Patent ID: 9086149
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: E06B,F16B,F16J,F24C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of making an elongated, flexible gasket comprising the steps of: providing an elongated flexible body formed by a length of tubular polymer material, the body including an outer wall of the polymer material at least partially surrounding and at least partially defining a hollow chamber within the body extending uniformly in cross sectional shape and dimension along the length of the body; providing a plurality of individual openings spaced apart from one another along the length of the body passing through the outer wall and into the hollow chamber; and inserting into each opening, a generally planar base portion of one of a plurality of individual spring clip fasteners such that the base portion of each fastener is captured within the hollow chamber and an engagement portion of each fastener extends out of the body and transversely away from the base portion, and away from the opening and the outer wall of the body, each spring clip fastener is formed by a length of metal wire at least partially hardened for resiliency and having a rounded cross-section and being bent to form the base and engagement portions, the base portion of each individual spring clip fastener having a maximum length dimension in an elongated direction of the base portion and a maximum width dimension in a direction at least generally perpendicular to the elongated direction and length dimension, the maximum width dimension being smaller than the maximum length dimension, the base portion of each spring clip fastener having two opposing longer sides longer in length than a maximum cross sectional dimension of the hollow chamber and two opposing shorter ends connecting the longer sides, at least one of the shorter ends being curved, the engagement portion of each individual spring clip fastener having a maximum length dimension in an elongated direction of the engagement portion at least transverse to the elongated direction of the base portion, and a maximum width dimension less than the maximum length dimension of the engagement portion in a direction at least generally perpendicular to the elongated direction of the engagement portion, the maximum width dimension of the base portion and the maximum width dimension of the engagement portion each being greater than a maximum nominal dimension of the opening and the engagement portion having a proximal end abutting the base portion with a reduced width dimension less than the maximum width dimensions of the engagement portion and the base portion.