# US 10,500,932 B2 · Door assembly

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- Number: US 10,500,932 B2
- Document ID: US10500932B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/345,631
- Filed: 2016-11-08
- Published: 2018-05-10
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-08
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Satyanarayana Raju Vemulapati; Deepak Patel; Scott Holmes Dunham
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500932B2

## CPC

- B60J 5/0451: {Block or short strip-type elements (beams B60J5/0443, position thereof B60J5/0423)}
- B60J 5/0461: {characterised by a pre-defined mode of deformation or displacement in order to absorb impact}
- B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05)

## Abstract

A door assembly includes a door and a pusher. The door defines a cavity. The pusher is fixed to the door in the cavity, and the pusher contains a non-Newtonian fluid. The door assembly may be installed in a vehicle. Because the pusher contains a non-Newtonian fluid, the pusher distributes force from the impact to an occupant in a manner that depends on a size of the occupant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A door assembly comprising:
a door including a door outer and a door trim defining a cavity therebetween; and
a pusher fixed to the door in the cavity between the door outer and the door trim and including a case containing a non-Newtonian fluid;
wherein
the case includes a plurality of flat panels, wherein at least two of the flat panels are contacting each other; and
the case has a lower stiffness than the door outer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the case includes a case body and a case lid sealed to the case body to define a pusher cavity, the non-Newtonian fluid being in the pusher cavity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The door assembly of claim 2, wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is sealed in the pusher cavity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the case is formed of plastic.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the door includes a door inner, and the door trim is fixed relative to the door inner.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The door assembly of claim 5, wherein the pusher is fixed to the door trim.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The door assembly of claim 6, wherein the door trim includes an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the inner surface facing the pusher and the outer surface including an open pocket.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The door assembly of claim 6, wherein the pusher and the door trim are integral.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The door assembly of claim 5, wherein the pusher is attached to the door inner.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The door assembly of claim 5, wherein the door trim includes an armrest disposed below an upper edge of the door trim and protruding away from the door.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The door assembly of claim 10, wherein the door defines a vertical direction, and the pusher is located below the armrest relative to the vertical direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The door assembly of claim 5, wherein the door outer is fixed relative the door inner, and the door trim is fixed opposite the door outer relative to the door inner.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is a dilatant fluid.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flat panels includes at least three flat panels.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the two flat panels that are contacting each other are oriented at an oblique angle relative to each other.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The door assembly of claim 1, wherein the two flat panels that are contacting each other intersect at a sharp corner, and the two flat panels that are contacting each other are each flat at the sharp corner.

### Claim 17

A vehicle comprising:
a seat including a seat bottom and a seat back defining an occupant area between the seat bottom and the seat back; and
a door assembly including a door and a pusher, the door including a door outer and a door trim defining a cavity therebetween, and the pusher fixed to the door in the cavity between the door outer and the door trim and including a case containing a non-Newtonian fluid, the pusher aligned with the occupant area in a cross-vehicle direction;
wherein
the case includes a plurality of flat panels, wherein at least two of the flat panels are oriented at an oblique angle relative to each other; and
the case has a lower stiffness than the door outer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the case includes a case body and a case lid sealed to the case body to define a pusher cavity, the non-Newtonian fluid being in the pusher cavity.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is sealed in the pusher cavity.

### Claim 20

A door assembly comprising:
a door including a door outer and a door trim defining a cavity therebetween; and
a pusher fixed to the door in the cavity between the door outer and the door trim and including a case containing a non-Newtonian fluid;
wherein the case includes a case body and a case lid sealed to the case body to define a pusher cavity, the non-Newtonian fluid being in the pusher cavity, wherein the case lid is hinged relative to the case body; and
the case has a lower stiffness than the door outer.