US 4,882,842 A · Method of simplifying on-line assembly of vehicular door components

Abstract

A modular trim panel unit for the manufacturing and assembling of doors for motor vehicles, with the preassembly of the interior trim panel for the door including one or more basic mechanical and/or electrical components, which unit is manufactured off the main automotive assembly line, with the preassembled modular trim panel unit to be brought to the main assembly line for final assembly of the door. The trim panel unit adds no significant structural reinforcement to that of the final door assembly and is made up of at least one molded layer and includes the drive and motor of the window lift mechanism, with the window and guide(s) therefor and a drive connection being mounted on the main door frame structure. The panel unit can also include parts, if not all, of the door latch mechanism and door lock motor, as well as the actuating mechanisms therefor, and an electronics module (e.g., a remote multiplexing unit), all of the door switches, and preferably most of the lateral extent of the electrical wiring for the various electrical door components, all completely mounted and interconnected. The innermost molded layer can include a series of cavities or support and positioning walls for holding the various mechanical and electrical components in place, including a covered "box" area into which uncovered circuit board(s) can be inserted, as well as straddling plateau areas for making screw connections for the components.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of simplifying an on-line assembly of door components of a motor vehicle to make a completely assembled door in a main assembly line at a main assembly site for the motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:

(a) manufacturing in a preassembly line operation a modular trim panel door assembly unit at at least one site removed from the main assembly line site for the motor vehicle, including the sub-steps of
molding at least one panel layer having an innermost side and an outermost side, forming therein on the innermost side of said panel layer a series of cavities and walls;
providing on the outermost side of said panel layer a finished, trim layer;
and
mounting and attaching a number of electrical and mechanical elements for the door onto the molded panel layer within said molded cavities and adjacent to at least one of said walls, using said cavities and said walls to position and hold adjacent ones of said elements within said cavities and said walls;
forming said modular trim panel door assembly unit;
and
(b) thereafter, forwarding said modular trim panel door assembly unit to a different site for the unit to be attached to a vehicular door frame including an exterior door panel of a motor vehicle to make a completely assembled door for the vehicle in the main assembly line.

5 more elements

A method of simplifying an on-line assembly of door components of a motor vehicle, which vehicle has an interior, to make a completely assembled door having a side facing the interior of the vehicle in a main assembly line at a main assembly line site for the motor vehicle, with the completely assembled door having a final trim finish on the interior side of the completely assembled door, comprising the following step(s):

(a) manufacturing in a preassembly line operation a modular trim panel door assembly unit at at least one site.

A method of simplifying an on-line assembly of door components of a motor vehicle to make a completely assembled door in a main assembly line for the motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:

(a) manufacturing in a preassembly line operation a modular trim panel door assembly unit at at least one site removed from the main assembly line for the motor vehicle, including the sub-steps of;
molding a trim panel layer having an innermost side and an outermost side, forming therein on the innermost side of said trim panel layer a series of attachment areas and providing on the outermost side of said trim panel layer a finished trim layer for the completely assembled door;
forming the molded trim layer by reaction injection molding with the finished trim layer being integrally formed with the molded panel layer during the reaction injection molding process;
mounting and attaching a number of operative elements for the door on said molded trim panel layer using said attachment areas;
forming a modular trim panel door assembly unit;
and
(b) thereafter, forwarding said modular trim panel door assembly unit to a different site for the unit to be attached to a vehicular door frame including an exterior door panel of a motor vehicle at the main assembly line site to make a completely assembled door for the vehicle in the main assembly line.

4 more elements

(a) manufacturing in a preassembly line operation a modular trim panel door assembly unit at at least one site removed from the main assembly line site for the motor vehicle, including the sub-steps of;
molding at least one panel layer having an innermost side and an outermost side, forming therein on the innermost side of said panel layer a series of cavities and walls, including the molding in of two adjacent walls on the innermost side of the molded panel having an height of about two inches forming an extended channel between the walls having an open top;
providing on the outermost side of said panel layer a finished, trim layer;
and
mounting and attaching a number of electrical and mechanical elements for the door onto the molded panel layer within said molded cavities and adjacent to at least one of said walls, using said cavities and said walls to position and hold adjacent ones of said elements within said cavities and said walls, including mounting and attaching a window lift regulator drive and an actuating means therefor on the molded panel layer with a drive coupling element exposed to the innermost side of the molded panel layer for being coupled to a coupling element attached to a window assembly in an assembly of the completely assembled door on the main assembly line, and including mounting at least one set of longitudinally elongated electrical connectors in said channel and using the walls to position and hold the connectors in the channel;
forming the modular trim panel door assembly unit for forwarding to the main assembly site with a combined structural strength of the unit being of insufficient structural strength to add significantly to the structural strength of the completely assembled door;
and
(b) thereafter, forwarding said modular trim panel door assembly unit to the different site for the unit to be attached to a vehicular door frame including an exterior door panel of a motor vehicle to make a completely assembled door for the vehicle in the main assembly line, the door frame having mounted thereon a door window assembly and a drive coupling element attached therefor within the door frame on the main assembly line before the modular trim panel door unit is attached to it.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of simplifying on-line assembly of vehicular door components

Life of this patent

Method of simplifying on-line assembly of vehicular door components

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22