Removable Soft Top Flap Sealing for Aero-Acoustic Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicles with removable soft cloth tops face challenges in ensuring effective aero-acoustic performance at high speeds due to air leakage between the front edge of the cloth and the sealing gasket, and the complex locking devices used in previous solutions complicate assembly and fail to meet aesthetic quality requirements.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle design featuring a soft top with a fixing system that includes longitudinal side members secured to crosspieces via releasable locking devices and a retaining device with a spoiler and flap to maintain the sealing element compressed, reducing wind noise and simplifying assembly while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a soft cloth top is used with a conventional sealing gasket, then the top is completely removable and simple to assemble, but air leakage occurs between the front edge of the cloth and the sealing gasket at high speeds, causing high noise in the passenger compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is divided into multiple functional elements: a sealing gasket with a first sealing portion for basic sealing, and a second sealing portion (flap) that specifically addresses high-speed aerodynamic sealing. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The second sealing portion (flap) is designed to be flexible and movable, allowing it to dynamically adapt to aerodynamic forces at high speeds. The flap can deform and move with the air flow, maintaining continuous contact with the crosspiece to prevent air leakage, while remaining simple in structure for easy assembly.
2Reliability
If a complex locking device with multiple components is used to secure the top, then reliable locking is achieved, but the device complexity increases and aesthetic-quality requirements are not met
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is integrated into the longitudinal side members themselves, which are existing structural components of the top. The locking elements are incorporated as part of the side members rather than being separate complex assemblies, reducing the total number of components while maintaining reliable locking through the engagement of these integrated elements with the crosspieces.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle (1) has a crosspiece (15), which frontally delimits an upper opening (5) of the passenger compartment (3) and is covered, towards the passenger compartment, by a finishing wall (44); the upper opening (5) is suited to be closed by a removable top (8); the top has a cloth (10) supported by two side longitudinal members (12) and is provided with a front portion (22) which is arranged above a rear projection (26) of the crosspiece (15), when the top (8) is mounted, with a sealing element (24) arranged between them; the top (8) is provided with at least one flap (47) having an upper end secured to the cloth (10) and a lower end portion (48), which faces the finishing wall and is fixed with respect to the crosspiece (15) thanks to the locking exerted by at least one releasable fastener (50).