VEHICLE DOOR

Abstract: The vehicle door (10) includes an inner door panel (14), an outer door panel (12) secured to the inner door panel, and a window module opening (22) in the upper portion of the inner door panel. A drop in window module (24) is inserted into he door through the window module opening. The drop in window module (24) has a belt line beam (26), front and rear window guide channel (28, 30) a front window guide channel extension (38) pivotally attached to the beam and a window slidably mounted in the channels. The channel extension is pivoted toward the rear channel for insertion into the door. One end (68) of the belt line beam (28) is telescopically received by the inner door panel and the other end (76) is received in a socket formed on the inner door panel. A bolt (90) holds the other end in the socket.

Description: VEHICLE DOOR 5 TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a vehicle door and more particularly a vehicle door with a belt line opening in the top of the inner door panel that receives a door module assembly with a window and an operable window regulator. o BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Automotive vehicle doors have door hardware including windows, window guides, window regulators, door latches and locks and controls for various accessories. These components are generally inserted into the inside of a door through small inner panel openings, in a predetermined order and fastened in place. 5 The assembly of vehicle doors may be relatively complicated and time consuming due to the large number of parts and the need to insert fasteners into holes that can not always be seen while reaching into the door interior through a small opening. After all the parts are assembled inside a door, they have to be aligned to ensure that a window can be opened and closed properly. The internal door parts also o have to be tested to determine if they function properly. If there is a functional problem, it may be necessary to disassemble many of the installed parts, replace one or more parts and reassemble the door. After reassembly, door components are again tested. Disassembly, reassembly and retesting of vehicle door components 5 often has to be delayed until a vehicle is discharged from an assembly line. Correction of component problems after a vehicle leaves the assembly line may add significant additional time to the assembly process. Window and hardware modules that have been suggested in the past, require a large opening in the inner door panel. These large openings may 0 lessen the structural rigidity of the inner door panel. The lessening of the structure may be overcome by adding reinforcement members and structural beams. However, the added reinforcement members and structural beams may add weight. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The vehicle door has an inner door panel with a hinge face and a lock face. A belt line window module opening is provided in the inner door panel. A lock face beam contact surface is provided on an inside surface of the inner door panel adjacent to the lock face. A hinge face beam contact surface is provided adjacent to the lock face. A second belt line beam connector is secured to the inner door panel adjacent to the hinge face. A drop in window module includes a belt line beam having a first end in contact with the hinge face beam contact surface and a second end in contact with the lock face beam contact surface. Front and rear window guide channels are secured to the belt line beam. A window is slidably mounted in and guided by the window guide channels. The window is moved up and down by a window regulator assembly that is attached to the belt line beam and the window. An outer door panel is secured to the inner door panel. The belt line window module opening permits the drop in module, with the belt line beam, the front and rear window guide channels, a window and a window regulator attached to the window and the belt line beam, to be moved into the interior cavity in the door and into engagement with the first and second belt line beam contact surfaces. In this position the belt line beam transmits force to the hinge face and to the lock face of the inner door panel. The window module requires only a small belt line opening in the upper portion of the inner door panel. A door having a small belt line opening, for a window module, is strong and light weight. The tubular belt line beam add additional strength to the door while adding little or no weight. Assembly and functional testing of the window module takes place before the module is inserted into a door. Assembly of the window module outside the door may save substantial time and rework during the vehicle assembly process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The presently preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the inside of the vehicle door without the window module; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the window module; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the window module being inserted into a door assembly; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the belt line beam connectors; Figure 5 is a sectional view of the belt line beam mounted in a door assembly; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the belt line beam mounted in a modified door; Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view of the window module and inside door trim panels; Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the connection between the belt line beam and lock face; and Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 in Figure 8. