Reinforcements and support brackets for vehicle doors
View Patent ↗A vehicle is disclosed that includes: a vehicle body defining a door frame; a vehicle door that is movably connected to the vehicle body; and an actuation system. The vehicle door includes: an inner panel that is secured to the door frame; an outer panel that is secured to the inner panel; a reinforcement that is secured between the inner panel and the outer panel; and a support bracket that is secured to the reinforcement and which includes a body with a generally planar configuration. In contrast to the door frame, which includes a metallic material, the inner panel and the outer panel each include a non-metallic material. The actuation system is connected to the vehicle door to facilitate opening and closure thereof and extends through the reinforcement and the support bracket.
1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body defining a door frame, the door frame including a metallic material;
a vehicle door movably connected to the vehicle body, the vehicle door including:
an inner panel secured to the door frame, the inner panel including a non-metallic material;
an outer panel secured to the inner panel, the outer panel including a non-metallic material;
a reinforcement secured between the inner panel and the outer panel, wherein the reinforcement includes a frame and a flange that extends outwardly from the frame towards the outer panel; and
a support bracket secured to the reinforcement, wherein the support bracket includes a body with an overall plate-like configuration and is positioned laterally inward of reinforcement; and
an actuation system connected to the vehicle door to facilitate opening and closure thereof.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the support bracket is secured to the flange.
3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the flange defines a belly configured to receive the support bracket.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement includes at least one stiffener configured to increase structural integrity of the vehicle door.
5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the support bracket includes at least one arm extending laterally inward from the body.
6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the at least one arm is secured to the at least one stiffener.
7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the at least one stiffener includes an outer stiffener and an inner stiffener positioned laterally inward of the outer stiffener.
8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the support bracket is configured such that the body is spaced from the outer stiffener along an axis extending in generally parallel relation to a height of the body, the at least one arm being secured to the inner stiffener.
9. A vehicle door comprising:
a first panel;
a second panel positioned outwardly of the first panel;
a reinforcement secured between the first panel and the second panel, wherein the reinforcement includes a frame and a flange extending outwardly from the frame towards the second panel; and
a support bracket secured to an inner lateral face of the reinforcement and including a body with an overall plate-like configuration.
10. The vehicle door of claim 9 , wherein the first panel and the second panel each include a non-metallic material.
11. The vehicle door of claim 9 , wherein the body of the support bracket is secured to the flange.
12. The vehicle door of claim 11 , wherein the support bracket includes at least one arm extending laterally inward from the body.
13. The vehicle door of claim 12 , wherein the at least one arm is fixedly secured to the frame.
14. A vehicle door comprising: an inner panel including a non-metallic material; an outer panel secured to the inner panel, the outer panel including a non-metallic material; a reinforcement secured to the inner panel such that the reinforcement is positioned between the inner panel and the outer panel, the reinforcement including: a frame with a plurality of stiffeners configured to increase structural integrity of the vehicle door; and a flange extending outwardly from the frame towards the outer panel, the flange defining a well; and a support bracket positioned within the well and secured to the flange, the support bracket including: a body with a generally planar configuration; and a pair of arms extending laterally inward from the body, the pair of arms being fixedly secured to the frame.
15. The vehicle door of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of stiffeners includes an outer stiffener and an inner stiffener positioned laterally inward of the outer stiffener.
16. The vehicle door of claim 15 , wherein the pair of arms are fixedly secured to the inner stiffener.
17. The vehicle door of claim 16 , wherein the support bracket is configured such that the body is spaced from the outer stiffener along an axis extending in generally parallel relation to a height of the body to reduce interference with contact between the body and the flange.