Chrysler Corporation

Daryl J Trate

Randy L Dickerman

Peter Polasek

A fixture for testing the resiliency of vehicle bulb-type weatherstripping before and after the weatherstripping has been heat treated includes a base and a holder movably positioned on the base for holding the weatherstripping. A ram is movably disposed on the base opposite the holder for motion between a compressed position, wherein the ram abuts the weatherstripping to compress the weatherstripping, and a release position, wherein the ram is distanced from the weatherstripping. A laser device is positioned for directing laser light onto the weatherstripping as it recovers from a compressed configuration to a relaxed configuration. As the weatherstripping recovers, the laser light is reflected off of the weatherstripping, detected, and a detection voltage is correlated to a distanced moved by the weatherstripping as a function of time. Thereby, a measure of the resiliency and recoverability of the weatherstripping is provided.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Daryl J Trate