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vehicle door 10 has an outer panel 12 and an inner panel 14. Various outer panels 12 can be secured to the inner panel 14. The inner panel 14 has a hinge face 16 and a lock face 18. A hinge face reinforcement 20 is secured to inside surfaces of the inner panel 14 in the forward section of the door 10. A window module opening 22 is provided in the inner panel 14 adjacent to the belt line. The belt line of the vehicle that is at the bottom of the normal side windows. The size and shape of the window module opening 22 is dependent upon the window module 24 and the components attached to the window module. If the opening 22 is small, the lower portion of the inner door panel 14 retains its original strength. The window module 24 includes a belt line beam 26 which is described below. The front window channel 28 is secured to the belt line beam 26 and extends downward from the belt line beam. A rear window channel 30 is secured to and extends downward from the belt line beam 26. An accessory mounting plate 32 is secured to the belt line beam 26 and extends downward from the beam. A window 34 is slidably mounted in the front and rear window 5 channels 28 and 30. A window regulator assembly 36 is mounted on the accessory plate 32 and connected to the window 34. Powered or manual operation of the regulator assembly 36 will open and close the window 34. A lower window channel extension 38 of the front window channel 28 is pivotally attached to the accessory mounting plate 32 by a pin 40. An anchor 0 plate 42 integral with channel extension 38. is secured to the mounting plate 32 by bolt 44 when the channel extension 38 is in a shipping position. The bolt 44 secures the anchor plate 42 to the inner door panel when the extension 38 is in the use position shown in phantom line in Figure 2. The purpose of the pivot pin 40 is explained below. A flexible window seal 46 is mounted in the front channel 28 and s the channel extension 38 and bridges the gap between these channels. A top channel assembly 48 is optional. It is secured to the front channel 28 and the rear channel 30 when the window 34 requires a sealing and guiding channel. Some vehicles have windows referred to as frameless windows, that seal against a rubber member. Frameless windows do not have a channel o above the belt line. Convertible vehicles with retractable or removable tops and vehicles referred to as hard tops employ frameless windows. A latch assembly 50 is suspended from the accessory mounting plate 32 by an arm 56. An inside support plate 54 for an outside door latch handle is also secured to the arm 56. Latch rods 52 and 58 are connected to the latch 5 assembly 50 and extend to the inside support plate 54 or to the accessory mounting plate 32. An inside door latch handle 96 may be secured to the accessory mounting plate 32 and connected to a rod 52 from the door latch 50. The belt line beam 26 is a tubular member. The beam 26 may have a round, rectangular or some other cross section shape. A hat shaped end cap 60 is o secured to the inside surface of the inner door panel adjacent to the lock face 18 by mechanical fastener 62 such as clench or weld nuts. These fasteners 62 preferably also secure a reinforcement plate 64 to the inner door panel 14 as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The hat shaped end cap 60 has a cylindrical portion 66 that is telescopically received in an end 68 of the belt line beam 26. The brim 70 of the end cap 60 has a stop surface 72 that contacts an end surface 74 of the belt line beam 26 and limits axial movement of the belt line beam 26 to the rear. The cylindrical surface 66 of the end cap 60 is the same shape as the round belt line beam 26 as shown in Figure 7. If the belt line beam 26 is rectangular or some other non-circular shape, the shape of the end cap 60 should be changed to insure that movement of the belt line beam 26 in a radial direction is prevented. The belt line beam 26 telescopically receives the portion of the end cap 60 with a cylindrical surface 66 as described above. The end cap 60 could be replaced by a socket member that telescopically receives an end 68 of the belt line beam if desired. The lock face 18 of the inner door panel 14 is a tubular member as shown in Figure 5. Other reinforcement construction for the lock face 18 can be employed if desired. The forward end 76 of the belt line beam 26 has a mounting bracket 78 welded to one side of a bracket 79 that telescopically receives the forward end of the beam. The bracket 78, 79 and the forward end 76 of the belt line beam 26 moves downward into a pocket delineated by the door inner panel 14 and a rearwardly facing wall 82 of the hinge face reinforcement 20 that define a fore and aft extending socket 84 in the inner panel 14. The end surface 86 of the belt line beam 26 abuts the wall 82 of the hinge face reinforcement 20 and transmits forces along the long axis 88 of the belt line beam 26 between the lock face 18 and the hinge face 16. Fasteners 90 secure the mounting bracket 78 or 79 to the inner panel 14 and in the socket 84 to hold the forward end 76 of the belt line beam in a fixed position relative to the wall 82 of the hinge face reinforcement 20. The fasteners 90 can be fixed non removable fasteners or threaded removable fasteners. In either case, axial forces on the belt line beam 26 are not transmitted by the fasteners 90 unless the inner panel 14 becomes overloaded. Axial forces on the belt line beam 26 are transmitted between the end surfaces 74 and 86, the hinge face and the lock face 18. The window module 24 is inserted into the inside of the door 10 through the window module opening 22 in the inner panel 14. The rear end 68 of the belt line beam 26 is lowered and moved into telescopic engagement with the end cap 60. The forward end 76 of the belt line beam 26 is then lowered into the 5 pocket defined by the inside surface 80, the wall 82 of the hinge face reinforcement 80 and the bar 87 as described above. The window channel extension 38 is folded into the shipping position, as described above, when the window module 24 is moved through the window module opening 22. When the belt line beam 26 is held in position by the fasteners 90, the window channel extension 38 can be 0 pivoted counterclockwise about the pin 40 as shown in Figure 2 and secured to the inner panel 14. The latch assembly 50 is secured to the lock face 18 by machine screws 92. The inside support plate 54, for an outside door handle 96 is secured to the outer panel 12 by suitable fasteners. The outside door handle snaps into the support plate 54. s The belt line beam 26 transfers force between the hinge face 20 and the lock face 18 in the event of a front or rear collision. As shown in Figures 1 and 3 the socket 84 is in the inside surface of inner panel 14. In Figures 5 and 6 the socket 84 is in an inside surface of the inner panel 14. The belt line beam 26 may help to provide a strong, but lighter, vehicle door 10. The weight of the door 10 o with the window module 24 is about the same as a door without the window module opening 22 and the usual upper reinforcing members for the inner panel 14. The window module 