The present disclosure relates to a gasket.
Electric cars begin to enter rapid widespread use with the development of E-Mobility. Electric cars which require a large amount of battery capacity typically include a flat, thin and large battery which is fully accommodated under their floor. Such a battery has a peripheral length which reaches about 3000 to 6000 mm depending on sizes of car bodies. Accordingly, a gasket which seals its battery case has a total length corresponding to the peripheral length.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2012-122536 (hereinafter, referred to as “Patent Literature 1”) discloses a gasket which seals a case of a battery used for electric, fuel-cell and hybrid cars, and the like. In order to seal a gap between two opposed surfaces (2 and 3) of the battery case, the gasket is fastened to one surface (3) by bolts. A pair of lip-shaped protrusions (12) extend parallel to each other on one surface of the gasket, and a pair of smaller protrusions (13) extend parallel to each other on another surface. The smaller protrusions (13) are brought in tight contact with one surface (3) of the battery case, and the lip-shaped protrusions (12) are brought in tight contact with another surface (2). After that, the gasket can seal a gap between the two surfaces (2 and 3).
Because the gasket disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is fastened to the battery case by using bolts, such a structure requires a number of fastening operation elements. That is, workability is poor. Also, collars (metal rings (4) in Patent Literature 1) which hold a bolt are required, and attachment operation of the collars to the gasket is troublesome. In a case in which the gasket is integrally formed with the collars, such attachment operation can be omitted. In this case, the gasket will be integrally molded with the collars by a die. However, electric car batteries have a peripheral length which reaches about 3000 to 6000 mm. If a die is used for the molding, large manufacturing facilities will be necessarily provided.
Therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a gasket capable of being formed by extrusion and easily attached into a groove which can be easily formed by presswork.
A gasket according to the present disclosure is configured to seal a gap between a first member that has a sectionally curved groove and a second member. The gasket includes a rubber-like elastic base and at least two pairs of rubber-like elastic fins. The base can be inserted into the groove, and has a height allowing the base to be compressed when the first member and the second member are coupled to each other. The at least two pairs of fins protrude at different heights from the both side surfaces of the base, and can elastically deform in a direction opposite to an insertion direction when the base is inserted into the groove so that the fins contact the side walls of the groove. The base and the fins are integrally formed with each other as one unitary member by extrusion.
A gasket according to the present disclosure can be formed by extrusion and easily attached into a groove which can be easily formed by presswork.
The following description will describe gaskets according to embodiments with reference to drawings. The gaskets according to the embodiments seal a battery case of a battery which is installed in an electric car.
An electric car 1 includes a flat, thin and large battery 101 as shown in
The battery 101 includes various types of elements (not shown) inside the battery case 102 shown in
A sealing part S shown in
The sealing part S extends along the coupling part between a flange 106, which is bent outward from the edges of the case 103, and the cover 105 as shown in
Because the sealing part S is located on the interior side relative to the outer periphery of the battery case 102, the peripheral length of sealing part S is correspondingly shorter than the peripheral length of the outer periphery of the battery 101 which is defined by the battery case 102. The peripheral length of the battery 101 is likely to increase with the body size of the electric car 1, and generally falls within a range from about 3000 to 6000 mm.
The grooves 107 shown in
The following description will describe a gasket 11 according to a first embodiment shown in
The gasket 11 according to this embodiment has a constant shape along its peripheral direction as shown in
The gasket 11 according to this embodiment is a rubber-like elastic body 12 which is formed by extrusion. The rubber-like elastic body 12 has a rubber hardness degree not lower than 70, for example. The gasket 11 has not a simple shape such as O ring but a plurality of fins 51 which extend from a base 31, for example. The base 31 and the fins 51 are integrally formed with each other as one unitary member by one extrusion step without additional processing. The base 31 is a part of the rubber-like elastic body 12. Also, the fins 51 are other parts of the rubber-like elastic body 12.
The vertical cross-sectional shape of the gasket 11 which includes the base 31 and the fins 51 can be clearly seen from
The base 31 has a rectangular shape which has a vertical length longer than its horizontal length as viewed in a section. More specifically, the base 31 has not a precisely rectangular shape but a barrel shape which bulges in a central height part of side walls 31S relative to its bottom part 31B and upper part 31U.
The bottom part 31B has a sectionally curved shape having a curvature. The curvature of the bottom part 31B of the base 31 is greater than the curvature of the bottom 107B of the groove 107. Accordingly, when the gasket 11 is placed in the groove 107, the groove 107 can provide enough space to accommodate the base 31 (see
The upper part 31U of the base 31 has a tapered shape from a midpoint between the central height part and the top. The tapered degree becomes higher toward the top.
