Patent ID: 6679540
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A door intrusion beam for use within a vehicle door, the vehicle door having an interior well and forward and rearward walls to which said beam is secured, said door intrusion beam comprising:a longitudinal door beam metal stamping having first and second ends and a length therebetween; said metal stamping having an inverted generally U-shaped cross section having a base with a pair of legs, said base at the center thereof having a longitudinally extending recess throughout the length of the metal stamping and said legs being directed downwardly and outwardly away from said recess and having the ends of the legs curved throughout the length of the door beam metal stamping; a plurality of slidable and stackable elongated plastic elements superimposed one on top of the other and on said longitudinal door beam metal stamping; each of said slidable and stackable elongated plastic elements having a generally M-shaped cross section which is symmetrical about the center thereof and including a base and a pair of legs, the center portion of the base of each plastic element being depressed to form a longitudinally extending channel; the channel of the first plastic element closest to said door beam metal stamping being received and nested in the longitudinally extending recess provided in said door beam metal stamping; the channel of each of the plastic elements after the first mentioned plastic element being received in the preceding channel of the adjacent plastic element; the pair of legs of each plastic element extending downwardly and away from its respective channel, with portions of the legs of the plastic channel engaging the outer surfaces of the legs provided on said door beam metal stamping or on the legs of the preceding plastic element; said longitudinal door beam metal stamping having a length equal to or greater than said slidable and stackable elongated plastic elements; and layers of a structural adhesive interposed between said metal stamping and the first mentioned plastic elements and between the surfaces of abutting adjacent plastic elements throughout the length thereof which bonds and secures said plastic elements and metal stamping together as an integrated door intrusion beam.