A vehicle door includes an inner panel having strengthening corrugations to function as an impact beam, thereby negating the need for a separate impact beam. The inner panel is preferably characterized by a generally concave shape to increase vehicle interior space compared to prior art doors. A forming technique employing fluid pressure is preferably employed to form the inner panel.
1. A vehicle door comprising:
a door outer panel forming at least a portion of the exterior surface of the vehicle door; and
an inner panel operatively connected to the outer panel such that the inner panel and the outer panel form a cavity therebetween; and wherein the inner panel is characterized by strengthening corrugations for resisting deformation as a result of a side impact; and
a window movable between a retracted and an extended position; and wherein the window is at least partially within the door cavity between the inner panel and the outer panel when in the retracted position.
2. The vehicle door of claim 1 , wherein the window has a shape characterized by a contour, and wherein at least a portion of the inner panel has a general shape characterized by substantially the same contour.
3. The vehicle door of claim 1 , further comprising a window regulator operatively connected to the window, the window regulator including two rails; wherein the corrugations are interrupted by concavities in which at least a portion of the rails are positioned.
4. The vehicle door of claim 1 , wherein the inner panel is characterized by a forward wall, a rearward wall, and an inboard wall extending between the forward wall and the rearward wall; wherein the forward wall, the rearward wall, and the inboard wall cooperate with the outer panel to form the cavity; and wherein the corrugations are on the inboard wall.
5. The vehicle door of claim 4 , wherein the inboard surface of the inboard wall is generally concave.
6. The vehicle door of claim 1 , wherein the inner panel is formed using a process selected from the group consisting of superplastic farming, quick plastic forming, and sheet hydroforming.
7. A vehicle door comprising:
an outer panel forming at least a portion of the exterior surface of the door; and
an inner panel operatively connected to the outer panel to form a cavity therebetween;
wherein the inner panel includes a forward wall, a rearward wall, and an inboard wall interconnecting the forward wall and the rearward wall;
wherein the inboard wall is characterized by a plurality of longitudinally-extending corrugations comprised of arcuate ridges and furrows; and
wherein the inboard wall is generally concave.