A PROCESS FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR AND A DOOR OBTAINED BY SUCH PROCESS

Abstract: A process for the assembly of a motor vehicle door (1) provided with a region (9) in which there is lodged a slidable window glass (16) operable to close or open a window opening (15) formed in the said region (9), consisting in the preassembly of a seal (19) along the lateral and upper edges of the window glass (16), the insertion of two substantially rigid guide channel members (28) onto the end portions (20) of a seal (19) in such a way as to define a rigid assembly (29), the deposition of the convenient quantity of adhesive material (30) onto the laterial and upper edges (17) of the window (15), and the insertion of the assembly (29) into the region (9) in such a way that the seal (19) is glued onto the edges (17) of the window opening (15).

Description: The present invention relates to a process for the assembly of a motor vehicle door, and to a door obtained by such process. As is known, motor vehicle doors generally comprise a frame defining a window opening having a window glass slidable in a frame opening and operable to close the window. On the inner periphery of the opening in which the window glass is lodged there is mounted a resiliently deformable seal having the dual purpose of sealing against external agents and constituting a guide for sliding of the window glass. In a process of the in-house state of the art, this seal, comprising a relatively rigid core and a soft sealing element adapted to cooperate with the window glass, is mounted manually, before the window glass, to the frame of the vehicle door by screws or by form fitting. The described process has various disadvantages. First of all, this process is difficult to automate since, before the seal is assembled to the door it is deformable and therefore poorly adapted to be moved by automatic means. Moreover, the fixing operation by means of screws or form fitting is long, onerous and requires a dimensional precision of the components to be connected together, which is difficult to obtain with automatic production cycles. The object of the present invention is to determine a process for the assemby of a motor vehicle door, which will be free from the disadvantages associated with known processes specified above, as well as to produce a door according to said process. According to the present invention, said object is achieved by a process for assembling a motor vehicle door of the type comprising a frame including a region defined by a perimetral seat of said frame, said region being provided with an aperture defining a window opening, a transparent sheet having lateral and upper edges and being slidable within said region to close or open said window opening, and elastically deformable perimetral seal means interposed between said edges and said perimetral seat, which is characterised by a first stage in which said seal means are preassembled onto said lateral and upper edges in such a way as to project from said transparent sheet with a pair of free end portions, a second stage in which said free end portions are inserted into a pair of substantially rigid guide means, a third stage during which an adhesive material is distributed along said perimetral seat, and a fourth stage in which said transparent sheet, said seal means and said guide means are inserted into said perimetral seat in such a way that said seal means cooperate with said perimetral seat. The present invention likewise relates to a door for a motor vehicle, of the type comprising a frame including at least one region defined by a perimetral seat on said frame, said region being provided with an aperture defining a window opening, a transparent sheet having lateral and upper edges and being slidable within said region to close or open said window opening, elastically deformable perimetral seal means constituting a sliding guide for said trasparent sheet and interposed between said edges and said perimetral seat, and connecting means for connecting said seal means to said perimetral seat, characterised in that said connecting means include an adhesive material distributed along said perimetral seat for adhesively fixing said seal means. Further developments in line with claims 1 and 6, directed to the process and the door of the invention respectively, are referred to in the dependent claims. For a better understanding of the present invention two embodiments are now described, purely by way of non-limitative example, and with reference to the attached drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a door according to the present invention shown separated into its elements; Figure 2 illustrates in section, and on an enlarged scale, a detail of the door of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a door according to the present invention, shown with its parts separated; and Figure 4 illustrates in section, and on an enlarged scale, a detail of the door of Figure 3. With reference to Figures 1 and 2 a motor vehicle door is generally indicated with the reference numeral 1. The door 1 comprises a frame 2 defined by a pair of, front and rear uprights 3, 4 respectively and upper and lower cross pieces 5, 6 respectively. A further central strut 7 divides the door 1 into a rear part or region 9 and a front part 10; a central cross piece 12 defines in these parts 9, 10, respective lower portions closed on an inner side of the frame 2 by a panel 13, and respective upper apertures 14, 15 constituting the window openings of the door 1. The front window opening 14 has a substantially trapezoidal shape and is closable, in use, by a vent window fixed in