A THREE-DOOR MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract: The two side doors (2a, 2b) and the rear door (2c) of a three-door motor vehicle are each symmetrical about a vertical axis (A), and can be opened in both directions and are the same as each other. The two rear windows may also be symmetrical and the same as each other.

Description: A THREE-DOOR MOTOR VEHICLE The present invention concerns a three-door motor vehicle having two side doors, one for each side, and a rear door. The motor vehicle is of the type in which each of the two side door is symmetrical about a substantially vertical axis, and the two edges of each side door are releasably connected by unlockable locking means to corresponding supports hinged to the corresponding sides of the opening in the vehicle body, whereby each door may be opened selectively by turning about the hinge axis of either of the two said hinged supports . A motor vehicle provided with two side doors of the type described above is known from Italian Patent Application No. T094A000716. This motor vehicle enables the manufacturer to provide a single type of side door which can be used on both the left and right sides of the motor vehicle, instead of the two mirror-imaged side doors normally used in motor vehicles having two side doors. In addition, the fact that each of the two side doors can be opened in both directions facilitates passenger access, particularly to the rear seat of the motor vehicle. The object of the present invention is to provide a three-door motor vehicle of the type described above which enables the number of parts needed for the manufacture of such doors to be reduced and, consequently, the production costs to be lowered. This aim is achieved by means of a motor vehicle having the characteristics defined in Claim 1. Further reductions in the production costs of the motor vehicle are achieved by way of the characteristics defi.ied in Claims 2 and 3. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non- limitative example, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear three quarters of the left side of a three-door motor vehicle according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rear three quarters of the right side of the motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1. The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a three-door motor vehicle having a left side door 2a, a right side door 2b, and a rear door 2c. Each of the three doors has a substantially vertical axis of symmetry A and the three doors 2a, 2b and 2c are the same as each other. Each door has a handle 3 adjacent each of its two edges, and has a mechanism of the type known from Italian Patent Application No. T094A000716 which enables it to be opened in both directions with the aid of one or other of the two handles 3. In conformity with the description and illustration of the above prior application, the two edges of each door are releasably connected by unlockable locking means, operated by the respective handles 3 , to corresponding supports hinged to the corresponding sides of the opening in the bodywork so that each door can be opened selectively by turning about the hinge axis of either of the said two hinged supports. Two rear side windows of the motor vehicle are indicated 4a and 4b, each having an axis of symmetry Al . The left window 4a is the same as the right window 4b. Two rear lights of the motor vehicle are indicated 5a and 5b, each having an axis of symmetry A2. The left rear light 5a is the same as the right rear light 5b. From the preceding description, it is clear that the present invention substantially reduces the production costs of the motor vehicle by reducing the number of parts necessary for its manufacture.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A three-door motor vehicle including two side doors (2a, 2b) , one for each side, and a rear door (2c) , in which each of the two side doors (2a, 2b) is symmetrical about a substantially vertical axis (A) , and the two edges of each side door are releasably connected by unlockable locking means to corresponding supports hinged to the corresponding sides of the opening in the vehicle body whereby each of the side doors (2a, 2b) can be opened selectively by turning about the hinge axis of either of the two said hinged supports, characterised in that the rear door (2c) has the same characteristics as the two side doors (2a, 2b) and the three doors (2a, 2b, 2c) are the same as each other. 2. A motor vehicle according to Claim 1, characterised in that each of the two rear side windows (4a, 4b) has an axis of symmetry (Al) and the right window (4b) is the same as the left window (4a) . 3. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the two rear lights (5a, 5b) has an axis of symmetry (A2) and the right rear light (5b) is the same as the left rear light (5a) .

Inventors: FIORAVANTI LEONARDO, FIORAVANTI, LEONARDO
Applicants: FIORAVANTI SRL, FIORAVANTI S.R.L.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B60J5
IPC codes: B60J5, B62D31, E05D15