KR20050005732A - Pile weatherstripping and methods of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

The pile weather strip has pile yarn segments 20 attached to the flexible plastic reinforcing strip 1 by means of ultrasonic welding 1. The loop of pile yarn 20 is trapped and fixed in the channel 16 formed on one side of the reinforcing strip. This channel is formed by standing up the flange 15 from the reinforcing strip by means of a cutting tool (FIG. 8) having a pair of cutting blades 2a and 2b which extend inwardly and are spaced from each other. It is preferable to wind the reinforcing strip on the capstan wheel 9 a plurality of times so that the reinforcing strip is supplied through the cutting tool. The cutting tool forms a groove along the channel on the outside of the flange. The base of the channel is not adversely affected by the cutting tool and remains as a non-stress surface where the pile yarns are welded. The grooves provide flexibility to the reinforcing strip to facilitate insertion of the weather strip into the T-slot 22.

Description

Pile weather strip and manufacturing method {PILE WEATHERSTRIPPING AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME}

The present invention relates to a pile weatherstripping that is used to close door gaps and prevent air from flowing into and out of the door. In particular, the present invention relates to a product manufactured by ultrasonically welding pile yarns to plastic strips or strands. Such welded products include weather strips, brushes and other reinforcing strips or strands of thread or pile yarns attached to the strands.

The present invention is Robert. In the name of Robert C. Horton, the weather strip described in U.S. Patent No. 4,302,494, filed November 24, 1981, and a process for its manufacture are improved. Regarding the improvement of the weather strip and its manufacturing method, U.S. Patent No. 5,338,382 (Johnson, et al., Aug. 16, 1994), U.S. Patent No. 5,807,451 (Johnson, Sep. 15, 1998), U.S. Patent No. 5,817,390 (Johnson. 6 October 1998). The pile weather strip manufactured according to these patent documents forms grooves in one side by using a groove forming machine on one side, and according to the formation of the grooves, a pair of flanges are formed upright on both sides of the grooves so that the channel is formed. Use strip. This channel has a base through which a loop of pile yarn strands can be inserted and ultrasonically welded to form a weather strip. The quality of the weather strip may vary depending on the strength and uniformity of the welded portion connecting the pile yarn to the reinforcing strip.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a product, in particular a weatherstrip, having a pile yarn segment ultrasonically welded to a reinforcement strip at the base of a channel formed by a portion standing up from the reinforcement strip, wherein the welding is consistent and good. This welding is performed at a high linear speed (speed at which the weather strip passes through the welding head during the manufacture of the pile weather strip), which linear speed is produced according to a weather strip produced by a conventional method, in particular according to the patent document. Faster than the case of the prepared weather strip.

In particular, the present invention allows a flange for guiding and capturing the pile yarn in the manufacturing process of the weather strip so that a pronounced stress fracture does not occur at the reinforcement portion (channel base between the flanges) to which the pile yarn is welded. Since there is no stress in the base of the channel, ultrasonic energy for welding to the flange can be applied, and more effective and efficient welding energy can be used.

According to the present invention, the flange guide is upright formed from the outside rather than the inside of the channel as in the case of the above-mentioned patent document. The walls of the flange are arranged vertically on both sides of the center between the edges of the reinforcing strip. The area of the base of the channel (the width of the channel) is substantially constant in size so that a flange can be formed which acts as an ultrasonic energy beam guiding means for more effective and efficient use of ultrasonic energy for welding pile yarns to the reinforcing strip. Uniform and easy to weld the bottom of the pile yarn loop.

Another object of the present invention is to facilitate the installation of the pile weather strip on the T-slot formed in the door frame or window frame, which pile strip is in the form of a roll to the throat side of the T-slot. The provided reinforcing strips can be easily installed by inserting them in a rolling insertion manner or by inserting an end insertion method into the end of the T-slot.

Inserting the reinforcement strips into the T-slots by rolling insertion requires special facilities to bend the reinforcement strips. For this purpose, it has been proposed to form a slit in the reinforcing strip. See US Patent No. 4,528,736 (Hope, et al. July 16, 1985).

