Weatherstrip assembly for sealing between a frame and a closure member and a method for producing the same

Abstract

A weatherstrip assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes a body having a base and first and second legs which define a channel. The body includes an interior base surface, a first interior leg surface, and a second interior leg surface disposed within the channel. The assembly includes at least one sealing lip having an abutment surface and a wearstrip disposed along at least one of the interior base surface, the first and second interior leg surfaces, and the abutment surface and formed of a thermoplastic polyethylene material. The wearstrip has a plurality of alternating wear sections and gaps that define a series of alternating semi-rigid and flexible sections, respectively, with each wear section having first and second surfaces. The first surface of one of the wear sections and the second surface of an adjacent wear section face each other to define the gap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A weatherstrip assembly for sealing between a frame and a closure member of a vehicle, said assembly comprising:
 a body extending along an axis to first and second opposing ends, said body having;
 a base; 
 a first leg extending from said base; 
 a second leg extending from said base with said first and second legs spaced from and extending substantially parallel to each other, and said base and said legs defining a channel for receiving the closure member; 
 an exterior surface disposed outside of said channel; 
 an interior base surface disposed within said channel along said base; 
 a first interior leg surface disposed within said channel along said first leg; and 
 a second interior leg surface disposed within said channel along said second leg; 
   at least one sealing lip having an abutment surface with said sealing lip extending from at least one of said first and second legs for selectively engaging the closure member; and   a wearstrip disposed along and extending from at least one of said interior base surface, said first interior leg surface, said second interior leg surface, and said abutment surface with said wearstrip formed of a thermoplastic polyethylene material for reducing friction as the closure member moves relative to said weatherstrip assembly;   wherein said wearstrip has a plurality of alternating wear sections and gaps that define a series of alternating semi-rigid and flexible sections, respectively, with each wear section having first and second surfaces and an engagement surface extending between said first and second surfaces, with said first surface of one of said wear sections and said second surface of an adjacent wear section facing each other to define said gap with said gaps promoting flexing at said flexible sections for facilitating mounting of said weatherstrip assembly to the frame.   
     
     
         2 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said wearstrip has a width transverse to said axis and with said wear sections extending across said width of said wearstrip. 
     
     
         3 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said body and said sealing lip have a first coefficient of friction and said wear sections have a second coefficient of friction with said second coefficient of friction less than said first coefficient of friction for facilitating movement of the closure member along said wearstrip. 
     
     
         4 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said wear sections have a length with each of said lengths substantially equidistant. 
     
     
         5 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said wear sections have a rectangular configuration. 
     
     
         6 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said wearstrip includes a transition section disposed in each of said gaps between said wear sections. 
     
     
         7 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said engagement surface of said wear sections have a first height from said at least one of said interior base surface, said first interior leg surface, said second interior leg surface, and said abutment surface, and said transition section has a transition surface having a second height from said at least one of said interior base surface, said first interior leg surface, said second interior leg surface, and said abutment surface with said first height greater than said second height for reducing contact and friction between the closure member and the wearstrip. 
     
     
         8 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said first height of said engagement surface of said wear section is at least about 10 microns with said second height of said transition surface less than said first height. 
     
     
         9 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic polyethylene material of said wearstrip is further defined as an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene material for reducing friction as the closure member moves along the wearstrip. 
     
     
         10 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said body and said at least one sealing lip are comprised of a rubber material for sealing against the closure member. 
     
     
         11 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said rubber material of each of each of said body and said at least one sealing lip is further defined as an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber for sealing against the closure member 
     
     
         12 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said gaps is further defined by said body. 
     
     
         13 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said engagement surface of said wear sections have a height from said at least one of said interior base surface, said first interior leg surface, said second interior leg surface, and said abutment surface with said height of said engagement surface at least about 10 microns. 
     
     
         14 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further including at least one tab extending from said body away from said channel for coupling said weatherstrip to the frame. 
     
     
         15 . A weatherstrip assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said at least one of said interior base surface, said first interior leg surface, said second interior leg surface, and said abutment surface define a depression with said wearstrip at least partially disposed within said depression to facilitate adhesion between said wearstrip and said at least one of said interior base surface, said first and second interior leg surfaces, and said abutment surface. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a weatherstrip assembly including a body extending along an axis to first and second opposing ends, the body having a base, a first leg extending from the base, a second leg extending from the base with the base and the legs defining a channel, an exterior surface disposed outside of the channel, an interior base surface disposed within the channel along the base, a first interior leg surface disposed within the channel along the first leg, and a second interior leg surface disposed within the channel along the second leg, at least one sealing lip having an abutment surface, and a wearstrip formed of a thermoplastic polyethylene material; said method comprising the steps of:
 extruding the body between the first and second ends;   simultaneously extruding the at least one sealing lip extending from at least one of the first and second legs longitudinally along the body between the first and second ends;   extruding the wearstrip along at least one of the interior base surface, the first interior leg surface, the second interior leg surface, and the abutment surface between the first and second surfaces;   interrupting the extrusion of the wearstrip while continuing the extrusion of the body and the at least one sealing lip to form a plurality of alternating wear sections and gaps that define a series of alternating semi-rigid and flexible sections.   
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the step of interrupting the extrusion of the wearstrip is further defined as temporarily stopping the extrusion of the wearstrip such that the gaps are defined by the body. 
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the wearstrip further includes a transition section disposed in each of the gaps, and wherein the step of interrupting the extrusion of the wearstrip is further defined as simultaneously extruding the transition section in the gaps during the interruption. 
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein each wear section has an engagement surface having a first height from the at least one of the interior base surface, the first interior leg surface, the second interior leg surface, and the abutment surface, and the transition section has a transition surface having a second height from the at least one of the interior base surface, the first interior leg surface, the second interior leg surface, and the abutment surface with the first height greater than the second height, wherein the step of simultaneously extruding the transition section in the gaps during the interruption is further defined as simultaneously extruding the transition section in the gaps during the interruption at the second height.