Reinforcing Vehicle Door Seals via Cavity Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming vehicle door seals from continuously extruded sealing material strands lack effective reinforcement at specific longitudinal positions, leading to potential deformation and compromised sealing functionality.
Innovation Solution
The method involves introducing material into the cavity of the sealing material strand during or after processing to reinforce specific sections, using either elastic bodies or flowable materials that solidify, which can be injected through the cavity wall or introduced from the open end, and locked in place to maintain position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sealing material strand is continuously extruded and processed on-site, then productivity and cost efficiency are improved, but the sealing material lacks local reinforcement at critical positions leading to potential deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing material strand is extruded continuously with pre-formed cavities at the locations where reinforcement is needed. This preliminary preparation of the cavity structure enables subsequent reinforcement without requiring complete reprocessing of the seal, thus maintaining productivity while enabling local strengthening at critical positions.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcement material is inserted into the pre-formed cavities within the sealing material strand. This nesting approach allows the reinforcement to be integrated into the existing seal structure without requiring separate attachment processes, maintaining continuous production efficiency while adding local strength where needed.
2Strength
If reinforcement material is inserted into the cavity, then local strength and sealing function are improved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cavities for reinforcement material are formed during the initial extrusion process of the sealing material strand. This preliminary formation of cavities eliminates the need for complex post-processing cavity creation, reducing overall process complexity while still enabling effective reinforcement at critical positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement material is designed to be inserted into pre-existing cavities within the sealing strand. This nesting approach simplifies the reinforcement process by eliminating the need for separate cavity creation and material attachment steps, reducing process complexity while achieving the desired local strengthening.
3Reliability
If reinforcement is applied during processing, then sealing function is improved, but material waste increases due to defective section disposal
Solution Approach 1:
The cavities for reinforcement are formed during the initial extrusion process, before the sealing material is fully processed and installed. This timing allows for quality inspection and the opportunity to remove or reprocess defective sections without having completed the entire reinforcement process, thereby reducing material waste while maintaining sealing reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the sealing material's stress resistance at critical points, such as bends, while reducing waste by allowing reinforcement only at the final stage of seal formation, thus improving the sealing function and reducing material waste.
Implementation Method 1
the material is introduced by injecting flowable material that solidifies in the cavity to form an elastically deformable material
Implementation Method 2
The material introduced in places can be locked in place by adhesion to and/or form fit with the cavity wall in the longitudinal direction of the strand
Data Source
Figure 1~3b
Figure 3c~6
Figure 7~8(e)
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for forming seals (2) on seal carriers, in particular vehicle doors (3) or vehicle door frames, in which a sealing material strand (1) which is to be processed to form a multiplicity of seals (2) and has a cavity (20) is extruded, the sealing material strand (1) is coiled or folded up, forming a transportable unit, the transportable unit is transported to a processing site and said sealing material strand is fed continuously to a processing device (6) by being drawn out of the transportable unit, wherein, during the processing, a section of the sealing material strand (1) that is to be applied to the relevant seal carrier and forms the seal (2) is in each case severed from the sealing material strand (1). According to the invention, in each case during or after the processing of the sealing material strand (1) to form a seal (2), that section of the sealing material strand (1) which forms the seal (2) is reinforced in places at at least one predetermined longitudinal position of the section by introducing material (19) into the cavity (20).