Abstract:
The invention relates to a motor vehicle door with a door inner shell and a door outer shell joined thereto. A large-area opening in the door inner shell can be covered in a sealed manner by a supporting plate by means of a sealing area, and with a channel seal, which forms the upper termination of the inner parapet area. The motor vehicle door is characterized in that the upper edge of the supporting plate supports the channel seal. The ends of the channel seal are connected to lateral sealing areas of the supporting plate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a National Phase Patent Application of International Application Number PCT/DE01/04035, filed on Oct. 22, 2001, which claims priority of German Patent Application Number 100 52 739.6, filed Oct. 25, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a motor vehicle door. More particularly, the invention relates to a motor vehicle door having a wet/dry space separation in which the wet space on the side of the door outer shell is separated from the dry space on the side of the door inside trim. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vehicle doors of the generic type are known from DE 94 08 653 U1, DE 19509282 A1, DE 195 11 105 C1, DE 196 22 310 A1, DE 197 38 656 A1, DE 199 15 151 A1, DE 199 44 965 A1 and EP 0 684 157 A1. The door inner shells have an “assembly” opening of large area which can be closed by a support plate fitted with function elements. The opening may be advantageously utilized during assembly processes. In order to achieve an effective sealing contact—even in the event of pressure differences between the wet and dry spaces—a circumferential sealing cord is provided which extends along the edge of the opening in the door inner shell. A door structure of this kind enables pre-assembly and pre-checking of the function elements (e.g. window lifter, lock control electronics, electric connectors, etc.) before these are inserted with the support plate into the door body. By mounting the function elements on the dry space side it is possible to omit expensive damp protection. An inner channel seal which is to prevent moisture from penetrating into the interior passenger compartment, extends at a comparatively short distance from the upper substantially horizontally aligned sealing area between the support plate and door inner shell. 
     A channel seal having an integrated reinforcement element for the ledge area is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,448. The disclosed reinforcement element has a clip-like fixing area which is engaged surrounding the upper end of the door inner shell. On the wet space side of the door inner shell the sheet metal plate of the reinforcement element continues down into an inverted area in order to finish in a closed profile. An adjoining arm supports the sealing lips of the channel seal facing the inside of the window pane. 
     Other vehicle doors with various sealing arrangements are also known. It would be desirable to provide a motor vehicle door with a configuration and channel seal that meets wet/dry space separation requirements with reduced sealing costs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a vehicle door having a door inner shell, a door outer shell connected thereto and a large area assembly opening in the door inner shell which can be sealingly covered by a support plate fitted with function elements whereby the high demands on the wet/dry space separation are met with reduced sealing costs. 
     The present invention achieves this objective by providing a channel seal forming the upper closure of an inner ledge area that is supported by an upper edge of the support plate whereby the ends of the channel seal are connected to the side sealing areas of the support plate. This produces a closed uninterrupted sealing contour. The upper sealing area formed by the channel seal thus forms a seal between the door inner shell and the support plate. In one embodiment, the channel seal can include a clip-like fixing area with a metal insert that is engaged with and surrounds the upper edge area of the support plate and has a laterally protruding area which supports the sealing lips associated with the inside of the window pane. 
     According to another exemplary embodiment, the invention provides that the door inner shell has in the ledge area, the overall shaft reinforcement on the inside and the upper contour of the support plate extends substantially along the upper contour of the ledge area of the door inner shell. The channel seal thereby engages and covers both the upper edge of the support plate and also the upper edge of the door inner shell. 
     According to another exemplary embodiment, the invention provides the door inner shell having, in the ledge area, an upper part of the inside shaft reinforcement, and the support plate has a lower part of the inside shaft reinforcement. In this case the upper edges of the support plate and door inner shell form a common closure which is engaged by the fixing areas of the channel seal. In the reverse case in which the door inner shell forms in the ledge area the lower part of the inside shaft reinforcement and the support plate forms the upper part of the inside shaft reinforcement, the channel seal may be connected solely to the upper contour of the support plate. This type of fixing for the channel seal is in any case necessary if the support plate in the ledge area forms the entire internal shaft reinforcement. 
     The channel seal may include a bead which serves to hang the door inside trim panel above its fixing area. 
     The sealing areas between the support plate and the associated lateral edge areas and the lower edge area of the opening in the door inner shell can be formed by a continuous sealing element, e.g. in the form of an injection-moulded or stuck-on sealing cord. A further possibility for forming the sealing areas consists of causing an elastic sealing foil to adhere onto the support plate, more particularly in the form of a foamed foil. 