When installed by a rolling insertion method or an end insertion method (see, for example, US Pat. No. 5,758,400, issued June 2, 1998 to Miller et al.), The weather strip and T-slots are described, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,979,036. Of reinforcement strips on the walls of T-slots as fixed in US Pat. No. 9,1999, or as described in US Pat. No. 5,438,802 (Johnson, Aug. 8, 1995). Friction engagement can be achieved by a series of protrusions that limit the motion of the weatherstrip in the T-slot.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved weatherstrip and a method of manufacturing the same that can easily insert a weatherstrip into a T-slot without jamming. In addition, the present invention provides an arch, in particular a convex or concave shape, or a longitudinal direction of the weather strip so that the sealing strip can be improved by tight fit restricting the movement of the weather strip when inserted into the T-slot. Can be wavy. To facilitate insertion or to be arched or corrugated can be facilitated by a reduction zone, i.e. a recessed portion, formed adjacent to the outside of the channel and to the outside of the flange. This recess increases the flexibility of the reinforcing strip in its width direction. The reinforcement strip can be bent to insert into the T-slot. Reduction zones by grooves allow for easy fit between the weather strip and the T-slot inner wall so that the reinforcing strip is convex, concave, or wavy to be cold-deformed during cold to facilitate -Limit the movement of the weather strip in the slots so that a tight seal of the door or window frame can be achieved and also improve the airtight sealing of the door or window.

Further, according to the present invention, the base of the channel may be provided with a rough surface, preferably a knurling tube, which is disposed downstream from the movement of the weather strip during the formation of the flange. It is advisable to leave sufficient clearance between the knurling tool and the cutting tool to prevent stress deformation of the weather strip material in the channel.

In summary, the pile weather strip of the present invention has pile yarn segments attached to this flexible reinforcing strip by ultrasonic welding. Loops of pile yarns are captured and fixed to the channel formed on one side of the reinforcing strip. The channel is formed by raising a flange from the reinforcing strip by a cutting tool having a pair of cutting surfaces inclined inwardly and spaced from each other. The reinforcing strip is wound through a capstan and multiplexed in the peripheral direction of the capstan and fed through the cut-tang tool to be cut. The cutting tool allows groove portions to be formed along the channel outside the flange. The base of the channel is not adversely affected by the cutting tool and thus remains as a stress free surface on which the pile yarns are welded. The welded portion connecting the pile yarn loop to the reinforcing strip is uniformly formed throughout the length and cross section of the weather strip, even while such welding is performed at high speed. The groove portion improves the bending flexibility of the reinforcing strip so that the weather strip can be easily inserted into the T-slot of the window frame or the door frame which is sealed using the weather strip. The reinforcing strip can be permanently set so that the edge has a convex or concave cross section where the edge is coupled to the inner wall of the T-slot so that the weather strip from which the pile protrudes can be fixed frictionally to the T-slot.

Referring to the present invention in more detail based on the accompanying drawings as follows.

1 is a schematic top view of an apparatus for forming a backing strip in the manufacture of a pile weather strip.

2 is a front view of the device shown in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the reinforcing strip supplied to the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a reinforcing strip after the flange is upright formed during cold by the cutting tool of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

5 is a cross-sectional view showing a knurled surface formed in the channel base between the flanges by a knurling tool of the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the ultrasonic pile welded after the completed pile weather strip after the loop of the pile yarn strand is welded to the base of the channel.

Figure 7 is a partial front view showing that the upright flange forming a channel in the reinforcing strip by the cutting tool is formed upright during cold.

8 is a perspective view showing a cutting tool for forming a flange and a channel in the reinforcing strip.

FIG. 9 shows that the weather strip is disposed on a T-slot formed in a window frame or a door frame closed by a weather strip, and the reinforcing strip is coupled to the T-slot by fitting a weather strip. Cross-sectional view showing that it is formed in a concave shape during cold.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 9 showing that the reinforcing strip is formed convexly; FIG.

11A and 11B are cross-sectional and partial perspective views of a weather strip showing that the reinforcing strip inserted in the T-slot is in the form of a wave;

