JP7574746B2 - Vehicle seal structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle seal structure.

Vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with outer panels. An example of such an outer panel is the outer panel of a back door shown in Patent Document 1. In addition to the outer panel, the back door is equipped with an inner panel, door trim, etc. Exterior components such as lamps may be attached to the surface of the outer panel. In this case, a wire harness is connected to the exterior component for inputting and outputting control signals and supplying power. The wire harness passes through a hole in the outer panel and connects the exterior component to equipment inside the vehicle.

However, when washing a car, water may flow along the surface of the outer panel toward the hole between the surface of the outer panel and the back surface of the exterior product. In order to prevent this water from entering the hole in the outer panel, it is possible to attach the exterior product to the surface of the outer panel with a sealing member placed on the back surface of the exterior product. In this case, the sealing member is pressed against the surface of the outer panel, thereby preventing water from entering the hole along the surface of the outer panel.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-230468

However, when high-pressure water is applied between the surface of the outer panel and the sealing member during a car wash, the water may get in between the surface of the outer panel and the sealing member and reach the above-mentioned hole in the outer panel, causing it to enter the hole.

The means for solving the above problems and their effects will be described below.
The seal structure that solves the above problem is applied to a vehicle as follows. In this vehicle, an exterior part is attached to the surface of an outer panel. A wire harness is connected to the exterior part. The wire harness passes through a hole in the outer panel. In the above seal structure, the exterior part is attached to the surface of the outer panel with a seal member disposed on the back surface of the exterior part, whereby the seal member is pressed against the surface, thereby suppressing the intrusion of water toward the hole along the surface of the outer panel. The seal member includes a first seal portion and a second seal portion. The first seal portion is disposed so as to surround the periphery of the hole in the outer panel. The second seal portion is disposed so as to be farther away from the hole than the first seal portion. Between the first seal portion and the second seal portion of the seal member, a guide portion that is connected to a space portion formed in the exterior part is formed.

During a car wash, high-pressure water may be applied between the surface of the outer panel and the back surface of the exterior product, more specifically, between the surface of the outer panel and the second seal portion of the seal member. In this case, the water enters between the surface of the outer panel and the second seal portion of the seal member and flows along the surface of the outer panel toward the hole. According to the above configuration, the water flows into the guide portion before reaching the hole in the outer panel, and flows from the guide portion into the space in the exterior product, so it does not reach the hole. Therefore, when high-pressure water is applied between the surface of the outer panel and the back surface of the exterior product during a car wash, the water flows along the surface of the outer panel and is prevented from entering the hole formed in the outer panel.

In the above-mentioned vehicle seal structure, the space in the exterior part has a length that is set to fit along the surface of the outer panel, and the guide portion extends in the length direction of the space and is connected to the space along the entire length.

With this configuration, even if high-pressure water gets between the surface of the outer panel and the second seal of the sealing member during a car wash, the water can be effectively diverted to the guide section and the space. This effectively prevents the water from penetrating along the surface of the outer panel into the holes formed in the outer panel.

The above-mentioned vehicle seal structure may be provided with a drainage section that drains water in the space to the outside of the exterior part.
According to this configuration, water that has flowed from the guide portion into the space in the exterior component can be prevented from accumulating in the space.

In the above seal structure, the exterior part attached to the outer panel of the vehicle is a lamp, and the outer panel may be the outer panel of a back door of the vehicle. In addition to the outer panel, the back door includes a garnish. The garnish is attached below the exterior part on the surface of the outer panel. The drainage section is configured to drain water in the space to the inside of the garnish.

The above configuration prevents water from entering the hole in the outer panel, thereby preventing water from entering between the outer panel and the inner panel in the back door. In addition, by attaching the garnish under the lamp on the surface of the outer panel, the drainage section can be hidden by the garnish, making it difficult to see from the outside.

The outer panel of the vehicle to which the above-mentioned seal structure is applied may be the outer panel of a back door of the vehicle. In addition to the outer panel, the back door includes an inner panel and a door trim. The wire harness passes through a hole in the outer panel and extends between the inner panel of the back door and the door trim.

The above configuration prevents water from entering the holes in the outer panel, thereby preventing water from entering between the outer panel and the inner panel in the back door, and between the inner panel and the door trim.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the back door of the vehicle as viewed from the direction of the arrow 2-2 in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the lamp as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the wire harness in the back door. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the back door with the door trim removed as viewed from inside the vehicle. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a seal member of a lamp in a back door and its surroundings. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a seal member and its periphery. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a seal member in which no guide portion is formed and the periphery of the seal member;

Hereinafter, one embodiment of a seal structure for a vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS.
1 shows a vehicle as seen from the rear. The vehicle includes a back door 12 for opening and closing a rear opening 11 of the vehicle, and a rotating shaft 13 extending in the vehicle width direction at an upper end of the rear opening 11. The back door 12 operates to open and close the rear opening 11 by rotating about the center line of the rotating shaft 13. The back door 12 includes an outer panel 14 and a garnish 15. A lamp 16 is attached to the surface of the outer panel 14, i.e., the surface facing the outside of the vehicle, as an exterior accessory of the vehicle. The garnish 15 is attached to the outer panel 14 below the lamp 16.

Figure 2 shows the tailgate 12 as viewed from the direction of arrow 2-2 in Figure 1. As can be seen from Figure 2, the tailgate 12 includes an inner panel 17 and door trim 18 in addition to the outer panel 14 and garnish 15. The inner panel 17 is located on the vehicle interior side (left side in Figure 2) of the outer panel 14. The door trim 18 is attached to the vehicle interior side surface of the inner panel 17. The lower part of the lamp 16 is covered by the garnish 15. The back surface of the lamp 16 faces the surface of the outer panel 14.

A hole 21 is formed in the outer panel 14 for connecting the wire harness 20 to the lamp 16. A terminal 19 protruding from the back surface of the lamp 16 is inserted into the hole 21. The terminal 19 is located at the bottom of the lamp 16. A connector 20a of the wire harness 20 is connected to the terminal 19. This allows the wire harness 20 to pass through the hole 21 in the outer panel 14. The terminal 19 and the wire harness 20 are used to supply power to the lamp 16 and to input and output control signals.

When washing the car, etc., water may flow along the surface of the outer panel 14 toward the hole 21 between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the back surface of the lamp 16. More specifically, the water may pass between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the garnish 15, and enter between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the lamp 16. The water that has entered between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the lamp 16 may then flow along the surface of the outer panel 14 toward the hole 21.

To prevent this water from entering the hole 21 in the outer panel 14, a seal member 22 is arranged around the terminal 19 on the back surface of the lamp 16. With the seal member 22 arranged in this manner at the bottom of the back surface of the lamp 16, the lamp 16 is attached to the surface of the outer panel 14, whereby the seal member 22 is pressed against the surface. The seal member 22 prevents water from flowing along the surface of the outer panel 14 toward the hole 21.

Figure 3 shows the lamp 16 as viewed from the back side. As can be seen from Figure 3, the seal member 22 arranged on the back side of the lamp 16 surrounds the connector 20a of the wire harness 20 connected to the terminal 19 (Figure 2). This connector 20a is located at one end of the wire harness 20, and another connector 20b is provided at the end of the wire harness 20 opposite the connector 20a. As shown in Figure 4, the connector 20b of the wire harness 20 is connected to a connector 23a of another wire harness 23. This wire harness 23 extends between the inner panel 17 and the door trim 18 of the back door 12 (Figure 2).

Figure 5 shows the back door 12 with the door trim 18 removed, as viewed from the inside of the vehicle. As can be seen from Figure 5, the wire harness 23 extends to the upper end of the back door 12, and is connected at that upper end to the wire harness on the inside of the vehicle. The wire harness 23 also branches inside the back door 12 and extends to multiple locations in the back door 12. Power is supplied to the lamp 16 and control signals are input and output via this wire harness 23 and the wire harness 20 (Figure 4).

Next, the seal member 22 in the lamp 16 and its surrounding structure will be described in detail.
2, the seal member 22 includes a first seal portion 24 and a second seal portion 25. The first seal portion 24 is disposed so as to surround the hole 21 of the outer panel 14. The second seal portion 25 is disposed so as to be further downward from the hole 21 than the first seal portion 24.

The lamp 16 has ribs 26, 27 protruding from its back surface. The rib 26 is located in correspondence with the first seal portion 24 of the seal member 22, and extends to surround the hole 21. The rib 26 presses the first seal portion 24 against the surface of the outer panel 14. The rib 27 is located in correspondence with the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22, and extends in the vehicle width direction. The rib 27 presses the second seal portion 25 against the surface of the outer panel 14.

