AUTOMOBILE PARTS

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method and device for preventing corrosion of mating surfaces of automobile parts.

BACKGROUND

Automobile parts and/or components, such as hinges, are integral parts of automobiles. Hinges are typically made of steel/iron and are bolted to the body frame of an automobile and the inner sides of doors, in a body shop. After the bolting step, the whole assembly with closures, also referred to as Body in White (BIW), is taken through paint processes such as phosphating, electro-deposition, top-coat and the like, which helps to prevent corrosion of the automobile parts.

During the paint process, it is observed that the protective coating does not reach the mating surfaces between the hinge and the automobile part. These mating surfaces, when exposed to environmental factors such as moisture, get corroded over a period of time.

Various methods are known for preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobile parts. One such method involves the application of a zinc foil around the mating surfaces. Although the process is simple, it is expensive. Another such method involves the use of epoxy sealers or spot weldable sealers between the mating surfaces. These sealers act as barriers between the mating surfaces and the environment, thereby preventing galvanic type corrosion. The use of sealers is more cost effective than the use of zinc foils, however, these spot sealers have to be applied manually, which makes the process laborious and time consuming and often results in an inconsistent end product. Also, the application of spot sealers leads to marks on the automobile body frame and automobile parts and/or components, which is not desirable.

There is, therefore, a need to envisage a method and/or a device for preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobiles, which mitigates the drawbacks associated with the conventional methods of corrosion prevention.

OBJECTS

Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows.

It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the state of the art or to at least provide a useful alternative.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and device for preventing corrosion of various mating surfaces of automobile components and/or parts.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a method of preventing corrosion of the various mating surfaces of automobile parts and/or components of varied shapes and dimensions, in a simple and economical manner.

Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes a method of preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobile parts, said method comprising impregnating a polyester based carrier with at least one anaerobic acrylic adhesive to form an impregnated carrier, spraying at least one pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive on said impregnated carrier to form an impregnated carrier having at least one pasting layer, pasting said impregnated carrier having at least one pasting layer on a first automobile part, so that said pasting layer is in contact with said first automobile part, and oining said first automobile part pasted with said impregnated carrier having at least one pasting layer, to a second automobile part using force, so that said anaerobic acrylic adhesive oozes out from said impregnated carrier and forms a layer between the mating surfaces of said first and said second automobile parts.

In an implementation, the step of joining comprises bolting said first and said second automobile parts.

In an implementation, said automobile parts comprise an automobile hinge, an automobile door frame, an automobile body frame and an automobile hood.

In one aspect, the force used is in the range of 40 - 45 N/mm .

In an implementation, said method further comprises at least one of pre-treating, phosphating, dip coating, and baking the automobile parts pasted with said impregnated carrier having at least one pasting layer. Also, described is a laminate for preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobile parts, said laminate comprising, a polyester based carrier material impregnated with at least one anaerobic acrylic adhesive to form an impregnated carrier, at least one pasting layer, comprising at least one pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive sprayed on said impregnated carrier, and at least one peelable silicon release liner, pasted on top of said pasting layer. In one embodiment, said polyester based carrier material is at least one selected from the group comprising polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ester and polyphthalamide base. In one embodiment, said polyester based carrier material is a PET non-woven fabric. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING

Figure 1 illustrates a flowchart showing the method steps of preventing corrosion of mating surfaces of automobiles, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 illustrates a polyester carrier impregnated with an anaerobic acrylic adhesive, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3 illustrates different layers of a laminate, which can be applied to the mating surfaces for preventing corrosion, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 4 illustrates the surface of an automobile part that has been protected from corrosion by using the method of the present disclosure; and

Figure 5 illustrates an automobile door hinge bolted to an automobile body frame, wherein a polyester carrier impregnated with an anaerobic acrylic adhesive is applied on the mating surfaces, in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The description of the specific embodiments that follows will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process wherein, when two different metals come into physical or electrical contact with each other, in a common electrolyte, the less reactive metal (cathode) decreases its corrosion potential at the expense of the more reactive metal (anode). For example, when the unprotected surfaces of a metallic part, such as a hinge, or the body frame of an automobile is exposed to the environment, the bare metallic surfaces become prone to corrosion, especially in the presence of moisture. Corrosion degrades the useful properties of materials and structures, including strength, appearance and permeability to liquids and gases. Repairing the damage caused by corrosion is also expensive. Therefore, a method for effective prevention of corrosion is needed. Fig. 1 of the present disclosure provides a flowchart for a method (100) for preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobiles, such as hinges, automobile body frame, hood and automobile parts and/or components.

The method (100), in accordance with the present disclosure includes, but is not limited to the steps presented herein below.

In the first step (105), a polyester based carrier is impregnated with an anaerobic acrylic adhesive to form an impregnated carrier.

In the second step (110), the impregnated carrier is sprayed, either on one side or on both the sides, with a pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive, to form at least one pasting layer on the impregnated carrier.

