Abstract:
An illuminated slide-out seal assembly is provided where the seal base is attached to an existing aperture. The seal base has an illuminating portion located between two rails and resides under a removable translucent bulb seal. The bulb seal has a first diffusing section and a second diffusing section. The first diffusing section is stiffer and resists movement. The second diffusing section is more flexible and can compress when outside force is applied.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This present disclosure relates to a seal for sealing a slide-out room and main living quarters and having illumination. Slide out rooms are commonplace in the RV industry and illumination is a commonly desired feature. The illumination could be for accent lighting, decoration, background lighting, or for safety. Currently if lighting is needed in the seal area, a separate illuminating piece is required, allowing the possibility of exposed wiring, electrical shorts, and complex installation. An integrated lighting and sealing solution is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present disclosure describes using a translucent bulb seal in conjunction with the seal base incorporating a LED strip that illuminates through the bulb seal and provides a diffused illumination projecting outward. Compression of the seal does not result in damage to the seal or LED strip. The LED strip can be illuminated while compressed or in the resting position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    A preferred embodiment of this invention has been chosen wherein: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the device as installed on a trailer; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is top view of section  2 - 2  of the trailer in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is partial section  3  of the section  2 - 2  in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the seal assembly; 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the seal base as installed on a sidewall; 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the seal base; 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the seal assembly as installed; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the seal assembly as installed with a bulb seal compressed. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]    Referring now to the drawings, mobile living quarters, such as the fifth wheel recreational vehicle  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , include side walls  12  and a ceiling  14 . The mobile living quarters  10  is mounted on wheels  16  for transport. An aperture  18 ,  FIG. 2  is provided in one of the side walls  12  and slidably receives a slide-out room  20 . The side walls  12  and ceiling  14  cooperate to define a main living area generally indicated by the numeral  22 . The slideout room includes side walls  24 , a ceiling  26 , and a front wall  28 . As known to those skilled in the art, the slide-out room  20  is mounted for movement through the aperture  18 , so that it may be retracted into the main living quarters  22  when the unit is transported, but can be extended from the main living quarters when the unit is parked for use, thereby providing auxiliary living space. The slide-out room  20  includes a flange  30  extending around the side walls  24  and ceiling wall  26  at the front wall  28  and another flange  32  extending around the side walls  24  and ceiling wall  26  at the ends thereof opposite the ends joined to the front wall  28 . The side walls  24 , ceiling wall  26  and front wall  28  cooperate to define an auxiliary living area  34 , which is available for use when the unit is parked and the slide-out room  20  is moved to the extended position. 
         [0013]    It is necessary to assure that moisture, dirt, debris, etc., be prevented from entering the living quarters. Accordingly, translucent bulb seals  44 ,  46 ,  FIG. 3  are attached to the seal base  35 . The seal base  35  is mounted around the aperture  18  on an outside surface  50  and an interior surface  52  of the side wall  12  adjacent the aperture  18 , and a wiper seal  54  engages the side walls  24  and ceiling wall  26  of the slide-out room  20  to wipe against the walls  24 ,  26  as the slide-out room  20  extends and retracts. The seal base  35 ,  FIGS. 3 and 6  is continuously extruded from different durometer materials with portions having different properties, The continuous extrusion allows the flexibility of different lengths to be cut off and installed. The seal base  35  includes a pair of longitudinal attachment members  36 ,  38 ,  FIG. 4 , which are connected by a longitudinal connecting member  40   FIGS. 3 and 6 , which extends over the transverse edge  42  of the sidewall  12 . Translucent bulb seals  44 ,  46 ,  FIG. 3  are manufactured separately and attached to their corresponding attachment members  36  and  38   FIG. 4 , as will be hereinafter described. To facilitate installation of the seal base  35  on the unit  10 , a strip of double-sided adhesive tape  48   FIG. 6 , one side of which is adhesively connected to the side of attachment member  36 , is applied to the outside surface  50  of the side wall  12 . The opposing attachment member ( 38 , respectively) is positioned against the inside surface  52  of the side wall  12  and the connecting member  40  over the transverse edge  42 . The outside of the tape  48  is covered with a removable backing, which is stripped away to expose the adhesive just before the attachment member  38  is applied against the outside surface  50  to thereby hold the seal base  35   FIG. 6  in place. The seal base  35  can later be firmly attached to the corresponding inside and outside surfaces  52   FIG. 3 and 50  by appropriate fasteners as needed, such as screws or nails, before the bulb seals  44 ,  46  are installed on the attachment members  36 ,  38 , such that the fasteners are driven through the corresponding attachment members  36 ,  38 , and into the side wall  12 . Wiper seals  54  extend from the connecting portion  40 ,  FIG. 3  and are adapted to flex against the side walls  24  and ceiling wall  26  of the slide-out room  20  during extension and retraction of the latter. 
