Abstract:
A seal assembly for an upward acting door that is positionable between an open and closed position. The seal assembly contains a base member having a first and second flexible sealing member extending therefrom for sealing engagement with the door. The base member is mounted adjacent the door to facilitate sliding engagement between the door and the first and second seal members as the door is moved between the open and closed positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A typical garage door installation requires a gap between the garage door and the frame on a building to ensure unrestricted movement of the door when moving between the closed position and the open position. Unfortunately, such gaps can result in the infiltration of water, air, light and debris inside the garage along with thermal inefficiencies. In addition, such gaps result in unwanted lateral movement of the door, thus not only resulting in irritating noise, but creating rattling and movement that can potentially damage the door or building frame. 
     Various solutions have been tried to overcome these deficiencies. For example, door stops have been utilized to restrain the door from outward or lateral movement of the door when in the closed position. In addition, a weather seal is oftentimes used particularly in cold climates to seal the gap between the door frame and the perimeter of the door when the door is in the closed position. These weather seals resist airflow around the door and also prevent dirt and debris from entering the garage. However, there is a need to provide an improved seal design to reduce the infiltration of water, air, light and debris inside the garage along with the ability to minimize thermal inefficiencies and any unwanted and potentially damaging lateral movement of the door. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a seal assembly is provided for enclosing the gap formed between the door frame and the door that is vertically positionable between the door&#39;s open and closed position. The seal assembly includes a base member preferably coupleable to the door frame or other supporting structure adjacent the door and contains a first sealing member or wiper angularly extending from the base member and a second sealing member or bulb extending from the base member. The base member is mounted adjacent the door such that the wiper and bulb prevent light, water, debris and air infiltration into a garage. In addition, the bulb functions to resist lateral movement of the door when in the closed position or when transitioning between the open and closed positions. The wiper and bulb are preferably formed of a deflectable material such that as the door is moved between the open and closed positions, the movable barrier slideably engages the first and second sealing members. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of an upward acting door in which the seal assembly is employed to advantage of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the seal assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is a section view of the seal assembly depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  taken along the section line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a the seal assembly  10  employed that performs the dual function of providing a barrier seal and a barrier stop for an upward acting door  22 , such as, for example, an upward acting sectional garage door. Specifically, seal assembly  10  is used for a garage  12  having an opening  14  formed by a top frame member  16  and side frame members  18  and  20 . Preferably, seal assembly  10  is disposed overlying frame member  16  and side frame members  18  and  20  and is configured to form a seal between the door  22  and opening  14  formed by frame members  16 ,  18  and  20 . In particular, seal assembly  10  functions to seal off, or otherwise prevent light, water, debris and/or air infiltration into, garage  12 . In addition, the assembly functions as a stop so as to resist lateral movement of door  22  in the direction of arrows  24 , which occurs because of pressure differences between the interior and exterior of the garage. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , seal assembly  10  particularly comprises a base member  50  having a front surface  52 , a rear surface  54 , a top surface  56  and a bottom surface  58  for supporting a wiper or first seal member  60  and a bulb or second seal member  62 . Wiper  60  angularly extends from base member  50  and is preferably formed of a flexible polymeric sheet, such as, for example, polyvinylchloride. However, it should be understood that wiper  60  may be formed of any flexible material. Preferably, wiper  60  extends for a short distance D, e.g., approximately 1.6 inches from and is mounted at an angle θ from the surface of door  22  of approximately 33 degrees; however, it should be understood that other values of D and θ can be used. The wiper  60  includes a base section  65  secured to the base member  50  at two different surfaces  61  and  63 . The surfaces  61  and  63  are angularly disposed and form angles other than θ from the surface of door  22 . For example, the surfaces  61  and  63  are perpendicular to each other and the surface  61  is parallel to the to surface  56 . In  FIG. 1 , bulb  62  extends from top surface  56  and is also formed of a flexible polymeric material, such as, for example, polyvinylchloride; however, it should be understood that bulb  62  may be otherwise formed of a material that is capable of deforming and/or otherwise flexing in order to sealingly seat against door  22 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , bulb  62  is formed of a continuous sheet material folded to form first and second legs  64  and  66  connected via an arcuate portion  68 , which form an interior area  70 . Optionally, interior area  70  may include an insulative material  72  disposed within interior area  70  to improve thermal resistance, as described in greater detail below. 
     Preferably, rear surface  54  is arcuately formed having a radius “R” to prevent or otherwise resist outward bowing or flexing of base member  50  as it is coupled to frames  16 ,  18  and/or  20 . For example, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , base member  50  contains a pilot hole  74  to receive a fastener  76  (e.g., a nail or screw) for coupling to frame  16 ,  18  and/or  20 . As fastener  76  secures base member  50  to frame  16 ,  18  and/or  20 , the mid section of base member  50  is positioned toward and adjacent to the frame so as to preferably rest flush therewith to increase the sealing engagement with the frame and reducing the likelihood of the ends of the base member  50  (i.e., the portions of base member  50  near surface  56  and  58 ) lifting or otherwise separating from the frame. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that the seal assembly  10  is positioned on frame member  18  to seal or otherwise enclose a gap G that is formed between frame member  18  and door  22 . In particular, seal assembly  10  is coupled to frame member  18  such that wiper  60  and bulb  62  are deformed to be in sliding contact with an outer surface of face  80  of door  22  to enclose gap G, to thereby prevent light, water, debris and air from penetrating therethrough. In operation, bulb  62  is of a sufficient resiliency to function, not only as a seal, but as a door stop to prevent or substantially resist lateral movement of the door in the direction of arrows  24  ( FIG. 3 ). Preferably, wiper  60  and bulb  62  are of a significant hardness durometer, preferably between  75  and  83 . However, it should be understood that wiper  60  and bulb  62  may be otherwise formed to have a larger or smaller durometer. 
     The seal assembly  10  is preferably manufactured by co-extrusion so as to form a single unitary system consisting of rigid base member  50 , flexible wiper  60  and flexible bulb  62 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , wiper  60  and bulb  62  are in a non-deformed shape, such as when door  22  is in an open position. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , wiper  60  and bulb  62  are deformed and positioned in sliding engagement with door  22 . 
     Although embodiments of seal assembly  10  have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will also recognize that various substitutions and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as defined solely by the appended claims.