US20200238802A1 - Vehicle doors including torsion bar support assemblies - Google Patents
Vehicle doors including torsion bar support assemblies Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200238802A1 US20200238802A1 US16/260,349 US201916260349A US2020238802A1 US 20200238802 A1 US20200238802 A1 US 20200238802A1 US 201916260349 A US201916260349 A US 201916260349A US 2020238802 A1 US2020238802 A1 US 2020238802A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- torsion bar
- vehicle door
- bar assembly
- inner panel
- lateral
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Links
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- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 title description 6
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- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005219 brazing Methods 0.000 description 1
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Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
- B60J5/00—Doors
- B60J5/10—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear
- B60J5/101—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
- B60J5/107—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60J—WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES
- B60J5/00—Doors
- B60J5/10—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear
- B60J5/101—Doors arranged at the vehicle rear for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D27/00—Connections between superstructure or understructure sub-units
- B62D27/02—Connections between superstructure or understructure sub-units rigid
- B62D27/023—Assembly of structural joints
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D29/00—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof
- B62D29/04—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof predominantly of synthetic material
- B62D29/043—Superstructures
Definitions
- the present specification generally relates to vehicle door assemblies and, more specifically, vehicle door assemblies including torsion bar support assemblies.
- Some vehicles include doors formed from a lightweight material, such as a polymer resin, a urethane resin, acrylic, or the like. Doors formed from lightweight materials may be generally lighter than doors formed from steel or aluminum, which may assist in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle and improving the vehicle's efficiency (e.g., fuel efficiency). However, doors formed from lightweight materials may be generally less rigid than doors formed from steel and aluminum, and the doors may elastically deform under forces under which a conventional door made of steel or aluminum would remain rigid. In larger vehicles including larger doors, elastic deformation resulting from torsional forces acting on the door may be amplified.
- a lightweight material such as a polymer resin, a urethane resin, acrylic, or the like.
- Doors formed from lightweight materials may be generally lighter than doors formed from steel or aluminum, which may assist in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle and improving the vehicle's efficiency (e.g., fuel efficiency).
- doors formed from lightweight materials may be generally less rigid than doors formed from steel and aluminum, and the doors may elastically deform under
- a vehicle door in one embodiment, includes an inner panel formed from a resin and including an upper portion, and a lower portion positioned opposite the upper portion in a vertical direction, and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel, the torsion bar assembly including a lateral bar that extends across the upper portion of the inner panel in a lateral direction that is transverse to the vertical direction, a pair of vertical bars extending downward from the lateral bar, where the pair of vertical bars and the lateral bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity.
- a vehicle door in another embodiment, includes an inner panel including an upper portion defining a window aperture, and a lower portion positioned opposite the upper portion in a vertical direction, and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel, the torsion bar assembly including a lateral bar that extends across the inner panel above the window aperture in a lateral direction that is transverse to the vertical direction, and at least one vertical bar extending downward from the lateral bar along a lateral edge of the window aperture, where the lateral bar and the at least one vertical bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity.
- FIG. 1 schematically depicts front perspective view of an inner panel of a vehicle door and a torsion bar assembly, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;
- FIG. 2 schematically depicts a perspective view of the torsion bar assembly of FIG. 1 in isolation, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;
- FIG. 3 schematically a section view of the torsion bar assembly along section 3 - 3 of FIG. 2 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;
- FIG. 4 schematically depicts a lower perspective view of the torsion bar assembly of FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.
- Embodiments described herein are generally related to vehicle doors including torsion bar assemblies.
- Vehicle doors may be formed from resins or other lightweight materials to reduce the overall weight of a vehicle, which may assist in improving the efficiency of the vehicle (e.g., fuel economy).
- doors formed with resins and other lightweight materials may be more susceptible to elastic deformation than doors formed from steel or aluminum, and may elastically deform when being manipulated by a user, for example when being opened or closed to provide ingress to and egress from the vehicle. Elastic deformation of doors formed with resins and other lightweight materials may lead to customer dissatisfaction.
- Vehicle doors described herein generally include an inner panel and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel.
- the inner panel is formed of a resin, which assists in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle door, while the torsion bar assembly is formed of a material that is different than the inner panel.
- the torsion bar assembly in embodiments, generally includes a lateral bar that extends across an upper portion of the inner panel, and at least one vertical bar extending downward from the lateral bar. The at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar act to increase the rigidity of the vehicle door, which assists in resisting elastic deformation of the door as a result of torsional forces acting on the vehicle door.
