Overlapping complementary bulb seal
View Patent ↗A sealing system useful for sealing a slide out room in a recreational vehicle (RVs). The sealing system includes a first bulb seal that is adapted for being affixed to a transverse surface that defines an opening in a sidewall of the RV. A second bulb seal is affixed to a peripheral flange that extends from an end wall of the slide out room. Both of the bulb seals have an hourglass shape. The peripheral flange fits within the opening when the slide out room is in its retraced position and the bulb seals meet in a complementary fashion to form a seal. A wedge seal is included spaced inwardly on the sidewalls of the slide out room and is designed to contact the bulb seal attached to the opening when the room is extended. An internal flange is not required for sealing when the slide out room is extended.
1. A sealing system used in combination with a recreational vehicle having a slide out room defining an interior space, said recreational vehicle having a first sidewall including an interior and exterior side, said first sidewall having an opening therethrough which said slide out room is movable between a retracted and extended position relative to said first sidewall, said opening having a first transverse surface defining said opening and spanning between said interior and exterior sides of said sidewall, said slide out room including a second sidewall spaced from said first sidewall and an end wall defining said interior space, said end wall including a peripheral flange extending outward from said end wall and having a second transverse surface, said slide out room being shiftable between a retracted position in which said peripheral flange fits within said opening, said first transverse surface being substantially aligned with said second transverse surface and an extended position wherein said peripheral flange is outwardly spaced from said first sidewall, said seal system comprising:
a first bulb seal adapted for being affixed to said first sidewall along said transverse surface thereon, said first bulb seal having a base including a central portion for spanning said transverse surface, said central portion of said base continuing into mounting flanges being bendable into a position straddling said first sidewall, a first bulb portion of said first bulb seal upstanding from said base and having opposite sides being concave so that said first bulb portion has an hourglass shape;
a second bulb seal adapted for being affixed to said peripheral flange along said transverse surface thereon, said second bulb seal having a base including a central portion for spanning said second transverse surface, said central portion of said base continuing into mounting flanges being bendable into a position straddling said peripheral flange, a second bulb portion of said second bulb seal upstanding from said base and having opposite sides being concave so that said second bulb portion has an hourglass shape, said second bulb seal positioned so that one of said sides of said second bulb portion mates complementarily with one of said sides of said first bulb portion when said first transverse surface is substantially aligned with said second transverse surface.
2. The sealing system of claim 1 , further comprising a wedge seal mounted to said second sidewall spaced inwardly of said peripheral flange, said wedge seal having an inclined face facing toward said peripheral flange, said first bulb portion adapted for making contact with said inclined face when said slide out room is in its extended position.
3. The sealing system of claim 2 , wherein said central portions of said bases of said bulb seals include thinned sections at locations where said mounting flanges meet said central portions.
4. The sealing system of claim 3 , wherein said thinned sections form upturned loops forming a relief adapted for receiving a sharp corner.
5. The sealing system of claim 4 , wherein said bulb portions of said bulb seals are located nearer one of said mounting flanges than said other mounting flange.
6. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein said central portions of said bases of said bulb seals include thinned sections at locations where said mounting flanges meet said central portions.
7. The sealing system of claim 6 , wherein said thinned sections form upturned loops forming a relief adapted for receiving a sharp corner.
8. The sealing system of claim 7 , wherein said bulb portions of said bulb seals are located nearer one of said mounting flanges than said other mounting flange.