Inner vehicle door panel including impact beam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9809093-B2
Application number	US-201315037624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2013
Priority date	Dec 4, 2013
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

An inner door panel ( 30 ) for a vehicle side door that includes an integrated side impact beam ( 70 ) formed as part of the door in a die casting process. The inner door panel ( 30 ) includes an outer frame having a top rail ( 38 ), a bottom rail ( 40 ), an inner side rail ( 42 ) and an outer side rail ( 44 ) defining a central opening ( 34 ). The impact beam ( 70 ) includes a main beam portion ( 72 ), a first end support portion ( 74 ) and a second end support portion ( 78 ). The first end support portion is formed to the side rail ( 42 ) and the second end support portion ( 78 ) is formed to the outer side rail ( 44 ), where the main beam portion ( 72 ) extends across the opening ( 34 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inner door panel for a vehicle side door comprising:
an outer frame including a top rail, a bottom rail, an inner side rail and an outer side rail defining a central opening; and
an impact beam including a main beam portion, a first end support portion and a second end support portion, said first end support portion being formed to the inner side rail and the second end support portion being formed to the outer side rail, said main beam portion extending across the opening, said inner door panel including a combined assembly of the outer frame and the impact beam being a cast member where the outer frame is formed substantially along a first plane and the impact beam is formed substantially along a second plane separate from the first plane.

2. The inner door panel according to claim 1 wherein the inner side rail includes an upper portion, a lower portion and a vertical wall coupled thereto, said first support end of the impact beam being configured to conform to the vertical wall and the lower portion.

3. The inner door panel according to claim 1 wherein the outer frame includes a support portion provided at a location where the outer side rail and the bottom rail meet, said second support end of the impact beam being coupled to the support portion.

4. The inner door panel according to claim 1 wherein the top rail includes support ribs.

5. The inner door panel according to claim 1 wherein the first support end and the second support end of the impact beam include spaced apart support ribs.

6. The inner door panel according to claim 1 wherein the inner door panel is made of an aluminum alloy.

7. The inner door panel according to claim 1 wherein the inner door panel is made of a magnesium alloy.

8. An inner door panel for a vehicle side door comprising:
an outer frame including a top rail, a bottom rail, an inner side rail and an outer side rail defining a central opening; and
an impact beam including a main beam portion, a first end support portion and a second end support portion, said first end support portion being formed to the inner side rail and the second end support portion being formed to the outer side rail, said main beam portion extending across the opening, wherein the outer frame includes a support portion provided at a location where the outer side rail and the bottom rail meet, said second support end of the impact beam being coupled to the support portion.

9. The inner door panel according to claim 8 wherein the inner side rail includes an upper portion, a lower portion and a vertical wall coupled thereto, said first support end of the impact beam being configured to conform to the vertical wall and the lower portion.

10. The inner door panel according to claim 8 wherein the top rail includes support ribs.

11. The inner door panel according to claim 8 wherein the first support end and the second support end of the impact beam include spaced apart support ribs.

12. The inner door panel according to claim 8 wherein the inner door panel is made of an aluminum alloy.

13. The inner door panel according to claim 8 wherein the inner door panel is made of a magnesium alloy.

14. An inner door panel for a vehicle side door comprising:
an outer frame including a top rail, a bottom rail, an inner side rail and an outer side rail defining a central opening, said inner side rail including an upper portion, a lower portion and a vertical wall coupled thereto and said outer frame including a support portion provided at a location where the outer side rail and the bottom rail meet; and
an impact beam including a main beam portion, a first end support portion and a second end support portion, said main beam portion extending across the opening, said first end support portion being configured to conform to the vertical wall and the lower portion of the inner side rail and the second end support portion being formed to the outer side rail, said second support end of the impact beam being coupled to the support portion, said first support end and second support end of the impact beam including spaced apart support ribs, said inner door panel being a cast member where the outer frame is formed substantially along a first plane and the impact beam is formed substantially along a second plane separate from the first plane.

15. The inner door panel according to claim 14 wherein the inner door panel is made of an aluminum alloy.

16. The inner door panel according to claim 14 wherein the inner door panel is made of a magnesium alloy.

17. The inner door panel according to claim 14 wherein the top rail includes support ribs.

18. An inner door panel for a vehicle side door comprising:
an outer frame including a top rail, a bottom rail, an inner side rail and an outer side rail defining a central opening; and
an impact beam including a main beam portion, a first end support portion and a second end support portion, said first end support portion being formed to the inner side rail and the second end support portion being formed to the outer side rail, said main beam portion extending across the opening, wherein the inner side rail includes an upper portion, a lower portion and a vertical wall coupled thereto, said first support end of the impact beam being configured to conform to the vertical wall and the lower portion.

19. An inner door panel for a vehicle side door comprising:
an outer frame including a top rail, a bottom rail, an inner side rail and an outer side rail defining a central opening, wherein the top rail includes support ribs; and
an impact beam including a main beam portion, a first end support portion and a second end support portion, said first end support portion being formed to the inner side rail and the second end support portion being formed to the outer side rail, said main beam portion extending across the opening.

20. An inner door panel for a vehicle side door comprising:
an outer frame including a top rail, a bottom rail, an inner side rail and an outer side rail defining a central opening; and
an impact beam including a main beam portion, a first end support portion and a second end support portion, said first end support portion being formed to the inner side rail and the second end support portion being formed to the outer side rail, said main beam portion extending across the opening, wherein the first support end and the second support end of the impact beam include spaced apart support ribs.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Hu Bin
• Wang Jianfeng
• Yang Xin
• Sachdev Anil K

Classifications

• B60J5/0455 Primary

  integrated in door structure or other door elements, e.g. beam-like shapes stamped in inner door panel · CPC title

• B22D25/02

  by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art {(cylinders, pistons B22D15/02)} · CPC title

• B60J5/0426

  the elements being arranged at the beltline · CPC title

• B60J5/0425

  the elements being arranged essentially horizontal in the centre of the lower door structure (B60J5/0426 - B60J5/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• B22D17/22

  Dies (manufacture, see the appropriate class, e.g. B23P15/24); Die plates; Die supports; Cooling equipment for dies; Accessories for loosening and ejecting castings from dies · CPC title