Motor Vehicle Glass Run Corner Sealing via Segmented Extrusion and Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glass runs for motor vehicle doors face challenges in forming corner sections with excellent sealing properties, as the 'undercut' nature of these areas makes it difficult to form holding lips and provide channels, leading to increased production costs and troublesome assembly requirements.
Innovation Solution
The glass run features straight sections formed by extrusion and corner sections by molding, with a U-shaped cross-section and seal lips that join via joints, incorporating a sub-seal rib to ensure sealing without the need for caulking members, and materials like EPDM rubber or thermoplastic elastomers for secure attachment and weather resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If corner sections are formed by molding to join straight sections, then the glass run can be attached to corners of the door frame, but the undercut state makes it difficult to form holding lips and channels
Solution Approach 1:
The glass run is divided into straight sections formed by extrusion and corner sections formed by molding, allowing each section to be optimized for its specific function and manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to form holding lips in the traditional location within the undercut area, the invention inverts the approach by providing holding lips at the open ends of the side walls that extend outward, bypassing the undercut constraint
2Reliability
If caulking members are inserted to ensure sealing properties, then sealing between door frame and glass run is improved, but troublesome works are required and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-seal rib automatically provides sealing functionality when the door glass is installed, eliminating the need for separate caulking members. The rib's position and shape cause it to be pressed against the door frame by the door glass, creating a seal without additional assembly steps
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is extracted from the complex caulking member system and integrated directly into the glass run structure through the sub-seal rib, simplifying the overall assembly
3Reliability
If seal lips extend from open ends of side walls, then door glass surfaces are sealed, but the undercut area in corner sections makes it difficult to provide proper sealing structure
Solution Approach 1:
The seal lips extend not only inward toward the interior but also outward from the open ends of the side walls in the corner sections, utilizing the outward extension dimension to overcome the undercut constraint and provide effective sealing
Data Source
AI summary
A glass run for use in a motor vehicle, of which corner sections are readily manufactured with excellent sealing properties. A main body of each of straight sections and corner sections of the glass run has an outer side wall, an inner side wall and a bottom wall, which define a generally U-shaped cross-section, and an outer seal lip and an inner seal lip are respectively provided in the outer side wall and the inner side wall. The straight sections and the corner sections are joined to each other via joints, and the inner side wall is formed greater than the outer side wall. A sub-seal rib is provided to protrude outwardly from an exterior surface of the outer side wall of each of the corner sections so as to face a position in which an end of the outer seal lip contacts the outer side wall when the door glass contacts the outer seal lip.