Abstract:
A buildable seal assembly ( 100 ) is used with a jacket ( 102 ) which is connected to a sidewall ( 14 ) and slide out room ( 12 ) of a conventional RV or similar mobile equipment or mobile living quarters ( 10 ). A right angled seal element ( 132 ) is coupled to the jacket ( 102 ) in a snap in configuration. The right angled seal element ( 132 ) is further coupled to a bulb ( 152 ) and a wiper component ( 146 ). The bulb ( 152 ) and wiper component ( 146 ) assist in providing a seal between the mobile living quarters ( 10 ) and the slide out room ( 12 ) when the room ( 12 ) is in a retracted, closed position or an extended, open position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/106,965 filed Jan. 23, 2015. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO A MICROFISHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The invention relates to devices for facilitating the sealing of perimeters of slide-out rooms and other structures associated with recreational vehicles (RVs) and other mobile products. 
         [0006]    2. Background Art 
         [0007]    The general concept of employing means for facilitating sealing of joints in the construction of structures such as towable trailers, motorized recreational vehicles, buildings (particularly metal buildings) and similar structures is known in the prior art. For many of these types of structures, a substantially rigid frame is provided, which consists of structural support members, such as studs. The structural support members of the frame support and mount walls on the exterior of the frame. The walls are formed as pre-fabricated panels placed on the exterior of the frame formed by the structural support members. Corners are formed at the junctures of adjacent panels lying in different, but typically perpendicular planes. Also, typically, one of the adjacent panels is intended to overlap the adjacent support members by the thickness of the adjacent panel. In this manner, the adjacent panels lie in perpendicular planes which meet at a butt joint. Concepts associated with technologies associated with corner rail extrusions are disclosed in Goode, U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,891 issued Jun. 15, 2010. 
         [0008]    Resilient seals are often placed along the abutting edges of parts, and one such application is found in the field of mobile living quarters having slide-out rooms. A seal is commonly placed along the interface between the slide-out room and the opening in the sidewall of the mobile living quarters to prevent water, debris, and excessive air drafts from entering the interior of the mobile living quarters from the outside. This seal often includes two sub-parts, a bulb seal and a wiper seal, each extending along a side of the opening. The bulb seal is usually placed on either the exterior edge of the sidewall or the interior edge of a flange portion of the slide-out room wall to form a resilient seal between the sidewall and the flange portion of the slide-out room when the room is closed. A separate wiper seal is usually placed along the edge of the sidewall and flexibly protrudes against the adjacent sidewall of the slide-out room so as to be in constant contact with the sidewall at all positions of the room between its open and closed positions. A typical example of such an arrangement can be seen in U.S Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0078634 A1, published Jun. 27, 2002. A problem with this type of seal arrangement is that the bulb seal and wiper seal must be mounted separately. 
         [0009]    Another known seal arrangement used for the slide-out room includes a pair of bulb seals on opposite sides of a mounting portion, and a wiper seal protruding from an adjacent side of the mounting portion between the bulb seals, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,016. The mounting portion is mounted to the edge of the sidewall of the mobile living quarters between the two opposite sides with a clip such that the wiper seal maintains flexible contact with the sidewall of the slide-out room. The two bulb portions contact one of two flange portions at either end of the slide-out room at both its open and closed positions to create a seal. This arrangement, however, may not be suitable for easy adaptation to be installed on different slide-out room configurations due to its unitary construction. Another problem is that, after long usage, the seal may disengage from the clip and fall off. If the seal falls off the clip, it can be difficult to access the clip for reinstalling the seal without taking the slide out room completely out of the wall. 
         [0010]    Therefore, it would be desirable to have a multi-piece room seal that can be easily adapted for installation on different room configurations. It would also be desirable for the seal to be easily assembled on the exterior of the sidewall during installation to provide a single seal portion providing both a wiper seal for wiping against the sidewall of the slide-out room and a bulb seal for contacting the flange around the outside edge of the slide-out room when it is closed. 
