U.S. patent application number 10/392390 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-27 for process for producing exterior member/seal member assembly.
Invention is credited to Baba, Hideki, Hashimoto, Kazuhiro, Irie, Kazuo, Morishita, Kazuaki, Sekito, Hisatoshi, Toda, Akihiro, Watanabe, Yasufumi.
Application Number | 20030218272 10/392390 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29237439 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030218272 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sekito, Hisatoshi ; et
al. |
November 27, 2003 |
Process for producing exterior member/seal member assembly
Abstract
A process for producing an exterior member/seal member assembly
includes: a first step of moving a slide core to protrude into a
major cavity defined between first and second dies and, and
injecting a hard synthetic resin into an exterior-member forming
cavity partitioned in the major cavity; and a second step of
retracting the slide core and injecting a soft synthetic resin into
a seal-member forming cavity which is a remaining portion of the
major cavity. An outer-seal-lip forming portion is connected to an
outer end of the seal-member forming cavity; a recess-shaped step
is formed on one side face of the slide core and adapted to define
an inner-seal-lip forming portion leading to the seal-member
forming cavity between the step and an inner surface of a guide
bore in the second die when the slide core is retracted; and the
soft synthetic resin is filled into the outer and inner-seal-lip
forming portions 15 and 16 at the second step. Thus, the seal
member having the pair of inner and outer seal lips can be formed
and coupled to the exterior member by one stroke of the seal-member
forming step, and complication of the forming step can be
avoided.
Inventors: |
Sekito, Hisatoshi; (Gunma,
JP) ; Toda, Akihiro; (Gunma, JP) ; Morishita,
Kazuaki; (Gunma, JP) ; Baba, Hideki; (Gunma,
JP) ; Hashimoto, Kazuhiro; (Gunma, JP) ;
Watanabe, Yasufumi; (Gunma, JP) ; Irie, Kazuo;
(Gunma, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARENT FOX KINTNER PLOTKIN & KAHN
1050 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 400
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
29237439 |
Appl. No.: |
10/392390 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
264/255 ;
264/328.7; 264/328.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 45/1639 20130101;
B29L 2031/30 20130101; B29L 2031/26 20130101; B29C 45/1676
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
264/255 ;
264/328.7; 264/328.8 |
International
Class: |
B29C 045/16; B29C
045/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2002 |
JP |
2002-92689 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process for producing an exterior member/seal member assembly
comprising an exterior member made of a hard synthetic resin and a
seal member made of a soft synthetic resin and coupled to one end
of said exterior member, said process comprising: a first step of
moving a slide core slidably mounted in a guide bore in a second
die so that it protrudes into a major cavity defined between a
first die and the second die, and injecting a hard synthetic resin
into an exterior-member forming cavity partitioned in the major
cavity to form an exterior member; and a second step of retracting
the slide core out of the major cavity and injecting a soft
synthetic resin into a seal-member forming cavity, which is a
remaining portion of the major cavity, to form a seal member,
wherein an outer-seal-lip forming portion is connected to an outer
end of the seal-member forming cavity to protrude toward the second
die; a recess-shaped step is formed on one side face of the slide
core and adapted to define an inner-seal-lip forming portion
leading to the seal-member forming cavity between said step and an
inner surface of the guide bore in the second die when the slide
core is retracted; and the soft synthetic resin is filled into the
outer and inner-seal-lip forming portions at the second step.
2. A process for producing an exterior member/seal member assembly
according to claim 1, wherein said recess-shaped step is adapted to
face the exterior-member forming cavity when the slide core is
moved to protrude into the major cavity.
3. A process for producing an exterior member/seal member assembly
according to claim 1, wherein a cowl top to be secured to a vehicle
frame at a lower portion of a rear end of an engine bonnet of an
automobile is formed as said exterior member at said first step,
and said seal member to be coupled to a rear end of the cowl top is
formed at said second step.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an improvement in a process
for producing an exterior member/seal member assembly comprising an
exterior member made of a hard synthetic resin and a seal member
made of a soft synthetic resin and coupled to one end of said
exterior member, said process comprising: a first step of moving a
slide core slidably mounted in a guide bore in a second die so that
it protrudes into a major cavity defined between a first die and
the second die, and injecting a hard synthetic resin into an
exterior-member forming cavity partitioned in the major cavity to
form an exterior member; and a second step of retracting the slide
core out of the major cavity and injecting a soft synthetic resin
into a seal-member forming cavity, which is a remaining portion of
the major cavity, to form a seal member.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Such process for producing an exterior member/seal member
assembly is already known, for example, as disclosed in Japanese
Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-143333.
[0005] In the known process for producing the exterior member/seal
member assembly, it is not taken into consideration to form a pair
of seal lips on an inner surface of a seal member in order to
enhance the sealing function of the seal member of the exterior
member/seal member assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a process of the above-described type for producing an
exterior member/seal member assembly, wherein a pair of seal lips
can be formed easily on an inner surface of a seal member of the
exterior member/seal member assembly.
