Vehicle door

Abstract

This vehicle door comprises: a door body part capable of accommodating a door glass (31) that is liftable / lowerable; a window frame (33) provided on the upper side of the door body part; a guide rail (35) that is connected to the window frame (33) at the upper end thereof and guides the door glass (31) in a liftable / lowerable manner; and a door mirror mounting panel (500) provided on the upper side of the door main body in a range enclosed by the guide rail (35) and the window frame (33), wherein a gap between a door outer side and a door inner side, formed between the door mirror mounting panel (500) and the guide rail (35), is covered by a protector (closing member) (520).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle door including a door body in which avertically movable window glass can be stored, a window frame disposed on an upper side ofthe door body, a guide rail vertically movably guiding the window glass, and a door mirrorattaching panel disposed on the upper side of the door body in an area enclosed by the guiderail and the window frame.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Conventionally, various art relating to a vehicle door has been developed. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 (a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG.9), a vehicle door 100 described in JP2004-230939A includes a door body 103 in which avertically movable window glass 120 can be stored, and a window frame 105 disposed on anupper side of the door body 103. Further, a guide rail 107 vertically movably guiding thewindow glass 120 is disposed on a front portion of the door 100. Further, a door mirrorattaching panel 110 is disposed on the upper side of the door body 103 in an area enclosed bythe guide rail 107 and the window frame 105.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 10, the door mirror attaching panel 110 is composed of an outerplate 112 corresponding to a door outside and an inner plate 113 corresponding to a doorinside. The outer plate 112 is integrally formed with the guide rail 107 while the inner plate113 is integrally formed with the window frame 105. Further, the inner plate 113 has aclosing portion 113p having a rectangular shape in plan. The closing portion 113p is formedin the inner plate 113 by bending and is configured to close a clearance between the innerplate 113 and the guide rail 107. As described above, in the door mirror attaching panel 110,the outer plate 112 is integrally formed with the guide rail 107 while the inner plate 113 isintegrally formed with the window frame 105. Therefore, a large amount of time and effortis required to make the door mirror attaching panel 110, the outer plate 112 or other suchmembers. Further, the clearance between the inner plate 113 and the guide rail 107 isconfigured to be closed by the closing portion 113p formed by bending a portion of the innerplate 113. Thus, it is difficult to reliably close such a clearance.

[0004] As shown in FIG. 11, in order to solve the problems described above, the windowframe 105, the door mirror attaching panel 110 and the guide rail 107 can be separatelyformed and then be fabricated, thereby saving the time and effort. In such a method, aclearance S1 formed between the window frame 105 and the door mirror attaching panel 110and a clearance S2 formed between the door mirror attaching panel 110 and the guide rail 107are generally be closed from an interior side using a covering member 115 attached to theinner plate 113.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] However, according to the structure shown in FIG. 11, a clearance S3 formedbetween the outer plate 112 of the door mirror attaching panel 110 and the guide rail 107cannot be closed. As a result, while a vehicle is moving, wind flowing along a door mirror123 (only an attaching base of the door mirror is shown in FIG. 11) and swirling at a positionof the window glass 120 behind the door mirror 123 may enter an interior of the door mirrorattaching panel 110 via the clearance S3, thereby generating a wind noise.

[0006] The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems described above.It is an object of the present invention to reduce a wind noise generated in a door mirror whilea vehicle is moving.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle door may include a door body inwhich a vertically movable window glass can be stored, a window frame disposed on anupper side of the door body, a guide rail connected to the window frame at its upper end andvertically movably guiding the window glass, and a door mirror attaching panel disposed onthe upper side of the door body in an area enclosed by the guide rail and the window frame.A clearance formed between the door mirror attaching panel and the guide rail and openinginto a door outside and a door inside is closed by a closure member.

[0008] According to this aspect, the clearance formed between the door mirror attachingpanel and the guide rail and opening into the door outside and the door inside is closed by theclosure member. Therefore, while a vehicle is moving, air flowing along a door mirror andswirling outside the window glass behind the door mirror may be prevented from entering aninterior of the door mirror attaching panel via the clearance formed between the door mirrorattaching panel and the guide rail. As a result, while the vehicle is moving, the wind noisegenerated in the door mirror can be minimized.

