Aluminum automotive door assembly

• US 6,550,846 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company), Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Chappuis, Laurent Bernard, Danyo, Michael William
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/064,058
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.5, 296/146.7, 296/146.11, 296/146.1
• US Class Current: 296/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0427 the elements being arranged along the lower edge of door

Abstract

An automotive door assembly (10) includes an inner door (30) having an inner panel (40). The inner panel (40) has a first seat (44) and a second seat (46) integrally formed therein. The first seat (44) has a first side member (50) fixedly attached thereto for separating an exterior of the door assembly (10) from a door cavity thereof. The first side member (50) also reinforces the automotive door assembly (10). Likewise, the second seat (46) a second side member (90) has fixedly attached thereto for separating the exterior of the door assembly (10) from the door cavity thereof. The second side member (90) also reinforces the automotive door assembly (10). The inner panel (40), the first side member (50), and the second side member (90) have an outer door (18) attached thereto for enclosing the door cavity.

Claims

1. An automotive door assembly comprising:

an inner panel having a first seat and a second seat integrally formed therein;

a first side member fixedly coupled to said first seat, said first side member having a divider portion for separating an exterior of the automotive door assembly from a door cavity therein;

a second side member fixedly coupled to said second seat, said second side member having a partition portion for separating said exterior of the automotive door assembly from said door cavity therein; and

an outer door fixedly coupled to at least one of said inner panel, said first side member, and said second side member wherein at least one of said inner panel, said first side member, and said second side member is composed of aluminum metal.

2. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first side member has a first end of an intrusion beam coupled thereto, said second side member having a second end of said intrusion beam fixedly coupled thereto.

3. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first side member comprises:

a wall member having at least one hole integrally formed therethrough for receiving at least one hinge device; and

at least one plate fixedly coupled to said wall member, said at least one plate fixedly coupled adjacent to said at least one hole so as to reinforce said wall member.

4. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said wall member has a brace flange extending therefrom for reducing a door sag, said brace flange having said outer door attaching thereto.

5. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said wall member has a boot portion integrally formed therein for strengthening a torsional rigidity of the automotive door assembly.

6. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said second side member has a columnar portion, said columnar portion operatively engaged between said second seat and a foot of a window frame integrated within said inner panel so as to reinforce said window frame.

7. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein a lower columnar portion of said columnar portion increases a torsional rigidity of the automotive door assembly, said lower columnar portion being located at a second corner of the automotive door assembly.

8. The automotive door assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said second side member has a support flange for attaching said outer door thereto.