Vehicle Door Hole Cap Sealing Structure for Consistent Water Stopping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional door hole caps with foamed sealing materials face issues such as variable water stopping performance due to inconsistent material injection, increased manufacturing costs, and the need to replace entire panels in case of faults, leading to inefficiencies and higher costs.
Innovation Solution
A door hole cap design featuring a capping member with a recessed groove and a sealing member that includes a main body section, a first sealing section extending outside, and a groove touch section that abuts the groove's inner surface, allowing for easy attachment and reducing manufacturing complexities, while maintaining water stopping performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spongy material is affixed to a door hole cap to prevent rainwater entry, then water stopping performance is improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase due to positioning requirements and proficiency needs
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is designed with a self-aligning structure where the groove touch section automatically positions itself against the groove inner surface during insertion, eliminating the need for manual positioning by workers. The groove geometry guides the sealing member into the correct position, making the attachment process self-service and reducing dependency on worker proficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is divided into distinct functional sections: the main body section for insertion, the first sealing section for water sealing against the door inner panel, and the groove touch section for positioning against the groove. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall attachment process while maintaining effective sealing.
2Reliability
If liquid raw material of foam resin is injected into a recessed groove and foamed, then sealing material is formed, but water stopping performance varies due to inconsistent injection amounts by different workers
Solution Approach 1:
The groove is pre-formed with precise dimensions and geometry before the sealing member is attached. The groove touch section of the sealing member is designed to automatically engage with this pre-formed groove, ensuring consistent positioning and sealing contact regardless of variations in material injection. This preliminary preparation of the groove structure eliminates dependency on injection consistency.
3Reliability
If liquid raw material is foamed and cured in the recessed groove, then sealing material is formed, but operation time increases due to foaming and curing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The foaming and curing processes are extracted from the door hole cap manufacturing process. Instead of forming sealing material in-situ within the groove, a pre-manufactured sealing member is used. This separates the sealing function from the cap manufacturing, eliminating the time-consuming foaming and curing steps while maintaining effective sealing.
4Reliability
If foamed sealing material is formed on the resin panel body, then sealing is achieved, but the entire panel body must be replaced if the sealing material faults
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented into a separate, removable sealing member that can be independently replaced. The sealing member is distinct from the door hole cap body, connected only through the groove interface. This segmentation allows the sealing member to be replaced without replacing the entire cap assembly, significantly improving ease of repair while maintaining sealing reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A door hole cap having a sealing member to maintain water stopping performance of the door hole cap and reduce manufacturing costs. The door hole cap includes: a capping member having a groove that is recessed toward an inside of a vehicle and the sealing member attached to the groove. The groove is formed along an entire perimeter of the capping member. The sealing member includes: a main body section to be inserted into the groove; a first sealing section which extends from the main body section and which abuts a door inner panel; and a groove touch section which extends from the main body section toward an inner surface of the groove and which abuts the inner surface.