Vehicle body having a forward facing rear door

• US 7,000,976 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Azzouz, Musa, Pevovar, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): LYJAK, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/908,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20050194820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 296/146.1, 296/146.5, 296/146.6, 296/146.9, 296/146.11, 296/146.12, 296/183, 296/190.11, 296/202, 296/204, 493/66
• US Class Current: 296/146.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0479 without B-pillar or releasable B-pillar, i.e. the pillar is moving with door
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/127 for vehicle doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/531 Doors

Abstract

A forward facing rear door assembly for a motor vehicle includes a forward facing rear door having a forward end and a rear end. The forward facing rear door assembly also includes a hinge connected to the rear end of the forward facing rear door and for connection to a “C” pillar of a vehicle body to allow a forward end of the rear door to open and close a door opening in the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A six-door vehicle having bending/torsion stiffness and torsion modal frequencies that are almost equivalent to a conventional four-door vehicle body, comprising:

“

A”

, “

B” and

“

C”

pillars, the opening between said “

A” and

“

B”

pillars defining a front door opening, and the opening between said “

B” and

“

C”

pillars defining a rear door opening;

a front door pivotally attached to said “

A”

pillar;

a rear door pivotally attached to said “

B”

pillar;

a forward facing rear door pivotally attached to said “

C”

pillar;

a vehicle side structure further having

a rocker at a bottom portion of the rear door opening;

a roof rail at a top portion of the rear door opening;

a vertical reinforcement beam disposed within said forward facing rear door and extending from said roof rail to said rocker;

a side door latch connected to said rear door; and

a side door latch striker connected directly to said vertical reinforcement beam to engage said side door latch to resist inward movement of said rear door and said forward facing rear door from said closed position with respect to the side structure upon imposition of an excessive or side intrusion load on an outer panel of said rear door and said forward facing rear door.

2. The six-door vehicle of claim 1, wherein said forward facing rear door is supported by a single “

C”

pillar hinge.

3. The six-door vehicle of claim 1, wherein said “

C”

pillar hinge articulates 180 degrees.

4. The six-door vehicle of claim 3, wherein said “

C”

pillar hinge opens in two increments.

5. The six-door vehicle of claim 1, wherein said rear door opening is pillarless.

6. The six-door vehicle of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a pick-up truck.

7. A six-door pick-up truck body having a door reinforcement system for closing a continuous rear door opening farmed through a side of said truck body comprising:

a rocker at a bottom portion of the rear door opening;

a roof rail at a top portion of the rear door opening;

a rearward facing rear door pivotally connected to the body and a forward facing rear door pivotally connected to the body for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position closing the rear door opening;

a vertical reinforcement beam disposed within said forward facing rear door and extending from said roof rail to said rocker; and

a side door latch striker connected directly to said vertical reinforcement beam and a side door latch connected to said first door to engage said side door latch striker to resist inward movement of said rearward facing rear door and said forward facing door from said closed position with respect to the aide of the pick-up truck body upon imposition of an excessive side intrusion load on an outer panel of said rearward facing rear door and said forward facing rear door.

8. A six-door vehicle body having a door reinforcement system for losing a continuous rear door opening formed through said body comprising:

a rocker at a bottom portion of the door opening;

a roof rail at a top portion of the door opening;

a rearward facing rear door pivotally connected to the body at a front portion of the door opening and a forward facing rear door pivotally connected to the body at a rear portion of the door opening for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position closing the rear door opening;

a vertical reinforcement beam disposed within said forward facing rear door and extending from said roof rail to said rocker;

a side door latch connected to said forward facing rear door; and

a side door latch striker connected directly to said vertical reinforcement beam to engage said side door latch to resist inward movement of said rearward facing rear door and said forward facing rear door from said closed position with respect to the body upon imposition of an excessive side intrusion load on an outer panel of said rearward facing rear door and said forward facing rear door.

9. The vehicle body of claim 8, further comprising a hinge connecting said forward facing rear door to the body.

10. The vehicle body of claim 9, wherein said hinge is hidden when said forward facing rear door and said rearward facing rear door are closed.

11. The vehicle body of claim 10, wherein said forward facing rear door is connected to the body by a single hinge.

12. A six-door vehicle comprising:

“

A”

, “

B” and

“

C”

pillars, the opening between said “

A” and

“

B”

pillars defining a front door opening, and the opening between said “

B” and

“

C”

pillars defining a rear door opening;

a front door pivotally attached to said “

A”

pillar;

a rear door pivotally attached to said “

B”

pillar;

a forward facing rear door pivotally attached to said “

C”

pillar;

a rocker at a bottom portion of the rear door opening;

a roof rail at a top portion of the rear door opening;

a vertical reinforcement beam disposed within said forward facing rear door and extending from said roof rail to said rocker;

a side door latch connected to said rear door; and

a side door latch striker connected directly to said vertical reinforcement beam to engage said side door latch to resist inward movement of said rear door and said forward facing rear door from said closed position with respect to the side structure upon imposition of an excessive or side intrusion load on an outer panel of said rear door and said forward facing rear door.

13. The six-door vehicle of claim 12, wherein said forward facing rear door is supported by a single “

C”

pillar hinge.

14. The six-door vehicle of claim 12, wherein said “

C”

pillar hinge articulates 180 degrees.

15. The six-door vehicle of claim 12, wherein said “

C”

pillar hinge opens in two increments.

16. The six-door vehicle of claim 12, wherein said rear door opening is pillarless.

17. The six-door vehicle of claim 12, wherein said vehicle is a pick-up truck.