Motor vehicle door panel

• US 4,919,470 A
• Filed: 12/01/1988
• Issued: 04/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R. Schmidt GmbH
• Original Assignee: R. Schmidt GmbH
• Inventors: Muller, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US07/278,653
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 296/153, 296/901
• US Class Current: 296/153
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/042 Reinforcement elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/78 post or panel mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/02 Internal Trim mouldings ; Internal Ledges; Wall liners for passenger compartments; Roof liners B60R13/01 takes precedence ; padded linings for the vehicle interior B60R21/04; arrangements or adaptations of floor mats or carpets in vehicles B60N3/04; internal lining for trains B61D17/18
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0435 associated with the side or roof pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0428 associated with the side doors or panels, e.g. displaced towards the occupants in case of a side collision

Abstract

To make a door panel for a motor vehicle from a shaped plate-like fiber fleece with an armrest and a cover made of a soft material with an economical fiber fleece material and to make assembly from its components easy, the armrest is made as a separate plastic injection-molded piece which has a flange positioned substantially parallel to its corresponding attachment region on the door panel. This flange is heat sealed with the door panel. A plurality of recesses may be provided in the armrest in a transition region between the flange of the armrest and the resting surface of the armrest and a corresponding plurality of projections engagable and lockable in the recesses are provided in the cover surface facing the armrest.

Claims

1. In a door panel for a motor vehicle made from a shaped plate-like fiber fleece with an armrest and a cover made of a soft material when called for, the improvement wherein said armrest is a separate thermoplastic injection-molded part which has a flange which is positioned substantially parallel to an appropriate place of attachment on said door panel and said flange is heat sealed or fused with said door panel, said armrest having a plurality of recesses in a transition region of said flange to the resting surface of said arm rest, said cover made of soft material having a plurality of projections engageable and lockable in said recesses on a cover surface facing said armrest.

2. In a door panel for a motor vehicle made from a shaped plate-like fiber fleece with an armrest and a cover made of a soft material when called for, the improvement wherein said armrest is a separate thermoplastic injection-molded part which has a flange which is positioned substantially parallel to an appropriate place of attachment on said door panel and said flange is heat sealed or fused with said door panel, said armrest being shaped like a half shell with said flange being circumferential and projecting outward.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said door panel has an offset portion at least in the vicinity of said armrest and the shaped contacting surface of said armrest fitting with said offset portion is supported therein with a similar other offset region.

4. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said flange is friction welded to said door panel.

5. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said door panel together with said armrest and said soft material is covered with a decorative material having markings or a design.

6. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said cover is made of a polyurethane soft foam material shaped according to the shape of said armrest and has a shaped flange covering said flange of said armrest.

7. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein the resting surface of said armrest has a plurality of adjacent slots.

8. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein a soft foam cover is positioned over said slots.

9. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said armrest is provided with a lateral surface which is slotted.

10. A motor vehicle door panel comprising:

a shaped plate-like fiber fleece;

an armrest which is a separately thermoplastic injection-molded part having a circumferential outwardly directed flange positioned substantially parallel to an appropriate place of attachment on said door panel heat sealed or fused with said door panel, said armrest having a plurality of recesses in a transition region of said flange to the resting surface of said armrest; and

a cover made of a soft material having a plurality of projections engagable and lockable in said recesses on a cover surface facing said armrest.

11. A motor vehicle door panel comprising:

a shaped plate-like fiber fleece;

a half shell-shaped armrest which is a separately thermoplastic injection-molded part having a circumferential outwardly directed flange positioned substantially parallel to an appropriate place of attachment on said door panel heat sealed or fused with said door panel, the resting surface and/or the lateral surface of said armrest having a plurality of adjacent slots; and

a cover made of polyurethane soft foam shaped according to the shape of said armrest and having a shaped flange covering said flange of said armrest and said slots.