V-Shaped Weatherstrip Base for Automobile Door Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal member designs for sashless automobile doors fail to effectively prevent the formation of groove-shaped clearances between the weatherstrip and the retainer or automobile body, due to deformation of the weatherstrip when the door glass contacts the seal part, despite previous attempts to address this issue with complex retainer shapes and expected deformation conditions.
Innovation Solution
A weatherstrip with a hollow shape and a center portion having a substantially V shape in cross section, which applies a counterforce to press both side rims against the automobile body or retainer, reducing deformation and groove-shaped clearance formation through a turning force mechanism, and incorporating a partition to resist high-degree bending and a high-rigidity base for enhanced flexural rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the weatherstrip is designed with a simple base shape for easy manufacture, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but groove-shaped clearances form between the weatherstrip and retainer when the door glass contacts the seal part
Solution Approach 1:
The base of the weatherstrip is designed with a V-shaped projection at its center that contacts only the central portion of the retainer, while the side rims contact the side surfaces of the retainer. This localized differentiation of contact points prevents groove-shaped clearances without requiring complex overall structure, resolving the contradiction between simple manufacture and reliable sealing.
2Reliability
If the retainer is designed with a complex shape to prevent groove-shaped clearances, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the retainer complex to prevent groove-shaped clearances, the invention inverts the approach by designing the weatherstrip base with a V-shaped projection that actively prevents clearance formation. This simple geometric feature on the weatherstrip replaces the need for complex retainer structures, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
3Reliability
If the side rim of the weatherstrip is overlapped to prevent groove-shaped clearance, then sealing reliability is improved, but the peripheral length of the hollow shape increases causing redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The V-shaped projection at the center of the base is designed to preliminarily apply elastic force that pre-positions the side rims against the retainer's side surfaces. This preliminary action prevents groove-shaped clearances before they can form, eliminating the need for excessive side rim overlap and reducing redundant material while maintaining sealing reliability.
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 solution effectively reduces the formation of groove-shaped clearances by maintaining the weatherstrip's contact with the retainer and door glass, while minimizing local deformation and abrasion noise, even under vibration, ensuring a secure seal without the need for complex retainer shapes or expected deformation conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A center portion of the base has a substantially V shape in cross section projecting toward the retainer, and comes into elastic contact with the retainer to be subjected to a counterforce
Implementation Method 2
when the base is inserted between the engagement parts, the base is deformed such that the angle of the V shape of the base is reduced, thereby enhancing easiness of the insertion
Implementation Method 3
The weatherstrip has a partition connecting a portion of the base near the center portion and the seal part such that the hollow shape is divided into two parts
Data Source
AI summary
A seal member is provided with a retainer and a weatherstrip held by a pair of engagement parts of the retainer. The weatherstrip has a hollow shape formed by a base and a seal part. The base is configured to be inserted between the pair of engagement parts of the retainer, and the seal part is integral with the base. A center portion of the base has a substantially V cross section, the center portion being configured to come into elastic contact with a portion of the retainer other than each of the pair of engagement parts such that a counterforce is applied from the portion of the retainer other than each of the pair of engagement parts to the center portion of the base when the both sides of the weatherstrip are engaged with the pair of engagement parts.