         [0011]    One prior art reference directed to the concepts associated with seals for slide-out rooms is Ksiezopolki, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,590 issued Nov. 22, 2005. For purposes of background art, the reference is duplicated in substantial part in the following paragraphs and in  FIGS. 1-4 . Referring now to prior art drawings in  FIGS. 1-4 , a mobile living quarters  10 , such as a recreational vehicle, is shown having a slide-out room  12 . Mobile living quarters  10  include a sidewall  14  having an opening  16  through which the slide-out room  12  shifts. Slide-out room  12  is of well known form including an interior space generally defined by four sidewalls  18  and an end wall  20 . Slide-out room  12  fits through opening  16  and extends perpendicular to sidewall  14  such that its end wall  20  is adjacent the sidewall of the mobile living quarters when the slide-out room is retracted and spaced from the sidewall when the slide-out room is extended. A flange  22  extends outwardly from the peripheral edge of end wall  20  of the slide-out room to overlap with sidewall  14  of the mobile living quarters when slide-out room  12  is retracted. 
         [0012]    A resilient seal  24  is located along the periphery of opening  16  to prevent dirt, water, and other materials from passing from the exterior of the mobile living quarters  10  to its interior. Seal  24  may be made of any sufficiently resilient material such as thermoplastic elastomer. Seal  24  includes a generally flat mounting portion, or clip portion,  26  with a lip  27  fitted about the edge of sidewall  14  and a wiper seal portion  28  protruding transversely from the mounting portion toward sidewall  18  of the slide-out room. Wiper seal portion  28  is a flexible, generally planar section with its distal end opposite mounting portion  26  in resilient contact with sidewall  18  such that the wiper seal is flexed against the sidewall to maintain an effective seal with the sidewall at all times during extension or retraction of the slide-out room. Seal  24  further includes a bulb seal portion  30  having a bulb part  33  and a clip part  35  which is slidably connected to mounting portion  26 . 
         [0013]    Mounting portion  26  includes oppositely extending, rail-like tabs  36 ,  38  which form a tongue  44  separated from the body of the mounting portion by a groove  46 . Clip part  35  of bulb seal portion  30  includes tabs  32 ,  34  which form a groove  42  defined in part by opposing flanges  40 . When mounting portion  26  and clip part  35  are connected together, tongues  44  fits into grooves  42 . Tabs  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  all extend lengthwise along seal  24  such that, once fitted together, bulb seal portion  30  may be slid along the length of mounting portion  26 , and are flexible enough to allow them to snap past each other for assembly. Alternatively, clip part  35  of bulb seal portion  30  may be slid into mounting portion  26  from an end of the seal  24 . Preferably, seal  24  is constructed such that mounting portion  26  is more rigid than wiper portion  28 , and such that web  31  and tabs  32 ,  34  are more rigid than bulb part  33 . 
         [0014]    To install seal  24  onto the mobile living quarters about opening  16 , pressure tape  52  having adhesive on both sides is applied to the exterior side of sidewall  14  along the edge of the opening where mounting portion  26  is to be attached. Mounting portion  26  is then located along the exterior edge of opening  16  in the sidewall _ 14  of the mobile living quarters by abutting lip  27  against the edge of the opening with tabs  36 ,  38  extending outwardly from the exterior side of sidewall  14  and wiper seal portion  28  extending toward sidewall  18  of the slide-out room. Next, pressure is applied to mounting portion  26  to press the mounting portion against pressure tape  52  to adhere the mounting portion to the sidewall. Fasteners  50  are then inserted through mounting portion  26  into sidewall  14  to firmly secure the mounting portion to the sidewall. Fasteners  50  are preferably screws driven through mounting portion  26  in the space between tabs  36 ,  38  so as to be hidden behind bulb seal portion  30  when in its mounted position. Next, clip part  35  of bulb seal portion  30  is mounted to mounting portion  26  by either snap fitting grooves  42  about tongues  44  or sliding the bulb seal portion at its groove about the tongue of the mounting portion from one end of the mounting portion. Bulb seal portion  30  is then adjusted in location along mounting portion  26  by sliding the bulb seal portion along the mated tongue  44  and groove  42  connection to its desired final location relative to mounting portion  26 . Bulb seal portion  30  may be secured in its final position along mounting portion  26  by placing a fastener  48 , preferably a screw, at an angle through only the internal web  31  of the bulb seal portion and the mounting portion near the end of the seal section. Fastener  48  preferably does not penetrate the bulb part  33  of bulb seal  30  in order to maintain a better seal with room flange  22 . Bulb seal portion  30  may be subsequently replaced by removing fasteners  48  and installing a new section of bulb seal portion without having to replace the wiper portion. 
