Extruded seal carrier and method of use

Abstract

A sealing apparatus includes a carrier and sealant contained by the carrier. An enclosure interface includes first and second pieces and defines one or more sealing channels that the sealing apparatus may be positioned within. The first piece defines an opening that has a perimeter sealed by the sealing apparatus. When the first and second pieces are mounted together, the sealant forms a first interface seal with the first piece and a second interface seal with the second piece. The one or more sealing channels are interconnected by one or more junction sections that include a volume of sealant. The carrier may define first and second channels that respectively contain first and second volumes of sealant. The method for making the sealing apparatus may include extruding the first and second volumes of sealant into the first and second channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An enclosure interface comprising:
 a first housing piece and a second housing piece that meet at an interface, at least one of the first and the second housing pieces defining a first enclosure sealing channel that extends along the interface;   a sealing apparatus positioned within the first enclosure sealing channel, the sealing apparatus including a carrier defining first and second elongate carrier channels that are elongated along the first enclosure sealing channel, the sealing apparatus also including a first volume of sealant material positioned within the first elongate carrier channel and a second volume of sealant material positioned within the second elongate carrier channel, wherein when the first and the second housing pieces are mounted together so as to meet at the interface, the first volume of sealant material forms a first interface seal with the first housing piece and the second volume of sealant material forms a second interface seal with the second housing piece.   
     
     
         2 . The enclosure interface of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing piece includes a first integral sealing projection that embeds in the first volume of sealant material to provide the first interface seal and the second housing piece includes a second integral sealing projection that embeds in the second volume of sealant material to provide the second interface seal. 
     
     
         3 . The enclosure interface of  claim 2 , wherein the first and the second integral sealing projections are first and second sealing fins. 
     
     
         4 . The enclosure interface of  claim 3 , wherein the first enclosure sealing channel is defined by the first housing piece, wherein a second enclosure sealing channel is defined by the second housing piece, wherein the first and the second enclosure sealing channels oppose each other when the first and the second housing pieces are mounted together, wherein the first sealing fin is positioned in the first enclosure sealing channel and the second sealing fin is positioned in the second enclosure sealing channel. 
     
     
         5 . The enclosure interface of  claim 4 , wherein the first and the second sealing fins are both completely recessed within their respective first and second enclosure sealing channels. 
     
     
         6 . The enclosure interface of  claim 2 , wherein the first and the second elongate carrier channels face in opposite directions. 
     
     
         7 . The enclosure interface of  claim 6 , wherein the carrier has a generally H-shaped transverse cross-sectional profile, the transverse cross-sectional profile being defined by a base wall that defines closed ends of the first and the second elongate carrier channels, a first set of opposing side walls corresponding to the first elongate carrier channel that project outwardly from a first side of the base wall, and a second set of opposing side walls corresponding to the second elongate carrier channel that project outwardly from a second side of the base wall, the first and the second sides of the base wall facing in opposite directions. 
     
     
         8 . An enclosure comprising:
 a housing including a first housing piece and a second housing piece, the first housing piece defining an opening having a perimeter, the first and the second housing pieces mounting together to cover the opening, the housing defining a first enclosure channel that extends around the perimeter of the opening, the first enclosure channel including at least one primary channel section interconnected by at least one junction section; and   a sealing arrangement positioned within the first enclosure channel for forming a seal between the first and the second housing pieces around the perimeter of the opening, the sealing arrangement including at least one carrier section each defining first and second elongate carrier channels, the at least one carrier section being positioned in the at least one primary channel section, the sealing arrangement also including at least one first volume of sealant material positioned within the first elongate carrier channel and at least one second volume of sealant material positioned within the second elongate carrier channel, the sealing arrangement further including at least one third volume of sealant material positioned within the at least one junction section of the first enclosure channel, the third volume of sealant material being in communication with the first and the second volumes of sealant material, wherein when the first and the second housing pieces are mounted together the first and the third volumes of sealant material form a first seal with the first housing piece that extends continuously around the perimeter of the opening, and the second and the third volumes of sealant material form a second seal with the second housing piece that extends continuously around the perimeter of the opening.   
     
     
         9 . The enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the primary channel sections are straight, and the junction sections are positioned at corners between the primary channel sections. 
     
     
         10 . The enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the junction sections are positioned at corners between the primary channel sections of the first enclosure channel. 
     
     
         11 . The enclosure of  claim 9 , wherein the junction sections of the first enclosure channel have identical shapes. 
     
     
         12 . A method for installing the sealing arrangement within the first enclosure channel of the enclosure of  claim 8 , the method comprising:
 positioning the at least one carrier section within the at least one primary channel section of the first enclosure channel, wherein the first and the second volumes of sealant material have been pre-installed within the first and the second elongate carrier channels prior to positioning the at least one carrier section within the at least one primary channel section;   injecting the at least one third volume of sealant material into the at least one junction section after the at least one carrier section has been positioned within the at least one primary channel section.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one third volume of sealant material is injected at a temperature that causes the at least one third volume of sealant material to fuse with the first and the second volumes of sealant material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one third volume of sealant material is injected at a temperature that causes the first and second volumes of sealant material adjacent to the at least one junction section to melt and bond/react with the at least one third volume of sealant material such that upon cooling continuous seals are provided between the at least one third volume of sealant material and the first and the second volumes of sealant material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one junction section each have an identical shape, and wherein the at least one third volume of sealant material is injected by an injection process using an injection mold that matches the identical shape such that each junction section is individually enclosed by the injection mold during the injection process. 
     
     
         16 . A method for making a sealing apparatus, the sealing apparatus comprising a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier defining a first carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a first seal-access side, the carrier also defining a second carrier channel that is elongated along the carrier axis and that has a second seal-access side; a first volume of sealant material contained within the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side of the first carrier channel, the first volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis; and a second volume of sealant material contained within the second carrier channel, the second volume of sealant material being accessible from the second seal-access side of the second carrier channel, and the second volume of sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis; the method comprising:
 extruding the first and the second volumes of sealant material into the first and the second carrier channels.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising extruding the carrier. 
     
     
         18 . A method for installing a sealing apparatus within an enclosure channel of an enclosure, the enclosure comprising: a housing including a first housing piece and a second housing piece, the first housing piece defining an opening having a perimeter, the first and the second housing pieces mounting together to cover the opening, the housing defining the enclosure channel that extends around the perimeter of the opening, the enclosure channel including at least one primary channel section interconnected by at least one junction section; and the sealing apparatus comprising: a carrier that is elongated along a carrier axis, the carrier including a first seal-access side and a second seal-access side, the first and the second seal-access sides facing in different directions; and sealant material carried by the carrier, the sealant material being accessible from the first seal-access side and the second seal-access side of the carrier, the sealant material being elongated along the carrier axis and the sealant material of the sealing apparatus being a first volume of sealant material; the method comprising:
 positioning at least one of the carriers within the at least one primary channel sections of the enclosure channel, wherein the first volume of sealant material has been pre-installed within the at least one carrier prior to the positioning of the at least one carrier within the at least one primary channel section; and   injecting at least one second volume of sealant material into the at least one junction section of the enclosure channel after the at least one carrier has been positioned within the at least one primary channel section of the enclosure channel.   
     
     
         19 . A method for making the sealing apparatus of  claim 18 , comprising:
 extruding the sealant material into the carrier.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising extruding the carrier.