Vehicle door including structural element support for a functional component

• US 6,536,832 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meritor Automotive GmbH (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arvinmeritor Light Vehicle Systems FRA (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Herwig, Arnd G., Strauss, Klaus-Dieter, Grimm, Rainer, Kollner, Harald, Keyes, Gregory, Wurm, Georg, Schang, Kenneth W., Drewniok, Daniel, Hof, Patrick, Dobson, Simon Blair
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/672,468
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.6,146.7 49/502,352,348,374,503
• 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: E05F 11/382 for vehicle windows E05F11/40 - E05F11/52 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/426 Flexible rack-and-pinion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/697 Motor units therefor, e.g. geared motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/684 Rails; Tracks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

A motor vehicle door includes structural parts for providing the rigidness of the vehicle door and includes a structural element and a lining element. The door further includes function components for providing vehicle door functions like a window panel with a regulator. At least one of the structural parts serves as a support of the function components. In order to reduce the number of individual components, at least one of the structural parts forms a completely shaped composite or sandwich part having a plastic based matrix and further having several of the function components included to serve a rigidness providing bodies. The bodies are molded into the plastic based matrix by the plastic based matrix.

Claims

1. A vehicle door comprising:

a structural element for providing rigidness of said vehicle door and connected to at least one closing element;

a lining element; and

at least one functional component for providing vehicle door functions, said structural element supporting said at least one functional component and said structural element further including a plastic based matrix, said at least one functional component molded into said plastic based matrix.

2. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one closing element is embedded into said structural element.

3. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one closing element is a hinge unit.

4. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one functional component is a windowpane guide profile.

5. The vehicle door as recited in claim 4 wherein a slider is slidingly guided in said windowpane guide profile, and a windowpane is connected to said slider.

6. The vehicle door as recited in claim 5 wherein said windowpane is received in a windowpane holding niche.

7. The vehicle door as recited in claim 4 wherein another of said at least one functional component is a motor for a window crank.

8. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one functional component is a speaker.

9. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said least one functional component is an airbag.

10. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one functional component is a housing for storage.

11. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said least one functional component is a crash pad.

12. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said least one functional component is a crash beam.

13. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said lining element is said support element.

14. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 further including a base plate molded into said plastic based matrix.

15. The vehicle door as recited in claim 14 wherein said base plate supports a windowpane guide rail.

16. The vehicle door as recited in claim 14 wherein said base plate supports a motor for a window crank.

17. The vehicle door as recited in claim 14 wherein said base plate supports a window regulator guide rail molded in said base plate.

18. The vehicle door as recited in claim 14 wherein a channel for electrical wiring is molded in said base plate.

19. The vehicle door as recited in claim 1 wherein said plastic based matrix secures said at least one functional component to said vehicle door.