         [0014]    Located between and recessed below outer surfaces  63 ,  65 ,  FIGS. 5 and 6  of the parallel rails  64 ,  66  is a luminescent strip  90  that is made up of a string of individual lights  92 . The lights  92  are usually LED elements that are wired together. The lights  92  produce light when electrical current is supplied to the luminescent strip  90 . Several options, instead of LED, are available as is commonly known in the art. Electroluminescent strips (EL) or incandescent bulbs can be implemented instead of LED. A multi-colored LED strip can also be implemented, giving the user the ability to modify the color of the light being produced by the lights  92 . Fading, chasing, or other varying light schemes can be added with the use of a controller. The luminescent strip  90  can be installed on the attachment member  36 ,  38  that is adjacent to an outside wall, an inside wall, or both as is shown in all FIGS. Installation of the luminescent strip  90  can take place before or after the attachment members  36 ,  38  are attached to walls  52 ,  50  respectively. The luminescent strip can be attached to the attachment members  36 ,  38  through a snap-fit, adhesive, tape, or other means as is commonly known in the art. The luminescent strip  90  can have apertures to allow screws or other fasteners to be driven through the strip  90  or fasteners can be driven through the attachment members  36 ,  38  before the luminescent strip  90  is attached. 
         [0015]    The translucent bulb seals  44 ,  46  are formed from continuously extruded translucent materials of different durometer. There are inwardly facing tabs  72  and  74 ,  FIGS. 7 and 8  of a higher durometer, forming a groove. A web  86  is formed from a similarly higher durometer. The bulb portion  82  is formed from a lower durometer, giving the bulb portion  82  the ability to deform when pressure is applied. A cavity  84  is created between the web  86  and bulb portion  82 . As the bulb portion  82  is compressed, the cavity  84  is reduced in size. At full compression, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the bulb portion  82  contacts the web  86 . Since the web  86  is formed from a higher durometer, it does not deform to the same extent, leaving a gap between the outside surface of the luminescent strip  90  and lights  92 ,  FIG. 6 . Maintaining a gap between the luminescent strip  90  and the web  86  prevents damage to the bulb seal  44 ,  46  and the luminescent strip  90 . The higher durometer web  86  can extend partially into the bulb portion  82  forming nubs  83 ,  FIG. 7 , giving increased resistance to deforming or crushing. 
         [0016]    When the bulb seals  44 ,  46  are installed on the seal base  35  as is shown in  FIGS. 4, 7 , and  8 , light  94 ,  FIG. 6  must first pass through the web  86  and then the bulb portion  82 . The web offers some diffusing effect. The bulb portion  82  further diffuses the light. As with any luminescent strip  90  that contains individual lights  92 , the illumination  94  as it leaves the luminescent strip  90  is made up of a string of point source lighting with bright points and dim points, leaving an undesirable pattern. The diffusing effect of the web  86  and bulb portion  82  has a smoothing effect to even out the illumination  94  to create a more cohesive and even look. The bulb seals  44 ,  46  offer environmental and physical protection to the luminescent strip  90 . Outside contaminants must first pass through the tongue  72 ,  74 ,  FIG. 7  and groove  68 ,  70 ,  FIG. 6  before it can reach the luminescent strip  90 . The luminescent strip  90  is powered externally through a controller or other device to regulate electrical current. Individual luminescent strips  90  can be interconnected, either through the source or connected to adjacent strips, such as the horizontal portion as shown in  FIG. 2  at the top of the slide-out room  20  where it meets the adjacent vertical portion on the sides of slide-out room  20 . 
