JP7669794B2 - Vehicle Doors - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle door.

A vehicle door is provided on the side of a vehicle such as an automobile. The vehicle door can be opened and closed under normal circumstances to allow passengers to get in and out of the vehicle. However, in the event of a side collision, the vehicle door should not be opened from a safety standpoint. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a door lock structure is provided on the vehicle door.

The vehicle door lock device described in Patent Document 1 includes a latch unit, a door outer handle, and a rod. The latch unit is capable of latching and unlatching with respect to a striker provided on the vehicle body, and has an unlatch lever. The latch unlatch lever of the latch unit performs an unlatch operation via the rod when the door outer handle is operated.

The rod extends from the outer door handle to the latch release lever and has a vertical extension extending downward from the outer door handle, a horizontal extension extending horizontally from the latch release lever, and a bent portion formed between the horizontal extension and the vertical extension. The bent portion of the rod is formed to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction and is provided near the outer side of the door sash in the vehicle width direction.

In Patent Document 1, when the door is deformed by a side collision and the rod is deformed in such a way that it is pushed into the vehicle interior in response to the deformation of the door, the bent portion comes into contact with the door sash at two points. As a result, while the rod remains in a position where it is in contact with the door sash at two points, the rod is displaced entirely toward the vehicle interior, preventing the latch release lever from rotating downward in the latch release direction and preventing the door from opening.

JP 2015-90004 A

However, in Patent Document 1, the bent portion of the rod must be formed between the horizontal extension and the vertical extension, and the bent portion must be brought into direct contact with the door sash at two points during a side collision. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, high precision is required in bending the rod to prevent the vehicle door from opening during a side collision.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, the bent portion of the rod is located near the outer side of the door sash in the vehicle width direction, so if an impact load is directly applied to the bent portion of the rod, it may not deform in the desired direction, and the door may be unlocked.

In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle door that can reliably prevent the vehicle door from opening during a side collision.

In order to solve the above problem, a representative configuration of the present invention is a vehicle door including a door outer panel that constitutes the outer surface of the vehicle and a door inner panel that is disposed on the inside of the door outer panel, the vehicle door further comprising a reinforcement that is fixed to the rear end surface of the door inner panel from the front side of the vehicle and reinforces the door inner panel, a door latch that is attached to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and keeps the vehicle door in a closed state, the door latch having a latch release lever that changes the vehicle door from a closed state to an open state, a rod that descends by operating a door handle attached to the door outer panel and interferes with the latch release lever to open the vehicle door, and a rod bracket that is fixed to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and is also joined to the door outer panel, the rod bracket having a receiving portion that extends to a lower height outside the rod in the vehicle width direction and moves below the rod in the event of a side collision to prevent the rod from descending and prevent the vehicle door from being in an open state.

The present invention provides a vehicle door that can reliably prevent the vehicle door from opening during a side collision.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle door according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a main part of the vehicle door shown in FIG. 1 . 3 is a view of the vehicle door of FIG. 2 taken along an arrow A. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the vehicle door of FIG. 3 with a door latch omitted. 5 is a view of the vehicle door as seen from an arrow B in FIG. 4 .

A typical configuration of one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle door including a door outer panel that constitutes the outer surface of the vehicle and a door inner panel that is disposed on the inside of the door outer panel, the vehicle door further comprising a reinforcement that is fixed to the rear end surface of the door inner panel from the front side of the vehicle and reinforces the door inner panel, a door latch that is attached to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and keeps the vehicle door in a closed state, the door latch having a latch release lever that changes the vehicle door from a closed state to an open state, a rod that descends by operating a door handle attached to the door outer panel and interferes with the latch release lever to open the vehicle door, and a rod bracket that is fixed to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and is also joined to the door outer panel, the rod bracket having a receiving portion that extends to a lower height outside the rod in the vehicle width direction and moves below the rod in the event of a side collision to prevent the rod from descending and prevent the vehicle door from being in an open state.

If the door outer panel is deformed inward in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the door handle may lift up, pushing down the rod connected to the door handle and interfering with the latch release lever, causing the vehicle door to open. However, from a safety standpoint, the vehicle door should not open during a side collision.

In the above configuration, the door latch and rod bracket are fixed to the reinforcement fixed to the door inner panel. This stabilizes the position of the door latch relative to the rod bracket. In addition, the rod interferes with the latch release lever of the door latch fixed to the reinforcement, so its relative position to the latch release lever is fixed. This also stabilizes the position of the rod relative to the rod bracket. Furthermore, the rod bracket has a receiving portion at a lower height outside the rod in the vehicle width direction, and is also fixed to the door outer panel.