Between the ribs 26 and 27 on the back surface of the lamp 16, a recess 28 is formed that is recessed toward the rear side of the vehicle (the right side in FIG. 2). The recess 28 extends long in the vehicle width direction along the surface of the outer panel 14. A space S surrounded by this recess 28 is open to the outside of the lamp 16. More specifically, the space S is outside the lamp 16 and is open to the inside of the garnish 15. The recess 28 that forms the space S serves as a space portion having a length determined to follow the surface of the outer panel 14, and as a drainage portion that drains water in the space portion to the outside of the lamp 16 and to the inside of the garnish 15.

The induction portion 29 is present between the first seal portion 24 and the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22. The induction portion 29 forms a space that is connected to the space S of the lamp 16, and is realized, for example, by forming a hole between the first seal portion 24 and the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22 as shown in FIG. 6. The induction portion 29 extends in the length direction of the space S (vehicle width direction) and is connected to the space S along the length direction. In addition, since the induction portion 29 is realized by forming a hole in the seal member 22 as described above, the second seal portion 25 is connected to the first seal portion 24.

Next, the operation of the seal structure of the vehicle will be described.
7 shows an enlarged view of the seal member 22 and its periphery. When washing the car, water may get between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the back surface of the lamp 16 through the gap between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the garnish 15 of the back door 12. The seal member 22 arranged on the back surface of the lamp 16 is pressed against the surface of the outer panel 14 to prevent this water from entering between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the back surface of the lamp 16.

However, when high-pressure water is used for washing a car, there is a risk that the water may get between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the back surface of the lamp 16, and between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22. If the water gets between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the second seal portion 25, the water flows along the surface of the outer panel 14 toward the hole 21. However, as shown by the arrow in Figure 7, the water flows into the guide portion 29 before reaching the hole 21 of the outer panel 14, and flows from the guide portion 29 into the space S of the lamp 16, so it does not reach the hole 21.

Figure 8 shows an enlarged view of the seal member 22 without the guide portion 29 and its surroundings. In this case, if high-pressure water gets between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the second seal portion 25, the water may reach the hole 21 in the outer panel 14, as shown by the arrow in Figure 8. If the water reaches the hole 21 and enters the hole 21, water will enter through the hole 21 between the outer panel 14 and the inner panel 17 (Figure 2) in the back door 12, and between the inner panel 17 and the door trim 18.

This can be prevented by adopting the sealing structure shown in Figure 7. In this sealing structure, water that flows into the guide portion 29 flows through the guide portion 29 into the space S surrounded by the recess 28 of the lamp 16. The water that flows into the space S flows outside the lamp 16 and inside the garnish 15 as shown by the arrow in Figure 6, and then flows down from between the garnish 15 and the surface of the outer panel 14 (Figure 7).

According to the present embodiment described above in detail, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When washing a car, there is a risk that high-pressure water may get into the gap between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the rear surface of the lamp 16 through the gap between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the garnish 15 of the back door 12. At this time, the water flows along the surface of the outer panel 14, and it is possible to prevent the water from entering the hole 21 formed in the outer panel 14.

The wire harness 20 connected to the lamp 16 passes through a hole 21 in the outer panel 14 and is connected to a wire harness 23 extending between the inner panel 17 and the door trim 18. In this case, by preventing water from entering the hole 21 in the outer panel 14 as described above, water can be prevented from entering between the outer panel 14 and the inner panel 17 in the back door 12, and between the inner panel 17 and the door trim 18.

(2) The recess 28 that forms the space S of the lamp 16 has a length that is set to follow the surface of the outer panel 14. Meanwhile, the guide portion 29 of the seal member 22 is connected to the space S along its length while extending in the length direction (vehicle width direction) of the space S. Therefore, even if high-pressure water enters between the surface of the outer panel 14 and the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22 during a car wash, the water can be effectively diverted to the guide portion 29 and the space S. Therefore, the water can be effectively prevented from entering the hole 21 formed in the outer panel 14 along the surface of the outer panel 14.

(3) The space S surrounded by the recess 28 of the lamp 16 is open to the outside of the lamp 16 and functions as a drainage section that directs water flowing in from the induction section 29 out of the lamp 16. This prevents water that has flowed from the induction section 29 into the space S of the lamp 16 from accumulating in that space S.

(4) A garnish 15 is attached below the lamp 16 on the surface of the outer panel 14 of the back door 12. The lower part of the lamp 16 is covered by the garnish 15, and the space S of the lamp 16 is open to the inside of the garnish 15. Therefore, water that flows from the space S to the outside of the lamp 16 flows inside the garnish 15 and then falls from between the garnish 15 and the surface of the outer panel 14. Because the lower part of the lamp 16 is covered by the garnish 15, the part of the lamp 16 that functions as a drainage part, i.e., the recess 28 where the space S is formed, is hidden by the garnish 15 and is difficult to see from the outside.

(5) The second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22 is connected to the first seal portion 24. Therefore, by attaching the lamp 16 to the surface of the outer panel 14 with the seal member 22 disposed on the rear surface of the lamp 16, when the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22 is pressed against the surface, it is possible to prevent the second seal portion 25 from becoming unstable. As a result, the second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22 is pressed against the surface of the outer panel 14 in a stable state.

The above embodiment can be modified, for example, as follows: The above embodiment and the following modified examples can be combined with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs.
In the lamp 16, the recess 28 surrounding the space S that functions as a drainage portion does not necessarily need to be hidden by the garnish 15. The garnish 15 may be omitted, or the attachment position of the garnish 15 relative to the outer panel 14 may be changed.

The wire harness 23 does not necessarily have to extend between the inner panel 17 and the door trim 18 .
The second seal portion 25 of the seal member 22 may be separate from the first seal portion 24 .

The positions of the second seal portion 25 and the induction portion 29 in the seal member 22 may be changed as appropriate. For example, if there is another location where high-pressure water is likely to enter, such as above the hole 21 in the outer panel 14 or next to the hole 21, the second seal portion 25 and the induction portion 29 may be located at that location. In this case, a space S for the lamp 16 is formed at a position corresponding to the second seal portion 25 and the induction portion 29.

The space S of the lamp 16 does not necessarily have to have a fixed length. In this case, the guide portion 29 may be shaped to fit the space S.
The present invention may be applied to exterior components other than the lamp 16.

- Although the outer panel 14 of the back door 12 of a vehicle is given as an example of an outer panel to which an exterior product is attached, the outer panel may be an outer panel of another vehicle.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 rear opening 12 back door 13 rotating shaft 14 outer panel 15 garnish 16 lamp 17 inner panel 18 door trim 19 terminal 20 wire harness 20a, 20b connector 21 hole 22 seal member 23 wire harness 23a connector 24 first seal portion 25 second seal portion 26, 27 rib 28 recess 29 guiding portion

Claims (3)

A seal structure for a vehicle is applied to a vehicle in which a wire harness is connected to an exterior part attached to a surface of an outer panel, the wire harness passing through a hole in the outer panel, and the exterior part is attached to the surface of the outer panel with a seal member disposed on the back surface of the exterior part, whereby the seal member is pressed against the surface, thereby suppressing the intrusion of water along the surface of the outer panel toward the hole, the seal structure for a vehicle comprising:
The seal member includes a first seal portion and a second seal portion,
the first seal portion is disposed so as to surround a periphery of the hole in the outer panel and is pressed against a front surface of the outer panel by a rib protruding from a rear surface of the exterior product ;
the second seal portion is disposed farther from the hole than the first seal portion , and is pressed against the front surface of the outer panel by another rib protruding from the rear surface of the exterior product at a position distant from the rib ,
a guide portion that is connected to a space portion formed in the exterior part is formed between the first seal portion and the second seal portion of the seal member,
The guide portion forms a space connected to the space portion between the first seal portion and the second seal portion even when water pressure is not acting thereon ,
the space portion of the exterior part has a length determined to fit along a surface of the outer panel,
The guide portion is connected to the space portion along the length of the space portion in a state where the guide portion extends in the length direction of the space portion,
A sealing structure for a vehicle in which water within the space is drained to the outside of the exterior part by a drainage section . the exterior part is a lamp,
The outer panel is an outer panel of a back door of a vehicle,
The back door includes a garnish in addition to the outer panel,
The garnish is attached to a surface of the outer panel below the exterior product,
The seal structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the drain portion drains water in the space to an inside of the garnish. The outer panel is an outer panel of a back door of a vehicle,
The back door includes an inner panel and a door trim in addition to the outer panel,
3. The seal structure of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the wire harness passes through the hole in the outer panel and extends between the inner panel of the back door and the door trim.

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