1 and 2 show a reinforcing strip 1 of thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene. This reinforcing strip is rectangular in cross section, typically 1/4 inch in length and 1/32 in height, as shown in FIG. 3. The cross-sectional size of the reinforcing strip depends on the size of the pile to be made of the weather strip. The reinforcing strip is released from the roll (not shown) and is guided toward the capstan wheel 9 by turning the guide wheel or pulley 12. This wheel 9 has a flange 9a on which the reinforcing strip 1 is guided by a reinforcing strip support guide 7 which is movable in the direction of the arrow 7a. The reinforcing strip is wound several times around the capstan wheel 9, in the example shown twice. The reinforcing strip rotates twice to form the flange 15 and the channel 16 and then leaves the wheel. The base of the channel 16 remains intact and the flange 15 is upright from the upper side of the reinforcing strip and is adjacent the flange and has a recess 17 between this flange and the outer edge of the strip (symbol 24 in FIG. 4). Is formed. The base of the channel 16 can also be treated with a rough surface, ie a nulling surface 18, as shown in FIG. A reinforcing strip having a channel base with a knurled surface is shown at 26 in FIG. 5. The reinforcement strips may have other shapes as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the shapes of which are indicated by reference numerals 24 and 26 to show the reinforcement strips leaving the capstan wheel 9.

At the outlet end of the capstan wheel 9, a dancer mechanism 10 having a pulley for guiding the reinforcing strip is arranged. The tension of the reinforcing strip leaving the capstan wheel is controlled by the weight movable in the direction as shown by arrow 11a on the arm of the dancer mechanism.

The capstan wheel 9 is driven from the shaft 8 via the one-way clutch 28 so that it can rotate freely clockwise as shown by arrow 9a. The motor and the drive mechanism which drive this shaft 8 are abbreviate | omitted in order to simplify description.

The cutting tool 2 and the knurling tool 3 are supported by a block 6 mounted to the frame of the reinforcing strip forming apparatus 6a as shown schematically. The cutting tool 2 is movable around the capstan wheel in the radial direction of the capstan wheel 9 to act with the reinforcing strip 1 when the reinforcing strip enters the first winding part. The knurled tool 3 has a knurled wheel mounted on a movable rod in the support block 6 at a position laterally away from the cutting tool 2 so that a reinforcement strip is provided around the capstan wheel 9. It is possible to act upon winding. Since the cutting tool and the knurling tool are isolated at sufficient intervals, the reinforcing strip is not placed under the conditions of stress deformation which is common when the cutting tool and the knurling tool are placed in close proximity to each other. Ultrasonic welding results in a more strengthened weld due to the absence of strain in the base of the channel 16 of the reinforcing strip.

In US Pat. No. 4,302,494 (Horton) the channel is formed by a groove disposed at the center of the width of the reinforcing strip. The flange is the inner wall of the groove formed by this groove. The inner wall of the flange and the base of the channel may include a stress fracture portion under stress in the groove forming process.

After leaving the dancer mechanism 10, the molded reinforcement strip is guided to the machine side forming the pile yarn loop as shown in the above mentioned US patents of Horton and Johnson, where the pile yarn loop is channeled. It is inserted into the (16) side and ultrasonically welded.

The cutting tool 2 and the knurling tool 3 can be moved microscopically toward the reinforcing strip 1 exposed on the capstan wheel 9 by means of the screw fine adjustment mechanism 4. When advanced to the penetration depth required by the screw fine adjustment mechanism 4, the cutting tool 2 and the knurling tool 3 are fixed by the tool position fixing screw 5.

The cutting tool 2 has the cutting blades 2a and 2b at regular intervals. These blades form the flange 15 upright during cold. These blades leave the base intact, remove material between the flanges, and also remove the edge components of the reinforcing strip to avoid stress during formation of the grooves or notches. Channel 16 is precisely defined by a stress free base. Ultrasonic welding of pile yarns in the channel to the channel base results in high quality welds, even where the reinforcing strips and pile yarns travel through the ultrasonic welding head at the line speeds of Horton and Johnson. As mentioned in the U.S. patent, even if it is faster than the speed of forming a groove in the center of the channel is formed constantly. This weld 21 (see Fig. 6) firmly, firmly and consistently attaches thermoplastic resin yarn (propylene yarn), and may have a barrier film 19 if necessary.

The groove 17 has an advantage of reducing the thickness of the reinforcing strip 1 so that the reinforcing strip can be bent in the width direction by having flexibility. This bending action is caused by a mechanism for rolling the weather strip into the T-slot when inserting the reinforcing strip into the T-slot of the door or window frame 22 as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11a. To be easily inserted.

In order to be able to easily form channels 16 having different widths to accommodate files of various sizes, the spacing of the cutting blades 2a and 2b is provided with a spacer 25 having different widths therebetween. Can be adjusted by insertion. The alignment of these cutting blades 2a and 2b is maintained by the alignment pin 23 and each component is fixed by the support screw 29 (see FIG. 8).

