Abstract:
In a garnish-attached frame molding is provided with a frame molding, which includes a horizontal portion extending along an upper edge of a door panel and an inclined portion extending obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion to be connected to an upper sash; and a decorative garnish formed from synthetic resin and has an external shape that corresponds to external shapes of the horizontal portion and the inclined portion of the frame molding. The dimensions of the garnish-attached frame molding in the vehicle widthwise direction is reduced and the positional accuracy between the frame molding and the garnish is enhanced by fixing the garnish to the frame molding that is fixed to the door panel.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a frame molding, provided with a decorative garnish, which is provided at a triangular corner portion of a door sash on top of a door panel, and a method of producing a vehicle door. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Vehicle doors are provided with a sash, which forms a window opening, integrally formed on top of a door panel. The sash is generally provided with an upper sash which extends obliquely upwards from one of the front and rear ends of the door panel, and an upright pillar sash which extends upward from the other end; a triangular corner portion is formed between the upper sash and the upper edge of the door panel. Sometimes such a triangular corner portion is formed not only on a vehicle front side door, but also on a vehicle rear side door. 
         [0003]    A frame molding made of metal, having V-shape in a side view and including a horizontal portion that extends along one of the front and rear ends of the door panel and an inclined portion that extends obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion and is connected to the upper sash, has been conventionally attached to such a triangular corner portion, which is formed by the upper sash and the upper edge of the door panel. In the triangular space of this frame molding, a garnish for decoration purposes which is made of synthetic resin is positioned to improve the outward appearance (Patent Literature 1). 
         [0004]    In Patent Literature 1, the frame molding is fixed to the door panel (doorframe) via a special bracket, and the garnish is fixed to this bracket. Since the bracket is one of the door panel-side members, both the frame molding and the garnish are fixed to the door panel. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0005]    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication H05-178097 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0006]    However, in this conventional fixing (supporting) structure for the frame molding and the garnish, since a bracket exists between the frame molding and the garnish, a space therefor which is large in the vehicle widthwise direction is required; additionally, it is difficult to define the positions of the frame molding and the garnish with precision. Specifically, if the operation to fix the frame molding to the door panel and the operation to fix the garnish to the door panel are independently performed, the dimensional control between the frame molding and the garnish becomes difficult, which makes it difficult to obtain an excellent appearance. 
         [0007]    Based on the above described problems of the conventional art, an object of the present invention is to obtain a garnish-attached frame molding and a method of producing a vehicle door, by reducing the dimensions in the vehicle widthwise direction and enhancing the positional accuracy between the frame molding and the garnish. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0008]    The inventors of the present invention have accomplished the present invention from the viewpoint that the problems of the conventional art can be solved by fixing the garnish to the frame molding and fixing this frame molding to the door panel without fixing the garnish to the door panel. 
         [0009]    The present invention is characterized by a garnish-attached frame molding including a frame molding which is configured to be fixed to a door panel and includes a horizontal portion, which extends along an upper edge of the door panel, and an inclined portion which extends obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion to be connected to an upper sash; and a decorative garnish which is made of synthetic resin, is fixed to the frame molding, and has an external shape that corresponds to external shapes of the horizontal portion and the inclined portion of the frame molding. 
         [0010]    In a desirable embodiment, the frame molding includes a plurality of support plates which project inwardly from the horizontal portion and the inclined portion, a support hole being formed in each of the support plates, and wherein bosses which are thermally welded to the support holes while being inserted into the support holes, respectively, are formed on the garnish to project therefrom. 
         [0011]    It is desirable for at least two of the support plates to be provided on the inclined portion, wherein at least one of the support plates is provided on the horizontal portion; one of the support holes that are formed in the two support plates on the inclined portion includes a reference circular hole which is engaged with an associated one of the bosses, which are formed as a cylindrical column, of the garnish with a small clearance; the other support hole that are formed in the two support plates includes a rotation prevention hole shaped into an elongated hole, a large clearance formed in a direction of extension of the inclined portion between the rotation prevention hole and an associated another of the bosses of the garnish; and the support hole that is formed in the horizontal portion includes a relief hole which is engaged with an associated the boss of the garnish with a large clearance. 
         [0012]    It is desirable for the garnish to include an external surface portion which is positioned on an outer side, with respect to a vehicle widthwise direction; and a plurality of seat portions which are positioned closer to an inner side, with respect to the vehicle widthwise direction, than the external surface portion and are spaced from the external surface portion. The bosses are formed on the seat portions to project therefrom. 
