sealing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a sealing device that prevents the sealing material from lifting, warping, or wrinkling in curved gaps between the body and panels of a campervan, and that, even if the sealed surface is constantly exposed to the outside after sealing, it is resistant to dirt, and if it does get dirty, it can be easily cleaned, and that allows for easy re-application, cleaning, and re-installation of the sealing material. [Solution] A sealing device capable of sealing a curved joint formed by overlapping the end faces of two members, comprising: a curved concave joint having a curved joint at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end faces of a first member and a second member; a connector that is driven in from the bottom surface of the joint to connect the first member and the second member; and a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the joint, wherein the cover member consists of two or more cover units divided in the width direction, and the unit attached to the inner circumference in the bending direction of the joint eliminates mounting problems of the cover member due to bending.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device, for example, a sealing device for sealing between the body and the panel of a camper.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for example, in a camper or the like, to seal a gap that curves in an R curve shape such as a gap at the joint between the body and the panel, a caulking agent has generally been filled into the gap for sealing. This is because, for example, when attempting to seal the gap that curves in an R curve shape with a strip-shaped sealing member made of a resin material, the sealing member will lift, sag, or wrinkle at the bent R part, particularly on the inner peripheral side, and water will leak from the lifted, sagged, or wrinkled portions.

[0003] However, when using the caulking agent for sealing, the sealing surface is constantly exposed to the outside, so the filling surface of the caulking agent is likely to become dirty and it is difficult to remove the dirt. Furthermore, there are problems such as the peeling work, cleaning, and re-construction due to re-applying the caulking agent being difficult and troublesome.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention was devised to solve the aforementioned problems of the prior art, and aims to provide a sealing device that can seal curved gaps between the body and panels of a camper van, for example, without the sealing member lifting, twisting, or wrinkling, and even if the sealed surface is constantly exposed to the outside after sealing, it is resistant to dirt, and if dirt does occur, it can be easily removed, and furthermore, the sealing member can be easily reapplied, cleaned, and re-installed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a sealing device that can seal a joint that forms an R-shaped curve when the end faces of members overlap. The device comprises an R-curve concave joint having a curved joint at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end face of a second member with the bent end face of a first member, a connector driven in from the bottom surface of the R-curve concave joint to connect the first member and the second member, and a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the R-curve concave joint, The cover member consists of at least two or more cover units divided in the width direction, R curved concave joint The cover unit attached to the inner circumference in the direction of curvature eliminates mounting problems of the cover member caused by bending. It is characterized by the following: or This sealing device is capable of sealing R-shaped curved joints formed by overlapping the end faces of members. The R-curve concave joint has a curved joint at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end face of the second member with the bent end face of the first member; a connector for connecting the first member and the second member within the R-curve concave joint; a closing member attached within the R-curve concave joint, having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, with both upper ends pressing against the sides of the R-curve concave joint with pressing force; and a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the R-curve concave joint. The cover member consists of at least two or more cover units divided in the width direction, R curved concave joint A cover unit attached to the inner circumference in the direction of curvature can eliminate mounting problems of the cover member caused by bending during installation. It is characterized by the following: or This sealing device is capable of sealing R-shaped curved joints formed by overlapping the end faces of members. An R-curve concave joint having an R-curve-shaped seam at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end face of a second member with the bent end face of a first member; a connector for connecting the first member and the second member within the R-curve concave joint; a closing member attached within the R-curve concave joint, having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, with both upper ends having pressing force against the side surfaces of the R-curve concave joint; and a sealing member attached between the closing member and the R-curve concave joint, for closing the R-curve-shaped connecting seam. It has a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the R-shaped concave joint, The cover member consists of at least two or more cover units divided in the width direction, R curved concave joint A cover unit attached to the inner circumference in the direction of curvature can eliminate mounting problems of the cover member caused by bending during installation. It is characterized by the following: or The two or more cover units are connected by having a groove extending in the longitudinal direction at the connecting end of one cover unit, and a hook ridge that fits into the groove and slides longitudinally within the groove at the connecting end of the other cover unit, thereby forming a cover member. It is characterized by the following: or Each of the two or more cover units has grooves extending in the longitudinal direction at connecting ends on both sides in the width direction of each cover unit, and a connecting unit is provided between each of the opposing cover units, and the connecting end of the connecting unit is provided with hook grooves that fit into each of the grooves and are slidable in the longitudinal direction within each groove, and the respective cover units and the connecting unit are connected to form a cover member. It is characterized by the following:

