Sealed connection structure and vehicle
By setting inner and outer ribs on the assembly and combining them with the flange end design, the problems of seal failure and assembly deformation caused by excessive tightening force in the sealing connection are solved, thereby improving sealing performance and reliability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XIAOMI EV TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
Smart Images

Figure CN224427312U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of sealed connection assembly, and more particularly to a sealed connection structure and vehicle. Background Technology
[0002] There are many applications for sealing connections between two assemblies, such as the connection between a headlight housing and the vehicle's sheet metal. Sealing ensures a leak-proof seal and guarantees the reliability of the components. However, in related technologies, if the tightening force is too high when sealing two assemblies, it can lead to excessive compression and failure of the seal, or cause the assembly to deform due to excessive stress. Utility Model Content
[0003] To overcome the problems existing in the related technologies, this disclosure provides a sealed connection structure and a vehicle.
[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a sealing connection structure is provided, comprising: two assemblies, each having a fastening mounting hole; a sealing gasket disposed circumferentially outside the fastening mounting hole and fitted between opposing mounting surfaces of the two assemblies; and an inner rib and an outer rib, respectively disposed on the mounting surface of one of the assemblies and configured to extend toward the mounting surface of the other assemblies; wherein, in the radial direction along the fastening mounting hole, the inner rib, the sealing gasket, and the outer rib are arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside, and the extension length of the outer rib is less than the extension length of the inner rib.
[0005] When two assemblies are installed facing each other, the inner ribs near the fastening holes provide support, preventing deformation during installation and ensuring performance. The outer ribs away from the fastening holes limit the maximum compression of the gasket, keeping it within a controllable range. This prevents excessive force applied during connection, avoiding prolonged high compression and ensuring a secure seal.
[0006] In some possible implementations, the inner rib and the outer rib are disposed on the same assembly, which facilitates the machining of the inner rib and the outer rib to a suitable spacing according to the size of the sealing gasket, and also facilitates ensuring the difference in the extension dimensions of the inner rib and the outer rib.
[0007] In some possible implementations, one of the two fittings is a fastener and the other is a fastener, the fastener being installed to the fastener by means of a fastener, and both the inner rib and the outer rib are provided on the fastener.
[0008] The sealing gasket can be pre-positioned between the inner and outer ribs on the relatively fixed fastener. Then, when the fastener is tightened towards the fastener by the fastener, the fastener can gradually compress the sealing gasket and can be supported by the inner rib to prevent deformation due to excessive tightening force.
[0009] In some possible implementations, bolts are pre-embedded on the fastener, and the mounting fastener is a nut. The nut is disposed on the side of the fastener facing away from the fastener. The nut includes a threaded portion and a flange end. The flange end is fitted against the surface of the fastener facing away from the fastener, and the threaded portion is screwed to the bolt.
[0010] Pre-embedded bolts ensure strong overall integrity, accurate positioning, ease of operation, and a secure connection. Furthermore, they prevent moisture or impurities from entering through the fastening holes, thus ensuring reliable fastening and preserving the appearance. The flange end design increases the contact area between the nut and the assembly, preventing stress concentration that could lead to deformation.
[0011] In some possible implementations, the flange end extends radially along the fastening mounting hole to cover the inner rib and at least part of the sealing gasket.
[0012] Extending the flange end to cover at least part of the gasket allows the tightening force to be applied directly to the gasket through the flange end, thereby compressing the gasket. Furthermore, covering the flange end with inner reinforcing ribs ensures that the inner ribs support the flange end, preventing excessive force from being applied to the flange end and causing deformation of the assembly.
[0013] In some possible implementations, one of the two components is a metal part and the other is a plastic part, with the inner rib and the outer rib both disposed on the plastic part.
[0014] The ribs are formed on the plastic parts and can be integrally molded by injection molding. The tolerance is small, which makes it easy to ensure the dimensional accuracy of the inner and outer ribs. This can prevent the metal parts from deforming under stress to the greatest extent and ensure that the sealing gasket has a suitable amount of compression, thereby ensuring the connection is sealed.
