Carrier assembly with fused power and frame-warp aperture
A carrier assembly is provided for reinforcing vehicle flange engaging strip such as a weatherstrip or trim strip. The carrier assembly includes a serpentine frame and a warp interlaced with the frame to form at least one frame-warp aperture. A fused powder bonds to at least one of the serpentine frame and the warp and inhibits movement of the warp relative to the frame, substantially preserving the frame-warp aperture.
1 . A carrier assembly, comprising:
(a) a serpentine frame;
(b) a warp extending along the frame and defining at least one frame-warp aperture; and
(c) a fused powder on at least a portion of one of the frame and the warp, the fused powder impeding movement of the warp relative to the frame and substantially preserving the frame-warp aperture
2 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder is located on a junction of the frame and the warp.
3 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder is substantially located on the frame.
4 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a strip body embedding the fused powder, the frame and the warp, the strip body substantially filling the frame-warp aperture.
5 . The carrier assembly of claim 4 , wherein the strip body is a flange engaging strip,
6 . The carrier assembly of claim 4 , wherein the strip body is a weatherstrip.
7 . The carrier assembly of claim 4 , wherein the strip body is an edge strip.
8 . The carrier assembly of claim 4 , wherein the strip body includes at least one of a thermoplastic and a thermoset.
9 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder encapsulates at least one of the frame and the warp.
10 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame is metal.
11 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame is polymeric.
12 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder forms a discontinuous surface.
13 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder forms a discontinuous surface on the serpentine frame
14 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder forms a discontinuous surface on the warp.
15 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder forms a roughened surface on the serpentine frame.
16 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the serpentine frame includes a plurality of limbs interconnected at alternate ends by connecting regions, and the warp extends transverse to the limbs along a longitudinal dimension of the serpentine frame.
17 . The carrier assembly of claim 16 , wherein the connecting regions are linear
18 . The carrier assembly of claim 16 , wherein the connecting regions are curvilinear.
19 . The carrier assembly of claim 16 , wherein the connecting regions are faceted.
20 . The carrier assembly of claim 16 , wherein the limbs include an inflection point.
21 . The carrier assembly of claim 16 , wherein the limbs are curvilinear.
22 . The carrier assembly of claim 16 , wherein the limbs are linear.
23 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the warp is interlaced with the frame.
24 . The carrier assembly of claim 23 , wherein the warp is knitted to the frame.
25 . The carrier assembly of claim 23 , wherein the warp is woven into the frame.
26 . The carrier assembly of claim 23 , wherein the warp is crocheted to the frame.
27 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder includes one of a thermoplastic and a thermoset.
28 . The carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fused powder is bonded to the one of the frame and the warp.
29 . A method of forming a carrier assembly, the method comprising fusing a powder to at least one of a serpentine frame and a warp to inhibit movement of the warp relative to the frame and substantially preserve a frame-warp aperture.
30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising embedding the fused powder frame and warp in a strip material to substantially the frame-warp aperture.
31 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising employing a flowable material as the powder.
32 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising employing a particulate material as the powder.
33 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising interlacing the warp to the frame.
34 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising knitting the warp to the frame.
35 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising weaving the warp to the frame.
36 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising crocheting the warp to the frame.
37 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising heat fusing the powder to a junction of the frame and the warp.
38 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising fusing a sufficient amount of powder to at least partially coat the frame and the warp.
39 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising forming the frame with a plurality of limbs interconnected at alternate ends by connecting regions, and the warp extends transverse to the limbs along a longitudinal dimension of the serpentine frame.
40 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising forming the interconnecting regions as linear.
41 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising forming the interconnecting regions as curvilinear.
42 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising forming the interconnecting regions as segmented.
43 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising forming the limbs to include an inflection point.
44 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising forming the limbs to be linear.
45 . The method of claim 39 , further comprising forming the limbs to be curvilinear.
46 . Amended) The method of claim 29 , further comprising forming the powder of one of a thermoplastic and a thermoset.
47 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising fusing the powder to form a discontinuous surface on the serpentine frame.
48 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising fusing the powder to form a discontinuous surface on the warp.