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

[0014] The present invention encompasses a carrier assembly with stable and predictable warp locations which provide improved consistency and quality of the carrier assembly and hence improved consistency and quality of any subsequent vehicular strip which incorporates the carrier assembly.

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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