[0015] In some possible implementations, in the compression direction of the gasket, the extension length of the inner rib is 45% to 55% of the free state dimension of the gasket.
[0016] The appropriate size setting of the inner rib 30 can ensure the appropriate compression of the gasket, ensure the sealing performance of the gasket, and ensure that it supports the component under appropriate force, preventing the assembly from deforming under stress.
[0017] In some possible implementations, in the compression direction of the gasket, the extension length of the outer rib is 35% to 45% of the free-state dimension of the gasket.
[0018] By setting the appropriate size of the outer ribs, the maximum compression of the gasket can be limited, preventing the gasket from failing under high pressure.
[0019] In some possible implementations, the distance between the sealing gasket and the inner and outer ribs in the radial direction of the fastening mounting hole is no greater than 0.5 mm.
[0020] Setting this interval to no more than 0.5mm facilitates the smooth placement of the gasket between the inner and outer ribs. On the other hand, it prevents the gasket from becoming misaligned due to an excessively large interval, which would make it difficult to accurately control the compression of the gasket, thereby compromising the sealing effect and affecting the reliability of the connection.
[0021] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes the sealing connection structure provided in the present disclosure and has all the beneficial effects of the sealing connection structure provided in the present disclosure.
[0022] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure can include the following beneficial effects: When two assemblies are installed facing each other, the inner ribs near the fastening mounting holes can support the assemblies, preventing deformation during installation and affecting performance. Meanwhile, the outer ribs away from the fastening mounting holes can limit the maximum compression of the gasket, keeping the gasket compression within a controllable range. This prevents excessive force applied during assembly connection, which could lead to excessive gasket compression and avoid the gasket failing due to prolonged high compression, thus ensuring the effectiveness of the seal.
[0023] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description
[0024] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.
[0025] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of a sealing connection structure according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the installation of a sealing gasket and inner and outer reinforcing bars according to an exemplary embodiment.
[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures
[0028] 10-Assembly parts, 11-Fixed parts, 12-Fasteners, 20-Sealing gaskets, 30-Inner ribs, 40-Outer ribs, 50-Mounting fasteners, 51-Threaded parts, 52-Flange ends, 60-Bolts. Detailed Implementation
[0029] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.
[0030] There are many applications for sealing connections between two assemblies, such as the connection between a headlight housing and the vehicle's sheet metal. Sealing ensures a leak-proof seal and guarantees the reliability of the components. However, in related technologies, if the tightening force is too high when sealing two assemblies, it can lead to excessive compression and failure of the seal, or cause the assembly to deform due to excessive stress.
[0031] Therefore, this disclosure provides a sealed connection structure, referring to... Figure 1The sealing connection structure includes two assemblies 10, each with a fastening mounting hole for easy fastening. A sealing gasket 20 is fitted between the opposing mounting surfaces of the two assemblies 10, positioned circumferentially outside the fastening mounting hole. When the two assemblies 10 are fastened, the sealing gasket 20 can be compressed to ensure a tight seal. The sealing gasket 20 can be made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) silicone material; upon compression, the gaps in the sealing gasket 20 decrease, resulting in a height change. The assemblies 10 are provided with inner ribs 30 and outer ribs 40. The inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 are respectively disposed on the mounting surface of one assembly 10 and are configured to extend toward the mounting surface of the other assembly 10. For example, taking the two assemblies 10 as being installed in the vertical direction, the inner rib 30 can be disposed on the lower surface of the upper assembly 10 and extend downward, and the outer rib 40 can be disposed on the upper surface of the lower assembly 10 and extend upward; conversely, the inner rib 30 can also be disposed on the upper surface of the lower assembly 10 and extend upward, and the outer rib 40 can be disposed on the lower surface of the upper assembly 10 and extend downward; or, both the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can be disposed on the lower surface of the upper assembly 10 and extend downward; or, both the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can be disposed on the upper surface of the lower assembly 10 and extend upward.
