Abstract:
A corner mold is provided for use in a seal system which protects the corner of a structure from damage and deterioration and creates a barrier covering the gap between adjacent structures. The corner mold includes two external members distanced apart by an interconnecting spacer sized to match the width of the structure. In addition to the corner mold, the seal system includes two moldings and an adhesive which is placed in joints between the corner mold and moldings.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to structural accessories and more specifically to a corner mold which can also be used as part of a seal system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Protecting the edges of a structure is important to preserve the physical integrity of the structure. Often, for purposes of cost and weight, structures are formed with a light inexpensive core and a durable outside cladding. Often a seal or molding is used to cover the edge where the cladding does not cover the core. Alternatively, seals or moldings are used on unclad structures along edges where the structure contacts an adjacent structure. These contacts, without the presence of a seal, can wear away protective coatings, such as paint. These seals or moldings typically are in two pieces which are sealed together at the corner of the structure. Otherwise, liquid can penetrate behind the seal and rot or corrode the structure or its core. In addition, the seal&#39;s purpose is to create a barrier covering the gap between two adjacent structures. For example, a seal used on a tractor-trailer covers the gap between the trailer door and trailer body, thus, preventing water or inclement weather from penetrating inside the trailer cargo area and damaging cargo therein. 
     Some methods of forming a corner seal are extremely labor intensive. In one method two moldings are precision miter cut in order that they may be abutted at the corner of a structure. An example of this seal in shown in FIG.  8 . These moldings must then be fitted together and two flat, flexible arrow strips are placed where the inner and outer molding surfaces of each molding meet to seal their joint. The arrow strips must be preheated in order for a bonding agent to activate and adhere to make a secure seal. To place the arrow strips precisely on the inner flange surfaces, the structure must be completely turned over after the first strip is applied to the outer molding surfaces. A rigid PVC corner tab is then typically spot/sonic welded on the corner of the structure (through the moldings) in order to seal the mitered joint on the interior. The miter seal also is wasteful of material. Because the moldings are typically supplied having squared ends, a miter cut must be performed on each molding. The material cut off is waste. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a corner mold, and an effective seal system, which can be inexpensively made. Further, there is a need for a method of forming such a seal system, which avoids the need to make precision cuts and which can be done quickly and easily. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an inexpensive corner mold and seal system and a method for forming the seal system which does not require precision manipulation or placement of the corner mold and which satisfies the need for quick and easy fabrication at a low price. 
     The present invention is directed to a corner mold having a first external member, a second external member and a spacer which separates the two, for use on the corner of a structure as a cap whereby an inner edge of the first external member overlappingly abuts an outer surface of the structure, an inner edge of the second external member overlappingly abuts an inner surface of the structure and the spacer engages a first and a second side surface of the structure. The present invention also is directed to a seal system which uses the above mentioned corner mold in combination with two moldings, whereby the moldings overlappingly abut the outer and inner surfaces of the structure and engage the two side surfaces respectively. The corner mold is then attached to the already installed moldings and the structure, the first external member overlappingly abutting the moldings and the outer surface of the structure, the second external member overlappingly abutting the moldings and the inner surface of the structure, and the spacer engaging the first and second side surfaces of the structure. Compared to seal systems currently in use, the present invention uses shorter molding sections, and thus saves material cost associated with the moldings. 
     The present invention is also directed to a method of forming the seal system which is far less labor intensive than known methods of forming similar seal systems. The method includes the steps of attaching two moldings to a structure, then attaching a corner mold to the structure and to the moldings at the same time. This method is faster and, thus, more cost effective than methods currently being practiced. This method also does not require precise alignment of adjacent parts, meaning no seal systems should fail or be scrapped due to poorly sealed joints. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be fully described by the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the corner mold and seal system attached to a structure; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the corner mold; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of a tractor-trailer using the corner mold and seal system; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the components of the seal system; 
     FIG. 5 is a cut-away view of the seal system attached to the corner of a structure; 
     FIG. 6 is a cut-away view of a corner mold as part of the seal system; 
     FIG. 7 is a cut-away view of the corner mold forming a seal with an adjacent structure; 
     FIG. 8 is perspective view of another seal system used in the industry; and 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a method of forming the seal system, specifically showing attachment of the corner mold. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of a seal system  15  is shown. The seal system  15  comprises a structure  20 , two moldings  80  and  87  which are in contact with the structure  20 , and a corner mold  40  which is in contact with both the structure  20  and the two moldings  80  and  87 . 
