Storage compartment door assembly with perimetral hinge assembly
A door assembly for a vehicle including: an outer panel; an inner panel; and a perimetral hinge assembly including a perimetral hinge support member disposed between and coupled to the outer panel and the inner panel about an outer periphery of the door assembly. The perimetral hinge assembly further includes one or more connection members coupled to the perimetral hinge support member, where the one or more connection members are adapted to be coupled to a hinge mechanism coupled to a body of the vehicle. The perimetral hinge support member of the perimetral hinge assembly includes a tubular structure with a relatively wider dimension parallel to the outer panel and the inner panel of the door assembly and a relatively thinner dimension perpendicular to the outer panel and the inner panel of the door assembly.
1 . A door assembly for a vehicle, the door assembly comprising:
an outer panel comprising a shape configured to conform with a surrounding vehicle structure of the vehicle in response to the outer panel being in a closed configuration and covering a storage compartment on a side of the vehicle;
an inner panel configured to enclose the storage compartment in the closed configuration; and
a perimetral hinge assembly comprising:
a perimetral hinge support member disposed between and coupled to the outer panel and the inner panel, the perimetral hinge assembly coupled to the vehicle to pivot the outer panel and the inner panel downward away from the storage compartment, and
one or more connection members coupled to the perimetral hinge support member and configured to couple to a pivotable hinge assembly of the vehicle; and
a finish cover that covers the one or more connection members.
2 . The door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer panel comprises an exterior body panel of the vehicle.
3 . The door assembly of claim 2 , wherein the outer panel further comprises an outer attachment panel coupled to an interior surface of the exterior body panel.
4 . The door assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second inner panel, wherein:
the inner panel is a first inner panel that defines i) a cutout for a storage recess surrounded by the perimetral hinge support member of the perimetral hinge assembly, and ii) a slot for the perimetral hinge support member, and
a second inner panel is configured to i) be received by the cutout and ii) define the storage recess.
5 . The door assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second inner panel comprises a pivoting or removable closure panel adapted to selectively cover the storage recess defined by the interior cover panel.
6 . The door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more connection members are adapted to be coupled to a hinge mechanism coupled to a body of the vehicle.
7 . The door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is further configured to conform with lines of the surrounding vehicle structure and enclose the storage compartment.
8 . The door assembly of claim 1 , wherein the perimetral hinge support member of the perimetral hinge assembly comprises a tubular structure with a relatively wider dimension parallel to the outer panel and the inner panel of the door assembly and a relatively thinner dimension perpendicular to the outer panel and the inner panel of the door assembly.
9 . A perimetral hinge assembly for a door assembly for a vehicle, the perimetral hinge assembly comprising:
a perimetral hinge support member adapted to be disposed between and coupled to an outer panel and an inner panel of the door assembly about an outer periphery of the door assembly, wherein the inner panel defines a storage recess for a storage compartment on a side of the vehicle and is adapted to be surrounded by the perimetral hinge support member, the perimetral hinge assembly coupled to the vehicle to pivot the outer panel and the inner panel downward away from the storage compartment;
one or more connection members coupled to the perimetral hinge support member, wherein the one or more connection members are i) configured to protrude through a slot of the inner panel and ii) adapted to be coupled to a hinge mechanism coupled to a body of the vehicle; and
a storage recess door coupled with the inner panel and adapted to selectively cover the storage recess, wherein:
in an open configuration, the storage recess door allows access to the storage recess, and
in a closed configuration, the storage recess door encloses the storage recess.
10 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 9 , wherein the one or more connection members are disposed at an angle to the perimetral hinge support member.
11 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 9 , wherein the perimetral hinge support member comprises a tubular structure formed by a hydroforming process.
12 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 9 , wherein the perimetral hinge support member comprises a tubular structure with a relatively wider dimension parallel to the outer panel and the inner panel of the door assembly and a relatively thinner dimension perpendicular to the outer panel and the inner panel of the door assembly.
13 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 9 , wherein the outer panel comprises an exterior body panel of the vehicle and is configured to enclose a storage compartment on a side of the vehicle.
14 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 13 , wherein the outer panel further comprises an outer attachment panel coupled to an interior surface of the exterior body panel.
15 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the perimetral hinge support member is adapted to be positioned between the inner panel and the outer panel, and
a size and a position of the storage recess are constrained based on the perimetral hinge support member.
16 . The perimetral hinge assembly of claim 9 , wherein the inner panel comprises a pivoting or removable closure panel adapted to selectively cover the storage recess defined by the inner panel.
17 . A door assembly for a vehicle, the door assembly comprising:
an outer panel configured to enclose a storage compartment on a side of the vehicle;
an inner panel comprising one or more sealing surfaces configured to engage corresponding sealing surfaces of the vehicle to seal and enclose the storage compartment; and
a perimetral hinge assembly comprising:
a perimetral hinge support member disposed between and coupled to the outer panel and the inner panel, the perimetral hinge assembly hingedly coupled to the vehicle to pivot the outer panel and the inner panel downward away from the storage compartment, and
a connection member coupled with the perimetral hinge support member and the vehicle, wherein in response to a load to the inner panel, the perimetral hinge support member is configured to transfer at least some of the load to the connection member.
18 . The door assembly of claim 17 , wherein in a closed configuration, the outer panel is further configured to conform with a surrounding vehicle structure and cover the storage compartment.
19 . The door assembly of claim 18 , further comprising a striker provided to secure the door assembly in the closed configuration.
20 . The door assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a door member that covers the inner panel.