AUTOMOBILES WEATHER STRIP STRUCTURE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an automobile weather strip comprises: (a) weather strip manufacturing step wherein the seam material and a thermoplastic elastomer are extruded and molded; (b) pretreatment step wherein the surface of the weather strip manufactured is pretreated; (c) slip agent applying step wherein a slip agent made by mixing silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the weather strip pretreated through the pretreatment step; and (d) curing step wherein the slip agent coating layer formed through the slip agent applying step is cured.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an automobile weather strip having a seal part having a sectional shape of U and a sealing function, a coupling member formed unitarily with the seal part in such a manner as to be coupled to a flange portion of an automobile, and a seam material insertedly disposed inside the coupling member, the method comprising: (a) weather strip manufacturing step wherein the seam material and a thermoplastic elastomer are extruded and molded; (b) pretreatment step wherein the surface of the weather strip manufactured is pretreated; (c) slip agent applying step wherein a slip agent made by mixing silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the weather strip pretreated through the pretreatment step; and (d) curing step wherein the slip agent coating layer formed through the slip agent applying step is cured.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pretreatment step (b) is carried out through any one of a primer applying method and an electrical plasma radiation method.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at the slip agent applying step (c), the slip agent made by mixing the silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the weather strip when the surface temperature of the weather strip is in a range of 25 to 150° C.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the slip agent is made of any one selected from 20 to 90% by weight of silicone and 10 to 80% by weight of polyurethane or a combination of the two or more.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at the curing step (d), the weather strip is cured through any one or combination of infrared (IR) light, near infrared (NIR) light, and heat at a given temperature of 50 to 160° C. for a given period of time.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: (e) first cooling step in which the weather strip becomes cool after the weather strip manufacturing step (a) or after the pretreatment step (b); and (f) second cooling step in which the weather strip becomes cool after the curing step (d).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the seam material of the weather strip is made of any one of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or polyamide and steel, the thermoplastic material having talc or glass fiber added thereto.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer includes any one selected from a thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer SBC, a thermoplastic olefinic elastomer TPO, thermoplastic polyurethane TPU, a thermoplastic polyamide TPAE, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer TPEE, thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride TPVC, and modified products thereof or a combination of the two or more.

9. An automobile weather strip comprising: a seal part having a sectional shape of U and a sealing function; a coupling member formed unitarily with the seal part in such a manner as to be coupled to a flange portion of an automobile; and a seam material insertedly disposed inside the coupling member, wherein the weather strip is made by extruding and molding the seam material and a thermoplastic elastomer, a primer is applied to the surface of the extruded weather strip, a slip agent made by mixing silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the applied primer, and the primer and slip agent coating layer is cured, the primer being applied and then cured within one minute when the surface temperature of the weather strip is in a range of 25 to 150° C., the slip agent made by mixing the silicone and polyurethane being sprayed on the surface of the weather strip when the surface temperature of the weather strip is in a range of 25 to 150° C., and the slip agent being made by mixing 50 to 90% by weight of the silicone and 10 to 50% by weight of the polyurethane.

10. The automobile weather strip according to claim 9, wherein the weather strip has a tensile strength in a range of 2.0 to 3.0 Mpa.

11. The automobile weather strip according to claim 9, wherein the curing process of the coating layer is carried out through any one or combination of infrared (IR) light, near infrared (NIR) light, and heat at a temperature of 50 to 160° C. or under within five minutes.

12. The automobile weather strip according to claim 9, further comprising a first cooling step wherein the weather strip becomes cool after the primer is applied to the surface of the weather strip and a second cooling step wherein the weather strip becomes cool after the slip agent coating layer is cured.

13. The automobile weather strip according to claim 9, wherein the weather strip to which the slip agent is applied has a tensile modulus of 2000 to 5000 Mpa.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an automobile weather strip according to the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an automobile weather strip according to the present invention.

[0019] FIGS. 3 and 4 are a table and graphs showing the test results of long term load loss set (LLS) of GMW 15564 of the weather strip manufactured according to the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing various examples of the weather strip manufactured according to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR INVENTION

[0021] Objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the detailed description as will be described below and the attached drawings. Before the present invention is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. In the description, it should be noted that the parts corresponding to those of the drawings are indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

[0022] Hereinafter, an explanation on a method for manufacturing an automobile weather strip according to the present invention will be in detail given with reference to the attached drawing.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an automobile weather strip according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing an automobile weather strip according to the present invention.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an automobile weather strip 10 according to the present invention includes a seal part 11 having a sectional shape of U and a sealing function, a coupling member 13 formed unitarily with the seal part 11 in such a manner as to be coupled to a flange portion of an automobile, and a seam material 12 insertedly disposed inside the coupling member 13.

[0025] Further, a method for manufacturing an automobile weather strip according to the present invention includes a weather strip manufacturing step S10, a pretreatment step S20, a slip agent applying step S30, and a curing step S40.

[0026] At the weather strip manufacturing step S10, first, the seam material 12 and a thermoplastic elastomer are extruded and molded to make the weather strip 10.

[0027] At this time, desirably, the seam material 12 of the weather strip 10 is made of any one selected from a thermoplastic material made by adding talc or glass fiber to polypropylene or polyamide and steel.

[0028] At the pretreatment step S20, pretreatments like chemical, electrical, and physical treatments are applied to the surface of the coupling member 13 and the surface of the seal part 11 of the weather strip 10 manufactured through the weather strip manufacturing step S10.

[0029] When the surface temperature of the weather strip 10 is in a range of 25 to 150° C., at this time, a primer is desirably applied and then cured within one minute.

