JP2003226272A - Edge protector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an edge protector of a door panel (D) for an automobile which can reduce lowering of the holding power by the permanent set without increasing the holding power in the initial stage and maintain the holding power over the service period. <P>SOLUTION: A holding piece (4) and an exterior piece (3) are extended from a back plate (2), an engagement claw (8) to be hooked to a projection of the door panel (D) for the automobile and a guide part (9) to open the holding piece (4) by the pressing operation are formed on a free end of the holding piece (4), an elastically contact part (7) to be tightly fitted to an outer surface of the door panel (D) for automobile is formed on a free end of the exterior piece (3), and a groove part (5) of substantially V-shaped section with a notch- like or holding angle of several degrees is formed on the inner side of either or each of a corner part (6a) formed by the back plate (2) and the exterior piece (3) and a corner part (6b) formed by the back plate (2) and the holding piece (4). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automobile door panel in a vehicle production process, particularly when an automobile door panel before painting is transported, stored, or attached, they come into contact with each other, racks, car bodies, etc. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an edge protector used for preventing scratches on the edge of an automobile door panel due to contact with the edge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an automobile door panel (D) in an automobile production process is subjected to a press working to finish a surface undercoat, and then the coating process or the assembling process is performed. The pressing process, the painting process and the assembly process are often performed in different places.In particular, in recent years, knockdown has been done in which domestically pressed automotive door panels (D) are exported to overseas production bases and assembled and sold locally. Many export methods are used. In these cases, the transportation and storage of the vehicle door panel (D) is performed in line with the rack, and at that time, the vehicle door panel (D) is scratched by contact with the rack or is removed from the rack. In order to prevent scratches that are likely to occur when the door panels (D) are piled up, an edge protector (1a) is attached to the edge of the automobile door panel (D) to protect the edge during transportation or storage. Tool (1
The a) serves as a cushioning material to prevent the automobile door panel (D) from being scratched.

Further, in the painting process and the assembling process of the automobile door panel (D), the automobile door panel (D) is attached to the body.
Temporarily fix and paint the body and the automobile door panel (D) at the same time, but if the body and the automobile door panel (D) come into contact and get scratched, uneven coating will occur at that part and the finished state will deteriorate. I will let you. So car door panels
The edge protector (1a) is attached to the edge of (D) to prevent the automobile door panel (D) from directly contacting the body.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the conventional edge protector (1a) is a clip-shaped member having an L-shaped cross section, and the edge protector (1a) has the same cross section. The exterior piece (3) that is long in shape and the sandwiching piece (4) that is short are extended from the back plate (2) so as to secure a gap, and the edge of the vehicle door panel (D) is formed. It is attached by sandwiching the part. Also,
Exterior piece (3) and back plate (2) are corners (6a) and sandwiching piece (4) and back plate
By forming the corner portion (6b) by (2), the rigidity due to the shape is increased, and the exterior piece (3) and the sandwiching piece (4) exert a sandwiching force. The material used for the edge protector (1a) is a synthetic resin material having a hardness that does not damage the mounting portion and other vehicle door panels (D). The mounting is performed by a worker by hand, and the edge protector (1a) is pushed into the edge of the vehicle door panel (D) by an operation to clamp the edge.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
The edge protector (1a) of (D) is used during the period from the end of the base treatment of the automobile door panel (D) to the painting step. However, the conventional automotive door panel (D),
Even in such a short period of use, the edge protector (1a) will be settled and the clamping force will be reduced, resulting in an automobile door panel (D).
There was a case where it fell off the edge of the and did not exert a protective effect.

The main cause of the aforementioned settling is that the edge protector (1a) is greatly deformed when it is mounted on the automobile door panel (D), and the initial repulsive force is lost after a certain period of time in that state. It is thought that this is due to stress relaxation. In particular, the inside of the corners (6a) (6b) is a portion where stress concentration occurs, and it is considered that the tensile stress caused by being sandwiched between the automobile door panel (D) has a locally large value. It is considered that the major cause of fatigue is that the stress relaxation inside 6a) and (6b) progresses. Further, in the edge protector (1a) that is not repeatedly used, fatigue may not be considered as a cause of fatigue.

