Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Patent
1998-09-17
1999-12-21
Pape, Joseph D.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
296106, 296 56, 296901, 49339, 49340, B60J 502
Patent
active
060039310
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a swivelling or sliding hatch, in particular a hatchback for a vehicle, with an inner and an outer skin and with a glass pane and a lock mount fitted with a lock.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hatches of this type serve to close the rear opening of the body of an automobile or, when designed as a sliding hatch, to close side door openings or similar of the body. In the embodiment of a hatchback, the upper edge is hinged on the body by means of two hinges. In the lower region, a lock mount with a lock fitted in it is provided. The contour of the hatch depends on the design form of the body.
With the currently known hatchbacks, the outer and inner skins consist of sheet steel with the connection between them being made by welds. If desired, on the inside of the inner skin, a liner made from a plastic or a textile material can additionally be fitted. The currently known hatches are all cantilevered constructions. The weight of the hatches currently comprised of steel sheets is accordingly high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a hatch of the type described above in such a way that a high inherent stability is maintained, while the weight of the hatch is nevertheless substantially reduced.
This object is achieved in accordance with the present invention in that the hatch comprises a supporting frame made from an open or closed hollow section, that the outer and the inner skins are made from a plastic and/or a light metal and are fastened to the supporting frame and that at least comer regions of the glass pane and the lock mount are located on the supporting frame.
The proposal in accordance with the invention allows the hatch to be made in a light-weight construction with the supporting frame being practically the only supporting part which bears strains placed on the hatch. The outer and the inner skins may thus, in contrast to the known versions, be made from materials with much lower weight densities than steel. Thus, both the outer and the inner skins can be made of plastic, or one skin can be made of plastic and the other of light metal, for example aluminum, or both skins can be made of light metal. The connection of the supporting frame to the outer and the inner skins can, for example, be made by gluing. This will depend on the materials from which the outer and the inner skins are made. As at least certain comer regions of the supporting frame are connected to the glass pane, this also has a stabilizing effect with regard to the total structure. Any attempt to violently open the hatch will destroy the lock mount, but as the lock mount is located on the supporting frame in accordance with the present invention, substantially higher forces must be applied to do so than previously so that increased security is achieved. Although a supporting frame made from a hollow section, can sufficiently withstand a normal amount of strains it is advantageous to use a closed hollow profile because the strain capacity is substantially increased despite the only negligibly increased weight.
In another embodiment of the subject invention, the supporting frame is formed as a hollow profile made of steel in order to utilize the technological benefits of steel such as an increased torsional strength and a higher strain capacity.
Preferably, the hatch is used as a hatchback and fastened by means of hinges to the body of the vehicle with the hinges being appropriately located along the top edge. It is then advantageous if the struts of the supporting frame have a U-shape in the region of the pane and if the struts located on each side of the lock mount are at an angle, preferably an obtuse angle, to each other. With vehicles, and particularly with motor cars, it is preferred that the loading height be as low as possible and the opening as wide as possible. Thus region of the outer skin located underneath the pane and allocated to the lock mount and also if necessary, this region of the inner skin, is forme
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Dancasius Michael
Huster Holger
Minner Burkhard
Tielke Stefan
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran
Schnade GmbH & Co., KG
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