As a result, when the door outer panel deforms inward in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the receiving portion of the rod bracket is pushed by the door outer panel and moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The receiving portion of the rod bracket then moves below the rod and securely receives the rod, preventing the rod from descending and preventing the vehicle door from opening during a side collision.

The rear end surface of the door inner panel includes a first end surface to which the reinforcement is fixed, and a second end surface that is continuous with the first end surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and protrudes further rearward than the first end surface, and the rod bracket further includes a main body portion joined to the second end surface from the front side of the vehicle, an extension portion that is continuous with the inner edge of the main body portion in the vehicle width direction and extends forward of the vehicle, and a fixing portion that is bent from the front end of the extension portion and fixed to the reinforcement on the first end surface, the receiving portion is continuous with the lower ends of the main body portion and the extension portion and extends further forward than the first end surface, and the main body portion has a first bead formed thereon extending in the vehicle width direction.

In this way, by forming a first bead extending in the vehicle width direction on the main body portion of the rod bracket that is joined to the second end face of the door inner panel, even if a load is input to the inside of the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the main body portion of the rod bracket is less likely to deform inward in the vehicle width direction. In contrast, the receiving portion that is not joined to the second end face of the door inner panel is more mobile, and moves inward in the vehicle width direction as if rotating counterclockwise when viewed from above, with the boundary between the extension portion and the fixed portion as the axis of rotation. As a result, the receiving portion of the rod bracket moves below the rod during a side collision, and can more reliably receive the rod.

The rod bracket may further have a wall portion joined to the door outer panel from the inside in the vehicle width direction, the lower end of which is continuous with the receiving portion, and the wall portion may overlap with the lower end of the rod when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

In this way, the receiving portion of the rod bracket is continuous with the lower end of the wall portion and is supported by the wall portion. In addition, since the wall portion of the rod bracket overlaps with the lower end portion of the rod when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction, when the wall portion moves inward in the vehicle width direction due to deformation of the door outer panel during a side collision, the receiving portion that is continuous with the wall portion can move more reliably toward the bottom of the rod. Furthermore, since the receiving portion of the rod bracket is supported by the wall portion, when the receiving portion moves below the rod and receives it during a side collision, the receiving portion is less likely to deform downward. This improves the ability of the receiving portion of the rod bracket to prevent the rod from descending, and more reliably prevents the vehicle door from opening.

The receiving portion of the rod bracket should be inclined downward toward the inside of the vehicle width.

As a result, when the receiving portion of the rod bracket moves inward in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, even if the vertical position of the receiving portion shifts slightly, if the inner tip of the receiving portion in the vehicle width direction moves below the lower end of the rod, the inclined receiving portion can guide the lower end of the rod. This makes it possible to stabilize the operation of the receiving portion during a side collision of the rod bracket.

A second bead extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle is formed on the second end surface of the door inner panel, and the second bead is curved outward in the vehicle width direction at a position where it overlaps with the main body of the rod bracket.

As a result, even if a load is input to the inside of the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the second bead makes it difficult for the second end surface of the door inner panel to deform inwardly in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the main body of the rod bracket joined to the second end surface of the door inner panel also does not easily deform inwardly in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, and the receiving portion moves below the rod during a side collision, making it possible to more reliably receive the rod.

The following describes in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific values shown in these embodiments are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements that have substantially the same functions and configurations are given the same reference numerals to avoid duplicated explanations, and elements that are not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle door 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure shows the vehicle door 100 arranged on the right side of the vehicle as viewed from the outside of the vehicle. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of the vehicle door 100 in Figure 1. The figure shows a state in which a part of the door outer panel 102 of the vehicle door 100 is cut away.

In the following figures, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is indicated by the arrows "Front" and "Back", the left and right directions of the vehicle width are indicated by the arrows "Left" and "Right", and the up-down direction of the vehicle is indicated by the arrows "Up" and "Down". Note that in the following explanation, the right side of the vehicle is shown as an example, but this embodiment may be applied to either the left or right side of the vehicle.

The vehicle door 100 includes a door outer panel 102 that constitutes the exterior surface of the vehicle, and a door inner panel 104 (see FIG. 2) that is disposed on the vehicle interior side of the door outer panel 102. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle door 100 further includes a door latch 106 attached to the door inner panel 104, a door handle 108 attached to the door outer panel 102, and a rod 110 that connects the door latch 106 and the door handle 108.

