Sealing structure of rear door for vehicle

Abstract

The present application aims to avoid interference between a sealing member and a vehicle body during opening / closing operation of a rear door and at the time of full opening without enlarging a separation gap while ensuring spaciousness of an indoor space and rearward visibility. A sealing structure for a rear door of a vehicle includes a roof panel having an upper panel portion constituting an upper surface of the vehicle, a first vertical panel portion extending downward from a rear end of the upper panel portion, a middle panel portion extending rearward from a lower end of the first vertical panel portion, and a second vertical panel portion extending downward from a rear end of the middle panel portion; an exterior panel fixed above the middle panel portion, a rear end portion of which protrudes further rearward than the second vertical panel portion; and an elastically deformable sealing member fixed to a surface on a lower side of the exterior panel, and protruding further rearward than the rear end of the exterior panel, which seals a gap formed between the rear end of the exterior panel and a front end of the rear door by maintaining a state in which the sealing member is in contact with the front end of the rear door in a state in which the rear door is closed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sealing structure for a vehicle rear door. Background Technology

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a sealing structure for adjacent vehicle doors without a central pillar between two adjacent vehicle side doors.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-248422 Summary of the Invention Regarding the separation line at the front end of the upper surface of a vehicle's liftgate, a separation seal is known to be installed in the gap (hereinafter referred to as the separation gap) between the front end of the rear door and the rear end of the roof on the side of the vehicle body when the rear door is fully closed. By installing this separation seal, it is possible to reduce air resistance during vehicle operation, improve cabin quietness, and reduce the amount of water entering the main seal between the rear door and the vehicle body. This separation seal typically involves installing a sealing component that fills the separation gap at the front end of the rear door.

[0004] Furthermore, to ensure ample interior space and rear visibility, the vertical width of the roof section at the rear end of the vehicle body must be as small as possible. Miniaturizing the rear door hinges is an effective way to meet this requirement. However, by using smaller hinges, the sealing components mounted at the front of the rear door trace a path that intrudes into the vehicle body during the opening / closing action, making it difficult to establish a proper seal.

[0005] Figure 2 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the sealing structure 20 of the rear door of a vehicle in Comparative Example 1, where a sealing component 4a is installed at the front end of the rear door 2. The rear door 2 is a lift-up rear door with a hinge 21 at the top. The rear door 2 includes a hinge 21, an outer side panel 22, an inner side panel 23, a spoiler 24, and a connecting plate 25. The front end of the outer side panel 22 is bent and joined to the front end of the inner side panel 23 by a rolled edge process. The spoiler 24 is fixed to the upper side of the outer side panel 22 such that its front end protrudes further forward than the front end of the outer side panel 22. The inner side panel 23 is connected to the hinge 21 via the connecting plate 25. The rear door body 26, composed of the outer side panel 22, the inner side panel 23, and the spoiler 24, is rotatably mounted to the roof panel 1 with the hinge 21 as the axis of rotation. Thus, the rear door 2 is opened and closed by rotating the rear door body 26 with the hinge 21 as the axis of rotation. Figure 2 The image depicts the rear door 2 when it is fully closed; additionally, it depicts only the rear door 2 when the front end is fully open. Figure 2 In the diagram, a solid line depicts the sealing component 4a that elastically deforms upon contact with the rear end 7 of the roof when the rear door 2 is fully closed, while a dashed line depicts the sealing component 4a assuming no interference with the side of the vehicle body and therefore no elastic deformation. Furthermore, in Figure 2 In the diagram, a single-dot dashed line represents the trajectory of the front end of the inelastically deformable sealing component 4a as it moves through the opening and closing motion of the rear door 2. (Example) Figure 2 As shown, in the sealing structure 20 of the rear door of the vehicle in Comparative Example 1, the sealing member 4a interferes severely with the vehicle body during the opening / closing operation. Furthermore, when fully opened, the sealing member 4a abuts against the vehicle body.

[0006] To avoid interference when the rear door is fully open, the hinge 21 of the rear door 2 needs to be enlarged in the vertical direction. However, if the hinge 21 of the rear door 2 is enlarged in the vertical direction, the vertical width of the cross-section of the rear end of the roof increases, thus narrowing the interior space and worsening rear visibility. Furthermore, to suppress interference generated during the opening / closing of the rear door 2 and to reduce the separation gap G1 to improve appearance, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the rear end 7 of the roof needs to be bent at an angle of less than 90 degrees. However, the reduction in angle of the rear end 7 of the roof on the side of the vehicle body is limited, making it difficult to completely avoid interference from the sealing component 4a during the opening / closing of the rear door 2. If the interference of the sealing component 4a occurs repeatedly every time the rear door 2 is opened / closed, the sealing component 4a may break and impair its sealing function.