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, for example, in a camper or the like, sealing of a curved gap such as that between a body and a panel in a R-curve shape can be performed without the sealing being lifted, sagged, or wrinkled, and even if the sealed surface is continuously exposed to the outside after the sealing, it is difficult to get dirty, and even if dirt occurs, the dirt can be easily removed. Furthermore, there is an excellent effect that a sealing device that allows easy reattachment, cleaning, and reconstruction of the sealing member can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory drawing (1) for explaining the configuration of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory drawing (2) for explaining the configuration of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory drawing (3) for explaining the configuration of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory drawing (1) for explaining the configuration of the cover member according to the second embodiment [Figure 5] It is an explanatory drawing (2) for explaining the configuration of the cover member according to the second embodiment [Figure 6] It is an explanatory drawing for explaining the configuration of the second embodiment. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory drawing for explaining the usage state of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. (First Embodiment) In FIGS. 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 indicates a first member.

[0010] And the connecting end portion 2 of this first member is bent into a substantially L shape. Further, reference numeral 3 denotes a second member, and the connecting end portion 2 of the second member is also bent into a substantially L shape. Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, by opposing the connecting end portion 2 of the first member 1 and the connecting end portion 2 of the second member 3 that are bent into a substantially L shape and slightly overlapping the respective end faces, an R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4 that extends in an R-curve shape is formed.

[0011] Furthermore, at the bottom of this R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4, a joint 5 between the first member and the second member 3 that forms an R-curve shape is formed.

[0012] Here, in recent years, as shown in the present invention, a sealing device that strongly seals the joint 5 having the R-curve shape has been demanded. Conventionally, in order to seal the joint 5 having the R-curve shape in the longitudinal direction, there have been many means such as filling a caulking agent into the joint 5 having the R-curve shape.

[0013] First, in the present invention, for example, a plurality of connector 6 in the form of a screw is driven in from the bottom surface of the R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4 to connect the first member 1 and the second member 3. At that time, as shown in FIG. 1, it is installed in the R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4, and a closing member 8 composed of a flexible member in which both protruding pieces 13 protruding from both outer sides of a U-shaped main body 14 having a substantially U-shaped cross section have a pressing force against the side surface 7 of the R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4 and abut against it, and a sealing member 9 composed of, for example, a flexible resin member that is housed between the closing member 8 and the R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4 and strongly closes and seals the joint 5 having the R-curve shape is integrally attached.

[0014] Then, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, after the first member 1, the second member 3, the sealing member 9, and the closing member 8 are installed in the R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4 by the connector 6, a cover member 10 is fitted into the opening of this R-curve-shaped concave joint portion 4, and the opening is sealed.

[0015] Here, the cover member 10 is composed of two or more parts, as shown in the figure. In the first embodiment shown in the figure, it is composed of two cover units 17.

[0016] In other words, as can be seen from Figure 3, the cover unit 17 has a protruding piece 12 that extends to abut the surface 11 near the opening of the R-curved concave joint 4, and a locking projection 16 that engages with a locking portion 15 provided on the inner side of the upper end of the U-shaped body 14 of the sealing member 8. Furthermore, in order to connect the two cover units, one cover unit 17 is provided with an interlocking groove 18, and the other cover unit 17 is provided with an interlocking projection 19 that fits into the interlocking groove 18.

[0017] Furthermore, it is not limited which cover unit 17 the recessed groove 18 and recessed protrusion 19 are provided on in a pair of cover units 17. It is sufficient that the recessed groove 18 and recessed protrusion 19 are provided so as to face each other in a pair of opposing cover units 17.

