Roof rail sealing material

Abstract

To provide a seal member for roof rail that simplifies installation work of seal members by an operator, and can achieve shortening of work time.SOLUTION: A seal member 1 comprises: a seal base body part 7 which is provided between a roof rail 4 and a vehicle body 5, and is fixed to a rail end part 6 of the roof rail 4; and a seal lip part 8 which is extended from one end of the seal base body part 7, contacts a part of the vehicle body 5, and can be elastically deformed. The seal lip part 8 is so formed as to have a swollen part 10 which is swollen from a connection part 9 to the seal base body part 7 so that a rip part thickness T2 becomes thicker than a base body part thickness T1 of the seal base body part 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing member for a roof rail. More specifically, it relates to a sealing member for a roof rail used when installing a roof rail on the roof of an automobile.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, automobiles such as SUV types and station wagon types have been manufactured with a pair of roof rails mounted on the roof (roof portion) of the vehicle body so as to be parallel to each other. Such a roof rail is a long rail member having substantially the same length as the roof of the vehicle body. By bridging a base carrier between a pair of roof rails along a direction substantially orthogonal to the traveling direction of the automobile, long luggage such as ski boards, snowboards, surfboards, and large luggage such as bicycles can be loaded on the base carrier.

[0003] As a result, it becomes possible for the automobile to travel with luggage such as the above-mentioned ski boards loaded, which cannot be accommodated in the existing storage space such as the trunk of the automobile. Especially in recent years, in addition to the above-mentioned outdoor sports, the number of people enjoying camping and the like has been increasing, and there are cases where a carrier box containing camping supplies and the like is loaded on the roof rail and moved to a campsite. Therefore, not only SUV type automobiles but also vehicles such as light automobiles equipped with roof rails have been increasing in recent years.

[0004] More specifically explaining the configuration of the roof rail, the roof rail can be roughly classified into a conventional type roof rail in which a large gap is formed between the roof of the vehicle and the roof rail, and a direct roof rail (or flush rail) in which the roof and the roof rail are in close contact over the entire surface of the roof rail and there is no such gap. Further, in the case of a direct roof rail, a sealing member 100 for a roof rail (hereinafter simply referred to as "sealing member 100") for preventing intrusion of rainwater and the like is often disposed between the roof and the roof rail (see FIGS. 4 - FIGS. 6).

[0005] The sealing member 100 is disposed between the roof rail 101 and the vehicle body 102, such as the roof of an automobile. It is primarily made of hard rubber or the like and has a longitudinal shape, processed by molding technology such as extrusion molding. More specifically, the sealing member 100 mainly comprises a substantially flat sealing base portion 104 that abuts against and is fixed to the rail end portion 103 of the roof rail 101, and an elastically deformable sealing lip portion 105 that extends from one end of the sealing base portion 104.

[0006] Figures 4-6 illustrate the configuration of a conventional sealing member 100, and all show cross-sections of the sealing member 100, roof rail 101, and vehicle body 102 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the automobile (corresponding to the direction from the depth side of the paper to the front side of the paper in Figures 4-6).

[0007] As shown in Figure 5, the sealing member 100, which is disposed between the roof rail 101 and the vehicle body 102, maintains its sealing performance between the roof rail 101 and the vehicle body 102 by having its sealing lip portion 105 come into contact with a part of the vehicle body 102 and undergo elastic deformation. As a result, it is possible to prevent rainwater and the like from entering the interior (to the right side of the page in Figure 5). [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, in the case of a typical roof rail sealing member 100, the following problems could occur.

[0009] In other words, when installing the sealing member 100 between the roof rail 101 and the vehicle body 102 as shown in Figure 5, it was necessary to first fix the sealing base portion 104 of the sealing member 100 to the rail end 103 of the roof rail 101 using a well-known fixing means (for example, an adhesive layer 109 made of adhesive or double-sided tape, etc.), and then install the sealing lip portion 105 while pressing it against a part of the vehicle body 102 and slightly elastically deforming the sealing lip portion 105.

[0010] As shown in Figure 4, the sealing member 100 is formed such that the thickness T1 of the base portion of the sealing base portion 104 and the thickness T2 of the lip portion of the sealing lip portion 105 extending from the sealing base portion 104 are approximately the same, and the tip 106 of the lip portion of the sealing lip portion 105 is slightly curved. Furthermore, in order to facilitate elastic deformation, a notch 108 is formed in the connection portion 107 between the sealing base portion 104 and the sealing lip portion 105, with the base portion having a concave cross-section. As a result, the sealing lip portion 105 elastically deforms relative to the sealing base portion 104 as the notch 108 is crushed (see Figure 5).