[0030] At this time, the primer includes one or more selected from the group consisting of fluorine, polypropylene, polyethylene, carbon, amide wax, adhesion promoter and oil.

[0031] At the slip agent applying step S30, a slip agent including silicone and polyurethane mixed to each other is applied to the surface of the primer applied through the pretreatment step S20.

[0032] Under the slip agent applying step S30, at this time, the slip agent made by mixing silicone and polyurethane is desirably applied to the surface of the weather strip 10 when the surface temperature of the weather strip 10 is in a range of 25 to 150° C.

[0033] At this time, the slip agent is made by mixing 20 to 90% by weight of the silicone and 10 to 80% by weight of the polyurethane.

[0034] More desirably, the slip agent is applied to the surface of the weather strip 10 when the surface temperature of the weather strip 10 is in a range of 80 to 100° C.

[0035] That is, the application of the slip agent to the surface of the weather strip 10 improves emotional quality and compression set of the automobile.

[0036] Further, dust contamination caused by static electricity can be prevented.

[0037] At the curing step S40, a coating layer formed by the application of the primer and the slip agent is cured.

[0038] Under the curing step S40, at this time, the weather strip 10 is desirably cured through any one or combination of infrared (IR) light, near infrared (NIR) light, and heat at a room temperature or a temperature of 160° C. or under within five minutes.

[0039] Particularly, the weather strip 10 is effectively cured through indirect heat like infrared (IR) light, near infrared (NIR) light, and heat, thereby preventing the occurrence of the heat deflection of the weather strip 10.

[0040] Further, the method for manufacturing the automobile weather strip according to the present invention includes a first cooling step and a second cooling step.

[0041] At the first cooling step, the weather strip 10 becomes cool after the weather strip manufacturing step or after the primer application step.

[0042] At the second cooling step, the weather strip 10 becomes cool after the curing step.

[0043] The manufactured weather strip 10 is made of a styrenic or olefinic rubber or elastomer.

[0044] At this time, the thermoplastic elastomer is desirably made of any one selected from a thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer SBC, a thermoplastic olefinic elastomer TPO, thermoplastic polyurethane TPU, a thermoplastic polyamide TPAE, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer TPEE, thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride TPVC, and modified products thereof or a combination of the two or more.

[0045] At this time, the material used for the seal part of the weather strip desirably has a tensile strength in a range of 1.0 to 5.0 Mpa.

[0046] Hereinafter, the test result of long term load loss set (LLS) of GMW 15564 of the weather strip manufactured according to the present invention will be explained.

[0047] FIGS. 3 and 4 are a table and graphs showing the test results of long term load loss set (LLS) of GMW 15564 of the weather strip manufactured according to the present invention.

[0048] Referring to the test result of long term load loss set (LLS) of GMW 15564 of the weather strip manufactured according to the present invention as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the standard of the weather strip 10 has to have the rate of change on compressive load of 43% or under at a temperature condition of 80° C. for 360 hours.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, that is, the method for manufacturing the automobile weather strip according to the present invention is carried out wherein the slip agent made by mixing the silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the thermoplastic elastomer, and in this case, the rate of change on compressive load at a temperature condition of 80° C. for 360 hours is 38.2%. On the other hand, it can be appreciated that other weather strips have the rate of change on compressive load of 43% or more.

[0050] The method for manufacturing the automobile weather strip according to the present invention is carried out wherein the weather strip is made of the thermoplastic elastomer and the slip agent made by mixing the silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the thermoplastic elastomer, thereby satisfying the above-mentioned standard of the weather strip 10.

[0051] As described above, the weather strip according to the present invention includes the seal part 11 having a sectional shape of U and a sealing function, the coupling member 13 formed unitarily with the seal part 11 in such a manner as to be coupled to a flange portion of an automobile, and the seam material 12 insertedly disposed inside the coupling member 13, and the weather strip is made by extruding and molding the seam material 12 and a thermoplastic elastomer. Next, the primer is applied to the surface of the extruded weather strip 10, and the slip agent made by mixing silicone and polyurethane is applied to the surface of the applied primer. After that, the primer and slip agent coating layer is cured, and in this case, the primer is applied and then cured within one minute when the surface temperature of the weather strip 10 is in a range of 25 to 150° C. Further, the slip agent made by mixing silicone and polyurethane is sprayed on the surface of the weather strip when the surface temperature of the weather strip 10 is in a range of 25 to 150° C. At this time, the slip agent is made by mixing 50 to 90% by weight of the silicone and 10 to 50% by weight of the polyurethane.

[0052] According to the present invention, further, the weather strip desirably has a tensile strength in a range of 2.0 to 3.0 Mpa.

[0053] According to the present invention, furthermore, the curing process of the coating layer is desirably carried out through any one or combination of infrared (IR) light, near infrared (NIR) light, and heat at a temperature of 50 to 160° C. or under within five minutes.

[0054] According to the present invention, moreover, the automobile weather strip according to the present invention includes the first cooling step wherein the weather strip 10 becomes cool after the primer is applied to the surface of the weather strip and the second cooling step wherein the weather strip 10 becomes cool after the slip agent coating layer is cured.

[0055] According to the present invention, further, the weather strip to which the slip agent is applied has a tensile modulus of 2000 to 5000 Mpa.

[0056] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing various examples of the weather strip manufactured according to the present invention.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 5, the weather strip manufactured through the method for manufacturing the automobile weather strip according to the present invention is applicable to a variety of places such as a door side part, sunroof part, trunk and tail gate and so on, and provides more improvements in compression set performance, reinforcement, and durability than those in the conventional practices.

[0058] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

EXPLANATION ON REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

[0059] 10: weather strip

[0060] 11: seal part

[0061] 12: seam material

[0062] 13: coupling member