Door assembly and a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9945162-B2
Application number	US-201615237803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle and a door assembly each include an inner panel and an outer panel coupled to each other to define a door. A first handle is attached to the outer panel. A mirror apparatus is supported by the door and spaced apart from the first handle. A lock apparatus is supported by at least one of the door and the mirror apparatus. The lock apparatus is disposed closer to the mirror apparatus than the first handle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A door assembly comprising:
an inner panel and an outer panel coupled to each other to define a door having an outer surface visible from outside of the door, and wherein the door includes a latch;
a first handle attached to the outer panel and visible from outside of the door;
a mirror apparatus supported by the door and extending outwardly away from the inner panel such that the mirror apparatus is disposed outside of the door, and with the mirror apparatus spaced apart from the first handle; and
a lock apparatus supported by at least one of the door and the mirror apparatus, and wherein the lock apparatus is disposed closer to the mirror apparatus than the first handle;
wherein the mirror apparatus includes a mirror, and one or more of a heating element that is electrically connected to the mirror to heat the mirror, a motor coupled to the mirror to move the mirror and a visual indicator;
an electrical wire electrically connected to one or more of the heating element, the motor and the visual indicator;
a cable spaced from the electrical wire and attached to the lock apparatus, and wherein the cable is coupled to the latch of the door.

2. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mirror apparatus includes a first bracket mounted to the inner panel such that the first bracket is supported by the door, and the mirror is supported by the first bracket, and wherein the lock apparatus includes a lock cylinder disposed through the first bracket, and the lock cylinder is disposed closer to the mirror than the first handle.

3. The assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the first bracket defines an opening and the lock cylinder is disposed through the opening, and wherein the lock cylinder includes a face visible from outside of the door.

4. The assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein the lock apparatus includes a cover plate movable relative to the face to selectively conceal the face.

5. The assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the mirror apparatus further includes a cover disposed over at least a portion of the first bracket to conceal the first bracket relative to the outer surface, and wherein the lock cylinder is disposed through the first bracket, the cover and the inner panel.

6. The assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the inner panel includes a plurality of mounting points spaced from each other, with the first bracket directly attached to the mounting points.

7. The assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein the lock apparatus includes a second bracket separate from the first bracket and attached to the inner panel at one of the mounting points, with the second bracket supporting the lock cylinder.

8. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the inner panel defines a first aperture, with the electrical wire electrically connected to the mirror apparatus, and wherein the lock apparatus includes a lock cylinder, with the lock cylinder and the electrical wire both disposed through the first aperture.

9. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the inner panel defines a first aperture, with the electrical wire disposed through the first aperture and electrically connected to the mirror apparatus, and wherein the inner panel defines a second aperture spaced from the first aperture, and wherein the lock apparatus includes a lock cylinder disposed through the second aperture.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cable is attached to the latch of the door, and wherein the lock cylinder is operated to unlock the door by rotating a portion of the lock cylinder which pulls the cable which in turn causes the latch to unlatch the door.

11. The assembly as set forth in claim 10 further including a second handle coupled to the inner panel and selectively movable to open the door, and wherein operation of the cable bypasses both of the first and second handles.

12. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a second handle coupled to the inner panel and selectively movable to open the door, with the second handle disposed closer to the lock apparatus than the first handle.

13. The assembly as set forth in claim 12 :
wherein the lock apparatus includes a lock cylinder disposed closer to the second handle than the first handle;
wherein the cable is further defined as a first cable, and the first cable is attached to the lock cylinder and the second handle;
a second cable attached to the second handle and the latch, with the first and second cables each directly attached to the second handle in different locations;
wherein the lock cylinder is operated to unlock the door by rotating a portion of the lock cylinder which pulls the first cable which in turn causes the second handle to rotate, and rotation of the second handle pulls the second cable which in turn causes the latch to unlatch the door;
wherein operation of the first and second cables bypasses the first handle; and
wherein the second handle defines a recess, and wherein an end of the first cable is movable into the recess to open the door via the second handle without actuating the lock cylinder.

14. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lock apparatus includes a lock cylinder disposed closer to the mirror apparatus than the first handle, wherein the mirror apparatus includes a cover partially surrounding the mirror, and wherein a portion of the cover and the mirror are rotatable relative to the door between an extended position in which the portion of the cover and the mirror are disposed transverse to the outer panel and a retracted position in which the portion of the cover and the mirror face the lock cylinder such that the portion of the cover and the mirror cover the lock cylinder.

15. A vehicle comprising:
a body defining a passenger compartment;
an inner panel and an outer panel coupled to each other to define a door, with the door movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the passenger compartment, and wherein the door includes a latch to selectively unlatch the door;
wherein the inner panel includes an inner surface and an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the inner panel;
wherein the outer panel includes an inner surface and an outer surface opposing the inner surface of the outer panel;
wherein the inner panel is disposed closer to the passenger compartment than the outer panel;
a first handle attached to the outer panel and exposed outside of the passenger compartment;
a mirror apparatus supported by the door and disposed outside of the passenger compartment, with the mirror apparatus spaced apart from the first handle; and
a lock apparatus supported by at least one of the door and the mirror apparatus, and wherein the lock apparatus is disposed closer to the mirror apparatus than the first handle;
wherein the mirror apparatus includes a mirror, and one or more of a heating element that is electrically connected to the mirror to heat the mirror, a motor coupled to the mirror to move the mirror and a visual indicator;
an electrical wire electrically connected to one or more of the heating element, the motor and the visual indicator;
a cable spaced from the electrical wire and attached to the lock apparatus, and wherein the cable is coupled to the latch of the door;
wherein the electrical wire and the cable are operable independently of each other.

16. The vehicle as set forth in claim 15 further including a second handle coupled to the inner panel and selectively movable to open the door from inside the passenger compartment, and the second handle is disposed closer to the lock a

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Konchan Jeffrey L
• Costigan Terrence P
• Quinn Charles R
• O'Kane James C

Classifications

• E05B79/20

  using flexible connections, e.g. Bowden cables · CPC title

• E05B83/36 Primary

  Locks for passenger or like doors · CPC title

• E05B79/22

  Operative connections between handles, sill buttons or lock knobs and the lock unit (mounting of non-movable base elements of a handle to a lock E05B79/06) · CPC title

• B60R1/06 Primary

  mounted on vehicle exterior {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• E05B81/01

  Comfort closing, i.e. the locking action for a wing is combined with actuation of other vehicle functions, e.g. locking the doors and closing the windows simultaneously · CPC title