The door latch 106 holds the vehicle door 100 in a closed state by engaging with a striker (not shown) provided on the vehicle body. The door latch 106 further has a latch release lever 112 (see FIG. 3) that releases the engagement with the striker. The latch release lever 112 is connected to the lower end 114 of the rod 110 as shown in FIG. 3.

The rod 110 moves downward as a whole in response to the operation of the door handle 108. The lower end 114 of the rod 110 then descends, interfering with and pushing down the latch release lever 112. When the latch release lever 112 is pushed down in the door latch 106, it disengages from the striker, and the vehicle door 100 opens. In this way, the vehicle door 100 can be opened and closed in response to the operation of the door handle 108 so that passengers can get in and out of the vehicle under normal circumstances.

If the door outer panel 102 is deformed inward in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the door handle 108 may lift up, causing the lower end 114 of the rod 110 connected to the door handle 108 to descend and push down the latch release lever 112, opening the vehicle door 100. However, from the perspective of safety, the vehicle door 100 should not be opened during a side collision. Therefore, the vehicle door 100 of this embodiment employs a configuration that can prevent the rod 110 from descending during a side collision, thereby preventing the vehicle door 100 from opening.

Figure 3 is a view of the vehicle door 100 in Figure 2 as seen from the direction of arrow A. In the figure, the main parts of the vehicle door 100 in Figure 2 are shown as seen obliquely from the front side of the vehicle. Figure 4 is a view of the vehicle door 100 in Figure 3 without the door latch 106. Note that the door outer panel 102 is omitted in Figures 3 and 4.

The vehicle door 100 further includes a reinforcement 116 and a rod bracket 118 shown in FIG. 4. The reinforcement 116 is fixed to the rear end surface 120 of the door inner panel 104 from the front side of the vehicle, and reinforces the door inner panel 104. The rear end surface 120 of the door inner panel 104 includes a first end surface 122 to which the reinforcement 116 is fixed, and a second end surface 124.

The second end surface 124 of the rear end surface 120 of the door inner panel 104 is continuous with the first end surface 122 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, bends toward the rear of the vehicle from a front edge 126 extending in the vehicle vertical direction on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the first end surface 122, and further extends toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction from a rear edge 128. As a result, the second end surface 124 protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle further than the first end surface 122.

The rod bracket 118 includes a main body 130, an extension 132, and a fixing portion 134. The main body 130 is a portion joined to the second end surface 124 from the front side of the vehicle. The main body 130 also has a first bead 136 formed thereon, which extends in the vehicle width direction and protrudes further toward the front side of the vehicle.

For this reason, in the main body 130, the upper joint 137 located above the first bead 136 and the lower joint 138 located below the first bead 136 are joined to the second end surface 124, and the first bead 136 is not joined to the second end surface 124. Therefore, the first bead 136 reduces the joining area with the second end surface 124 of the main body 130, which makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of rust.

The extension 132 is a portion that continues from the inner edge 139 of the main body 130 in the vehicle width direction and extends forward of the vehicle. The fixing portion 134 is a portion that is bent from the front end 140 of the extension 132 and fixed to the reinforcement 116 on the first end surface 122. Therefore, the fixing portion 134, the reinforcement 116, and the door inner panel 104 are joined together in three pieces. In addition, the front end 140 of the extension 132 is the boundary between the extension 132 and the fixing portion 134, and extends in the vertical direction.

The rod bracket 118 further has a receiving portion 142 and a wall portion 144. The receiving portion 142 is continuous with the lower end 146 of the main body portion 130 and the extension portion 132, and extends further forward of the vehicle than the first end surface 122. As shown in FIG. 3, the receiving portion 142 is located outboard of the rod 110 in the vehicle width direction, and extends to a height lower than the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110.

The wall portion 144 is a portion that is joined to the door outer panel 102 (see FIG. 2) from the inside in the vehicle width direction, and its lower end 148 is continuous with the receiving portion 142. When viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction as shown in FIG. 2, the wall portion 144 overlaps with the lower end portion 144 of the rod 110 shown by the dotted line in the figure. Note that a sealing surface 150 shown in FIG. 4 is formed near the lower end 148 of the wall portion 144 and is joined to the door outer panel 102 with a sealing material.

A second bead 152 extending in the vehicle vertical direction is formed on the second end surface 124 of the rear end surface 120 of the door inner panel 104. The second bead 152 is curved outward in the vehicle width direction at a position where it overlaps with the main body portion 118 of the rod bracket 118, as shown by the dotted line in the figure. The first bead 136 is formed to extend further in the vehicle width direction than the second bead 152 (see FIG. 5).

