SUPPORT STRIP WITH REINFORCING MEANS

Abstract

The invention relates to a deformable support strip as an insert for decorative or sealing strips made of a flexible material, in particular for rubber and/or plastic clamping profiles, comprising a metal strip which comprises a first strip portion and a second strip portion which are interconnected at a connecting point, the support strip being provided to increase the stability in the region of the connecting point with reinforcing means.

Claims

1. For use in a decorative or sealing strip made of a flexible material, a deformable support strip comprising: A. a metal strip comprising i. a first strip portion, and ii. a second strip portion connected to the first strip portion at a connecting point; B. a reinforcing means disposed in a region of the support strip including of the connecting point to provide increased stability to the support strip.

2. The support strip of claim 1, wherein the support strip extends in a longitudinal direction, the support strip having a first edge and a second edge each extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the metal strip is provided with a plurality of central slots each central slot extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of edge slots each edge slot extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction, at least some of the edge slots directed inwardly from the first edge and at least some of the edge slots directed inwardly from the second edge.

3. The support strip of to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing means does not extend across the entire length of the support strip.

4. The support strip of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing means extends across at least one of the central slots or one of the edge slots.

5. The support strip of claim 1, wherein the connecting point is a welding point.

6. The support strip of claim 1, wherein the support strip in the region of the connecting point has a tensile strength that is higher than the tensile strength in a region of the support strip without such a connecting point or is at most 20% lower than the tensile strength in the region of the support strip without such a connecting point.

7. The support strip of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the support strip in the region of the reinforcing means is at most 25% larger than the thickness of a region of the support strip without the reinforcing means.

8. The support strip of claim 1, wherein the reinforcing means comprises a film.

9. The support strip of claim 5, wherein the reinforcing means comprises a film, and wherein the film-(4-0) extends at least partly across the welding point.

10. The support strip of claim 8, wherein the film extends in a central region of the support strip and does not extend in edge regions.

11. The support strip of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing means comprises an at least partly cured adhesive which, at least partly fills at least one of the central slots or at least one of the edge slots.

12. The support strip of claim 11, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive curable by UV radiation.

13. A method for manufacturing a support strip constituting a semi-finished product for manufacturing decorative or sealing strips made of a flexible material, the method comprising the following steps: providing a metal strip which comprises a first strip portion and a second strip portion which are connected at a connecting point; and reinforcing the metal strip in atho region of the connecting point by a reinforcing means.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal strip extends in a longitudinal direction, the support strip having a first edge and a second edge each extending in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the metal strip comprises a plurality of central slots, each central slot extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction and a plurality of edge slots each edge slot extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction, at least some of the edge slots directed inwardly from the first edge and at least some of the edge slots directed inwardly from the second edge.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of reinforcing the metal strip comprises applying the reinforcing means to the metal strip.

16. The support strip according of claim 2, wherein the reinforcing means is disposed in at least one of the central slots or in at least one of the edge slots.

17. The support strip according of claim 8, wherein the film is a heat-activatable film.

18. The support strip according of claim 2, wherein the connecting point is a welding point, wherein the reinforcing means comprises a film extending at least partly across the welding point and across at least one of the plurality of central slots.

19. The support strip according of claim 2, wherein the connecting point is a welding point, wherein the reinforcing means comprises a film extending at least partly across the welding point and across at least two of the plurality of central slots.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of reinforcing the metal strip comprises introducing the reinforcing means into at least one of the central slots or into at least one of the edge slots.

Description

[0034] The shown embodiments can be changed in various aspects within the scope of protection of the claims. The disclosure of the Figures is not meant to restrict the scope of protection of the claims. It is pointed out that the features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined in one single embodiment. Thus, embodiments of the invention can comprise all or only some of the above-mentioned features, depending on the configuration.

[0035] FIG. 1A shows a schematic perspective view of a support strip according to the invention in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 1B shows a schematic top view of the support strip of FIG. 1A;

[0037] FIG. 2A shows a schematic perspective view of a support strip according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 2B shows a schematic top view of the support strip of FIG. 2A.

[0039] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a support strip 1 according to a first embodiment. The support strip 1 comprises a first metal strip portion 1A and a second metal strip portion 1B.

[0040] The metal strip portions 1A, 1B are connected by a weld 9 indicated as a dashed line and preferably being a TIG weld.

[0041] After welding, the metal strip was provided with a plurality of central slots 4 in a central region 7 and a plurality of edge slots 5 in the edge regions 6.

[0042] After making the central and edge slots 4, 5, the weld 9 was provided with a film 10 as reinforcing means on the upper side 2 of the support strip 1. The film can be applied to the metal strip by means of a heat-activatable adhesive film and/or a heat-activatable adhesive layer. The film can have, for example, a thickness of 5 to 20 m or 10 to 15 m, wherein, however, the film can also be thicker when this is possible in view of the further processing of the support strip. The adhesive film or adhesive layer can comprise a polyurethane adhesive (e.g. a solvent-free polyurethane adhesive), which can be activated at a functional temperature.

[0043] At the lower side (which is not visible in the Figures), no film is provided in the shown embodiment. Alternatively, additionally also the lower side is provided with a film 10 of this kind.

[0044] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the film 10 extends across a region having two central slots 4, wherein the film could also extend farther or less in the longitudinal direction of the support strip 1, if required.

[0045] The shown film 10 moreover extends in the central region 7, in the shown embodiment without completely covering the central slots 4. However, in view of the disclosure of the present invention, the person skilled in the art will understand that, if required, it is also possible that the film extends farther or less in the transverse direction of the metal strip. In the edge regions 6 no film 10 is provided. This is advantageous in that the risk of peeling-off or partial tearing of the film 10 upon bending of the support strip 1 is reduced. It is optional to leave the edge regions 6 free.

[0046] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a support strip 1 according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment in which the metal strip was reinforced in the region of the weld 9 by introducing and curing an adhesive 20 in the central and edge slots 4, 5, for example by using a UV curing adhesive. The bonding 21 in the edge region 6 fills the edge slots 5 partly and the bonding 23 in the central region 7 fills the central slots 4 completely. In view of the present disclosure, it will be clear to the person skilled in the art that the number of filled slots and/or their degree of filling can be varied depending on the concrete requirements of the individual case.

[0047] Before or after curing, the adhesive 20 is preferably removed from the upper side 2 and/or the (non-visible) lower side of the metal strip, or the slots are preferably filled such that the adhesive 20 is not even spread on the upper and lower sides of the metal strip.

[0048] The reinforcing means of the embodiments of FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2A, 2B can also be combined, if required, for example in that in the region of the weld 9 first an adhesive 20 is introduced into the central and/or edge slot(s) 4, 5 and the metal strip is subsequently additionally reinforced by applying a film 10.

[0049] As far as the above description uses the term substantially, also embodiments are comprised in which the respective feature is present entirely or completely. The terms a plurality or several should be understood in the meaning of at least two, i.e. two or more. As far as concrete values are mentioned, they preferably also comprise slight deviations from these values, such as deviations of +/10% or +/5% of the respective value. Individual aspects of the invention can also form independent inventions and can also be claimed as such.