Wrapped pile weatherstripping and methods of making same

Abstract

Pile weatherstripping, which is clad with a wrapping of a film () of flexible material, has one or more rows () of pile () on a backing () in side-by-side relationship. The wrapping film material conforms to the outside surface of the row () of pile so as to define a bulb or bulbs which are completely filled with pile. Single row () pile weatherstripping is made by wrapping the pile () with the film material () after first ultrasonically welding the film material along one edge thereof to the backing () under the pile. Then, the film material () may be bent around the pile as it moves through a guide (). The film material () is then attached along the opposite edge to the backing thereof so as to completely enclose and clad the row () of weatherstripping. The film material may be wrapped around one row () of two adjacent rows () of pile () and attached to the backing (), leaving the other row () unclad. The film material () may be wrapped separately around adjacent rows and attached to the backing () to provide two clad rows () of weatherstripping. By selection of the porosity of the film material () and the density of the pile (), weatherstripping having desired compressibility and air and water infiltration control properties may be produced.