[0007] As one solution to avoid interference from the sealing components as described above, one approach is to install the sealing components on the side of the vehicle body. For example, such as... Figure 3 Similar to the sealing structure 30 of the rear door of the vehicle shown in Comparative Example 2, the sealing member 4b can also be installed on the vertical plate portion 14b on the side of the vehicle body by means of the clip 31b, thereby realizing the function of separating the sealing member. Figure 2 The image depicts the rear door 2 when it is fully closed; additionally, it depicts only the rear door 2 when its front end is fully open. Furthermore, in... Figure 2 In the figure, a single-dot dashed line is used to record the trajectory of the front end of the rear door 2 as it is drawn by the opening / closing action of the rear door 2.

[0008] However, to prevent interference between the front end of the rear door 2 and the clip 31b during the opening / closing action of the rear door 2, the separation gap G2 must be increased. As a method to suppress the increase of this separation gap G2, bending the rear end 7 of the roof on the side of the vehicle body at an angle of less than 90 degrees could be considered. However, the cam mechanism used to create the mounting holes for the clip 31b interferes with the rear end 7 of the roof, thus limiting the reduction of the angle of the rear end 7 of the roof, and limiting the reduction of the separation gap G2.

[0009] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a sealing structure for a vehicle rear door that can ensure the spaciousness of the interior space and rear visibility while avoiding interference between the sealing components and the vehicle body during the opening / closing of the rear door and when it is fully open, without increasing the separation gap.

[0010] The sealing structure for a vehicle rear door according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a roof panel having an upper panel portion constituting the upper surface of the vehicle, a first vertical panel portion extending downward from the rear end of the upper panel portion, a middle panel portion extending rearward from the lower end of the first vertical panel portion, and a second vertical panel portion extending downward from the rear end of the middle panel portion; an exterior trim panel fixed above the middle panel portion, extending in a front-rear direction, with its rear end protruding further rearward than the second vertical panel portion; and an elastically deformable sealing member fixed to the lower surface of the exterior trim panel and protruding further rearward than the rear end of the exterior trim panel, which, when the rear door is closed, seals the gap formed between the rear end of the exterior trim panel and the front end of the rear door by maintaining the sealing member in contact with the front end of the rear door.

[0011] In one embodiment of the sealing structure for a vehicle rear door according to the present invention, the sealing member may include: a fixing portion fixed to the lower surface of the outer trim panel; and an inclined portion extending obliquely upward and backward from the fixing portion and protruding backward from the rear end of the outer trim panel.

[0012] In one embodiment of the sealing structure for a vehicle rear door as described in this invention, the rear door may be an upward-opening rear door with a hinge at the top.

[0013] Invention Effects The present invention provides a sealing structure for a vehicle rear door that can ensure the spaciousness of the interior space and rear visibility without increasing the separation gap, thereby avoiding interference between the sealing component and the vehicle body during the opening / closing action of the rear door and when it is fully open. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the sealing structure of a vehicle rear door according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the sealing structure of the rear door of the vehicle in Comparative Example 1.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the sealing structure of the rear door of the vehicle in Comparative Example 2. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The following is for reference. Figure 1The sealing structure 10 of the rear door of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figures 1-3 The arrows FR, UP, and RH represent the vehicle's forward (direction of travel), upward, and rightward directions, respectively. Furthermore, the opposite directions of FR, UP, and RH represent the vehicle's rearward, downward, and leftward directions, respectively. Hereinafter, when only the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions are used for explanation, unless otherwise specified, they represent the forward / backward direction, the left / right direction (vehicle width direction), and the up / down direction.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the sealing structure 10 for the rear door of a vehicle. (Example) Figure 1 As shown, the sealing structure 10 for the rear door of a vehicle includes a roof panel 1, a rear door 2, an exterior trim panel 3, a sealing component 4, a front sealing component 5, and a main seal 6.

