WO2023180644A1

WO2023180644A1 - Vehicle door unit, method for assembling the unit, and vehicle comprising the unit

Info

Publication number: WO2023180644A1
Application number: PCT/FR2023/050265
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rui CAO; Ying Zhou; Yu Cai ZHANG; Ke Kai Yang; Zi Ye Wang; Zhong Xiang ZHOU
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2022-03-21
Filing date: 2023-02-24
Publication date: 2023-09-28
Also published as: CN116811542A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle door unit, to a method for assembling the unit, and to a vehicle comprising the unit. Said vehicle door unit comprises: an inner door panel, an outer door panel, and at least one reinforcement, one edge of said inner panel being connected to an edge of said outer panel, said outer panel being provided with a handle opening, and said at least one reinforcement being attached to said inner panel between said inner panel and said outer panel; and a handle unit attached to said inner panel and to said at least one reinforcement by means of a plate-shaped support, said support being configured to not be connected to said outer panel and being configured such that an outer end of said handle unit is flush with an outer side of said outer panel by passing through said handle opening.

Description

VEHICLE DOOR ASSEMBLY, METHOD FOR ASSEMBLY OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND VEHICLE COMPRISING THE ASSEMBLY

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention claims priority from Chinese application 202210276414.1 filed on March 21, 2022, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is here incorporated by reference.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of vehicle manufacturing, and in particular, to a vehicle door assembly. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of assembling such a door assembly, and to a vehicle comprising such a door assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Generally, a handle assembly, making it possible to open a vehicle door from the outside of a vehicle, is mounted on the structure of the vehicle door using a plate-shaped support fixed between an exterior door panel and an interior door panel. To ensure body aesthetics, the exterior end of the handle assembly (i.e. the surface of the handle bar facing the exterior of the vehicle) is generally designed to be flush with the exterior side of the exterior panel of the vehicle. door.

[0004] Fig.1 represents a schematic view of the exterior side of a vehicle door assembly in the prior art. As shown in Fig.l, the vehicle door assembly comprises: an interior door panel 1, an exterior door panel 2 (not shown in Fig.l), a plurality of reinforcements attached to the exterior side of the panel interior of door 1 (as shown, a first reinforcement 41, a second reinforcement 42 and a third reinforcement 43 connecting the first reinforcement 41 to the second reinforcement 42), and a handle assembly (not shown in the figure) fixed to the interior side of the exterior door panel 2 using a plate-shaped support 3.

[0005] Figures 2A to 2C represent assembly steps of the plate-shaped support 3 on the exterior door panel 2 of the vehicle door assembly shown in Fig.l. Firstly, as shown in Fig.2A, three threaded studs 5 are glued at specific positions on the inner side of the outer door panel 2; then, the plate-shaped support 3 shown in Fig.2B is provided, the plate-shaped support 3 being provided with a handle opening 31 for the exit of the handle bar from the handle assembly, with four first holes 32 for fixing the handle assembly, and with three second holes 33 for the passage of these studs threaded 5; then, as shown in Fig.2C, the plate-shaped support 3 with structural glue is glued and screwed to the inner side of the outer door panel 2 by applying the structural glue to a plurality of positions 35 of the plate-shaped support plate 3 adjacent to the second holes 33 and passing each threaded stud 5 through the corresponding second hole 33, and the handle opening 31 of the plate-shaped support 3 is aligned with a handle opening 21 of the outer door panel 2. Furthermore, as shown in Fig.l, a shock absorber glue can be arranged between an upper edge position 341 of the plate-shaped support 3 and the first reinforcement 41, and between a side edge position 342 of the plate-shaped support 3 and the third reinforcement 43.

[0006] The disadvantage of this method of fixing, in which the plate-shaped support 3 is fixed to the exterior door panel 2 using threaded studs 5 and structural glue, is that the exterior door panel 2 deforms under the effect of a significant force exerted on the exterior door panel 2, due to the high bonding intensity of the threaded stud 5 and that of the structural glue used to bond the plate-shaped support 3, which affects the sensory quality of the bodywork.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose a vehicle door assembly, in order to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art mentioned above. Indeed, the exterior door panel, forming part of the vehicle door assembly according to the present invention, cannot be deformed by the mounting of the plate-shaped support, which ensures good sensory quality of the bodywork.

[0008] For this purpose, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle door assembly, comprising: an interior door panel, an exterior door panel and at least one reinforcement, an edge of said interior door panel being connected to that of said exterior door panel, said exterior door panel being provided with a handle opening, and said at least one reinforcement being attached to said interior door panel between said interior door panel and said exterior door panel; a handle assembly attached to said interior door panel and to said at least one reinforcement, using a plate-shaped support, said plate-shaped support being configured not to be connected to said panel exterior door, and being configured such that an exterior end of said handle assembly is flush with an exterior side of said exterior door panel passing through said handle opening.

[0009] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, said plate-shaped support is provided with a handle opening aligned with said handle opening of the exterior panel, said handle assembly is attached to an interior side of said support plate-shaped, and said plate-shaped support is configured such that the outer end of said handle assembly is flush with the outer side of said outer door panel passing through said outer panel handle opening and said door opening. handle of the support.

[0010] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, said plate-shaped support comprises at least one connection portion to the interior panel and at least one connection portion to the reinforcement, which are adjacent to the edge of the support and respectively fixed said interior door panel and said at least one reinforcement.

[0011] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, said at least one connection portion to the interior panel and said at least one connection portion to the reinforcement are respectively glued to said interior door panel and to said at least one reinforcement, at using a structural glue.

[0012] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, said plate-shaped support comprises two connecting portions to the interior panel, projecting from the corner positions of the support.

[0013] According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, said at least one reinforcement comprises a first reinforcement fixed to a waist position of said interior door panel and extending horizontally, a second reinforcement fixed to a lower position of said panel interior of the door and extending obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction, and a third reinforcement connecting a central position of said first reinforcement to that of said second reinforcement, and said support in the form of a plate comprises two connecting portions to the reinforcement, respectively fixed to said first reinforcement and said third reinforcement.

[0014] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a vehicle comprising a vehicle door assembly according to the first aspect.

[0015] A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method of assembling a vehicle door assembly according to the first aspect, said method comprising steps following in order: A) fixing said at least one reinforcement to said interior door panel; B) fixing said handle assembly to said interior door panel and to said at least one reinforcement, using said plate-shaped support; and C) connecting the edge of said interior door panel to that of said exterior door panel.

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, step C) comprises wrapping and gluing the edge of said exterior door panel (2) to that of said interior door panel.

Compared to prior art, the vehicle door assembly according to the present invention has several beneficial effects, in particular: the present invention proposes to modify the method of mounting the plate-shaped support; the plate-shaped support is fixed to the interior door panel and to the reinforcement arranged on this interior panel, instead of being connected to the exterior door panel; that is to say, the arrangement area of the handle bar on the door outer panel is not connected to the plate-shaped bracket nor to the door inner panel, thereby avoiding deformation of the outer panel door under the effect of a significant force exerted on the exterior door panel, and thus ensuring good sensory quality of the bodywork; in addition, the plate-shaped bracket has a simple structure, enables easy assembly, and has a low economic cost, therefore the vehicle door assembly according to the present invention can be widely used in various types of vehicles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached figures. Reference numbers identical to the figures indicate the same or similar components.

[0019] Fig.1 represents a schematic view of the exterior side of a vehicle door assembly in the prior art, in which an exterior door panel is not shown for ease of presentation;

[0020] Figures 2A to 2C show steps for assembling a plate-shaped support on the exterior door panel of the vehicle door assembly shown in Fig.l;

[0021] Fig.3 represents a schematic view of the exterior side of a door assembly of vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which an exterior door panel is not shown for ease of presentation;

[0022] Fig.4A shows a schematic view of the exterior side of a plate-shaped support of the vehicle door assembly shown in Fig.3;

[0023] Fig.4B shows a schematic view of the interior side of the plate-shaped support of the vehicle door assembly shown in Fig.3.

It is understood that the figures above are used not only for the explanatory description of the invention but also, if necessary, to help define it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The implementation and use of the embodiments are described in detail below. However, it is understood that the specific embodiments described herein illustrate only, for information purposes, particular ways of implementing and using the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In the description, the directional indications, such as “upper” and “lower”, used to describe the structural positions of the components, are not absolute but relative. These directional indications are appropriate when the components are arranged as shown in the figures; however, when the positions of the components in the figures are changed, these directional indications should be modified accordingly.

[0027] Furthermore, in the description, the indications “interior” and “exterior” are defined in relation to the interior and exterior of a vehicle, for example, “the interior side " indicates the side facing the inside of the vehicle, and "outside side" indicates the side facing the outside of the vehicle. In the figures, the X-axis direction indicates the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the Y-axis direction indicates the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the Z-axis direction indicates the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0028] Fig.3 represents a schematic view of the exterior side of a vehicle door assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig.3, the vehicle door assembly according to the present invention comprises: an inner door panel 1, an outer door panel 2 (not shown in Fig.3; with reference to exterior door panel 2 provided with the handle opening 21, shown in Figures 2A and 2C), at least one reinforcement (preferably a plurality of reinforcements), and a handle assembly (not shown) fixed using 'a plate-shaped support 3.

Said at least one reinforcement is fixed to the interior door panel 1 between the interior door panel 1 and the exterior door panel 2, and comprises, for example, a first reinforcement 41 fixed at a size position of the interior panel door 1 and extending substantially in the horizontal direction, a second reinforcement 42 fixed to a lower position of the interior door panel 1 and extending obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction, and a third reinforcement 43 connecting a substantially central position of said first reinforcement 41 to that of said second reinforcement 42 and extending substantially in the vertical direction. These reinforcements are fixed to the exterior side of the interior door panel 1, for example, by welding, and a shock absorber glue can be arranged between these reinforcements and the interior side of the exterior door panel 2. It is understood that, the “ shock absorber glue” is only a damping element and not a connecting or fixing element, mainly playing a shock absorption and damping role.

[0030] Fig.4A represents a schematic view of the exterior side of the plate-shaped support 3 of the vehicle door assembly shown in Fig.3, and Fig.4B represents a schematic view of the interior side of the support in the form of plate 3 of the vehicle door assembly shown in Fig.3. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the plate-shaped support 3 is provided with a handle opening 31 aligned with the handle opening 21 of the outer panel for the exit of the handle bar from the handle assembly, and four first holes 32 for fixing the handle assembly. The handle assembly is attached to the inner side of the plate-shaped support 3 using the screws passing through these first holes 32.

[0031] It is understood that the handle assembly not shown comprises, for example, a handle support element fixed to the plate-shaped support 3, as well as a handle bar and a rotation shaft mounted on the handle support element. The handle bar is visible from outside the vehicle through the handle opening 31 of the bracket and the handle opening 21 of the exterior panel, to allow the vehicle door to be opened by pulling the handle bar and rotating it around the rotation shaft.

[0032] To avoid deformation of the exterior door panel 2 by the mounting of the plate-shaped support 3, the present invention proposes to modify the method of mounting the plate-shaped support 3, such that the shaped support of plate 3 is fixed to the interior door panel 1 and said at least one reinforcement arranged on this interior door panel 1, instead of being connected to the exterior door panel 2. That is to say, the handle assembly is fixed to the panel door interior 1 and audit at least one reinforcement using the plate-shaped support 3, and allows the exterior end (i.e. the surface of the handle bar facing the exterior of the vehicle) of the assembly handle opening 31 of the bracket and the handle opening 21 of the exterior panel, which are aligned with each other.

More particularly, the support in the form of a plate 3 comprises at least one connection portion 36 to the interior panel and at least one connection portion to the reinforcement, which are adjacent to the edge of the support and respectively fixed to the interior door panel 1 and audits at least one reinforcement. By way of non-limiting example, said at least one connection portion 36 to the interior panel and said at least one connection portion to the reinforcement are respectively glued to the interior door panel 1 and to said at least one reinforcement, using of a structural glue.

[0034] For example, as shown in Figures 3, 4A and 4B, the plate-shaped support 3 comprises two connecting portions 36 to the interior panel, projecting respectively from an upper corner position of the support and from a position bottom corner of the support. The two connecting portions 36 to the interior panel can, for example, be slightly curved towards the interior door panel 1, to be glued to the interior door panel 1 by applying a structural glue. It is understood that the number and position of said at least one connection portion 36 to the interior panel are not limiting, and can be determined as a function of the actual configuration of the panel-shaped support 3 and that of the interior panel of door 1.

[0035] Furthermore, for example, as shown in Fig.3, the plate-shaped support 3 comprises a first connection portion 371 to the reinforcement adjacent to the upper edge of the support, and a second connection portion 372 to the reinforcement adjacent at the side edge of the support. The first connection portion 371 to the reinforcement and the second connection portion 372 to the reinforcement are respectively glued to the first reinforcement 41 and to the third reinforcement 43 by applying a structural glue. It is understood that the number and position of said at least one connection portion to the reinforcement are not limiting, and can be determined as a function of the actual configuration of the support in the form of a panel 3 and that of the reinforcement.

[0036] When assembling the vehicle door assembly, first of all, the first reinforcement 41, the second reinforcement 42 and the third reinforcement 43 are fixed to the exterior side of the interior door panel 1; then, the handle assembly is fixed to the plate-shaped bracket 3, and the plate-shaped bracket 3 with the handle assembly is glued to the door inner panel 1, the first reinforcement 41 and the third reinforcement 43 to using a structural glue, in order to attach the handle assembly to the interior door panel 1 and to the reinforcements; finally, the edge of the interior door panel 1 is connected to that of the exterior door panel 2, for example, the edge of the exterior door panel 2 envelops and is glued to that of the interior door panel 1 using a hemming device, in order to complete the assembly of the vehicle door assembly.

[0037] In summary, in the vehicle door assembly according to the present invention, the arrangement area of the handle bar on the exterior door panel 2 is not connected to the plate-shaped support 3, nor to the interior door panel 1, thus avoiding deformation of the exterior door panel 2 under the effect of a significant force exerted on the exterior door panel 2, and thus ensuring good sensory quality of the bodywork.

[0038] The technical content and technical characteristics of the present invention have been revealed above. It is understood that various modifications and/or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the various embodiments described in the present description without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

The description of the embodiments is exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of protection of the present invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

CLAIMS Vehicle door assembly, characterized in that it comprises:

- an interior door panel (1), an exterior door panel (2) and at least one reinforcement, an edge of said interior door panel (1) being connected to that of said exterior door panel (2), said exterior panel door (2) being provided with a handle opening (21), and said at least one reinforcement being attached to said inner door panel (1) between said inner door panel (1) and said outer door panel (2) ) ; And

- a handle assembly fixed to said interior door panel (1) and to said at least one reinforcement, using a plate-shaped support (3), said plate-shaped support (3) being configured not to not be connected to said exterior door panel (2), and being configured such that an exterior end of said handle assembly is flush with an exterior side of said exterior door panel (2) passing through said handle opening (21) . A vehicle door assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate-shaped support (3) is provided with a handle opening (31) aligned with said handle opening (21) of the outer panel, in that said handle assembly is attached to an inner side of said plate-shaped support (3), and in that said plate-shaped support (3) is configured such that the outer end of said handle assembly is flush with the side exterior of said exterior door panel (2) passing through said handle opening (21) of the exterior panel and said handle opening (31) of the support. Vehicle door assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate-shaped support (3) comprises at least one connection portion (36) to the interior panel and at least one connection portion to the reinforcement, which are adjacent to the edge of the support and respectively fixed to said interior door panel (1) and to said at least one reinforcement. Vehicle door assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one connecting portion (36) to the interior panel and said at least one portion connecting to the reinforcement are respectively glued to said interior door panel (1) and to said at least one reinforcement, using a structural glue.

5. Vehicle door assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that said plate-shaped support (3) comprises two connecting portions (36) to the interior panel, projecting from the corner positions of the support.

6. Vehicle door assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one reinforcement comprises a first reinforcement (41) fixed to a waist position of said interior door panel (1) and extending horizontally, a second reinforcement (42) fixed to a lower position of said interior door panel (1) and extending obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction, and a third reinforcement (43) connecting a central position of said first reinforcement (41) to that of said second reinforcement (42), and in that said plate-shaped support (3) comprises two reinforcement connection portions, respectively fixed to said first reinforcement (41) and said third reinforcement (43).

7. Vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a vehicle door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Method of assembling a vehicle door assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps in order: a. fix said at least one reinforcement to said interior door panel (1); b. fixing said handle assembly to said interior door panel (1) and to said at least one reinforcement, using said plate-shaped support (3); etc. connect the edge of said interior door panel (1) to that of said exterior door panel (2).

9. Assembly method according to claim 8, characterized in that step C) comprises wrapping and gluing the edge of said exterior door panel (2) to that of said interior door panel (1).