Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Fold at edge
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-20
2004-02-03
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Fold at edge
C428S137000, C428S219000, C049S490100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06686020
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a weather strip for an automobile, comprising a slightly foamed solid rubber portion with a core bar embedded therein, and a continuous extrusion molding system for molding the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
On the basis of
FIGS. 1
to
3
, the related art is described hereinafter referring to FIG.
5
. When a weather strip
20
for an automobile, comprising a U-shaped trim
2
formed by embedding a core bar
4
in a slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, is molded with a continuous extrusion molding system, a void
21
is prone to occur to a boundary part between the core bar
4
and the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
due to a gas pocket formed. The reason for this is because a blowing agent contained in the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
is gasified as a result of being heated up by heat generated at the time of extrusion molding with an extruder
11
, and being heated up in a vulcanizing furnace
15
, and gas thus generated in part of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, in close proximity to the core bar
4
, is not turned into bubbles, thereby gathering towards the core bar
4
.
The void
21
tends to occur in a groove bottom
3
a
of a U-like shape of a part of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, substantially resembling the letter U, taking a tunnel form at times, or occurring at a number of successive places to a size in the order of 5 mm at other times. In case that the void
21
occurs to the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
is peeled off from the core bar
4
, and will be in floating condition, causing difficulty with conveying holding force of rubber to the core bar
4
when pushing out the core bar
4
at the time of extrusion molding, that is, at the time of breakout, so that the breakout of the core bar
4
can not be implemented with ease. If the holding force is increased for that reason, the surface of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
is prone to be marred with holding marks, thereby aggravating external appearance. In addition, presence of the void
21
interferes with attachment of the weather strip to a flange. Further, if the void
21
occurs to an outer part
3
b
of the solid rubber portion
3
, this also will result in poor external appearance.
A thermoplastic elastomer comprises a rubber component (soft segment) for exhibiting elasticity, and a resin component (hard segment) for fluidizing at a high temperature and blocking plastic deformation at room temperature, and the same is material that can be plasticized at high temperature to be molded in the same way as a thermoplastic resin. A thermoplastic elastomer containing olefin-based components is called an olefin thermoplastic elastomer (referred to as TPO).
Thus, with the weather strip
20
for the automobile, comprising the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
with the core bar
4
embedded therein, that is extrusion molded with the conventional continuous extrusion molding system, the void
21
is prone to occur to the boundary part between the core bar
4
and the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, and interferes with the attachment of the weather strip to the flange, resulting in poor external appearance. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a weather strip causing no such problems, and a continuous extrusion molding system for molding the same.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
4
, and
5
, description is given hereinafter. In the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a weather strip
1
for an automobile comprising a U-shaped trim
2
formed by embedding a core bar
4
in a slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, foamed so as to have a specific gravity of 0.8 to 1.2, wherein tiny holes
7
having a depth reaching the core bar
4
are defined in part of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, within the U-shaped trim
2
, in such a way as to be arranged in line along the longitudinal direction of the weather strip
1
.
With the weather strip
1
for the automobile, having those features, tiny holes
7
having a depth reaching the core bar
4
are defined in a groove bottom of a U-like shape of part of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion, within the U-shaped trim, in such a way as to be arranged in line along the longitudinal direction of the weather strip
1
.
Further, with the weather strip
1
for the automobile, having those features, tiny holes
7
having a depth reaching the core bar
4
may be defined in an outer part
3
b
of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, visible from outside, in such a way as to be arranged in line along the longitudinal direction of the weather strip
1
, and the tiny holes
7
are preferably sealed with a coating
8
formed of a thermoplastic elastomer or resin.
The invention provides in its second aspect a continuous extrusion molding system
10
for continuously extrusion molding a weather strip
1
for an automobile, comprising the U-shaped trim
2
formed by embedding a core bar
4
in a slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, comprising a prickly gear
13
, rotatable while pressed in contact with the weather strip
1
being extruded, and disposed so as to be adjacent to a mouth piece
12
of an extruder
11
, wherein tiny holes
7
having a depth reaching the core bar
4
are defined in part of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, within the U-shaped trim
2
, in such a way as to be arranged in line along the longitudinal direction of the weather strip
1
by use of the prickly gear
13
.
Further, with the continuous extrusion molding system
10
having those features, tiny holes
7
may be sealed with a coating
8
formed of a thermoplastic elastomer or resin, formed on the surface of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, by use of a coating unit
16
after the tiny holes
7
having the depth reaching the core bar
4
are defined in part of the slightly foamed solid rubber portion
3
, within the U-shaped trim
2
, in such a way as to be arranged in line along the longitudinal direction of the weather strip
1
by use of the prickly gear
13
.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5618608 (1997-04-01), Teishi
Flynn ,Thiel, Boutell & Tanis, P.C.
Nishikawa Rubber Co. Ltd.
Thomas Alexander S.
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