Textile sealing apparatus

Abstract

A water impermeable sealing apparatus usable in textile applications, the apparatus includes a first sealing strip having a base that includes a first set of fastener elements carried on its surface in two spaced-apart areas; and extending along the first surface of the base between the two areas of the first set of fastener elements, a first sealing element is protruding from said the base. A complimentary second sealing strip also includes a base comprising a second set of fastener elements on its surface in two spaced-apart areas; and extending along the surface of the base between the two areas of the second set of fastener elements, a second sealing element is protruding from the base for non-interlocking engagement of the first sealing element when the first and second fastener elements are engaged.

1 . A sealing apparatus usable in textile applications, the apparatus comprising:
 a first sealing strip having an embedded region embedded with at least one magnet or at least one magnet reactive material;   a second sealing strip having an embedded region embedded with at least one magnet or at least one magnet reactive material;   wherein a magnetic force of attraction is generated between the first sealing strip and the second sealing strip when the first and second sealing strips are brought together, thereby creating a seal.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first and second sealing strips further comprise flanged portions to each side of the embedded regions. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the first sealing strips are made of an elastomeric material and the flanged portions are integral with said embedded regions. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the flanged portions of said first and second sealing elements further comprise fastener elements carried on each side of said embedded regions, such that when the first sealing strip and the second sealing strips are brought together, the fastener elements engage one another. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the fastener elements comprise hooks and hook-engageable fibers. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sealing strips are made of an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the embedded region of one of the first sealing strip and the second sealing strip displays concavity, and the embedded region of the other one of the first sealing strip and the second sealing strip displays convexity which interfits with the concavity. 
   
   
       8 . A sealing apparatus usable in textile applications, the apparatus comprising: an elastomeric first sealing strip having
 an embedded region embedded with at least one magnet or at least one magnet reactive material;   flanged portions to each side of the embedded region and integral with said embedded region;   fastener elements carried on said flanged portions on each side of said embedded region,   
     an elastomeric second sealing strip having
 an embedded region embedded with at least one magnet or at least one magnet reactive material; 
 flanged portions to each side of the embedded region and integral with said embedded region; 
 fastener elements carried on said flanged portions on each side of said embedded region; 
 wherein a magnetic force of attraction is generated between the first sealing strip and the second sealing strip when the first and second sealing strips are brought together, thereby creating a seal; and, 
 wherein when the first sealing strip and the second sealing strips are brought together, the fastener elements engage one another. 
 
   
   
       9 . A sealing apparatus usable in textile applications, the apparatus comprising:
 an first elastomeric sealing strip having
 a first embedded region embedded with a plurality of first magnets or with a plurality of first individual pieces of magnetic reactive material, and a first flanged portion connected to and projecting from one side of the embedded region and integral with said embedded region; and a second flanged portion connected to and projecting from the other side of the embedded region and integral with said embedded region; 
   a second elastomeric sealing strip having
 a second embedded region embedded with a plurality of second magnets or with a plurality of second individual pieces of magnetic reactive material, and a third flanged portion connected to and projecting from one side of the embedded region and integral with said embedded region, and a fourth flanged portion connected to and projecting from the other side of the embedded region and integral with said embedded region; and 
   wherein each one of the first magnets or first individual pieces of magnetic reactive material is located along the first sealing strip such that it comes into mutual magnetic attraction with one of the second magnets or second individual pieces of magnetic reactive material when the first elastomeric sealing strip is placed in longitudinal abutment with the second elastomeric sealing strip, and wherein a magnetic force of attraction is generated between the first elastomeric sealing strip and the second elastomeric sealing strip, thereby creating a seal.   
   
   
       10 . The sealing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first elastomeric sealing strip has a first footprint area, and the second elastomeric sealing strip has a second footprint area equal in width to that of the first footprint area. 
   
   
       11 . The sealing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first embedded region has concavity, and the second embedded region has convexity which interfittingly cooperates with the concavity of the first embedded region. 
   
   
       12 . The sealing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first embedded region has flat surfaces at its concavity, and the second embedded region has flat surfaces at its convexity. 
   
   
       13 . The sealing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each one of the first magnets or the first individual pieces of magnet reactive material is contained within the first embedded region is centered within the concavity of the first elastomeric sealing strip, and wherein each one of the second magnets or the second individual pieces of magnet reactive material is centered within the convexity of the second elastomeric sealing strip. 
   
   
       14 . The sealing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein there is one-to-one correspondence between each one of the first magnets or first individual pieces of magnetic reactive material and each one of the second magnets or second individual pieces of magnetic reactive material. 
   
   
       15 . The sealing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first flanged portion is tapered such that its thickness progressively decreases with increasing distance from the center of the first elastomeric sealing strip and the second flanged portion is tapered such that its thickness progressively decreases with increasing distance from the center of the first elastomeric sealing strip, and
 the third flanged portion is tapered such that its thickness progressively decreases with increasing distance from the center of the second elastomeric sealing strip and the fourth flanged portion is tapered such that its thickness progressively decreases with increasing distance from the center of the second elastomeric sealing strip.