Vehicle door

• US 20090165392A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibagaki, Toshiro, Ito, Chie, Katagiri, Katsuhiro, Kitashiba, Masayuki, Totani, Chiharu
• Granted Patent: US 8,091,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/502
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0401 Upper door structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0412 Lower door structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0455 integrated in door structure or other door elements, e.g. beam-like shapes stamped in inner door panel

Abstract

A front door 20 includes a first door component 22 and a second door component 34. The first door component 22 forms an inner side portion of a door main body 21, and the second door component forms an inner side portion of the door main body 21 and has functional parts located inside the vehicle. The first and second door components 22, 34 have honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41, respectively. The honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41 are entirely formed of synthetic resin. The honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41 include honeycomb portions 24, 42, which are composed of numerous tubular cells 26, 44, 45 separated by partition walls 25, 43, and sealing plate portions 27, 28, 46, 47 that are located on the outer side and the inner side of the honeycomb portions 24, 42 and seal the cells 26, 44. The door components 22, 34 are joined to each other at least at a part of the adjacent sealing plate portions 28, 46 of the honeycomb structural bodies 23, 41.

Claims

1. A vehicle door that selectively opens and closes an opening formed in the body of a vehicle, the vehicle door comprising:

a door main body forming a main part of the vehicle door;

a synthetic resin first door component that is entirely constructed by a honeycomb structural body, the first door component forming an outer side portion of the door main body; and

a synthetic resin second door component that is entirely constructed by a honeycomb structural body and is arranged adjacent to the first door component, the second door component forming an inner side portion of the door main body, wherein a functional part on the inner side is fastened to the second door component,

wherein each honeycomb structural body includes a honeycomb portion, which is composed of numerous tubular cells separated by partition walls, and a pair of sealing plate portions located on the outer side and the inner side of the honeycomb portion, the sealing plate portions sealing the cells, and

wherein the first door component and the second door component are joined to each other at least at a part of the adjacent sealing plate portions of the honeycomb structural bodies.

2. The vehicle door according to claim 1, further comprising a window frame portion that is located in an upper portion of the door main body and is formed as a part of the second door component.

3. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the outer shape of the first door component defines one area, the area has a center portion and a peripheral portion, and wherein the second door component has a portion that passes through the center portion of the one area and extends between opposite portions in the peripheral portion of the area.

4. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the outer shape of the first door component defines one area, the area has a center portion and a peripheral portion, and wherein the second door component includes a pair of frame portions between opposite portions of the peripheral portion of the one area and a plurality of elongated bridge portions extending between the frame portions, and wherein one of the bridge portions is arranged to pass through the center portion of the one area.

5. The vehicle door according to claim 4, wherein the pair of the frame portions extend vertically, and wherein the bridge portions extend in the front and rear direction of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle door according to claim 1,

wherein the first door component is formed of fiber-reinforced resin,

wherein an impact beam is provided in the door main body, and

wherein the impact beam is formed of fiber-reinforced resin having longer fiber lengths than fibers in the first door component.

7. The vehicle door according to claim 1, further comprising a window glass attached to the second door component,

wherein a part of the honeycomb structural body of the second door component is sealed by a part of the window glass.

8. The vehicle door according to claim 7, wherein, at a part where the window glass seals a part of the honeycomb structural body, the window glass is fixed to the honeycomb portion.

9. The vehicle door according to claim 7, wherein a part of the window glass functions as a sealing plate portion on the outer side of the honeycomb portion, and wherein a concealing portion that conceals the interior of the vehicle is provided at least on the outer side surface of the window glass that faces the honeycomb portion.

10. The vehicle door according to claim 7, wherein the door main body has a window frame portion constructed by the honeycomb structural body, and wherein the outer side of the honeycomb structural body of the window frame portion is sealed by the peripheral portion of the window glass.

11. The vehicle door according to claim 7, wherein some of the cells of the honeycomb portion are integrally formed with the inner side sealing plate, and wherein the remaining cells of the honeycomb portion are formed by thinner partition walls of said some of the cells, and are integrally formed with the outer side sealing plate.

12. The vehicle door according to claim 1, further comprising a door hinge which serves as a fulcrum when the door opens or closes the opening,

wherein the door hinge is located in the vicinity of a part of the door main body that is constructed by the honeycomb structural body.

13. The vehicle door according to claim 1, further comprising a door lock mechanism that holds the vehicle door at the closed state,

wherein the door lock mechanism is located in the vicinity of a part of the door main body that is constructed by the honeycomb structural body.

14. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the functional part includes at least one of a door hinge and a door trim.

15. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the honeycomb portion of the honeycomb structural body is integrally formed with one of the sealing plate portions sealing the honeycomb portion, and is joined to the other sealing plate.

16. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the first door component has a size that is equivalent to the entire door main body.

17. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the second door component is formed as a rectangular frame and has an opening in a center portion.

18. A vehicle door comprising a door main body forming a main part of the vehicle door and a window glass attached to the door main body,

wherein at least a part of the door main body is constructed by a synthetic resin honeycomb structural body, and wherein the honeycomb structural body includes a honeycomb portion composed of numerous tubular cells separated by partition walls, and a pair of the sealing plate portions that sandwich the honeycomb portion from both sides, thereby sealing the cells, and

wherein a part of one of the sealing plate portions, which seal the honeycomb structural body, is formed by a part of the window glass.

19. The vehicle door according to claim 18, wherein, at a part where the window glass seals a part of the honeycomb structural body, the window glass is fixed to the honeycomb portion.

20. The vehicle door according to claim 18, wherein a part of the window glass functions as a sealing plate portion on the outer side of the honeycomb portion, and wherein a concealing portion that conceals the interior of the vehicle is provided at least on the outer side surface of the window glass that faces the honeycomb portion.