Abstract:
Door edge seal and retainer assemblies, particularly adapted for swing doors of motor truck and similar cargo containers, include elongated channel shaped retainer parts adapted to be mounted on the panel edges of the cargo container doors and comprising generally channel shaped members adapted to be secured to the panel edges. One or more elongated seal lip parts are integrally joined to the retainer part and may be cut away to provide access to one or more slots formed on the retainer part to receive flanges of replacement seal lip members for mounting the replacement seal lip members on the retainer parts without removing them from the panel edge in the event of damage to the original seal lip parts. The integral seal lip parts and retainer parts are preferably coextruded of polyvinylchloride wherein the lip parts are more flexible and of a lower hardness than the retainer part.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to door edge seal and retainer assemblies wherein elongated seal lip members are integrally formed with a retainer attachable to the door edge and the lip members may be cut away, when worn, and replaced by another seal member without replacing the retainer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In applications of swing doors, particularly in cargo container doors, it is desirable to obtain a weathertight seal, as well as a low pressure hermetic seal in certain applications, about the perimeter of the door panel or panels while at the same time providing minimal opening and closing forces required to be exerted on the doors. Moreover, in the manufacture of doors and seal assemblies therefor, it is desirable to provide seal assemblies which may be easily attached to the door panel edges while requiring minimal attachment effort and while also providing a seal which has a long life. 
     Door edge seals for cargo container doors, in particular, are subject to rapid wear due to the extreme environmental conditions they are subjected to as well as the frequent opening and closing motions of the doors. In this regard, the flexible seal lips are likely to suffer early wear and degradation or be subject to damage due to inadvertent engagement with truck or cargo container loading and unloading equipment, for example. Whereas it is difficult to replace the entire seal and retainer assembly which extends along the edges of the door, it is desirable to be able to replace any worn or damaged flexible seal lip parts without the effort required to replace the seal retainer or support structure or the entire door panel itself. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides improved door edge seal and retainer assemblies, particularly adapted for use with swing doors for motor truck cargo containers and the like. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a door panel edge seal and retainer assembly is provided wherein a retainer member is adapted for engagement with and retention on the door panel edge and one or more elongated seal lips are integrally joined to the retainer and are preferably coextruded with the retainer from a polymer material. The retainer is configured such that the seal lips may be cut away when worn or damaged and replaced by a replacement seal member having, essentially, the same configuration and arrangement of seal lips or fingers and which may be supported on the retainer to form a replacement seal and retainer assembly. The hardness or rigidity of the seal member or members and the retainer member are different so that the seal members retain resiliency and are elastically deformable to provide an effective seal while the retainer member is provided with sufficient rigidity to allow for securing the retainer to a door panel edge. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a door edge seal and retainer assembly is provided with an integral seal part and wherein the retainer is configured to be connectable to a seal member which is fabricated separate from the retainer, may be easily assembled to the retainer and tightly secured thereto under all operating conditions and may be removed from the retainer for replacement, if needed. 
     The present invention still further provides an improved integral seal and retainer assembly wherein one or more flexible seal members and a retainer member may be coextruded of a suitable polymer material, such as polyvinylchloride, and the seal and retainer members may have different hardness or stiffness. 
     Still further, the present invention contemplates a method of repairing or replacing a flexible seal for a door panel edge wherein original integrally formed seal lip parts are removed from a retainer or support member without removing the retainer or support member from the door panel, and a replacement seal member is mountable on and retained on the retainer member. The replacement seal member is adapted to be easily mounted on and supported by the retainer member and multiple replacement seal members may be subsequently substituted for previous seal members without replacing the retainer member. 
