically weakening the wall. In either case the term weakened portion is indicative of the action desired and will be used-in this generic sense hereinafter. Weakened portions 46 are provided in wall portions 42 for a purpose hereafter to be described. The bulbs 40, are spaced from each other across base portion 22 thereby normally forming unconfined air space 52 therebetween. A further single confined air space 54 is normally present within the hollow portion of each bulb 40. I

In Fig. 2 the sealing strip (Fig. l) is shown as being compressed between a mounting structure 56 and a compressing structure 558. When these two structures apply sufficient compressive force to the bulb portions 40 in the direction of the base 22 a plurality of confined air spaces will be formed. Said plurality of spaces consisting of confined space 60 formed from unconfined space 52 as the upper portions 44 of adjacent bulbs are brought into juxtaposition and as the singular air spaces 54 are each divided in situ into two confined

spaces

64 and 66 when walls 42 are sufficiently buckled along weakened portions 46 so that the central portions thereof touch.

Wiping ridges 50 may be included on bulbs 40 to further maintain a more perfect seal between the bulb portion 40 and the compressing structure 58. The spaces formed between ridges 50 are not considered as being confined air spaces as they are not a direct result of the deformation of the hollow bulb members.

The direction of pressure application should be at substantially right angles to the plane of the opening being sealed, as shown by the arrow marked A in Fig. 2. Swinging closures and the like may partially impair the eificiency of the strip although its usefulness will be apparent in sealing many applications of closures.

It is apparent that more than two bulbs may be included to correspondingly increase the number of confined air spaces formed and thus increase the sealing action of the strip when compressed. The number of confined air spaces formed when the bulbs are sufficiently compressed may be expressed by the formula 2n+(nl), where n equals the number of bulbs 40 spaced on the base 22.

It is also apparent that the sealing action of this strip is not wholly dependent upon complete compression of the bulbs thus making the strip extremely useful in applications where considerable variation in the spacing between the door and its abutting structure is present, i. e. railroad refrigerator car doors. It is apparent that if the bulbs are not fully compressed, the sealing action of the strip while impaired is not completely eliminated as the insulating action thereof is maintained through the confined air spaces normally present within the hollow bulbs and the confined air spaces between the bulb tops and the structure. It is to be further noted that the strip can be attached to either a door or closure by some suitable well known method such as nailing, screwing, gluing, etc.,

as the-method-of attachment and the structure -to which it is joined are incidental to the improved sealing action of the strip achieved by the plurality of air spaces formed by thecompressionxof the hollow bulb members.

While the embodimentof the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, itis to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An elongate composite elastomeric sealing strip adapted for sealing between two members comprising; a sealing strip having at least two spaced longitudinal extending sealing members each integrally associated with a base section and of substantially the same height and cross-sectional shape, each of said members being hollow and having opposed side walls adapted to buckle inwardly and contact each other when pressure is applied in the direction of the base whereby said members form two hollow sections separated by the buckled portion thereof.

2. The sealing strip as set forth in claim 1 wherein longitudinal weakened portions are included along the sidewalls of the members, said weakened portions providing means along which the side walls may be buckled.

3. 'An elastomeric composite sealing strip between two structures; a base associated with one structure, and at least two hollow elastomeric bulbs having a confined air space therein, said bulbs integrally formed with the base and each having converging side portions, and top portions, and spaced from each other for providing an unconfined air space therebetween, said bulbs being adapted to be deformed -when-the-structures-are brought in to an abutting relation with each other, said deformed bulbs forming an unconfined air space between contacting top portions and at least two separated air spaces within each hollow bulb when converging portions of the side walls contact each other as suflicientpressure is applied in the direction of the base.

4. An elastomeric longitudinally extending composite sealing strip comprising; a base portion adapted to'be associated with a support structure,and at least two hollow bulb portions integrallyassociated and transversely spaced from each other on the base, said bulbshaving a relatively uniform wall thickness and having a dumbbell shape, said bulbs forming a pluralitycof confined sealing chambers with the number of chambers formed expressed as Zn-i-(n-l) where n equals the number of bulbs transversely spaced on the base when the bulbs are deformed with sufiicient pressure applied in the direction of the base.

5. The sealing strip set forth in claim 4 wherein a plurality of wiper ridges are integrally formed on a portion of the outer surface of the bulb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS