Load Carrying Bar Seal for Low-Noise Accessory Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load carrying bars for roof racks suffer from wind turbulence, dirt ingress, and moisture exposure due to open channels, and existing seals cause unnecessary compression and noise when accessories are mounted, requiring inconvenient installation and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A load carrying bar with a U-shaped channel and flanges, featuring a seal with a spring part and sealing part, allowing accessories to be inserted transversely, which compresses locally around the accessory, using a soft, foam-like material to minimize turbulence and protect against dirt and moisture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the channel opening is exposed to receive accessories, then accessory installation is convenient, but wind turbulence and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible seal made of foam-like material is installed in the channel opening to block wind turbulence and noise while still allowing accessories to be inserted and removed. The seal's flexibility enables it to deform around accessory fastening members, maintaining both aerodynamic performance and ease of accessory installation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the channel opening is sealed to reduce wind turbulence, then air flow improves, but accessory insertion becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is made of foam-like material with specific density and elasticity parameters that allow it to be compressed by accessory fastening members during insertion, then rebound to maintain sealing. This parameter optimization enables both effective sealing and easy accessory installation.
3Reliability
If the seal compresses along the entire channel, then sealing is effective, but unnecessary compression occurs causing noise and turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The foam-like seal structure and the channel geometry are designed to concentrate compression forces locally around the accessory fastening member. The seal naturally compresses only where needed (around the accessory) rather than along the entire channel length, eliminating unnecessary compression that would cause noise and turbulence.
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
The design provides low air turbulence, effective protection from dirt and moisture, flexible accessory placement, and cost-efficient sealing with minimal material usage, enabling easy relocation and integration of electrical equipment.
Implementation Method 1
compresses locally around the accessory
Implementation Method 2
soft, foam-like material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Load carrying bar (1) comprising a channel (10) arranged to receive a fastening member of an accessory for the load carrying bar (1), a seal (20), which is arranged into the channel (10) and which comprises a sealing part (21) arranged to seal an opening (14) of the channel (10) and one spring part (22) arranged to spring the sealing part (21) towards the opening (14), wherein the spring part (22) is arranged in contact with a bottom part (11) of the channel (10), wherein the spring part (22) is attached to the sealing part (21) by at least one stem part (23) extending between the sealing part (21) and the spring part (22) in a height direction (Y), such that at least two cavities (25a, 25b) are arranged between the sealing part (21) and the spring part (22) on opposite sides of the stem part (23).