[0032] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the radial direction along the fastening mounting hole, the inner rib 30, the sealing gasket 20, and the outer rib 40 are arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside. That is, in this radial direction, the sealing gasket 20 is located between the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40, so as to be radially limited by the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40. The shape of the sealing gasket 20 can be a circle or a square shape surrounding the fastening mounting hole, and the shapes of the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can also be constructed as circles or squares adapted to the shape of the sealing gasket 20. In this embodiment, the extension length of the outer rib 40 is set to be less than the extension length of the inner rib 30, so as to... Figure 1 Taking the drawing orientation as an example, the height of the outer reinforcing bar 40 in the vertical direction is less than the height of the inner reinforcing bar 30 in the vertical direction. It should be noted here that... Figure 1 The sealing gasket 20 is a compressed sealing gasket 20 after the two assemblies 10 are connected. In the free state, the sealing gasket 20 is higher than the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40, and will not appear as... Figure 1 The sealing gasket 20 is shown flush with the inner rib 40.
[0033] Through the above technical solution, when the two assemblies 10 are installed facing each other, the inner ribs near the fastening holes can support the assemblies, preventing deformation of the assemblies 10 during installation and affecting their performance. Meanwhile, the outer ribs 40 away from the fastening holes can limit the maximum compression of the gasket 20, keeping its compression within a controllable range. This prevents excessive force applied during connection of the assemblies 10, which could lead to excessive compression of the gasket 20 and prevent the gasket 20 from failing due to prolonged high compression, thus ensuring the effectiveness of the seal.
[0034] In this embodiment, the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can be disposed on the same assembly 10, which facilitates the processing of the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 to a suitable interval according to the size of the sealing gasket 20, and also facilitates ensuring the difference in the extension dimensions of the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40.
[0035] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the sealing connection structure may include a fastening structure, enabling the two assemblies 10 to be connected via the fastening structure. For example, the fastening mounting holes on both assemblies 10 may be through holes, allowing the connection of the two assemblies 10 to be achieved by passing a bolt through the two through holes and engaging with a nut.
[0036] In one embodiment, one of the two fittings 10 can be a fixing member 11 and the other can be a fastener 12. The fixing member 11 is fixed relative to the fastener 12, and the fastener 12 is the one installed to the fixing member 11 by the mounting fastener 50. The inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can both be provided on the fixing member 11. The sealing gasket 20 can be pre-positioned between the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 on the relatively fixed fixing member 11. Then, when the fastener 12 is tightened toward the fixing member 11 by the mounting fastener 50, the fastener 12 can gradually compress the sealing gasket 20 and can be supported by the inner rib 30 to prevent deformation due to excessive tightening force.
[0037] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2Bolts 60 can be pre-embedded on the fastener 11, and fasteners 50 can be nuts. The nuts are located on the side of the fastener 12 facing away from the fastener 11. The nuts include a threaded portion 51 and a flange end 52. The flange end 52 is fitted against the surface of the fastener 12 facing away from the fastener 11, and the threaded portion 51 is screwed to the bolt 60. The fastening mounting hole on the fastener 11 can be a blind hole. Pre-embedding the bolt 60 in the blind hole ensures strong integrity, accurate positioning, easy operation, and a firm connection. It also prevents moisture or impurities from entering through the fastening mounting hole, affecting the reliability of the fastening, and avoids affecting the appearance. When tightening the nut, the flange end 52 presses against the fastener 12, causing the fastener 12 to compress the sealing gasket 20. When compressed to the target position, it is supported by the inner rib 30. At the same time, the outer rib 40 can provide support and limit if the tightening force is too large. The flange end 52 can increase the contact area between the nut and the assembly 10, and avoid stress concentration that could cause the assembly 10 to deform.
[0038] The flange end 52 can extend radially along the fastening mounting hole to cover the inner reinforcing rib 30 and at least part of the sealing gasket 20, that is, in Figure 1 In the drawing orientation, flange end 52 is located above the inner rib 30 and extends to at least part of the gasket 20. The extension of flange end 52 to cover at least part of the gasket 20 allows the tightening force to be applied directly to the gasket 20 through flange end 52, thereby compressing the gasket 20. Furthermore, flange end 52 covering the inner rib 30 ensures that the inner rib 30 supports flange end 52, preventing excessive force applied to flange end 52 from causing deformation of assembly 10.