         [0013]    Contact projections which come in contact with portions of the support plates are formed on the seat portions. 
         [0014]    The present invention is also characterized by a method of producing a vehicle door provided with a frame molding, which includes a horizontal portion extending along an upper edge of a door panel and an inclined portion extending obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion to be connected to an upper sash; and a decorative garnish formed from synthetic resin and has an external shape that corresponds to external shapes of the horizontal portion and the inclined portion of the frame molding, the method including a step of fixing the garnish to the frame molding, and a step of fixing the frame molding to the door panel. 
       Advantageous Effects of the Invention 
       [0015]    An illustrated embodiment of the garnish-attached frame molding includes a garnish-attached frame molding including a frame molding which is configured to be fixed to a door panel and includes a horizontal portion, which extends along an upper edge of the door panel, and an inclined portion which extends obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion to be connected to an upper sash; and a decorative garnish which is made of synthetic resin, is fixed to the frame molding, and has an external shape that corresponds to external shapes of the horizontal port ion and the inclined port ion of the frame molding. Such a configuration facilitates the connecting operation to connect the garnish-attached frame molding and the vehicle door and makes it possible to reduce the total thickness of the garnish-attached frame molding in the vehicle widthwise direction. 
         [0016]    Additionally, the present invention a vehicle door provided with a frame molding, which includes a horizontal portion extending along an upper edge of a door panel and an inclined portion extending obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion to be connected to an upper sash, a decorative garnish formed from synthetic resin and has an external shape that corresponds to external shapes of the horizontal portion and the inclined portion of the frame molding, and includes a step of fixing the garnish to the frame molding, and a step of fixing the frame molding to the door panel. Hence, since the garnish is fixed to the frame molding and the frame molding is directly fixed to the door panel without any intermediate member provided therebetween, the positional accuracy between the frame molding and the garnish can be enhanced, and the outward appearance can be improved. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of an embodiment of a vehicle door in which a garnish-attached frame molding according to the present invention is connected to a door panel, viewed from the vehicle interior side. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the garnish-attached frame molding and the door panel in a mutually separated state. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the garnish-attached frame molding, viewed from the vehicle interior side. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along the line IV-IV shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the garnish and the frame molding in a mutually separated state, viewed from the vehicle interior side. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the garnish and the frame molding in a connected state. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7A  is an enlarged perspective view of a seat portion of the garnish shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 7B  is a cross sectional view taken along the line VII-VII shown in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0025]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are perspective views corresponding to that of  FIG. 7A , showing other embodiments of the seat portion of the garnish. 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view taken along the line IX-IX shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a vehicle door  10 , to which the present invention has been applied, for opening and closing a side opening of a vehicle body. The vehicle door  10  is a front door, and the outer surface of a lower half of the vehicle door  10  is formed of a metal outer panel (door panel)  11 . A door sash  12  that constitutes an upper half of the vehicle door  10  is fixed to the top of the outer panel  11 . The door sash  12  is provided with a rear sash (upright pillar sash)  13  which extends upward from the rear end of the outer panel  11 , an upper sash  14  which extends obliquely downwards from the upper end of the rear sash  13 , and a frame molding  20  which is positioned on top of the front end of the outer panel  11 . The frame molding  20  is made of metal (e.g., SUS) and is provided with an inclined portion  21 , which is connected to the front end of the upper sash  14 , and a horizontal portion  22  which extends along an upper edge of the outer panel  11 , thereby having the shape of a letter V in a side view. The horizontal portion  22  is connected to a molding mounting portion  11   a  ( FIG. 2 ) which is formed on the upper edge of the outer panel  11 , and is further connected to the front end of a belt molding  15  which is mounted to the molding mounting portion  11   a . A sliding glass window (not shown) is installed in the window opening, formed by the door sash  12 , to be upwardly and downwardly movable. 