    
    
     Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above mentioned advantages and features of the invention together with other superior aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor truck having a cargo compartment or body with swing doors which include door edge seal and retainer assemblies in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a section view taken along the line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 showing one preferred embodiment of an integrally formed door edge seal and retainer assembly in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a detail transverse section view of one of the seal and retainer assemblies shown in FIG. 2 but on a larger scale; 
     FIG. 4 is a section view of the retainer only after the opposed flexible seal lip parts have been cut away; 
     FIG. 5 is a section view of the retainer and a replacement seal member secured to the retainer; 
     FIG. 6 is a section view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternate embodiment of an integral seal and retainer assembly in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a section view showing the retainer member of the embodiment of FIG. 6 with the opposed flexible seal lips cut away; 
     FIG. 8 is a section view similar to FIG. 5 showing a replacement seal member mounted on the retainer member of FIGS.  6  and  7 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features or elements may be shown in somewhat schematic or generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a motor truck  10  having a generally rectangular boxlike cargo compartment or container  11  formed with a transverse rear wall  12  supporting opposed, generally rectangular and planar, swing door panels  14  and  16  for closing a rear opening in the cargo container. Panel side edge seals  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  and  14   d  extend along the perimeter edges of the panel  14  while corresponding side edge seals  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c  and  16   d  extend along the perimeter edges of the door panel  16 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a typical arrangement of door panel side edge seals for the panel  14 . The panel  14  is, typically, a generally rectangular planar member having a relatively small thickness and may be fabricated of laminated wood, composite materials or metals, for example. By way of example, as shown in FIG. 2, cooperating panel edge seal and retainer assemblies  14   b  and  14   d  are shown, in the door closed position, engaged with container top wall or header  11   a  and container bottom wall or sill  11   b  for closing an opening  13  formed between these members in rear wall  12 . The cross sectional configurations of the elongated integral seal and retainer assemblies  14   b  and  14   d , as shown, are exemplary and each of the elongated combination seal and retainer assemblies associated with the cargo container  11  is essentially like the other seal and retainer assemblies, namely, those designated by the numerals  14   a ,  14   c ,  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c  and  16   d.    
     Referring primarily to FIGS. 2 and 3, by way of example, the seal and retainer assemblies  14   b  and  14   d  are shown engaged with the body or container  11  in the closed position of the door panel  14  and each of the seal and retainer assemblies includes a pair of elongated flexible seal lip parts indicated by numerals  20  and  22  for the assembly  14   b  and corresponding seal lip parts  20   a  and  22   a  as indicated for the assembly  14   d . The seal and retainer assemblies  14   b  and  14   d  also include elongated channel shaped retainer parts  24  and  24   a , as indicated in FIG.  2 . The illustration of FIG. 2 indicates that the seal lip parts  20 ,  22 ,  20   a  and  22   a  are undeflected and shows these parts in their relaxed state. However, upon closure of the door panel  14 , the flexible seal lip parts  20 ,  22 ,  20   a  and  22   a  would deflect upon engaging the container bottom and top walls  11   b  and  11   a , respectively, to form a substantially weather tight seal at the cooperating surfaces of these walls, respectively. 
     Referring now primarily to FIG. 3, the seal and retainer assembly  14   b  is shown by way of example. Elongated flexible seal lip part  20  is formed as a somewhat arcuate tapered member having a distal tip  26  and a somewhat concave inner surface  28  spaced from a convex outer surface  30 . Seal lip part  20  is tapered from an end  38 , which is integrally joined to the retainer part  24 , to the tip  26 . Seal lip part  22  is arcuately curved toward seal lip part  20  and includes a distal tip  32  and arcuate concave and convex inner and outer surfaces  34  and  36  which taper, substantially, from an end  40 , which is integrally joined to the retainer part  24 , to the tip  32 . 
     Seal retainer part  24  is a substantially channel shaped member having opposed elongated, generally parallel extending flanges  42  and  44  which are joined by a transverse web  46  to form a channel space  47  for receiving the bottom edge  14   e  of panel  14 . Retainer part  24  is secured to the panel edge  14   e  by conventional means including a suitable adhesive and/or mechanical fasteners, not shown. Retainer part  24 , as previously mentioned, is integrally joined to the seal lip parts  20  and  22  at the ends  38  and  40  and the seal lip parts and retainer part are preferably coextruded of a suitable polymer material, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC). The hardness or stiffness of the flexible seal lip parts  20  and  22  is preferably about 65 Duro A Heavy Duty and the hardness or stiffness of the channel retainer part  24  is preferably about 78 Duro D Heavy Duty. The polyvinylchloride composition should also have a service temperature range of about −35° F. to +164° F. 
     Referring further to FIG. 3, the retainer part  24  is also provided with a support for a replacement seal member, including opposed, integral, oppositely facing angle shaped legs  48  and  50  which, together with the web  46  and cooperative portions of the flanges  42  and  44 , form elongated, generally rectangular cross section and parallel slots  52  and  54 , see FIG. 4 also. The slots  52  and  54  have a narrowed mouth  52   a  and  54   a , respectively, FIG.  4 . Slot mouth  52   a  is delimited by an edge  48   a  of leg  48 , a projection  48   b  thereon and an edge  42   a  of flange  42 . Slot mouth  54   a  is delimited by an edge  50   a  of leg  50 , a projection  50   b  on leg  50  and an edge  44   a  of flange  44 . As shown in FIG. 3, the inner surfaces  28  and  34  of the seal lip parts  20  and  22  are engageable with the edges  48   a  and  50   a , respectively, to close the mouths  52   a  and  54   a  of slots  52  and  54  during normal use of the seal and retainer assembly  14   b . However, the seal lip parts  20  and  22  are not necessarily joined to the legs  48  and  50  at the edges  48   a  and  50   a , although such may be the case. As previously discussed, the seal lip parts  20  and  22  are integrally joined to the flanges  42  and  44  at the lip part ends  38  and  40 , respectively, which are coplanar with the flange edges  42   a  and  44   a , respectively. 
