Universal RV Slide-Out Seal with Adjustable Locating Leg
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Solution Overview
Problem
Seals for slide out rooms in recreational vehicles are cumbersome due to non-standard wall thicknesses, requiring multiple seals in cut lengths for different widths, leading to inventory management issues and difficulties in shipping and installation.
Innovation Solution
A seal with a base and offsetting members made of different durometer materials, allowing for flexible bending and easy coiling, featuring a bulb portion with an outer arcuate portion and a wiper with a flared tip for secure sealing, and a locating leg that can be moved to facilitate installation and shipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple seals with different cut lengths are used to cover various wall thicknesses, then the seal can adapt to non-standard wall thicknesses, but inventory management becomes complex and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed as a universal component that can accommodate various wall thicknesses through its adjustable locating leg mechanism. The locating leg can be positioned at different locations along the base, allowing a single seal design to fit multiple wall thickness specifications without requiring multiple different seal types in inventory.
Solution Approach 2:
The locating leg is made movable between a first position (perpendicular to the base) and a second position (parallel to the base), enabling dynamic adjustment to different wall thicknesses. This dynamic positioning capability allows the seal to adapt to varying installation conditions while maintaining a standardized seal design.
2Reliability
If the seal is made with a C-channel structure to straddle the wall, then the seal can cover the opening effectively, but the seal cannot be bent for coiling during shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into distinct functional segments: a rigid base with locating leg for structural support and positioning, and a flexible bulb portion with wiper for sealing. This segmentation allows the base to maintain structural integrity for reliable sealing while the bulb portion can be bent and coiled for easy shipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulb portion is designed as a flexible component that can be bent and coiled during shipping, then expanded into its functional shape during installation. The flexibility of the bulb portion enables easy handling and storage while maintaining sealing effectiveness when installed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the locating leg is fixed perpendicular to the base, then the seal provides stable installation, but the seal cannot be adjusted to different wall thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The locating leg is designed to be movable between a first position (perpendicular to the base for stable installation) and a second position (parallel to the base for adjustment). This dynamic capability allows the seal to achieve both installation stability and adaptability to different wall thicknesses by positioning the locating leg appropriately during installation.
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 seal effectively accommodates varying wall thicknesses, simplifies inventory management, and allows for easy installation, reducing friction and wear on motors, while enabling a watertight connection with a single roll of seal material.
Implementation Method 1
The bulb portion may be bent away from the base and returns
Implementation Method 2
reducing friction and wear on motors
Implementation Method 3
enabling a watertight connection with a single roll of seal material
Data Source
AI summary
A seal useful in sealing slide out rooms used in recreational vehicles. The seal may be used singularly or in pairs to straddle a wall through which the opening is located. A bulb is attached to the base in a cantilevered manner over the base. The bulb has an outer arcuate portion that is integrally joined to opposing sidewall portions. The sidewall portions extend into an inner wall that defines an enclosed space within the bulb portion. The bulb portion may also have a protrusion that can touch the base. A wiper extends from the base substantially co-linearly to the base and opposite the offsetting member. A locating leg extending from the base is movable between a first position and a second position. The first position has the locating leg perpendicular to the base and the second position places the locating leg parallel to the base.