[0009] In one embodiment, the door mirror attaching panel is composed of an outer platecorresponding to the door outside and an inner plate corresponding to the door inside. Theclosure member includes a vertically long lid-like portion configured to fit in a verticallyelongated vertically long opening formed between an end periphery of the outer plate and anend periphery of the inner plate so as to close the vertically long opening, and a railpositioning portion positioned opposite to the vertically long lid-like portion and configuredsuch that the guide rail fits therein while being held from its widthwise both sides.Therefore, the clearance formed between the door mirror attaching panel and the guide railand opening into the door outside and the door inside is closed in a condition in which thevertically long opening of the door mirror attaching panel is closed by the vertically longlid-like portion of the closure member while the guide rail fits in the rail positioning portionof the closure member. Further, the guide rail can be positioned in place by the railpositioning portion of the closure member. This may lead to increased efficiency ofconnecting the upper end of the guide rail to the window frame and connecting the guide railto the door body.

[0010] In another embodiment, the closure member includes a covering portion covering theinner plate of the door mirror attaching panel from the door inside, and a vertically long blockportion composed of the vertically long lid-like portion and the rail positioning portion. Thecovering portion and the vertically long block portion are connected via an integral hinge.Therefore, after the inner plate of the door mirror attaching panel is covered by the coveringportion of the closure member, the vertically long block portion can be rotated on the integralhinge, thereby closing the vertically long opening of the door mirror attaching panel by thevertically long lid-like portion of the vertically long block portion. Further, the closuremember can be formed in a flat unfolded condition. This may, for example, simplify astructure of a forming die for forming the closure member.

[0011] In another embodiment, the covering portion of the closure member includes asupporting portion configured to support a wiring harness of a door mirror. Therefore, thewiring harness of the door mirror can be supported by the supporting portion formed in thecovering portion of the closure member. As a result, the wiring harness can be preventedfrom being damaged and generating noise by friction against a panel of the door body.EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0012] According to the present invention, while a vehicle is moving, a wind noisegenerated in a door mirror can be reduced.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle front door according to Embodiment 1 of thepresent invention, which is viewed from a vehicle interior side.FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front portion of a window frame unit of the frontdoor (an enlarged perspective view of an encircled portion II of FIG. 1), which is viewed fromthe back of the vehicle interior side.FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2.FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2.FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an inner plate of a door mirror attaching panel.FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the front portion of the window frame unit of thefront door (a perspective view of an outer plate of the door mirror attaching panel), which isviewed from the back in a vehicle exterior.FIG. 7 is an overall perspective view of a protector, which is viewed from above ofthe vehicle interior side.FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the horizontal cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 4.FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a front portion of a window frame unit of aconventional front door, which is viewed from the front of a vehicle interior side.FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of FIG. 9.FIG. 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a front portion of a window frame unitof a different conventional front door.MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0014] [Embodiment 1]In the following, a vehicle door according to an Embodiment 1 of the presentinvention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 8. The door according to thisembodiment may be a front door on a right side of a vehicle. Further, forward, backward,rightward, leftward, upward and downward directions described with reference to the figuresmay respectively correspond to forward, backward, rightward, leftward, upward anddownward directions of the vehicle having the front door.

[0015] <Regarding Outline of Front Door 10>As shown in FIG. 1, the front door 10 is composed of a door body 20 configured tostore a vertically movable window glass 31 therein, and a window frame unit 30 disposed onan upper side of the door body 20. As shown in FIG. 3 (a vertical cross-sectional view takenalong line III-III of FIG. 2), the door body 20 is composed of an outer panel 22 forming anexterior ornamental surface, and an inner panel 23 positioned on a vehicle interior side. Theouter panel 22 and the inner panel 23 are positioned opposite to each other and are joinedalong peripheries thereof, thereby forming into a rectangular thin box shaped-member havingan inner space. The door body 20 has an upper end opening (not shown) formed on an upperend surface thereof and configured to allow the window glass 31 to slidably movetherethrough. Further, the door body 20 includes a mechanism for moving the window glass31 up and down, door reinforcement devices and other devices, which are respectively storedin the inner space thereof.

[0016] The door body 20 includes a pair of upper and lower hinge mechanisms (not shown)attached to a front side thereof. The door body 20 is connected to a front edge of a dooropening of a vehicle body (not shown) via the hinge mechanisms. Thus, the front door 10 isallowed to horizontally rotate between a fully closed position in which the door opening isclosed and a fully opened position in which the door opening is fully opened. Further, thedoor body 20 includes a door locking mechanism (not shown) attached to a rear side thereof.The door locking mechanism is configured to engage a striker attached to the vehicle body ina condition in which the front door 10 closes the door opening.