[0019] The roof panel 1 includes an upper panel portion 11 constituting the upper surface of the vehicle, a first vertical panel portion 12 extending downward from the rear end of the upper panel portion 11, a middle panel portion 13 extending rearward from the lower end of the first vertical panel portion 12, and a second vertical panel portion 14 extending downward from the rear end of the middle panel portion 13. Furthermore, the roof panel 1 includes a lower panel portion 15 extending rearward from the lower end of the second vertical panel portion 14, an inclined panel portion 16 extending downward and rearward at an angle from the rear end of the lower panel portion 15, and a flange portion 17 extending upward and rearward at an angle from the rear end of the inclined panel portion 16.

[0020] The rear door 2 is a lift-up rear door with a hinge 21 at the top. The rear door 2 includes a hinge 21, an outer side panel 22, an inner side panel 23, a spoiler 24, and a connecting plate 25. The front end of the outer side panel 22 is bent and joined to the front end of the inner side panel 23 by a rolled edge process. The spoiler 24 is fixed to the upper side of the outer side panel 22 with its front end protruding further forward than the front end of the outer side panel 22. The spoiler 24 can be made of resin or metal. The hinge 21 is fixed to the upper surface of the lower panel 15 of the roof panel 1. The inner side panel 23 is connected to the hinge 21 via the connecting plate 25. The rear door body 26, composed of the outer side panel 22, the inner side panel 23, and the spoiler 24, is rotatably mounted on the roof panel 1 with the hinge 21 as the axis of rotation. Thus, the rear door 2 opens and closes by rotating the rear door body 26 with the hinge 21 as the axis of rotation. Figure 1 The image depicts the rear door 2 when it is fully closed; additionally, it depicts only the rear door 2 when its front end is fully open. Furthermore, in... Figure 1 In the diagram, a single-dot dashed line represents the trajectory of the front end of the spoiler 24 as it moves through the opening and closing motion of the rear door 2. For example... Figure 1 As shown, during the opening / closing action and when fully open, the rear door 2 does not interfere with the roof panel 1 on the side of the vehicle body, and the sealing component 4 does not interfere with the rear door 2.

[0021] The exterior trim panel 3 is a decorative piece installed on the exterior of the vehicle body. The exterior trim panel 3 can be made of resin or metal. The exterior trim panel 3 can be the same color as the upper surface of the upper panel portion 11 of the roof panel 1, or a different color such as piano black, and may also have a textured surface. The exterior trim panel 3 is fixed to the upper surface of the middle panel portion 13 of the roof panel 1 using a clip 31 with a sealing element. The clip 31 has a sealing function, thus preventing water from entering the vehicle body through the hole formed in the middle panel portion 13 for the clip 31 to pass through. Alternatively, the exterior trim panel 3 can also be fixed to the middle panel portion 13 of the roof panel 1 using bolts (not shown) with a sealing function, instead of using the clip 31. The upper surface of the exterior trim panel 3 is flush with the upper surface of the upper panel portion 11 of the roof panel 1. That is, there is no height difference between the upper surface of the exterior trim panel 3 and the upper surface of the upper panel portion 11. The exterior trim panel 3 extends in the front-to-back direction, and the rear end 32 of the exterior trim panel 3 protrudes further rearward than the second vertical panel 14 of the roof panel 1.

[0022] The sealing component 4 includes: a fixing portion 41, fixed to the lower side of the rear end portion 32 of the outer trim panel 3; and an inclined portion 42, extending obliquely upward and rearward from the fixing portion 41 and protruding rearward from the rear end of the outer trim panel 3. The sealing component 4 is formed of a material capable of elastic deformation, such as rubber. The fixing portion 41 of the sealing component 4 can be fixed to the outer trim panel 3 with double-sided tape, or by snapping onto a flange portion (not shown) provided on the outer trim panel 3, or by heat welding. When the rear door 2 is closed, the sealing component 4, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the sealing member 4 remains in contact with the front end of the rear door 2 while maintaining elastic deformation. By maintaining this contact with the front end of the rear door 2, the sealing member 4 can seal the separation gap G3 formed between the rear end of the exterior trim panel 3 and the front end of the rear door 2 when the rear door 2 is fully closed. In this way, by sealing the separation gap G3 at the front end of the rear door 2 with the sealing member 4, the sealing structure 10 of the vehicle's rear door can reduce air resistance during vehicle operation, ensure quietness inside the vehicle interior, and reduce water ingress into the main seal 6 described later.

