Vehicle door

Abstract

A vehicle door (2) has a fixed door handle (2) that is flush with the surface of a door outer skin (4). The door handle (2) has a button (15) for actuating a locking device (5) of the vehicle door (1). The door handle (2) has a web (6) that is part of the door outer skin (4).

Claims

1. A vehicle door comprising: a door outer skin comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the door outer skin including a web that is flush with areas of the outer surface of the door outer skin adjacent the web, the web delimiting two engagement openings formed in the door outer skin at opposite sides of the web, the engagement openings being connected by a reach-through space provided in the vehicle door inward of the door outer skin, the reach-through space being delimited by a shell that is mounted to the inner surface of the door outer skin adjacent the engagement openings and that defines a concave surface facing toward the door outer skin, a reinforcing structure fixed to the inner surface of the door outer skin defined by the web facing toward the shell, the web and the reinforcing structure defining a fixed door handle, and a button for actuating a locking device of the vehicle door accessible on a surface of the reinforcing structure facing toward the shell.

2. The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein the engagement openings are punched out of the door outer skin.

3. The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein the reach-through space is U-shaped as viewed in cross section through the web.

4. The vehicle door of claim 1, wherein the shell is formed of a plastics material.

5. A vehicle outer skin for the vehicle door of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a detail of a motor vehicle with a vehicle door having a door handle which comprises a web which is formed by way of a door outer skin, in a plan view.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the view of a section along the line II-II in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 illustrates a part of a motor vehicle 1 with a vehicle door 2. The vehicle door 2 is equipped with a fixed door handle 3 that is flush with the surface of a door outer skin 4. The door outer skin 4 is formed of a sheet-metal material and can also be referred to as a door outer panel.

(4) A locking device 5 of the vehicle door 2 is indicated schematically as a four-sided figure above the door handle 3. The locking device 5 may be the same as or similar to locking devices used in conventional vehicle doors of motor vehicles.

(5) The door handle 3 comprises a substantially horizontal web 6. The horizontal direction corresponds to a vehicle longitudinal direction and also is referred to as x direction.

(6) The web 6 has two apertures 7, 8 in the door outer skin 4. The apertures 7, 8 can be realized in a simple manner from a manufacturing point of view, for example by being punched out of the sheet-metal material that constitutes the door outer skin 4. The apertures 7, 8 define engagement openings 11, 12 in the door outer skin.

(7) FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1. In the sectional view, it is apparent that the engagement openings 11, 12 make it possible to engage into an engagement and/or reach-through space 10 in the vehicle door 2, above and below the web 6.

(8) The engagement and/or reach-through space 10 is delimited in the vehicle door 2 by a shell 14. A button 15 for actuating the locking device (5 in FIG. 1) is In the engagement and/or reach-through space 10 and is attached to the web 6. The button 15 is not attached directly to the web 6, but rather is attached to a reinforcing structure 16, which in turn is attached to the web 6 on the inside.

(9) As can be seen in FIG. 2, the reinforcing structure 16 is arranged in the shell 14 so that a substantially u-shaped engagement and/or reach-through space 10 is produced, into which it is possible to engage with the fingers of a hand. The web 6 with the reinforcing structure 16 is advantageously embodied in a manner similar to a door handle of conventional motor vehicles.

REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

(10) 1 Motor vehicle 2 Vehicle door 3 Door handle 4 Door outer skin 5 Locking device 6 Web 7 Aperture 8 Aperture 10 Engagement and/or reach-through space 11 Engagement opening 12 Engagement opening 14 Shell 15 Button 16 Reinforcing structure