[0011] However, workshops unfamiliar with the installation process of the sealing member 100 may be unable to adjust the force required to elastically deform the sealing lip portion 105, and thus may be unable to bend the sealing lip portion 105 in the desired elastic deformation direction (corresponding to the diagonal direction to the right in Figure 5). As a result, a force may be applied in a direction that expands the notch portion 108, causing the sealing lip portion 105 to bend into a "V" shape near the center of the lip, as shown in Figure 6, and potentially resulting in the sealing member 100 being installed between the roof rail 101 and the vehicle body 102 in this bent state.

[0012] In this configuration, sufficient sealing between the roof rail 101 and the vehicle body 102 could not be ensured, requiring the installation of the sealing member 100 to be redone. As a result, it was necessary to adjust the sealing lip portion 105 to properly elastically deform, or to replace the sealing member 100 itself. Therefore, the installation of the sealing member 100 required a lot of time, potentially reducing work efficiency.

[0013] Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a sealing member for roof rails that simplifies the installation work of the sealing member by the worker, eliminates installation errors, and shortens the work time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors conducted extensive research and found that by improving the seal lip portion to a unique shape, it is possible to improve workability and work efficiency, and thus completed the present invention as described below.

[0015] [1] A roof rail sealing member disposed between a roof rail and the vehicle body, comprising a sealing base portion fixed to the rail end of the roof rail, and a sealing lip portion extending from one end of the sealing base portion and in contact with a part of the vehicle body and being elastically deformable, The seal base portion is formed to have an L-shaped cross-section to match the cross-sectional shape of the end of the rail, and has a flat plate portion fixed to the rail end and a bent portion bent from one end of the flat plate portion. The seal lip portion is such that the thickness of the lip portion is greater than the thickness of the base portion of the seal base portion. It extends from a part of the flat plate portion and one side of the curved portion continuous therewith, and bulges out in cross-sectional view. A sealing member for roof rails, formed with a bulging portion.

[0017] [ 2 The seal base portion and the seal lip portion are formed from materials of different materials. ] The sealing material for the roof rails as described.

[0018] [ 3 The seal base portion is formed of a hard rubber material, and the seal lip portion is formed of a soft foamed sponge material with a different specific gravity and hardness from the hard rubber material. [1] or [ 2] The sealing material for the roof rails as described.

[0019] [ 4 The hard rubber material is a hard rubber made from ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, and the soft foamed sponge material is a sponge-like ethylene-propylene-diene rubber made from the ethylene-propylene-diene rubber. 3 A sealing component for roof rails as described in [ ]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The sealing member of the present invention includes a seal base portion and a seal lip portion, and has a bulging portion that bulges particularly from the connection portion with the seal base portion so that the lip portion thickness of the seal lip portion becomes thicker than the base portion thickness of the seal base portion, thereby simplifying the work of disposing the sealing member on the roof rail, preventing work mistakes by workers, and shortening the working time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory drawing schematically showing an automobile with a roof rail attached. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of a sealing member according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of a sealing member disposed between a roof rail and a vehicle body. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of a conventional sealing member. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of a conventional sealing member disposed between a roof rail and a vehicle body. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of a conventional sealing member in a state of a disposition mistake disposed between a roof rail and a vehicle body.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the sealing member of the present invention will be described. Note that the sealing member of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and modifications, corrections, improvements, etc. can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0023] 1. Sealing Member The roof rail sealing member 1 (sealing member 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention is disposed between a roof rail 4 attached to a roof 3 of an automobile 2 schematically shown in FIG. 1 and a vehicle body 5 of the automobile 2, and is formed in a long shape in accordance with the lengths of the roof 3 and the roof rail 4 (corresponding to the left - right direction of the paper surface in FIG. 1).

[0024] Here, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a car 2 equipped with roof rails 4, viewed from above; Figure 2 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the sealing member 1 of this embodiment; and Figure 3 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the sealing member 1 disposed between the roof rails 4 and the car body 5. Figures 2 and 3 show a cross-section of the sealing member 1 along a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of travel of the car 2 (from the right side of the paper to the left side of the paper in Figure 1) (the direction perpendicular to the paper in Figure 1).