         [0015]    Seal  24  may be easily adapted to fit to different slide-out room configurations by cutting to any necessary length. A variety of different corner configurations in the opening  16  may be easily adapted to by cutting the bulb seal portion  30  to a different length than the mounting portion  26 , and the wiper seal portion  28  may be cut to a third length if necessary. A variety of different gaps between the mobile living quarter&#39;s sidewall  14  and the slide-out room sidewalls  18  may be easily adapted to by adjusting the lateral position of the mounting portion  26  relative to the sidewall  14  or trimming back the wiper seal portion  28 . By mounting the mounting portion  26  and the bulb seal portion  30  to the exterior side of sidewall  14 , subsequent repair and replacement of worn seal parts may be easily performed without having to remove the slide out room  12  from the opening  16  in wall  14 . 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The invention disclosed herein includes a resilient seal for use with a slide-out room in a mobile living quarters. More specifically, the invention comprises a three-piece design which allows the user to snap the product into place, without any type of sliding movement being required or allowed. The invention is used with a jacket. A snap-in sealing component is provided, where the sealing component is a separate element from the jacket. The snap-in sealing component includes a right angled bracket. Attached to the right angled bracket on one leg thereof is an elongated wiper comprising an extended base and a bead at the end of the tip. Attached to the other leg of the right angled component is a bulb. The right angled component of the snap-in seal is adapted to releasably attach to the jacket. The attaching feature utilizes a locator/retention lip on one side of the jacket, and a compression lip positioned on the same side of the jacket below the retention lip. With the jacket separate from the snap-in sealing component, an actual mitered corner can be achieved by cutting the jacket at a 45° angle. With a mitered corner, a performance advantage is achieved by preventing leak paths due to the overlap, and also provides for a cosmetic advantage. The jacket allows the end consumer to trim the snap-in seal to match the mitered corner or use a molded insert. 
         [0017]    Still further, by having an insert tab and retention tab, the end consumer may repair a damaged snap-in component with relative simplicity, by pressing the tab back and removing. This feature allows repair without removal of an entire slide-out box. More specifically, and advantageously, this feature allows the end consumer to make a repair and get the seal elements back to their same levels as they arrived from the OEM. Prior art designs either require a complete removal of the entire jacket, or need to be knifed trimmed and overlaid. Further, prior designs have the wipes pre-molded onto the jacket. In accordance with a feature of this invention, this design flaw is avoided. 
         [0018]    A significant advantage is provided in the sense that the invention allows an OEM to essentially select the design. That is, the seal arrangement is buildable. Design selection can include whether one or two bulbs are desired, and whether one or two wipers are desired. If the jacket would include one wipe, another with one bulb, and a final with one wipe and one bulb, all combinations could be achieved. That is, sealing configurations in accordance with the invention will allow the OEM to choose their own design and still use the same jacket. The OEM can build different units on the same line and use the same jacket, and add or remove different snap-in seals to accommodate the unit. The height of the wipe can also be changed, as well as the size of the bulb. Such buildability provides a significant manufacturer advantage for line speed and tooling costs. 
