Vehicle lid seal structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle lid seal structure which enables improvement of sealability compared to conventional vehicle lid seal structures.SOLUTION: At one of a housing 40 and a lid 20, an annular seal member 50 is provided on a surface 43B facing the other. The annular seal member 50 includes a base 51 and a lip part 60 as a cross section structure. The base 51 is attached to the one of the housing 40 and the lid 20. The lip part 60 extends from the base 51 to the other of the housing 40 and the lid 20. The lip part 60 includes a free end 65. The free end 65 is an end facing a connection end 64 connected to the base 51. In the lip part 60, a bending start point 63 is provided between the connection end 64 and the free end 65. The bending starting point 63 is provided to bend the lip part 60 to the radial outer side of the annular seal member 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a lid seal structure for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a lid seal structure. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in order to enhance the sealing performance between a housing 120 that houses a power supply port (not shown) and a lid 116 that opens and closes an opening 112 of the housing 120, a sealing material 100 is provided on the housing 120. An annular flange 122 is formed at the peripheral edge of the housing 120. An annular sealing material 100 is attached to this flange 122. The sealing material 100 includes a lip portion 102. The lip portion 102 extends from the flange 122 side toward the lid 116 side. When the lip portion 102 abuts against the inner surface 116A (the surface facing the housing 120) of the lid 116, the opening 112 of the housing 120 is sealed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the process of the lid 116 closing the opening 112, the tip 102A of the lip portion 102 abuts against the inner surface 116A of the lid 116. The lip portion 102 is composed of a flexible member and is deformed as the lid 116 moves toward the opening 112 side (closing side). In the process of this deformation, the tip 102A of the lip portion 102 slides on the inner surface 116A of the lid 116.

[0005] Here, if the distance L2 from the point where the tip 102A of the lip portion 102 first contacts the inner surface 116A of the lid 116 to the periphery 116B of the lid 116 is shorter than the length L1 of the lip portion 102, the tip 102A of the lip portion 102 may protrude from the periphery 116B of the lid 116, as shown by the dashed line. In such a case, rainwater or the like may enter the opening 112 from between the tip 102A of the lip portion 102 and the periphery 116B of the lid 116.

[0006] Therefore, this specification discloses a vehicle lid seal structure that can improve sealing performance compared to conventional structures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This specification discloses a vehicle lid seal structure. This lid seal structure comprises a housing and a lid. The housing is provided with a fuel filler port or a power supply port. The lid is capable of opening and closing the opening of the housing. An annular sealing member is provided on one of the housing and the lid, on the surface facing the other. The annular sealing member has a base and a lip as its cross-sectional structure. The base is attached to one of the housing and the lid. The lip extends from the base toward the other of the housing and the lid. The lip has a free end. The free end is the end opposite the connection end to the base. Furthermore, the lip has a bending point between the connection end and the free end. The bending point is provided to cause the lip to bend outward radially from the annular sealing member.

[0008] With the above configuration, a bending point is provided between the connecting end and the free end of the lip portion. Compared to the case where the lip portion bends from the connecting end, the free end, which is the tip of the lip portion, is less likely to protrude from the periphery of the lid.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the lip portion may be extended from the free end toward the bending point so as to be inclined radially inward of the annular sealing member.

[0010] With the above configuration, the distance from the bending point to the periphery of the lid can be made longer compared to the case where the lip portion is extended parallel to the central axis of the annular sealing member.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the base portion of the lip, from the bending point to the connecting end, may have higher rigidity than the tip portion, from the free end to the bending point.

[0012] According to the above configuration, bending of the lip portion is suppressed at the connection end side of the bending point.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the base of the lip portion may be extended so as to be inclined radially outward of the annular sealing member from the bending point toward the connecting end.

[0014] With the above configuration, the tip portion from the bending point of the lip to the free end can be stably bent radially outward of the annular sealing member.

[0015] In the above configuration, the annular sealing member may be attached to an annular flange provided on the periphery of the housing and facing the lid. In this case, the base of the lip portion has an outer peripheral side surface and an inner peripheral side surface. Both the outer peripheral side surface and the inner peripheral side surface are formed to slope upward from the bending point toward the connection end. Furthermore, the upward slope angle of the inner peripheral side surface is smaller than the upward slope angle of the outer peripheral side surface.

