Draftex Development A.g.

Draftex Industries Limited

Messer Griesheim Gmbh

Erich Weimar

Robert G Bright

Erhard Soecknick

Jean Barnerias

Anthony E Johnson

A sealing strip for a vehicle door opening has a generally channel-shaped gripping part supporting a tubular sealing part. Initially, the side walls of the channel of the gripping part are splayed apart so as to enlarge the mouth of the channel. This eases the application of the gripping part to the normal mounting flange surrounding the vehicle door opening. The flange can pass freely between gripping lips on the opposite inside walls of the gripping part. A suitable tool is then employed to press the side walls of the channel towards each other so as to render them substantially parallel, thus pressing the lips into gripping and sealing contact with the flange surfaces, this configuration being therefore resiliently maintained by a metal carrier embedded in the gripping part. One of the sealing lips is particularly advantageous for secondary sealing purposes because it is directed outwardly of the mouth of the channel, unlike the other lips. The initial outward direction of this lip is maintained after fitment of the strip of the flange, because of the initial splaying apart of the side walls of the channel.

Sealing and trimming strips

A vehicle door seal with a channel shaped gripping part is mounted on a bodywork flange defining the door opening and this part supports a tubular sealing part such as made of plastics or rubber of cellular or foamed configuration. The air pressure within the latter can be increased or decreased by means of an air pump connected to a tubular extension. When the door is opened, the air within the sealing part is evacuated and the sealing part collapses to permit easy closing of the door. When the door is closed, the air pressure within the tubular part is increased so as to inflate the sealing part towards its circular configuration and to bring it into sealing engagement with the closed door. The interior of the sealing part is lined with an air-impervious lining and this and the interior of the part are formed with grooves which are so configured that the collapsed sealing part has a neat appearance.

Sealing arrangements

A sealing or trimming strip has a gripping section and a sealing section and is formed into an open or a closed ring for mounting on a flange running around an opening in a vehicle body. The resilient plastics or rubber material of the gripping section is formed to provide a hollow tube in to which an insert of hardened metal wire may be placed. The wire, which may extend completely around the ring or which may be in the form of separate end-shaped lengths, stiffens the strip and enables it to hold a desired `set` or shape, but does not prevent the strip from being compressed longitudinally to the extent which may be permitted by any reinforcing metal carrier (if provided).

Finishing or sealing strips

A channel-shaped sealing strip for vehicle door openings, for example, is shown. It has a gripping section incorporating a metal carrier covered in flexible covering material which additionally defines longitudinally extending gripping lips. The sealing strip is formed into a loop, ring or frame to suit a particular vehicle door opening. Along those lengths of the loop intended to be fitted to the portions of the door opening between the latter's sharp bends or corners, the gripping section is provided with additional reinforcing members which seat in the base of the channel. The reinforcing members are made of stiff metal but which can be bent slightly, when the sealing strip is fitted into position, so as to hold the sealing strip in a slight curve, in any plane, to match the door shape. At the positions in the loop where sharp bends or corners are required, the sealing strip is completely free of the reinforcing members.

Trimming or sealing strips

Joints glued by crystalline hardening adhesives wherein the materials are adhesively coated and heated to drive off the thinner for being joined together have the hardening accelerated by a rapid cooling after being joined together.

Process for accelerating the hardening of joints glued with crystalline

A channel-shaped sealing strip, such as for clamping over the metal flange of a vehicle door opening so as to embrace, protect and decorate the flange, comprises a flexible U-shaped metal carrier covered in elastomeric material, the elastomeric material having an insert of softer elastomeric material running along the inside of the base of the channel to seal against the edge of the flange. The strip may also have longitudinal gripping ribs running along opposite inside facing side walls of the channel to grip annd seal against the flange sides. A sealing part of softer elastomeric material may run on and along the outside of one wall of the channel. In a modification, where such a sealing part, and gripping ribs, are provided, the insert is omitted.

Growing community of inventors

Viersen, Germany

Erich Weimar