IP Library Granted Patent US 8,474,189
Granted Patent B1
US 8,474,189 · App. 12/244,130 · Granted Jul 2, 2013

Weather strip for use with frame structures having sharp corners

Inventors: James L. Peterson (Woodbury, MN); Joel T. Rhode (St. Paul, MN)
Assignee: Intek Plastics, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,474,189
App. No.
12/244,130
Granted
Jul 2, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

A weather strip for use with a frame structure having a sharp corner, the weather strip comprising a stem portion and a bulb portion secured to a first end of the stem portion, where the bulb portion has a bulb wall comprising a soft thermoplastic elastomeric material.

Claims (22)

1. A weather strip comprising:

a stem portion configured to secure the weather strip to a frame structure, the stem portion comprising a thermoplastic polymer; and

a hollow bulb portion secured to a first end of the stem portion, the hollow bulb portion comprising:

a bulb wall having an inner-facing surface, and comprising a first thermoplastic elastomer that exhibits a Shore A hardness of 20 or less, and that is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic vulcanizate material, a styrene-based block copolymer, and combinations thereof; and

an inner coating disposed on at least a portion of the inner-facing surface of the bulb wall, wherein the inner coating comprises a second thermoplastic elastomer that exhibits a lower self adhesion relative to a self adhesion exhibited by the first thermoplastic elastomer of the bulb wall, and wherein the second thermoplastic elastomer of the inner coating has a higher durometer than the first thermoplastic elastomeric material of the bulb wall and the second thermoplastic elastomer having a coefficient of friction of 0.50 or less;

wherein a continuous segment of the weather strip is configured to be bent for substantial alignment with a corner of a frame structure having an angle ranging from 60 degrees to 100 degrees.

2. The weather strip of claim 1 , wherein the weather strip is configured to exhibit a peak compression force of 3.0 newtons or less when bent for substantial alignment with the corner of the frame structure.

3. The weather strip of claim 2 , wherein the peak compression force that the weather strip is configured to exhibit is 2.5 newtons or less.

4. The weather strip of claim 1 , wherein the first thermoplastic elastomer exhibits a Shore A hardness of 15 or less.

5. The weather strip of claim 1 , wherein the hollow bulb portion further comprises an outer coating disposed on at least a portion of an outer facing surface of the bulb wall, wherein the outer coating comprises a material that exhibits a lower self adhesion relative to the self adhesion exhibited by the first thermoplastic elastomer of the bulb wall, and wherein the material of the outer coating further exhibits a coefficient of friction of 0.50 or less.

6. The weather strip of claim 1 , wherein the second thermoplastic elastomer of the inner coating exhibits a Shore D hardness of 75 or less.

7. The weather strip of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises the thermoplastic vulcanizate and the styrene-based block copolymer, and wherein the styrene-based block copolymer comprises a styrene-ethylbutylene-styrene block copolymer.

8. A weather strip comprising:

a stem portion configured to secure the weather strip to a frame structure the stem portion comprising a thermoplastic polymer; and

a hollow bulb portion secured to a first end of the stem portion, the hollow bulb portion comprising:

a bulb wall having an inner-facing surface, and comprising a first thermoplastic elastomer having a Shore A hardness of 20 or less, wherein the first thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic vulcanizate material, a styrene-based block copolymer, and combinations thereof; and

an inner coating disposed on at least a portion of the inner-facing surface of the bulb wall, the inner coating comprising a second thermoplastic elastomer that exhibits a lower self adhesion relative to a self adhesion exhibited by the first thermoplastic elastomer of the bulb wall, wherein the second thermoplastic elastomer of the inner coating has a higher durometer than the first thermoplastic elastomer of the bulb wall and the second thermoplastic elastomer having a coefficient of friction of 0.50 or less.

9. The weather strip of claim 8 , wherein the hollow bulb portion has an outer diameter and an inner diameter, and wherein a ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter ranges from 1.0 to 3.0.

10. The weather strip of claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the outer diameter to the inner diameter ranges from 1.2 to 2.5.

11. The weather strip of claim 8 , wherein the hollow bulb portion further comprises an outer coating disposed on at least a portion of an outer-facing surface of the bulb wall, the outer coating comprising a material that exhibits a lower self adhesion relative to the self adhesion exhibited by the first thermoplastic elastomer of the bulb wall, and wherein the material of the outer coating further exhibits a coefficient of friction of 0.50 or less.

12. The weather strip of claim 8 , wherein the first thermoplastic elastomeric material comprises the thermoplastic vulcanize and the styrene-based block copolymer, and wherein the styrene-based block copolymer comprises a styrene styrene-ethylbutylene-styrene block copolymer.

13. The weather strip of claim 8 , wherein the first thermoplastic elastomer of the bulb wall exhibits a Shore A hardness of about 15 or less.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2025
From: BELL BANK
To: INTEK PLASTICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 069854/0848 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: INTEK PLASTICS, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 069730/0277 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2022
From: INTEK PLASTICS, LLC
To: GMB MEZZANINE CAPITAL IV, L.P.
Reel/Frame 061660/0124 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 4, 2022
From: INTEK PLASTICS, INC
To: INTEK PLASTICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061882/0845 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2022
From: INTEK PLASTICS, LLC
To: BELL BANK
Reel/Frame 061558/0584 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2008
From: PETERSON, JAMES L.; RHODE, JOEL T.
To: INTEK PLASTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021786/0988 →