MOTOR VEHICLE BODIES ASSEMBLY

Abstract: A motor vehicle body has on each side a door opening (2) shaped so as to allow the fitting of either a door (13) of traditional type, in which the upper edge of the roof runs below the side guttering (6) of the roof (2a), or a door (20) of the so-called "wrap-over" type, in which the upper edge of the door extends upwardly above the side guttering (6) of the roof. Preferably, the body will be prearranged for the outer panels corresponding to the front portion and rear portion of the body to be fixed by screws so as to allow the dismountable assembly of different types of panels. By virtue of these characteristics, it is possible to produce bodies with different aesthetic features simply and economically from just one type of body structure.

Description: This invention relates to the field of motor vehicle bodies. The problem behind this invention is that of achieving motor vehicle bodies with substantially different aesthetic features from just one type of body structure. According to the invention, this problem is solved by a motor vehicle body the main characteristic of which lies in the fact that it has on each side a door opening shaped so as to allow the fitting of either a door of traditional type, in which the upper edge of the door runs below the side guttering of the roof, or a door of the so-called "wrap-over" type, in which the upper edge of the door extends upwardly above the side guttering of the roof. In the present description and in the claims which follow, the term "door opening" is used to indicate that part of each side of the body of the motor vehicle which defines the space for each side door. Preferably, the body according to the invention is prearranged for the outer panels corresponding to the front portion and rear portion of the body to be fixed by screws. By virtue of these characteristics, it is possible to produce bodies with aesthetic features which are substantially different from one another, from just one body structure. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a motor vehicle body according to the present invention, Figure 2 and 3 illustrate a section taken along the line II - II of Figure 1, according to two possible variants, and Figure 4 illustrates a section taken along the line IV - IV of Figure 1. Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically the body of a motor vehicle with four side doors. It is clear, however, that the invention is equally applicable to motor vehicles with two side doors. With reference to the drawings, a body 1 includes on each side a door opening 2 which is predisposed to allow the fitting of either a door of the traditional type (see Figure 2), in which the upper edge of the door runs below the side guttering of the roof when the door is closed, or of a door of the so-called "wrap-over" type (see Figure 3), in which the upper edge of the door extends upwardly above the side guttering of the roof. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the door opening 2 is defined, in correspondence with the upper edge of the door space, by a sheet metal panel 2a constituting the roof and by two further panels 3, 4. The panels 2a, 4 are welded together in correspondence with two juxtaposed flattened edges which form a flange 5 defining, at the bottom, the channel 6 of the side guttering of the roof. In the case of the assembly illustrated in Figure 2, a profiled element of plastics material 7 is fitted onto the flange 5 to which is fixed a relatively hard rubber element 8 which laterally delimits the channel 6 of the guttering. In the case of the assembly of Figure 3, however, the flange 5 is fitted with a profiled element 9 comprising a portion 9a of plastics material and a weather strip 10 of deformable material, which laterally demits the channel 6 of the guttering and comes into contact with the upper edge of the door when the latter is closed. In Figure 3, the weather strip 10 is shown in the deformed state in which it is kept by the door when the latter is closed. In the non-deformed condition of the weather strip 10, adopted when the door is open, the channel 6 of the side guttering of the roof will be upwardly open. The sheet metal panels 3, 4 are welded together in correspondence with two juxtaposed, flattened edges which define a flange 11. In both the arrangements of Figures 2 and 3, a profiled element 12 of plastics material, which supports a rubber seal 13 intended to cooperate with the door structure, is fitted onto the flange 11. In the case illustrated in Figure 2, a traditional type of door 13, having a frame 14 whose upper edge runs below the side guttering of the roof when the door is closed is fitted to the body. The frame 14 has a channel 15 which accommodates a rubber seal 16 cooperating with the upper edge of the glass 17 of the window. The frame 14 also has a projection 18 to which is fixed an auxiliary seal 19 intended to ensure sealing between the door and the element 8 of the guttering when the door is closed. In the case illustrated in Figure 3, however, a door 20 of the so-called "wrap-over" type, having a frame 21 whose upper edge 22 extends upwardly above the channel 6 of the side guttering of the roof, is fitted to the body. The frame 21 carries a rubber seal 23 which cooperates with the glass 24 of the window. The particular structure of the door 20 requires an arrangement displaced more towards the outside of the window 24 than the window 17 of the door 13, as can be seen in Figure 2, in which the position of the window 24 is shown by broken lines. In order to allow the correct engagement of the structure of the door 20 with the weather strip 13, an auxiliary element 25 of plastics material (see Figure 3) is provided which is carried by the structure of the door and is interposed between the latter and the weather strip 13 when the door is closed. The element 25 has an appendage 26 which is used to support the weather strip 23. As is clear from the preceding description, the structure described above is prearranged to allow the fitting of two different type of door on the same type of body. It is thus possible to produce bodies with notably different aesthetic characteristics from just one body structure. Figure 4 shows, in section, the fitting of an outer panel 27 to the rear portion of the side of the body (also see Figure 11). In Figure 4, box elements, indicated 28 and 29, define respectively the rear pillar of the rear side door opening and the side pillar of the rear window. The panel 27, which carries a window fixed thereto by layers of adhesive 30, is secured to the elements 28, 29 by screws 31. The same type of mounting is also provided for other outer panels of the body, whether in correspondence with the rear portion or in correspondence with the front portion thereof. By virtue of the characteristics described above, it is therefore possible substantially to modify the general appearance of the body by using, all the same, just one body structure. Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the details of construction and forms of embodiment may be varied widely from what has been described and illustrated purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims: 1. Motor vehicle body characterised in that it has on each side a door opening (2) shaped so as to allow the fitting of either a door (13) of traditional type, in which the upper edge of the door runs below the side guttering (6) of the roof (2a), or a door (20) of the so-called "wrap-over" type, in which the upper edge of the door extends upwardly above the side guttering of the roof (2a). 2. Body according to Claim 1, characterised in that it is prearranged for the outer panels (27) corresponding to the front portion and the rear portion of the body to be fixed by screws (31), so as to allow the dismountable assembly of different type of panels. 3. Body according to Claim 1, characterised in that, in correspondence with the upper edge of the door opening, it has a first flange (11) for the fixing of a weather strip (12) intended to cooperate with the door structure and a second flange (5) which, at the bottom, defines the channel (6) of the side guttering of the roof (2a). 4. Body according to Claim 3, characterised in that, in the case in which it is intended to receive a door of the traditional type, a profiled element (8) which laterally defines the channel (6) of the side guttering of the roof is mounted on the second flange (5), and in that the frame (14) of the door (13) is arranged and shaped so that it makes direct contact with the weather strip (12) when the door is closed, the frame (14) also being provided with an auxiliary weather strip (19) intended to ensure sealing between the upper edge of the door and the profiled element (8) when the door is closed. 5. Body according to Claim 4, characterised in that, in the case in which it is prearranged to receive a door of the "wrap-over" type, the second flange (5) is fitted with a profiled element (9) comprising a deformable weather strip (10) which laterally defines the channel (6) of the side guttering of the roof (2a) and comes into contact with the upper edge of the door (20) when the latter is closed, and in that the door is provided on its inner side with an auxiliary element (25) of plastics material which cooperates with the weather strip (13) carried by the first flange (11) when the door is closed.

Inventors: MAIOLI, MARIO, PIRITORE, GIUSEPPE
Applicants: FIAT AUTO S.P.A.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B60R13
IPC codes: B60R13, B62D25