         [0019]    More specifically, and in accordance with the invention, a buildable seal assembly is adapted for use in combination with a mobile living quarters. The mobile living quarters can include a slide out room having a room interior formed in the mobile living quarters and moveable between a retracted, closed position and an extended, open position. Positioning of the slide out room in the open position provides for an increase in living space within an overall interior of the mobile living quarters. 
         [0020]    At least one first sidewall is formed as an exterior wall of the mobile living quarters. The sidewall is positionable as either an actual side of the mobile living quarters, or an end of the living quarters. The first sidewall has a room opening formed therein. The opening provides an opening through which the slide out room may extend and retract between the closed and opened positions. The first sidewall also includes an exterior surface facing outwardly from an interior of the mobile living quarters, and an interior surface facing inwardly into the overall interior of the mobile living quarters. An end section is formed between the interior surface and the exterior surface. The end section forms an end of the first sidewall facing towards the slide out room. 
         [0021]    The slide out room comprises at least a second sidewall positioned adjacent to and slideably moveable relative to the first sidewall. An end wall which, together with two or more of the second sidewalls, defines the room interior of the slide out room is also part of the slide out room. The end wall includes a peripheral flange overlapping the first sidewall when the slide out room is in the closed position. 
         [0022]    In accordance with certain concepts of the invention, the seal assembly includes a seal component and a jacket. The seal component includes a right-angled seal element having a side leg and an angled leg. Each of the legs is configured at a substantially 90 degree angle relative to the other leg. A wiper assembly flexible in nature and secured to the right angled seal element is also provided. The wiper assembly maintains an effective seal between the first sidewall and the second sidewall during extension and retraction of the slide out room. 
         [0023]    A bulb assembly is secured to the right angled seal element. The bulb assembly provides for a continuous seal between the exterior surface of the first sidewall and a surface of the peripheral flange of the end wall when the slide out room is in a closed, retracted position. The jacket is securable on the first sidewall and releasably securable to the right angled seal element for purposes of positioning the bulb assembly and the wiper assembly for maintaining appropriate sealing when the slide out room is in the closed position, and when the slide out room is moving between the closed and open positions. 
         [0024]    In accordance with other concepts of the invention, the bulb assembly and the right angled seal element have snap fit components for securing the bulb assembly to the right angled seal through a releasable snap fit connection, without permitting or otherwise allowing any connection of the bulb assembly to the right angled seal element through a sliding movement of the bulb assembly. The right angled seal element can be an element separate from the jacket. 
         [0025]    The jacket can include a bight section positioned adjacent the end section of the first sidewall, with first and second opposing ends. A first leg extends at an angle from the first end of the bight section. A second end extends at an angle from the second end of the bight section. The first leg and second leg are positioned adjacent the exterior and the interior surfaces of the first sidewall. 
         [0026]    The first and second legs of the jacket are angled inwardly, relative to the bight section, at an angle greater than 90 degrees. This applies a compressive force when positioned on the sidewall. 
         [0027]    The bight section of the jacket includes a pair of insert tabs, with the insert tabs forming a first insert tab and a second insert tab, positioned in an opposing relationship. The insert tabs are utilized to capture nubs on the buildable seal assemblies. Each of the insert tabs includes an inwardly extending hook for purposes of capturing the nubs. The structure and configuration of the seal assembly allows a user to snap fit the seal assembly in place around at least three sides of the room opening, without requiring any type of sliding movement for positioning components of the seal assembly. 
         [0028]    In accordance with other aspects of the invention, an elongated wiper assembly is releasably attached to one of the legs of the right angled bracket. The wiper assembly includes an extended base, with a resilient tip formed at the end thereof. The wiper assembly includes a bead formed at the end of the tip. 
         [0029]    The seal assembly includes a bulb releasably attached to the first leg of the sealing component. The sealing component is releasably attached to the jacket through a locator/retention lip positioned on a first leg of the jacket, and a compression lip positioned on the first leg of the jacket below the retention lip. With the jacket separate from the sealing component, a mitered corner can be positioned by cutting the jacket at a 45 degree angle. The mitered corner provides for a performance advantage by substantially preventing leak paths from forming, in view of the overlap resulting from the mitered corners and further provides for an aesthetic appearance. 