[0016] According to the above configuration, it is possible to improve rigidity while maintaining the inclined position of the base. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] The vehicle lid seal structure disclosed herein makes it possible to improve sealing performance compared to conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view illustrating the lid seal structure of a vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2]It is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a diagram illustrating the lid closing process (1 / 2). [Figure 4] It is a diagram illustrating the lid closing process (2 / 2). [Figure 5] It is a perspective view illustrating the lid seal structure of a vehicle according to another example of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view illustrating the lid seal structure of a vehicle according to the prior art.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, the lid seal structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The shapes, materials, numbers, and numerical values described below are examples for explanation and can be appropriately changed according to the specifications of the lid seal structure. Also, in all the drawings below, the same reference numerals are assigned to equivalent elements.

[0020] Also, in FIGS. 1 - 6, in order to represent the positions and directions of each component, a rectangular coordinate system composed of the FR axis, RW axis, and UP axis is used. The FR axis is the vehicle longitudinal axis with the front of the vehicle as the positive direction. The RW axis is the vehicle width axis with the right side of the vehicle as the positive direction. The UP axis is the vehicle vertical axis with the upward direction as the positive direction.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 1, the lid seal structure of a vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a lid 20, a housing 40, and an annular seal member 50.

[0022] This lid seal structure is provided on the outer panel 10. The outer panel 10 is a panel plate having the design surface of the vehicle (exposed surface 11A in FIG. 2), and is, for example, a quarter panel or a fender panel. A through hole 14 is formed in the outer panel 10. The lid seal structure according to the present embodiment is fitted into this through hole 14.

[0023] Figure 2 illustrates the AA cross-section of Figure 1. The outer panel 10 comprises a main plate 11 with an exposed surface 11A and a flange 12 that folds inward from the main plate 11 in the vehicle width direction. For example, the flange 12 is formed in an annular shape, and a through hole 14 is drilled on its inside.

[0024] A housing 40 is inserted into the through hole 14. The housing 40 is provided with a fuel filler port or a power supply port. The housing 40 is a tray-shaped member and has an opening 44 that is exposed to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The housing 40 includes a bottom wall 41, side walls 42, and flanges 43.

[0025] The bottom wall 41 is positioned inward in the vehicle width direction from the exposed surface 11A of the outer panel 10. Through holes 45 are formed in the bottom wall 41 in the thickness direction. A power supply port 35 is provided in this through hole 45. The power supply port 35 can be connected to, for example, a charging connector (not shown) of an external charging device.

[0026] Side walls 42 extend from the periphery of the bottom wall 41 in the direction of the vehicle width. An arm hole 47 into which an arm 30 is inserted is formed in the side wall 42 on the front side of the vehicle.

[0027] A flange 43 is connected to the outer end of the side wall 42 in the vehicle width direction. The flange 43 is provided on the periphery of the housing 40 and has an annular shape that surrounds the bottom wall 41. The shape of the flange 43 is determined according to the shape of the through hole 14 surrounding the outside of the flange 43 and the shape of the bottom wall 41 on the inside of the flange 43.

[0028] For example, a narrow section 43A is provided in the upper part of the flange 43, sandwiched between the upper edge of the through hole 14 and the bottom wall 41. The narrow section 43A is formed so that its overhang width from the side wall 42 is narrower than that of any other part of the flange 43.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, which will be described later, an annular sealing member 50 is fitted around the outer circumference of the flange 43. In the narrow section 43A of the flange 43, the distance L11 from the point where the free end 65 first contacts the inner surface of the lid 20 to the peripheral edge 26 is shorter compared to other parts. The lid seal structure according to this embodiment is applicable to such a narrow section 43A. Figures 2-5 illustrate the cross-sectional structure of the narrow section 43A as cross-section AA.

[0030] The lid 20 is capable of opening and closing the opening 44 of the housing 40. The lid 20 is shaped to correspond to the opening shape of the through hole 14 in the outer panel 10. For example, the lid 20 includes an outer lid 24 and an inner lid 22. For example, the lid inner 22 and the lid outer 24 are made of resin or metal materials.

[0031] Referring to Figure 1, the end of the arm 30 is connected to the lid inner 22. The other end of the arm 30 is slidably housed in a guide mechanism (not shown) through the arm hole 47. The lid outer 24 is formed to be slightly larger than the lid inner 22, and its peripheral edge is folded back. Referring to Figure 2, the lid inner 22 is clamped by the lid outer 24 by this folded portion 24A.

[0032] Referring to the enlarged circle in the upper left of Figure 2, the lid outer 24 passes through the folded portion 24A, and its end 24B faces towards the center of the lid 20. Due to the thickness of the lid outer 24, a step structure is created between the end 24B and the lid inner 22.

