Vehicle door

Abstract

A door for a motor vehicle that includes at least one thermoformed panel part, a supporting structure to support the panel part, and a holder fastened to the panel part. The holder is to engage in a shaped portion of the supporting structure or in a support element fastened to the supporting structure, so that the panel part may slide on the shaped portion and/or the support element in a direction perpendicular to the direction of engagement.

Claims

1. A door for a motor vehicle, comprising: a panel part, composed of a thermoformed material, including an inner panel and an outer panel; a supporting structure, composed of metal, including a first inner panel supporting structure, to support the inner panel at an upper region of the door, a second inner panel supporting structure, to support the inner panel at a lower region of the door, and an outer panel supporting structure, to support the outer panel at the upper region of the door; an inner panel holder, fastened at one end thereof to the inner panel and received at an opposite end thereof in the first inner panel supporting structure, to thereby enable sliding of the inner panel relative to the first inner panel supporting structure in a longitudinal direction in an installed position of the door; and an outer panel holder fastened at one end thereof to the outer panel and received at an opposite end thereof in the outer panel supporting structure, to thereby enable sliding of the outer panel relative to the outer panel supporting structure in a longitudinal direction in an installed position of the door, wherein: at an upper region of the door, the inner panel is slideably connected to the inner panel supporting structure at a first connection region via the inner panel holder, and the outer panel is slideably connected to the outer panel supporting structure at a second connection region via the outer panel holder; and at a lower region of the door, the inner panel is connected at a third connection region to the outer panel by way of a directly engaged connection.

2. The door of claim 1, wherein, at least in a region of a first side of the outer panel holder, the outer panel has a guide tab extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and which is guided in a tab receiver of the outer panel supporting structure.

3. The door of claim 2, wherein the outer panel is connected to the outer panel supporting structure by way of a screw connection in a region of a second side of the outer panel holder.

4. The door of claim 1, wherein, in the lower region of the door, only the inner panel is connected to the supporting structure, and the outer panel is only connected to the inner panel.

5. A door for a motor vehicle, comprising: an inner panel composed of a thermoformed material; an outer panel composed of a thermoformed material; a supporting structure, composed of metal, including an inner panel supporting structure and an outer panel supporting structure; an inner panel holder, fastened at one end thereof to the thermoformed inner panel and received at an opposite end thereof in the inner panel supporting structure, to thereby enable sliding of the inner panel relative to the inner panel supporting structure in a longitudinal direction in an installed position of the door; and an outer panel holder fastened at one end thereof to the outer panel and received at an opposite end thereof in the outer panel supporting structure, to thereby enable sliding of the outer panel relative to the outer panel supporting structure in a longitudinal direction in an installed position of the door, wherein: at an upper region of the door, the inner panel is slideably connected to the inner panel supporting structure via the inner panel holder, and the outer panel is slideably connected to the outer panel supporting structure via the outer panel holder; and in a lower region of the door, the outer panel is connected only to the inner panel by way of a directly engaged connection.

6. The door of claim 5, wherein in the lower region of the door, the inner panel is connected to the inner panel supporting structure by way of adhesive bonding.

7. The door of claim 5, wherein in the lower region of the door, the inner panel is connected to the inner panel supporting structure by way of a clip connection.

8. The door of claim 5, wherein in the lower region of the door, the inner panel is connected to the inner panel supporting structure by way of a directly engaged connection.

9. The door of claim 5, wherein at least in a region of a first side of the outer panel holder, the outer panel has a guide tab extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and which is guided in a tab receiver of the outer panel supporting structure.

10. The door of claim 9, wherein the outer panel is fastened to the outer panel supporting structure by way of a screw connection in a region of a second side of the outer panel holder.