- the at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity.
- the inner cavity may allow for the overall weight of the torsion bar assembly to be minimized while maintaining a comparatively high section modulus.
- the access hole of the lateral bar may allow for easy installation of accessory wires routed through the torsion bar assembly.
- the term “longitudinal direction” refers to the forward-rearward direction of components of the vehicle door (i.e., in the +/ ⁇ Y-direction depicted in FIG. 1 ).
- the term “lateral direction” refers to the cross-wise direction of components of the vehicle door (i.e., in the +/ ⁇ X-direction depicted in FIG. 1 ), and is transverse to the longitudinal direction.
- the term “vertical direction” refers to the upward-downward direction of components of the vehicle door (i.e., in the +/ ⁇ Z-direction depicted in FIG. 1 ).
- the terms “inboard,” “inward,” “outboard,” and “outward” are used to describe the relative positioning of various components of the vehicle door in directions referencing a vehicle centerline 4 that bisects the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. Referring to FIG. 1 , the terms “outboard” or “outward” describe the relative location of a component in direction 2 with reference to the vehicle centerline 4 . The term “inboard” or “inward” as used herein describes the relative location of a component in direction 6 with reference to the vehicle centerline 4 .
- vehicle door 100 is schematically depicted.
- vehicle door 100 is a rear door that may be assembled to vehicle as an upward-opening door (e.g., a door that is coupled to a vehicle body at a top edge of the door and opens by rotating about the X-direction as depicted).
- the vehicle door 100 may also be a side-opening door (e.g., a door that is coupled to a vehicle body at a lateral edge of the door and opens by rotating about the Z-direction as depicted).
- the vehicle door 100 generally includes an inner panel 110 including an upper portion 112 and a lower portion 116 positioned opposite the upper portion 112 in the vertical direction.
- an outer fascia may be positioned outboard of and coupled to the inner panel 110 to form the vehicle door 100 .
- the upper portion 112 generally defines a window aperture 114 extending through the upper portion 112 of the inner panel 110 .
- a window may be positioned in the window aperture 114 .
- the inner panel 110 may be formed of a resin, such as a polymer, urethane, acrylic, or the like.
- a resin such as a polymer, urethane, acrylic, or the like.
- the inner panel 110 and accordingly the vehicle door 100 , may be lighter than vehicle doors that are formed from metals, such as steel or aluminum in embodiments in which the inner panel 110 is formed with a resin.
- vehicle efficiency e.g., fuel efficiency
- resin may be more flexible than steel or aluminum, and vehicle doors 100 formed from resin may be susceptible to elastic deformation, for example, as a user opens or closes the vehicle door 100 .
- the vehicle door 100 includes a torsion bar assembly 130 coupled to the inner panel 110 .
- the torsion bar assembly 130 generally includes a lateral bar 132 that extends across the upper portion 112 of the inner panel 110 in the lateral direction, and at least one vertical bar 134 that extends downward from the lateral bar 132 in the vertical direction.
- the lateral bar 132 extends across the upper portion 112 of the inner panel 110 above the window aperture 114 .
- the torsion bar assembly 130 includes a pair of vertical bars 134 extending downward from the lateral bar 132 .
- the pair of vertical bars 134 are positioned on opposite sides of the inner panel 110 in the lateral direction and are positioned on opposite sides of the window aperture 114 .
- the pair of vertical bars 134 each extend between the upper portion 112 of the inner panel 110 and the lower portion 116 of the inner panel 110 .
- the vertical bars 134 in some embodiments, each extend a similar distance in the vertical direction, such that the torsion bar assembly 130 is substantially symmetric about a torsion bar centerline 8 that bisects the torsion bar assembly 130 in the lateral direction.
- each of the vertical bars 134 extend across at least 25% of the inner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, each of the vertical bars 134 extend across at least 50% of the inner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, each of the vertical bars 134 extend across at least 75% of the inner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction. By extending along a comparatively significant portion of the inner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction, the vertical bars 134 may assist in resisting torsional forces applied to the vehicle door 100 , thereby increasing the rigidity of the vehicle door 100 .
- the torsion bar assembly 130 generally includes an outer member 138 and an inner member 140 positioned inboard of the outer member 138 in the longitudinal direction.
- the outer member 138 and the inner member 140 generally define an inner cavity 142 that extends along the torsion bar assembly 130 .
