Door panel assembly

• US 6,817,804 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
• Original Assignee: Meritor Light Vehicle Systems - France
• Inventors: Laurandel, Herve, Blume, Klaus Bruno Wilhelm, De Vries, Pascal, Dobson, Simon Blair, Le Gallo, Yann, Hopson, Charles Berry, Lawrie, Mark Graham, Cabanne, Damien
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flandro, Ryan M.
• Application Number:
  US10/068,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20020110412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 403/408.1, 493/48, 493/75, 495/02
• US Class Current: 403/408.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 11/382 for vehicle windows E05F11/40 - E05F11/52 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/689 specially adapted for vehicle windows
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/434 Electromotors; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/654 Cables
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/664 Drums
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2600/56 Positioning or pre-mounting
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/00 Details, accessories and auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/02 by means of fastening members using screw-thread F16B5/0004 takes precedence; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/44 Three or more members connected at single locus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/75 having a joining piece extending through aligned openings in plural members

Abstract

An assembly including a first, second and third component and a first and second fixing member, the first, second and third component having respective first, second and third holes, the first hole being a threaded hole, in which the first fixing member cooperates with the second hole and a first threaded portion of the first fixing member engaging the first hole to secure the first component to the second component, the first and second fixing member cooperating with the third hole with the first fixing member engaging the second fixing member to secure the third component to the first component, in which the first component is situated between the second and third component.

Claims

1. An assembly including:

first, second and third components and first and second fixing members, the first, second and third components having respective first, second and third holes, the first hole being a threaded hole, in which the first fixing member extends through the second hole and a first threaded portion of the first fixing member engaging the first hole to secure the first component to the second component, at least one of the fixing members extending through the third hole with the first fixing member engaging the second fixing member to secure the third component to the first component, and the first component being situated between the second and third component wherein the first component is a door panel, the second component is a window regulator mechanism and the third component is a window regulator drive system.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 in which a first feature on the first component engages a first feature on the second component to align the first component relative to the second component.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 in which the first feature of at least one of the components is a recess.

4. The assembly according to claim 2 in which the first feature of at least one of the components is a projection.

5. The assembly according to claim 2 in which at least one of the first feature of the first component and the first feature of the second component is contiguous with at least one of the holes.

6. The assembly according to claim 5 in which the first feature of the first component is at least one of a recess and a projection and the second feature of the first component is at least one of a recess and projection.

7. The assembly according to claim 2 in which a first feature on the third component engages a second feature of the first component to align the first component relative to the third component and the first and second features of the first component are on opposite sides of the first component and are aligned.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 in which the second component has a first surface for engagement with the first fixing member to align the second component relative to the first component.

9. The assembly according to claim 1 in which a first feature on the third component engages a second feature of the first component to align the first component relative to the third component.

10. The assembly according to claim 9 in which at least one of the first feature of the third component and the second feature of the first component is a recess.

11. The assembly according to claim 9 in which at least one of the first feature of the third component and the second feature of the first component is a projection.

12. The assembly according to claim 9 in which at least one of the first feature of the third component and the second feature of the first component is contiguous with at least one of the holes.

13. The assembly according to claim 12 in which the first component is made from metal, with the first hole being at least partially formed by a pressing operation and with the first and second features being at least partially formed by a pressing operation.

14. The assembly according to claim 1 in which the third component has a first surface for engagement with at least one of the first and second fixing members to align the third component relative to at least one of the first and second components.

15. The assembly according to claim 1 in which the first component is sealed relative to the second component and the first component is sealed relative to the third component.

16. The assembly according to claim 1 designed such that forces acting on the first fixing member prevents rotation of the first fixing member relative to the first component during securing and releasing of the third component by the second fixing member.

17. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first hole is pre-threaded.

18. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the door panel is a door module.

19. An assembly including:

first, second and third components and first and second fixing members, the first, second and third components having respective first, second and third holes, the first hole being a threaded hole, in which the first fixing member extends through the second hole and a first threaded portion of the first fixing member engaging the first hole to secure the first component to the second component, at least one of the fixing members extending through the third hole with the first fixing member engaging the second fixing member to secure the third component to the first component, and the first component being situated between the second and third component wherein the first threaded portion has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of a second threaded portion.

20. An assembly including:

first, second and third components and first and second fixing members, the first, second and third components having respective first, second and third holes, the first hole being a threaded hole in which the first fixing member extends through the second hole and a first threaded portion of the first fixing members engaging the first hole to secure the first component to the second component, at least one of the fixing members extending through the third hole with a second threaded portion of the first fixing member engaging the second fixing member to secure the third component to the first component, and the first component being situated between the second and third component, wherein the first threaded portion has a pitch which is different from the pitch of the first hole, and the second threaded portion has a pitch which is substantially equal to the pitch of the second fixing member.

21. A method of assembly of a door assembly comprising the steps of;

providing first, second and third components and first and second fixing members, the first, second and third components having respective first, second and third holes, the first hole being a threaded hole;

assembling the first and second components and first fixing member to form a subassembly such that the first fixing member extends through the second hole and a first threaded portion of the first fixing member engages the first hole to secure the first component to the second component;

then assembling the third component to the subassembly; and

then mounting the second fixing member on the first fixing member with the first fixing member engaging the second fixing member to secure the third component to the first component to form an assembly such that at least one of the fixing members extends through the third hole in which the first component is situated between the second and third component wherein the first component is a door panel, the second component is a window regulator mechanism and the third component is a window regulator drive system.

22. A method of maintaining an assembly comprising the steps of:

providing first, second and third components and first and second fixing members, the first, second and third components having respective first, second and third holes, the first hole being threaded, in which the first fixing member extends through the second hole and a first threaded portion of the first fixing member engaging the first hole to secure the first component to the second component, at least one of the fixing members extending through the third hole, and with the first fixing member engaging the second fixing member to secure the third component to the first component, and the first component being situated between the second and third component;

removing the second fixing member;

removing the third component;

replacing the third component; and

replacing the second fixing member wherein the first component is a door panel, the second component is a window regulator mechanism and the third component is a window regulator drive system.