Deck Cover Spacer for Vehicle Panel Watertightness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle external panel structures lack design flexibility due to direct contact with weather strips, limiting the ability to incline panels and compromising watertightness and rigidity.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating spacers between the outer and inner panels to allow for contact with the weather strip, enabling the outer panel to be inclined and improving rigidity, with positioning holes and rivet insertion holes for secure bonding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the outer panel and inner panel are directly joined together at the contact portion with the weather strip, then space is saved and watertightness is improved, but the outer panel must be substantially parallel to the inner panel which lowers design flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidpanel structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A spacer is introduced as an intermediary component between the outer panel and inner panel at the weather strip contact portion. This spacer enables the outer panel to be inclined relative to the inner panel while maintaining structural integrity and watertightness, thereby resolving the contradiction between design flexibility and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the outer panel is inclined steeply with respect to the inner panel at the contact with the weather strip, then design flexibility is improved, but the contact between the external panel and weather strip is weakened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidwatertightness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer acts as a mediator that maintains reliable contact between the outer panel and weather strip even when the outer panel is inclined steeply relative to the inner panel. This ensures watertightness is preserved while allowing design flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The spacer extends in the thickness direction (perpendicular to the panel surfaces), creating a dimensional solution that allows angular variation between panels while maintaining contact reliability with the weather strip.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Strength

If the outer panel and inner panel are directly joined together, then the structure is simplified, but the rigidity of the external panel is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproverigidityVSAvoidpanel structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spacer serves as a structural intermediary that enhances the rigidity of the external panel by providing additional support at the weather strip contact portion, while the panel itself remains a unified structure without complex internal reinforcements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10589612B2Attachment structure for vehicle exterior panel

Publication Date: 2020.03.17 WEBASTO JAPAN CO LTD

AI summary

A weather strip 5 is attached to a peripheral edge of an opening 4a of a vehicle body 1′, and a deck cover 18 includes a resin outer panel 21 and an inner panel 23 joined onto a rear side of the outer panel 21. A spacer 35 is interposed between the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 23 such that a portion of the deck cover 18 provided with the spacer 35 makes contact with the weather strip 5 when the deck cover 18 is closed.