[0039] In one embodiment, one of the two fittings 10 can be a metal part and the other can be a plastic part. For example, when installing a vehicle headlight onto the vehicle's sheet metal, one of the two fittings 10 can be a sheet metal part of the vehicle, and the other can be a plastic shell for mounting the headlight. When the plastic shell is connected to the sheet metal part, excessive force on the sheet metal part can cause deformation, crushing, or even pull out the pre-embedded bolts. In this embodiment, the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can both be provided on the plastic part. The ribs are formed on the plastic part and can be integrally molded by injection molding, with small tolerances, which makes it easy to ensure the dimensional accuracy of the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40, thereby maximally preventing deformation of the metal part under stress and ensuring that the sealing gasket 20 has a suitable amount of compression, thus ensuring the connection seal.
[0040] In this embodiment of the disclosure, in the compression direction of the sealing gasket 20, i.e. Figure 1In the vertical direction, the extension length of the inner rib 30 can be 45% to 55% of the free state dimension of the sealing gasket 20, for example, 40%. That is to say, when connecting two assemblies 10, the sealing gasket 20 will be compressed by 45% to 50%, for example, 50%, so that the inner rib 30 supports the other component. The appropriate size setting of the inner rib 30 can ensure the appropriate compression amount of the sealing gasket 20, ensure the sealing performance of the sealing gasket 20, and ensure that it supports the other component under appropriate force, preventing the assembly 10 from being deformed by force.
[0041] In some embodiments, in the compression direction of the sealing gasket 20, i.e. Figure 1 In the vertical direction, the extension length of the outer rib 40 can be 35% to 45% of the free state dimension of the sealing gasket 20. That is to say, when connecting two assemblies 10, the sealing gasket 20 will be compressed by a maximum of 55% to 65%, for example, a maximum compression of 60%. By setting the appropriate size of the outer rib 40, the maximum compression of the sealing gasket 20 can be limited, preventing the sealing gasket 20 from failing under high pressure.
[0042] In this embodiment, the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 can not only limit the amount of compression of the sealing gasket 20 in the vertical direction, but also prevent the sealing gasket 20 from tilting to both sides during compression, thereby further ensuring that the sealing gasket 20 is maintained under appropriate compression and ensuring the connection and sealing of the assembly 10.
[0043] For example, in the radial direction of the fastening mounting hole, the spacing between the sealing gasket 20 and the inner rib 30 and the outer rib 40 is no greater than 0.5 mm, that is, in Figure 1 In the left-right direction of the drawing, the distance between the sealing gasket 20 and the inner ribs 30 and outer ribs 40 on both sides is no greater than 0.5mm. Setting this distance to no more than 0.5mm facilitates the smooth placement of the sealing gasket 20 between the inner ribs 30 and outer ribs 40, and avoids the sealing gasket 20 becoming skewed due to an excessively large distance, which would make it difficult to accurately control the compression of the sealing gasket 20, thereby compromising the sealing effect and affecting the reliability of the connection.
[0044] A second aspect of this disclosure is to provide a vehicle that includes the sealing connection structure described above and has all the beneficial effects of the sealing connection structure described above, which will not be repeated here.
[0045] In the above detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate specific aspects of this disclosure by way of illustration. In this regard, terms indicating direction or positional relationship, such as “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circumferential,” are used with reference to the orientation of the described figures. Since components of the described device can be positioned in multiple different orientations, directional terms are used for illustrative purposes and not for limitation. It should be understood that other aspects can be utilized and structural or logical changes can be made without departing from the concept of this disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be considered limiting.
[0046] It should be understood that, unless otherwise specifically indicated, features of various embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be combined with each other. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any one of the relevant listed items and any combination of any two or more; similarly, “at least one of…” includes any one of the relevant listed items and any combination of any two or more.
[0047] It should be understood that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "joining," "attaching," "installing," "connecting," "linking," "fixing," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms herein based on the specific circumstances.
