Gaskets and gasket-like devices including fasteners for gaskets and a method of making and using the same

Abstract

A gasket for sealing between a wall and a gasket support surface, such as between an oven housing and an oven door. The gasket includes a clip, the clip typically being made from a single strand of wire. The wire is bent into a head and a base, the base for engaging the gasket and head dimensioned for engagement with a wall for a support surface.

1 . A method of making a gasket assembly comprising the steps of:
 providing a multiplicity of clips, each clip having a head and a base, the base having a tail;   providing a woven gasket defining an interior volume;   placing each clip, spaced from the adjacent clip, at a location on the gasket that corresponds to hole spacing in the workpiece;   engaging the tail of each clip with the gasket; and   turning each clip until the base is substantially within the interior volume of the woven gasket and the head is substantially outside the gasket.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of weaving a sheath, the sheath comprising a multiplicity of strands, about a wire mesh core of the gasket following the turning step. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the weaving step places the sheath strands around the head of the clips. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the head has an apex, a pair of shoulders and a neck and has a longitudinal axis; wherein,   the base is attached to the head, the base comprises at least one coil course, the coil course having a plane and an interior space defined by a base perimeter, the longitudinal axis of the head extending perpendicular from the interior space of the coil course in a first direction to the plane of the coil course, the first direction above the plane of the coil course; and   wherein the base includes the tail, the tail depending from the plane of the base in a second direction, the second direction generally below the plane of the coil course, each clip comprising a single resilient wire having a first end and a second end, the second end of the resilient wire comprising the tail.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein:
 the head has an apex, a pair of shoulders and a neck and has a longitudinal axis; wherein,   the base is attached to the head, the base comprises at least one coil course, the coil course having a plane and an interior space defined by a base perimeter, the longitudinal axis of the head extending perpendicular from the interior space of the coil course in a first direction to the plane of the coil course, the first direction above the plane of the coil course; and   wherein the base includes the tail, the tail depending from the plane of the base in a second direction, the second direction generally below the plane of the coil course, each clip comprising a single resilient wire having a first end and a second end, the second end of the resilient wire comprising the tail.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein:
 the head has an apex, a pair of shoulders and a neck and has a longitudinal axis; wherein,   the base is attached to the head, the base comprises at least one coil course, the coil course having a plane and an interior space defined by a base perimeter, the longitudinal axis of the head extending perpendicular from the interior space of the coil course in a first direction to the plane of the coil course, the first direction above the plane of the coil course; and   wherein the base includes the tail, the tail depending from the plane of the base in a second direction, the second direction generally below the plane of the coil course, each clip comprising a single resilient wire having a first end and a second end, the second end of the resilient wire comprising the tail.   
   
   
       7 . The method of making a gasket assembly for attaching to holes in a workpiece comprising the steps of:
 providing a multiplicity of clips, each clip having a head, the head having an apex, a pair of shoulders and a neck and having a longitudinal axis, the clip including a base attached to the head, the base comprising at least one coil course, the coil course having a plane and an interior space defined by a base perimeter, the longitudinal axis of the head extending perpendicular from the interior space of the coil course in a first direction to the plane of the coil course, the first direction above the plane of the coil course, wherein the base includes a tail, the tail depending from the plane of the base in a second direction, the second direction generally below the plane of the coil course, the clip comprising a single resilient wire having a first end and a second end, the second end of the resilient wire comprising the tail;   providing a gasket having at least a wire mesh core defining an interior volume;   engaging the tail of each clip with the gasket; and   turning each clip until the base is substantially within the wire mesh core and the head is outside the wire mesh core.   weaving a sheath comprising a multiplicity of strands about the wire mesh core after the turning step; and   wherein the weaving step places wire mesh strands around the head of each clip.   
   
   
       8 . The gasket assembly made by the method of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       9 . The gasket assembly made by the method of  claim 7 . 
   
   
       10 . A method of making and using a gasket assembly adapted to attach to holes in a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a gasket defining a gasket interior volume;   providing a multiplicity of clips, each clip having a head, the head having an apex, a pair of shoulders and a neck and having a longitudinal axis, each clip including a base attached to the head, the base comprising at least one coil course, the coil course having a plane and an interior space defined by a base perimeter, the longitudinal axis of the head extending perpendicular from the interior space of the coil course in a first direction to the plane of the coil course, the first direction above the plane of the coil course, wherein the base includes a tail, the tail depending from the plane of the base in a second direction, the second direction generally below the plane of the coil course, each clip comprising a single resilient wire having a first end and a second end, the second end of the resilient wire comprising the tail;   placing each clip, spaced from the adjacent clip, at a location on the gasket that corresponds to hole spacing in the workpiece;   engaging the tail of each clip with the gasket;   inserting the tails of each of the multiplicity of clips into the interior volume of the gasket;   turning each clip until the course is substantially within the interior of the gasket and the head is substantially outside the woven sheath of the gasket; and   attaching the gasket to the workpiece.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further including, prior to the inserting step, the step of spreading some of the strands of the woven sheath. 
   
   
       12 . The gasket assembly made by the method of  claim 10 .