11. A door for a motor vehicle, comprising: a supporting structure, composed of metal, including a first inner panel supporting structure, a second inner panel supporting structure, and an outer panel supporting structure; an inner panel, composed of a thermoformed material, and an inner panel holder fastened at one end thereof to the inner panel and received at an opposite end thereof in the first inner panel supporting structure, to thereby enable sliding of the inner panel relative to the first inner panel supporting structure in a longitudinal direction in an installed position of the door; an outer panel, composed of a thermoformed material, and an outer panel holder fastened at one end thereof to the outer panel and received at an opposite end thereof in the outer panel supporting structure, to thereby enable sliding of the outer panel relative to the outer panel supporting structure in a longitudinal direction in an installed position of the door, wherein: at an upper region of the door, the thermoformed inner panel is slideably connected to the inner panel supporting structure via the inner panel holder, and the thermoformed outer panel is slideably connected to the outer panel supporting structure via the outer panel holder; and in a lower region of the door, the thermoformed outer panel is connected only to the thermoformed inner panel by way of a directly engaged connection.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of an inner panel of a vehicle door, in accordance with embodiments.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an inner panel of a vehicle door, in accordance with embodiments.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view of an outer panel of a vehicle door, in accordance with embodiments.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a three-dimensional view of an outer panel of a vehicle door, in accordance with embodiments.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of a vehicle door, in accordance with embodiments.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed view of the upper region of the vehicle door of FIG. 5.

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed view of the lower region of the vehicle door of FIG. 5.

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates a view of a mounted outer panel of a vehicle door with the detailed areas A and B, in accordance with embodiments.

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates a detailed view of the detailed area A of the vehicle door of FIG. 8.

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates a detailed view of the detailed area B of the vehicle door of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION

(12) FIG. 1 is a sectional view and in FIG. 2 a perspective view of an inner panel 1 of a vehicle door in accordance with embodiments. The inner panel 1 has a holder 4 in an upper region thereof in an installed position of the vehicle door.

(13) In a similar manner, FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a sectional view and a perspective view of an outer panel 2 of a vehicle door in accordance with embodiments. The outer panel 2 also has a holder 14 in an upper region thereof in an installed position of the vehicle door. The holder 14 substantially has a reversed U-shaped profile or cross-section.

(14) FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional view of a complete vehicle door comprising an inner panel 1 and an outer panel 2, in accordance with embodiments. The upper region of the vehicle door is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 6, the lower region in FIG. 7. In a central region of the vehicle door the inner panel 1 is connected by a screw 9 to the supporting structure 3 of the vehicle door. The screw 9 serves primarily for spatially centering the inner panel 1 to the supporting structure 4.

(15) FIG. 6 illustrates the fastening of the inner panel 1 and the outer panel 2 in each case by way of a respective holder 4, 14, fastened to the panel parts 1, 2, to the supporting structure 3, 23 of the vehicle door. On the outer panel 2, a U-shaped outer panel holder 14 is fastened by adhesive bonding. The adhesive is shown as a thick black line. The outer panel holder 14 engages in a support element 6 and/or in an intermediate space between the support element 6 and the supporting structure 23, and/or in this manner is suspended from above in the intermediate space. The upper end of the outer panel 2 opens into a groove of a window seal 11 for sealing relative to a window pane 12. The inner panel 1 also has an inner panel holder 4 which is bonded thereto and which in this case engages in a shaped portion 5 of the supporting structure 3. A seal 13 is arranged between the upper end of the holder 4 and the upper end of the inner panel 1 in order to seal the adhesive gap between the inner panel 1 and the inner panel holder 4. The inner panel holder 4 in this case is also configured for receiving a seal.

(16) FIG. 7 illustrates the lower region of the vehicle door of FIG. 5. In this case the inner panel 1 is fastened by way of an adhesive connection (black line) to the supporting structure 3. At the lower end the inner panel 1 and the outer panel 2 are connected together by way of dual-lock connections 10. As a result, a particular advantage is revealed in that, since only the inner panel part 1 is fastened in the lower region to the supporting structure 3 (adhesive, dual lock connection) and the outer panel part 2 in this region is only connected to the inner panel part 1 (adhesively or by dual-lock connection), no distortion due to variable thermal expansion is able to occur between the outer panel part 2 and the supporting structure 3 generally composed of metal. The same applies if the outer panel part 2 is only connected to the inner panel part 1 at the side regions and not to the supporting structure 3.

(17) FIG. 8 illustrates a mounted outer panel 2 of a vehicle door, in accordance with embodiments. At the front end of the vehicle door in the direction of the vehicle, in a detailed area A, illustrated in more detail in FIG. 9, the outer panel 2 is connected mechanically by way of a screw 9 to the supporting structure 23. In the area B to the rear in the vehicle direction, the outer panel 2 has a rearwardly protruding guide tab 7 which is introduced into a tab receiver 8 which is open to the front. As a result, the outer panel 2 is able to be subjected to thermal expansion in the vehicle longitudinal direction and at the same time the holder 4 is not able to lift up.

