Method of producing vehicle door frame

• US 9,027,285 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Corp.
• Original Assignee: Shiroki Corporation (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Fukui, Katsuhisa, Mutoh, Tadashi, Noda, Atsuo, Yokota, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Menezes, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US14/094,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20140157602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 495/06, 495/02, 495/04, 494/40, 494/41, 494/28, 494/931, 494/14, 296/146.2, 296/146.5, 296/1.08
• US Class Current: 49/506
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0402 window frame details, including sash guides and glass runs
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0463 Conceptual assembling of door, i.e. how door frame parts should be fitted together to form door
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making

Abstract

A door frame and a frame body including a glass opposing portion, a design portion positioned on one side of the glass opposing portion on the vehicle exterior side, a tubular portion positioned on the other side of the glass opposing portion on the vehicle interior side, and a glass guide portion having a concave cross section surrounding the edge of the door glass. All portions are collectively structured as a single member who is continuous and uniform from the upper sash portion to the side sash portion. A corner portion is created by a bending process at a boundary between the upper sash portion and the side sash portion. The width of the design portion of the frame varies in at least one area along the length thereof and the design portion of the frame body is covered with an exterior member.

Claims

1. A method of producing a vehicle door frame which includes an upper sash portion that holds an upper edge of an upward and downward movable door glass, a side sash portion that holds a side edge of said door glass and a corner portion positioned at a boundary between said upper sash portion and said side sash portion, said method comprising:

forming a frame body which is continuous from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion by forming a linear member from a metal plate which has a length extending at least from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion so that said linear member has an uniform cross sectional shape which includes a glass-opposing portion that is opposed to said side edge of said door glass,

a design portion that is positioned on one side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle exterior side,

a tubular portion that is positioned on another side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle interior side,

and a glass guide portion which is defined by said glass-opposing portion, said design portion and said tubular portion so that said glass guide portion has a concave-shaped cross section thereafter creating said corner portion by bending said linear member at said boundary between the upper sash portion and the side sash portion;

performing a process of making a width of said design portion of said frame body vary in at least one area along a length of said design portion after said forming said frame body; and

thereafter

covering said design portion of said frame body with an exterior member from said vehicle exterior side,

wherein the width of said design portion is varied by cutting off an area of said design portion.

2. The method of producing the vehicle door frame of claim 1, wherein said area of said design portion is cut off from said upper sash portion.

3. The method of producing the vehicle door frame of claim 1, wherein said side sash portion comprises a front side sash portion which is provided on a front side of said upper sash portion, and a rear side sash portion which is provided on a rear side of said upper sash portion;

said method additionally comprises forming a front corner portion by a bending process, in an area defined between said front side sash portion and said upper sash portion; and

said method additionally comprises forming a rear corner portion by a bending process, in an area defined between said rear side sash portion and said upper sash portion.

4. The method of producing the vehicle door frame of claim 3, wherein said design portion comprises an outer periphery design portion and an inner periphery design portion,

wherein said outer periphery design portion is cut off at said rear side sash portion to define a cut-off portion thereat, and

wherein a reinforcement member is provided in said cut off portion.

5. The method of producing the vehicle door frame of claim 3, wherein a part of said design portion and a part of said glass-opposing portion are cut off at each of said front corner portion and said rear corner portion, to define a cut-off portion thereat, and

wherein a corner patch is mounted at each said cut-off portion.

6. The method of producing the vehicle door frame of claim 1, wherein said exterior member covers substantially an entirety of said design portion in accordance with the width thereof.

7. A method of producing a vehicle door frame which includes an upper sash portion that holds an upper edge of an upward and downward movable door glass, a side sash portion that holds a side edge of said door glass and a corner portion positioned at a boundary between said upper sash portion and said side sash portion, said method comprising:

forming a frame body which is continuous from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion by forming a linear member from a metal plate which has a length extending at least from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion so that said linear member has an uniform cross sectional shape which includes a glass-opposing portion that is opposed to said side edge of said door glass,

a design portion that is positioned on one side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle exterior side,

a tubular portion that is positioned on another side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle interior side,

and a glass guide portion which is defined by said glass-opposing portion, said design portion and said tubular portion so that said glass guide portion has a concave-shaped cross section thereafter creating said corner portion by bending said linear member at said boundary between the upper sash portion and the side sash portion;

performing a process of making a width of said design portion of said frame body vary in at least one area along a length of said design portion after said forming said frame body; and

thereafter

covering said design portion of said frame body with an exterior member from said vehicle exterior side,

wherein said design portion comprises an outer periphery design portion and an inner periphery design portion,

wherein said outer periphery design portion is cut off at a rear side sash portion provided on a rear side of said upper sash portion to define a cut-off portion thereat, and

wherein a reinforcement member is provided in said cut off portion.

8. A method of producing a vehicle door frame which includes an upper sash portion that holds an upper edge of an upward and downward movable door glass, a side sash portion that holds a side edge of said door glass and a corner portion positioned at a boundary between said upper sash portion and said side sash portion, said method comprising:

forming a frame body which is continuous from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion by forming a linear member from a metal plate which has a length extending at least from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion so that said linear member has an uniform cross sectional shape which includes a glass-opposing portion that is opposed to said side edge of said door glass,

a design portion that is positioned on one side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle exterior side,

a tubular portion that is positioned on another side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle interior side,

and a glass guide portion which is defined by said glass-opposing portion, said design portion and said tubular portion so that said glass guide portion has a concave-shaped cross section thereafter creating said corner portion by bending said linear member at said boundary between the upper sash portion and the side sash portion;

performing a process of making a width of said design portion of said frame body vary in at least one area along a length of said design portion after said forming said frame body; and

thereafter

covering said design portion of said frame body with an exterior member from said vehicle exterior side,

wherein said side sash portion comprises a front side sash portion which is provided on a front side of said upper sash portion, and a rear side sash portion which is provided on a rear side of said upper sash portion;

said method additionally comprises forming a front corner portion by a bending process, in an area defined between said front side sash portion and said upper sash portion, and

said method additionally comprises forming a rear corner portion by a bending process, in an area defined between said rear side sash portion and said upper sash portion,

wherein a part of said design portion and a part of said glass-opposing portion are cut off at each of said front corner portion and said rear corner portion, to define a cut-off portion thereat, and

wherein a corner patch is mounted at each said cut-off portion.