         [0030]    When a user wishes to repair the seal assembly, the seal component can be replaced and removed from the jacket by applying force on the retention tabs, so as to permit removal of the seal component tabs from being captured under the retention tabs outside jacket. 
         [0031]    In accordance with other concepts of the invention, the seal assembly can include two or more bulbs. Further, the seal assembly can also include two or more wiper assemblies. 
         [0032]    The jacket can include a pair of sealing lips, with each of the lips being positioned at a terminating end of the first or second leg of the jacket. The jacket is structured so as to provide and apply a compressive force to the lips. The jacket is positively actuated with respect to the sealing lips, with the first and second legs of the jacket being angled inwardly at an angle greater than 90 degrees. A retention tab is located on the first leg of the jacket, with the retention tab acting so as to provide for retention of one leg of the seal component. The seal component can be releasably coupled to the jacket at least in part through a snap in configuration. A nub is formed at a distal end of the side leg. When the seal component is coupled to the jacket, the nub is positioned so as to essentially be captured under a lip of a first insert tab of the jacket. 
         [0033]    Further, the bight section of the jacket includes at least a first insert tab. The insert tab is utilized to capture a nub of the seal component. The insert tab comprises an inwardly extending hook for capturing the nub of the seal component. A user can replace the bulb or the wiper assembly without requiring any removal or repair of any components of the jacket. 
         [0034]    Still further, for some applications, just the snap-in seal itself can be utilized, and simply taped under the wall. This would allow significant flexibility and versatility. 
         [0035]    Further, by having the jacket overlayed by the snap-in seal, the jacket could be made relatively thinner, thereby making it easier to trim for the OEM. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0036]    These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a prior art mobile living quarters with a slide-out room in an extended position surrounded by the seal; 
           [0038]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the room and seal of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary cross sectional view as seen along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  is a detailed cross section of the resilient seal parts separated from each other; 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the buildable seal assembly for slide-out rooms in accordance with the invention; 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the buildable seal assembly for slide out rooms in accordance with the invention, the exploded view being that of the buildable seal assembly shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view, similar to  FIG. 5 , showing a second embodiment of a buildable seal assembly in accordance with the invention, with the embodiment having a pair of bulb assemblies and a pair of wiper assemblies; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view, similar to  FIG. 5 , of a third embodiment of a buildable seal assembly in accordance with the invention, with the embodiment showing the use of one wiper assembly, and the absence of any bulb assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0045]    The principles of the invention are disclosed, by way of example, in a buildable seal assembly  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In addition to the view of the buildable seal assembly  100  in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the buildable seal assembly  100 . Further,  FIG. 7  is a sectional view, similar to  FIG. 5 , of a second embodiment of a buildable seal assembly  200  in accordance with the invention. Similarly,  FIG. 8  illustrates a third embodiment of a buildable seal assembly  300 , in accordance with the invention, with  FIG. 8  being a sectional view similar to  FIG. 5 . The buildable seal assembly  100  is used in association with a jacket  102  as also shown in  FIG. 5 . The buildable seal assembly  100  in accordance with the invention can be characterized as a three-piece design which allows the user to snap the seal assembly into place, without the requirement of any type of sliding movement. The buildable seal assembly  100  is illustrated in  FIG. 5  as showing the use of one bulb  152  and one wiper  146 . However, in accordance with the invention, seal assembly  100  is buildable in that multiple wiper components  146  and/or multiple bulbs  152  can be utilized. An advantage in accordance with the invention is that the OEM can choose the particular design, in terms of the number of bulbs and wiper components, yet still retain use of the same jacket  102 . Still further, not only can the number of bulbs and wiper components be modified, but various lengths of wipers and sizes of bulbs can also be utilized. 