[0018] Then, the pair of cover units 17 are joined together by the insertion protrusion 19 fitting into the insertion recess 18, thereby forming a so-called strip-shaped cover member 10.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3, the cover member 10, which is composed of a pair of cover units 17, is often cut to a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction, and is ultimately fitted as a single long strip-shaped cover member 10 into the opening of the R-curved concave joint 7 that extends in the longitudinal direction. Here, there are no restrictions on the interval of the predetermined length, and the length to be cut should be determined considering the curvature of the R-curved concave joint 7 into which the cover member 10 is fitted.

[0020] With the cover member 10 configured in this way, even if the cover member 10, which is composed of two cover units 17, is fitted into the opening of the R-curved concave joint 7 that bends in an R-curve shape as shown in Figure 3, the cover unit 17 positioned on the inner circumference side of the curve of the R-curved concave fitting portion 4 will be able to absorb the inner diameter of the curve.

[0021] In other words, this can be addressed by pre-cutting the length of the cover unit 17 in the longitudinal direction to a shorter length, so that the cover unit 17, which is positioned on the inner circumference side of the curve that bends in an R-shape, does not lift, wrinkle, or crease.

[0022] In general, when the joint between two components, such as the body and a panel, changes from a straight section to a corner section, for example, a curved section, if the cover component used for the straight section is used at the corner section, the difference between the outer and inner circumferences of the curved joint cannot be compensated for by the elasticity of the material of the cover component 10 alone. As a result, phenomena such as the cover component 10 floating, warping, and wrinkling occur. In other words, because the inner circumference is shorter than the outer circumference, the inner circumference is compressed extremely, resulting in floating, warping, and wrinkling on the inner side.

[0023] Therefore, in this invention, the cover member 10 is constructed by separating the parts in the width direction into an outer cover unit 17 and an inner cover unit 17. As a result, even in corner sections that curve in an R-shape, the lengths of the outer cover unit 17 and the inner cover unit 17 are made different, with the length of the inner cover unit 17 being shorter, thereby reducing the difference between the outer and inner circumferences, and allowing the cover member 10 to perform its role without causing lifting, twisting, or wrinkles.

[0024] Next, Figures 4 to 6 show a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, an example is shown in which a cover member 10 is fitted to a portion of the R-curve concave joint 7 that meanders in a so-called wave shape. In this case, the cover member 10 must consist of at least three members. That is, a pair of cover units 17 and a strip-shaped connecting strip 20 that connects this pair of cover units 17 are required. This is because the cover member 10 that is fitted to the opening of the R-curve concave joint 7 that meanders in a so-called wave shape must also meander in a wave shape.

[0025] Therefore, the cover member 10 of the second embodiment consists of three items: a pair of cover units 17 and a connecting strip 20 that connects the pair of cover units 17.

[0026] In the second embodiment, as can be seen from Figure 5, each of the pair of cover units 17 is provided with an indentation groove 18 on the end face of the joining side, and the connecting groove 20 is provided with an indentation protrusion 19 that fits into each indentation groove 18. With the cover member 10 configured in this way, even if the cover member 10 of the second embodiment is fitted into the opening of the R-curved concave joint 7 which meanders in a wave-like manner as shown in Figure 6, the cover units 17 arranged on the inner circumference side of the curve of the R-curved concave fitting part 4, that is, the cover units 17 arranged on both sides in the width direction, will be able to absorb the inner diameter of the curve.

[0027] In other words, the length of each of the cover units 17 in the longitudinal direction can be shortened in advance to prevent them from lifting, sagging, or wrinkling on the inner circumference of each cover unit 17, which is positioned on the inner circumference of the wavy, meandering, and curved R-shape.

[0028] Next, we will explain the specific application of the present invention to the body 22 and back panel 23 of a camper van 21, and how to attach the cover member 10 to the R-curved concave joint 4.

