CHARGING OR FUELING RECESS AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF

Abstract

A charging or fueling recess for use in a body opening of a vehicle, which has a recess body and a hinge housing as a rigid part made of a first plastic, wherein the recess body is formed integrally with the hinge housing, wherein the hinge housing has a lower part and an upper part, wherein the charging or fueling recess also has a hinge housing sealing body as a flexible part made of a second plastic which is softer than the first plastic, wherein the hinge housing sealing body is arranged at least sectionally between the lower part and the upper part, wherein the recess body, the hinge housing and the hinge housing sealing body are produced using a two-component injection-molding process.

Claims

1. A charging or fueling recess (100) for use in a body opening of a vehicle, which has a recess body (110) and a hinge housing (120) as a rigid part made of a first plastic, wherein the recess body (110) is formed integrally with the hinge housing (120), wherein the hinge housing (120) has a lower part (121) and an upper part (122), wherein the charging or fueling recess (100) also has a hinge housing sealing body (130) as a flexible part made of a second plastic which is softer than the first plastic, wherein the hinge housing sealing body (130) is arranged at least sectionally between the lower part (121) and the upper part (122), wherein the recess body (110), the hinge housing (120) and the hinge housing sealing body (130) are produced using a two-component injection-molding process.

2. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the lower part (121) and the upper part (122) of the hinge housing (120) are connected on one side by means of an integral hinge (123).

3. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the lower part (121) of the hinge housing (120) is connected by means of a web (140) to the recess body (110), the integral hinge (123) being arranged on a side of the lower part (121) opposite the web (140).

4. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the charging or fueling recess (100) also has a first sealing body (150) which is arranged in a through-opening (10) of the recess body (110) and is made of the second plastic.

5. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the charging or fueling recess (100) also has a second sealing body (160) which is arranged at least substantially on an outer edge of the recess body (110) and is made of the second plastic.

6. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the recess body (110), the hinge housing (120), the hinge housing sealing body (130) and the first sealing body (150) and/or the second sealing body (160) are produced using the two-component injection-molding process.

7. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the charging or fueling recess (100) also has a supporting member (170) which is arranged in the through-opening of the recess body (110) and around which the first sealing body (150) is injection-molded.

8. The charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the charging or fueling recess (100) also has a hinge arm connected pivotably to the hinge housing (120), said hinge arm being connected or connectable to a charging or fueling recess.

9. A method for producing a charging or fueling recess (100) by means of two-component injection-molding, which comprises the following steps: a rigid part injection-molding step during which at least one recess body (110) and a hinge housing (120) exhibiting an upper part (122) and a lower part (121) are made of a first plastic; and a flexible part injection-molding step during which a hinge housing sealing body (130) is formed from a second plastic, characterized in that the hinge housing sealing body (130) is arranged at least sectionally between the lower part (121) and the upper part (122).

10. The method for producing a charging or refueling recess as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, during the rigid part injection-molding step the recess body (110), the upper part (122) and the lower part (121) of the hinge housing (120) lie alongside one another.

11. The method for producing a charging or fueling recess as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that a transfer step is carried out between the rigid part injection-molding step and the flexible part injection-molding step, in which at least the upper part (122) of the hinge housing (120) is placed on the lower part (121) of the hinge housing (120).

12. The method for producing a charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, during the transfer step, the upper part (122) turns about an integral hinge (123) formed between the upper part (122) and the lower part (121).

13. The method for producing a charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, during the flexible part injection-molding step, a first sealing body (150) is formed in a through-opening of the recess body (110).

14. The method for producing a charging or fueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, during the flexible part injection-molding step, a second sealing body (160) is formed on an outer edge of the recess body (110).

15. The method for producing a charging or refueling recess (100) as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, during the rigid part injection-molding step, a supporting member (170) is formed in a, or the, through-opening in the recess body (110) and the first sealing body (150) is preferably injection-molded around it during the flexible part injection-molding process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] In the drawings:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a rigid part of a charging or fueling recess according to the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the rigid part of the charging or fueling recess according to FIG. 1;

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 2;

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view along the line B-B in FIG. 2;

[0060] FIG. 5 shows an isometric illustration of the rigid part and the flexible part of the charging or fueling recess according to the present invention;

[0061] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the charging or fueling recess according to FIG. 5;

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view along the line C-C in FIG. 6; and

[0063] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view along the line D-D in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] Reference hereunder is initially made to FIGS. 1 to 4 which show illustrations of a charging or fueling recess 100, more specifically the rigid part of the charging or fueling recess 100 that is made of a first plastic.