         [0028]    A garnish  30  made of synthetic resin is fixed to the frame molding  20 .  FIGS. 2 through 6  show an embodiment of the fixing structure to fix the frame molding  20  and the garnish  30  to each other. The frame molding  20  is provided on the inclined portion  21  with two support plates  24  and  25 , and is provided on the horizontal portion  22  with one support plate  26 . Each of the support plates  24 ,  25  and  26  is formed to project both inward (toward the inside of the V-shaped part that can be seen as the shape of a letter V in a side view) and toward the vehicle interior. Specifically, as clearly seen in  FIG. 4 , the inclined portion  21  and the horizontal portion  22  are provided with an outward appearance surface  21   a  and an outward appearance surface  22   a , respectively, and the support plates  24 ,  25  and  26  are provided with inclined walls  24   a ,  25   a  and  26   a  which extend inwardly from the outward appearance surface  21   a  or  22   a  and front-back directional vertical walls  24   b ,  25   b  and  26   b , which are continuous with the inner ends of the inclined walls  24   a ,  25   a  and  26   a , respectively. Additionally, as viewed in the vehicle widthwise direction, the front-back directional vertical wall  24   b  is provided with a small-diameter reference circular hole (support hole)  24   c , the front-back directional vertical wall  25   b  is provided with a rotation prevention hole (support hole)  25   c  which is formed as a hole elongated in the extension direction of the inclined portion  21 , and the front-back directional vertical wall  26   b  is provided with a large-diameter relief hole (support hole)  26   c.    
         [0029]    The garnish  30  that is made of synthetic resin is provided with an external surface portion  31  having an outward appearance surface  31   x  which is substantially flush with the outward appearance surface  21   a  of the inclined portion  21  and the outward appearance surface  22   a  of the horizontal portion  22 . The external surface portion  31  has a triangular shape in a side view, being provided, in a side view, with a beveled edge  31   a  which is slightly greater in external shape than the inner periphery of the inclined portion  21 , a horizontal edge  31   b  which is slightly greater in external shape than the inner periphery of the horizontal portion  22 , and a vertical edge  31   c  which extends in the vertical direction. The beveled edge  31   a  and the horizontal edge  31   b  are inclined inwardly, toward the vehicle interior side from the vehicle exterior side ( FIG. 4 ). 
         [0030]    The garnish  30  is provided with three seat portions  32  which are positioned closer to the vehicle interior side than the external surface portion  31  and are formed to correspond to the support plates  24 ,  25  and  26 , respectively. The three seat portions  32  have mutually substantially the same structure and are each connected to the external surface portion  31  via a connecting rib  32   a  which forms a clearance  33  (clearly shown only in  FIG. 4 ) between the external surface portion  31  and the associated seat portion  32 . A cylindrical columnar boss  34  is formed on each seat portion  32  to project toward the vehicle interior. The positions of each boss  34  and the associated connecting rib  32   a  are mutually different in the vehicle widthwise direction. 
         [0031]    In this embodiment, the three bosses  34  are cylindrical columnar projections of the same size, and the bosses  34  are fitted in the reference circular hole  24   c  of the support plate  24  with minimum clearance, engaged with the rotation prevention hole  25   c  of the support plate portion  25  with a large clearance in the lengthwise direction thereof (fitted in the rotation prevention hole  25   c  of the support plate portion  25  with minimum clearance in a direction orthogonal to the lengthwise direction thereof), and fitted in the relief hole  26   c  of the support plate  26  with a large clearance. 
         [0032]    The garnish  30  is provided, on the surface of each seat portion  32  which is positioned on the frame molding  20  side, with contact projections (height control projections)  32   b  which reduce the contact area with the associated front-back directional vertical wall  24   b ,  25   b  or  26   b , as shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIGS. 7A and 7B  show the details of the contact projections  32   b . The contact projections  32   b  project toward the frame molding  20  in the shape of a cross with the associated boss  34  as a center, and the surfaces of the contact projections  32   b  (the surfaces thereof on the frame molding  20  side) come in contact with the associated front-back directional vertical wall  24   b ,  25   b  or  26   b  of the frame molding  20 . Accordingly, reducing the contact area of each seat portion  32  of the garnish  30  with the associated front-back directional vertical wall  24   b ,  25   b  or  26   b  of the frame molding  20  facilitates the control of the distance of the garnish  30  from the frame molding  20 .  FIGS. 8A and 8B  show examples of the shapes of different contact projections which are formed on the seat portions  32 . Four point-like contact projections  32   b ′ are formed around a boss  34  at regular intervals in  FIG. 8A , and contact projections  32   b ″ in the shape of a cross which are greater in height than the cross-shaped contact projections  32   b  are formed in a stepped shape in cross section in  FIG. 8B . 
