Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/705,839 filed May 6, 2015, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/992,898, filed May 14, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This description relates generally to sealing the bed of pickup trucks. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The bed of pickup trucks is often lined with spray on coatings to protect the metal surface from scratches and to protect the cargo from damage. Additionally, some truck beds are covered with a flexible or ridged cap, or tonneau cover. This cap or cover also protects the cargo from environmental damage and theft. 
         [0004]    Pickup truck tailgates, as typically provided by the manufacturers, have no gasket or seal around the perimeter of the tailgate. Lack of a gasket or seal on the tailgate allows dust, rain, and fumes to penetrate into the interior of the pickup truck bed, potentially damaging the cargo and decreasing the protective effect provided by the cap or cover. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified for as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0006]    The present example provides a tailgate seal with a taper seal for use at the tailgate of pickup trucks or other similar openings. The tailgate seal is provided with a self adhesive component for attachment to the vehicle, and can be provided with differing length dimensions for sealing openings with various lengths. 
         [0007]    Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a thick tailgate seal with taper seal. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a thin tailgate seal with taper seal. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a pickup truck bed with the thick and thin seal applied. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows the thin seal applied at the truck bed floor. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows the thick seal applied at the sides of the truck bed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram outlining the installation of the tailgate seals with taper seal. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the example and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples. 
         [0017]    The examples below describe a tailgate seal with taper seal. Although the present examples are described and illustrated herein as being implemented in a pickup truck bed, the system described is provided as an example and not a limitation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present examples are suitable for application in a variety of different types of orifice sealing applications. 
         [0018]    The tailgate seal with taper seal provides a seal that prevents the infiltration of dirt, rain, fumes, and the like from penetrating into a vehicle. The taper seal portion of the tailgate seal allows for use of one material where the gap to be sealed may be of a multitude of widths. Although dimensions are shown in some of the figures that follow, they are meant to be exemplary and are not intended to be a limitation. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a cross section of thick tailgate seal with taper seal  100 . The tailgate seal is comprised of an elongate body  112  typically made from an elastomer such as silicone, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber or the like. The seal is typically formed in a long piece with right angle extensions to fit the space between the sides of a tailgate and the longer bottom surface where the hinge may be located. 
         [0020]    The body  112  has a tapered sealing area  110  that provides a reduced thickness for improved sealing of gaps of various widths, while allowing for easier closure of the tail gate due to removal of excess material which would cause resistance to closure of the gate. In particular the tapered sealing area has a concave, or dished out surface  111 , that advantageously provides an improved seal while reducing the bulk of the seal over those that are not provided with such curvature. Previous seals may have attempted to ease closure by the use of additional voids in the tapered sealing area. However by providing a concave surface the need for such additional voids, that may be subject to breakthrough and rupture with extended use is removed. 
         [0021]    The body  112  also has a hollow orifice  108 , which allows compression and recovery of the tailgate seal. The orifice shown has a “D” shape, with the flat of the “D” substantially parallel to a flat bottom surface  113 , and with the curved portion of the “D” generally matching the curvature of an exterior crown area  103 . 
         [0022]    The body includes a flat bottom surface  113  that fits against the truck frame. At a second end there is a rounded area  116  where the concave area of the tapered sealing area abuts the flat bottom surface. Because of the absence of voids this rounded area may be be extended out providing more material to maintain the seal. The rounded area has a convex shape as it transitions from the tapered sealing area to the flat bottom surface. 
         [0023]    At a first end of the flat bottom surface a first end of the flat head surface  114  is encountered. The flat head surface is generally perpendicular to the flat bottom surface, and extends to a second end of the flat head surface. At the second end of the flat head surface transitions to a first end of a crown area  103 . At this juncture a first fin  106  is formed to aid in sealing the gate against the bed surface. 
         [0024]    An adhesive strip  102 , typically protected by a release material  104  is disposed adjacent to the second end of the flat bottom surface. The adhesive does not extend over the entire flat bottom surface because it has been found that by using substantially 50% coverage the first end of the flat bottom surface may flex during use, providing a better seal. 
         [0025]    The crown area  103  is generally convex and includes a second fin  107  that is generally oriented vertically and is located at the peak of the crown. This second fin is substantially oriented at a right angle to the first fin so that seals against two different surfaces (not in the same plane) in the jamb of the tail gate and bed are sealed. It is worth pointing out that the first and second fins seal different areas of the truck body, which is why they are spaced at substantially right angles from each other, and which is why they are not closely spaced together as if they were constructed to seal against a single planar surface. 
         [0026]    A second end of the crown area  103  transitions from a convex curve to a concave curve at a first end of the tapered sealing area  110 . A second end of the tapered sealing area transitions to the convex curvature encountered at a first end of the rounded area  116 , and finally a second end of the rounded area transitions into the second end of the flat bottom surface  113 . 