[0007] To achieve the above object, according to a first feature of
the present invention, there is provided a process for producing an
exterior member/seal member assembly comprising an exterior member
made of a hard synthetic resin and a seal member made of a soft
synthetic resin and coupled to one end of said exterior member,
said process comprising: a first step of moving a slide core
slidably mounted in a guide bore in a second die so that it
protrudes into a major cavity defined between a first die and the
second die, and injecting a hard synthetic resin into an
exterior-member forming cavity partitioned in the major cavity to
form an exterior member; and a second step of retracting the slide
core out of the major cavity and injecting a soft synthetic resin
into a seal-member forming cavity, which is a remaining portion of
the major cavity, to form a seal member, wherein an outer-seal-lip
forming portion is connected to an outer end of the seal-member
forming cavity to protrude toward the second die; a recess-shaped
step is formed on one side face of the slide core and adapted to
define an inner-seal-lip forming portion leading to the seal-member
forming cavity between said step and an inner surface of the guide
bore in the second die when the slide core is retracted; and the
soft synthetic resin is filled into the outer and inner-seal-lip
forming portions at the second step.
[0008] The exterior member corresponds to a cowl top 2 in the
embodiments of the present invention, which will be described
below, and the exterior-member forming cavity corresponds to a
cowl-top forming cavity 12a in the embodiments.
[0009] With the first feature, the seal member having the pair of
inner and outer seal lips can be formed and coupled to the exterior
member by one stroke of the seal-member forming step. Further, an
enhanced sealing function can be imparted to the seal member, while
avoiding complication of the forming step. Moreover, the shape and
size of the inner seal lip can be adjusted by changing the shape
and size of the recess-shaped step of the slide core, that is, the
shape and size of the inner seal lip can be changed by replacing
only the slide core with a relatively low cost.
[0010] According to a second feature of the present invention, in
addition to the first feature, the recess-shaped step is adapted to
face the exterior-member forming cavity when the slide core is
moved to protrude into the major cavity.
[0011] With the second feature, joint faces of the exterior member
and the seal member correspond to the shape of the recess-shaped
step of the slide core, and a large joint area can be provided to
contribute to an increase in bonding strength between the exterior
member and the seal member.
[0012] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cowl top/seal member
assembly to be produced by a producing process according to a first
embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line 2-2 in FIG.
1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a die device used in
the producing process according to the first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a cowl-top
forming step carried out in the die device;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a state
immediately before the formation of a seal member;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view showing a seal-member
forming step;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cowl top/seal member
assembly to be produced by a producing process according to a
second embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view showing a cowl-top
forming step carried out in the die device;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view showing a state
immediately before the formation of a seal member; and
[0022] FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view showing a seal-member
forming step.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The present invention will now be described by way of
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0024] A first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1
to 5 will be first described.
[0025] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a cowl top/seal member assembly 1 which
is to be produced by a producing process according to the first
embodiment of the present invention. The cowl top/seal member
assembly 1 is a part to be disposed in an area extending from an
upper surface of a lower end of a windshield glass G of an
automobile to a vehicle body frame F at a lower portion of a rear
end of an engine bonnet H. The cowl top/seal member assembly 1 is
comprised of a cowl top 2 made of a hard synthetic resin and
secured to the vehicle body frame, and a seal member 3 made of a
soft synthetic resin and coupled to a rear end of the cowl top 2.
The seal member 3 is integrally provided with a pair of inner and
outer seal lips 4 and 5 adapted to be brought into close contact
with an outer surface of the windshield glass G. One of the seal
lips is an outer seal lip 4 protruding from an outer edge of the
seal member 3 toward an inner side of the seal member 3. The other
seal lip is an inner seal lip 5 protruding from the inner side of
the seal member 3 at a location displaced from the outer seal lip 4
toward the cowl top 2.
[0026] A process for producing the cowl top/seal member assembly 1
will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.
[0027] First, a die device used for producing the cowl top/seal
member assembly 1 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the
forming device includes first and second dies 10 and 11 which are
openably and closably opposed to each other. An inner surface 10a
of the first die 10 is provided with a shape corresponding to an
outer side of the cowl/seal member assembly 1. An inner surface 11a
of the second die 11 is provided with a shape corresponding to an
inner side of the cowl/seal member assembly 1. When both the dies
10 and 11 are closed, a major cavity 12 corresponding to the shape
of the cowl/seal member assembly 1 is defined by the inner sides
10a and 11a.
[0028] A slide core 14 is disposed in a guide bore 13 in the second
die 11 for advancing and retracting into and out of the major
cavity 12, and adapted to divide the major cavity 12 so that a
portion of the major cavity 12 can serve as a cowl-top forming
cavity 12a corresponding to the shape of the cowl top 2. Namely,
the slide core 14 can be moved along the guide bore 13 between an
advanced position A at which its tip end face abut against the
inner surface 10a of the first die 10, and a retracted position B
at which its tip end face is flush-with the inner surface 11a of
the second die 11. A portion of the major cavity 12 is partitioned
to be the cowl-top forming cavity 12a corresponding to the shape of
the cowl top 2 by moving the slide core 14 into the advanced
position A.
