Vehicle door

• US 6,474,721 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ogawa, Kenichi, Nishikawa, Ikuo, Shouno, Noboru, Kawamoto, Chikashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blankenship, G
• Application Number:
  US09/789,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 296/189, 296/146.6, 296/146, 296/7, 296/152, 296/188, 296/146.1, 296/146.9
• US Class Current: 296/146.6
• 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: B60J 5/0425 the elements being arranged essentially horizontal in the centre of the lower door structure B60J5/0426 - B60J5/0448 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0451 Block or short strip-type elements beams B60J5/0443, position thereof B60J5/0423
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails; Tracks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/10 Adjustable

Abstract

A vehicle door for a vehicle comprises an outer door panel, an inner door panel formed with an aperture, a plastic panel to which functional devices of the vehicle door and door parts are installed and which is installed to the inner door panel to close up the aperture of the inner door panel, and an impact absorbing member formed as a part integral with the plastic panel or fixedly secured to the plastic panel which absorbs an impact against the plastic panel upon an occurrence of a side crash of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle door for a vehicle comprising:

an outer door panel disposed on a far side from a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

an inner door panel formed with an aperture and disposed on a near side to the passenger compartment;

a plastic panel to which functional devices of the vehicle door and door parts are mounted, said plastic panel being installed to said inner door panel to cover up said aperture of said inner door panel; and

an impact absorbing member fixedly provided to said plastic panel at a specified area and extending toward at least said outer door panel beyond said plastic panel, said impact absorbing member bumping against a passenger sitting on a seat in the passenger compartment upon an occurrence of a side crash so as thereby to absorb an impact against said passenger from the vehicle door upon said occurrence of said side crash.

2. A vehicle door as defined in claim 1, wherein said impact absorbing member is disposed in a position corresponding laterally to a waist of a passenger sitting on the seat of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle door as defined in claim 1 wherein said impact absorbing member has a lattice structure comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle door for a vehicle as defined in claim 3, wherein said impact absorbing member is formed as a part integral with said plastic panel.

5. A vehicle door as defined in claim 4, wherein said plastic panel has a fragile structure at least partly along a boundary on said impact absorbing member.

6. A vehicle door as defined in claim 5, and further comprising a subsidiary impact absorbing member secured to said outer door panel in a position opposite to said impact absorbing member.

7. A vehicle door as defined in claim 6, wherein said impact absorbing member has a lattice structure comprising a plurality of ribs.

8. A vehicle door for a vehicle comprising:

an outer door panel disposed on a far side from a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

an inner door panel formed with an aperture and disposed on a near side to the passenger compartment;

a plastic panel to which functional devices of the vehicle door and parts are mounted, said plastic panel being installed to said inner door panel to cover up said aperture of said inner door panel;

a trim unit panel disposed on a side of said plastic panel closer to the passenger compartment so as to form a side wall of the passenger compartment; and

an impact absorbing member formed as a part integral with said plastic panel and extending toward at least said trim unit panel beyond said plastic panel at a specified area, said impact absorbing member bumps against and being collapsed by a passenger sitting on a seat in the passenger compartment upon an occurrence of a side crash so as thereby to absorb an impact against said passenger from the vehicle door upon an said occurrence of said side crash.

9. A vehicle door as defined in claim 8, wherein said impact absorbing member is disposed in a position corresponding laterally to a waist of a passenger sitting on the seat of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle door as defined in claim 8, and further comprising a subsidiary impact absorbing member secured to said outer door panel in a position opposite to said impact absorbing member.

11. A vehicle door as defined in claim 8, wherein said impact absorbing member has a lattice structure comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle door as defined in claim 8, wherein said plastic panel has a fragile structure at least partly along a boundary on said impact absorbing member.

13. A vehicle door as defined in claim 12, and further comprising a subsidiary impact absorbing member secured to said outer door panel in a position opposite to said impact absorbing member.

14. A vehicle door for a vehicle comprising:

an outer door panel disposed on a far side from a passenger compartment of a vehicle;

an inner door panel formed with an aperture and disposed on a near side to the passenger compartment;

a plastic panel to which functional devices of the vehicle door and door parts are mounted, said plastic panel being installed to said inner door panel to cover up said aperture of said inner door panel;

a trim unit panel disposed on a side of said plastic panel closer to the passenger compartment so as to form a side wall of the passenger compartment; and

an impact absorbing member formed as a part integral with said plastic panel and extending toward opposite sides of said plastic panel, said impact absorbing member bumping against and being collapsed by a passenger sitting on a seat in the passenger compartment upon an occurrence of a side crash so as thereby to absorb an impact against said passenger from the vehicle door upon said occurrence of said side crash.

15. A vehicle door as defined in claim 14, wherein said impact absorbing member is disposed in a position corresponding laterally to a waist of a passenger sitting on the seat of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

16. A vehicle door as defined in claim 14, and further comprising a subsidiary impact absorbing member secured to said outer door panel in a position opposite to said impact absorbing member.

17. A vehicle door as defined in claim 14, wherein said impact absorbing member has a lattice structure comprising a plurality of intersecting ribs extending in a transverse direction of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle door as defined in claim 14, wherein said plastic panel has a fragile structure at least partly along a boundary on said impact absorbing member.

19. A vehicle door as defined in claim 18, and further comprising a subsidiary impact absorbing member secured to said outer door panel in a position opposite to said impact absorbing member.