[0033] As will be described later, this stepped structure is provided on the sliding path through which the free end 65 of the lip portion 60 of the annular sealing member 50 slides. Referring to the enlarged circle in the upper left of Figure 2, a slope 28 is formed at the end 24B that slopes toward the inner surface of the lid inner 22 (the surface facing the housing 40) in order to prevent the free end 65 from getting caught on this stepped structure.

[0034] Referring to Figure 1, an annular sealing member 50 is provided on the flange 43 of the housing 40. The annular sealing member 50 is a waterproof sealing material made of a flexible material such as rubber.

[0035] Referring to Figure 2, the annular sealing member 50 has a cross-sectional structure comprising a base portion 51 and a plurality of lip portions 52, 53, and 60. The base portion 51 is a U-shaped member attached to the flange 43 of the housing 40. For example, the base portion 51 is attached to the flange 43 so as to cover the outer edge of the flange 43.

[0036] A lip portion 53 extends upward from the upper end of the base portion 51. Additionally, a lip portion 52 extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the inner side of the base portion 51 in the vehicle width direction. The ends of both lip portions 52 and 53 abut against the flange 12 of the outer panel 10.

[0037] The lip portion 60 is a so-called watertight lip, extending further outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the base portion 51. In other words, the lip portion 60 extends from the connection end 64 with the base portion 51 toward the lid 20. The end of the lip portion 60 opposite the connection end 64 is a free end 65.

[0038] Furthermore, the lip portion 60 is provided with a bending point 63 between the connecting end 64 and the free end 65, which causes the lip portion 60 to bend outward in the radial direction relative to the annular sealing member 50. Referring to the enlarged circle in the lower left of Figure 2, the bending point 63 is, for example, a bending point provided on the outer peripheral surface 61A of the lip portion 60.

[0039] For example, the lip portion 60 comprises a base portion 61 and a tip portion 62, separated by a bending point 63. As illustrated in Figure 2, the base portion 61 is configured to have higher rigidity than the tip portion 62. For example, the base portion 61 is molded to be thicker than the tip portion 62. More specifically, the base portion 61 has a flared shape, gradually increasing in thickness from the bending point 63 towards the connecting end 64. By making the base portion 61 more rigid than the tip portion 62, bending of the base portion 61 is suppressed.

[0040] Furthermore, the lip portion 60 has a downward-convex boomerang structure, as illustrated in Figure 2. For example, the tip portion 62 of the lip portion 60 extends from the free end 65 toward the bending point 63, inclined radially inward of the annular sealing member. In addition, the base portion 61 extends from the bending point 63 toward the connecting end 64, inclined radially outward of the annular sealing member 50. With this configuration, for example, compared to the case where the lip portion 60 extends parallel to the vehicle width axis, it becomes possible to position the bending point 63 at a distance from the periphery 26 of the lid 20.

[0041] Furthermore, the lip portion 60 has a shape that is convex downwards, in other words, a shape that folds radially inward of the annular sealing member 50. With this shape, as illustrated in Figure 4, when the lid 20 is closed, the lip portion 60 folds in a so-called inward folding state, with the folding point 63 extending radially inward of the annular sealing member 50 beyond the free end 65. This inward folding prevents the free end 65 of the lip portion 60 from protruding from the periphery 26 of the lid 20.

[0042] Furthermore, in order to extend the base portion 61 so as to be inclined radially outward of the annular sealing member 50, the outer peripheral side surface 61A and the inner peripheral side surface 61B of the base portion 61 are both formed to be inclined upward from the bending point 63 toward the connecting end 64, as illustrated in the enlarged circle in the lower left of Figure 2.

[0043] In addition, in order to give the base portion 61 a flared shape from the bending point 63 towards the connecting end 64, the upward inclination angle α2 of the inner circumferential side surface 61B is set to be smaller than the upward inclination angle α1 of the outer circumferential side surface 61A. Here, the upward inclination angles α1 and α2 are defined as the inclination angles of the flange 43 with respect to the perpendicular of the surface 43B facing the lid 20.

[0044] In this way, the lip portion 60 has a bending point 63 formed between the free end 65 and the connecting end 64. Furthermore, the bending point 63 of the lip portion 60 is set at the downward bending point of the lip portion 60 (in other words, the radially inward bending point). In other words, the bending point 63 is set radially inward of the annular sealing member 50. By having such a structure, the movable length L10 of the lip portion 60 can be set shorter compared to the distance L11 from the point where the free end 65 first contacts the inner surface of the lid 20 to the periphery 26. As a result, the free end 65 is prevented from protruding from the periphery 26 of the lid 20.

[0045] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the closing process of the lid 20. During the closing process, the free end 65 of the lid 20 comes into contact with the inner surface of the lid inner 22. Referring further to Figure 3, as the lid 20 moves toward the housing 40, the free end 65 slides along the inner surface of the lid inner 22 and bends radially outward from the bending point 63 toward the annular sealing member 50.

