Door frame structure of motor vehicle

Details Door frame structure of motor vehicle Door frame structure of motor vehicle

2002-02-15

2004-01-20

Redman, Jerry (Department: 3634)

Movable or removable closures

With means mounting closure for reciprocation

Diverse or springy material guide or slide

C049S490100, C049S495100, C049S475100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06679003

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese patent applications Nos. 2001-38502 and 2001-211668, incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door frame structure of a motor vehicle and, more particularly, to a door frame structure having a frame moulding.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a door
10
of a motor vehicle has a door frame
12
around a window opening
14
. And a glass run (not shown) is attached to an inner side of the door frame
12
while a door weather strip (not shown) is attached to an outer side of the door frame
12
.
FIG. 2
illustrates one example of a conventional door frame structure of a vehicle, which is taken along the line X—X of FIG.
1
. As shown, the door frame
12
is composed of a metal plate. The door frame
12
includes a flat peripheral wall
16
which extends around the window opening
14
(FIG.
1
), a vertical outside wall
18
which is formed at an outside end of the flat peripheral wall
16
, and a protrusion
20
having a closed cross-section, which protrudes along an inside end of the flat peripheral wall
16
.
The peripheral wall
16
, the vertical outside wall
18
, and an outside surface of the protrusion
20
define a channel
22
on an inner side of the flat peripheral wall
16
. The channel
22
has a generally U-shaped cross-section opening towards the window opening
14
. A glass run
24
is attached in the channel
22
. The glass run
24
has seal lips
26
and
28
which respectively project inwardly from ends of opposite side walls
30
and
32
thereof for holding a periphery of the door glass
34
from both sides thereof.
A retainer
36
is provided on an outer side of the peripheral wall
16
, and a door weather strip
38
having a base portion
40
, a tubular main seal portion
42
and a sub-seal lip portion
44
is attached to the door frame
12
by fitting the base portion
40
in the retainer
36
.
In a door opening portion of a vehicle body, a flange
46
is defined by peripheral portions of an inner body panel
48
, outer body panel
50
and reinforcing panel
52
which are joined with each other. And an opening weather strip
54
having a tubular seal portion
56
is attached to the flange
46
.
When the door
10
is closed, the protrusion
20
of the door frame
12
contacts and presses the seal portion
56
of the opening weather strip
54
, the main seal portion
42
of the door weather strip
38
contacts and presses the door opening portion of the outer body panel
50
, and an end of the sub-seal lip portion
44
contacts and presses the door opening portion outside the main seal portion
42
. The cross-section of the door frame structure, which is taken along the line Y—Y of
FIG. 1
, is substantially identical to that shown in FIG.
2
. Accordingly, explanations thereof will be omitted.
In order to enlarge the freedom of design choice of vehicle doors, and to improve appearance thereof, outside surfaces of metal door frames have been frequently covered with frame mouldings composed of synthetic resins.
The metal door frames are generally coated, but coating color is difficult to select freely. In contrast, synthetic resins enable the free selection of color and gloss thereof, and accordingly, by virtue of the frame mouldings composed of synthetic resins, designing around door frames can be freely chosen.
Generally, frame mouldings are attached to door frames by engaging projections formed along side edges of the frame moulding with side edges of a vertical outside wall of the door frame, or by securing the frame moulding to the vertical outside wall of the door frame with clips which are provided in the frame moulding. These attaching methods are, however, troublesome. In another attaching method, the frame moulding is bonded to the door frame using double-sided adhesive tapes. This attaching method also has the problem that sufficient care must be taken to bond the frame moulding without offset in the attaching position.
The door frame structures including frame mouldings have another problem that there occurs a large level difference between an outside surface of the door glass and an outside surface of the frame moulding. The large level difference degrades appearances around vehicle doors, and undesirably enlarges air resistance therearound during running of motor vehicles. Accordingly, it is desired to decrease such level difference to a minimum. However, as illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the side wall
32
of the glass run
24
, which has the seal lip
28
, is located outside the door glass
34
, and the vertical outside wall
18
of the door frame
12
is further located outside the side wall
32
to form a level difference S. In addition, where the frame moulding is provided outside the vertical outside wall
18
, the level difference is much enlarged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a door frame structure having a frame moulding for covering an outside of a door frame of a vehicle door, which is capable of raising the work efficiency in attaching of the frame moulding to the vehicle door.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a door frame structure having a frame moulding, which is capable of decreasing a level difference between a door glass of the vehicle door, and the frame moulding.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a door frame structure having a simple arrangement, which is capable of improving the productivity of the vehicle door.
The door frame structure in accordance with the present invention includes a metal door frame which has a flat peripheral wall extending around a periphery of a vehicle door to define a window opening, and a protrusion protruding from an inside end of the flat peripheral wall towards the window opening. A glass run for receiving a door glass which is in closed position is provided on an inner side of the peripheral wall of the door frame, and a door weather strip for sealing between the door frame and a door opening portion of a vehicle body is provided on an outer side of the flat peripheral wall of the door frame. And a frame moulding for covering the door frame, which has a plate-like configuration and is composed of a synthetic resin or thermoplastic elastomer, extends along the door frame and is secured to the outside end of the flat peripheral wall of the door frame in about a widthwise center of the frame moulding at about right angles to the flat peripheral wall. The protrusion and the flat peripheral wall of the door frame, and an inner half part of the frame moulding, which protrudes into the window opening inwardly of the outside end of the flat peripheral wall of the door frame, define a channel for providing the glass run therein.
In one embodiment, the glass run includes a main body having a generally U-shaped cross-section, and seal portions projecting inwardly from opening ends of opposite side walls of the main body to seal the door glass on both sides thereof, and the main body of the glass run is fitted in the channel.
In another embodiment, the inner half part of the frame moulding has a seal portion at an inner end thereof, and an L-shaped member is fitted along the flat peripheral wall and the protrusion of the door frame, and the L-shaped member has a seal portion at an inner end thereof so as to face the seal portion of the inner half part of the frame moulding. The inner half part of the frame moulding and the L-shaped member define the glass run.
In a preferred embodiment, the frame moulding has a pair of shelf-like projections which respectively project from about a widthwise center of an inside surface of the frame moulding at about right angles thereto so as to be spaced from each other. By fitting the peripheral wall of the door frame between the shelf-like projections of the frame moulding, the frame moulding is secured to the door frame.
In another preferred embodiment, the frame

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