[0029] Regarding the installation of the back panel 23, which is installed at the rear of the body 22 of the camper van 21, the joint 5 where the connection ends of the body 22 and the back panel 23 overlap during installation is R-shaped as described above, and conventionally, sealing with a sealant has been common practice, as previously stated.

[0030] However, in the present invention, when sealing the opening in the joint 5, a special structure is used in which sealing is performed by stacking sealing members 8, sealing members 9 and cover members 10, and the surface of the opening is sealed using a so-called segmented type cover member, thereby preventing water from seeping in from the joint 5, and the surface of the opening with the cover member 10 attached is also resistant to dirt from the outside, and even if the cover member 10 deteriorates, the repair work can be dealt with by replacing the cover member 10 alone.

[0031] In other words, even if the two cover units 17 deteriorate, the appearance can be maintained as if they were new simply by replacing the cover units 17. Moreover, the technical hurdles are not particularly high, and the repair work is simple, so no skilled technicians are required.

[0032] In this way, the installation of the back panel 23, which is installed on the rear of the campervan 21 body, is also done using a special structure that overlaps moldings and covers, rather than the conventional method of using sealant. This prevents water ingress, makes it resistant to dirt from the outside, and allows for repairs to be done simply by replacing parts if deterioration occurs.

[0033] As mentioned above, the fact that the cover member 10 is composed of multiple units, for example, two cover units 17, is an extremely important feature of the present invention.

[0034] Regarding the joint 5 between two components, for example, the body 22 and the back panel 23, generally speaking, when the joint 5 changes from a straight section to a corner section, for example, a section that curves in an R-shape, the cover member 10 used for the straight section cannot be used as is at the corner section. This is because the difference between the outer and inner circumferences of the opening width at the R-shaped joint 5 means that the expansion and contraction force of the material of the cover member 10 alone cannot bridge the gap between the outer and inner circumferences. As a result, phenomena such as the cover member 10 floating, twisting, and wrinkling occur. In other words, because the inner circumference is shorter in distance than the outer circumference, the inner circumference floats, twists, and wrinkles.

[0035] Therefore, in this invention, the cover member 10 is constructed by separating the parts in the width direction into an outer cover unit 17 and an inner cover unit 17. As a result, even in corner sections that curve in an R-shape, the lengths of the outer cover unit 17 and the inner cover unit 17 are made different, with the length of the inner cover unit 17 being shorter, thereby reducing the difference between the outer and inner circumferences, and allowing the cover member 10 to maintain its function without causing lifting, twisting, or wrinkles in the inner cover unit 17.

[0036] For example, when using a cover member 10 with a width of 21.8 mm without dividing it to form a curved corner section, the minimum bendable radius of the cover member 10 that allows it to function as a cover member 10 without wrinkles or creases is considered to be R=100 mm.

[0037] However, it was proven that when the cover member 10 with a width of 21.8 mm is divided into two cover units 17, the radius can be reduced to approximately half of the aforementioned radius of 100 mm, which is 50 mm.

[0038] Furthermore, even corner sections with a radius of R=50mm or less can be accommodated by using two or more cover units 17. In summary, by using multiple, or even just two, cover units 17, construction becomes possible without the need for special corner parts.

[0039] Next, in this invention, for example, a sealing member 9 made of, for example, silicone molding that fits between the base and the installation portion is compacted and housed in the gap (opening) created when two FRP panels are joined together. Furthermore, the screw-shaped connector 6 and the sealing member 8 apply pressure to the sealing member 9 made of, for example, silicone molding sandwiched between the base and the body, thereby filling the gap in the joint 5.

[0040] In this invention, the structure that prevents the intrusion of water, dust, etc. is made of a triple layer. Specifically, the gap between the joints 5 is filled by a sealing member 9 made of silicone molding that is compressed by screw-shaped connectors 6, the two protruding pieces 13 that extend from both sides of the U-shaped main body 14 which has a roughly U-shaped cross section each press against the side surface 7 of the R-curved concave joint 4 with pressing force, the gaps between the side surfaces 7 of the R-curved concave joint 4 and the sealing member 8 made of a flexible material are filled, and the protruding piece 12 of the cover member 4 covers the opening of the R-curved concave joint 4, thus filling the opening.

