Weatherstrip Support Plug for Outer Belt Cap Dent Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The cap or bright strip of a vehicle's outer belt assembly is prone to denting during assembly or after mounting, which is aesthetically undesirable and costly to repair.
Innovation Solution
An elongated member or plug is inserted into the cavity between the cap and the weatherstrip body, providing support and reducing the unbraced length of the cap, with various designs including cylindrical, bifurcated, and snap-fit configurations to secure the plug in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cap is left unsupported during assembly and after mounting, then the assembly process is simple and quick, but the cap is prone to denting and damage
Solution Approach 1:
A support plug is introduced as an intermediary component between the cap and the weatherstrip body. The plug fits into a cavity formed by the cap and the indented region of the weatherstrip body, providing internal support to the cap during assembly and after mounting. This mediator prevents direct transmission of external forces that could cause denting, while maintaining the overall simplicity of the weatherstrip assembly structure.
2Strength
If the cap is made more rigid to prevent denting, then damage resistance improves, but the risk of assembly difficulty and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is segmented from the cap itself and placed in a separate support plug component. Instead of making the cap more rigid (which would require more expensive materials or complex cap design), the structural support function is divided into a separate element that fits into the cavity. This segmentation allows the cap to remain simple and easy to manufacture while providing the necessary strength and dent resistance through the separate support plug.
3Reliability
If internal support structures are added to prevent cap damage, then cap protection improves, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support plug is nested within the existing cavity structure of the weatherstrip assembly. The plug fits into the cavity formed by the cap and the indented region of the weatherstrip body, utilizing the existing spatial arrangement rather than requiring additional external components or complex manufacturing processes. This nesting approach provides internal support while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, as the plug can be inserted into the pre-formed cavity during assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A plug is disclosed that reduces a potential for damage to a cap or bright strip of a weatherstrip assembly. The plug can be an elongated member having a cross-sectional dimension that extends between and contacts an indented, transition region of a body of the weatherstrip assembly and an inner surface of the cap.