Multi-Injected Automotive Seal Profile with Integrated Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing automotive body seals and trims face challenges such as incomplete coverage of anti-friction coatings and appearance films, detachment issues, and inability to treat non-constant sections or hidden zones, leading to functional malfunctions and aesthetic problems.
Innovation Solution
A profile molded by multi-injection of thermoplastic materials of different hardnesses, where anti-friction coatings and appearance films are overmolded to cover longitudinal and transverse edges, ensuring intimate bonding and continuous coverage without intermediate adhesives, allowing for simultaneous treatment of sealing and visible faces, including end edges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If in-line deposition or lamination of anti-friction coating is used, then the sealing face can be treated, but the coating may detach during use and additional activation steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the anti-friction coating application with the multi-injection molding process itself. The coating material is injected simultaneously with the seal profile in a single operation, eliminating separate deposition steps and ensuring inherent bonding between the coating and the seal substrate through the molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating is applied in advance during the molding process rather than as a subsequent step. The multi-injection process incorporates the coating material into the seal profile before the seal is installed, ensuring proper adhesion and eliminating the need for post-manufacturing activation steps.
2Manufacturing precision
If bi-injection process with stamps is used, then longitudinal face can be coated, but end edges are not covered and additional cutting operations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the coating application from only the longitudinal dimension to include the transverse end edges. The multi-injection mold design allows coating material to be deposited on all surfaces of the seal profile, including the previously inaccessible end edges, achieving complete coverage in a single operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extrusion process is used, then continuous production is possible, but non-constant sections and hidden zones cannot be treated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a multi-injection molding process that can handle complex, non-constant cross-section profiles. The molding process is divided into multiple injection stages, allowing different materials and coatings to be applied to different sections of the seal profile, including hidden zones that are inaccessible to extrusion processes.
4Manufacturing precision
If punch-die re-cutting is performed for finishing, then the seal can be finished, but strip detachment begins and additional cost is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The seal finishing is performed in advance during the multi-injection molding process itself. The mold cavities are designed to produce the final seal geometry with proper finishing surfaces, eliminating the need for subsequent punch-die cutting operations that would compromise strip integrity.
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 solution provides enhanced sealing performance, improved appearance, and reduced risk of detachment, ensuring effective sliding contact and aesthetic integrity by ensuring the anti-friction coating covers the sealing face and appearance film covers the visible face without excess thickness or protrusion, addressing the limitations of existing bi-injection processes.
Implementation Method 1
these materials are overmolded: (i) either on said at least one coating or on said at least one film, which coating(s) or which film(s) is/are additionally intimately bonded (s) continuously by this overmolding
Implementation Method 2
a profile molded by multi-injection of thermoplastic materials of different hardnesses
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a profile section moulded by the multi-injection moulding of thermoplastic materials having different hardnesses, and forming a seal or a moulding for the body of a motor vehicle, as well as to a method for manufacturing said profile section. Said profile section (10") includes at least: an antifriction coating (13") tightly bonded to a longitudinal sealing surface (12a") of the profile section and intended enabling the latter to sealingly contact a mobile element of the vehicle, said sealing surface ending, substantially at a right angle at the respective ends thereof, in two transverse sealing edge surfaces of the profile section; and/or a decorative film (14") tightly bonded to a visible longitudinal surface (11c") of the profile section and intended for enhancing the appearance of said surface, wherein said visible longitudinal surface is separate from the sealing surface and ends, substantially at a right angle at the respective ends thereof, in two visible transverse edge surfaces of the profile section, characterised in that said materials are overmoulded: (i) either on said coating(s) or on said film(s), which is/are tightly bonded, in a continuous manner, to at least one of the visible edge surfaces; (ii) or on said coating(s) and on said film(s), which are optionally tightly bonded, in a continuous manner, to at least one of the sealing edge surfaces and to at least one of the visible edge surfaces.