LOWER STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE DOOR

• US 20110012388A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: IIDA, Yoshimitsu, Hasegawa, Yoshimi, Noro, Akihito
• Granted Patent: US 8,313,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/146.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/84 arranged on the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 10/87 with additional seals on the panel side
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/04 External Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices thereon fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12

Abstract

A lower structure of a vehicle door includes a door body, a garnish, and an elastic seal. The door body is attached to a door opening of a vehicle body so as to be openable. The garnish covers an outer lower portion of the door body. The elastic seal includes a holding portion that clamps a flange portion at a lower end of the door body. The elastic seal is joined to the garnish. The garnish is supported by the door body via the elastic seal.

Claims

1. A lower structure of a vehicle door, comprising:

a door body having a flange portion at a lower end of the door body and attached to a door opening of a vehicle body so as to be openable;

a garnish that covers an outer lower portion of the door body; and

an elastic seal comprising a holding portion that clamps the flange portion of the door body, the elastic seal being joined to the garnish, the garnish being supported by the door body via the elastic seal.

2. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein

the garnish comprises a side surface extending along an outer surface of the door body and a lower surface extending from a lower end of the side surface to an inside of a vehicle cabin,

the side surface is attached to the outer surface of the door body using an attaching member fitted into an attaching hole formed in the outer surface of the door body, and

the elastic seal is joined to an upper side of the lower surface.

3. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein

the door body forms a closed section using an outer panel and an inner panel,

the inner panel has an opening communicating with the closed section, and

the elastic seal covers the opening.

4. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 3, wherein:

the inner panel comprises

an inner surface of the vehicle cabin extending in a vertical direction of the door body,

a slope having the opening and being bent from the inner surface of the vehicle cabin to an outside of the vehicle cabin, and

an inner flange bent downward from the slope and forming the flange portion together with an outer flange of the outer panel;

the holding portion comprises

a bottom surface joined to the garnish,

an outer wall extending upward from an outer end of the bottom surface remote from the vehicle cabin, and

an inner wall extending upward from an inner end of the bottom surface adjacent to the vehicle cabin; and

the inner wall extends above the slope and comprises a first lip brought into contact with the inner surface of the vehicle cabin.

5. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the elastic seal comprises a cabin seal portion that is brought into contact with the door opening.

6. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 4, wherein

the inner wall comprises a second lip extending toward the flange portion, and

the outer wall is brought into contact with the flange portion while the flange portion is pushed toward the outer wall by the second lip.

7. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 6, wherein the garnish comprises a rib that is brought into contact with the outer wall and that is attached to the door body while being drawn to the outer surface of the door body.

8. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein

the door body forms a closed section using an outer panel and an inner panel,

the inner panel has an opening communicating with the closed section, and

the elastic seal covers the opening.

9. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein the elastic seal comprises a cabin seal portion that is brought into contact with the door opening.

10. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 3, wherein the elastic seal comprises a cabin seal portion that is brought into contact with the door opening.

11. The lower structure of the vehicle door according to claim 4, wherein the elastic seal comprises a cabin seal portion that is brought into contact with the door opening.