     The structure  20  is typically a swing door on a tractor-trailer, as shown in FIG. 3, but may be any structure having a corner  26 . The structure  20  as shown has a rectangular shape, but may also be other shapes which have corners such as triangles, partial rectangles, and other shapes with angled or rounded corners. Referring again to FIG. 1, the structure  20 , such as a tractor-trailer door, typically has a core  22  and cladding  23 , but may also be a solid without cladding or a covering. The structure has an outer surface  24  and an inner surface  25  which may be the surfaces of the cladding  23 , if present. The structure  20  as shown has a core  22  of wood and cladding  23  made of metal. However, the core  22  may also be plastic, foam, metal, fiberglass or a composite and the cladding  23  may be plastic, metal, wood, fiberglass or a composite material. The structure  20  functions as a support for the moldings  80  and  87  and the corner mold  40  and in turn is protected from the environment by the moldings  80  and  87  and the corner mold  40 . When the structure  20  has a core  22  and cladding  23 , the moldings  80  and  87  and corner mold  40  are oriented to cover the core  22  from exposure to the environment. The moldings  80  and  87  and corner mold  40  protect a structure  20 , with or without cladding, from the wear caused by contact with other structures. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the corner mold  40 , which is for use on a corner  26  of a structure  20 , comprises a first external member  42  and a second external member  44  which is spaced apart from the first external member  42 . When the corner mold  40  is attached to the structure  20 , the first external member  42  has an inner edge  43  that overlappingly abuts the outer surface  24  of the structure  20  while the second external member  44  has an inner edge  45  that overlappingly abuts the inner surface  25  of the structure. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a transverse spacer  46  is interconnected with the first and second external members  42  and  44  and is engaged to first and second side surfaces  27  and  28  of the structure  20 . 
     The first external member  42  may further include two flexible curled lips  48  and  50  for selective engagement with an adjacent structure or structures. FIG. 3 shows the lips  48  and  50  both engaging the outer frame of a trailer in one position of use of the corner mold  40  and the first lip  48  engaging an adjacent door while the second lip  50  engages the trailer structure in a second position of use. Contact with a second structure is shown in detail in FIG.  7 . Referring again to FIG. 2, the lips  48  and  50  curl towards the second external member  44  at the outermost lip edges  49  and  51  respectively. First external member  42  further includes two sealing edges  60  and  61  for contacting first and second moldings  80  and  87  and an inner edge  43  for contacting the outer surface  24  of the structure  20 . Referring to FIG. 4, sealing edges  60  and  61  are contoured to overlap and match the contour of a first molding contact edge  85  of the first molding  80  and a first molding contact edge  92  of the second molding  87 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, the corner mold  40  is typically a single injection molded piece. The material of construction may be polyvinyl chloride (PVC) but may be other materials such as PVC flexible plastic, thermo plastic rubber, or rubber. Alternatively, the corner mold  40  may be formed from a combination of the above-mentioned materials, or a combination of two variations of the same material having differing physical properties. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first external member  42  is interconnected with the transverse spacer  46  and when used within the seal system  15  contacts and partially covers the first molding  80 , the second molding  87 , and the outer surface  24  of the structure  20 . Coverage may be for ornamental reasons as well as forming part of the sealing system. The first external member  42  may be secured to the first molding  80 . If secured using an adhesive, the joint between the first external member  42  and the first molding  80  is an adhesive joint. Similarly, the joint between the first external member  42  and the second molding  87  may be an adhesive joint. The lips  48  and  50  of the corner mold  40  are adjacently located such as for a structure  20  having a right angled corner  26 , as shown. The size of the first external member  42  depends on the size of the structure  20  and the corner  26  thereof. In an exemplary embodiment of corner mold  40  as illustrated, the surface area of the first external member  42  is greater than the surface area of the second external member  44 . The first external member  42  is oriented on the exterior side of the structure  20  if the structure  20  is a door, thus allowing an overlapping seal to be formed over the gap between adjacent structures as shown in FIG.  7 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1,  2  and  4 , the second external member  44 , like the first external member  42  may include two flexible curled lips  68  and  70  for selective engagement with an adjacent structure or structures. The lips  68  and  70  curl towards the first external member  42  at outermost lip edges  69  and  71  respectively. Second external member  44  further includes two sealing edges  73  and  74  for contacting first and second moldings  80  and  87  and an inner edge  45  for contacting the inner surface  25  of the structure  20 . Sealing edges  73  and  74  are contoured to overlap and match the contour of two molding sealing edges  86  and  93 . The second external member  44  is made from the same material as the rest of the corner mold  40 . The second external member  44  functions to cover the traverse spacer  46  and portions of the structure  20  and moldings  80  and  87 . Coverage can be for both ornamental reasons and as part of a sealing system  15 . 