         [0046]    Turning specifically to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the jacket  102  is shown connected to the sidewall  14  and slide-out room  12  of a conventional RV or similar mobile equipment  10 . The jacket  102  includes a bight section  104 . The bight section  104  includes, extending from one surface therefrom, a pair of insert tabs  110 . The insert tabs  110  include a first insert tab  112 , and a second insert tab  114 . The insert tabs are positioned in an opposing relationship and are utilized to capture nubs  140  of the buildable seal assembly  100 . The insert tabs  110  can each have an inwardly extending hook  111  for purposes of capturing the nubs  140 . 
         [0047]    In addition to the foregoing elements, the bight section  102  also includes a first leg  106  which extends at an angle from one end of the bight section  104  of the jacket  102 . Correspondingly, a second leg  108  extends at an angle from the opposing end of the first side  104  of the jacket  102 . It should be noted that the legs  106  and  108  of the jacket  102  will not necessarily be at right angles relative to the side  104  of the jacket  102 , but instead may actually be angled inwardly greater than 90°, so as to apply a compressive force to the sealing lips  123  and  125 . That is, this angling feature essentially provides for the jacket  102  to be positively actuated with respect to the lips  123  and  125 . 
         [0048]    Positioned on the first leg  106  and second leg  108  are a pair of locator/retention lips  116 . The locator/retention lips  116  include a first locator/retention lip  120  positioned on the outer side of the first leg  106 , and a second locator/retention lip  118  positioned on the outer side of the second leg  108 . The retention lips  116  are utilized in cooperation with the buildable seal assembly  100  to capture the seal assembly  100  in a “snap-in” relationship. 
         [0049]    In addition to the locator/retention lips, the jacket  102  also includes a pair of retention tabs  122 . The retention tabs  122  act so as to provide for retaining of one leg of the seal assembly  100 . It is apparent that if two seal assemblies are utilized, then both retention tabs  122  would be used simultaneously. The retention tabs  122  comprise a first retention tab  124  located on the second leg  108  of the jacket  102 , and a second retention tab  126  located on the first leg  106  of the jacket  102 . Positioned inwardly from the ends of the first and second legs  106 ,  108  of the jacket  102  are a pair of compression lips  123  and  125 . Compression lip  125  extends inwardly from the end of the first leg  106  of jacket  102 , while the other compression lip  123  extends inwardly from the end of the second leg  108  of the jacket  102 . The compression lips  123 ,  125  serve to maintain position and seal of the jacket  102 . 
         [0050]    The buildable seal assembly  100  further includes a snap-in seal assembly  130 , as also shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . It should be emphasized that the snap-in seal assembly  130  is only one embodiment of seal assemblies in accordance with the invention. For example, multiple seal assemblies  130  may be utilized with the jacket  102 . With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the seal assembly  130  includes a right-angled seal element  132 . The right-angled seal element  132  comprises the basic seal element which will be coupled to the jacket  102  in a snap-in configuration. The right-angled seal element  132  includes a pair of legs, identified in  FIG. 5  as side leg  134  and angled leg  136 . Each of the legs  134 ,  136  is configured at a 90 degree angle relative to the other leg. At the distal end of the side leg  134  is a nub  140 . The nub  140 , when the assembly  130  is coupled to the jacket  102 , will be positioned so as to essentially be captured under the lip  111  of the first insert tab  112 . Alternatively, the seal assembly  130  can be configured so that the nub  140  would be captured under the lip  111  of the second insert tab  114 . 
         [0051]    Positioned on one side of the angled leg  136 , and essentially centered with respect thereto, is a slot  142 . The slot  142 , with the right-angled seal element  132  being resilient, is configured so as to capture the locating/retention lip  118  in a snap-in configuration. 
         [0052]    Further with respect to the right-angled seal element  132 , positioned at a distal end of the angled leg  136  is a tab  144 . When assembled, the tab  144  is captured within the first retention tab  124 , or the second retention tab  126 . This configuration serves to stabilize the snap-in seal assembly  130  when coupled to the jacket  102 . 
