Wilmes, Richard J.;

Weatherstrip

An improved weatherstrip for sealing the meeting stiles of a sliding door unit. The weatherstrip material comprises two, longitudinally elongated weatherstrip members. Each weatherstrip member has a substantially rigid base section which is fixedly secured to the stile. A first flexible leg extends out from the base section at an angle relatively thereto to resiliently engage corresponding legs on the opposed weatherstrip member. A second resilient leg may also be provided for sealing against the sides of the meeting stile.

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What is claimed is:

1. An improved sliding door unit having a frame; first and second door panels, at least one of the door panels being slidable in the frame relative to the other door panel to open and close a door opening; wherein each door panel includes a vertically extending meeting stile, wherein each meeting stile includes a longitudinal surface and two side edges which extend rearwardly from the longitudinal surface to define opposed sides of the meeting stile, the meeting stiles being located adjacent and opposed to one another with the longitudinal surfaces thereof being disposed in a face-to-face relationship and spaced from one another by a gap when the first and second door panels are disposed in a closed orientation; and wherein the improvement relates to:

a weatherstrip material which is insertable into the gap between the meeting stiles, the weatherstrip material having a flexible configuration to allow the gap to be sealed regardless of any variation in the thickness of the gap from a nominal value, wherein the weatherstrip material comprises first and second longitudinally elongated weatherstrip members, each weatherstrip member having a substantially rigid base and a first flexible leg projecting outwardly therefrom, each weatherstrip member having the base thereof fixedly secured to the longitudinal surface of one of the meeting stiles with the first flexible leg extending outwardly into the gap, and wherein the first flexible legs of the first and second weatherstrip members are oriented on the bases to engage one another to seal the gap between the meeting stiles, wherein the rigid base further includes a second outwardly projecting flexible leg thereon, said second leg extending substantially outwardly from the base in the same direction as the first leg and into the gap, wherein the second flexible leg is pivotably movable relative to the base to vary the angle that the second leg forms relative to the base, and wherein the second flexible leg extends outwardly sufficiently far from the rigid base and is located thereon such that the second leg of each weatherstrip member engages one of the side edges of the meeting stile on which the other weatherstrip member is secured, whereby the second legs of the weatherstrip members mask off the gap to minimize weather infiltration through the gap.

2. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 1, in which the rigid base of each weatherstrip member comprises a substantially rigid plate, each plate having the first flexible leg positioend adjacent one end thereof, and wherein the first flexible leg comprises a foamed material.

3. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first flexible leg of each weatherstrip member extends an an angle relatively to the rigid base.

4. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 1, in which the second flexible leg has a hinge line integrally formed therein to facilitate rotary movement of the second leg.

5. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 1, in which the first and second flexible legs are each made of a foamed material suitably bonded adjacent either end of the rigid base, and wherein the base and foamed legs are surrounded by an outer covering to complete the weatherstrip member.

6. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 1, in which pad portions are formed on the side of the rigid base secured to the meeting stile to enhance the sealing of the base therewith.

7. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 9, in which the pads are formed of a resilient material.

8. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 1, in which the first flexible leg includes a relatively rigid leg portion which is resiliently secured to the rigid base by at least one flexible hinge portion.

9. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 11, in which the rigid base and the rigid leg portion are made of relatively rigid plastic material and the hinge portion is formed of a substantially resilient plastic material.

10. An improved sliding door unit as recited in claim 8, in which each weatherstrip member further include a second flexible leg secured to the rigid base, wherein the second flexible leg comprises a substantially rigid leg portion secured to the base and having an outer flexible leg portion secured thereto, and wherein the outer flexible leg portion is made sufficiently long such that the second leg extends substantially outwardly from the rigid base.