[0023] A front sealing component 5 is disposed between the first vertical plate portion 12 of the roof panel 1 and the outer trim panel 3. The front sealing component 5 may be made of sponge rubber, for example. The front sealing component 5 is water-resistant, preventing water from entering the clip 31 from the gap between the first vertical plate portion 12 of the roof panel 1 and the front end of the outer trim panel 3.

[0024] The main seal 6 has a base 61 that inserts into the flange 17 of the roof panel 1 and a deformable portion 62 that can elastically deform. The main seal 6 is installed on the flange 17 by inserting the base 61 into the flange 17. When the rear door 2 is closed, the main seal 6... Figure 1The deformable portion 62 remains in a state of elastic deformation and contact with the inner side panel 23 of the rear door 2, as shown. By maintaining such contact with the inner side panel 23 of the rear door 2, the main seal 6 can seal the gap between the flange portion 17 of the roof panel 1 and the inner side panel 23 of the rear door 2 when the rear door 2 is fully closed.

[0025] The sealing structure 10 for the rear door of the vehicle in this embodiment differs from the sealing structure 20 for the rear door of Comparative Example 1 in that the sealing member 4 is installed on the exterior trim panel 3 on the side of the vehicle body instead of on the front end of the rear door 2. Therefore, as Figure 1 As shown, interference from the sealing component 4 when the rear door 2 is fully opened can be avoided without increasing the size of the hinge 21. Therefore, the sealing structure 10 for the rear door of the vehicle in this embodiment can ensure the spaciousness of the interior space and the rear visibility, and avoid interference between the sealing component 4 and the vehicle body when the rear door 2 is fully opened.

[0026] Furthermore, as described above, the sealing structure 10 of the vehicle rear door in this embodiment is such that the rear end 32 of the outer trim panel 3, which is fixed to the middle panel portion 13 of the roof panel 1, protrudes further rearward than the second vertical panel portion 14 of the roof panel 1. Therefore, the sealing structure 10 of the vehicle rear door in this embodiment differs from the sealing structure 30 of the vehicle rear door in Comparative Example 2. Instead of bending the roof panel 1 to an angle of less than 90 degrees, it reduces the separation gap G3 at the front end of the rear door 2 when fully closed to improve the appearance and avoids interference between the sealing component 4 and the vehicle body during the opening / closing operation of the rear door 2.

[0027] <Supplement to the Implementation Method> The sealing structure for the rear door of a vehicle according to the present invention is not limited to the manner described above, and can be implemented in various ways within the scope of the present invention. For example, the sealing member 4 can be of different shapes.

[0028] Symbol Explanation 1-Roof panel, 2-Rear door, 3-Exterior trim panel, 4, 4a, 4b-Sealing components, 5-Front side sealing components, 6-Main seal, 7-Rear end of roof, 10, 20, 30-Sealing structure of rear door for vehicle, 11-Upper panel, 12-First vertical panel, 13-Middle panel, 14-Second vertical panel, 14b-Vertical panel, 15-Lower panel, 16-Inclined panel, 17-Flange, 21-Hinge, 22-Outer side panel, 23-Inner side panel, 24-Spoiler, 25-Connecting plate, 26-Rear door body, 31, 31b-Clamps, 32-Rear end, 41-Fixing part, 42-Inclined part, 61-Base, 62-Deformable part.

Claims

1. A sealing structure for a vehicle rear door, characterized in that, have: The roof panel includes an upper panel portion constituting the upper surface of the vehicle, a first vertical panel portion extending downward from the rear end of the upper panel portion, a middle panel portion extending rearward from the lower end of the first vertical panel portion, and a second vertical panel portion extending downward from the rear end of the middle panel portion. The exterior trim panel is fixed above the middle panel and extends in the front-to-back direction, with its rear end protruding further rearward than the second vertical panel. and A flexible, deformable sealing component is fixed to the underside of the outer trim panel and protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the outer trim panel. With the rear door closed, the gap between the rear end of the exterior trim panel and the front end of the rear door is sealed by keeping the sealing component in contact with the front end of the rear door.

2. The sealing structure for a vehicle rear door according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing component includes: a fixing portion fixed to the lower side of the outer trim panel; and an inclined portion extending obliquely upward and backward from the fixing portion and protruding backward from the rear end of the outer trim panel.

3. The sealing structure for a vehicle rear door according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The rear door is a lift-up rear door with hinges at the top.

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