[0046] A slope 28 is formed along the path in which the free end 65 slides on the inner surface of the lid inner 22, in order to eliminate the step structure caused by the end 24B (see Figure 2) of the lid outer 24. The free end 65 slides along the inclined surface of the slope 28 to overcome the step structure.

[0047] Referring further to Figure 4, the position where the exposed surface 24C of the lid outer 24 and the exposed surface 11A of the outer panel 10 are aligned on the same plane is the closed position of the lid 20. As shown in Figure 4, the free end 65 of the lip portion 60 is located closer to the center of the opening 44 than the peripheral edge 26 of the lid 20, preventing it from protruding from the peripheral edge 26.

[0048] <Other Embodiments> In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, a power supply port 35 is provided in the housing 40, but the lid seal structure according to this embodiment is not limited to this form. For example, instead of a power supply port 35, a fuel supply port may be provided in the housing 40.

[0049] Furthermore, although an annular sealing member 50 was provided on the housing 40 in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-4, the lid seal structure according to this embodiment is not limited to this form. In short, it is sufficient that an annular sealing member 50 is provided on either the housing 40 or the lid 20.

[0050] In other words, the annular sealing member 50 is provided on one of the housing 40 and lid 20, on the surface facing the other. More specifically, the base 51 of the annular sealing member 50 is attached to one of the housing 40 and lid 20. The lip portion 60 extends from the base 51 toward the other of the housing 40 and lid 20.

[0051] Figure 5 shows an example in which an annular sealing member 50 is provided on the lid 20. In this example, the base portion 51 is flat and is sandwiched between the lid outer 24 and the lid inner 22. For example, an insertion hole for the base portion 51 is formed in the lid inner 22. The base portion 51 is also sandwiched in the folded portion 24A of the lid outer 24.

[0052] In this example, the lip portion 60 extends from the base portion 51 toward the housing 40. The lip portion 60 also has a free end 65, which is the end opposite the connection end 64 with respect to the base portion 51. Furthermore, the lip portion 60 has a bending point 63 between the connection end 64 and the free end 65. The bending point 63 is provided to cause the lip portion 60 to bend outward radially from the annular sealing member 50. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0053] 10 Outer panel, 20 Lid, 22 Lid inner, 24 Lid outer, 26 Periphery, 28 Slope, 35 Power supply port, 40 Housing, 41 Bottom wall, 43 Flange, 43A Narrow section, 43B Opposing surface, 44 Opening, 50 Annular sealing member, 51 Base, 52, 53, 60 Lip section, 61 Root section, 61A Outer peripheral side, 61B Inner peripheral side, 62 Tip, 63 Bending point, 64 Connection end, 65 Free end.

Claims

1. A housing provided with a fuel filler port or power supply port, The housing has a lid that can open and close the opening, A vehicle lid seal structure equipped with, The housing is provided with an annular sealing member on the surface facing the lid. The annular sealing member has a cross-sectional structure comprising a base portion attached to the housing and a lip portion extending from the base portion toward the lid. The end of the lip portion that faces the connection end with the base portion is a free end. Furthermore, the lip portion is provided with a bending point between the connecting end and the free end, which causes the lip portion to bend outward in the radial direction of the annular sealing member. The lid comprises a lid outer, which is an outer panel, and a lid inner, which is an inner panel. The peripheral edge of the lid outer is folded back so as to sandwich the lid inner, A slope is formed in the stepped structure formed between the end of the outer lid and the inner lid. Vehicle lid seal structure.

2. A vehicle lid seal structure according to claim 1, The lip portion extends from the free end toward the bending point so as to be inclined radially inward of the annular sealing member. Vehicle lid seal structure.

3. A vehicle lid seal structure according to claim 1, The base portion of the lip, from the bending point to the connecting end, has higher rigidity compared to the tip portion, from the free end to the bending point. Vehicle lid seal structure.

4. A vehicle lid seal structure according to claim 3, The base portion of the lip portion extends from the bending point toward the connecting end so as to be inclined radially outward of the annular sealing member. Vehicle lid seal structure.

5. A vehicle lid seal structure according to claim 4, The annular sealing member is provided on the periphery of the housing and attached to an annular flange facing the lid. The base portion of the lip portion has an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface, Both the outer and inner circumferential surfaces are formed to have an upward slope from the bending point toward the connecting end. The upward inclination angle of the inner circumferential surface is smaller than that of the outer circumferential surface. Vehicle lid seal structure.

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