a conventional manner to the frame 2; the window opening 15, is of substantially rectangular form, and can be closed in use by a transparent sheet 16 referred to hereinafter for brevity as the "window glass", housed slidably in the region 9. As is clearly visible in Figure 2, the uprights 4, 7 and the upper cross piece 5 have an inwardly directed shaped abutment 17 defining a perimetral seat 18 which is concave towards the outside of the door 1, in which a resiliently deformable perimetral seal 19 is mounted. According to the present invention, this seal 19 is preassembled on the upper and lateral edges of the window glass 16 and has a length such that, once preassembly has taken place, two end portions 20 thereof project from the window glass 16. The seal 19 (Figure 2) comprises a relatively rigid C-section metal core 24 which is embedded in a sealing element 25 made of resiliently deformable soft material, for example rubber, which has a plurality of inwardly directed lips 26 adapted to cooperate with the window glass 16 and to deform flexurally in an elastic manner upon contact therewith. The sealing element 25 further has a plurality of outer projections 27 in the region which faces the seat 18. A pair of substantially C-section channel guide elements 28 are fitted from the outside onto the end portions 20 of the seal 19; the window glass 16, the seal 19 and the channel elements 28 therefore define a substantially rigid assembly 29 which can easily be moved by automatic means. The door 1 is disposed in a horizontal position as illustrated in Figure 1, with the outer side upwards. Then, using delivery means not illustrated, conveniently of automatic type, a convenient quantity of adhesive material 30 is deposited along the said perimetral seat 18 of the region 9. The assembly 29 is then lodged and maintained under a certain pressure within the interior of the associated perimetral seat 18 of the region 9 by the said automatic movement means, in such a way that the seal 19 cooperates with the abutment 17 and becomes glued thereto upon solidification of the adhesive material 30 which is distributed between the projections 27 of the seal 19. The assembly of the door 1 is then completed with the various accessory elements of conventional type such as window winder and lock, and with the fixing of an external cover panel, not illustrated, thus closing the lower portions of the regions 9 and 10. In Figures 3 and 4 there is partially illustrated a door 1' which is described hereinafter only in as much as it differs from the door 1, and utilising the same reference numerals to indicate similar elements to those already described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In the case of the door 1′, for the purpose of facilitating coupling between the frame 2 of the door 1 and the assembly 29 a plurality of pegs 34 is disposed along the abutment 17, conveniently two for each side, which have an entrance portion 35 and an annular groove 36 of trapezoidal section. In this case the seal 19 includes a support element 37 constituted by a profile of plastics material, and a seal element 38 of resiliently deformable soft material, for example rubber, which is snap-engaged in a removable manner to the support element 37. This element 37 has a substantially C-shape section open towards the window glass 16 and has, along its wall 39 facing the abutment 17 a pair of arcuate projections 40 defining a seat 44 for the pegs 34. The element 37 further includes two elastic lips 45, 46 adapted to cooperate with the frame 2 to prevent the escape of the adhesive 30 from the seat 18. These lips 45, 46 are formed respectively along the projection 40 facing inwardly of the window opening 15 and on an outer face 47 of the support element 37. The sealing element 38 includes a central portion 48 lodged within the support element 37 and provided with lips 49 adapted to cooperate with the window glass 16, and respective inner and outer lateral tongues 50, 51 which pass respectively around a rounded edge 52 of the wall 39 and over an entire side wall 54 of the element 37 opposite the wall 39, also provided with a rounded edge 53. The tongue 51 has two lips 55 at one end, one of which lips fits under the lip 46 of the support element 37 and the other of which cooperates with the frame 2 of the door. The central portion 48 of the sealing element 38 has a pair of lateral recesses 56 engaged by respective internal teeth 57 of the lateral walls 39, 54 of the support element 37. The door 1′ is assembled with the same procedure as described for the door 1. The single difference lies in the fact that the pegs 34, which snap-engage in the seats 44 defined by the projections 40, allow a more rapid and precise positioning of the assembly 29 on the frame 2 of the door 1′, and ensures that this positioning is maintained during the solidification of the adhesive material 30. From a study of the assembly process according to the present invention and the doors 1 and 1' formed with this process, the advantages obtained thereby are evident. In particular, the assembly process is simple, rapid and, above all, easily achievable with the use of automatic means. The use of adhesive material 30 in place of conventional screws guarantees a perfect sealing, and allows a greater dimensional tolerance on the components since the coupling between the frame 2 and the assembly 29 does not require critical precision conditions. It is observed that, in the case of the door 1', the sealing element 38 of the seal 19 is removable and can be replaced even after assembly in that only the support element 37 is fixed to the frame 2 by means of the adhesive material 30.

