Sealing Element Defect Marking via Localized Material Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing vehicle door or door frame seals fail to ensure a permanent and clearly recognizable marking of faulty longitudinal sections, leading to inefficiencies in the removal process and potential sealing failures.

Innovation Solution

A method where a region of the sealing element with a smaller cross-section than the element itself is removed to mark defects, ensuring the marking is permanent and easily recognizable, allowing for targeted removal of faulty sections without severing the element, using techniques like punching, cutting, or drilling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a marking method is used to identify faulty longitudinal sections, then the identification process is improved, but the marking may not be permanent or clearly recognizable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect detection accuracyVSAvoidmarking permanence
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes a region from the sealing element to create a marking, rather than adding a separate marking material. This extraction of material creates a permanent, clearly recognizable defect marking that cannot be overlooked or fade over time, directly resolving the contradiction between identification accuracy and marking permanence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the sealing element is severed to remove faulty sections, then defective parts are eliminated, but the sealing element integrity is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect removal effectivenessVSAvoidsealing element integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments only the faulty longitudinal sections of the sealing element for removal, while preserving the integrity of the remaining healthy portions. The marking system enables precise segmentation of only the defective areas, maintaining the overall stability and composition of the sealing element while still achieving effective defect elimination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If a large area is removed for marking, then the marking is clearly visible, but material waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemarking recognizabilityVSAvoidmaterial waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the marking by removing material only at the specific location where the defect is detected, rather than removing large sections. This localized material removal creates a clearly recognizable marking while minimizing material waste, as the removed region is precisely targeted to the defect location and is smaller than the full cross-section of the sealing element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 ensures reliable and cost-effective identification and removal of faulty sections, reducing material waste and maintaining the sealing element's integrity, thus ensuring a consistent sealing effect over time.

Implementation Method 1

a region of the sealing element that is located in the longitudinal section of the sealing element in which the respective defect was detected and that is smaller in the cross section of the sealing element than the cross section of the sealing element is removed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3959094B1Method and system for producing a seal
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3959094B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3D

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a seal (2), in particular for a door (3) or a door frame of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps: providing a strip-type sealing element that can be cut to length; checking the sealing element (5) for fault points; marking each detected fault point on the sealing element (5); removing each longitudinal section (18) of the sealing element (5) having at least one marking (26); and cutting the sealing element (5) to a desired length. According to the invention, in order to create the marking (26) of the respective detected fault point, a region (27) of the sealing element (5) lying in the longitudinal section of the sealing element (5) in which the respective fault point was detected is removed, said region being smaller than the cross-section of the sealing element (5) when viewed in the cross-section of the sealing element (5).