Foldable Enclosure Seal Leg Structure for Easier Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Securing flexible enclosure seals to vehicles is tedious and time-consuming, requiring experienced hands due to the difficulty in attaching the seal to the enclosure periphery during manufacturing.

Innovation Solution

A foldable enclosure seal with a hingeable leg configuration that allows for easy attachment in a neutral state, where one leg is initially secured to the enclosure, and then the seal is rotated into a bent state to secure the second leg, simplifying the attachment process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a traditional seal attachment method is used, then the seal can be securely attached to the enclosure periphery, but the process is tedious and time-consuming requiring experienced hands

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of seal attachmentVSAvoidattachment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The seal incorporates a movable leg that can transition between extended and retracted positions through a hinge mechanism. This dynamic structure allows the leg to be positioned during attachment and then secured in place, transforming a static attachment problem into a dynamic solution that guides the attachment process and reduces complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The seal is divided into distinct functional segments: a bulb portion, a leg portion, and a hinge connection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently - the bulb provides the base attachment, the leg extends to secure to the periphery, and the hinge enables movement between states, making the overall attachment process simpler and more manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the seal has a fixed leg configuration, then the structure is simple, but it requires manual holding and experienced hands for attachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal structure complexityVSAvoidease of seal attachment

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hinge mechanism enables the leg to move and position itself during attachment. As the seal is installed, the leg can naturally extend or retract based on the geometric constraints of the enclosure and periphery, reducing the need for manual positioning and holding by operators while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12479278B2Enclosure seal with extended/foldable leg

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 SUPER ATV LLC

AI summary

Disclosed is a seal configured to be coupled to a flexible enclosure. The seal comprises a bulb with a first end and a second end and includes at least a first and second sidewall. A first leg extends in a first direction from the first sidewall of the bulb along the length of the bulb. The first leg is hingeably attached to the bulb of the seal. A second leg extending in a second direction from the first sidewall of the bulb along the length of the bulb. The second direction is at least 45 degrees offset from the first direction of the first leg. The first leg is configured to be hinged relative to the bulb until the first and second directions of the first and second legs are colinear. The first and second legs are configured to be attached to the flexible enclosure.