Movable or removable closures – Panel with closure feature – With means to accommodate window accessory; e.g.,...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-14
2004-06-29
Strimbu, Gregory J. (Department: 3634)
Movable or removable closures
Panel with closure feature
With means to accommodate window accessory; e.g.,...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06754991
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an automobile door and an automobile door module.
BACKGROUND ART
In general, the automobile door is provided with a windowpane for opening and closing a window opening, a door main body having a housing portion disposed under the window opening, which is capable of housing the windowpane, and a window regulator for vertically moving the windowpane between the window opening and the housing portion.
In order to simplify the assembling process, there has proceeded to arrange parts constituting the automobile door in the form of module, recently. An automobile door
70
as shown in
FIG. 24
is formed by attaching a door module
90
to a door main body
73
which can be opened and closed with respect to the automobile main body (not shown). The door main body
73
is provided with an inner panel
71
and an outer panel
72
. The inner panel
71
and the outer panel
72
are formed integrally by welding or the like so that a space (a housing portion)
78
can be formed between them. The inner panel
71
is provided with a mounting opening
76
for inserting a glass sheet
20
in the door module
90
. The inner panel
71
is provided with fitting holes
79
a
to
79
d
for fitting the door module
90
to a predetermined position.
Above the door main body
73
, a frame-like sash
77
is provided to project therefrom. In this case, a window opening
21
is defined in the portion surrounded by the sash
77
and a belt line mole
73
a
of the door main body
73
. In the case of a so-called hardtop type automobile, the window opening is formed in the portion surrounded by the belt line mole of the door main body and the automobile main body when the door is closed, although not shown.
The door module
90
holds a door equipment such as the glass sheet
20
, the regulator and so on integrally. The module frame
91
is formed into a substantially □-like form in a side view by connecting a first frame
92
a
of substantially linear form with a second frame
92
b
of substantially U-letter like form. At predetermined positions in the first frame
92
a
and the second frame
92
b
, brackets
93
a
to
93
d
are provided. In the brackets
93
a
to
93
d
, fitting holes
94
a
to
94
d
are provided.
The regulator
81
comprises a carrier plate
85
for supporting the glass sheet
20
and a motor
82
for moving the carrier plate
85
along a guide rail
86
. The guide rail
86
is attached to the module frame
91
by means of a fixing means
95
a
which penetrates the first frame
92
a
and an upper end of the guide rail
86
, and a fixing means
95
b
which penetrates a lower side of the second frame
92
b
and a lower end of the guide rail
86
. The motor
82
is attached to the module frame
91
by interposing a base plate (seat)
83
for the motor. The module frame
91
is attached with guide members
96
a
,
96
b
for guiding a vertical movement of the glass sheet
20
and a latch
97
for locking the door
70
with respect to the automobile main body.
The distance (height) between the upper end and the lower end of the guide rail
86
is formed to be wider than the height (the dimension in a direction of the vertical movement of the glass sheet
20
) of the glass sheet
20
. Also, the distance (height) between the first frame
92
a
and the lower side of the second frame
92
b
is formed to be wider than the height of the glass sheet
20
. Namely, the height of the module frame
91
is determined so as to be wider than the height of the glass sheet
20
.
When the door module
90
is attached to the door main body, and the carrier plate
85
supporting the glass sheet
20
is at a position where it is moved to the proximity of the lower side of the second frame
92
b
, the glass sheet
20
is in a state that it is completely housed in the housing portion
78
through the window opening
21
(a full open state of window) (see FIG.
24
).
In order to attach the door module
90
to the door main body
73
, the glass sheet
20
of the door module
90
is first inserted into the housing portion
78
through the mounting opening
76
. Then, the brackets
93
a
to
93
d
are disposed on a car interior side surface of the inner panel
71
, and the positions of the fitting holes
94
a
to
94
d
of the brackets
93
a
to
93
d
are aligned with the positions of the fitting holes
79
a
to
79
d
of the inner panel
71
. Then, fixing means such as clips are inserted into the fitting holes
94
a
to
94
d
of the brackets
93
a
to
93
d
and the fitting holes
79
a
to
79
d
of the inner panel
71
. Thus, the door module
90
is attached to the door main body
73
.
It is desired that such door module satisfies the following two items: (1) the securing of a predetermined strength-rigidity and (2) weight saving. If predetermined strength-rigidity can not be secured, there causes a problem that the glass sheet can not smoothly be moved vertically between the housing portion and the window opening. A heavy door module makes an attaching work of the door module to the door main body difficult, in addition that it is difficult to save the weight of the automobile. However, an attempt to secure a predetermined strength causes an increase of the weight totally. Accordingly, the items of (1) and (2) contradict each other. This will be explained in detail in the following.
First, the module frame
91
of the door module
90
has the structure described below in order to secure a predetermined strength-rigidity. The module frame
91
has an outer dimension corresponding to the substantially entire region of the mounting opening
76
. The dimension in a vertical direction of the module frame
91
is larger than the dimension in a vertical direction of the glass sheet
20
. However, a larger dimension of the module frame
91
makes the fitting work of the door module
90
to the door main body
73
difficult. Namely, there is apt to occur interference between the module frame
91
and the inner panel
71
at the time of the fitting work because the dimension of the mounting opening
76
has a certain limit. As the dimension of the module frame
91
is larger, the weight of the door increases.
As means for saving the weight of the door module, it can be considered that a thin belt-like belt is used for the material for constituting the module frame, or the outside dimension of the module frame is made small. Since use of such means causes naturally the reduction of the strength.rigidity, it is necessary to use a reinforcing member to the module frame. The addition of the reinforcing member increases the number of parts of the door module whereby the door module becomes heavy. In order to secure the strength of the module frame without increasing the number of parts, it is considered to increase the rigidity of each frame member. In order to increase the rigidity of the frame members themselves, there comes that the material for the frame itself is thick or frame member is formed into a cylindrical shape.
As described above, the requirements of (1) the securing of a predetermined strength-rigidity and (2) weight saving contradict each other. The object of the present invention is to provide an automobile door and an automobile door module in which the weight is reduced without causing the reduction of the strength.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
As the basic structure for satisfying both requirements of (1) the securing of a predetermined strength-rigidity and (2) weight saving, the inventions having the following structure are provided. An automobile door comprising a door main body having a housing portion which is disposed adjacent to a window opening of an automobile and is capable of housing a windowpane for opening and closing the window opening and a door module housed in the housing portion and attached to the door main body, wherein the door module comprises the windowpane, a door equipment including at least a regulator having a motor for moving the windowpane between the window opening and the housing portion, and a module frame on which the door
Hashimoto Hideyuki
Hasunuma Mitsuo
Ishikawa Ken-ichi
Noguchi Fumio
Tokui Takeshi
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Strimbu Gregory J.
LandOfFree
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