Method for manufacturing a vehicular door assembly

• US 20040123446A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: OʼBrien, Timothy F., Fritsch, Manfred, Shafer, Russell P. Jr., Wenglinski, Daniel E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/469
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0416 Assembly panels to be installed in doors as a module with components, e.g. lock or window lifter, attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a vehicular door assembly (10) having a door (12), a door panel (14), a substrate (54), a plurality of systems, and a plurality of components. The method includes the steps of fastening the door panel (14) to the door (12), attaching the substrate (54) to the door panel (14), and securing the plurality of components to the substrate prior to attaching the substrate to the door panel (14) such that each of the plurality of components is operational upon the substrate being attached to the door panel (14).

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a vehicular door assembly having a door, a door panel, a substrate, a plurality of systems, and a plurality of components, the method comprising the steps of:

fastening the door panel to the door;

attaching the substrate to the door panel; and

securing the plurality of components to the substrate prior to attaching the substrate to the door panel such that each of the plurality of components is operational upon the substrate being attached to the door panel.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of connecting a portion of the plurality of components to the plurality of systems associated therewith before the step of attaching the substrate to the door panel.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of securing the plurality of components includes the step of aligning a portion of the plurality of components such that each of the portion of the plurality of components is connected to each of the plurality of systems associated therewith during the step of attaching the substrate to the door panel.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 including the step of forming the substrate with a recessed cavity to receive one of the plurality of components therein.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 including the step of forming the substrate from polypropylene.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 including the step of forming the door panel from polypropylene.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 including the step of removing the substrate to facilitate re-manufacturing the door panel for post-consumer use.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 including the step of removing the plurality of components from the vehicular door assembly when removing the substrate.

9. A method for manufacturing a vehicular door assembly having a door, a door panel, a substrate, a plurality of systems, and a plurality of components connectable thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

fastening the door panel to the door;

attaching the substrate to the door panel; and

securing the plurality of components to the substrate such that alignment of a portion of the plurality of components allows each of the portion of the plurality of components to be connected to each of the plurality of systems associated therewith during the step of attaching the substrate to the door panel.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of connecting a portion of the plurality of components to the plurality of systems associated therewith before the step of attaching the substrate to the door panel.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 including the step of forming the substrate with a recessed cavity to receive one of the plurality of components therein.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 including the step of forming the substrate from polypropylene.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 including the step of forming the door panel from polypropylene.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 including the step of removing the substrate to facilitate re-manufacturing the door panel for post-consumer use.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 including the step of removing the plurality of components from the vehicle door assembly when removing the substrate.

16. A method for manufacturing a vehicular door assembly having a door, a door panel, a substrate, a plurality of systems, and a plurality of components connectable thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

fastening the door panel to the door;

attaching the substrate to the door panel; and

securing the plurality of components to the substrate such that removal of the substrate from the door panel removes the plurality of components allowing the door panel to be removed free of the plurality of components and ready for re-manufacture.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of forming the substrate from polypropylene.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 including the step of forming the door panel from polypropylene.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 including the step of connecting a portion of the plurality of components to the plurality of systems associated therewith before the step of attaching the substrate to the door panel.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the step of securing the plurality of components includes the step of aligning a portion of the plurality of components such that each of the portion of the plurality of components is connected to each of the plurality of systems associated therewith during the step of attaching the substrate to the door panel.