     The joint between the second external member  44  and the first and second moldings  80  and  87  can be an adhesive joint. The size of the second external member  44  depends on the size of the structure  20  and the corner  26  thereof. The second external member  44  is oriented on the interior side of the structure  20  if the structure  20  is a door in order to form the seal shown in FIG.  7 . The lips  68  and  70  of the second external member  44  are adjacent to each other such as for a structure  20  having a right angled corner  26 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the traverse spacer  46  interconnects the first external member  42  and the second external member  44 . The spacer  46  may further include one or more tabs  56 . When the corner mold  40  is attached to the structure  20 , the tabs  56  cover any gaps between the corner mold  40  and the first and second moldings,  80  and  87 . The spacer  46  may be any shape depending on the shape of the structure  20 , but as shown is a V-shaped solid of a substantially constant thickness and depth. The spacer  46  comprises a first wall  52  and a second wall  54  which intersects the first wall  52 . The first external member  42  may have a reinforcing section  55  which is an area of increased thickness in the area of intersection with the spacer  46 . Likewise the second external member  44  may have a reinforcing section  53  at the area of intersection with the spacer  46 . The spacer  46  is manufactured from the same material as the first external member  42  and the second external member  44 . As an alternative, spacer  46  can be made of a material having more strength or durability than the first external member  42  and second external member  44 . The spacer  46  functions to separate the first external member  42  and second external member  44  at a desired distance. The spacer  46  also functions as a point of engagement between the corner mold  40  and the side surfaces  27  and  28  of the structure  20 . 
     The spacer  46  is transverse, meaning that it intersects the first external member  42  and the second external member  44  in a crosswise direction. The orientation between the spacer  46  and either the first  42  and second external member  44  can be at any angle, including a perpendicular orientation. If the spacer  46  comprises two intersecting walls  52  and  54 , the walls  52  and  54  may intersect at any angle including ninety degrees. The tabs  56  extend along a common plane with the intersecting walls  52  and  54 . In the seal system  15 , the tabs  56  are in physical contact with two narrow-walled transverse spacers  98  and  99  that are connected to and help to form moldings  80  and  87  as further described below. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the first molding  80  and second molding  87  are extruded sections which are commercially available and known as “Truck Swing Door seals/gaskets”, available from Atlantis Plastics, Advanced Weather Seal and other manufacturers. The first molding  80  and second molding  87  have a back to back channel or H-shaped cross section. First molding  80  comprises a first molding member  81  and a second molding member  82 , which are interconnected by the transverse spacer  98 . First molding  80  further comprises first and second flexible molding lips  83  and  84  which may be engaged and disengaged with an adjoining structure. First molding  80  also has first and second sealing edges  85  and  86  and a first end  94  which is squared. 
     Second molding  87  comprises a first molding member  88  and a second molding member  89 , which are interconnected by the transverse spacer  99 . Second molding  87  further comprises first and second flexible molding lips  90  and  91  which may be engaged and disengaged with an adjoining structure. Second molding  87  also has first and second sealing edges  92  and  93  and a first end  96  which is squared. Each molding  80  and  87  is made from a material such as plastic although aluminum and rubber may also be used. Each molding  80  and  87  is a dual durometer extrusion of one or more of these materials or variations of these materials. This provides rigidity in some areas and flexibility in other areas where it is most needed. The moldings  80  and  87  finction as a seal for the core  22  of the structure  20  and a seal of the gap between the structure  20  and an adjacent structure such as and the trailer door and trailer body or two doors on a tractor trailer as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  5  and  9 , the first and second moldings  80  and  87  engage the structure  20 . The first and second external molding members  81  and  82  pinchingly grasp the outer surface  24  and the inner surface  25  of the structure  20 . The first molding spacer  98  abuts the first side surface  27  of the structure  20 . The square cut end  94  of the first molding  80  is oriented in close proximity to the corner  26  of the structure  20 . Likewise, the square cut end  96  of the second molding  87  is oriented in close proximity to the corner  26  of the structure  20 , but does not overlap the square cut end  94  of the first molding  80 . The first external member  42  of the corner mold  40  is adhesively attached to the first molding  80 . The first external member  42  of the corner mold  40  is adhesively attached to the second molding  87 . The tabs  56  upon the corner mold  40  are adhesively attached to the molding spacers  98  and  99  of the first molding  80  and second molding  87 . The square cut end  94  of the first molding  80  and the square cut end  96  of the second molding  87  are in close proximity to the corner mold  40 . 
