US2014021713A1PendingUtilityA1

Flashing strip

36
Assignee: AZTEC MFG INCPriority: Mar 25, 2011Filed: Sep 24, 2013Published: Jan 23, 2014
Est. expiryMar 25, 2031(~4.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Henry R. Degraan
E04D 13/147E04D 13/14E04D 13/1476
36
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A flashing strip can include a body and at least one reinforcing member. The flashing strip can include a viscoelastic body deformable by a manual force between at least a first configuration and a second configuration. The flashing strip can also include at least one reinforcing member being deformable by the manual force. The reinforcing member can be configured to maintain a first shape of the body when the body is in the first configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body and can be configured to maintain a second shape of the body when the body is in the second configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flashing strip for use in forming a seal between a first construction surface and a second construction surface, the flashing strip comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis, the body being viscoelastically deformable by a manual force along the longitudinal, lateral, and transverse axes between at least a first configuration and a second configuration; and   a first reinforcing member embedded at least partially in the body, the first reinforcing member comprising a non-resilient material and being deformable by the manual force along at least the longitudinal axis wherein the first reinforcing member is configured to maintain a first shape of the body when the body is in the first configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body, and wherein the first reinforcing member is configured to maintain a second shape of the body when the body is in the second configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body.   
     
     
         2 . The flashing strip of  claim 1 , wherein the first shape is different than the second shape. 
     
     
         3 . The flashing strip of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a central portion, a first lateral portion, and a second lateral portion, wherein the central portion is disposed between the first lateral portion and the second lateral portion. 
     
     
         4 . The flashing strip of  claim 3 , wherein the first reinforcing member is embedded in at least a portion of the first lateral portion. 
     
     
         5 . The flashing strip of  claim 4 , further comprising a second reinforcing member comprising a non-resilient material and being deformable by the manual force along the longitudinal, lateral, and transverse axes, wherein the second reinforcing member is configured to maintain the first shape of the body when the body is in the first configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body, and wherein the first reinforcing member is configured to maintain the second shape of the body when the body is in the second configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body. 
     
     
         6 . The flashing strip of  claim 5 , wherein the second reinforcing member is embedded in at least a portion of the second lateral portion. 
     
     
         7 . The flashing strip of  claim 3 , wherein a transverse dimension of the central portion is less than a transverse dimension of the first lateral portion. 
     
     
         8 . The flashing strip of  claim 7 , wherein the transverse dimension of the central portion is less than 60% of the transverse dimension of the first lateral portion. 
     
     
         9 . The flashing strip of  claim 8 , wherein the transverse dimension of the first lateral portion is about the same as a transverse dimension of the second lateral portion. 
     
     
         10 . The flashing strip of  claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcing member comprises a metal. 
     
     
         11 . The flashing strip of  claim 10 , wherein the first reinforcing member comprises steel. 
     
     
         12 . The flashing strip of  claim 1 , wherein the first reinforcing member is ribbon shaped. 
     
     
         13 . The flashing strip of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a viscoelastic vulcanizate material. 
     
     
         14 . The flashing strip of  claim 13 , wherein the viscoelastic material comprises at least one rubber component containing an EPDM rubber and 150 to 300 parts by weight of clay per 100 parts of rubber component(s). 
     
     
         15 . The flashing strip of  claim 14 , wherein the viscoelastic material comprises 240 parts by weight of clay per 100 parts of rubber component(s). 
     
     
         16 . The flashing strip of  claim 1 , wherein the body is sized such that the body stretches 200% or more when subjected to a tensile load of no more than about 75 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         17 . A flashing strip comprising:
 a viscoelastic body comprising
 at least one rubber component, and 
 150 to 300 parts by weight of clay per 100 parts of rubber component(s); and 
   at least one reinforcing member at least partially embedded within a portion of the body.   
     
     
         18 . The flashing strip of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one rubber component comprises EPDM rubber. 
     
     
         19 . The flashing strip of  claim 17 , wherein the body has a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis, wherein the body is deformable by a manual force along the longitudinal, lateral, and transverse axes between at least a first configuration and a second configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The flashing strip of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one reinforcing member comprises a non-resilient material that is deformable by the manual force along the longitudinal, lateral, and transverse axes, wherein the at least one reinforcing member is configured to maintain a first shape of the body when the body is in the first configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body, and wherein the at least one reinforcing member is configured to maintain a second shape of the body when the body is in the second configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body. 
     
     
         21 . The flashing strip of  claim 20 , wherein the body is sized such that the body stretches 200% or more when subjected to a tensile load of no more than about 75 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         22 . A method of manufacturing a flashing strip, the method comprising:
 providing a first layer of uncured viscoelastic material;   providing a reinforcing member;   providing a second layer of uncured viscoelastic material; and   disposing the reinforcing member between at least a portion of the first layer and at least a portion of the second layer.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising processing the reinforcing member to form a ribbon shape. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising curing the first layer and the second layer to form a vulcanizate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first layer comprises a material having at least one rubber component and 150 to 300 parts by weight of clay per 100 parts of rubber component(s). 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first layer comprises a first EPDM rubber component. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first layer comprises a second EPDM rubber component. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first EPDM rubber component is different than the second EPDM rubber component. 
     
     
         29 . A flashing strip comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a transverse axis, the body being deformable by a manual force along the longitudinal axis between at least a first configuration and a second configuration; and   a reinforcing member embedded at least partially in the body, the reinforcing member comprising a non-resilient material and being deformable by the manual force along the longitudinal axis, wherein the reinforcing member is configured to maintain a first shape of the body when the body is in the first configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body, wherein the reinforcing member is configured to maintain a second shape of the body when the body is in the second configuration and when the manual force is not applied to the body, and wherein the body has a second maximum longitudinal length in the second configuration that is greater than a first maximum longitudinal length of the body in the first configuration.   
     
     
         30 . The flashing strip of  claim 29 , wherein the second maximum longitudinal length is greater than 200% of the first maximum longitudinal length. 
     
     
         31 . The flashing strip of  claim 30 , wherein the manual force is no greater than 75 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         32 . The flashing strip of  claim 29 , wherein the body comprises a viscoelastic vulcanizate material. 
     
     
         33 . The flashing strip of  claim 29 , wherein the reinforcing member comprises a metal. 
     
     
         34 . The flashing strip of  claim 29 , wherein the body comprises at least one rubber component containing an EPDM rubber and 150 to 300 parts by weight of clay per 100 parts of rubber component(s).

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