Vehicle door assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364859-B2
Application number	US-201916722484-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 20, 2019
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle door assembly including a door panel. A support member is coupled to the door panel. The support member has an edge defining an opening in a top portion thereof. The support member defines at least one flange extending into the opening from the edge. A switch bezel is disposed at least partially within the opening. The switch bezel includes at least one retaining feature configured to slidably engage the at least one flange. A cover member coupled to a side portion of the support member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle door assembly, comprising:
a door panel;
a support member coupled to the door panel, wherein the support member has an edge defining an opening in a top portion thereof, and wherein the support member defines at least one flange extending into the opening from the edge;
a switch bezel disposed at least partially within the opening, wherein the switch bezel includes at least one retaining feature configured to slidably engage the at least one flange, and wherein the switch bezel includes a locating tab defining a locating hole that aligns with a locating aperture of the support member; and
a cover member coupled to a side portion of the support member, wherein the cover member includes a locating projection that extends through the locating aperture and the locating hole.

2. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the switch bezel defines a rib extending from a bottom surface thereof adjacent to a peripheral edge and configured to snap-engage with the support member.

3. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support member defines a receiving slot and the locating aperture in the side portion thereof.

4. The vehicle door assembly of claim 3 , wherein the cover member includes integrally formed snap members received by the receiving slot.

5. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cover member includes an edge portion disposed on an upper surface of the support member adjacent to the switch bezel.

6. The vehicle door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flange includes a plurality of first flanges extending from a first side and a plurality of second flanges extending from a second side.

7. The vehicle door assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one retaining feature includes a plurality of first retaining features that slidably engage with the plurality of first flanges and a plurality of second retaining features that slidably engage with the plurality of second flanges.

8. The vehicle door assembly of claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of first retaining features engages a lower surface of one of the plurality of first flanges.

9. A method of manufacturing a switch bezel assembly, comprising:
providing a support member having at least one flange extending into an opening defined in a top portion thereof;
positioning a switch bezel having at least one retaining feature proximate the opening;
sliding the at least one retaining feature under the at least one flange;
snap-engaging the switch bezel with an edge of the support member; and
coupling a cover member to a side portion of the support member and a locating tab of the switch bezel.

10. A switch bezel assembly, comprising:
a support member having an edge defining an opening in a top portion thereof, wherein the support member defines at least one flange extending into the opening, and wherein the support member defines a locating aperture in a side portion thereof; and
a switch bezel having at least one retaining feature that slidably engages the at least one flange, wherein the switch bezel includes a rib configured to engage the edge of the support member, wherein the switch bezel includes a locating tab defining a locating hole, and wherein the locating tab extends from a bottom surface thereof, and wherein the locating hole aligns with the locating aperture.

11. The switch bezel assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a cover member coupled to the side portion of the support member, wherein the cover member includes a locating projection that extends through the locating aperture and the locating hole.

12. The switch bezel assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cover member includes a snap member that extends through a receiving slot defined in the side portion of the support member.

13. The switch bezel assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least one flange includes a plurality of flanges and the at least one retaining feature includes a plurality of retaining features, and wherein each of the plurality of retaining features slidably engages a lower surface of one of the plurality of flanges.

14. The switch bezel assembly of claim 10 , wherein the rib extends from a bottom surface proximate a peripheral edge thereof.

15. The switch bezel assembly of claim 10 , wherein the rib snap-engages with the edge of the support member.

16. The switch bezel assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a cover member coupled to a side portion of the support member, wherein the cover member includes an edge portion disposed on an upper surface of the support member and aligned with the switch bezel.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Koehler Juergen
• Shen Xuqiang
• Doan Linh Ngoc

Classifications

• B60R13/0243 Primary

  Doors · CPC title

• B60R2011/0014

  Arm-rests · CPC title

• B60R2011/0021

  Doors · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• B60R2013/0293

  Connection or positioning of adjacent panels · CPC title