Sealed closures with weather-stripping

Claim 1

In a closure comprisiNg relatively slidable members having a region of overlap to be sealed against infiltration of water and air by weatherstripping, one of said members being formed in said region with a groove which is generally T-shaped in cross-section so as to present a pair of parallel opposed lips in the outer surface of said one member adjacent the other member, said lips extending parallel to the bottom surface of said groove, the confined spaces between said bottom surface and the inner surfaces of said lips opposite said bottom surface serving to define an effective depth dimension of said groove, the separation between said lips establishing a groove mouth the width of which is substantially less than the width of said groove; said weatherstripping comprising a sealing element including an elongate substrate in said groove formed with a core of foamed material providing flexibility and resilient compressibility; said substrate at least substantially filling the confined spaces between said bottom surface and said inner surfaces of said lips; the portions of said substrate in said confined spaces having a thickness, when free prior to being pulled into said groove, sufficient to provide said substantial filling of said confined spaces to maintain a tight seal and resist the infiltration of water and air thereby; a tough outer skin on said substrate core, where it engages said bottom and inner surfaces of said groove, to provide structural integrity therefor and to prevent damage to said substrate when it is initially installed by pulling the substrate longitudinally into the groove; the central uncompressed portion of said foamed substrate, between said confined spaces, protruding up into said groove mouth to a position above the level of said inner lip surfaces holding the adjacent compresses portions of said substrate tightly in place; and a mass of flexible, resilient fibers attached to and projecting outwardly away from the exposed upper surface of said central, uncompressed portion of said foamed substrate where it protrudes from said groove into the region of said mouth, said fibers engaging the adjacent surface of said other member to effect a desirably tight, water-and-air-resistant joint between said two members while permitting said relative sliding movement.