Cuttably Replaceable Bulb Seal for RV Slide Out Rooms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal designs for slide out rooms in recreational vehicles are prone to wear and damage due to environmental factors, requiring the entire seal assembly to be replaced at significant expense and difficulty, especially with integral bulb portion designs.
Innovation Solution
A resilient seal design featuring L-shaped tabs with a severable bulb portion and a flipover wall that can be easily replaced, combined with an accordion pleat for adjusting to accommodate different wall thicknesses, allowing for easy installation and serviceability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an integral bulb portion design is used, then the seal assembly provides a complete sealing solution, but the entire seal assembly must be replaced when the bulb portion wears or damages
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is divided into separate components: the bulb portion and the seal body are detachably connected through L-shaped tabs that engage with corresponding slots. This segmentation allows the bulb portion to be replaced independently when worn or damaged, eliminating the need to replace the entire seal assembly and reducing maintenance costs.
2Ease of repair
If a separate bulb portion design is used, then the bulb portion can be replaced independently, but the installation and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The L-shaped tabs are integrally formed with both the bulb portion and the seal body, creating a unified connection mechanism that simplifies assembly. The tabs engage with slots in a straightforward manner, providing an intuitive snap-fit installation that reduces assembly complexity while maintaining the ability to replace the bulb portion independently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the seal is designed for different wall thicknesses, then the seal can accommodate various installations, but the seal design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting member incorporates an accordion pleat that provides dynamic adjustability in length. This pleated structure can expand or compress to accommodate different wall thicknesses, allowing the seal to adapt to various installations without requiring multiple fixed-length designs, thereby maintaining design simplicity while achieving versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a cost-effective and easily maintainable sealing solution that can accommodate various wall thicknesses, ensuring effective sealing in both extended and retracted positions while allowing for simple replacement of worn parts, reducing maintenance costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a wiper seal extends from the attaching member or connecting member that flexes against the walls of the slide out room
Implementation Method 2
the optional connecting member may include an accordion pleat for adjusting the distance between the attaching members to accommodate walls of different thicknesses
Data Source
AI summary
A resilient seal for living quarters that is for sealing around a slide out room that has an aperture slidably receiving a slide out room. The resilient seal has a pair of attaching members extending along the inside and outside surfaces of the main living area wall at the aperture and includes a connecting member that extends between the attaching members and along the edge of the wall defining the aperture. A wiper seal extends from the connecting member for sealing against a wall of a slide out room. A bulb portion is integrally joined to a bridge wall that is bonded to L-shaped tabs on the attaching portion. The bridge wall may be severed from the L-shaped tabs to reveal a groove connector to receive a separate bulb portion connectable thereto. This facilitates replacement of the integral bulb portion.