     Referring further to FIGS. 2 and 3, the retainer part  24  is preferably provided with elongated integrally formed flexible tips  43  and  45  which are formed on and coextensive with the flanges  42  and  44  and are tapered toward each other to form seal members for engagement with opposed surfaces  14   f  and  14   g  of the door panel  14 . The flexible seal tips  43  and  45  are also coextruded with the remainder of the seal and retainer assembly  14   b  and are preferably of the lower hardness or durometer specification of the seal lip parts  20  and  22  set forth herein. 
     The seal lip parts  20  and  22  are subject to wear and/or damage through repeated use. In accordance with the present invention, the seal lip parts  20  and  22  may be removed from the retainer part  24  at the juncture formed by the edges  42   a  and  44   a  and the ends  38  and  40 , respectively, of the seal lip parts  20  and  22 . Removal of the seal lip parts  20  and  22  from the retainer  24  may be accomplished by merely cutting these parts away from the retainer at the edges  42   a  and  44   a  of the retainer part to leave the retainer part in the configuration shown in FIG.  4  and still attached to the door panel  14 . 
     Accordingly, the retainer part  24  may be used to support a replacement seal member, as shown in FIG.  5  and generally designated by the numeral  60 . The seal member  60  includes opposed arcuately shaped elongated seal lip parts  62  and  64  corresponding substantially to the configuration of the seal lip parts  20  and  22  in most respects. However, the seal member  60  includes an integral elongated transverse web  66  which joins the seal lip parts  62  and  64  to each other. Still further, the seal member  60  includes opposed inwardly projecting retainer flanges  68  and  70  which are configured to be forcibly inserted through the mouths  52   a  and  54   a  of the slots  52  and  54  and into the slots in engagement with the legs  48  and  50  and the edges  42   a  and  44   a  of the retainer part flanges  42  and  44  to be retained therein and supported on the retainer part  24 . 
     The seal member  60  takes the place of the individual seal lip parts  20  and  22  whereby the door panel  14  may be reconditioned to include suitable working seal and retainer assemblies corresponding to the seal and retainer assembly shown in FIG.  5  and generally designated by the numeral  72 . Thanks to reentrant surfaces  42   b  and  44   b , FIG. 5, of the flange edges  42   a  and  44   a  and the reentrant surfaces or projections  48   b  and  50   b  of the edges  48   a  and  50   a  of the respective legs  48  and  50 , the opposed flanges  68  and  70 , which are integrally formed on the seal member  60 , are suitably retained in engagement with the retainer part  24  but may be forcibly removed from the retainer part if damage occurs to the seal member  60 . Accordingly, the seal member  60  may be replaced by a like member and the panel  14  may have an extended life since the retainer part  24  will not require replacement unless it is damaged or worn itself. 
     The aforedescribed conversion of the seal and retainer assembly  14   b  to the seal and retainer assembly  72  may be carried out for each of the seal and retainer assemblies previously described in conjunction with FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. A particular advantage of the integral seal and retainer assembly  14   b  is that the replaceable seal lip parts  20  and  22  are disposed over the mouths of the slots  52  and  54  to prevent intrusion of debris and moisture into the slots during normal operation of a door panel incorporating the seal and retainer assembly until the seal lip parts are cut away and replaced by the seal member  60 . In this regard, the slots  52  and  54  do not require any clean out operation before insertion of the flexible resilient flanges  68  and  70  into the respective slots  52  and  54 . The seal member  60  may be formed of polyvinylchloride (PVC) having substantially the same hardness as the seal lip parts  20  and  22 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, an alternate embodiment of a seal and retainer assembly in accordance with the invention is illustrated and generally designated by the numeral  80 . The seal and retainer assembly  80  may be substituted for the seal and retainer assembly  14   b  on the panel  14 , as illustrated, or similar panels and similar seal and retainer assemblies may be mounted on the panel extending along the top edge and opposed side edges thereof. The seal and retainer assembly  80  includes opposed, flexible, elongated seal lip parts  82  and  84  which have a configuration very similar to the seal lip parts  20  and  22 , that is, being inwardly curved toward each other and tapered to respective distal tips  86  and  88 . Thus, the seal lip parts  82  and  84  have arcuate inner concave surfaces  82   a  and  84   a  and arcuate outer convex surfaces  82   b  and  84   b , respectively. Seal lip parts  82  and  84  are integrally joined to a retainer part  90  comprising a channel shaped member having opposed parallel and substantially coextensive flanges  92  and  94  which are joined by a transverse web  96 . 