         [0033]    The above described frame molding  20  and garnish  30  are engaged with each other by fitting the two bosses  34  which are arranged along the beveled edge  31   a  of the garnish  30  into the reference circular hole  24   c  of the support plate  24  of the frame molding  20  and the circular prevention hole  25   c  of the support plate  25  of the frame molding  20 , respectively, and fitting the boss  34  which is arranged along the horizontal edge  31   b  into the relief hole  26   c  of the support plate  26 . At this stage, the reference circular hole  24   c  and the associated boss  34  are engaged with each other with minimum clearance, which allows the garnish  30  to rotate about the reference circular hole  24   c . In addition, since the rotation prevention hole  25   c  and the associated boss  34  are engaged with each other with minimum clearance in a direction orthogonal to the lengthwise direction of the rotation prevention hole  25   c , the garnish  30  is prevented from rotating about the reference circular hole  24   c  when the rotation prevention hole  25   c  and the boss  34  are engaged with each other. On the other hand, since the clearance between the relief hole  26   c  and the associated boss  34  is set to be the greatest, the relief hole  26   c  and the associated boss  34  can be made to be easily engaged with each other in a state where the garnish  30  is prevented from rotating. Additionally, the end of the bosses  34  are thermally swaged thermally welded in an engaged state with the reference circular hole  24   c , the rotation prevention hole  25   c  and the relief hole  26   c , respectively.  FIG. 3  shows the shapes of the bosses  34  before being thermally swaged and  FIG. 4  ( FIG. 2 ) shows the shapes of the bosses  34  after being thermally swaged. Since the bosses  34  are provided on the seat portions  32  that are spaced from the external surface portion  31  in the vehicle widthwise direction, there is no possibility of the heat which is produced during the thermally swaging of the bosses  34  reaching the external surface portion  31  and deforming the external surface portion  31  (causing shrinkage marks). 
         [0034]    According to the connecting structure between the frame molding  20  and the garnish  30 , since the frame molding  20  and the garnish  30  are directly connected without any intermediate member provided therebetween, the relative positional relationship between the frame molding  20  and the garnish  30  can be properly determined. For instance, an excellent outward appearance can be obtained by controlling the clearance between the beveled edge  31   a  of the external surface portion  31  of the garnish  30  and the inclined portion  21  of the frame molding  20 , and the clearance between the horizontal edge  31   b  and the horizontal portion  22 , which are shown in  FIG. 4 , with high precision. 
         [0035]    In the above illustrated embodiment, the three bosses  34  are cylindrically columnar in shape and are the same size. However, although the boss  34  which is engaged in the reference circular hole  24   c  is desirably in the shape of a cylindrical column, either the boss  34  which is engaged in the rotation prevention hole  25   c  or the boss  34  which is engaged in the relief hole  26   c  does not necessarily need to have a cylindrical columnar shape. 
         [0036]    The frame molding  20  to which the garnish  30  is connected is fixed to the upper edge of the front end of the outer panel  11  in the assembling process of the vehicle door  10 .  FIG. 9  shows an example of the clip structure for fixing the horizontal portion  22  of the frame molding  20  to the molding mounting portion  11   a  of the outer panel  11 . 
         [0037]    The horizontal portion  22  is provided, across the length thereof, with a roof portion  22   a , a vehicle exterior side portion  22   b  and a lip retaining portion  22   c . The roof portion  22   a  constitutes the top portion of the horizontal portion  22 , the vehicle exterior side portion  22   b  downwardly extends from the vehicle exterior side edge of the roof portion  22   a , and the lip retaining portion  22   c  is formed by bending the lower edge of the vehicle exterior side portion  22   b  toward the vehicle interior side. Vehicle interior-side hanging portions  22   d  which extend downward are provided at two points on the vehicle interior side edge of the roof portion  22   a . In addition, a swage portion  22   e  which extends downward is formed at the lower edge of each vehicle interior-side hanging portions  22   d  to project downward. 
         [0038]    The frame molding  20  is provided with a body-touch lip  23  which is fixed to the lower edge of the vehicle exterior side portion  22   b  of the horizontal portion  22  and the lip retaining portion  22   c . The body-touch lip  23  that is an integrally-molded product made of synthetic resin is a long member which extends in the lengthwise direction of the horizontal portion  22  and has a constant cross-sectional shape. 