[0065] The rigid part of the charging or fueling recess has a recess body 110, a hinge housing 120, and preferably a supporting member 170.

[0066] The recess body 110 can have latching installations by way of which said recess body 110 can be snap-fitted in a body opening, for example.

[0067] The hinge housing 120 has a lower part 121 and an upper part 122, wherein the lower part 121 and the upper part 122 are connected to one another by means of an integral hinge 123. The hinge housing 120 per se is connected to the recess body 110 by means of web 140. The recess body 110, the lower part 121, the integral hinge 123, and the upper part 122 are thus formed so as to be mutually integral.

[0068] FIGS. 1 to 4 show the hinge housing 120 in swung-open state, that is to say that the upper part 122 lies alongside the lower part 121.

[0069] The supporting member 170 is arranged in an opening in the recess body 110, wherein a through-opening 10 for inserting a tank filler pipe, for example, is later arranged in said opening. The supporting member 170 and the recess body 110 are not configured so as to be mutually integral.

[0070] As can likewise be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, the hinge housing 120 has a receptacle for the axle of a hinge arm which is connectable or connected to a fueling or charging flap.

[0071] All of the components (rigid parts) shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are formed from the first plastic by means of a common rigid part injection-molding step. In particular, FIGS. 1 to 4 thus show the result of the rigid part injection-molding step. The individual elements herein are formed in a corresponding cavity, as is also illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0072] Reference hereunder is made to FIGS. 5 to 8 which show views of the rigid part and of the flexible part of the charging or fueling recess 100 according to the present invention.

[0073] In particular, FIGS. 5 to 8 show the charging or fueling recess 100 after a flexible part injection-molding step in which the rigid parts shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 have been over-molded by means of the second plastic.

[0074] As can be seen in particular in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, and outer edge of the hinge housing 120 is over-molded by means of a hinge housing sealing body 130. The hinge housing sealing body 130 herein is arranged on the transition between the upper part 122 and the lower part 121. The hinge housing sealing body 130 thus fulfils the sealing function thereof in that said hinge housing sealing body 130 (reliably) seals the hinge housing 120, thus the transition between the lower part 121 and the upper part 122.

[0075] In particular, the hinge housing sealing body 130 is formed so as to be circumferential on the transition between the lower part 121 and the upper part 122.

[0076] As can be seen in FIGS. 5 to 8, during the flexible part injection-molding step the upper part 120 of the hinge housing 120 is already located on the lower part 122. To this end, a transfer step in which at least the upper part 122 is placed onto the lower part 122 is used. Moreover, during the transfer step the rigid part can be placed into another cavity for the flexible part injection-molding step. By virtue of the integral hinge 123 shown in the figures, it is possible to simply turn the upper part 122 over the integral hinge 123.

[0077] Furthermore, a first sealing body 150 and a second sealing body 160 are also formed in the flexible part injection-molding step, wherein the first sealing body 150 is formed between the supporting member 170 and the recess body 110, thus sealing the interface between the recess body 110 and the supporting member 170, or between the tank filler pipe or the charging plug connector, respectively.

[0078] The second sealing body 160 is formed or molded, respectively, on an outer edge of the recess body 110 such that said second sealing body 160 seals the interface between the fueling or charging recess and the body opening.

[0079] The hinge housing sealing body 130, the first sealing body 150, and the second sealing body 160 are produced from the same second plastic which is softer than the first plastic, and are in particular formed during the same injection-molding step.

[0080] It is thus possible to produce the charging or fueling recess 100 in a two-component injection-molding process. The charging or fueling recess 100 can consequently be produced in a rapid and simple manner and in the installed state reliably fulfils the function thereof in that the interfaces between the individual components are reliably sealed.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0081] 10 Through-opening [0082] 100 Charging or fueling recess [0083] 110 Recess body [0084] 120 Hinge housing [0085] 121 Lower part [0086] 122 Upper part [0087] 123 Integral hinge [0088] 130 Hinge housing sealing body [0089] 140 Web [0090] 150 First sealing body [0091] 160 Second sealing body [0092] 170 Supporting member