         [0017]    Should the luminescent strip  90  be installed on only one side, a translucent bulb seal  44 ,  46  would only be required on the same side. A standard opaque bulb seal  44 ,  46  could be installed on the non-illuminated side. 
         [0018]    Different manufacturers of mobile living quarters manufacture the sidewalls thereof from different materials and thus the sidewalls of different manufacturers are of different thicknesses. However, it is clearly desirable that the number of different variations of the seal base  35  that must be manufactured be minimized. Accordingly, an accordion pleat  56 ,  FIGS. 7 and 8  extends along the length of the connecting member  40   FIG. 5  to permit the width of the connecting member  40  to be adjusted, to thereby accommodate walls of varying thicknesses, as illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In  FIG. 7 , the seal base  35  is in a “closed” or narrow position, to accommodate a relatively narrow sidewall. In this position, the accordion pleat  56  projects into the space between the wiper seals  54 . In  FIG. 6 , the seal base is in an “open” position, which accommodates the widest sidewall. In this position, the accordion pleat is stretched out so that the connecting member lies substantially flat against the transverse edge  42 . It will be noted that as the attachment members  36 ,  38   FIG. 5  are secured to their corresponding inside and outside surfaces  50 ,  52   FIG. 3 , the width of the connecting member  40  automatically adjusts to accommodate a sidewall of any thickness between those accommodated by the fully open and fully closed positions of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The pleat  56  is formed by parallel, longitudinal score lines  58 ,  60 ,  FIGS. 6 and 7  on the side of the connecting member  40  facing away from the transverse edge  42  and between the wiper seals  54 , and by forming a third longitudinal score line  62  on the side of the connecting member  40  that lies against the transverse edge  42  when the seal base is installed on the sidewall. The third score line  62  extends parallel to the score lines  58 ,  60 , and is located midway between them. The first, second and third score lines define corresponding first, second and third fold lines, thereby forming the accordion pleat. 
         [0019]    Each of the attachment members  36 ,  38  are provided with a pair of longitudinal, parallel rails  64 ,  66 ,  FIGS. 6 and 7 , which cooperate with the body of the corresponding attachment member  36  or  38  to define a corresponding pair of grooves  68 ,  70 . Each of the bulb seals  44 ,  46  are formed with a pair of longitudinal, parallel, inwardly projecting tabs  72 ,  74 ,  FIGS. 7 and 8  that project toward one another forming a tongue and are received within a corresponding one of the grooves  68  or  70  when the bulb seals  44 ,  46  are installed on the attachment members  36  and  38 . The bulb seals are sufficiently flexible that they may be flexed during installation on the attachment member  36  or  38  to cause the tabs  72 ,  74  to be received within their corresponding grooves  68  or  70 . Alternatively, the bulb seals  44 ,  46  may be installed upon the attachment members by sliding the bulb seals  44 ,  46  over the ends of the rails  64 ,  66  and then sliding the bulb seals along the rails. Before the bulb seals  44 ,  46  are properly positioned on their corresponding attachment member  36 ,  38 , fasteners (not shown), such as screws or nails, may be driven through the attachment members  36 ,  38  and then into the side wall  12 . Alternatively, after the bulb seals  44 ,  46  are properly positioned on their corresponding attachment member  36 ,  38 , fasteners (not shown), such as screws or nails, may be driven through the bulb seals  44 ,  46 , through the corresponding attachment members  36 ,  38  and then into the side wall  12 . It will be remembered that prior to installation of the fasteners, the seal base  35  is secured by the tape  48 . 
         [0020]    It is understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects. No specific limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Modifications may be made to the disclosed subject matter as set forth in the following claims.