Patent Publication Number: US-2002011029-A1

Title: Door inner panel assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to door inner panel assemblies and in particular door inner panel assemblies for use in automobiles.  
       [0002] Known door inner panel assemblies include a door inner panel and a window regulator drive means such as a window regulator drive motor or a manual drive means. The drive means operate to raise and lower an associated window glass.  
       [0003] However, known door inner panel assemblies include several components which are complicated and time consuming to assemble.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of door inner panel assembly.  
       [0005] Thus according to the present invention there is provided a door inner panel assembly including a door inner panel and a window regulator drive means, the window regulator drive means having a drive portion and an output shaft projecting from the drive portion, the inner panel having an abutment portion for co-operation with the drive portion and a shaft support portion for co-operation with a portion of the shaft remote from the drive portion, the abutment portion and shaft support portion being integrally formed from the same material.  
       [0006] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing a door inner panel assembly including a door inner panel and a window regulator drive means comprising the steps of providing a window regulator drive means having a drive portion and an output shaft projecting from the drive portion, providing an inner panel having an abutment portion for co-operation with the drive portion and a shaft support portion for co-operation with a portion of the shaft remote from the drive portion, positioning the window regulator drive means relative to the door inner panel via at least one location feature of the panel, and securing the window regulator drive means relative to the door inner panel, in which the abutment portion and shaft support portion are integrally formed from the same material. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0007] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
     [0008]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of part of a door inner panel assembly according to the present invention;  
     [0009]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of part of FIG. 1; and  
     [0010]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of part of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENT  
     [0011] With reference to the figures there is shown a door inner panel assembly  10  including a door inner panel  12  and a window regulator drive means, in the form of a window regulator motor  14 .  
     [0012] In this case door inner panel  12  is in the form of a module mounting plate (also known as a carrier plate) upon which is mounted the window regulator motor, door latches (not shown) and a loud speaker (not shown). The door inner panel  12  is secured in a relatively large aperture of the inside of an associated door.  
     [0013] However, in further embodiments, the door inner panel of the present invention can comprise the door inner skin which is connected to the door outer skin, with various components such as latches and loud speakers being independently attached thereto.  
     [0014] The door inner panel is made from sheet material, in this case sheet steel and includes an aperture  16  and a bridge portion  18  integrally formed therewith via a pressing or stamping process. Bridge portion  18  includes a first upstanding leg  20  of L shape and a second upstanding leg  22  also of L shape.  
     [0015] Situated between the adjacent portions of the first and second upstanding legs is a shaft support portion in the form of a hole  24 .  
     [0016] Adjacent aperture  16  is an abutment portion  26  of the door inner panel, against which the window regulator motor is secured.  
     [0017] The window regulator motor  14  includes a drive portion in the form of a body  28  which is situated on a first side  30  of the door inner panel.  
     [0018] An output shaft  32  projects from the body  28  through aperture  16  and also through hole  24 . Output shaft  32  is rotationally fast with body  28  and acts a fixed axle for driven hub  33 .  
     [0019] However, in further embodiments the output shaft itself could be rotationally driven by the window regulator motor.  
     [0020] The window regulator motor is secured to the door inner panel by three screws  34  which past from the second side  31  through fixing holes  36  into the threaded holes  38  of the window regulator body.  
     [0021] In this case holes  36  are conically formed and co-operating with a conical recess  40  of the threaded holes  38  and also co-operates with the conical head  42  of the screws  34 .  
     [0022] The conical form of fixing holes  36  acts in co-operation with the conical recesses  40  to locate the body  28  in the correct position relative to the door inner panel  12 . Subsequent insertion of the screws  34  ensures that the body is secured to the body inner panel against the abutment portion  26 .  
     [0023] It should be noted that hole  24  supports a portion of shaft  32  remote from body  28 . Furthermore the first and second upstanding legs are provided substantially diametrically opposite to each other with regard to the axis of the shaft  32 .  
     [0024] A window regulator drum (only shown on FIG. 2 for clarity) is secured rotationally fast to the driven hub  33 . A window regulator cable  46  is wrapped around the periphery of the drum such that operation of the window regulator motor causes the driven hub and hence drum to rotate which results in lifting or lowering of a cursor attached to the cables, the cursor carrying a window glass.  
     [0025] In particular the aperture  16  is large enough to allow the drum to pass through the aperture during assembly of the window regulator motor and drum on to the door inner panel.  
     [0026] It can be seen that the shaft support portion assists in supporting the shaft  32  when it is being driven by the window regulator motor  14 . Furthermore side portions  20 A and  22 A of first and second upstanding legs  20  and  22  are positioned relatively closed to the periphery of the drum such that turns of the cable around the drum are retained in their correct drum groove.  
     [0027] In further embodiments the drive means could comprise a manual drive means instead of a window regulator motor. Furthermore a gear could be rotatably mounted on the shaft which acts as a fixed axle, which gear operates to rotate a window regulator sector.  
     [0028] In particular the door inner panel can be made from sheet material which is preferably sheet steel though in further embodiments this need not be the case. A particularly cost effective method of producing a door inner panel is to press or stamp the bridge portion  18 , though in further embodiments this need not be the case.  
     [0029] In order to ensure that the drive means is secured to the door inner panel in the correct position such that the shaft  32  aligns with the hole  24 , location features such a conical fixing holes  36  can be provided in the panel. When manufacturing these holes it is advantageous to provide a stamping tool which locates off the hole  24  whilst a finishing coining process is applied to the conical fixing holes  36 . Alternatively where the conical fixing holes  36  are finished prior to hole  24 , it is preferable to locate the tool which finishes hole  24  off the conical fixing holes  36 .  
     [0030] In a further method, it is possible to finish both the conical fixing holes  36  and the hole  24  in a single process, thus ensuring that the tolerances on the positions of these holes is minimised.  
     [0031] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Obviously, modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. CLAIMS