[0025] As shown in Figures 1-3, the sealing member 1 of this embodiment mainly comprises a sealing base portion 7 fixed to the rail end 6 of the roof rail 4 mounted on the automobile 2, and a sealing lip portion 8 extending from one end of the sealing base portion 7, contacting a part of the vehicle body 5 and being elastically deformable. More specifically, the sealing lip portion 8 is formed with a bulging portion 10 that protrudes from the connection portion 9 between the sealing base portion 7 and the sealing lip portion 8, such that the lip portion thickness T2 is thicker than the base portion thickness T1 of the sealing base portion 7.

[0026] In other words, the seal lip portion 8 has a bulge 10 that is more bulging in cross-section than the seal base portion 7, with respect to a part of the seal base portion 7 which is formed to be substantially flat and has a predetermined base portion thickness T1.

[0027] Furthermore, the seal base portion 7 is formed in an L-shape in cross-section along the end cross-sectional shape of the rail end portion 6 of the roof rail 4, and has a flat plate portion 12 that is fixed to the side end surface 6a of the rail end portion 6 by a well-known fixing means, and a bent portion 13 that is bent by approximately 90° from one end of the flat plate portion 12 and faces the lower end surface 6b of the rail end portion 6. Here, the seal lip portion 8 extends from one surface of the flat plate portion 12 and the bent portion 13. Furthermore, as a well-known fixing means for fixing the flat plate portion 12 to the rail end portion 6, an adhesive layer 11 made of adhesive (or double-sided tape) is provided in this embodiment.

[0028] In this embodiment, the sealing member 1 is formed such that the lip portion thickness T2 of the sealing lip portion 8, which has a bulge portion 10, is thicker than the base portion thickness T1 of the sealing base portion 7. As a result, the sealing lip portion 8 is virtually never bent near its center.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sealing member 1 is formed of a sealing base portion 7 and a sealing lip portion 8 made of materials different from each other in order to form a sealing lip portion 8 having a bulging portion 10.

[0030] To explain in more detail, the sealing base portion 7 of the sealing member 1 in this embodiment is formed from hard rubber (hereinafter referred to as "hard rubber EPDM") made from ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, which has the properties of rubber that can be elastically deformed in response to stress.

[0031] On the other hand, the seal lip portion 8 is formed from a sponge-like ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (hereinafter referred to as "sponge EPDM") which is made from ethylene-propylene-diene rubber as a raw material, has multiple voids inside, and possesses the properties of a sponge that can be elastically deformed in response to stress. Here, hard rubber EPDM corresponds to the hard rubber material in the present invention, and sponge EPDM corresponds to the soft foamed sponge material in the present invention.

[0032] In the sealing member of the present invention, the hard rubber material is not limited to the hard rubber described above, but can also be, for example, an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, or other rubber material, or other elastic material having rubber-like elasticity. On the other hand, the soft foamed sponge material is not limited to the ethylene-propylene-diene rubber described above, but can also be, for example, an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, or other rubber material, or other elastic material having rubber-like elasticity.

[0033] As described above, the sealing member 1 of this embodiment is formed using two materials with different properties, such as sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM. Sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM are well-known materials used in the manufacture of resin molded parts for automobiles, and a detailed explanation of them is omitted here.

[0034] By adjusting the specific gravity and hardness of the hard rubber EPDM used in the seal base portion 7 and the sponge EPDM used in the seal lip portion 8 to within the above ranges, the sealing performance between the roof rail 4 and the vehicle body 5 can be stabilized, and the workability in the installation work described above can be improved.

[0035] In particular, by forming the seal base portion 7, which contacts and is fixed to the roof rail 4, from hard rubber EPDM, the seal member 1 can be securely fixed to the roof rail 4. On the other hand, by forming the seal lip portion 8 from sponge EPDM, elastic deformation due to contact with the vehicle body 5 occurs easily, and the sealing performance is further enhanced by the elastic rebound force after elastic deformation. As a result, it is possible to prevent rainwater and other liquids from entering the vehicle interior from between the vehicle body 5 and the seal member 1. In other words, the sealing (water-stopping) effect of the seal member 1 can be enhanced.

