VEHICLE DOOR COVER DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING

• US 20190329634A1
• Filed: 04/26/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Holland, Lloyd R., Meyer, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,583,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/004 Mounting of windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2094 Protective means for window, e.g. additional panel or foil, against vandalism, dirt, wear, shattered glass, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0402 window frame details, including sash guides and glass runs
• 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 vehicle door cover device for inhibiting contact between an upper frame portion of a door frame of a vehicle door assembly and a glass pane during installation of the glass pane into the vehicle door assembly includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a channel wall that extends between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the channel wall form a pillar receiving channel that extends between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and the pillar receiving channel comprises a width dimension and a length dimension and the width dimension is sized to slidably receive the upper frame portion of the door frame during installation of the glass pane.

Claims

1. A vehicle door cover device for inhibiting contact between an upper frame portion of a door frame of a vehicle door assembly and a glass pane during installation of the glass pane into the vehicle door assembly, the vehicle door cover device comprising:

a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a channel wall that extends between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, wherein

the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the channel wall form a pillar receiving channel that extends between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and

the pillar receiving channel comprises a width dimension and a length dimension and the width dimension is sized to slidably receive the upper frame portion of the door frame during installation of the glass pane.

2. The vehicle door cover device of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall are substantially transverse to the channel wall.

3. The vehicle door cover device of claim 2, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend from the channel wall substantially parallel to each other.

4. The vehicle door cover device of claim 3, wherein:

the upper door frame portion of the door frame comprises a door frame b-pillar portion;

the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend from the channel wall at opposite sides of the channel wall, and

the first sidewall and the second sidewall form a friction fit with the door frame b-pillar portion to hold the vehicle door cover device in place on the door frame b-pillar portion during installation of the glass pane.

5. The vehicle door cover device of claim 1, wherein the channel wall comprises an inside surface that contacts the upper frame portion along at least a portion of the length dimension of the vehicle door cover device.

6. The vehicle door cover device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the channel wall comprise one or more cutout portions.

7. The vehicle door cover device of claim 6, wherein the one or more cutout portions are configured to receive a magnet such that the magnet removably couples the vehicle door cover device to the upper frame portion.

8. The vehicle door cover device of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more cutout portions comprise a dimension and each dimension of the one or more cutout portions is constant through a thickness of the first sidewall.

9. The vehicle door cover device of claim 7, wherein each of the one or more cutout portions comprise a dimension and each dimension of the one or more cutout portions varies through a thickness of the first sidewall.

10. The vehicle door cover device of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend from the channel wall and away from one another, forming the pillar receiving channel that expands in width.

11. A method of inhibiting contact between a glass pane and a vehicle door assembly during installation of the glass pane between a door inner panel and a door outer panel of the vehicle door assembly, the method comprising:

installing a vehicle door cover device that comprises a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a channel wall over an upper frame portion of the vehicle door assembly such that the vehicle door cover device is between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly during installation of the glass pane between the door inner panel and the door outer panel, and

installing the glass pane between the door inner panel and the door outer panel.

12. The method of inhibiting contact between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly of claim 11, further comprising installing one or more magnets into one or more cutout portions that are formed in the vehicle door cover device.

13. The method of inhibiting contact between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly of claim 12, wherein the one or more magnets are placed in the first sidewall of the vehicle door cover device to removably couple the vehicle door cover device to the first sidewall.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising removing the vehicle door cover device after the glass pane is installed.

15. The method of inhibiting contact between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly of claim 11, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall are substantially transverse to the channel wall.

16. The method of inhibiting contact between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly of claim 15, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend from the channel wall substantially parallel to one another.

17. The method of inhibiting contact between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly of claim 16, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall form a friction fit with the upper frame portion.

18. The method of inhibiting contact between the glass pane and the vehicle door assembly of claim 11, wherein an inside surface of the vehicle door cover device is at least partially in contact with a vehicle-forward-facing surface of the upper frame portion along a length dimension of the vehicle door cover device.

19. A method of installing a glass pane in a vehicle door assembly, the method comprising:

positioning a vehicle door cover device that comprises a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a channel wall between a rear end of a gap between a door inner panel and a door outer panel and a door frame b-pillar portion of the vehicle door assembly such that the channel wall contacts a vehicle-forward-facing surface of the door frame b-pillar portion,

installing the glass pane between the door inner panel and the door outer panel, and

lowering the glass pane into an installed position.

20. The method of installing a glass pane of claim 19, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall extend from the channel wall at substantially perpendicular angles and substantially parallel to one another.