In the conventional edge protector (1a), the above-mentioned corner (6
In order to reduce the stress concentration at a) and (6b), it is also possible to take a radius inside the corners (6a) and (6b), and taking the radius is effective in reducing the maximum value of stress. . However, on the contrary, the opposite effect occurs that the range where stress concentration occurs is expanded. Therefore, the range in which stress relaxation that causes sagging occurs is expanded, and as a means for preventing sagging that occurs when the same deformed state continues for a certain period of time,
Taking R is not an effective measure. In addition, it has an effect of reducing fatigue by taking a radius inside the corners (6a) (6b), but as described above, the edge protector (1a) which is not premised on repeated use is a measure for preventing fatigue. Don't

Further, since it is inevitable that the settling will occur, it is possible to prevent the edge protector (1a) from falling off by increasing the clamping force in the initial stage by hardening the material or increasing the plate thickness. It is possible, but if the clamping force is increased, the automobile door panel (D) may be damaged when the edge protector (1a) is clamped, and there is also a drawback that the effect of the cushioning material decreases due to hardening. . Further, since the worker wears the edge protector (1a) by pushing it in by hand, if the material is hardened, a pushing operation force is required, which lowers the work efficiency. Furthermore, increasing the thickness of the material causes an increase in material cost, and the edge protector (1a) that is supposed to be discarded after a short period of use cannot be said to be an economical measure.

Therefore, the present invention relates to an automobile door panel (D).
In the edge protector of, the clamping force at the initial stage can be reduced and the clamping force can be maintained for a long period of time by reducing the clamping force due to fatigue, and the edge of the automobile door panel (D) can be pressed with a light pushing operation force. An object of the present invention is to provide an edge protector which can be attached to a portion, has a low material cost, is highly economical, and has a high cushioning effect.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, in which a backing plate (2) is provided with a sandwiching piece (4) and an exterior piece (3), and an automobile door panel is provided. In the edge protector made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin used for an automobile door panel (D), which is mounted by sandwiching the edge of (D), a sandwiching piece (4)
Has a locking claw (8) that engages with the protrusion of the automobile door panel (D) and a guide portion (9) that opens the holding piece (4) by a pushing operation, and the exterior piece (3) Has an elastic contact part (7) that closely adheres to the outer surface of the vehicle door panel (D) at the free end of, and the corner part (6a) and the back plate formed by the back plate (2) and the exterior piece (3).
A groove having a notch shape or a substantially V-shaped cross section with an included angle of several degrees inside either or both of the corners (6b) formed by (2) and the sandwiching piece (4).
Basically, the edge protector is characterized in that (5) is formed.

In addition to the above construction, the thickness of the back plate (2) may be changed so that the cross-sectional shape of the back plate (2) is convex inward.

[0012]

According to the present invention, either the corner (6a) formed by the back plate (2) and the exterior piece (3) or the corner (6b) formed by the back plate (2) and the sandwiching piece (4). Or, by forming a groove (5) having a V-shaped cross section with a notched angle or an included angle of several degrees on both insides (hereinafter simply referred to as “groove (5)”), corners (6a) (6b) are formed. ) Is the groove
In (5), it is apparently smaller, and the stress concentration inside the corners (6a) and (6b) is higher, but on the contrary, this corner
(6a) (6b) The stress concentration in the part that deviates even a little from it decreases sharply. Moreover, the stress generated at the corners (6a) and (6b) is dispersed in the peripheral portion where the stress concentration is almost eliminated. Therefore, as compared with the case where the angles of the corner portions (6a) and (6b) are right angles, both the range where stress concentration occurs and the range where the degree of stress concentration is high are reduced.
Therefore, the edge protector should be attached to the vehicle door panel (D).
Even if a certain amount of deformation occurs in (1), the range of stress relaxation in which the initial repulsive force is lost will decrease with the passage of time thereafter, and it is possible to prevent the edge protector (1) from easily getting settled. .

Further, since the plate thickness is partially reduced by forming the groove portion (5), the clamping force in the initial state is smaller than that of the conventional edge protector (1a) having no groove portion (5). Slightly lower. However, since the stress relaxation at the corners (6a) and (6b) is reduced, the lowering of the clamping force can be suppressed more than the conventional edge protector (1a). Therefore, the clamping force is maintained even after a certain period of time has passed, and the clamping force after the certain period of time is higher in the edge protector (1) according to the present invention than in the conventional product, It can be prevented from falling off.

Further, the reduction in the gripping force in the initial state has the effect of reducing the pushing operation force when it is mounted on the edge of the automobile door panel (D), so that the operator can use the light pushing operation force. The part protector (1) can be attached to the edge of the vehicle door panel (D).

When the edge protector (1) is repeatedly used, fatigue occurs due to opening and closing of the exterior piece (3) and the sandwiching piece (4) in the vicinity of the groove portion (5) where stress concentration occurs, and the sandwiching force decreases. . However, since the edge protector (1) according to the present invention is not premised on being repeatedly used, fatigue due to opening and closing does not occur, and the reduction in the clamping force does not pose a problem.

