Vehicle Drain Feed-Through Sealing for Condensate Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water drain arrangements for vehicles, particularly for condensate from air conditioning systems, lack effective and simple methods to separate and direct water without compromising the vehicle's integrity or acoustic sealing.
Innovation Solution
A water drain arrangement featuring a tubular feed-through device and body shell-fixed sleeve, which creates a fluid-tight connection through hollow profiles in the vehicle body, using sealing collars and elastic components to prevent water penetration and enhance acoustic sealing, allowing condensate to be directed outside while maintaining the vehicle's structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a drain channel is used to remove condensate from the vehicle, then water drainage function is achieved, but the vehicle body's acoustic sealing and structural integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The feed-through device is nested within the hollow profile of the vehicle body, with the drain channel running through the hollow profile's interior space. This nesting approach allows the drainage system to be integrated within the existing structural elements without compromising the outer skin's sealing properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow profile acts as an intermediary element between the interior and exterior of the vehicle. It provides a sealed passage that allows condensate to be transported from the air conditioning system to the exterior while maintaining the acoustic sealing of the vehicle body shell.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If openings are created in the body shell for drainage, then condensate can be discharged, but fluid-tight sealing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Elastic sealing elements and sealing collars are used at the interfaces where the feed-through device penetrates the body shell. These flexible sealing components deform to accommodate thermal expansion and vibration while maintaining continuous fluid-tight sealing around the drainage passages.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed-through device combines multiple materials with different properties: the hollow profile provides structural support, while elastic sealing materials provide fluid-tight sealing. This composite construction allows the system to simultaneously achieve mechanical strength and sealing reliability.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a complex drainage system with multiple components is used, then effective water separation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The feed-through device merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides structural support through the hollow profile, creates fluid-tight sealing through integrated sealing collars, and enables condensate drainage through the internal passage. This consolidation reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow profile serves multiple purposes: it provides the structural framework of the vehicle body, acts as the drainage passage for condensate, and serves as the mounting structure for sealing elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated drainage structures.
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 separates and directs water condensate through hollow profiles, ensuring the vehicle remains sealed and acoustically insulated, even when driving through water, by using a combination of sealing collars and elastic components to maintain a fluid-tight connection.
Implementation Method 1
a continuous first sealing collar is formed on an outer wall of the body shell-fixed sleeve, which collar is connected to a corresponding first wall panel of the hollow profile and acts as a cover disk covering the first body shell opening in the first wall panel in a sealing manner
Implementation Method 2
a continuous second sealing collar is formed on an outer wall of the seat of the feed-through device, which collar rests on a corresponding second wall panel of the hollow profile and acts as a cover disk covering a second body shell opening in the second wall panel in a sealing manner
Implementation Method 3
the feed-through device is inserted in a fluid-tight manner into the body shell-fixed sleeve and penetrates said sleeve with a drain arranged at an inserted end of the feed-through device
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a water drain arrangement for a body of a vehicle. The water drain arrangement includes a drain channel, a tubular feed-through device extending through a first opening of a first wall panel of the body and a second opening of a second wall panel of the body. The water drain arrangement includes a body shell-fixed sleeve extending through the first shell opening of the first wall panel and is coupled to the first wall panel in a fluid-tight manner. A first end of the feed-through device is inserted through a first end of the body shell-fixed sleeve and includes a drain extending through a second end of the feed-through device. A free end of the drain channel is held in a fluid-tight manner in a seat of the feed-through device, which is disposed at a second end of the feed-through device.