     In the seal system  15  an adhesive  100  may be used. The adhesive  100  is a liquid which dries to form a flexible solid. The adhesive  100  can be methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) based or super glue based. The adhesive  100  may be used in the following areas: between the tabs  56  and the first and second molding spacers  98  and  99 , between the first external member  42  of the corner mold  40  and the first molding  80 , between the first external member  42  and the second molding  87 , between the first external member  42  and the outer surface  24  of the structure, between the second external member  44  of the corner mold  40  and the first molding  80 , between the second external member  44  and the second molding  87 , between the second external member  44  and the inner surface  25  of the structure, and between the spacer  46  and the side surfaces  27  and  28  of the structure  20 . Alternatively, mechanical fasteners such as nails, rivets, or screws may be used to secure the spacer  46  with the side surfaces  27  and  28  of the structure  20 . 
     A method for forming the present seal system invention comprises the steps of attaching moldings  80  and  87  to a structure  20 , attaching a corner mold  40  to the corner  26  of the structure  20  while attaching the corner mold  40  to the moldings  80  and  87  using an adhesive  100 . 
     In the step of attaching the moldings  80  and  87  to the structure  20  the square cut end  94  of the first molding  80  is oriented in close proximity to the corner  26  of the structure  20 . Then the square cut end  96  of the second molding  87  is oriented in close proximity to the corner  26  of the structure  20 . The moldings  80  and  87  are spaced, with respect to the corner  26  of the structure  20 , such that the spacer  46  of the corner mold  40  when attached to the structure  20  will cover parts of the core  22  of the structure  20  not covered by the moldings  80  and  87 . The first and second external molding members  81  and  82  pinchingly engage the outer surface  24  and the inner surface  25  of the structure  20 . 
     In the step of attaching the corner mold  40  to the structure  20 , adhesive  100  is liberally applied to the corner mold  40 . Adhesive may be applied to the interior surfaces of the first external member and the second external member. Adhesive may also be applied to the interior surfaces of the spacer  46  and the tabs  56 . Adhesive may also be applied to the sealing edges  85  and  86  of the first molding  80 , the sealing edges  92  and  93  of the second molding  87  and to the outer  24 , inner  25  and side surfaces  27  and  28  of the structure  20 . The corner mold  40  is pressed against the structure  20  having the first external member  42  overlap the first sealing edge  85  of the first molding  80  and the first sealing edge  92  of the second molding  87 . Alternatively the spacer  46  may be attached to the structure mechanically using nail, rivets, or screws. The second external member  44  overlaps the second sealing edge  86  of the first molding  80  and the second sealing edge  93  of the second molding  87 . When in place, the corner mold  40  completely covers the corner  26  of the structure  20 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the invention may be used on the swing doors of a tractor-trailer truck, but may be used on any structure. The corner mold  40  may be used simply as an ornamental covering for a corner of a structure or as a part of a seal system. The seal system is used to keep detrimental substances, namely, water away from the core of the structure, thus preserving the integrity of the structure. When used on swing doors, the seal system also keeps detrimental substances away from the interior of the vehicle. 
     When used on a swing door, the corner mold  40  and moldings  80  and  87  are deformed when the door is closed. The two flexible curled lips  48  and  50  of the first external member  42  of the corner mold, seal over the surface of the adjoining structure or door as shown in FIG.  7 . Similarly, the first molding lips  83  and  90  of the first and second moldings, respectively, seal over the surface of the adjoining structure. The two flexible curled lips  68  and  70  of the second internal member  44  collapse or fold inwards when brought in contact with the adjoining structure or door. Similarly, the second moldings lips  84  and  91  of the first and second moldings respectively, collapse or fold inwards when brought in contact with the adjoining structure or door. 
     This invention satisfies the need for a corner mold, and effective seal system, which can be inexpensively made. This invention satisfies the need for a method for forming such a seal system which can be done quickly and easily 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. For example, different methods of attaching the corner mold to the moldings may be utilized. Further different materials or composites may be used to form the corner mold or the moldings. Therefore, the invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representative apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.