[0048] Furthermore, the term "above" as used herein with respect to components, elements, or material layers formed or located "above" a surface may be used to indicate that the component, element, or material layer is "indirectly" positioned (e.g., placed, formed, deposited, etc.) on the surface such that one or more additional components, elements, or layers are arranged between the surface and the component, element, or material layer. However, the term "above" as used with respect to components, elements, or material layers formed or located "above" a surface may also optionally have a specific meaning: that the component, element, or material layer is "directly" positioned (e.g., placed, formed, deposited, etc.) on the surface, for example, in direct contact with the surface.
[0049] Although terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used herein to describe various components, parts, regions, layers, or sections, these components, parts, regions, layers, or sections are not limited to these terms. Rather, these terms are used only to distinguish one component, part, region, layer, or section from another. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the examples described herein, the first component, part, region, layer, or section mentioned in the examples may also be referred to as the second component, part, region, layer, or section. Furthermore, the terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as “first” or “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description herein, “a plurality” means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0050] It should be understood that spatial relative terms, such as “above,” “upper,” “below,” and “lower,” are used herein to describe the relationship between one element and another shown in the figures. In addition to the orientation depicted in the figures, these spatial relative terms are also intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element described as “above” or “upper” relative to another element would be “below” or “lower” relative to that other element. Thus, depending on the spatial orientation of the device, the term “above” encompasses both above and below orientations. Devices may have other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative terms used herein should be interpreted accordingly.
[0051] Furthermore, the term “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as advantageous compared to other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the term “exemplary” is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner. As used herein, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, “X applies A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive arrangements. That is, “X applies A or B” satisfies any of the foregoing instances if X applies A; X applies B; or both X applies A and B. Additionally, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context to refer to the singular form, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims are generally understood to mean “one or more.”
[0052] Similarly, although this disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings. This disclosure includes all such modifications and variations and is limited only by the scope of the claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the components described above (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), unless otherwise indicated, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (functionally equivalent) that performs the specific function of the described component, even if structurally not equivalent to the disclosed structure. Furthermore, although specific features of this disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations, as may be desired and advantageous to any given or particular application. Moreover, with regard to the terms “comprising,” “owning,” “having,” “having,” or variations thereof as used in the detailed description or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “including.”
[0053] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.
[0054] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A sealed connection structure characterized by comprising: include: Both components are equipped with fastening mounting holes; A sealing gasket is disposed circumferentially outside the fastening mounting hole and fits between the opposing mounting surfaces of the two fittings; and The inner and outer reinforcing ribs are respectively disposed on the mounting surface of one of the assemblies and are configured to extend toward the mounting surface of the other assemblies; In the radial direction along the fastening mounting hole, the inner rib, the sealing gasket, and the outer rib are arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside, and the extension length of the outer rib is less than the extension length of the inner rib.
2. The sealed connection structure according to claim 1, characterized by The inner rib and the outer rib are provided on the same assembly.
3. The sealed connection structure according to claim 1, wherein One of the two components is a fastener and the other is a fastener. The fastener is installed to the fastener by means of a fastener. The inner rib and the outer rib are both provided on the fastener.
4. The sealed connection structure according to claim 3, characterized by The fastener has a bolt pre-embedded on it, and the mounting fastener is a nut. The nut is located on the side of the fastener facing away from the fastener. The nut includes a threaded portion and a flange end. The flange end is fitted to the surface of the fastener facing away from the fastener. The threaded portion is screwed to the bolt.
5. The sealed connection structure according to claim 4, wherein The flange end extends radially along the fastening mounting hole to cover the inner rib and at least part of the sealing gasket.
6. The sealed connection structure according to claim 1, wherein One of the two components is a metal part and the other is a plastic part, and the inner rib and the outer rib are both provided on the plastic part.
7. The sealed connection structure according to claim 1, wherein In the compression direction of the gasket, the extension length of the inner rib is 45% to 55% of the size of the gasket in its free state.
8. The sealed connection structure according to claim 1 or 7, characterized by In the compression direction of the gasket, the extension length of the outer rib is 35% to 45% of the free state dimension of the gasket.
9. The sealed connection structure according to claim 1, wherein In the radial direction of the fastening mounting hole, the interval between the sealing gasket and the inner rib and the outer rib is no greater than 0.5 mm.
10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the sealing connection structure according to any one of claims 1-9.