Assemblies of panels with a sealing spring fastener comprising a closed cavity
View Patent ↗This invention relates to a sealing spring fastener, which comprises a U-shaped structure, on which an elastic body has been incorporated. The elastic body has a closed cavity within the U-shaped structure. The sealing spring fastener can form an assembly with an extension of a panel, preferably a plastic panel. The assembly or the fastener by itself can be engaged into the slot of a solid sheet, preferably a metal sheet, in a manner that one side of the sheet is sealed from the other side of the sheet in the vicinity of the slot.
1. An assembly of a panel having an extension and a sealing spring fastener, the sealing spring fastener comprising:
a U-shaped structure having a first side, a second side, a top end and a bottom end;
a spring leg on each side of the U-shaped structure, extending outwardly from said U-shaped structure in a general direction from the bottom end toward the top end, each spring leg having an attached end and a free end; and
an elastic body integrally molded on the U-shaped structure at least under the top end, except at least the free end of each extending leg, the elastic body having a closed cavity within the first side and the second side of said U-shaped structure
wherein the extension of panel is inserted into the closed cavity.
2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the elastic body further comprises a gasket extending away from the closed cavity.
3. An assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the elastic body comprises a compound selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer, silicone, polyurethane, plastisol, and a mixture thereof.
4. An assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the elastic body comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
5. An assembly as defined in claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has been molded by injection molding.
6. An assembly as defined in claim 5 , wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet, and the gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.
7. An assembly as defined in claim 4 , wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet, and the gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.
8. An assembly as defined in claim 4 , wherein the sealing spring fastener further comprises barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
9. An assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet, and the gasket seals the top of the slot upon engagement of the free end of each slot with the slot of said solid sheet.
10. An assembly as defined in claim 9 , wherein the sealing spring fastener further comprises barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
11. An assembly as defined in claim 2 , wherein the sealing spring fastener further comprises barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.
12. An assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the elastic body comprises a compound selected from a group consisting of thermoplastic elastomer, silicone, polyurethane, plastisol, and a mixture thereof.
13. An assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the elastic body comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.
14. An assembly as defined in claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has been molded by injection molding.
15. An assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the free end of each leg is engageable with a slot of a solid sheet.
16. An assembly as defined in claim 1 , wherein the sealing spring fastener further comprises barbs inside the closed cavity having a general direction from the top end toward the bottom end of the U-shaped structure.