Vehicle door

Details Vehicle door Vehicle door

1999-09-30

2001-01-23

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Door or window with specified vehicle feature

C296S146500, C296S182100, C049S502000, C049S503000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06176542

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention is in an assembly door and more particularly in a vehicle door that received an operational window and hardware module.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicle doors are equipped with door hardware such as windows, window guides, window opening and closing assemblies, door latches and locks, sound system speakers and controls for the various accessories. These components are inserted into conventional doors with inner door panels and an outer skin through various small apertures. Each piece of door hardware is inserted in a predetermined order and secured in place by various mechanical fasteners. The positions of some of the parts are adjusted after other hardware parts are inserted into the space between the inner door panel and the outer door skin. This assembly process is time consuming, difficult and requires dexterity and skill.
These conventional doors may be assembled after the doors are secured to the main body of a vehicle. Assembly that occurs after attachment to a vehicle body occurs on an assembly line with the door moving.
Functional testing of the door hardware and door mounted controls can not be completed until the door is mostly complete. If a defective part was secured in place inside the door, it has to be removed, replaced and then retested. The removal and replacement of some hardware must wait until a vehicle is moved from an assembly line. Removal and replacement of defective parts after a vehicle leaves an assembly line is time consuming, requires skilled workers and is expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The vehicle door has a formed inner door panel with a hinge face and a lock face. Front and rear load transfer brackets are secured inside the inner door panel.
A window module includes a side impact beam assembly and a belt line reinforcement beam. A front glass guide channel is secured to a front portion of the side impact beam and the belt reinforcement beam. A rear glass channel is secured to a rear portion of the side impact beam and to a rear portion of the belt reinforcement beam. The side impact beam assembly, the belt line reinforcement beam and the guide channels form a window module frame. A window is slideably mounted in the front glass guide channel and the rear glass guide channel. A window regulator assembly, for raising and lowering the window, is connected to the window, the side impact beam assembly and the belt reinforcement beam.
A complete window module is tested to insure that it is ready to be inserted into a door.
Following testing, the window module is inserted into the door through a large opening in the inner door panel. A front pin is inserted into a front slot to pivotally connect the front portion of the side impact beam assembly to the front load transfer bracket. A rear pin is inserted into a rear slot to pivotally connect the rear portion of the side impact beam assembly to the rear load transfer bracket. The belt reinforcement beam is then pivoted about the front pin and the rear pin and into contact with the inner door panel. Fasteners are then inserted into the belt reinforcement beam to secure the belt reinforcement beam to the inner door panel.
The window module is assembled in a separate window modular assembly area. Assembly is relatively easy when it takes place on a workpiece holder rather than inside a cavity between the inner door panel and an outer door skin or panel. Testing of the window module before it is mounted in a door cavity insure that the window module is fully functional upon arrival at a vehicle assembly location. A variety of outer door panels can be attached to the inner door panel. Each window module may be provided with attached hardware that is required for the vehicle in which the window module is to be mounted.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4924630 (1990-05-01), Lomasney et al.
patent: 5033236 (1991-07-01), Szerdahelyi et al.
patent: 5226259 (1993-07-01), Yamagata et al.
patent: 5570922 (1996-11-01), Dereese et al.
patent: 5857732 (1999-01-01), Ritchie
patent: 5867942 (1999-02-01), Kowalski
patent: 5927021 (1999-07-01), Kowalski et al.
patent: 6076882 (2000-06-01), Szerdahelyi et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Vehicle door does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Vehicle door, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle door will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2534848