- the inner cavity 142 generally extends along the entire torsion bar assembly 130 (e.g., along both vertical bars 134 and along the lateral bar 132 ).
- the outer member 138 and the inner member 140 are separately formed and are coupled to one another in a suitable manner, such as and without limitation, welding, brazing, structural adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or the like.
- the outer member 138 and the inner member 140 are formed from a different material than the inner panel 110 ( FIG. 1 ).
- the outer member 138 and the inner member 140 may be formed of a metal, such as steel, aluminum, or the like, while the inner panel 110 ( FIG. 1 ) may be formed of a resin, as described above.
- the outer member 138 and the inner member 140 may be formed through any suitable process, such as stamping, forging, or the like.
- the outer member 138 and the inner member 140 are monolithic.
- the torsion bar assembly 130 may be formed from an extrusion process, an additive manufacturing process, or the like.
- the inner cavity 142 generally influences a cross-sectional area of the torsion bar assembly 130 as evaluated in the X-Y plane at the vertical bars 134 , and as evaluated in the Y-Z plane at the lateral bar 132 .
- the size and shape of the inner cavity 142 may be selected such that the cross-sectional area of the torsion bar assembly 130 is as high as practicable to fit within the vehicle door 100 (e.g., between the inner panel 110 ( FIG. 1 ) and an outer fascia positioned outboard of the inner panel 110 ).
- the section modulus of the torsion bar assembly 130 may be increased.
- the rigidity of the torsion bar assembly 130 may be increased, which may assist in resisting torsional forces applied to the vehicle door 100 . Additionally, by including the inner cavity 142 , the rigidity of the torsion bar assembly 130 may be increased while maintaining a comparatively low overall weight, as compared to torsion bar assemblies that are solidly formed.
- the lateral bar 132 defines an access hole 160 that provides access to the inner cavity 142 .
- the lateral bar 132 defines two access holes 160 positioned on an underside (e.g., a downward facing surface) of the lateral bar 132 .
- the access hole or access holes 160 are in communication with the inner cavity 142 , and in some embodiments, one or more accessory wires 10 may be routed through one of the access holes 160 and through the inner cavity 142 .
- the accessory wire 10 may be utilized to connect various electrical devices in the vehicle, for example, speakers, accessory lighting, or the like.
- Accessory wires 10 may be installed as the vehicle is assembled, and may in some instances be removed and replaced over the life of the vehicle, for example as accessories of the vehicle are repaired or replaced.
- the accessor wire 10 may be routed through the inner cavity 142 without requiring that accessory wire 10 be routed through the entire torsion bar assembly 130 , which may simplify the routing of the accessory wire 10 through the torsion bar assembly 130 .
- the inner cavity 142 may be generally difficult for a user to access at certain locations along the torsion bar assembly 130 .
- the difficulty of routing the accessory wire 10 through the torsion bar assembly 130 may be reduced.
- vehicle doors described herein generally include an inner panel and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel.
- the inner panel is formed of a resin, which assists in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle door
- the torsion bar assembly is formed of a material that is different than the inner panel.
- the torsion bar assembly in embodiments, generally includes a lateral bar that extends across an upper portion of the inner panel, and at least one vertical bar extending downward from the lateral bar. The at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar act to increase the rigidity of the vehicle door, which assists in resisting elastic deformation of the door as a result of torsional forces acting on the vehicle door.
- the at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity.
- the inner cavity may allow for the overall weight of the torsion bar assembly to be minimized, while maintaining a comparatively high section modulus.
- the access hole of the lateral bar may allow for easy installation of accessory wires routed through the torsion bar assembly.
Abstract
Description
- The present specification generally relates to vehicle door assemblies and, more specifically, vehicle door assemblies including torsion bar support assemblies.
- Some vehicles include doors formed from a lightweight material, such as a polymer resin, a urethane resin, acrylic, or the like. Doors formed from lightweight materials may be generally lighter than doors formed from steel or aluminum, which may assist in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle and improving the vehicle's efficiency (e.g., fuel efficiency). However, doors formed from lightweight materials may be generally less rigid than doors formed from steel and aluminum, and the doors may elastically deform under forces under which a conventional door made of steel or aluminum would remain rigid. In larger vehicles including larger doors, elastic deformation resulting from torsional forces acting on the door may be amplified.
- Accordingly, a need exists for structures to increase the rigidity of vehicle doors.