Additional Notes and Examples

(18) Example one may include a door for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one panel part which is thermoformed; a supporting structure to support the panel part; and a holder fastened to the at least one panel part, and which engages in a portion of the supporting structure so that the at least one panel part may slide on the portion in a direction perpendicular with respect to a direction of engagement.

(19) Example two may include the door of Example one, wherein the holder is suspended from above in the portion of the supporting structure so that the panel part may slide on the shaped portion in a direction longitudinal with respect to the vehicle door.

(20) Example three may include the door of Example one, wherein the holder comprises a retaining strip extending in a direction longitudinal with respect to the vehicle door and/or the portion.

(21) Example four may include the door of Example one, wherein the holder is located in an upper region of the at least one panel part.

(22) Example five may include the door of Example one, wherein the holder has a reversed U-shaped profile.

(23) Example six may include the door of Example one, wherein the holder is fastened to the panel part by one of adhesive bonding, or welding.

(24) Example seven may include the door of Example one, wherein the at least one panel part comprises an inner panel, and in a lower region of the door, is fastened to the supporting structure by way of adhesive bonding and/or by way of a clip connection or dual-lock connection.

(25) Example eight may include the door of Example one, wherein the at least one panel part comprises an outer panel, and at least in a region of a first side of the holder, has a guide tab extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and which is guided in a tab receiver of the supporting structure.

(26) Example nine may include the door of Example one, wherein the at least one panel part comprises an outer panel, and is fastened to the supporting structure by way of a screw connection in a region of a second side of the holder.

(27) Example ten may include the door of Example one, wherein the at least one panel comprises an inner panel and an outer panel.

(28) Example eleven may include the door of Example ten, wherein the outer panel or the inner panel are fastened, in a lower region of the door respectively to the other panel part, by way of adhesive bonding and/or a clip connection or a dual-lock connection.

(29) Example twelve may include the door of Example eleven, wherein in the lower region of the door, the outer panel or the inner panel is not fastened to the supporting structure.

(30) Example thirteen may include the door of Example eleven, wherein in at least one side region, the outer panel or the inner panel is not fastened to the supporting structure.

(31) Example fourteen may include the door of Example ten, further comprising at least one spacer arranged between the outer panel and the inner panel, and/or between the outer panel and the supporting structure, and/or between the inner panel and the supporting structure.

(32) Example fifteen may include a door for a motor vehicle, comprising an inner panel; an outer panel; an inner panel supporting structure to support the inner panel; an outer panel supporting structure to support the outer panel; an inner panel holder fastened to the inner panel, and which engages in a portion of the inner panel supporting structure so that the inner panel may slide on the portion in a direction perpendicular to a direction of engagement; and an outer panel holder fastened to the outer panel, and which engages in a portion of the outer panel supporting structure so that the outer panel may slide on the portion in a direction perpendicular to a direction of engagement.

(33) Example sixteen may include the door of Example fifteen, wherein in a lower region of the door, the inner panel is fastened to the inner panel supporting structure by way of adhesive bonding and/or by way of a clip connection or dual-lock connection.

(34) Example seventeen may include the door of Example fifteen, wherein at least in a region of a first side of the outer panel holder, the outer panel has a guide tab extending in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and which is guided in a tab receiver of the outer panel supporting structure.

(35) Example eighteen may include the door of Example fifteen, wherein the outer panel is fastened to the outer panel supporting structure by way of a screw connection in a region of a second side of the outer panel holder.

(36) Example nineteen may include the door of Example fifteen, wherein in a lower region of the door, the inner panel is fastened to the outer panel, and the outer panel is not fastened to the outer panel supporting structure.

(37) The term coupled or connected may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological signifimayce unless otherwise indicated.

(38) Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments may be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(39) 1 Inner panel 2 Outer panel 3 Supporting structure 4 Inner panel holder 5 Shaped portion 6 Support element 7 Guide tab 8 Tab receiver 9 Screw 10 Dual-lock connection 11 Window seal 12 Window pane 13 Seal 23 Supporting structure 14 Outer panel holder