[0036] As described above, by having a seal lip portion 8 with a bulging portion 10, and by forming the seal base portion 7 and the seal lip portion 8 from two different materials with properties corresponding to their respective characteristics, the possibility of installation errors such as bending of the seal lip portion 8 near the center, as shown in Figure 6, is reduced when performing the installation work of placing the seal member 1 between the roof rail 4 and the vehicle body 5. This makes it possible to simplify the installation work of the seal member 1 and shorten the work time. In addition, the high sealing performance of the seal member 1 can be stably maintained.

[0037] 2. Method for manufacturing sealing member As mentioned above, the sealing member 1 of this embodiment is manufactured using two types of materials with different properties, such as sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM. In this case, the manufacturing of the sealing member 1 can be carried out using the "co-extrusion molding" technique, in which the two types of materials are simultaneously extruded from a molding die. Such co-extrusion molding (or two-color extrusion molding) is well known in resin processing and rubber processing, and makes it possible to simultaneously extrude hard and soft materials, or transparent and colored materials, and to change the properties of specific parts of the product.

[0038] To explain in more detail, first, a molding die (not shown) corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the sealing member 1 is set in an extruder capable of co-extrusion molding. Meanwhile, two raw material supply units provided in the extruder are prepared with heated sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM, respectively, which have been adjusted to an extrudeable viscosity and are in a flowable state. In this state, the sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM are pressurized from the two raw material supply units with a predetermined extrusion pressure, and extruded simultaneously from the molding die. At this time, by adjusting the extrusion pressure of the sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM respectively, the sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM can be extruded to predetermined positions in the molding die. This makes it possible to make the arrangement and ratio of sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM in the cross-section of the sealing member 1 uniform.

[0039] The sponge EPDM and hard rubber EPDM extruded from the molding die are cooled by contact with the surrounding air and lose their fluidity. After being extruded to a predetermined length (for example, about 500 mm), they are cut. This forms a longitudinally shaped workpiece composed of the two types of materials. By performing a die-cutting process on this longitudinally shaped workpiece, the aforementioned fixing holes and notches can be formed. As a result, the manufacturing of the seal member 1 of this embodiment is completed. Die-cutting is a well-known processing method that uses a die with blades embedded in a base plywood to press and punch out the workpiece material, and a detailed explanation is omitted here. In the manufacturing method of the seal member 1 of this embodiment, the above-described co-extrusion molding is used as an example, but it is not limited to this, and the seal member 1 may also be manufactured using other well-known molding techniques for resin materials. [Industrial applicability]

[0040] The sealing member of the present invention has applicability in the industrial technology field related to the manufacture of automobiles equipped with roof rails. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1,100: Seal member (seal member for roof rails), 2: Automobile, 3: Roof, 4,101: Roof rail, 5,102: Vehicle body, 6,103: Rail end, 6a: Side end face, 6b: Bottom end face, 7,104: Seal base part, 8,105: Seal lip part, 9,107: Connection part, 10: Bulging part, 11, 109: Adhesive layer, 12: Flat plate part, 13: Bent part, 106: Lip tip, 108: Notch part, T1: Base part thickness, T2: Lip part thickness.

Claims

1. A roof rail sealing member that is installed between the roof rail and the vehicle body, A seal base portion fixed to the rail end of the roof rail, A seal lip portion extends from one end of the seal base portion, contacts a part of the vehicle body, and is elastically deformable. It is equipped with, The aforementioned seal base portion is It is formed to have an L-shaped cross-section to match the cross-sectional shape of the end of the rail, A flat plate portion fixed to the end of the rail, A bent portion is formed from one end of the flat portion. It has, The aforementioned seal lip portion is A roof rail sealing member is formed such that the thickness of the lip portion is greater than the thickness of the base portion of the sealing base portion, extending from a part of the flat portion of the sealing base and one side of the curved portion continuous therewith, and having a bulging portion that is convex in cross-sectional view.

2. The seal base portion and the seal lip portion are A sealing member for a roof rail according to claim 1, which is formed from materials of different materials.

3. The aforementioned seal base portion is Made of hard rubber material, The aforementioned seal lip portion is The roof rail sealing member according to claim 1 or 2, which is formed from the hard rubber material and a soft foamed sponge material having different specific gravity and hardness.

4. The hard rubber material is It is a hard rubber made from ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, The aforementioned soft foam sponge material is The sealing member for a roof rail according to claim 3, which is a sponge-like ethylene-propylene-diene rubber made from the ethylene-propylene-diene rubber mentioned above.

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