The welding of the pile yarn loops in the channel 16 can be facilitated by texturing of the base. This roughening is performed by the knurling tool (3). The knurled surface 18 (see FIG. 5) allows the surface area to be increased as compared to the original surface as shown in FIG. 4, so that melting for welding can easily occur even with less ultrasonic energy. Although the use of the nulled channel base is optional, using it results in good results.

The reduction in thickness in the groove 17 allows the reinforcing strip 1 to be curved and deflected so that it can be permanently fixed or formed in the shape of an arch (convex or concave) as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. These shapes allow portions 14 of the reinforcement strip to contact the inner wall of the T-slot as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The longitudinal movement of the weatherstrip in the T-slot is thus reduced in a manner similar to that reduced by the projections shown in the aforementioned U.S. Patent No. 5,438,802 to Johnson. Cold forming to achieve a convex or concave shape during cold work is carried out by a rolling insert tool having the required shape. Such cold forming is preferably performed before the weatherstrip is prepared in its maker and inserted into the T-slot as shown in the Horton and Johnson patents mentioned above. In addition, the reinforcing strip 1 may be cold formed into the shape shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B to have a longitudinal wave-shaped portion consisting of recesses and protrusions. Protruding portions of the continuous wave-shaped portion are formed on both sides of the reinforcing strip. This allows the weather strip to be frictionally engaged and tightly fitted in the T-slots, while at the same time providing effective closure. 9, 10 and 11, the weather strip having a reinforcing strip having a shape as shown in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 is preferably inserted into the T-slot from one end rather than rolling inserted through the T-slot.

In operation, the cutting tool (2) and the knurling tool (3) retract from the capstan wheel (9) so that the reinforcing strip (1) passes through the guide wheel (10) and (12) to the device and the capstan wheel (9) It can be wound twice per lead.

Then adjust the fine adjustment mechanism (4) to the point where the cutting tool (2) and the knurling tool (3) come into contact with the exposed surface of the reinforcing strip (1) wound on the capstan wheel (9). The tool 3 is advanced by the fine adjustment mechanism 4 until it comes in contact with the reinforcing strip.

Then, when the fine adjustment mechanism is advanced, the cutting tool 2 and the knurling tool 3 are inserted to penetrate to the depth required for the reinforcing strip 1. The set screw 5 is then tightened and the support guide 7 is adjusted so that the reinforcing strip does not swing laterally at the capstan wheel 9.

The one-way clutch 28 enables the capstan wheel 9 to rotate clockwise manually. As a result, the reinforcing strip 1 is pulled through the cutting tool 2 and the knurling tool 3 so that the flange and the groove required for the reinforcing strip can be formed.

Then adjust the reinforcing strip (1) to ensure that the correct shape is obtained. Then, a motor for rotating the shaft 8 and the capstan wheel 9 is operated to continuously form the reinforcing strip. The reinforcing strip is then fed to a weather strip manufacturer, a type of machine as shown in the Horton and Johnson patents mentioned above.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to the weatherstrip, the present invention can be applied to the manufacture of other products such as brushes. For example, a file ultrasonically welded to the reinforcing strip may constitute the brush itself or a portion of the brush. The pile constituting the brush of the brush may consist of a substantially hard material and the hardness and composition of such material may vary depending on the brush applied.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the above-mentioned weather strip and its manufacturing apparatus and method are capable of modifications and variations within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the description is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the invention.

Claims (30)