- In one embodiment, a vehicle door includes an inner panel formed from a resin and including an upper portion, and a lower portion positioned opposite the upper portion in a vertical direction, and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel, the torsion bar assembly including a lateral bar that extends across the upper portion of the inner panel in a lateral direction that is transverse to the vertical direction, a pair of vertical bars extending downward from the lateral bar, where the pair of vertical bars and the lateral bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity.
- In another embodiment, a vehicle door includes an inner panel including an upper portion defining a window aperture, and a lower portion positioned opposite the upper portion in a vertical direction, and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel, the torsion bar assembly including a lateral bar that extends across the inner panel above the window aperture in a lateral direction that is transverse to the vertical direction, and at least one vertical bar extending downward from the lateral bar along a lateral edge of the window aperture, where the lateral bar and the at least one vertical bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity.
- These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.
- The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
-
FIG. 1 schematically depicts front perspective view of an inner panel of a vehicle door and a torsion bar assembly, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; -
FIG. 2 schematically depicts a perspective view of the torsion bar assembly ofFIG. 1 in isolation, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; -
FIG. 3 schematically a section view of the torsion bar assembly along section 3-3 ofFIG. 2 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and -
FIG. 4 schematically depicts a lower perspective view of the torsion bar assembly ofFIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. - Embodiments described herein are generally related to vehicle doors including torsion bar assemblies. Vehicle doors may be formed from resins or other lightweight materials to reduce the overall weight of a vehicle, which may assist in improving the efficiency of the vehicle (e.g., fuel economy). However, doors formed with resins and other lightweight materials may be more susceptible to elastic deformation than doors formed from steel or aluminum, and may elastically deform when being manipulated by a user, for example when being opened or closed to provide ingress to and egress from the vehicle. Elastic deformation of doors formed with resins and other lightweight materials may lead to customer dissatisfaction.
- Vehicle doors described herein generally include an inner panel and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel. In embodiments, the inner panel is formed of a resin, which assists in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle door, while the torsion bar assembly is formed of a material that is different than the inner panel. The torsion bar assembly, in embodiments, generally includes a lateral bar that extends across an upper portion of the inner panel, and at least one vertical bar extending downward from the lateral bar. The at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar act to increase the rigidity of the vehicle door, which assists in resisting elastic deformation of the door as a result of torsional forces acting on the vehicle door.
- In embodiments, the at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity. The inner cavity may allow for the overall weight of the torsion bar assembly to be minimized while maintaining a comparatively high section modulus. Furthermore, the access hole of the lateral bar may allow for easy installation of accessory wires routed through the torsion bar assembly. These and other embodiments will now be described with specific reference to the appended drawings.
- As used herein, the term “longitudinal direction” refers to the forward-rearward direction of components of the vehicle door (i.e., in the +/−Y-direction depicted in
FIG. 1 ). The term “lateral direction” refers to the cross-wise direction of components of the vehicle door (i.e., in the +/−X-direction depicted inFIG. 1 ), and is transverse to the longitudinal direction. The term “vertical direction” refers to the upward-downward direction of components of the vehicle door (i.e., in the +/−Z-direction depicted inFIG. 1 ). Further, the terms “inboard,” “inward,” “outboard,” and “outward” are used to describe the relative positioning of various components of the vehicle door in directions referencing avehicle centerline 4 that bisects the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. Referring toFIG. 1 , the terms “outboard” or “outward” describe the relative location of a component in direction 2 with reference to thevehicle centerline 4. The term “inboard” or “inward” as used herein describes the relative location of a component in direction 6 with reference to thevehicle centerline 4. - Referring initially to
FIG. 1 , avehicle door 100 is schematically depicted. In the illustrated example,vehicle door 100 is a rear door that may be assembled to vehicle as an upward-opening door (e.g., a door that is coupled to a vehicle body at a top edge of the door and opens by rotating about the X-direction as depicted). However, it should be understood that thevehicle door 100 may also be a side-opening door (e.g., a door that is coupled to a vehicle body at a lateral edge of the door and opens by rotating about the Z-direction as depicted). - The
vehicle door 100 generally includes aninner panel 110 including anupper portion 112 and alower portion 116 positioned opposite theupper portion 112 in the vertical direction. When assembled, an outer fascia may be positioned outboard of and coupled to theinner panel 110 to form thevehicle door 100. Theupper portion 112 generally defines awindow aperture 114 extending through theupper portion 112 of theinner panel 110. In embodiments, a window may be positioned in thewindow aperture 114. - The
inner panel 110, in embodiments, may be formed of a resin, such as a polymer, urethane, acrylic, or the like. Without being bound by theory, theinner panel 110, and accordingly thevehicle door 100, may be lighter than vehicle doors that are formed from metals, such as steel or aluminum in embodiments in which theinner panel 110 is formed with a resin. By reducing the weight of thevehicle door 100, vehicle efficiency (e.g., fuel efficiency) may be increased. However, resin may be more flexible than steel or aluminum, andvehicle doors 100 formed from resin may be susceptible to elastic deformation, for example, as a user opens or closes thevehicle door 100. - In embodiments, the
vehicle door 100 includes atorsion bar assembly 130 coupled to theinner panel 110. In embodiments, thetorsion bar assembly 130 generally includes alateral bar 132 that extends across theupper portion 112 of theinner panel 110 in the lateral direction, and at least onevertical bar 134 that extends downward from thelateral bar 132 in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, thelateral bar 132 extends across theupper portion 112 of theinner panel 110 above thewindow aperture 114. - Referring collectively to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , in embodiments, thetorsion bar assembly 130 includes a pair ofvertical bars 134 extending downward from thelateral bar 132. In embodiments the pair ofvertical bars 134 are positioned on opposite sides of theinner panel 110 in the lateral direction and are positioned on opposite sides of thewindow aperture 114. In embodiments, the pair ofvertical bars 134 each extend between theupper portion 112 of theinner panel 110 and thelower portion 116 of theinner panel 110. Thevertical bars 134, in some embodiments, each extend a similar distance in the vertical direction, such that thetorsion bar assembly 130 is substantially symmetric about a torsion bar centerline 8 that bisects thetorsion bar assembly 130 in the lateral direction. In some embodiments, each of thevertical bars 134 extend across at least 25% of theinner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, each of thevertical bars 134 extend across at least 50% of theinner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction. In some embodiments, each of thevertical bars 134 extend across at least 75% of theinner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction. By extending along a comparatively significant portion of theinner panel 110 evaluated in the vertical direction, thevertical bars 134 may assist in resisting torsional forces applied to thevehicle door 100, thereby increasing the rigidity of thevehicle door 100. - Referring to
FIGS. 2 and 3 , the perspective view of thetorsion bar assembly 130 and a section view of thetorsion bar assembly 130 along section 3-3 ofFIG. 2 are schematically depicted, respectively. In embodiments, thetorsion bar assembly 130 generally includes anouter member 138 and aninner member 140 positioned inboard of theouter member 138 in the longitudinal direction. Theouter member 138 and theinner member 140 generally define aninner cavity 142 that extends along thetorsion bar assembly 130. In embodiments, theinner cavity 142 generally extends along the entire torsion bar assembly 130 (e.g., along bothvertical bars 134 and along the lateral bar 132). In embodiments, theouter member 138 and theinner member 140 are separately formed and are coupled to one another in a suitable manner, such as and without limitation, welding, brazing, structural adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or the like. In embodiments, theouter member 138 and theinner member 140 are formed from a different material than the inner panel 110 (FIG. 1 ). For example, in embodiments, theouter member 138 and theinner member 140 may be formed of a metal, such as steel, aluminum, or the like, while the inner panel 110 (FIG. 1 ) may be formed of a resin, as described above. In embodiments, theouter member 138 and theinner member 140 may be formed through any suitable process, such as stamping, forging, or the like. In some embodiments, theouter member 138 and theinner member 140 are monolithic. In these embodiments, thetorsion bar assembly 130 may be formed from an extrusion process, an additive manufacturing process, or the like. - The
inner cavity 142 generally influences a cross-sectional area of thetorsion bar assembly 130 as evaluated in the X-Y plane at thevertical bars 134, and as evaluated in the Y-Z plane at thelateral bar 132. The size and shape of theinner cavity 142 may be selected such that the cross-sectional area of thetorsion bar assembly 130 is as high as practicable to fit within the vehicle door 100 (e.g., between the inner panel 110 (FIG. 1 ) and an outer fascia positioned outboard of the inner panel 110). Without being bound by theory, by selecting the size and shape of theinner cavity 142 to increase the cross-sectional area of thetorsion bar assembly 130, the section modulus of thetorsion bar assembly 130 may be increased. By increasing the section modulus of thetorsion bar assembly 130, the rigidity of thetorsion bar assembly 130 may be increased, which may assist in resisting torsional forces applied to thevehicle door 100. Additionally, by including theinner cavity 142, the rigidity of thetorsion bar assembly 130 may be increased while maintaining a comparatively low overall weight, as compared to torsion bar assemblies that are solidly formed. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , a lower perspective view of thetorsion bar assembly 130 is schematically depicted. In embodiments, thelateral bar 132 defines anaccess hole 160 that provides access to theinner cavity 142. In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 4 , thelateral bar 132 defines twoaccess holes 160 positioned on an underside (e.g., a downward facing surface) of thelateral bar 132. The access hole oraccess holes 160 are in communication with theinner cavity 142, and in some embodiments, one or moreaccessory wires 10 may be routed through one of the access holes 160 and through theinner cavity 142. Theaccessory wire 10 may be utilized to connect various electrical devices in the vehicle, for example, speakers, accessory lighting, or the like. To retain the position of theaccessory wire 10, in some vehicle configurations, it is desirable to route theaccessory wire 10 through structures such as thetorsion bar assembly 130.Accessory wires 10 may be installed as the vehicle is assembled, and may in some instances be removed and replaced over the life of the vehicle, for example as accessories of the vehicle are repaired or replaced. By providing one or more access holes 160 on thelateral bar 132 that are in communication with theinner cavity 142, theaccessor wire 10 may be routed through theinner cavity 142 without requiring thataccessory wire 10 be routed through the entiretorsion bar assembly 130, which may simplify the routing of theaccessory wire 10 through thetorsion bar assembly 130. For example, because theinner cavity 142 is generally bounded by theouter member 138 and theinner member 140, theinner cavity 142 may be generally difficult for a user to access at certain locations along thetorsion bar assembly 130. By routing theaccessory wire 10 through the access holes 160, as compared to routing theaccessory wire 10 through theentire support assembly 130, the difficulty of routing theaccessory wire 10 through thetorsion bar assembly 130 may be reduced. - It should now be understood that vehicle doors described herein generally include an inner panel and a torsion bar assembly coupled to the inner panel. In embodiments, the inner panel is formed of a resin, which assists in lowering the overall weight of the vehicle door, while the torsion bar assembly is formed of a material that is different than the inner panel. The torsion bar assembly, in embodiments, generally includes a lateral bar that extends across an upper portion of the inner panel, and at least one vertical bar extending downward from the lateral bar. The at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar act to increase the rigidity of the vehicle door, which assists in resisting elastic deformation of the door as a result of torsional forces acting on the vehicle door.
- In embodiments, the at least one vertical bar and the lateral bar define an inner cavity extending along the torsion bar assembly, and the lateral bar defines an access hole that provides access to the inner cavity. The inner cavity may allow for the overall weight of the torsion bar assembly to be minimized, while maintaining a comparatively high section modulus. Furthermore, the access hole of the lateral bar may allow for easy installation of accessory wires routed through the torsion bar assembly.
- While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Claims (20)
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US16/260,349 US10717349B1 (en) | 2019-01-29 | 2019-01-29 | Vehicle doors including torsion bar support assemblies |
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US16/260,349 US10717349B1 (en) | 2019-01-29 | 2019-01-29 | Vehicle doors including torsion bar support assemblies |
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US11034219B2 (en) * | 2019-01-25 | 2021-06-15 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. | Vehicle doors including torsion bar support assemblies and methods for assembling the same |
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DE60217894T2 (en) * | 2001-11-06 | 2007-11-15 | Intier Automotive Closures Inc., Newmarket | DRIVE AND CONTROL TO CLOSE A MOTOR-DRIVEN FLAP |
JP2006027486A (en) | 2004-07-16 | 2006-02-02 | Kanto Auto Works Ltd | Door structure |
DE202004011851U1 (en) * | 2004-07-28 | 2004-09-30 | Peguform Gmbh & Co. Kg | Automotive rear door |
FR2922859B1 (en) * | 2007-10-31 | 2010-02-19 | Plastic Omnium Cie | ASSEMBLY OF A TAILGATE AND A PIECE INTENDED TO BE REPORTED ON THE HOUSING |
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US8646829B2 (en) * | 2010-12-16 | 2014-02-11 | Magna International Inc. | Composite lift gate deformable section |
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