Carrier Assembly with Fused Powder and Frame-Warp Aperture

Abstract

A carrier assembly is provided for reinforcing vehicle flange engaging strip such as a weatherstrip or trim strip. The carrier assembly includes a serpentine frame and a warp interlaced with the frame to form at least one frame-warp aperture. A fused powder bonds to at least one of the serpentine frame and the warp and inhibits movement of the warp relative to the frame, substantially preserving the frame-warp aperture.

1 . A method of forming a carrier assembly, the method comprising fusing a powder to at least one of a serpentine frame and a warp to inhibit movement of the warp relative to the frame and substantially preserve a frame-warp aperture.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising embedding the fused powder frame and warp in a strip material to substantially fill the frame-warp aperture.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising employing a flowable material as the powder.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising employing a particulate material as the powder.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising interlacing the warp to the frame.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising knitting the warp to the frame.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising weaving the warp to the frame.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising crocheting the warp to the frame.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heat fusing the powder to a junction of the frame and the warp.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising fusing a sufficient amount of powder to at least partially coat the frame and the warp.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the frame with a plurality of limbs interconnected at alternate ends by connecting regions, and the warp extends transverse to the limbs along a longitudinal dimension of the serpentine frame.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming the interconnecting regions as linear.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming the interconnecting regions as curvilinear.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming the interconnecting regions as segmented.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming the limbs to include an inflection point.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming the limbs to be linear.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising forming the limbs to be curvilinear.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the powder of one of a thermoplastic and a thermoset.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising fusing the powder to form a discontinuous surface on the serpentine frame.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising fusing the powder to form a discontinuous surface on the warp.