[0017] <Regarding Window Frame Unit 30 of Front Door 10>As shown in FIG. 1, the window frame unit 30 of the front door 10 includes a doorframe 33 constituting a main frame portion of the window frame unit 30 and configured toreceive a peripheral edge of the window glass 31 lifted to its upper limit position, a frontguide rail 35 configured to guide a vertical motion of the window glass 31 in a front side ofthe window glass 31, and a pillar-like frame 37 configured to guide the vertical motion of thewindow glass 31 in a rear side of the window glass 31.

[0018] <Regarding Door Frame 33>As shown in FIG. 1, the door frame 33 includes a rising portion 33k rising from thefront side of the door body 20 and extending obliquely upward and backward, a curvedportion 33w connected to a rear end of the rising portion 33k, and a liner portion 33uextending backward from a rear end of the curved portion 33w and connected to an upper endof the pillar-like frame 37. As shown in FIG. 4 (a horizontal cross-sectional view takenalong line IV-IV of FIG. 2), the door frame 33 is formed by continuously bending a steel plate,e.g., by roll forming, so as to have a substantially T-shape in cross section. Further, the doorframe 33 is formed such that the rising portion 33k, the curved portion 33w and the linerportion 33u may have the same cross-sectional shape as each other. The door frame 33 hasan outer circumferential groove 335 formed along an outer circumferential side of the doorframe 33. A weather strip 45 is attached to the outer circumferential groove 335 in order toseal a clearance between the front door 10 and the door opening (not shown) of the vehiclebody. Further, the door frame 33 has an inner circumferential groove 336 formed along aninner circumferential side thereof. A glass run channel (not shown) is fitted in the innercircumferential groove 336. The glass run channel is configured to hold the peripheral edgeof the window glass 31.

[0019] <Regarding Front Guide Rail 33 and Other Elements>As described above, the front guide rail 35 is a rail configured to guide the verticalmotion of the window glass 31 in the front side of the window glass 31. As shown in FIG. 4,the front guide rail 35 has a substantially U-shape in cross section. As shown in FIG. 1 andFIG. 2, the front guide rail 35 is vertically arranged while being slightly inclined backward.The front guide rail 35 is secured in place within an interior space of the door body 20 at alower end thereof. An upper portion of the front guide rail 35 projects upward from the doorbody 20. The front guide rail 35 is connected to a lower side of the rising portion 33k of thedoor frame 33 at an upper end thereof.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, the front guide rail 35 is a rail having the substantially U-shapein cross section and having a groove 35m opening backward. The groove 35m is connectedto the inner circumferential groove 336 of the door frame 33. Further, an extended portionof the glass run channel 43 fitted in the inner circumferential groove 336 of the door frame 33is fitted in the groove 35m of the front guide rail 35. Further, the pillar-like frame 37constituting a rear portion of the window frame unit 30 has a groove (not shown) openingforward. The groove is also connected to the inner circumferential groove 336 of the doorframe 33. Further, the glass run channel 43 is fitted in the groove of the pillar-like frame 37.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a mirror bracket 50 to which a door mirror 60 isattached is disposed on the upper side of the door body 20. The mirror bracket 50 isconfigured to cover lower half of an area enclosed by the rising portion 33k of the door frame33 and the front guide rail 35. Further, a fixed glass 32 is disposed on an upper side of themirror bracket 50 so as to close the area enclosed by the rising portion 33k of the door frame33 and the front guide rail 35.

