Adjustable Vehicle Door Insert for Sealing Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-part vehicle doors often fail to seal properly against the door frame due to build variations, leading to wind noise and rattling issues, or difficulties in closing, as the upper door may be either too far or too close to the frame.
Innovation Solution
An insert for a vehicle door with a body having a longitudinal axis and a cavity with inclined inner surfaces, allowing for adjustable inclination of the second door part relative to the first, using multiple inserts with different angles to accommodate varying tolerances and improve sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the upper door is positioned to seal against the door frame, then sealing performance is improved, but manufacturing tolerances cause the door to be either too far or too close, resulting in wind noise/rattling or difficulty closing
Solution Approach 1:
The insert allows changing the angular orientation parameter of the upper door relative to the lower door. By providing inserts with different angular orientations, the system can compensate for manufacturing tolerances and achieve proper sealing without requiring extremely precise manufacturing of the door components themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system makes the door assembly dynamically adjustable by allowing replacement of inserts with different angular orientations. This enables the sealing characteristics to be optimized after manufacturing by selecting the appropriate insert, rather than requiring perfect manufacturing precision from the start.
2Reliability
If the upper door is positioned closer to the door frame, then sealing engagement is improved, but the door becomes difficult to close
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the angular orientation parameter of the insert, the system can achieve optimal sealing engagement without excessive force. The correct angular orientation allows the door to seal properly while maintaining ease of operation, preventing the door from being too tight to close.
3Ease of operation
If the upper door is positioned farther from the door frame, then ease of operation is improved, but wind noise and rattling occur due to inadequate seal
Solution Approach 1:
By adjusting the angular orientation parameter through insert selection, the system achieves the optimal balance where the door is easy to operate while maintaining adequate sealing to prevent wind noise and rattling.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple inserts with different angles are provided, then adaptability to manufacturing variations is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the adjustment function into separate interchangeable inserts, each with a specific angular orientation. This allows the complex adaptability requirement to be divided into multiple simple, standardized components that can be selected based on the specific manufacturing variation encountered.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert design provides multi-functionality by serving both as a structural connector and as an angular adjustment mechanism. A single insert component achieves multiple functions: connecting the doors, providing angular adjustment, and compensating for manufacturing tolerances, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An insert for a vehicle door that has one part that is separable from another part of the door. The insert may have a body having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end and through the center of mass of the body, an opening at the first end, and an inner surface that defines a cavity extending from the opening toward the second end. The inner surface has a first portion and an opposing second portion wherein the distance from the first portion to the axis decreases from the first end toward the second end of the cavity along at least a portion of the cavity. The distance from the second portion to the axis increases from the first end toward the second end of the cavity along at least a portion of the cavity.