US 4,070,056 A · Utility vehicle door and seal

Abstract

The construction incorporating the invention is applied to a utility vehicle such as an open vehicle provided with a fabric top, in which the windshield forms the upper portion of the forward upright of the door frame and portions of the top form the lintel and at least part of the rear upright. An elongate seal member is attached to the inner face of the side edge of the windshield extending throughout its vertical length and is provided with a rearwardly extending rib to sealingly engage a portion of the door. The door comprises a skeletal framework having a border structure conforming to the shape of the door frame and covered with fabric, the framework being made of resilient material. The door is hung on the existing hinge mounts and its lower portion lies in a vertical plane corresponding to that of the lower portion of the door frame. Bends are formed at intermediate points in the height of the framework so that the plane of the upper portion angles inwardly and upwardly. When the door is closed the upper end of the sealing rib and continued movement to complete closure springs the upper part of the door so that it fits tightly against the rib and lintel and produces a weather tight seal.

Claims11

Dependent claims

In an automotive utility vehicle, the combination of:

a vehicle door frame defining an opening for ingress and egress and a door pivotally mounted on the vehicle about a vertical axis and movable between first and second positions to provide access and to close the opening;
the door frame being of predetermined size and outline and having a sill, a lintel, and forward and rear uprights to form a closed figure;
the door being of substantially the same size and outline as the door frame and comprising a skeletal framework of resilient material including a border structure having upper and lower portions, and a fabric covering secured to the framework;
the lower portions of the forward and rear marginal sections of the framework lying in a substantially vertical plane to mate with corresponding sections of the door frame, and the upper portions of the marginal sections being angled upwardly and inwardly out of said vertical plane and toward the door frame sufficiently to cause interference contact of the upper marginal portion of the door with the door frame in advance of complete closure of the lower portion of the door;
the resilience of the framework being sufficient to permit complete closing and latching of the door and to yieldingly force the upper marginal portion of the door into tight sealing relation with the door frame.

2 more elements

A reinforced fabric door for use in combination with a door frame of an automotive utility vehicle, comprising:

a skeletal framework of resilient material and a fabric covering secured thereto and overlying the major portion thereof to form a door having inner and outer sides;
the framework including a border structure having an outline conforming to the predetermined outline of the vehicle door frame to which it is to be applied;
the forward and rear marginal sections of the border structure being formed with bends at intermediate points to provide lower portions lying in a substantially vertical reference plane and upper portions lying substantially in a plane angled upward and inward with respect to the reference plane;
the angle of bend being predeterminedly sufficient to cause interference contact of the upper marginal portion of the door with a door frame to which it is to be applied in advance of complete closure of the door;
the resilience of the material of the framework being sufficient to permit springing of the door to mate with the door frame in response to complete closure movement.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Utility vehicle door and seal

Life of this patent

Utility vehicle door and seal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11