Vehicle door structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10286762-B2
Application number	US-201615196525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle door structure includes: a metal door outer panel that includes an outermost design surface of a vehicle door; a metal annular reinforcement that (i) is provided at a door inner side of the door outer panel, (ii) has an annular shape so as to extend along an outer peripheral portion of the door outer panel, and (iii) is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the door outer panel; at least one reinforcing member that extends in a door longitudinal direction and that is joined to the annular reinforcement; and a fiber-reinforced door inner panel that is provided at a door inner side of the annular reinforcement, and is fastened to the annular reinforcement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle door structure comprising:
a metal door outer panel that includes an outermost design surface of a vehicle door;
a metal annular reinforcement that (i) is provided at a door inner side of the door outer panel, (ii) has an annular shape so as to extend along an outer peripheral portion of the door outer panel, and (iii) is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the door outer panel;
at least one reinforcing member including a dent reinforcement that (a) extends in a door longitudinal direction, (b) is joined to the annular reinforcement, and (c) is disposed so as to span over a door vertical direction intermediate portion of the vehicle door at an opening of the annular reinforcement; and
a fiber-reinforced resin door inner panel that is provided at a door inner side of the annular reinforcement, and is fastened to the annular reinforcement,
wherein a rear portion of the dent reinforcement is inclined toward the door inner side at an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees.

2. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one reinforcing member includes a beltline outer reinforcement that is provided at an upper end portion of the vehicle door;
the vehicle door structure further comprising a hinge retainer upper that is fixed to a front end portion of the beltline outer reinforcement,
wherein the front end portion of the beltline outer reinforcement, the hinge retainer upper, the annular reinforcement, and an upper hinge that is fixed to a vehicle main body, are fastened together by a fastening member.

3. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one reinforcing member includes a beltline outer reinforcement that is provided at an upper end portion of the vehicle door;
the vehicle door structure further comprising a metal lock reinforcement that is provided at a door outer side of a door rear portion of the door inner panel, and to which a door lock device is mounted,
wherein a rear end portion of the beltline outer reinforcement, the annular reinforcement, the door inner panel and the lock reinforcement are fastened together by a fastening member.

4. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one reinforcing member includes a beltline outer reinforcement that is provided at an upper end portion of the vehicle door;
the vehicle door structure further comprising a metal lock reinforcement that is provided at a door outer side of a door rear portion of the door inner panel, and to which a door lock device is mounted; and
a handle reinforcement that is integral with the beltline outer reinforcement, and to which an outside handle of the vehicle door is fixed,
wherein the handle reinforcement, the annular reinforcement, the lock reinforcement and the door inner panel are fastened together by a fastening member.

5. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 ,
further comprising a metal lock reinforcement that is provided at a door outer side of a door rear portion of the door inner panel, and to which a door lock device is mounted, wherein
a front end portion of the dent reinforcement is welded to the annular reinforcement, and
a rear end portion of the dent reinforcement, the annular reinforcement, the lock reinforcement and the door inner panel are fastened together by a fastening member.

6. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one reinforcing member further includes an impact beam that is provided further downward than the dent reinforcement;
the vehicle door structure further comprising a first bracket and a second bracket that are fastened to a front end portion of the impact beam; and
a hinge retainer lower that is fixed to a front end portion of the first bracket,
wherein the first bracket is welded to the annular reinforcement,
a front end portion of the second bracket is welded to the annular reinforcement, and
the front end portion of the first bracket, the hinge retainer lower, the annular reinforcement, and a lower hinge that is fixed to a vehicle main body, are fastened together by a fastening member.

7. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one reinforcing member further includes an impact beam that is provided further downward than the dent reinforcement;
the vehicle door structure further comprising a rear bracket that is fastened to a rear end portion of the impact beam; and
a metal lock reinforcement that is provided at a door outer side of a door rear portion of the door inner panel, and to which a door lock device is mounted,
wherein the rear bracket, the annular reinforcement, the lock reinforcement and the door inner panel are fastened together by a fastening member.

8. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 , wherein a front end of the dent reinforcement is attached to a front portion of the annular reinforcement, and a rear end of the dent reinforcement is attached to a rear portion of the annular reinforcement.

9. The vehicle door structure of claim 8 , wherein the at least one reinforcing member further includes an impact beam that is provided further downward than the dent reinforcement.

10. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reinforcing member includes a beltline outer reinforcement that is provided at an upper end portion of the vehicle door.

11. The vehicle door structure of claim 10 , wherein the beltline outer reinforcement is coextensive with at least a portion of an upper portion of the annular reinforcement.

12. The vehicle door structure of claim 1 , wherein
a vehicle front end portion of the dent reinforcement overlaps a door vertical direction intermediate portion of a vehicle front end portion of the annular reinforcement, and
a vehicle rear end portion of the dent reinforcement overlaps a door vertical direction intermediate portion of a vehicle rear end portion of the annular reinforcement.

13. A vehicle door structure comprising:
a metal door outer panel that includes an outermost design surface of a vehicle door;
a metal annular reinforcement that (i) is provided at a door inner side of the door outer panel, (ii) has an annular shape so as to extend along an outer peripheral portion of the door outer panel, and (iii) is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the door outer panel;
at least one reinforcing member that extends in a door longitudinal direction and that is joined to the annular reinforcement; and
a fiber-reinforced resin door inner panel that is provided at a door inner side of the annular reinforcement, and is fastened to the annular reinforcement,
wherein the annular reinforcement includes a bottom wall that defines a lower edge of an opening of the annular reinforcement, an entirety of the bottom wall being disposed at a door outer side of a lifting trajectory of a door glass of the vehicle door.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ogawa Satoshi

Classifications

• B60J5/0433

  the elements being arranged at the lock area · CPC title

• B60J5/0456 Primary

  Behaviour during impact · CPC title

• B60J5/0431

  the elements being arranged at the hinge area · CPC title

• B62D29/04

  predominantly of synthetic material (working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29) · CPC title

• B60J5/0426

  the elements being arranged at the beltline · CPC title