Grommet Seal with Variable Rigidity for Uniform Waterproofing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elliptically shaped grommets exhibit non-uniform elastic deformation across their circumferential area, leading to unstable waterproofness due to differing deformation rates between straight and arc portions, resulting in inconsistent sealing contact with mounting members.
Innovation Solution
The grommet design features a seal with gradually increasing rigidity and thickness from the straight portions to the arc portions, along with a deformable portion that is progressively shortened from the straight to the arc sides, ensuring uniform elastic deformation and enhanced waterproofing across the entire circumference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal is made uniformly elastic and deformable around the entire circumference, then the seal can conform to the mounting member surface, but non-uniform elastic deformation occurs between straight and arc portions leading to unstable waterproofness
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed with non-uniform properties: the thickness on the body side increases gradually from the straight portion side toward the arc portion side, creating different rigidity characteristics in different regions. This local variation in thickness compensates for the different deformation tendencies of straight and arc portions, achieving uniform overall deformation and stable waterproofness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the seal thickness on the body side is increased to reduce elastic deformation, then deformation control improves, but the seal becomes overly rigid and loses elastic deformability
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing thickness, the invention applies thickness variation locally: the thickness on the body side increases gradually from the straight portion side toward the arc portion side. This localized thickening provides deformation control where needed while preserving elastic deformability in other regions, achieving both stability and adaptability.
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 design stabilizes waterproofness by reducing elastic deformation on the straight portion side and controlling the degree of sealing, achieving uniform contact pressure and improved sealing performance over the entire circumferential area.
Implementation Method 1
a seal formed continuously on the outer peripheral side of the body circumferentially and to be elastically deformable and is configured to be in sealing contact with a surface of the mounting member
Data Source
AI summary
A grommet (1) provided with a body (9) with an annular shape which is to be mounted to a mounting member (3) and has a pair of opposing straight portion (5, 5) and a pair of arc portion (7, 7) which connect both ends of the pair of straight portions (5, 5), and a seal (11) which is continuously formed, in an elastically deformable manner, in the circumferential direction of the outer periphery side of the body (9) and is brought into close contact with a surface of the mounting member (3). The rigidity of the seal (11) is set so as to gradually increase from the side of the pair of straight portion (5, 5) toward the side of the pair of arc portion (7, 7).