In a weather strip composed of a reinforcing strip of plastic material and having pile yarns extending from one side of the reinforcing strip, a flange standing upright from one side of the strip forms a channel in which the pile is disposed, and the flange is reinforcing. Weather strips, characterized in that to form a groove between the channel and the side of the side in one side of the strip. The weatherstrip according to claim 1, wherein the flange and the groove are formed during cold. 3. The weatherstrip according to claim 2, wherein the cold formed flanges and grooves are formed by the formation of grooves from a material constituting the reinforcement strips on one side of the reinforcement strips. The weatherstrip according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the pile and the channel is made by ultrasonic welding. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the channel comprises a base between flanges constituted by the material of the reinforcing strip, the base being knurled or roughened and the connection is made at the knurled or roughened base. Weather strip to make. The weatherstrip according to claim 1, wherein the groove has a depth sufficient to increase the flexibility in which the reinforcing strip can be curved in the groove. 2. The pile according to claim 1, wherein said pile has an arched cross section sufficient to allow said edge of said reinforcing strip to be coupled to an inner wall of a slot in which said weather strip is disposed. A weatherstrip extending outwardly. 8. The weatherstrip according to claim 7, wherein the arched cross section is convex so that the edge of the reinforcing strip is coupled to an upper side of the slot providing the inner wall. 8. The weatherstrip according to claim 7, wherein the arched cross section is concave so that the edge of the reinforcing strip is coupled to the base of the slot providing the inner wall. 8. The weatherstrip according to claim 7, wherein the arched cross section is cold formed to be permanently fixed to the reinforcement strip. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one side of the reinforcing strip to form a wavy form consisting of the recessed portion and the projection at its entire length along the one side of the reinforcing strip so that the protrusions on both sides at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction Weatherstrip, characterized in that it is coupled to both inner walls of the slot. 12. The weatherstrip according to claim 11, wherein the reinforcing strip is cold formed to form the wavy side. In the method of manufacturing a pile weather strip in which the flange is extended to form a channel composed of a reinforcing strip of plastic material and from which one side of the pile yarn loop can be attached and extend outwardly. And upstanding the flange from one side of the flange, each flange being upright formed between an edge of the reinforcing strip and a portion inward from the edge of one side of the reinforcing strip such that the flange forms the channel. And one side of the reinforcing strip in which the flange is not formed to form the base of the channel. 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of upstanding the flange is performed in the process of forming a groove adjacent the flange and between the flange and the edge and the yoke extends along the groove in the longitudinal direction of the weather strip. And a depth sufficient to provide bending flexibility to the reinforcing strip with respect to the divided axis. 14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of upstanding the flange is performed by a grooved cutting tool having a pair of cutting blades at a distance corresponding to the spacing of the flanges on opposite sides of the channel. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the spacing of the cutting blades of the tool to select the width of the channel. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the cutting blade is a cutting blade shaped inwardly extending relative to a counterpart from a vertical wall entering the one side of the reinforcing strip during an upright forming step of the flange. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising roughening the base of the channel to increase the adhesion of the pile. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein said roughening step is performed by a knurling tool. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising disposing the knurled tool at a sufficient distance from the cutting tool along the reinforcement strip to prevent stress deformation of the reinforcement strip. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said pile is attached to said base by ultrasonic welding. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pile is attached by a combination of the pile and the roughened base. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: winding the reinforcing strip multiple times on a capstan wheel, moving the cutting tool to the reinforcing strip side on the capstan wheel, and upstanding the flange from one side of the reinforcing strip. Rotating the capstan wheel to pass the reinforcement strip relative to the cutting tool. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising moving the knurling tool to the base side of the channel between the flanges after upright formation of the flange to roughen the base. 25. The knurling tool of claim 24, wherein the cutting tool is disposed adjacent to one of the multiple winding portions of the reinforcing strip on the capstan wheel at a distance from the winding portion of the reinforcing strip acting on the reinforcing strip. And further comprising the step of: A device for manufacturing a pile weather strip composed of a reinforcing strip of thermoplastic material, the device having a cutting blade spaced in the width direction of the weather strip so as to be able to penetrate to one side of the reinforcing strip. A tool, said reinforcing strip being upright forming a pair of flanges from one side of said reinforcing strip to move longitudinally with respect to said cutting tool to form a channel in which said pile yarns are thermally welded to a base between said flanges; Apparatus for manufacturing pile weather strips, characterized in that. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the cutting blades are in the form of blades extending outwardly downwards from the walls parallel to each other and towards the reinforcing strips and the flanges are erected during cold forming on one side of the reinforcing strips by the cutting blades. Formed device. 27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising another tool capable of entering the channel side to form a cold rough surface on the base. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the reinforcing strip includes a rotatable capstan wheel wound multiple times, wherein the cutting tool is disposed opposite the periphery of the capstan wheel and penetrates the side surface of the reinforcing strip on the capstan wheel. Wherein the device is movable so that it can be carried out. A product comprising a weatherstrip or brush, the product comprising a strip having at least one side having two sides, a pile extending from the side of the strip, and the side to form a channel on which the pile is disposed. And a flange formed upright from the flange and a groove formed with the formation of the flange at the side of the strip between the flange and the edge of the strip.