The carrier can be shaped as per the required configuration. In one embodiment, the polyester based carrier is selected from the group including, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), nylon, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ester and polyphthalamide base. In the third step (115), the impregnated carrier with at least one pasting layer, obtained in the first step is pasted onto an automobile part, such as a hinge. The pasting is done in such a way that the pasting layer is in contact with the automobile part.

In the next step (120), the automobile part pasted with the impregnated carrier, is bolted onto the automobile body frame, such as a door frame of the automobile, by applying sufficient torque. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the torque applied is in the range of 40 to 45 N/mm2. The torque applied should be sufficient to squeeze out the anaerobic acrylic adhesive from the impregnated carrier and to form a layer between the mating surfaces of the automobile parts. During this step, the anaerobic acrylic adhesive gets cured in the absence of oxygen and forms a non-penetrable layer between and around the periphery of the mating surfaces of the automobile part and the automobile body frame. Such a layer prevents corrosion of the mating surfaces of both the automobile part and the automobile body frame.

The method (100) of preventing corrosion inhibits any contact of moisture and humidity with any of the exposed metal surfaces of the automobile part and the body surface where the automobile part is mated, thus preventing corrosion.

The polyester based carrier containing the anaerobic acrylic adhesive can be prepared as a laminate (Figure 2), which can be directly and easily applied to the mating surfaces, for preventing corrosion. The laminate in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises three layers, as illustrated in Figure 3. However the laminate is not limited to this particular embodiment, and more layers can be present in the laminate. Layer "A" is essentially a polyester based non-woven fabric carrier material that is impregnated with an anaerobic acrylic adhesive. In an exemplary embodiment, the carrier material is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Layer "B" is a pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive that is sprayed on layer A, to form a pasting layer. The pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive can be sprayed either on one side or on both the sides of the carrier material impregnated with the anaerobic acrylic adhesive. Layer "C" is a silicon release liner. The silicon release liner is applied on top of the pasting layer, and it can be easily peeled off prior to the step of pasting the laminate on the automobile part. The laminate can be applied between the automobile part and the body frame during the manufacturing process. The laminate is applied by peeling off the silicon release liner, and pasting the laminate with the pressure sensitive adhesive side onto the first automobile part, such as a hinge. This action fixes the laminate to the first automobile part. The first automobile part with the laminate is then mated or bolted onto a second automobile part, such as the body frame, at an appropriate torque (Figure 5). During this step, the anaerobic acrylic adhesive that is impregnated in the PET carrier oozes out and forms a layer on both the sides of the carrier, i.e., on the mating surfaces of the first and second automobile parts. This area gets depleted of oxygen, which activates the curing of the anaerobic acrylic adhesive, thereby providing a protective layer that does not allow moisture or humidity to come int contact with the mating surfaces.

In accordance with one embodiment, the laminate of the present disclosure can be pasted during the assembly of automobile body, in a body shop. After pasting the laminates, the whole assembly with closures, also referred to as Body in White (BIW), can be passed through the 'Paint Shop' for painting. The Paint Shop includes processes such as Pre- Treatment, Phosphating, Cathodic Electro-Deposition (Dip Coating), Baking and the like.

Pre-treatment (PT) and cathodic electro deposition (CED) compatibility of the adhesives was carried out to ensure its compatibility with the carrier, the automobile parts and the automobile body frame. For testing the compatibility of the laminates of the present disclosure with the chemicals used in the Paint Shop, the laminates were kept in the pre-treatment chemicals in a suitable container in the temperature range of 45 to 55°C under continuous stirring for a time period ranging from 6 to 10 hours. The laminates were removed from the pre-treatment chemicals and then kept in Cathodic Electro-Deposition (CED) paint material for 22 to 26 hours under stirring. Such CED paint material was used to coat the panels and was then examined for any defects.

If the CED paint material gets contaminated with the laminate, defects such as craters and marks are observed, otherwise the coated surface remains smooth and uniform. If the coated surface is smooth and uniform, then it is considered that the material under test is compatible. In this way, the compatibility of the laminates with the paint materials and other chemicals used during the Paint Shop processes is carried out.

The test samples prepared by the method of the present disclosure were tested in the corrosion chamber as per the standard corrosion test protocol SAE J 2334 Laboratory Cyclic Corrosion Test without S02 impingement. The sample which was protected using the method of the present disclosure did not show any corrosion on the mating surfaces of the hinges and the body frame, even after exposure to corrosive conditions for 60 days as illustrated in Figure 4 (the smudges are adhesive marks). This test shows that the laminate of the present disclosure is compatible with the paint materials and other chemicals used during the Paint Shop processes.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. The use of the expression "at least" or "at least one" suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application. The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation

TECHNICAL ADVANCES AND ECONOMICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The method of preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobile parts has several technical advantages including but not limited to the realization of:

- Preventing corrosion of the mating surfaces of automobile parts, such as hinges and body frame.

- Providing a cost effective solution to the problem of corrosion in the mating surfaces of automobile parts.