Combination splash seal and wear bar
View Patent ↗A seal assembly is mounted to a floor portion of an RV with a slide out room. The slide out room has a wall and a floor that is separated from the floor of the RV. The seal assembly has a wear bar with a ramped surface extending up from a flange at an obtuse angle, terminating in a flat top surface which then terminates in a wall that extends downwardly to another flange. The seal has a flexible wiper that seals to the slide out room floor. The seal assembly includes a splash shield with a resilient end that seals to the wall of the slide out room.
1. A seal for living quarters having main living area walls and a main living area floor defining a main living area, said main living area floor having a lateral edge, an aperture in one of said main living area walls slidably receiving a slide out room having slide out room walls and a second floor defining an auxiliary living space, said slide out room capable of movement between a retracted and an extended position, said second floor adapted for slidably overlaying said main living area floor and separated therefrom, said seal comprising:
a floor portion formed from a single member, and a splash portion formed from a single member;
the floor portion comprising: an inward flange and an outward flange, said inward flange having a lower surface and an upper surface, said outward flange having a lower surface and an upper surface, said lower surface of said outward flange being substantially parallel with said lower surface of said inward flange, a wear bar integrally attached between said inward flange and said outward flange, said wear bar having an outward upright wall extending upwardly from said outward flange at a first terminal end of said outward flange in a direction opposite said lower surface of said outward flange, said outward upright wall terminating at an outer terminal end of a top wall, said wear bar having an inward upright wall extending upwardly from said inward flange at a first terminal end of said inward flange in a direction opposite said lower surface of said inward flange, said inward upright wall terminating at an inner terminal end of said top wall, said top wall being spaced from said inward and outward flanges, an exterior leg attached at a second terminal end of said outer flange at a point intermediate to its ends, said exterior leg having a lower portion extending in an opposite direction of said wear bar below said lower surfaces of said inner and outer flanges and said lower portion being substantially perpendicular to said outer flange, said exterior leg including an upper portion being located above said outer flange said upper portion being more flexible than said lower portion;
the splash portion being generally L-shaped and comprising: a mounting leg and a sealing leg that is substantially perpendicular to said mounting leg, said sealing leg having a portion nearest a distal end of said sealing leg being more flexible than said mounting leg; and
said lower portion of said exterior leg adapted to overlay a portion of said mounting leg of said splash portion, a portion of said upper portion and said wear bar adapted to contact a lower surface of said second floor.
2. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of said outer leg extends above said wear bar.
3. The seal of claim 2 , wherein said outward upright wall has an upper surface being obtusely angled with respect to said lower surface of said outward flange.
4. The seal of claim 1 , wherein said inward and outward flanges are connected by a bridge.
5. The seal of claim 4 , further comprising a rib located between said inward and outward upright walls connecting said top to said bridge.
6. The seal of claim 1 , wherein said outward upright wall has an upper surface being obtusely angled with respect to said lower surface of said outward flange and said top includes a rib located between said inward and outward upright walls, extending downwardly toward either of said outward or inward flanges, and said rib including an end substantially aligned with one of said inward or outward flanges.
7. The seal of claim 1 , further comprising an elongate support member adapted for fitting within said wear bar and supporting the same, said elongate support member including a rib adapted for contacting said main living area floor.
8. The seal of claim 7 , wherein said elongate support member includes a support flange, and said rib includes an end extending to lower surface of said support flange.
9. The seal of claim 1 , wherein said outward upright wall has an upper surface obtusely angled with respect to said lower surface of said outward flange.
10. The seal of claim 8 , wherein said inward upright wall is acutely angled with respect to said lower surface of said inward flange.
11. A seal for living quarters having main living area walls and a main living area floor defining a main living area, said main living area floor having a lateral edge, an aperture in one of said main living area walls slidably receiving a slide out room having slide out room walls and a second floor defining an auxiliary living space, said slide out room capable of movement between a retracted and an extended position, said second floor adapted for slidably overlaying said main living area floor and separated therefrom, said seal comprising:
a floor portion formed from a single member, and a splash portion formed from a single member;
the floor portion comprising: an inward flange and an outward flange, said inward flange having a lower surface and an upper surface, said outward flange having a lower surface and an upper surface, said lower surface of said outward flange being substantially parallel with said lower surface of said inward flange, a wear bar integrally attached between said inward flange and said outward flange, a wear bar integrally attached between said inward flange and said outward flange, said wear bar including upright members opposite each other extending from said inward and outward flanges at their corresponding first terminal ends in a direction opposite said lower surfaces of said inward and outward flanges, said upright members being substantially perpendicular to said lower surfaces of said inward and outward flanges, said upright members terminating in a top spanning both of said upright members, said top having a lower surface, an exterior leg attached at a second terminal end of said outer flange at a point intermediate to its ends and being substantially perpendicular to said outer flange, said exterior leg having a lower portion extending in an opposite direction of said wear bar below said lower surfaces of said inner and outer flanges, said exterior leg including an upper portion being located above said outer flange, said upper portion being more flexible than said lower portion;
the splash portion being generally L-shaped and comprising: a mounting leg and a sealing leg that is substantially perpendicular to said mounting leg, said sealing leg having a portion nearest a distal end of said sealing leg being more flexible than said mounting leg; and
said lower portion of said floor portion adapted to overlay a portion of said mounting leg of said splash portion, a portion of said upper portion and said wear bar adapted to contact a lower surface of said second floor.
12. The seal of claim 11 , further comprising a strut extending from said lower surface of said top toward said lower surfaces of said flanges and being connected to a bridge joining said inner and outer flanges.
13. The seal of claim 12 , wherein said top includes a ramped wall being obtusely angled with respect to said lower surface of said outward flange.
14. The seal of claim 13 , wherein said inward member is acutely angled with respect to said lower surface of said inward flange.
15. The seal of claim 11 , further comprising a mechanical fastener driven through said lower portion of said exterior leg and said mounting leg for attaching said floor portion and said splash portion to said main living area floor.
16. The seal of claim 15 , wherein said mounting leg of said splash portion is adapted to overlay and directly contact said lateral edge of said main living area floor.
17. The seal of claim 16 , wherein said lower surface of said inward and outward flange is adapted to overlay and directly contact an upper surface of a portion of said main living area floor.
18. The seal of claim 11 , wherein said distal end of said sealing leg is adapted to contact said end wall of said slide out room when said slide out room is in said retracted position.
19. The seal of claim 18 , wherein said lower portion of said floor portion and said mounting leg of said splash portion are adapted for simultaneously receiving a mechanical fastener.