The base 31 has a height which allows the base to be compressed when the cover 105 is coupled to the flange 106 (see
Three pairs of fins 51 protrude at different heights from the both side surfaces 31S of the base 31. In other words, three (top, middle, and bottom) fins 51 are arranged on their corresponding side surface (each of the right and left side surfaces) of the base 31. These three (bottom, middle, and top) fins are attached with reference signs 51a, 51b, and 51c in this order from the bottom fin, which is closest to the bottom part 31B of the base 31, to the top fin for ease of explanation.
The protruding amount of the fins 51 (51a, 51b, 51c) increases with their height. According to this arrangement and the barrel shaped base 31, a hypothetical surface which is obtained by connecting ends of the fins 51 (51a, 51b, 51c) spreads upward.
The fins 51 have a shape which becomes thinner toward their end. The fins 51 have an upper surface US which extends parallel to a hypothetical plane perpendicular to the center axis of the base 31. That is, the inclination angle of the upper surface US with respect to the hypothetical plane is zero degree. The fins 51 have a lower surface LS. The lower surface has an inclination angle of roughly 15 degrees, for example, from about 10 to 20 degrees with respect to the hypothetical plane. Accordingly, the inclination angle of the lower surface LS of the fin 51 with respect to the hypothetical plane is greater than the upper surface US.
The fins 51 have a length which allows the fins to elastically deform in a direction opposite to an insertion direction, when the base 31 is inserted into the groove 107 and the fins contact the side walls 31S of the groove 107 (see
When the cover 105 is coupled to the flange 106 so that the battery case 102 is closed, sealing of a gap between the flange 106 and the cover 105 can be achieved by accommodating the gasket 11 into the groove 107. The attachment operation is now described with reference to
The gasket 11 is inserted into the groove 107 as shown in
When the gasket 11 is inserted into curved parts of the groove 107 which are located in the corners of the case 103, the good workability of insertion the gasket 11 into the groove 107 will become remarkable. The reason is that, according to the shape of the groove 107 and the characteristics of the fins 51, the gasket 11 is not too tight in the groove 107 when inserted into the groove. The gasket 11 can be easily inserted even into the curved parts of the groove 107, which are located in the corners, without correcting its shape.
When the gasket 11 is accommodated in the groove 107, the bottom part 31B of the base 31 is placed on the bottom 107B of the groove 107, and the fins 51 are pressed against the side walls 107S of the groove 107 as shown in
Also, the dropping possibility of the gasket 11 from the groove 107 can be reduced by the curvature difference between the bottom part 31B of the base 31 and the bottom 107B of the groove 107. Although the good insertion workability of the gasket 11 can be provided by the shape of the groove 107 which spreads from the bottom 107B toward the opening 107O, the accommodated gasket 11 will be likely to drop off. If the bottom part 31B of the base 31 has a curvature smaller than the bottom 107B of the groove 107, the bottom part 31B of the base 31 will be fitted in the bottom 107B of the groove 107 and caught in the groove 107 by its elastic deformation. In this condition, the gasket 11 will easily drop off from the groove 107 when a shock triggers disengagement from the fitted engagement. Contrary to this, because the bottom part 31B of the base 31 according to this embodiment has a curvature greater than the bottom 107B of the groove 107, the bottom part 31B is not caught in the groove 107 by its elastic deformation. For this reason, the dropping possibility of the gasket 11 from the groove 107 can be reduced.
After the gasket 11 is accommodated in the groove 107, the base 31 is compressed when the battery case 102 is closed by coupling the cover 105 to the flange 106 as shown in
However the tight contact of the three pairs of fins 51a, 51b, and 51c, which are arranged on the right and left sides of the base 31, with each other without the gap is provided not only by the effect of the compressed base 31. As discussed above, the tight contact also depends on the shape, length, arrangement interval, elasticity, and the like of the fins 51. The tight contact of the fins 51a, 51b, and 51c with each other without the gap is promoted by any of the shape of the fins 51 which becomes thinner toward their end and the shape of the fins 51 which has an inclination angle of the lower surface LS of the fin 51 with respect to the hypothetical plane perpendicular to the center axis of the base 31 greater than the upper surface US.
As a result, good sealing performance of the gasket 11 is provided by the tight contact of the bottom part 31B of the base 31 with the bottom 107B of the groove 107 without gap, and the tight contact of the three pairs of fins 51a, 51b, and 51c, which are arranged on the right and left sides of the base 31, with each other without the gap.
According to the gasket 11 of this embodiment, good attachment workability and good sealing performance are ensured.
Also, because the gasket 11 according to this embodiment is a rubber-only type gasket which can be formed by extrusion, it can be easily manufactured.
In addition, the gasket 11 according to this embodiment does not require laborious processing on the flange 106 as contact member on the battery case 102 side to be contacted by the gasket. Because only one presswork step is required to form the groove 107 on the flange 106, the entire manufacturing process and facilities can be simple and be easily provided.