         [0027]    Fins  106 ,  107  are provided to aid the seal gaps between a tailgate and a truck bed differing surfaces (at differing angles). In one example, the seal body  112  has a flat bottom body surface  113  and a flat head surface  114  generally perpendicular to the flat bottom surface  113 . The orifice  108  has a flat bottom orifice surface  109  parallel to the surface  113  with a distance  119  between the flat bottom orifice surface  109  and the flat bottom body surface  113 . The tapered sealing area  110  comprises a tail section, or rounded area,  116  with a thickness less than the distance  119 . In another example, the seal body  112  further includes a plurality of fins  106  extending from the flat head surface  114  and extending upward from the orifice area respectively. 
         [0028]    The tailgate seal is provided with a self-adhesive layer  102  on the flat bottom body surface  113  which maintains the tailgate seal in opposition to the truck body. To protect the adhesive, it is covered with a release material  104  which is removed for installation of the tailgate seal. The self-adhesive layer  102  may have various widths. In one example, the self-adhesive layer  102  is only provided within the tapered sealing area  110  for the thick tailgate seal, which allows flexible movement of the tailgate seal around the orifice  108 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a cross section of thin tailgate seal with taper seal  200 . It is proportioned as described in  FIG. 1 . The tailgate seal in this figure provides similar attributes as that shown in  FIG. 1 , but is provided with different dimensions. This thinner tailgate seal  200  is provided with a tapered sealing area  210 , an orifice  208 , fins  206 , a self-adhesive layer  202  covered with a release material  204 . Although dimensions are shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , these are meant to be exemplary and not limiting. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present examples are suitable for application in a variety of different types of orifice or opening sealing applications. The aforementioned mention structure in  FIG. 1  may also be applicable to  FIG. 2 . For example, the seal body  212  has a flat bottom body surface  213  and a flat head surface  214  perpendicular to the flat bottom surface  213 . The orifice  208  has a flat bottom orifice surface  209  parallel to the surface  213  with a distance  215  between the flat bottom orifice surface  209  and the flat bottom body surface  213 . The tapered sealing area  210  comprises a tail section  216  with a thickness less than the distance  215 . In another embodiment, the seal body  212  further comprises a plurality of fins  206  extending from the flat head surface  214  and extending upward from the orifice area respectively. The self-adhesive layer  202  may have various widths. In one embodiment, the self-adhesive layer  202  extends beyond the tapered sealing area  210  to cover at least some of the flat bottom body surface  213  in proximity of the orifice  208 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows a pickup truck bed with the seal applied. The tailgate seal  304  and  306  is applied to the three sides of the pickup truck bed where the tailgate  308  meets the truck bed. When the tailgate  308  is closed, the tailgate seal  304  and  306  seal any gap between the tailgate  308  and truck bed. In one embodiment, the tailgate seal  304  and  306  have the same dimension. In another embodiment, the tailgate seal  304  and  306  have different dimensions. 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  shows the thin seal applied at the truck bed floor. The tailgate seal  304  is applied at the edge of the truck bed floor with the edge of the tailgate seal with the orifice  208  and fins  206  closest to the truck bed floor. In one embodiment, the flat head surface  214  is flush with truck bed floor surface  402  for a flat surface. Although the thin seal applied at the truck bed floor as shown I  FIG. 4 , it is understood that the thick seal may also be applied at the truck bed floor. 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  shows the thick seal  306  applied at the sides of the truck bed. The application is similar to that shown in  FIG. 4  in that the orifice and fins (not shown) are placed closest to the truck bed opening. 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram outlining the installation of the tailgate seals with taper seal. At block  602 , the area where the tailgate seal with taper seal  100  and  200  are to be applied is cleaned with soap and water and dried. Once dry, the areas are cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and allowed to dry. At block  604 , an adhesion promoter may optionally be applied to the areas where the tailgate seal with taper seal is applied. An adhesion promoter is typically not needed for a painted surface, but may help when installing a tailgate seal to a spray liner. At block  606 , a small portion of the release material  204  is removed from the adhesive  202  and the tailgate seal applied to the truck bed starting at one end. At block  608 , the process of removing a small section of release material from the adhesive layer is continued across the floor of the truck bed. At block  610 , the tailgate seal is cut with scissors. 
         [0034]    At block  612 , the tailgate seal  100  is applied to the sides of the tailgate opening, beginning at the bottom of the opening, progressing up the side wall to the top of the opening, then cutting the tailgate seal with scissors to fit. This block is repeated on the opposite side of the tailgate opening. 
         [0035]    It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to make various changes, alterations and modifications to the invention described herein. To the extent such changes, alterations and modifications do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims; they are intended to be encompassed therein. 
         [0036]    Those skilled in the art will realize that the process sequences described above may be equivalently performed in any order to achieve a desired result. Also, sub-processes may typically be omitted as desired without taking away from the overall functionality of the processes described above.

Technology Category: b