Structure of a door for a motor-vehicle

Abstract

Described herein is a structure of a motor-vehicle door including a multi-thickness metal sheet pressed and shaped to define: a hinge area configured for fastening one or more hinges for connection to the body of a motor vehicle; a panel area configured for receiving an upholstery-trim element for the door; and a frame area configured for receiving a window of the door. The above multi-thickness metal sheet has a first thickness in said hinge area, a second thickness in said panel area, and a third thickness in said frame area.

Claims

1. A structure of a door for a motor vehicle including a multi-thickness metal sheet pressed and shaped to define: a hinge area configured for fastening of one or more hinges for connection to a body of a motor vehicle, a panel area separate from the hinge area and configured to receive a trim member for the door, and a frame area separate from the hinge and panel areas and configured for housing a window of the door, wherein said multi-thickness metal sheet has a first cross-sectional thickness in said hinge area, a second cross-sectional thickness in said panel area, and a third cross-sectional thickness in said frame area, wherein the first cross-sectional thickness is greater than said second cross-sectional thickness and said third cross-sectional thickness, and wherein said second cross-sectional thickness and third cross-sectional thickness are different, and wherein the multi-thickness metal sheet includes: a single, tailored rolled metal sheet having an absence of welding, an area-wise differentiated thickness, and a boundary line where the panel area and the frame area meet, said boundary line positioned in the multi-thickness metal sheet such that it is unexposed and not visible in the frame area with the interior trim member being coupled to the panel area.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said multi-thickness metal sheet is a multi-thickness sheet rolled with a variable thickness.

3. A motor vehicle door including the structure according to claim 1.

4. The motor vehicle door according to claim 3, further comprising a skin sheet connected to said structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The invention will now be described with reference to the attached figures, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1, already described above, is a perspective view of a motor-vehicle door incorporating a door structure of a known type; and

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a motor-vehicle door incorporating a door structure according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The reference number 10 in FIG. 2 designates as a whole a motor-vehicle door including a door structure according to the invention. All the references that are identical to those mentioned previously designate the same components already described.

(5) The door 10 includes an outer metal sheet (or skin metal sheet) 2, and a structural inner metal sheet, or skeleton metal sheet, designated by the reference number 30 and defining the structure of the door 1. For this reason, the reference 30 will at times be used in an undifferentiated way for identifying the multi-thickness metal sheet and the door structure.

(6) The metal sheet 30 is a multi-thickness metal sheet pressed and shaped to define the hinge area H, the panel area P, and the frame area F.

(7) As in the case of the door 1, the hinge area H is configured for the fastening of one or more hinges for connection to the body of a motor vehicle, and in particular it includes the supports 4, preferably in relief, fixed on which is a shaped plate of a first hinge element, whilst the shaped plate of the second hinge element is fixed to the body of the vehicle.

(8) Once again like in the door 1, the panel area P is configured for receiving an upholstery-trim element for the door 1 and is purposely provided with a central window bordered with a plurality of holes or eyelets 7 in which fastening elements of an interior trim panel can be received.

(9) Finally, once again in a way identical to the door 1, the frame area F borders on the panel area P and includes a frame 7 that receives a windowgenerally a sliding windowof the door 10.

(10) The multi-thickness metal sheet that constitutes the structure 30 has an area-wise differentiated thickness. The term area-wise differentiated thickness is intended to indicate a configuration in which the gradient of thickness is multidirectional over the metal sheet. In other words, the thickness varies in more than one direction over the metal sheet itself.

(11) In particular, the multi-thickness metal sheet that constitutes the structure 30 includes a first area 30A having a first thickness, a second area 30B having a second thickness, and a third area 30C having a third thickness. A rolling process that can preferentially be used to obtain a multi-thickness metal sheet for the structure 30 is described in the Italian patent application for industrial invention No. 102016000011482 filed in the name of the present applicant on the same date.

(12) When the multi-thickness metal sheet of which the structure 30 is made is pressed and shaped to define the hinge area H, the panel area P, and the frame area F, the following circumstances arise:

(13) the area 30A coincides with the hinge area H, so that the metal sheet has the first thickness in the hinge area H;

(14) the area 30B coincides with the panel area P, so that the metal sheet has the second thickness in the panel area P; and

(15) the area 30C coincides with the frame area F, so that the metal sheet has the third thickness in the frame area F.

(16) Since the hinge area H is the one that is structurally subjected to the highest stresses, the thickness of the area 30A (first thickness) is greater than the thickness of the area 30B (second thickness) and the thickness of the area 30C (third thickness). According to the embodiment considered, the second thickness (area 30B) may be identical to the third thickness (area 30C), or else the two thicknesses may be different: the third thickness may be greater than the second thickness or vice versa according to the needs, but both are always smaller than the first thickness.

(17) In FIG. 2 again represented schematically are the perimeters of the areas H, P, F in the case where they do not coincide with edges of the metal sheet 30. Once again, the division of the structure 30 into the areas H, P, F is schematic and contemplates the two possiblities of multi-thickness metal sheet of the tailored-welded-blank type and multi-thickness metal sheet of the tailored-rolled-blank type, as for the door 1.

(18) According to the invention, on account of the characteristics of the multi-thickness metal sheet 30, a boundary S1 delimits the hinge area H from the areas P and F, whereas a curve incident on the boundary S1 delimits the frame area F with respect to the panel area P. It should be noted that the union of the curve and the boundary stretch S1 that spans from the point of intersection with the curve up to the edge of the frame 7 corresponds to the curve of the door 1 of FIG. 1.

(19) In other words, the use of a structure 30 made of multi-thickness metal sheet with area-wise differentiated thickness, where the areas are sized so as to correspond to the three notable areas H, P, F of the structure 1 following upon pressing of the metal sheet, enables shifting of the boundary S1 between portions of metal sheet of different thicknesses that form the hinge area H and frame areas F into a position that coincides with the boundary that delimits the areas themselves. Above all, location of the boundary S1 is in a position such as not to remain exposed on the outside on the finished product. It should be noted, in fact, that the position of the boundary S1 is such that it is completely covered at the moment of upholstering of the door 10.

(20) The above advantageous effect is obtained both in the case of a structure 30 made from a tailored welded blank and in the case of a structure 30 made from a tailored rolled blank.

(21) The invention may moreover be applied irrespective of the material of the metal sheet that constitutes the structure 30. In particular, materials that are typically used for automotive applications include steel and aluminium (alloys thereof).

(22) The invention is moreover applicable both to front doors and to rear doors. In addition, the invention is applicable also to doors designed for closing loading compartments of a vehicle, such as a hatch-back door.

(23) Of course, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, as defined by the annexed claims.