Trim and seal assemblies for vehicle with slide out room and method of manufacture
View Patent ↗A mobile structure, such as a recreational vehicle, that includes a wall having first and second opposed surfaces and an edge surface. The edge surface defines an opening through the wall. A slide-out room or other enclosure is moveably located in the opening. A trim member having an integral seal is attached at the opening and the seal is engageable with a flange on the enclosure. A second trim member has an integrally attached flexible member projecting outwardly therefrom. The flexible member engages the enclosure and wipes moisture and debris from the enclosure as it is moved into a retracted position with the mobile structure. The two trim members have an overlapping portion with the opening and can be simultaneously secured to the wall by driving a mechanical fastener through the overlapped portions of the trim members. A method of manufacturing such mobile structures is also provided.
1. A mobile structure having an interior space, said mobile structure comprising:
an exterior wall, said wall including a first major surface defining an interior surface of said mobile structure and a second opposed major surface defining an exterior surface and an edge surface extending between said first and second major surfaces, said edge surface defining an opening through said wall;
an enclosure disposed within said opening and moveable between a retracted position wherein said enclosure is located substantially within said mobile structure and an extended position wherein said enclosure projects outwardly from said wall, said enclosure increasing the interior space of said mobile structure when in said extended position:
a flange extending outwardly from said enclosure and positionable adjacent said first major surface of said wall by movement of said enclosure;
an interior trim member, said interior trim member including a substantially L-shaped base portion with first and second legs, said second leg secured to said wall and disposed within said opening overlaying said edge surface, said first leg overlaying said first major surface of said wall, said interior trim member further including a seal member disposed on said first leg and integrally formed with said first leg, said seal member positioned to engage said flange and form a seal between said first major surface and said flange when said flange is positioned adjacent said first major surface; and
an exterior trim having a substantially L-shaped second base portion, said exterior trim member having one leg overlaying said second major surface of said wall and another leg disposed within said opening and overlaying a portion of said edge surface and a portion of said second leg of said interior trim member having mechanical fasteners extending through said exterior trim member and said second leg of said interior trim member whereby said mechanical fasteners simultaneously secure said interior trim member and said exterior trim member.
2. A mobile structure having an interior space, said mobile structure comprising:
a wall including interior and exterior opposed major surfaces and an edge surface extending between said interior and exterior major surfaces, said edge surface defining an opening through said wall;
an enclosure disposed within said opening and moveable between a retracted position wherein said enclosure is located substantially within said mobile structure and an extended position wherein said enclosure projects outwardly from said wall, said enclosure increasing the interior space of said mobile structure when in said extended position;
an interior flange extending outwardly from said enclosure and located within said mobile structure; said interior flange positionable adjacent said interior major surface when said enclosure is disposed in said extended position;
an interior trim member having a substantially L-shaped base portion with a first leg overlaying said interior major surface adjacent said opening and a second leg disposed within said opening and overlaying said edge surface, said interior trim member further including a seal member disposed on said first leg and engageable with said interior flange when said enclosure is in said extended position;
an exterior trim member having a substantially L-shaped base portion with a first leg overlaying said exterior major surface adjacent said opening and a second leg disposed within said opening and overlaying said edge surface, said exterior trim member further including a flexible member extending from said second leg of said exterior trim member and wipingly engageable with said enclosure; and
wherein said second leg of said interior trim member and said second leg of said exterior trim member define an overlapped portion wherein one of said second legs overlays the other second leg and wherein said interior trim member and said exterior trim member are secured to said wall with a plurality of mechanical fasteners extending through said overlapped portion of said interior trim member and said exterior trim member.
3. The mobile structure of claim 2 wherein said seal member is integrally formed with said interior trim member.
4. The mobile structure of claim 2 wherein said flexible member is integrally formed with said exterior trim member.
5. The mobile structure of claim 2 comprising a plurality of said interior trim members and a plurality of said exterior trim members and wherein said interior and exterior trim members substantially circumscribe said opening and cover substantially all of said edge surface.
6. The mobile structure of claim 2 wherein, prior to attachment of said interior trim member to said wall, said first and second legs of said interior trim member define an acute angle therebetween and attachment of said second leg of said interior trim member to said wall disposed said first and second legs of said interior trim member at a substantially right angle thereby biasing said first leg of said interior trim member into firm engagement with said interior major surface of said wall.
7. The mobile structure of claim 2 wherein said interior trim member and said exterior trim member are secured to said wall solely by said mechanical fasteners extending through said overlapped portion.
8. The mobile structure of claim 2 further comprising an internal combustion engine operably mounted on said mobile structure whereby said mobile structure is self-propelled.