Below, the behavior of the vehicle door 100 during a side collision will be specifically described. Figure 5 is a view of the vehicle door 100 in Figure 4 as seen from the arrow B. In the figure, the rod 110 and its lower end 114 are shown diagrammatically.

In the vehicle door 100, not only the door latch 106 (see FIG. 3) but also the fixed portion 134 of the rod bracket 118 is fixed to the reinforcement 116 fixed to the first end surface 122 of the door inner panel 104. This stabilizes the position of the door latch 106 relative to the fixed portion 134 of the rod bracket 118. In addition, the lower end 114 of the rod 110 is connected to the latch release lever 112, which is part of the door latch 106 fixed to the reinforcement 116, so that the relative position of the rod 110 relative to the latch release lever 112 is fixed. This stabilizes the position of the lower end 114 of the rod 110 relative to the receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118.

The rod bracket 118 has a receiving portion 142 that extends to a lower height on the vehicle width direction outer side than the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110, and further, for example, a sealing surface 150 of the wall portion 144 is fixed to the door outer panel 102. In addition, the rod bracket 118 has a first bead 136 that extends in the vehicle width direction on the main body portion 130 that is joined to the second end surface 124 of the door inner panel 104, so that even if a load is input in the vehicle width direction in the event of a side collision, the main body portion 130 is less likely to deform in the vehicle width direction inward.

In contrast, the receiving portion 142, which is not joined to the second end surface 124 of the door inner panel 104, is easy to move. Specifically, when the door outer panel 102 deforms toward the inside in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the receiving portion 142 is pushed by the door outer panel 102 (see arrow C) and moves toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, rotating counterclockwise as viewed from above around the boundary between the extension portion 132 and the fixed portion 134, i.e., the front end 140 of the extension portion 132, as the axis of rotation (see arrow D in Figure 4).

As a result, the receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118 moves below the lower end 114 of the rod 110 during a side collision, and the moved receiving portion 142A shown by the dashed line in Figure 5 can reliably receive the lower end 114 of the rod 110 that is attempting to descend as indicated by arrow E. Therefore, the receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118 can prevent the rod 110 from descending, and prevent the vehicle door 100 from opening during a side collision.

The receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118 also has an inclined portion 154, as shown in FIG. 5. The inclined portion 154 is inclined downward as it approaches the inside in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the tip 156 of the receiving portion 142 on the inside in the vehicle width direction is located at the lowest position.

As a result, in the rod bracket 118, even if the vertical position of the receiving portion 142 shifts slightly when the receiving portion 142 moves inward in the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the tip 156A of the moved receiving portion 142A shown in FIG. 5 is positioned below the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110, so that the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110 can be reliably guided by the inclined portion 154A. Therefore, the operation of the receiving portion 142 during a side collision of the rod bracket 118 can be stabilized.

In addition, the receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118 is connected to the lower end 148 of the wall portion 144, and is therefore supported by the wall portion 144. The wall portion 144 also overlaps with the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110 when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 2). Therefore, when the wall portion 144 moves inward in the vehicle width direction due to deformation of the door outer panel 102 during a side collision, the receiving portion 142, which is connected to the wall portion 144, can move more reliably downward of the rod 110.

Furthermore, because the receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118 is supported by the wall portion 144, when the receiving portion 142 moves below the rod 110 during a side collision and receives the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110, the receiving portion 142 is less likely to deform downward. This improves the ability of the receiving portion 142 of the rod bracket 118 to prevent the rod 110 from descending, and more reliably prevents the vehicle door 100 from opening.

A second bead 152 extending in the vehicle vertical direction is formed on the second end surface 124 of the door inner panel 104, and the second bead 152 is curved outward in the vehicle width direction at a position where it overlaps with the main body 130 of the rod bracket 118. As a result, even if a load is input to the inside of the vehicle width direction during a side collision, the second bead 152 makes it difficult for the second end surface 124 of the door inner panel 104 to deform inward in the vehicle width direction.

As a result, in the rod bracket 118, the main body 130 joined to the second end surface 124 of the door inner panel 104 is also less likely to deform inward in the vehicle width direction during a side collision. In contrast, the receiving portion 142 moves below the rod 110 during a side collision, and can more reliably receive the lower end portion 114 of the rod 110.

The above describes preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or revised examples within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

This invention can be used in vehicle doors.