         [0053]    The buildable seal assembly  100  can also include a wiper component  146  as further shown in  FIG. 5 . The wiper component  146  is flexible in nature, and facilitates the maintaining of an effective seal with the sidewall  10  at all times during extension or retraction of an associated slide-out room (not shown). The wiper component  146  includes an elongated wiper  148 . Positioned at the distal end of the elongated wiper  148  is a bead  150 . With respect to connection of the wiper component  146  to the right-angled seal component  132 , the wiper component  146  can be molded onto the right-angled seal element  132  in line, while the same is being extruded. 
         [0054]    In addition to the foregoing components, the snap-in seal assembly  130  can include a bulb  152  having a configuration as shown in cross-section in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . It should be noted that the right-angled seal element  132  can be used with or without the wiper component  146 , and also with or without the bulb  152 . Still further, it can also be noted that the length of the wiper components  146  and the bulb sizes can be changed, in accordance with the invention. 
         [0055]      FIG. 7  is a second embodiment of a buildable seal assembly  200  in accordance with the invention. Specifically, the structure of the buildable seal assembly  200  is substantially similar to that of buildable seal assembly  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . However, the buildable seal assembly  200  in  FIG. 7  includes a second bulb  152 ′ connected to the right angled seal element  132  adjacent the bulb  152 . Further, the seal assembly  200  also includes a second wiper assembly  148 ′ having a bead  150 ′ positioned at the distal end of the elongated wiper. 
         [0056]    A third embodiment of a buildable seal assembly  300  is illustrated in a sectional view of  FIG. 8 . Specifically, the seal assembly  300  is not using a bulb assembly whatsoever, but instead is only using one wiper component  148 . It should be emphasized that the buildable seal assemblies in accordance with the invention are not limited to a specific number of bulbs or wiper components, and any number can be used without departing from the principal novel concepts of the invention 
         [0057]    In summary, the embodiments of the invention are utilized to create relatively water-tight seals around the perimeters of slide-out rooms of RV&#39;s and similar vehicles. The slide-out boxes on RV&#39;s telescope out of the wall, creating more square footage inside the unit. Since the room is dynamic, there is a requirement to have a seal around a perimeter, so as to stop the intrusion of light, water, and debris. The embodiments in accordance with the invention provide for several advantageous features. 
         [0058]    For example, with the jacket  102  separate from the snap-in sealing element  132 , an actual mitered corner can be achieved by cutting the jacket at a 45 degree angle. Other embodiments require the top seal to overlap the sides. This feature offers a significant performance advantage, by preventing leak paths due to the overlap, as well as providing a cosmetic or aesthetic advantage. The jacket  102  will allow the end consumer to trim the snap-in seal so as to match the mitered corner, or so as to use a molded insert. 
         [0059]    Further, by having the insert tabs  110  and the retention tabs  122 , an end consumer may repair a damaged snap-in seal with relative simplicity, by pressing the tab back and removing the same. Other systems require a complete removal of the jacket. 
         [0060]    Of primary importance, the embodiments in accordance with the invention are buildable and the OEM can choose the design. In the particular embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , the OEM can utilize one or two bulbs  152 , and one or two wiper components  146 . Further, the OEM can build different units on the same line, and use the same jacket and add or remove different snap-in seals, so as to accommodate the unit. Further, modifications can be made in the height of the wiper component or the size of the bulbs  152 , and in the different combinations of the same. This provides a significant manufacturing advantage for line speed and tooling costs. 
         [0061]    As earlier stated, some applications may just require the seal component  132 . In such an event, the jacket  102  can be made thinner and trimming is facilitated. 
         [0062]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the pertinent arts that other embodiments of the invention can be designed. That is, the principles of the invention are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. Accordingly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and other variations of the above-described illustrative embodiments of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention.