Patent ID: 6629352
Filing Date: 2003-10-07
Classification: B60J,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a vehicle door comprising the steps of:stamping an inner panel from a sheet of material thereby removing a portion of the sheet to define a window opening in the inner panel, the inner panel having an inside surface and an outside surface and defining a U-shaped channel surrounding a portion of the window opening; stamping an outer panel from a sheet of material, the outer panel having an inside surface and an outside surface; forming a space frame having a pair of spaced apart legs by hydroforming a tube with a flange extending longitudinally therefrom, said space frame forming step further comprising: (i) bonding the tube into a U-shape to form a top portion and the pair of legs extending from said top portion; (ii) providing a beam; and (iii) mounting each end of said beam to one of the legs; and fixing the inner panel outside surface to the outer panel inside surface whereby a portion of the legs of the space frame are positioned between the inner panel and the outer panel.