A gasket 11 according to a second embodiment is described with reference to
The number and shape of the fins 51 of the gasket 11 according to this embodiment are different from the first embodiment. Two pairs of fins 51 protrude at different heights from the both side surfaces 31S of the base 31. In other words, two (top and bottom) fins 51 are arranged on their corresponding side surface (each of the right and left side surfaces) of the base 31. One of the fins 51 which is located on the bottom side is referred to as fin 51a, and another fin 51 which is located on the top side is referred to as fin 51b, for ease of explanation.
The protruding amount of the fin 51b is greater than the protruding amount of the fin 51a. According to this arrangement and the barrel shaped base 31, a hypothetical surface which is obtained by connecting ends of the fins 51a and 51b spreads upward. This feature is similar to the first embodiment.
The fins 51 have a shape which becomes thinner toward their end. This feature is also similar to the first embodiment. Here, the fins 51 according to this embodiment are thicker than the first embodiment as a whole. The fins are now described in more detail.
The fin 51a, which is located on the bottom side, has an upper surface US having an inclination angle of about 5 degrees with respect to the hypothetical plane perpendicular to the center axis of the base 31. The fins 51a have a lower surface LS. The lower surface has an inclination angle of roughly 35 degrees, for example, from about 30 to 40 degrees with respect to the hypothetical plane. The fins 51 according to the first embodiment have been described to have the upper surface US having an inclination angle of zero degree and the lower surface LS having an inclination angle of roughly 15 degrees with respect to the hypothetical plane. That is, the difference between the inclination angles of the upper surface US and the lower surface LS in the second embodiment is about 15 degrees greater than the difference between the inclination angles of the upper surface US and the lower surface LS in the first embodiment. As a result, the fins 51a, which are located on the bottom side, have a thickness greater than the fins 51 according to the first embodiment.
The fins 51b, which are located on the top side, have an upper surface US which extend parallel to the hypothetical plane. That is, the inclination angle of the upper surface US with respect to the hypothetical plane is zero degree. The fins 51b have a lower surface LS. The lower surface has an inclination angle of roughly 25 degrees, for example, from about 20 to 30 degrees with respect to the hypothetical plane. The fins 51 according to the first embodiment have been described to have the lower surface LS having an inclination angle of roughly 15 degrees with respect to the hypothetical plane. That is, the difference between the inclination angles of the upper surface US and the lower surface LS of the fins 51b in the second embodiment is about 10 degrees greater than the difference between the inclination angles of the upper surface US and the lower surface LS in the first embodiment. As a result, the fins 51b, which are located on the top side, have a thickness greater than the fins 51 according to the first embodiment.
A significant difference of the gasket 11 according to this embodiment from the gasket 11 according to the first embodiment is that the fins 51a, which are located on the bottom side, are not separately arranged from the bottom part 31B of the base 31 but form one part together with the bottom part 31B of the base 31. The curved surface of the bottom part 31B of the base 31 continuously extends from the lower surfaces LS of the fins 51a, which are located on the bottom side, as viewed in a vertical cross-sectional view so that they form a single convex shape.
When the cover 105 is coupled to the flange 106 so that the battery case 102 is closed, sealing of a gap between the flange 106 and the cover 105 can be achieved by accommodating the gasket 11 into the groove 107. The attachment is now described with reference to
The gasket 11 is inserted into the groove 107 as shown in
The gasket 11 according to this embodiment can be also easily inserted even into the curved parts of the groove 107, which are located in the corners of the case 103, without correcting its shape when the gasket 11 is inserted into the curved parts.
When the gasket 11 is accommodated in the groove 107, the bottom part 31B of the base 31 which continuously extends from the fins 51a located on the bottom side is placed on the bottom 107B of the groove 107, and the bottom fins 51a and the top fins 51b are pressed against the side walls 107S of the groove 107 as shown in FIG. 11B. The dropping possibility of the gasket 11 from the groove 107 can be reduced by the recovery of the fins 51a and 51b.
The base 31 is compressed when the battery case 102 is closed by coupling the cover 105 to the flange 106. The compressed base 31 elastically deforms not only in the vertical direction but also in the horizontal direction. The compression brings the bottom part 31B of the base 31 in tight contact with the bottom 107B of the groove 107 without gap, and the two fins 51a and 51b, which are arranged on each side (each of the right and left sides), in tight contact with each other without gap. As a result, the gasket 11 can have good sealing performance
Various changes and modifications can be made in practical applications.
For example, the number of the fins 51 and the shapes of fins 51 which have been described in the first and second embodiments are merely illustrative as examples, and various changes can be made to the number or shapes. The number of the fins 51 which are required to protrude at different heights on each of the side walls 31S of the base 31 is at least two. For example, four or more of fins may be arranged on each side. The upper surface US and lower surface LS of the fins 51 may have inclination angles different from the first and second embodiments.
Any other changes and modifications can be made in practical applications.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2018-162622 | Aug 2018 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2019/029717 | 7/29/2019 | WO | 00 |