24, as described above, has minimal hardware attachments. A number of items can be added to the window module 24 if desired. These items include an inside door handle assembly 96, window seals 98 and 5 various control switches and handles. Door trim panels 100 and 102 may be attached to the window module 24 after the module is mounted in the door. Lights for various purposes can be attached to the window module 24 to illuminate the vehicle interior or to warn others when the door 10 is open. Side impact air bags could also be secured to the belt line beam 26 either directly or indirectly. o The window module 24 is assembled on a fixture in a window module assembly area. The window regulator assembly 36, all of the control switches and handles and other hardware items are tested or inspected before the window module assembly 24 is mounted in a door 10. The disclosed embodiment, with disclosed variations, is representative of presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

Claims: Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A vehicle door ( 10) having an inner door panel (14) including a hinge face (16) and a lock face (18), characterized by: 5 a belt line window module opening (22) in the inner door panel, a first belt line beam connector (78, 79) secured to an inside surface of the inner door panel adjacent to the hinge face, and a second belt line beam connector (60) secured to an inside surface of the inner door panel adjacent to the lock face; a drop in module (24) including a tubular belt line beam (26) having 0 a first end (76) in engagement with the first belt line beam connector (78, 79, 84) and a second end (68) in engagement with the second belt line beam connector (60) and wherein the tubular belt line beam is operable to transmit compression forces between the lock face and the hinge face; and an outer door panel (12) attached to the inner door panel. 5 2. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second belt line beam connector (60) telescopically receives the second end (68) of the tubular belt line beam, and the first belt line beam connector includes a socket (84) that receives the first end (76) of the tubular belt line beam. 0 3. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 2 wherein the second belt line beam connector includes at least one mechanical fastener (90) that retains the second end of the tubular belt line beam in the socket. 5 4. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 including a front window guide channel (28) secured to the tubular belt line beam (26), a rear window guide channel (30) secured to the tubular belt line beam, a window (34) slidably mounted in and guided by the rear window guide channel and the front window guide channel, and a window regulator assembly (36) attached to the o tubular belt line beam and the window that is operable to raise and lower the window. 5. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 4 wherein the front window guide channel is a cantilever and the rear window guide channel is a cantilever and including an upper window guide channel (48) secured to the front window guide channel and to the rear window guide channel. 5 6 . A vehicle door as set forth in claim 4 including a window guide channel extension (38) pivotally secured to the belt line beam adjacent to a lower end of one of the front window guide channel and the rear window guide channel. 0 7. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 4 including a front window guide channel extension (38) pivotally secured to the belt line beam adjacent to a lower end of the front window guide channel. 8. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 6 or 7 wherein the front 5 window guide channel extension is pivoted between a use position in which the front window guide channel extension is in alignment with the lower end of the front window guide channel and is operable to receive the window and a non use position in which the front window guide channel extension is pivoted toward the rear window guide channel. 0 9. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 4 including a window seal (98) secured to the tubular belt line beam and in sliding contact with the window. 10. A vehicle door as set forth in claim 4 including a latch assembly 5 (50) mounted on the tubular belt line beam of said drop in module. 11. A method of assembling a vehicle door (10) having an inner door panel (14), an outer door panel (12) secured to the inner door panel and a drop in window module opening (22) in the inner door panel; and a drop in module (24) o having a belt line beam (26), a front window channel (28) connected to the belt line beam, a rear window channel (30) connected to the belt line beam, a front window channel, extension (38) with an upper end pivotally attached to the belt line beam, a window (34) slidably mounted in the front window channel and the front window channel extension as well as the rear window channel, and a window regulator assembles (36) mounted on the belt line beam and connected to the window comprising the method steps of: 5 moving the window (34), in the drop in window module (24), out of the front window channel extension (38); pivoting a free end of front window channel extension (38) toward the rear window channel (30); inserting the drop in window module (24) into the window module 0 opening (22) in the inner door panel (12); positioning a first end (68) and a second end (78) of the belt line beam (26) in engagement with surfaces on the inner door panel, securing the belt line beam (26) in place; pivoting the front window channel extension (38) into alignment s with the front window channel (28) for guiding the window (34); and securing the front window channel extension alignment with the front window channel. 12. A method of assembling a vehicle door as set forth in claim 11 o wherein the step of positioning the first end (68) and the second end (78) of the belt line beam (26) in engagement with surfaces on the inner door panel includes moving the first end (68) of the belt line beam into telescopic engagement with a first receiver (60) on the inner door panel (14) and moving the second end (78) of the belt line beam into a socket (84) carried by the inner door panel. 5

Inventors: BARR GEOFFREY, MANUEL MARK, BARR, GEOFFREY, MANUEL, MARK
Applicants: DELPHI TECH INC, DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B60J5
IPC codes: B60J5