100...vehicle door, 102...door outer panel, 104...door inner panel, 106...door latch, 108...door handle, 110...rod, 112...latch release lever, 114...lower end of rod, 116...reinforcement, 118...rod bracket, 120...rear end surface of door inner panel, 122...first end surface, 124...second end surface, 126...front edge, 128...rear edge, 130...main body portion, 132...extension portion, 134...fixation portion, 136...first bead, 137...upper joint portion, 138...lower joint portion, 139...edge of main body portion, 140...front end of extension portion, 142, 142A...receiving portion, 144...wall portion, 146...lower end of extension portion, 148...lower end of wall portion, 150...sealing surface, 152...second bead, 154, 154A...inclined portion, 156, 156A...tip of receiving portion

Claims (4)

A vehicle door including a door outer panel constituting an outer surface of a vehicle and a door inner panel disposed on an interior side of the door outer panel, the vehicle door further comprising:
A reinforcement member is fixed to a rear end surface of the door inner panel from a front side of the vehicle to reinforce the door inner panel;
a door latch attached to the door inner panel via the reinforcement to keep the vehicle door in a closed state, the door latch having a latch release lever for changing the vehicle door from a closed state to an open state;
a rod that moves down in response to an operation of a door handle attached to the door outer panel and interferes with the latch release lever to open the vehicle door;
a rod bracket fixed to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and further joined to the door outer panel,
the rod bracket has a receiving portion that extends to a lower height on the outer side of the rod in the vehicle width direction and moves below the rod in the event of a side collision to prevent the rod from descending and to prevent the vehicle door from being opened ,
The rear end surface of the door inner panel includes a first end surface to which the reinforcement is fixed and a second end surface that is continuous with the first end surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and protrudes rearward of the vehicle beyond the first end surface,
The rod bracket further includes a main body portion joined to the second end surface from the front side of the vehicle, an extension portion extending continuously from the inner edge of the main body portion in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle, and a fixing portion bent from a front end of the extension portion and fixed to the reinforcement on the first end surface,
the receiving portion is continuous with a lower end of the main body portion and the extension portion and extends forward of the vehicle beyond the first end surface,
The vehicle door, wherein a first bead extending in a vehicle width direction is formed on the main body portion . A vehicle door including a door outer panel constituting an outer surface of a vehicle and a door inner panel disposed on an interior side of the door outer panel, the vehicle door further comprising:
A reinforcement member is fixed to a rear end surface of the door inner panel from a front side of the vehicle to reinforce the door inner panel;
a door latch attached to the door inner panel via the reinforcement to keep the vehicle door in a closed state, the door latch having a latch release lever for changing the vehicle door from a closed state to an open state;
a rod that moves down in response to an operation of a door handle attached to the door outer panel and interferes with the latch release lever to open the vehicle door;
a rod bracket fixed to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and further joined to the door outer panel,
the rod bracket has a receiving portion that extends to a lower height on the outer side of the rod in the vehicle width direction and moves below the rod in the event of a side collision to prevent the rod from descending and to prevent the vehicle door from being opened,
The rod bracket further includes a wall portion joined to the door outer panel from an inner side in the vehicle width direction, the wall portion having a lower end continuous with the receiving portion,
The vehicle door, wherein the wall portion overlaps a lower end portion of the rod when viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. A vehicle door including a door outer panel constituting an outer surface of a vehicle and a door inner panel disposed on an interior side of the door outer panel, the vehicle door further comprising:
A reinforcement member is fixed to a rear end surface of the door inner panel from a front side of the vehicle to reinforce the door inner panel;
a door latch attached to the door inner panel via the reinforcement to keep the vehicle door in a closed state, the door latch having a latch release lever for changing the vehicle door from a closed state to an open state;
a rod that moves down in response to an operation of a door handle attached to the door outer panel and interferes with the latch release lever to open the vehicle door;
a rod bracket fixed to the door inner panel via the reinforcement and further joined to the door outer panel,
the rod bracket has a receiving portion that extends to a lower height on the outer side of the rod in the vehicle width direction and moves below the rod in the event of a side collision to prevent the rod from descending and to prevent the vehicle door from being opened,
The vehicle door, wherein the receiving portion of the rod bracket is inclined downward toward the inside in a vehicle width direction. A second bead extending in a vehicle up-down direction is formed on a second end surface of the door inner panel,
2. The vehicle door according to claim 1 , wherein the second bead is curved outward in a vehicle width direction at a position where the second bead overlaps with a main body of the rod bracket.

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