AU783511B2 - Door module for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: MELCHOR DAUMAL CASTELLON Actual Inventor: MELCHOR DAUMAL CASTELLON Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 711 High Street, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia Invention Title: DOOR MODULE FOR VEHICLES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 2604/02.td 12692.cs.doc. 1 -2- The present invention relates, as stated in its title, to a door module for vehicles, which novel manufacturing, conformation and design features fulfil the purpose to which it has been specifically conceived, with a maximum safety and effectiveness.

The doors of the motor vehicles essentially comprise a plate that is part of the frame element of the vehicle, which is provided with a reinforcing plate having a plurality of stiffening ridges. Inside the door there is defined a recess where several electric and mechanical components are fitted, such as the window lifting device, reinforcement elements, automatic locks and the like. This recess is occluded by a module or panel.

Said module or panel is usually coupled to the door plate and it is provided with a perimetric sealing joint therebetween. Fastening of the module to the door vehicle is carried out by using screws.

The present invention provides a new module for vehicle doors which it has been found that a significantly tighter closure than with the modules currently used for the same purpose is obtained since it allows for a bigger adaptability to the door plate contour when profiles are irregular or distorted.

Thus, the door module of the present invention generally comprises a panel in the form of a plastic plate which is properly adapted to cover the recess in the door intended to house several electric and mechanical elements, such as the lifting window device, the centralized lock, etc.

The main feature of the module of the present invention resides in that it is provided with upper and lower contour clips having a different configuration.

In this sense, some clips comprise an element horizontally projecting from the panel which is substantially rectangular U-shaped to house the vehicle door plate, while other clips of the same panel comprise an element horizontally projecting from the panel which is upside down U-shaped, the outer branch of which is slightly shorter than the other and having a rounded profile.

The difference on the configuration of the clips for fastening the module in the door provides a hard or soft coupling depending on the direction when assembling the module on the vehicle door.

According to the above, the upper contour clips are preferably hard coupling clips whereby they comprise said horizontal element having a substantially rectangular U-shaped profile housing the plate of the vehicle door, the lower contour clips being soft coupling clips and comprising an horizontal element having an upside down U-shaped profile, the outer 26/04/02,tdl 2692.spe.doc,2 branch of which is slightly shorter than the other and having a rounded profile thus enabling the assembly of said module on the vehicle door in an upward direction.

According to the previous case, to assemble the module in an upward direction relative to the vehicle door, a hard clip is to be provided at the upper part of the module. This hard clip causes the module can not be released by pulling it out, but releasing is to be carried out by flexing the clip. On the other hand, at the lower part there is provided soft clip to assemble the module in said upward direction, thus allowing the module to be released without breaking the clip by applying a given pulling force.

Through said elements in the panel a contour sealing joint runs providing a seal in the vehicle door module.

The arrangement described according to the present invention allows the assembly and disassembly of the module without a need for applying an excessive force in such operations. Also, another advantage of this module is that it allows a great assembly and disassembly repeatability of the module on repairing and maintenance operations.

The contour clips of the panel of the present invention allow to assure fastening thereof as well as to facilitate assembly thereof Said clips cooperate in the preasembly step in the appropriate positioning of the panel on the door for the subsequent tightening of the corresponding screws that finally fasten the panel on the vehicle door structure.

Further details and features of the door module for vehicles of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, which refers to the accompanying drawing wherein fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a door panel according to the present invention.

A detailed list of the various parts cited in the present patent application is given below: module; flat surface of the module; upper contour clips; lower contour clips; vehicle door; element projecting from the upper contour clip; housing for the element element projecting from the lower contour clip; outer branch of the U-shaped profile of the element housing for the element 26/002,td12692.spe.doc,3 (11) module assembly direction; and (12) contour sealing joint.

In the embodiment herein described by way of a non limitative example in connection with the accompanying drawing a module according to the present invention has been schematically shown.

The module is a panel made out of plastic and it serves the purpose of covering the recess of the door intended to house several electric and mechanical elements, such as the lifting window device, the centralized lock, etc.

The module has a substantially flat surface from which upper contour clips (3) and lower contour clips are perpendicularly emerging for coupling the module in the door of the vehicle.

The upper contour clips and the lower contour clips are both formed in the same module and they have a different configuration. In this way, the upper contour clips comprise an element horizontally projecting from the surface of the module This element has a substantially rectangular U-shape defining a housing also of rectangular shape to house the plate of the door of the vehicle, as it can be seen from the attached drawing.

Analogously, the lower contour clips of the module comprise an element (8) horizontally projecting from the surface of said module The element is upside down U-shaped the outer branch of which is slightly shorter than the other and having a rounded profile defining a recess (10) having a generally rounded shape housing the plate of the vehicle door In the preferred embodiment herein described, the module is upwardly assembled in the door as sown by the arrow referenced by (11) in the drawing. Assembly direction of the module depends upon several factors such as the location of the lifting window device tracks and it defines the configuration that the contour clips 4) of the module should have with the purpose of facilitating the assembly and disassembly operations thus assuring the functional and structural features of the module.

For the upwardly assembly of the module relative to the vehicle door, the module is therefore provided with hard clip at the upper part thereof Hard clip [contour clips prevents the module from being released on pulling, but releasing has to be carried out by flexing the clip Instead, at the lower part of the module soft clip [contour clips is 26A04/02.tdl 2692.spe doc4 provided for said upwardly assembly thereof, so that the module can be released without breaking on applying a given pulling force.

Through the elements 8) in the module a contour sealing joint (12) runs providing a seal in the module of the vehicle door Therefore, the module can be assembled on and disassembled from the door without the need for applying an excessive force in such operations allowing a great module assembly and disassembly repeatability in the repairing and maintenance operations.

Once having been sufficiently described what the present patent application consists in accordance to the enclosed drawings, it is understood that any detail modification can be introduced as appropriate, provided that variations may alter the essence of the invention as summarised in the appended claims.

Where the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this specification, they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components referred to, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature, integer, step, component or group thereof 261W4/O2,td126921spe.doc5

Claims (3)

1. A door module for vehicles comprising a panel adapted to cover a recess of the vehicle door that is intended to house several electric and mechanical elements, wherein said module comprises upper and lower contour clips having different configuration, the configuration of some contour clips being an element having a substantially rectangular shape housing the plate of the vehicle door and the configuration of other contour clips being an element having a profile upside down U-shaped the outer branch of which is slightly shorter than the other and having a rounded profile, providing a hard or soft coupling depending on the direction when assembling the module on the vehicle door, said elements being provided with a contour sealing joint.

2. The door module for vehicles as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper contour clips are hard coupling and they comprise a horizontal element having a substantially rectangular shaped profile housing the plate of the vehicle door, the lower contour clips being of soft coupling and comprising a horizontal element having a profile upside down U-shaped the outer branch of which is slightly shorter than the other and having a rounded profile allowing the assembly of said module on the vehicle door in an upward direction.

3. A door module for vehicles, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 29" day of April, 2002. MELCHOR DAUMAL CASTELLON By his Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE 26/04/02.td 12692.spe doc6