[0041] Furthermore, conventionally, it has been difficult to remove dirt from caulking, and the process of removing, cleaning, and reapplying caulking involves high technical hurdles, requiring the skilled work of the installer to maintain the appearance. However, in this invention, only the cover unit 17 is directly exposed to the outside, and even if the two cover units 17 deteriorate, the appearance can be maintained as if they were new by replacing the cover units 17.

[0042] In other words, the present invention combines multiple parts to create a multi-layered sealing device, thereby suppressing the intrusion of water and dust, similar to caulking with sealant, while maximizing the maintenance of appearance, ease of cleaning, and ease of maintenance. Therefore, it offers an extremely novel and effective sealing device for the FRP panel structure of campervans, where caulking with sealant is the standard procedure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1. First Member 2 Connection end faces 3. Second Member 4 R curved concave joint 5th joint 6. Connectors 7 Side view of the curved concave joint 8. Sealing member 9 Sealing member 10 Cover component 11. Surface near the opening 12 protruding pieces 13. Protruding pieces 14 U-shaped body 15 Locking part 16 Locking protrusion 17 Cover Unit 18 Inset groove 19 Inset protrusion 20 Connecting Article 21 Campervans 22 Body 23 Back Panel

Claims

1. This sealing device is capable of sealing R-shaped curved joints formed by overlapping the end faces of members. The device comprises an R-curve concave joint having a curved joint at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end face of a second member with the bent end face of a first member, a connector driven in from the bottom surface of the R-curve concave joint to connect the first member and the second member, and a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the R-curve concave joint. The cover member consists of at least two cover units divided in the width direction, and the cover unit attached to the inner circumference in the bending direction of the R-curved concave joint makes it possible to eliminate mounting problems of the cover member due to bending. A sealing device characterized by the following features.

2. This sealing device is capable of sealing R-shaped curved joints formed by overlapping the end faces of members. The R-curve concave joint has a curved joint at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end face of the second member with the bent end face of the first member; a connector that connects the first member and the second member within the R-curve concave joint; a closing member that is attached within the R-curve concave joint, has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, and whose upper ends on both sides abut against the side surface of the R-curve concave joint with pressing force; and a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the R-curve concave joint. The cover member consists of at least two cover units divided in the width direction, and the cover unit attached to the inner circumference in the bending direction of the R-curved concave joint can eliminate mounting problems of the cover member due to bending. A sealing device characterized by the following features.

3. This sealing device is capable of sealing R-shaped curved joints formed by overlapping the end faces of members. An R-curve concave joint having an R-curve-shaped joint at its bottom formed by overlapping the bent end face of a second member with the bent end face of a first member; a connector for connecting the first member and the second member within the R-curve concave joint; a closing member attached within the R-curve concave joint, having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, with both upper ends pressing against the sides of the R-curve concave joint with pressing force; and a sealing member attached between the closing member and the R-curve concave joint, closing the R-curve-shaped connecting joint. It has a cover member that can be fitted into the opening of the R-curved concave joint, The cover member consists of at least two cover units divided in the width direction, and the cover unit attached to the inner circumference in the bending direction of the R-curved concave joint can eliminate mounting problems of the cover member due to bending. A sealing device characterized by the following features.

4. The two or more cover units are connected by having a groove extending in the longitudinal direction at the connecting end of one cover unit, and a hook ridge that fits into the groove and slides longitudinally within the groove at the connecting end of the other cover unit, thereby forming a cover member. A sealing device according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, characterized in that it is a sealing device according to claim 3.

5. Each of the two or more cover units has grooves extending in the longitudinal direction at connecting ends on both sides in the width direction of each cover unit, and a connecting unit is provided between each of the opposing cover units, and the connecting end of the connecting unit is provided with hook grooves that fit into each of the grooves and are slidable in the longitudinal direction within each groove, and the respective cover units and the connecting unit are connected to form a cover member. The sealing device according to feature 4.

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