Vehicle panel removal system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447198-B2
Application number	US-202016908995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2020
Priority date	Jun 23, 2020
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

Various disclosed embodiments include structures and methods for improving assembly of vehicle doors. In an illustrative embodiment a vehicle door includes a first door inner structure having an angled wedge bearing surface and configured to receive a first removable attachment mechanism and a second door inner structure configured to receive a second removable attachment mechanism. The door includes a door outer structure having an outer panel coupled to an attachment structure, the attachment structure having an angled wedge bearing surface and having a bearing surface, the bearing surface configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism, the second bearing surface being configured to abut an inner surface of the second door inner structure. The door includes an adjustment wedge which allows for positioning of the door panel relative to the body side of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door comprising:
a first door inner structure having an angled wedge bearing surface and being configured to receive a first removable attachment mechanism;
a second door inner structure configured to receive a second removable attachment mechanism;
a door outer structure having an outer panel coupled to an attachment structure, the attachment structure having an angled wedge bearing surface and having a bearing surface, the bearing surface being configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism, the second bearing surface being configured to abut an inner surface of the second door inner structure; and
an adjustment wedge having a receiving aperture configured to receive the first removable attachment mechanism and having a first bearing surface configured to abut the angled wedge bearing surface of the first door inner structure and a second bearing surface configured to abut the angled wedge bearing surface of the attachment structure.

2. The door of claim 1 , wherein the first door inner structure is configured to receive the first removable attachment mechanism through a first door inner structure aperture.

3. The door of claim 1 , wherein the second door inner structure is configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism through a second door inner structure aperture.

4. The door of claim 1 , wherein the second door inner structure is configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism through a second door inner structure aperture and the second door inner structure aperture is configured to be accessible on a side opposite the door outer structure.

5. The door of claim 1 , wherein the door outer structure attachment structure includes a post.

6. The door of claim 1 , wherein the door outer structure attachment structure includes a post and the bearing surface is a portion of the post that receives the second removable attachment mechanism through an aperture in the post.

7. The door of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment wedge and the first removable attachment mechanism are configured to provide relative adjustment of the door outer structure relative to both the first and second door inner structures.

8. The door of claim 1 , wherein the first removable attachment mechanism includes a screw.

9. The door of claim 1 , wherein the second removable attachment mechanism includes a screw.

10. A vehicle comprising:
a body structure forming a cabin;
a propulsion system;
at least one wheel coupled to and driven by the propulsion system, the at least one wheel being coupled to the body structure; and
at least one door for opening and closing the cabin, the at least one door including:
a first door inner structure having an angled wedge bearing surface and being configured to receive a first removable attachment mechanism;
a second door inner structure being configured to receive a second removable attachment mechanism;
a door outer structure having an outer panel coupled to an attachment structure, the attachment structure having an angled wedge bearing surface and having a bearing surface, the bearing surface being configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism, the second bearing surface being configured to abut an inner surface of the second door inner structure; and
an adjustment wedge having a receiving aperture configured to receive the first removable attachment mechanism and having a first bearing surface configured to abut the angled wedge bearing surface of the first door inner structure and a second bearing surface configured to abut the angled wedge bearing surface of the attachment structure.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first door inner structure is configured to receive the first removable attachment mechanism through a first door inner structure aperture.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the second door inner structure is configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism through a second door inner structure aperture.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the second door inner structure is further configured to receive the second removable attachment mechanism through a second door inner structure aperture and the second door inner structure aperture is accessable on a side opposite the door outer structure.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the door outer structure attachment structure includes a post.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the door outer structure attachment structure includes a post and the bearing surface is a portion of the post that receives the second removable attachment mechanism through an aperture in the post.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment wedge and the first removable attachment mechanism are configured to provide relative adjustment of the door outer structure relative to both the first and second door inner structures.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first removable attachment mechanism includes a screw.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the second removable attachment mechanism includes a screw.

19. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the propulsion system includes an electric motor.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Gase Brian

Classifications

• B62D65/06 Primary

  the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor {(assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45)} · CPC title

• B62D65/024

  Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title

• B60J5/0463

  Conceptual assembling of door, i.e. how door frame parts should be fitted together to form door · CPC title

• B60J5/0415

  Outer panel · CPC title

• B60J5/0469

  for door panels, e.g. hemming (hemming equipment B21D39/00) · CPC title