Claims: A process for assembling a motor vehicle door (1, 1') of the type comprising a frame (2) including a region (9) defined by a perimetral seat (18) on said frame (2), said region (9) being provided with an aperture defining a window opening (15), a transparent sheet (16) having lateral and upper edges and being slidable within said region (9) to close or open said window opening (15), and elastically deformable perimetral seal means (19) interposed between said edges and said perimetral seat (18), characterised by a first stage in which said seal means (19) are preassembled onto said lateral and upper edges in such a way as to project from said transparent sheet (16) with a pair of free end portions (20), a second stage in which said free end portions (20) are inserted into a pair of substantially rigid guide means (28), a third stage during which adhesive material (30) is distributed along said perimetral seat (18), and a fourth stage in which said transparent sheet (16), said seal means (19) and said guide means (28) are inserted into said perimetral seat (18) in such a way that said seal means (19) cooperate with said perimetral seat (18). A process according to Claim 1, characterised in that said third stage takes place comtemporaneously with said first and second stages. A process according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that it includes a fifth stage in which said seal means (19) are compressed against an abutment (17) provided along said perimetral seat (18). A process according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that said region (9) faces toward an outer side of said door (1, 1'). A process according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that it includes a sixth stage in which an outer panel adapted to close a portion of said region (9) is assembled onto said frame (2). A door for a motor vehicle, assembled according to the process claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, of the type comprising a frame (2) including at least one region (9) defined by a perimetral seat (18) on said frame (2), said region (9) being provided with an aperture defining a window opening (15), a transparent sheet (16) having lateral and upper edges and being slidable within said region (9) to close or open said window opening (15), elastically deformable perimetral seal means (19) constituting a sliding guide for said transparent sheet (16) and interposed between said edges and said perimetral seat (18), and connecting means for connecting said sealing means (19) to said perimetral seat (18), characterised in that said connecting means include an adhesive material (30) distributed along said perimetral seat (18) for adhesively fixing said seal means (19). A door according to Claim 6, characterised in that said seal means (19) are provided with a pair of opposite end portions (20) projecting downwardly from said window opening (15); said end portions (20) being housed in a pair of substantially rigid guide means (28). A door according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, characterised in that said seal means (19) include a support element (24, 37) and a seal element (25, 38) adapted to cooperate with said transparent sheet (16); said seal element (25, 38) being made of a soft, resiliently deformable material. A door according to Claim 8, characterised in that said support element (24) is a metal core embedded in said seal element (25). A door according to Claim 8, characterised in that said support element (37) is a profile to which said seal element (38) is snap-engaged. A door according to Claim 10, characterised in that said support element (37) is made of a plastic material. A door according to Claim 10 or Claim 11, characterised in that said connecting means include snap-engagement means (34, 44) for relative positioning between said frame (2) and said seal means (19). A door according to Claim 12, characterised in that said perimetral seat (18) is provided with an abutment (17) supporting said adhesive material (30), said snap-engagement means (34, 44) comprising a plurality of pegs (34) disposed along said abutment (17) in correspondence of said window opening (15) and corresponding seats (44) formed on said support element (37) of said seal means (19). A door according to any of Claims from 10 to 13, characterised in that only said support element (37) of said seal means (19) is fixed to said perimetral seat (18), and in that said seal element (38) is removable from said support element (37). A door according to any of Claims from 6 to 14, characterised in that said region (9) faces toward an outer side of said door (1, 1'). A door according to any of Claims from 6 to 15, characterised in that an outer panel is fixed onto said frame (2) for closure of a portion of said region (9).

Inventors: LEONARDIS, RAFFAELE, PERELLO, GIAN LUIGI, SCAVINO, GIANNI
Applicants: FIAT AUTO S.P.A.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B60J5
IPC codes: B60J10, B60J5