Patent Publication Number: US-2002005015-A1

Title: Door module

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to door modules and doors containing such modules. In particular the invention relates to door modules and doors for vehicles.  
       [0002] Some vehicle doors employ what is known as a door module. The door module consists of a carrier on which can be mounted various components such as window regulators, door latches, inside door handles, inside lock/unlock control, wiring harnesses, loud speakers, switches, etc.  
       [0003] During the assembly of the vehicle door, the door module is secured to the door inner panel, a large aperture having being pierced in the door inner panel to accept the door module. Some door modules, when attached to the inner panel, form a seal between the door cavity and the vehicle interior.  
       [0004] When this type of seal arrangement is in employed, it becomes extremely difficult to connect the door latch to the outside door handle and key device which are mounted on the door outer panel.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door module which is easier to assembly.  
       [0006] A door module assembly for mounting in a vehicle door, the module assembly including a door latch secured thereto, the door latch having an outside handle lever being located on and outer side of the door module assembly and been operably connectable, in use, to an outside door handle of the door, the door module assembly having a closeable access aperture to allow access from the inside of the door module to connect the outside handle lever to the outside door handle, in which, in use, the door module assembly is sealed relative to the access aperture.  
       [0007] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a door module assembly for mounting in a vehicle door, the door module assembly including a door latch secured thereto, the latch having a key lever being located on an outer side of the door module assembly and being operably connectable, in use, to an outside key barrel, the door module assembly having a closeable access aperture to allow access from the inside of the door module to connect the key lever to the key barrel, in which, in use, the door module assembly is sealed relative to the access aperture. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a door suitable for accepting a door module of the present invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is an isometric partial view of an outside of a door module assembly according to the present invention;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is an isometric partial view of the door module assembly of FIG. 2 viewed from the inside; and  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with an access aperture cover in place. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0013] With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a vehicle door  10  having a door inner panel  12  in the form a pressed sheet metal component. The door inner panel is connected to a door outer panel  14  (also known as a door outer skin).  
     [0014] The inner panel  12  and outer panel  14  provide for a door cavity  16  (known as the wet side of the door).  
     [0015] The inner panel  12  includes a large mounting aperture  18 . Inner panel  12  further includes attachment points  20  used to secure the carrier of a door module assembly (see below) to the inner panel.  
     [0016] Inner panel  12  further includes an aperture border  22  against which the carrier can seal.  
     [0017] With reference to FIGS.  2  to  4  there is shown a door module assembly  23  having a carrier  24 . Typically the door module carrier would be a pressed sheet metal component on which can be mounted eg a window regulator, a door latch, an inside door handle, an inside lock/unlock control (e.g. sill button), a wiring harness, loud speaker, and various switches depending upon the particular requirement. In this case door module carrier  24  has been shown as a simple planar component for ease of reference.  
     [0018] Door module carrier  24  includes a peripheral border region  26  (only part of which is shown cross hatched) for abutment with the aperture border  22  of the door inner panel to provide a seal between the door cavity  16  and the interior of the vehicle, i.e. between the wet and dry sides of the door.  
     [0019] Consideration of FIG. 2 shows that the door module carrier  24  includes an access aperture  28  the purpose of which will be described further below.  
     [0020] Mounted on the carrier  24  is a door latch  30  having a key lever  32  and an outside handle lever  34 . The door latch  30  further includes a latch support portion  36 , in this case integrally formed as part of a plastics molding with a portion of latch housing  38 .  
     [0021] The latch support portion  36  includes a flange portion  40  with a lip portion  42  which together are of generally L-shaped cross section.  
     [0022] Lip portion  42  fits within access aperture  28  with flange portion  40  abutting the outer face  24 A of module carrier  24  to form a seal.  
     [0023] A relatively small gap  44  (see FIG. 3) is provided between lip portion  42  and the edge  28 A of access aperture  28  to provide for a limited amount of relative movement between the carrier  24  and latch  30  to take up manufacturing tolerances.  
     [0024] Lip  42  includes a cut out  46  in which is situated an inside release connection means in the form of a bowden cable  48  which connects the inside door handle to the inside handle lever  35  of the door latch.  
     [0025] The latch support portion  36  further provides an electrical connector housing  50  within which are situated electrical pins  52 . It should be noted that the pins are located on the inside (dry side) of the door module assembly and are therefore protected from moisture and dirt within the door cavity  16 .  
     [0026] Consideration of FIG. 4 shows that a cover  54  can be located in a position which closes the access aperture  28 . In particular cover  54  seals against lip portion  42  to provide a barrier between the door cavity  16  and the inside of an associated vehicle.  
     [0027] A trim panel (not shown) can be fixed to the inside of the door for aesthetic purposes. It should be noted that the trim panel is located on the inside (dry side) of the door in a dry zone and therefore does not perform any water/moisture barrier function. Hence the trim panel need not possess any water barrier characteristics.  
     [0028] Assembly of a door including a door module according to the present invention is a follows:  
     [0029] A door is assembled to the stage as shown in FIG. 1. The door includes an outside door handle (not shown) and also a key barrel (not shown).  
     [0030] A door module is assembled by mounting various components (not shown) onto the module carrier  24  including the door latch  30  and bowden cable  48 .  
     [0031] The peripheral border region  26  of the carrier  24  is positioned against the aperture border  22  of the inner panel, preferably with an elastomeric seal positioned there between, thus substantially closing the mounting aperture  18 .  
     [0032] Suitable fixtures are used to attach the carrier to the door inner panel by utilization of the attachment points  20 .  
     [0033] At this stage the key lever and outside handle lever remain unconnected to the appropriate key barrel and outside door handle.  
     [0034] By removing the cover  54 , an operator can insert his or her hand through the access aperture and reach in to the door cavity to connect the key lever with the key barrel and also to connect the outside handle lever with the outside door handle. Once the connection has being made and operation of the outside handle and key barrel checked, the operator can remove his or her hand and the access aperture can then be closed by replacing the cover  54 , noting that the cover is sealed relative to the aperture.  
     [0035] After the carrier has been fixed to the door inner panel, and operation of the outside handle and key barrel checked the trim panel can be assembled onto the inside of the door.  
     [0036] In a preferred embodiment the cover  54  can be molded integrally with the latch support portion to provide for a live hinge between the cover  54  and the latch support portion.  
     [0037] It should be noted that the electrical pins  52  are located on the inside of the module carrier, i.e. in a region which is less susceptible to the ingress of moisture and dust. The invention therefore provides for an arrangement whereby the integrity of electrical connections can be improved. Further the access aperture can be conveniently used to allow the passage of the inside release connection means from the inside of the module carrier to the outside of the module carrier.  
     [0038] The access aperture need not be sufficiently large to allow access of an operator&#39;s hand. For example access may only be required for a tool, such as a pair of pliers, to make the appropriate connection.  
     [0039] Depending upon the particular installation then different sealing requirements may be required, for example the seal may be required to be dust resistance, dust proof, moisture resistance or moisture proof. Furthermore higher or lower levers of sealing may be required. Thus the term seal is used herein to describe various degrees of sealing.  
     [0040] The foregoing description is only exemplary of the principles of the invention.  
     [0041] Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specially described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.