Carrier Assembly with Fused Powder and Frame-Warp Aperture

Abstract

A carrier assembly is provided for reinforcing vehicle flange engaging strip such as a weatherstrip or trim strip. The carrier assembly includes a serpentine frame and a warp interlaced with the frame to form at least one frame-warp aperture. A fused powder bonds to at least one of the serpentine frame and the warp and inhibits movement of the warp relative to the frame, substantially preserving the frame-warp aperture.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 054,485, filed Feb. 9, 2005, entitled Carrier Assembly with Fused Powder and Frame-Warp Aperture and is expressly incorporated by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING”[0003] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The present invention relates to a carrier assembly for reinforcement of a vehicular strip such as a finishing strip, a trim strip or a sealing strip. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carrier assembly having a serpentine frame, a warp connected to the frame so as to define a frame-warp aperture, wherein movement of the warp relative to the serpentine frame is inhibited by a fused powder on at least one of the frame and the warp, and at least a substantial portion of the frame-warp aperture is preserved. [0006]...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is a carrier assembly that has stable and predictable warp locations, which improve the consistency and quality of the carrier assembly and any subsequent vehicular strip that incorporates it. The carrier assembly includes a serpentine frame, a warp, and fused powder. The fused powder impedes movement of the warp relative to the frame and preserves at least a substantial portion of the frame-warp aperture. The serpentine frame and warp can be made from metallic or polymeric materials, and the warp can include a single or plurality of threads or yarns interlaced with the limbs of the serpentine frame to define frame-warp apertures. The carrier assembly can be formed by powder coating the serpentine frame and an interlaced warp or interlacing a powder coated warp with the serpentine frame."

Problems solved by technology

During manufacture of the motor vehicle strips, the wire carrier is passed through an extruder and is thus subjected to stresses and temperatures which can cause the warp threads to drift laterally, stretch longitudinally and degenerate.

Such processing of the wire carrier can result, for example, in breakage of the warps and distortion of the wire carrier which affects the subsequent extrusion process and leads to reduced quality and performance of the resulting vehicular strip.

In the forming and extrusion processes, drifting of the warp threads can cause air bubbles and exposure of the wire in the final product.

In addition, the shifting of the warp threads can lead to unbalanced locations of the warp threads in the resulting vehicular strip, which can lead to the strip “laying over” upon installation on a vehicle.

The tendency of the vehicular strip to spiral significantly hinders installation of the strip on a vehicle.

Further, unintended redistribution of the warp threads can lead to a “hungry horse” appearance in the resulting strip as the wire produces corresponding surface features.

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