[0022] <Regarding Mirror Bracket 50>The mirror bracket 50 is a bracket to which the door mirror 60 is attached. Asshown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the mirror bracket is composed of a door mirror attaching panel500 and a protector 520. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the door mirror attaching panel500 is composed of an outer plate 501 corresponding to a door outside and an inner plate 503corresponding to a door inside and is formed into a substantially box shape. As shown inFIG. 3 which is shown in vertical cross section and FIG. 6 which is shown in perspective, theouter plate 501 includes a vertical flanged portion 501f positioned at an upper end portionthereof, and a step-like shouldered portion 501d being continuous with a lower end of thevertical flanged portion 501f. As shown in FIG. 3, a sealing member 32s configured tosupport the fixed glass 32 is positioned on and secured to the shouldered portion 501d of theouter plate 501.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 6, the outer plate 501 further includes a vertical wall portion 501wextending downward from the shouldered portion 501d. Further, the vertical wall portion501w has bolt holes (not labeled) for attaching the door mirror 60, and an opening 501hthrough which a wiring harness 65 (FIG. 3) of the door mirror 60 is passed. Further, asshown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, a vertical flanged portion 22f of the outer panel 22 of the doorbody 20 and a vertical flanged portion 25f of an outer reinforcement member 25 are bonded toa lower outer surface of the vertical wall portion 501w of the outer plate 501 by welding orother such methods. As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical wall portion 501w of the outer plate501 is bent inward (leftward) in a vehicle width direction at a lower end portion thereof,thereby forming a horizontal wall portion 501y. The horizontal wall portion 501y is bentdownward at a left end portion thereof, thereby forming a left vertical wall portion 501x.Further, a lower portion of the inner panel 23 of the door body 20 and a lower portion of aninner reinforcement member 26 are bonded to a lower portion 501z of the left vertical wallportion 501x of the outer plate 501 by welding or other such methods.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the inner plate 503 of the door mirror attaching panel500 includes a vertical flanged portion 503f positioned at an upper end portion thereof, and avertical wall portion 503w positioned on an underside of the vertical flanged portion 503f.The vertical flanged portion 503f of the inner plate 503 is bonded to the vertical flangedportion 501f of the outer plate 501 by welding or other such methods. Further, as shown inFIG. 5, the vertical wall portion 503w of the inner plate 503 has an opening 503h throughwhich the wiring harness 65 (FIG. 3) of the door mirror 60 is passed, and holes (not labeled)for bolting. As shown in FIG. 3, a lower portion of the vertical wall portion 503w of theinner plate 503 is formed into a lower flanged portion 503x. The lower flanged portion 503xof the inner plate 503 is bonded to an upper side surface of the left vertical wall portion 501xof the outer plate 501 by welding or other such methods. Further, a vertical flanged portion23f of the inner panel 23 of the door body 20 and a vertical flanged portion 26f of an innerreinforcement member 26 are bonded to the lower flanged portion 503x of the inner plate 503by welding or other such methods.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 4, the door mirror attaching panel 500 includes a vertically longopening Sf formed in its front end periphery, i.e., formed between a front end periphery 501mof the outer plate 501 and a front end periphery 503m of the inner plate 503. The door frame33 is fitted in the vertically long opening Sf formed in the front end periphery of the doormirror attaching panel 500. Further, the door mirror attaching panel 500 includes a verticallylinearly elongated vertically long opening Sb formed in its rear end periphery, i.e., formedbetween a rear end periphery 501b of the outer plate 501 and a rear end periphery 503b of theinner plate 503. The vertically long opening Sb formed in the rear end periphery of the doormirror attaching panel 500 is closed by a vertically long block portion 524 of the protector520 (which will be hereinafter described) while the front guide rail 35 is set in the verticallylong block portion 524.

