IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,322,625
Granted Patent B2
US 10,322,625 · App. 15/452,355 · Granted Jun 18, 2019

Door structure for a vehicle

Inventors: Kosuke Sakakibara (Toyota, JP); Masanobu Ohmi (Kasugai, JP); Kazuki Sugie (Miyoshi, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60J10/84B60J5/0479B60J10/40B60J10/86
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,322,625
App. No.
15/452,355
Granted
Jun 18, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle door structure includes two doors, a weatherstrip, a moving device and a control device. The two doors are disposed adjacently at a vehicle side portion with no pillar therebetween. The weatherstrip is provided at one of the doors and is disposed to change a distance between the weatherstrip and the other door. The moving device moves the weatherstrip in a direction of putting the weatherstrip into contact with and a direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door. When it is determined that the two doors are closed and neither is opening or closing, the control device controls movement of the moving device to put the weatherstrip into contact with the other door. When a single door is closed and the counterpart door is opening or closing, the control device controls movement of the moving device in the direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door.

Claims (39)

1. A door structure for a vehicle, comprising:

two doors that are disposed at at least one of: i) a vehicle side portion to be adjacent to each other along a vehicle front direction and a vehicle rear direction with no pillar therebetween, or ii) a vehicle rear portion to be adjacent to each other along a vehicle left direction and a vehicle right direction with no pillar therebetween;

a weatherstrip provided at an outer periphery portion of at least one door of the two doors, the weatherstrip being disposed so as to change a distance between the one door and the other door of the two doors;

a moving device configured to move at least a portion of the weatherstrip in at least either one of: i) a direction of putting the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door or ii) a direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door; and

a control device configured such that:

when the control device determines that the two doors are closed and neither of the two doors is opening or closing, controls a movement of the moving device so as to put the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door, and

when the control device determines that at least one of the two doors is in the closed state thereof and a counterpart door of the two doors is opening or closing, controls a movement of the moving device in the direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door.

2. The door structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein:

the moving device includes a moving member configured to move in at least either one of: (i) a direction approaching the other door or (ii) a direction away from the other door, and a frame attached to an end portion of the moving member, and

the weatherstrip is attached to the frame.

3. The door structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein:

the moving member includes a moving member configured to move in at least either one of: (i) a direction approaching the other door or (ii) a direction away from the other door, and a protrusion portion that is provided at an end portion of the moving member and protrudes to the side thereof at which the other door is disposed, and

a portion of the weatherstrip is pushed by the protrusion portion and moves to the side at which the other door is disposed.

4. The door structure for a vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein a protrusion amount of the protrusion portion to the side at which the other door is disposed is altered stepwise by the moving member, whereby a pressure force of the weatherstrip against the other door is altered.

5. The door structure for a vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

a vehicle speed sensor that detects vehicle speeds is provided at the vehicle, and

the control device alters a pressure force of the weatherstrip against the other door in accordance with a vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor.

6. The door structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

a wet weather sensor that detects wet weather conditions is provided at the vehicle, and

when a wet weather condition is detected by the wet weather sensor, the control device controls movement of the moving device in the direction of putting the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door.

7. The door structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the moving device is provided at either one of the two doors.

8. A door structure for a vehicle, comprising:

two doors that are disposed at at least one of: (i) a vehicle side portion to be adjacent to each other along a vehicle front direction and a vehicle rear direction with no pillar therebetween, or (ii) a vehicle rear portion to be adjacent to each other along a vehicle left direction and a vehicle right direction with no pillar therebetween;

a weatherstrip provided at an outer periphery portion of at least one door of the two doors, the weatherstrip being disposed so as to change a distance between the one door and the other door of the two doors;

a moving device configured to move at least a portion of the weatherstrip in at least either one of: i) a direction of putting the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door or ii) a direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door; and

a control device configured such that:

when the control device determines that the two doors are closed and neither of the two doors is opening or closing, controls a movement of the moving device so as to put the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door, and

when the control device determines that at least one of the two doors is in the closed state thereof and a counterpart door of the two doors is opening or closing, controls a movement of the moving device in the direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door,

wherein, when the control device detects either (i) a state in which the two doors are locked, or (ii) a state in which a vehicle speed is at least a predetermined value, the control device causes the moving device to move so as to put the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door.

9. A door structure for a vehicle, comprising:

two doors that are disposed at at least one of: i) a vehicle side portion to be adjacent to each other along a vehicle front direction and a vehicle rear direction with no pillar therebetween, or ii) a vehicle rear portion to be adjacent to each other along a vehicle left direction and a vehicle right direction with no pillar therebetween;

a weatherstrip provided at an outer periphery portion of at least one door of the two doors, the weatherstrip being disposed so as to change a distance between the one door and the other door of the two doors;

a moving device configured to move at least a portion of the weatherstrip in at least either one of: i) a direction of putting the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door or ii) a direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door; and

a control device configured such that:

when the control device determines that the two doors are closed and neither of the two doors is opening or closing, controls a movement of the moving device so as to put the weatherstrip into area contact with the other door,

when the control device determines that at least one of the two doors is in the closed state thereof and a counterpart door of the two doors is opening or closing, controls a movement of the moving device in the direction of separating the weatherstrip from the other door,

wherein a plurality of moving devices are arranged in a vertical direction of the weatherstrip.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2017
From: SAKAKIBARA, KOSUKE; OHMI, MASANOBU; SUGIE, KAZUKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 041488/0782 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2016-105644 · May 26, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170342767A1 · Nov 30, 2017