When the groove (5) is formed, the corners (6a) (6b) are formed.
Of the back plate (2)
By increasing the thickness of the back plate (2) so that the cross-sectional shape of the back plate is convex inward, the rigidity of the back plate (2) is increased, the clamping force is improved, and the corners (6a) (6b It is possible to compensate for the gripping force that has decreased due to the decrease in the rigidity of (1). Therefore, the initial clamping force can be further increased.

As described above, in the edge protector of the vehicle door panel (D), it is possible to reduce the reduction of the holding force due to the settling and maintain the holding force over the period of use without increasing the holding force in the initial stage. It is possible to provide an edge protector which can be attached to the edge of an automobile door panel (D) by pushing operation force, has a low material cost, is highly economical, and has a high cushioning effect.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of an edge protector (1) according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an edge protector (1) according to Example 1 of the present invention. Is a simplified perspective view of
FIG. 2 is a simplified side view of the edge protector (1) according to the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the shape of the groove (5) of the edge protector (1) according to the first embodiment, and FIG. A simplified side view of the edge protector (1) according to Example 2, FIG. 5 is a simplified side view of the edge protector (1) according to Example 3, and FIG. 6 is an edge protector (1) according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the usage state of FIG. 7, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a state where the edge protector (1) is engaged with the ridge (Da) of the vehicle door panel (D), and FIG. 8 is a conventional edge protector ( 1a) is a simplified perspective view, and FIG. 9 is a simplified side view of a conventional edge protector (1a).

(Embodiment 1) An edge protector (1) used for an automobile door panel (D) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, an automobile door panel (D) and the like. The vehicle door panel (D) is attached to the edge of the vehicle door panel (D) and used by the exterior piece (3) and the sandwiching piece (4).
The exterior piece (3) and the sandwiching piece (4) were extended from the back plate (2) so as to face each other with a space therebetween so as to sandwich the edge of the It is a clip. Exterior piece
The length of (3) is 32 mm, the length of the holding piece (4) is 14 mm, the height of the back plate (2) is 8 mm, and the width is 30 mm.
Is. The plate thicknesses of the exterior piece (3) and the sandwiching piece (4) are each 2 mm. The angle between the back plate (2) and the exterior piece (3) is about 80.
The angle formed by the back plate (2) and the sandwiching piece (4) is about 90 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inside of the corner (6a) where the back plate (2) of the edge protector (1) and the exterior piece (3) abut, and the back plate (2) and the sandwiching piece ( Grooves (5) along the respective corners (6a) (6b) are formed both inside the corners (6b) with which the (4) abuts. The cross-sectional shape of the groove (5) is such that, as far as it looks, it is like making a notch at a narrow angle that seems to be in close contact with each other, and is formed by a straight line that narrows from the opening toward the back, It has a substantially V shape. When the opening of the groove (5) is in a non-contact state, the deepest part of the groove (5) may have a rounded shape instead of an acute angle.
It is preferable because stress does not extremely concentrate near the innermost part of (5) (see Fig. 2).

Further, the free end portion of the sandwiching piece (4) has a door panel for an automobile when it is attached to the door panel (D) for an automobile.
A ridge (Da) formed along the edge on the inside of the vehicle (D) (Fig. 7).
Forming a locking claw (8) that engages with the (see). The position where the locking claw (8) is formed, that is, the distance from the back plate (2) is changed according to the vehicle type in which the edge protector (1) is used. In addition, at the free end of the holding piece (4), a guide part is provided so that the edge protector (1) can be easily attached to the edge of the vehicle door panel (D) by hand.
Form (9). The guide portion (9) is formed by rounding the free end portion of the holding piece (4), and the edge protector (1) is brought into contact with the edge portion of the automobile door panel (D) to hold it by the pushing operation. The piece (4) is opened so that the edge of the automobile door panel (D) can be held. The shape of the guide portion (9) is not limited to this, and may be any shape as long as the holding piece (4) is opened by the pushing operation.

Further, at the free end portion of the exterior piece (3), a resilient contact portion (7) which is in close contact with the outer surface of the automobile door panel (D) is formed. The elastic contact part (7) has a flexible free end and is provided with an edge protector (1).
When installing the to the vehicle door panel (D), to prevent damage to the vehicle door panel (D), and to contact the curved surface of the vehicle door panel (D) outside the vehicle
It is formed to prevent (1) from shifting. The shape of the elastic contact part (7) is formed by forming the free end of the exterior piece (3) into a wedge shape to give flexibility, and is slightly bent to the side of the sandwiching piece (4) so that the automobile door panel (D) To be in close contact with. Bullet contact part
The shape of (7) is not limited to the wedge shape, and may be any shape as long as it has flexibility and follows the curved surface on the outer side of the vehicle door panel (D).

