Rodent-Resistant Seal with Adhesive TPE Wire Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rodent-proof door sweeps face a displacement problem where metal wires in the rodent-proofing barrier can be forced out of the seal due to poor adhesion between polymers and metals, especially when subjected to twisting forces or movements.
Innovation Solution
A combined Co-Extrusion and Double-Extrusion process is used to produce a rodent-proofing seal where steel wires are coated with a TPE that adheres well to steel, and then embedded in a second TPE that constitutes the basic material of the seal, ensuring strong adhesion and maintaining the original flat form of the seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal wires are embedded directly in polymer seal material, then the seal provides rodent-proofing functionality, but the metal wires can be forced out of the seal due to poor adhesion between polymer and metal
Solution Approach 1:
A coating layer is applied to the metal wires to serve as an intermediary between the metal wire and the polymer seal material. This coating layer improves adhesion between the metal wire and polymer, preventing the metal wires from being forced out of the seal when subjected to twisting forces or movements, while maintaining the rodent-proofing functionality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a coating is applied to metal wires to improve adhesion, then wire position stability improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical or physical parameters of the polymer material or the metal wire surface to enhance adhesion. For example, modifying the polymer composition or applying surface treatments to the metal wires can improve bonding without requiring complex multi-step coating processes, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving stable wire position.
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 solution effectively secures the position of the metal wires within the seal, preventing displacement and maintaining the seal's functionality even under twisting forces or movements, thus addressing the displacement problem and general coating challenges.
Implementation Method 1
steel wires are coated with a TPE that adheres well to steel
Data Source
AI summary
An elastic oblong seal has a sealing section with a flexible outer body and a rodent resistant barrier therein. The barrier includes separate metal wires arranged at a distance to each other and extending substantially in parallel to a seal longitudinal direction. The outer body includes a TPE constituting the basic material and form of the seal. The metal wires include at least three separate metal wires each of solid single stranded metal. At least two of the at least three are encompassed by a TPE which is at least one chemically modified PP, selected from the group consisting of: a PP grafted with carboxylic acid, PP grafted with anhydride groups, a PP grafted with epoxides, a PP grafted with silanes, a MAPP, a PP grafted with methacrylic acid, a PP grafted with glycidyl methacrylate, a PP grafted with vinyl trimethoxysilane, and a PP grafted with methacryl trimethoxysilane.