Vehicle Door Cover Overlap Sealing Against Water Intrusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle door structures allow water or moisture to enter the cabin due to the placement of hole cover members, and the use of elastic sealing members increases complexity and reduces sealing performance.

Innovation Solution

A door structure with a cover member whose peripheral edge is positioned closer to the outer side of the vehicle than the opening, overlapping and contacting the inner panel's edge, using clips and positioning claws for secure attachment, and an elastic member for enhanced sealing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the hole cover member is positioned on the inner side of the inner panel, then the assembly is simplified, but water or moisture can enter between the inner panel and the cover member

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidwater or moisture entry

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional positioning approach by placing the cover member's peripheral edge on the outer side of the inner panel instead of the inner side. This reversal creates an overlapping configuration where the cover member extends beyond the opening perimeter, preventing water from entering between the panel and cover while maintaining assembly simplicity through the same clipping mechanism

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If an elastic sealing member is added between the inner panel and cover member, then sealing performance is improved, but the number of parts and assembly complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the sealing function into the cover member's peripheral edge structure itself. The peripheral edge is designed with an overlapping configuration that extends beyond the opening perimeter, creating a built-in sealing barrier that eliminates the need for separate elastic sealing members while maintaining effective water and moisture protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the cover member peripheral edge is positioned closer to the outer side and overlaps the opening, then water entry is prevented, but the cover member dimensions increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater entry preventionVSAvoidcover member dimensions

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by extending the cover member's peripheral edge only in the specific region where sealing is needed - overlapping the opening perimeter on the outer side of the inner panel. This localized extension provides effective water protection without unnecessarily increasing the overall dimensions of the cover member across its entire surface area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11772464B2Door structure and method of assembling vehicle door

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A door structure includes an inner panel disposed closer to an inner side of a vehicle than an outer panel of a vehicle door and having an opening, and a cover member for covering the opening. A peripheral edge portion of the cover member is disposed closer to an outer side of the vehicle than a peripheral edge portion of the opening and overlaps the peripheral edge portion of the opening of the inner panel in an interior-to-exterior direction of the vehicle while contacting the peripheral edge portion of the opening.