[0029] When the slide core 14 is moved into the retracted position
B, a remaining portion of the major cavity 12, i.e., a portion
other than the cowl-top forming cavity 12a becomes a seal-member
forming cavity 12b corresponding to the shape of the seal member 3.
In this structure, ends of the inner surfaces 10a and 11a are bent
toward the second die 11 so that an outer-seal-lip forming portion
15 corresponding to the shape of the outer seal lip 4 of the seal
member 3 is made at an outer end of the seal-member forming cavity
12b.
[0030] A recess-shaped step 17 is formed on a side face of the tip
end of the slide core 14 adjacent the cowl-top forming cavity 12a
so that when the slide core 14 reaches the retracted position B, an
inner-seal-lip forming portion 16 corresponding to the shape of the
inner seal lip 5 of the seal member 3 is defined between the
recess-shaped step 17 and one side face of the guide bore 13
corresponding to the recess-shaped step 17.
[0031] The first die 10 or the second die 11 is provided with first
and second gates (not shown), from which resin materials for the
cowl top 2 and the seal member 3 can be injected individually into
the cowl-top forming cavity 12a and the seal-member forming cavity
12b.
[0032] To produce the cowl top/seal member assembly 1, as shown in
FIG. 3, the first and second dies 10 and 11 are first closed, and
the slide core 14 is moved into the advanced position A to define
the cowl-top forming cavity 12a by the inner surfaces 10a and 11a
of the first and second dies 10 and 11 as well as the recess-shaped
step 17 of the slide core 14. Subsequently, a hard synthetic resin
(for example, PP) in a molten state is injected from the first gate
(not shown) into the cowl-top forming cavity 12a to form a cowl top
2, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0033] Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the slide core 14 is moved into
the retracted position B while the first and second dies 10 and 11
are kept closed, whereby the seal-member forming cavity 12b faced
by one end of the cowl top 2 is defined between the dies 10 and 11.
Subsequently, a soft synthetic resin (for example, TPO) in a molten
state and having a compatibility with the material for the cowl top
2 is injected from the second gate (not shown) into the seal-member
forming cavity 12b to form a seal member 3, as shown in FIG. 6.
Thus, the cowl top/seal member assembly 1 is completed.
[0034] Thereafter, the first and second dies 10 and 11 are opened,
and the cowl top/seal member assembly 1 is removed.
[0035] The materials for the cowl top 2 and the seal member 3 have
the compatibility with each other, and hence the cowl top 2 and the
seal member 3 can be fused and integrally coupled to each other at
joint faces.
[0036] Moreover, the joint faces of the cowl top 2 and the seal
member 3 correspond to the shape of the recess-shaped step 17 of
the slide core 14, and hence a large joint area can be secured,
thereby increasing the bonding strength between the cowl top 2 and
the seal member 3.
[0037] Further, the use of the slide core 14 having the
recess-shaped step 17 ensure that the seal member 3 having the pair
of inner and outer seal lips 4 and 5 can be formed and coupled to
the cowl top 2 by one stroke of a seal-member forming step, and an
enhanced sealing function can be imparted to the seal member 3
while avoiding complication of the forming step.
[0038] The shape and size of the inner seal lip 5 can be adjusted
by changing the shape and size of the recess-shaped step 17 of the
slide core 14, and hence the shape and size of the inner seal lip 5
can be changed by replacing only the slide core 14 with a
relatively low cost.
[0039] A second embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10.
[0040] A forming device in the second embodiment is similar to the
forming device in the first embodiment, except that a recess-shaped
step 17 is formed on a side face of a tip end of a slide core 14
adjacent the outer seal lip 4, and an inner-seal-lip forming
portion 16 is defined by the recess-shaped step 17 and an inner
side face of the guide bore 13 adjacent the outer seal lip 4.
Therefore, portions or components corresponding to those in the
first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals in
FIGS. 7 to 10, and the description of them is omitted.
[0041] Also in the second embodiment, to produce a cowl top/seal
member assembly 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the first and second dies 10
and 11 are first closed, and the slide core 14 is moved into the
advanced position A to define the cowl-top forming cavity 12a.
Then, as shown in FIG. 8, a hard synthetic resin in a molten state
is injected into the cowl-top forming cavity 12a to form a cowl top
2.
[0042] Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the slide core 14 is moved into
the retracted position B while the first and second dies 10 and 11
are kept closed, whereby the seal-member forming cavity 12b faced
by one end of the cowl top 2 is created. Subsequently, a soft
synthetic resin in a molten state and having a compatibility with
the material for the cowl top 2 is injected into the seal-member
forming cavity 12b to form a seal member 3, as shown in FIG. 10.
Thus, the cowl top/seal member assembly 1 is completed. Thereafter,
the first and second dies 10 and 11 are opened, and the cowl
top/seal member assembly 1 is removed.
[0043] Also in the second embodiment, the seal member 3 having the
pair of inner and outer seal lips 4 and 5 can be formed and coupled
to the cowl top 2 by one stroke of a seal-member forming step, and
an enhanced sealing function can be imparted to the seal member
while avoiding complication of the forming step.
[0044] It will be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the above-described embodiments, and various
modifications in design may be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention defined in the claims.
* * * * *