Vehicle door assemblies, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9758027-B1
Application number	US-201615067092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2016
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a door lining assembly for use with a vehicle that defines a vehicle exterior and a vehicle passenger compartment. The door lining assembly can include a base assembly including an outboard base that defines a substantially planar upper surface that extends obliquely relative to a transverse direction of the vehicle so as to face upwardly toward the vehicle exterior. The base assembly can also include an inboard base that defines a substantially planar upper surface that extends obliquely relative to the upper surface of the outboard base downward toward the vehicle passenger compartment. The outboard and inboard bases can be joined together to form a peak that is the vertically highest portion of the base assembly. A unitary topcoat can cover the upper surfaces of the outboard and inboard bases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A door lining assembly for use with a vehicle that defines a vehicle exterior and a vehicle passenger compartment, comprising:
a base assembly including an outboard base that defines a substantially planar upper surface that extends obliquely relative to a transverse direction of the vehicle so as to face upwardly toward the vehicle exterior, the base assembly also including an inboard base that defines a substantially planar upper surface that extends obliquely relative to the upper surface of the outboard base downward toward the vehicle passenger compartment, the outboard and inboard bases being joined together to form a peak that is the vertically highest portion of the base assembly; and
a unitary topcoat that covers the upper surfaces of the outboard and inboard bases.

2. The door lining assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the unitary topcoat includes an inboard topcoat that covers the upper surface of the inboard base, and an outboard topcoat that covers the upper surface of the outboard base, the portion of the unitary topcoat that extends over the peak forming a topcoat peak that is the vertically highest portion of the door lining assembly.

3. The door lining assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inboard and outboard bases are joined together at overlapping portions that include an inboard overlapping portion and an outboard overlapping portion to form the topcoat peak.

4. The door lining assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the inboard overlapping portion includes an inboard protrusion that extends downwardly away from the unitary topcoat and that is disposed proximate the topcoat peak.

5. The door lining assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the outboard overlapping portion includes an outboard channel that is disposed proximate the topcoat peak.

6. The door lining assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the inboard protrusion is configured to engaged the outboard channel to thereby secure the inboard and outboard bases together.

7. The door lining assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the inboard base includes a most inboard edge that extends downwardly from the upper surface of the inboard base, an inboard lower side that extends from the most inboard edge toward the outboard base, and an inboard lower portion that extends downwardly from the inboard lower side.

8. The door lining assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the inboard topcoat is configured to extend over the upper surface, the most inboard edge, the inboard lower side, and the inboard lower portion of the inboard base.

9. The door lining assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the outboard base includes a most outboard edge that extends downwardly from the upper surface of the inboard base, an outboard lower side that extends inwardly from the most outboard edge toward the inboard base, and an outboard lower portion that extends downwardly from the outboard lower side.

10. The door lining assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the outboard topcoat is configured to extend over the upper surface, most outboard edge, outboard lower side, and outboard lower portion of the outboard base.

11. A door assembly for use with a vehicle that defines a vehicle exterior and a vehicle passenger compartment, comprising:
a vehicle door;
a door lining assembly that includes:
a base assembly including an outboard base that defines a substantially planar upper surface that extends obliquely relative to a transverse direction of the vehicle so as to face upwardly toward the vehicle exterior, the base assembly also including an inboard base that defines a substantially planar upper surface that extends obliquely relative to the upper surface of the outboard base downward toward the vehicle passenger compartment, the outboard and inboard bases being joined together to form a peak that is the vertically highest portion of the base assembly; and
a unitary topcoat that covers the upper surfaces of the outboard and inboard bases; and

an attachment fixture configured to attach the door lining assembly to the door.

12. The door assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the unitary topcoat includes an inboard topcoat that covers the upper surface of the inboard base, and an outboard topcoat that covers the upper surface of the outboard base, the portion of the unitary topcoat that extends over the peak forming a topcoat peak that is the vertically highest portion of the door lining assembly.

13. The door assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the inboard and outboard bases are joined together at overlapping portions that include an inboard overlapping portion and an outboard overlapping portion to form the topcoat peak.

14. The door assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the inboard overlapping portion includes an inboard protrusion that extends downwardly away from the unitary topcoat and that is disposed proximate the topcoat peak.

15. The door assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the outboard overlapping portion includes an outboard channel that is disposed proximate the topcoat peak.

16. The door lining assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the inboard protrusion is configured to engaged the outboard channel to thereby secure the inboard and outboard bases together.

17. The door assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the inboard base includes a most inboard edge that extends downwardly from the upper surface of the inboard base, an inboard lower side that extends from the most inboard edge toward the outboard base, and an inboard lower portion that extends downwardly from the inboard lower side.

18. The door assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the inboard topcoat is configured to extend over the upper surface, the most inboard edge, the inboard lower side, and the inboard lower portion of the inboard base.

19. The door assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the outboard base includes a most outboard edge that extends downwardly from the upper surface of the inboard base, an outboard lower side that extends inwardly from the most outboard edge toward the inboard base, and an outboard lower portion that extends downwardly from the outboard lower side; and wherein the outboard topcoat is configured to extend over the upper surface, most outboard edge, outboard lower side, and outboard lower portion of the outboard base.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sia Jr Generoso Tan
• Dilley Jason

Classifications

• B60J5/0463

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

• B60R13/0243 Primary

  Doors · CPC title

• B60J10/86 Primary

  arranged on the opening panel · CPC title

• E06B7/22

  by means of elastic edgings, e.g. elastic rubber tubes; by means of resilient edgings, e.g. felt or plush strips, resilient metal strips (E06B7/18 takes precedence) · CPC title