     Flanges  92  and  94  include opposed wing portions  92   a  and  92   b  and  94   a  and  94   b , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Replacement seal member support is provided by flange wing portions  92   b  and  94   b  which include reentrant coextensive and substantially coplanar edge portions  92   c  and  94   c  which delimit a mouth  98  for a slot  100  extending between the flange wing portions  92   b  and  94   b  and also delimited by the web  96 . As shown in FIG. 6, the flexible lip parts  82  and  84  are integrally joined to the retainer part  90  at the flange wing edge portions  92   c  and  94   c  whereby the lip parts  82  and  84  have ends  82 c and  84 c which are substantially coplanar and which are integral with surfaces  92   d  and  94   d  of the flange wing edge portions  92   c  and  94   c.    
     FIG. 7 illustrates the retainer part  90  with the seal lip parts  82  and  84  removed therefrom generally in the same manner that the seal lip parts  20  and  22  are removed from the retainer part  24 , that is, by cutting or otherwise separating the seal lip parts from the retainer at the coincident surfaces forming joints between the seal lip parts  82  and  84 , respectively, and the retainer part  90 . Accordingly, when one or both of the seal lip parts  82  and  84  become worn or damaged, they both may be cut away from the retainer part  90  to leave the retainer part in the configuration shown in FIG.  7 . Retainer part  90  also advantageously includes coextensive flexible seal tip portions  93  and  95  which extend from the distal edges of the flange wings  92   a  and  94   a , as illustrated. 
     The seal lip parts  82  and  84  and the retainer part  90 , together with the integral seal tip portions  93  and  95 , may be integrally formed as an extrusion wherein the extruded material preferably comprises PVC and the hardnesses of the respective parts are substantially the same as for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5. In other words, the seal lip parts  82  and  84  and the seal tip portions  93  and  95  are formed of PVC of hardness of about 65 Duro A Heavy Duty while the retainer part is extruded of PVC having a hardness or “durometer” of about 78 Duro D Heavy Duty. 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, the retainer part  90  is illustrated with a replacement seal member  102  suitably secured thereto. The seal member  102  includes opposed seal lip parts  104  and  106  having substantially the same geometry as the seal lip parts  82  and  84 , that is, being somewhat arcuate and tapered in the direction of respective tip portions  107  and  109 . The seal lip parts  104  and  106  are formed integral with a transverse web base part  108  having opposed, coextensive and substantially coplanar grooves  110  and  112  formed therein and opening to the exterior of the seal member  102  in opposite directions. The web base part  108 , including the opposed grooves  110  and  112 , defines opposed flange portions  108   a  and  108   b  which retain the seal member  102  firmly attached to the retainer part  90 . The seal member  102  is of sufficient flexibility that the flanges  108   a  and  108   b  may be deflected to enable insertion through the mouth  98  into the slot  100 . An elongated channel  113  in base  108  facilitates deflection of the flanges  108   a  and  108   b  during the aforementioned insertion procedure. Alternatively, the seal member  102  may be mounted on the retainer part  90  by sliding the base part  108  into the slot  100  from one end or the other of the retainer part  90 . 
     Accordingly, inexpensive replaceable seal and retainer assemblies are provided by the present invention which include coextruded integral retainer parts and seal lip parts which may be initially mounted on the structure intended to be sealed by the assemblies and wherein the configuration of the retainer part and the arrangement of the seal lip parts connected to the retainer part are such that the seal lip parts may be removed, such as by cutting them away from the retainer part, and a replacement seal member mounted on the retainer part at seal member supports, such as the structure defining the slots formed in the respective retainer parts of the embodiments disclosed herein. 
     The fabrication and installation of the seal and retainer assemblies of the present invention is believed to be within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art of flexible door edge seal and retainer assemblies. 
     Although preferred embodiments of a replaceable seal and retainer assembly have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that various substitutions and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.