     The support plates can be manufactured simply as stamped parts of sheet steel or of another sheet metal material, whereby the shaft reinforcement can be formed where necessary by stamping and/or bending processes. An even higher degree of integration can be achieved with a support plate in the form of a light metal cast part. In this embodiment, bearing sites or fixing elements can also be formed without having to make an opening which penetrates through the wet/dry space separation. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the support plate may be formed of injected plastic. When using a support plate in the form of a plastics injected part using multi-component technology, the channel seal may be formed by means of sufficiently flexible plastics components which are integrated into the support plate in one piece. Furthermore the remaining sealing areas provided on the support plate (the lower and the side sealing areas between the support plate and the associated edge areas of the opening in the door inner shell) can also be integrated in one piece into the support plate. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be explained with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 a  shows a diagrammatic view of an exemplary door inner shell, support plate and inside channel seal of the present invention, in an exploded view; 
     FIG. 1 b  shows a diagrammatic view of the parts shown in FIG. 1 a , after assembly; 
     FIG. 1 c  shows a diagrammatic view of the assembled parts shown in FIG. 1 a , from the side of the support plate; 
     FIG. 1 d  shows a diagrammatic end view of the assembled parts shown in FIG. 1 a;    
     FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the vehicle door of the present invention, through the large area opening in the door inner shell; 
     FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic exploded view of an exemplary door inner shell of the present invention, having a ledge reinforcement which extends into the area of the channel seal; 
     FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic exploded view of an exemplary door inner shell of the present invention, having a ledge reinforcement which does not reach into the area of the channel seal; 
     FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic exploded view of an exemplary door inner shell of the present invention without any ledge reinforcement; and 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an exemplary motor vehicle door of the present invention having a frame module, which can be inserted from above into the door box formed from the door inner shell and the door outer shell. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Provided is a new door concept according to which the upper edge  200  of the support plate  2 ,  2 ′,  2 ″ that covers the assembly opening  111  provided in the door inner shell  1 ,  1 ′,  1 ″, supports the channel seal  3 . This enables reduced sealing costs when compared to known door concepts with a so-called wet/dry space separation because the channel seal  3  also seals the support plate  2 ,  2 ′,  2 ″ together to the door inner shell  1 ,  1 ′,  1 ″. A conventional sealing strip which is otherwise necessary in this area is therefore not needed. Material and production costs can thereby be saved. Furthermore, the raised contour (i.e. upper edge) of the support plate additionally provides an enlarged assembly surface for diverse pre-assembled function units if the ledge area of the door inner shell is made narrower towards the top or is completely replaced by a ledge reinforcement integrated in the support plate. 
     The door concept is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 a  to  1   d  which show a door inner shell  1  which may be a light metal cast part (e.g. of aluminium or magnesium alloy) or a sheet metal or injected plastic part in various exemplary embodiments. FIGS. 1 a  and  1   b  show the door inner shell  1  from the side of the door inner shell. The door inner shell consists substantially of an inner wall facing the passenger compartment and having a large area assembly opening  111  therethrough. By assembly opening, it is meant that this opening may be utilized for the assembly of function elements which may be on support plate  2 . In an upper portion, i.e. the ledge area, door inner shell  1  includes a ledge reinforcement  10  with a web-like closure member designated web  100 . The door base  13  and the side walls  12  extend out at an angle sideways from the inner wall  11  (i.e. generally orthogonal to inner wall  11 ) and may be fitted with the door hinges (not shown) and the lock. The inside wall  11  is associated with a support plate  2  which can completely cover the opening  111  and which supports a seal  20   a  and  20   b  which extend along the side edges and the lower edge, respectively, of support plate  2  to form a lower sealing area and side sealing areas between the support plate  2  and door inner shell  1 . The side edges and seal  20   a  end on the upper edge of the support plate  1  in an end area  20   aa  associated with the channel seal  3 . The door inner shell  1  is joined to support plate  2  as shown in FIGS. 1 b - 1   d . The connection between the door inner shell  1  and the support plate  2  is through screws or rivets through the fixing openings  21 ,  110  shown in FIG. 1 c , but other means for fastening may be used in other exemplary embodiments. 
     The inner channel seal  3  includes a U-shaped fixing area that can be fitted onto the product of the combination of door inner shell  1  and support plate  2 . U-shaped fixing area  30  thereby engages the upper edges  100 ,  200  of the door inner shell  1  and support plate  2 , respectively, by surrounding them (see FIG. 1 d ) whereby the inner base surface of the U-shaped fixing area  30  enters into contact with the end areas  20   aa  of the side sealing areas  20   a  of the support plate and thus forms a closed seal which meets the demands required for the wet/dry space separation. 
     The section of the ledge area of a vehicle door shown in FIG. 2 corresponds to the door concept according to FIGS. 1 a - 1   d  and shows—in addition to further details of the inner channel seal  3 —also the outer channel seal  6  which is supported by an end area formed by the door outer shell  5  and the outer ledge reinforcement  50  flanged therewith. The fixing area  60  of the channel seal  6  has a U-shaped metal clip  600  which produces the necessary holding forces. Two molded sealing lips  61 ,  62  serve to bear against the outer surface of the window pane  7 . 
     The inner channel seal  3  likewise has in the fixing area  30  a metal clip  300  shaped so that the one end area of the metal clip  600  can also support the sealing lip  31  which is provided to bear against the inner surface of the window pane  7 . Furthermore at the base of the substantially U-shaped fixing area  30  there is a projection  32  which serves for mounting the end  40  of the door inner trim panel  4 . In the inside of the fixing area  30 , a sealing material is shaped into sealing lips  301  which adjoin and surround the upper edges  100 ,  200  of the door inner shell  1 ′ and support plate  2 ′. 
     The exemplary door shown in FIG. 3 includes a door inner shell  1  with a reduced inner ledge reinforcement which closes at the top with the web  100 . Web  100  is supported from beneath by a ledge reinforcement  210  which is connected to the support plate  2  and which is insertable by its ends projecting over the side edges of the support plate  2  into the channel-like recess  120  of the door inner shell  1 . The side sealing area  20   a  thereby also extends over the ledge reinforcement  210  and ends at the side end edge  200  of the support plate  2  so that after fitting the channel seal  3  it is ensured that the latter connects with the seal  20   a ,  20   aa  of the support plate  2 . The channel seal  3  engages similar to the embodiments described in FIGS. 1 a  to  2  with its fixing area  30  adjoining and surrounding the upper edges of the door inner shell  1  and the support plate  2 . 
     In another exemplary embodiment, FIG. 4 shows a door with a ledge reinforcement  220  which is mounted on the support plate  2  and which is inserted by its outer end faces  220   a  between the inner end faces  10   a  of the side struts  11 ,  12 . Underneath this ledge reinforcement  220  is a ledge reinforcement  10 ′ which connects the struts  11 ,  12  of the door inner shell  1 . In the present case the upper contour  200  of the support plate  2  projects over all areas of the door inner shell  1  and therefore supports the channel seal  3 . Thus, pre-assembly of the channel seal  3  on the support plate  2  is fundamentally possible prior to assembling the door. 
     The exemplary door illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from that according to FIG. 4 basically only in that the door inner shell  1  has no ledge reinforcement such as ledge reinforcement  10 ′ shown in FIG. 4, and that the ledge reinforcement  230  of the support plate  2  extends over the entire width of the support plate  2 . Ledge reinforcement  230  is substantially completely on the support plate  2 . Even in this case the upper contour  200  of the support plate  2  forms the closure for the wet/dry space separation and supports the channel seal  3 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a motor vehicle door with a frame module according to the exemplary door shown in FIG.  5 . The door body is formed by a door box which is formed from the door outer shell  5 ″ and the door inner shell  1 ″ and is open to the top so that the frame module can be inserted and fitted therein. The window frame  9  and the support plate  2 ″ are connected together through joining members  90 ,  91  whereby the joining members  90 ,  91  serve to adjust the frame  9  relative to the door box  1 ″,  5 ″ and for assembly. Fixing spots  21 ,  110  are provided along the sealing area  130  to connect the support plate  2 ″ to the inside wall  11 ″ of the door inner shell  1 ″. 
     The ledge area of the door is formed by a tubular ledge reinforcement  240  which is connected through bolt like pins to the joining members  90 ,  91 . The support plate  2 ″ is fixed thereon, with its upper region being adapted to the desired contour of the ledge and enclosing the ledge reinforcement  240  in part. The closing upper contour  200 ″ of the support plate  2 ″ is formed by an upwardly angled edge area which supports the inner channel seal  3  (not shown). 
     The support plate  2 ″ forms with its pre-fitted function units one unit capable of being pre-checked so that high quality standards can be met. Such function units can be for example an arm rest ( 80 ), switch unit ( 81 ) for controlling the electrically driven window lifters or mirrors, a drive unit ( 83 ) for a window lifter, a door inside opener ( 82 ), a speaker ( 84 ) or a wiring harness. Arranging the function units on the dry space side of the door arrangement enables considerable savings to be made by avoiding wet space designs which would otherwise be necessary.