9. A mobile structure having an interior space, said mobile structure comprising:
an exterior wall, said wall including a first major surface defining an interior surface of said mobile structure and a second opposed major surfaces defining an exterior surface and an edge surface extending between said first and second major surfaces, said edge surface defining an opening through said wall;
an enclosure disposed within said opening and moveable between a retracted position wherein said enclosure is located substantially within said mobile structure and an extended position wherein said enclosure projects outwardly from said wall, said enclosure increasing the interior space of said mobile structure when in said extended position:
a flange extending outwardly from said enclosure and positionable adjacent said first major surface of said wall by movement of said enclosure; and
an interior trim member, said interior trim member including a substantially L-shaped base portion with first and second legs, said second leg secured to said wall and disposed within said opening overlaying said edge surface, said first leg overlaying said first major surface of said wall, said interior trim member further including a seal member disposed on said first leg and integrally formed with said first leg, said seal member positioned to engage said flange and form a seal between said first major surface and said flange when said flange is positioned adjacent said first major surface; and
an exterior trim having a substantially L-shaped second base portion, said exterior trim member having one leg overlaying said second major surface of said wall and another leg disposed within said opening and overlaying a portion of said edge surface and a portion of said second leg of said interior trim member having mechanical fasteners extending through said exterior trim member and said second leg of said interior trim member whereby said mechanical fasteners simultaneously secure said interior trim member and said exterior trim member.
10. The mobile structure of claim 9 , wherein said exterior trim member is secured to said wall solely by said mechanical fasteners extending through said exterior trim member and said second leg of said interior trim member.
11. The mobile structure of claim 9 , wherein said exterior trim member further comprises a flexible projection extending therefrom, said flexible projection being engaged with said enclosure wherein said flexible projection wipes moisture and debris from said enclosure as said enclosure is moved from said extended position to said retracted position.
12. A mobile structure having an interior space, said mobile structure comprising:
an exterior wall, said wall including first and second major surfaces and an edge surface extending between said first and second major surfaces, said edge surface defining an opening through said wall;
an enclosure disposed within said opening and moveable between a retracted position wherein said enclosure is located substantially within said mobile structure and an extended position wherein said enclosure projects outwardly from said wall, said enclosure increasing the interior space of said mobile structure when in said extended position, said enclosure including at least one panel disposed proximate a portion of said edge surface;
a trim member having an L-shaped base portion with first and second legs, said L-shaped base portion including an L-shaped metallic substrate and a polymeric coating substantially covering said substrate, said trim member further including a flexible member integrally joined with said base portion and having a free end extending outwardly therefrom, said trim member being secured to said wall with said first leg overlaying said second major surface of said wall, said second leg being disposed within said opening and overlaying said edge surface; said flexible member extending outwardly from said second leg within said opening and engaging said panel wherein said flexible member wipes moisture and debris from said panel during movement of said enclosure from said extended position to said retracted position.
13. The mobile structure of claim 12 , wherein said substrate comprises aluminum, said coating comprises polypropylene and said flexible member comprises thermo plastic olefin.
14. The mobile structure of claim 12 , wherein said second major surface is an exterior surface of said mobile structure and said trim member is an exterior trim member and wherein said mobile structure further comprises an interior trim member, said interior trim member including a substantially L-shaped base portion, said interior trim member having one leg disposed within said opening and overlaying said edge surface and another leg overlaying said first major surface and having an integral seal member extending therefrom, said enclosure including an interior flange engagable with said seal member when said enclosure is in said extended position, a portion of said second leg of said exterior trim member overlapping a portion of said interior trim member.
15. The mobile structure of claim 14 , wherein said interior trim member and said exterior trim members are each secured to said wall with mechanical fasteners which extend through said overlapped portions of said second leg of said exterior trim member and said interior trim member.
16. The mobile structure of claim 15 , wherein said interior trim member and said exterior trim member are attached to said wall solely by mechanical fasteners.
17. A mobile structure having an interior space, said mobile structure comprising:
an exterior wall, said wall including a first major surface defining an interior surface, a second major surface defining an exterior surface, and an edge surface extending between said first and second major surfaces, said edge surface defining an opening through said wall;
an enclosure disposed within said opening and moveable between a retracted position wherein said enclosure is located substantially within said mobile structure and an extended position wherein said enclosure projects outwardly from said wall, said enclosure increasing the interior space of said mobile structure when in said extended position, said enclosure including at least one panel disposed proximate a portion of said edge surface;
a trim exterior member having an L-shaped base portion with first and second legs, said exterior trim member further including a flexible member integrally joined with said base portion and having a free end extending outwardly therefrom, said exterior trim member being secured to said wall with said first leg overlaying said second major surface of said wall, said second leg being disposed within said opening and overlaying said edge surface; said flexible member extending outwardly from said second leg within said opening and engaging said panel wherein said flexible member wipes moisture and debris from said panel during movement of said enclosure from said extended position to said retracted position; and
an interior trim member including a substantially L-shaped base portion, said interior trim member having one leg disposed within said opening and overlaying said edge surface and another leg overlaying said first major surface and having an integral seal member extending therefrom, said enclosure including an interior flange engageable with said seal member when said enclosure is in said extended position, a portion of said second leg of said exterior trim member overlapping a portion of said interior trim member.