         [0039]    The frame molding  20  is further provided with a front and rear pair of clips  40  which are attached to an inner surface of the horizontal portion  22  (a surface thereof which faces the molding mounting portion  11   a  of the outer panel  11 ) and the body-touch lip  23 . 
         [0040]    The clips  40  are integrally-molded products made of a synthetic resin which has resiliency and is harder than the body-touch lip  23 . The clips  40  are provided with a fixed portion  40   b , a vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c , an engaging portion  40   d , a pair of ribs  40   e  and a resilient engaging portion  40   f . A swaged portion  40   a , in the shape of a recess, is formed on the vehicle interior side of the fixed portion  40   b . The vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c  hangs after extending toward the vehicle exterior from the fixed portion  40   b . The engaging portion  40   d  projects downward from a central portion, with respect to in the widthwise direction, of the lower end of the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c . The pair of ribs  40   e  are projected from the upper surfaces of the fixed portion  40   b  and the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c , respectively. The resilient engaging portion  40   f  downwardly extends from the lower surface of the fixed portion  40   b . The resilient engaging portion  40   f  is provided at the lower end thereof with an engaging hook  40   g  which projects toward the vehicle exterior. The vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c  and the resilient engaging portion  40   f  are resiliently deformable in the vehicle widthwise direction (the thickness direction of the outer panel  11 ). In addition, a through-hole  40   h  (flexible portion) that is positioned immediately above the engaging portion  40   d  is formed through the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c . The portion of the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c  at which the through-hole  40   h  is formed (the portion of the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c  which is positioned around the through-hole  40   h ) is more flexible than the remaining portion of the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portion  40   c.    
         [0041]    The frame molding  20  with the garnish  30  is attached to the molding mounting portion  11   a  of the outer panel  11  via the above described pair of clips  40 , which are provided at front and rear positions on the horizontal portion  22 . More specifically, the body-touch lip  23  is brought into contact with the vehicle exterior side surface of the outer panel  11 , and the horizontal portion  22  is brought to cover the molding mounting portion  11   a  from above. Additionally, the resilient engaging portions  40   f  of the clips  40 , which are positioned on the vehicle interior side of the molding mounting portion  11   a , are made to be resiliently deformed toward the vehicle interior side, and the resilient engaging portions  40   f  are made to return to a free state after the engaging hooks  40   g  move down to a point below the lower edge of a folded-back portion  11   b , i.e., the lower end of the molding mounting portion  11   a , thereby causing the engaging hooks  40   g  of the resilient engaging portions  40   f  to be engaged with the lower edge of the folded-back portion  11   b  from the vehicle interior side. At this stage, the engaging portions  40   d  of the vehicle exterior-side downward-extending portions  40   c  of the clips  40  bite into the body-touch lip  23  from the top surface thereof. Additionally, the frame molding  20  is fixed to the outer panel  11  by bending the swage portions  22   e  of the horizontal portion  22  into the swaged portions  40   a  of the clips  40 . 
         [0042]    The frame molding  20  can also be fixed to a door frame bracket  16  ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ) which is fixed to the front end of the outer panel  11 . For this fixation, a fixing hole  16   a  ( FIG. 2 ) which is formed on the door frame bracket  16  can be used. As a matter of course, the above illustrated fixing structure to fix the frame molding  20  to the outer panel  11  is merely an example, and accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the above illustrated fixing structure. 
         [0043]    Although the above described embodiment is a front door to which the present invention has been applied, the present invention can also be applied to a rear door which has a triangular space behind a window opening formed by an upright pillar sash and an upper sash that are positioned above a door panel. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0044]    The present invention can be widely applied to vehicle doors in general. 
       REFERENCE SIGN LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           10  Vehicle door 
           11  Outer panel (Door panel) 
           12  Door sash 
           13  Rear sash 
           14  Upper sash 
           15  Belt molding 
           20  Frame molding 
           21  Inclined portion 
           22  Horizontal portion 
           21   a    22   a  Outward appearance surface 
           24   25   26  Support plate 
           24   a    25   a    26   a  Inclined wall 
           24   b    25   b    26   b  Front-back directional vertical wall 
           24   c  Reference circular hole 
           25   c  Rotation prevention hole 
           26   c  Relief hole 
           30  Garnish 
           31  External surface portion 
           31   x  Outward appearance surface 
           31   a  Beveled edge 
           31   b  Horizontal edge 
           31   c  Vertical edge 
           32  Seat portion 
           32   a  Connecting rib 
           33  Clearance 
           34  Boss