(Embodiment 2) As shown in FIG. 4, an edge protector (1) used for an automobile door panel (D) according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention has a groove portion (5) and a curved surface portion (5a). It consists of. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the substantially V-shaped groove (5) is a cross-sectional shape that is formed by a curve from the opening toward the back, and the other components are the same as in the first embodiment. The description is omitted. The cross-sectional shape of the groove (5) does not have to be symmetrical with respect to the center line, and may be asymmetric with respect to the center line.

Edge protectors according to the first and second embodiments
The direction of forming the groove (5) of (1) is as shown in FIG.
The direction of the center line in the cross-sectional shape of (5) is corners (6a) (6b)
Basically, it should be in the same direction as the bisector of the interior angle of. Grooves in the direction of the bisector of the inner angles of corners (6a) and (6b)
When (5) is formed, the back plate (2) at the corners (6a) and (6b), the exterior piece
(3) or the sandwiching piece (4) is preferable because it can minimize the reduction of the plate thickness and suppress the reduction of the sandwiching force.

Further, the center line and the corner of the cross-sectional shape of the groove (5)
(6a) (6b) does not necessarily match the bisector of the inner angle, but the center line of the cross-sectional shape of the groove (5) and the bisector of the inner angle of the corners (6a) (6b) The angle formed is preferably small. When this angle increases, the thickness of the back plate (2), the exterior piece (3) or the sandwiching piece (4) at the part where the groove (5) is formed decreases, and the sandwiching force decreases. This is because the decrease in

In the first and second embodiments, the depth of the groove (5) is 0.2 mm and the standard is about 10% of the plate thickness, but the depth can be increased or decreased. However, if the groove portion (5) is deepened, the plate thickness of the portion correspondingly decreases, and the clamping force decreases. Therefore, the depth of the groove portion (5) that can secure the necessary clamping force is limited.

(Embodiment 3) An edge protector (1) according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention has a cross section of a back plate (2) as shown in FIG. 5 in addition to the structure of Embodiment 1 or 2. The convex portion (10) is formed so that the shape is convex inward. by this,
Regarding the thickness of the back plate (2), the inner central portion is thicker than both ends. For this reason, the rigidity of the back plate (2) is increased and the outer piece (3) and the sandwiching piece are
The flexure of the back plate (2) when the (4) is opened is reduced, and the clamping force can be secured. Further, by increasing the plate thickness of the back plate (2) uniformly, the rigidity of the back plate (2) may be increased to secure the holding force.

Although the edge protector (1) according to each embodiment of the present invention described above uses polypropylene as a material, the material is not limited to this, and other thermoplastic synthetic resin such as polyacetal is used. can do. However, the mounting part of the edge protector (1) and other automobile door panels (D)
Uses a soft synthetic resin material that has a hardness that does not scratch. Further, the edge protector according to the embodiment of the present invention (1)
Can be manufactured by cutting the resin molded product having the cross-sectional shape of the edge protector (1) obtained by the extrusion molding means of the above-mentioned plastic resin into constant lengths.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an edge protector (1) according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the edge protector (1) according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the shape of the groove (5) of the edge protector (1) according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a simplified side view of the edge protector (1) according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a simplified side view of the edge protector (1) according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic view showing a usage state of the edge protector (1) according to the embodiment.

[Fig. 7] Edge protector (1) is a ridge of an automobile door panel (D)
It is explanatory drawing of the state which engages with (Da).

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional edge protector (1a).

FIG. 9 is a simplified side view of a conventional edge protector (1a).

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Edge protection 2 backboard 3 exterior pieces 4 clamping pieces 5 groove 5a curved surface 6a corner 6b corner 7 bullet contact part 8 guidance 9 locking claws 10 convex D car panel Da ridge

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automobile door panel (D), which is provided with a holding piece (4) and an exterior piece (3) extending from a back plate (2), and which is attached by holding an edge portion of the automobile door panel (D). In the edge protector made of thermoplastic synthetic resin used for, the locking claw (8) that engages with the protrusion of the automobile door panel (D) at the free end of the clamping piece (4), and the clamping piece by the pushing operation.
(4) has a guide part (9) for opening, and the elastic contact part (7) that adheres to the outer surface of the automobile door panel (D) at the free end part of the exterior piece (3).
And the inside of either or both of the corner (6a) formed by the back plate (2) and the exterior piece (3) and the corner (6b) formed by the back plate (2) and the sandwiching piece (4). An edge protector characterized in that a groove (5) having a substantially V-shaped cross section having a shape or an included angle is formed. 2. The edge protector according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the back plate (2) is changed so that the cross-sectional shape of the back plate (2) is convex inward.