[0026] <Regarding Protector 520 of Mirror Bracket 50>As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the protector 520 is a member configured to cover theinner plate 503 of the door mirror attaching panel 500 from the vehicle interior side andconfigured to close a clearance formed between the door mirror attaching panel 500 and thefront guide rail 35 and opening into the door outside and the door inside. The protector 520is an article formed by resin injection molding. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 7, the protector520 includes a covering portion 521 covering the inner plate 503 of the door mirror attachingpanel 500 from the vehicle interior side, and the vertically long block portion 524 closing thevertically long opening Sb formed in the rear end periphery of the door mirror attaching panel500. As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the covering portion 521 and the vertically long blockportion 524 of the protector 520 are connected via an integral hinge 523.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the covering portion 521 of the protector 520 includes a verticalwall portion 521m that is configured to cover an area from the vertical flanged portion 503fpositioned at the upper end portion of the inner plate 503 to a lower end portion of the verticalwall portion 503w of the inner plate 503. The vertical wall portion 521m of the coveringportion 521 includes a cable insertion opening 521h formed in a position corresponding to theopening 503h of the inner plate 503 and configured such that the wiring harness 65 of thedoor mirror 60 is passed therethrough. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the covering portion521 includes a step-like vertical wall portion 521x positioned on an underside of vertical wallportion 521m and slightly projecting to the vehicle interior side than the vertical wall portion521m. The step-like vertical wall portion 521x is configured to cover the vertical flangedportion 23f of the inner panel 23 of the door body 20 and the vertical flanged portion 26f ofthe inner reinforcement member 26. Further, the covering portion 521 includes a supportingportion 521y positioned on an underside of the step-like vertical wall portion 521x andconfigured to support the wiring harness 65 of the door mirror 60.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, the covering portion 521 of the protector 520 includes a sealingportion 521s formed in a front end periphery thereof and configured to close a clearanceformed between the front end periphery 503m of the inner plate 503 of the door mirrorattaching panel 500 and the door frame 33. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the vertically longblock portion 524 is connected to a rear end periphery of the covering portion 521 of theprotector 520 via the integral hinge 523. In particular, the vertically long block portion 524is connected to the rear end periphery of the covering portion 521 of the protector 520, so asto horizontally rotate via the integral hinge 523.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 8, the vertically long block portion 524 of the protector520 is a vertically elongated columnar block and includes a vertically long lid-like portion524k formed in its outer side. The vertically long lid-like portion 524k is configured to closethe vertically long opening Sb formed in the rear end periphery of the door mirror attachingpanel 500. Further, the vertically long block portion 524 includes a vertical groove 524v anda shouldered portion 524d formed in its outer side. The vertical groove 524v and theshouldered portion 524d are respectively positioned on both sides of the vertically longlid-like portion 524k and are respectively configured to fit on the rear end periphery 503b ofthe inner plate 503 and the rear end periphery 501b of the outer plate 501. Further, thevertically long block portion 524 includes a rail positioning portion 524s formed in its innerside. The rail positioning portion 524s is configured such that the front guide rail 35 fitstherein while being held from its widthwise both sides. As shown in FIG. 8, the protector520 is formed using a forming die in a condition in which the covering portion 521 and thevertically long block portion 524 are unfolded, i.e., in a condition in which inside and outsidesurfaces of the covering portion 521 and inside and outside surfaces of the vertically longblock portion 524 respectively face in the same direction. This may simplify a structure ofthe forming die.

[0030] <Regarding Attachment of Door Mirror Attaching Panel 500>As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical flanged portion 501f positioned at the upper endportion of the outer plate 501 of the door mirror attaching panel 500 and the vertical flangedportion 503f positioned at the upper end portion of the inner plate 503 of the door mirrorattaching panel 500 are bonded each other by welding or other such method. Further, thelower flanged portion 503x of the inner plate 503 and the upper side surface of the leftvertical wall portion 501x of the outer plate 501 are similarly bonded by welding or othersuch methods. Thus, the door mirror attaching panel 500 having the substantially box shapeis formed by the outer plate 501 and the inner plate 503. Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the doormirror attaching panel 500 is attached to the door body 20 in a condition in which a lowerportion of the outer plate 501 positioned below the lower end portion of the vertical wallportion 501w is introduced into a front portion of the interior space of the door body 20 via anupper end opening (not labeled) of the door body 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5and other figures, the door mirror attaching panel 500 is positioned such that the verticallylong opening Sf formed in the front end periphery thereof may fit the door frame 33.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, in this condition, the lower flanged portion 503x of the innerplate 503 of the door mirror attaching panel 500 is bonded to the vertical flanged portion 23fof the inner panel 23 of the door body 20 and the vertical flanged portion 26f of the innerreinforcement member 26 by welding or other such methods. Further, the lower portion501z of the left vertical wall portion 501x of the outer plate 501 is bonded to the inner panel23 of the door body 20 and the lower portion of the inner reinforcement member 26 bywelding or other such methods. Further, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, the lower outersurface of the vertical wall portion 501w of the outer plate 501 is bonded to the verticalflanged portion 22f of the outer panel 22 of the door body 20 and the vertical flanged portion25f of the outer reinforcement member 25 by welding or other such methods. Thus,attachment of the door mirror attaching panel 500 is completed.

[0032] <Regarding Attachment of Protector 520>Next, as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 8 and other figures, the covering portion 521 of theprotector 520 is attached in place so as to cover the vertical flanged portion 503f and thevertical wall portion 503w of the inner plate 503 of the door mirror attaching panel 500, andan upper portion of the inner panel 23 of the door body 20. Thus, the clearance formedbetween the inner plate 503 of the door mirror attaching panel 500 and the door frame 33 isclosed by the sealing portion 521s of the covering portion 521. Thereafter, in FIG. 8, thevertically long block portion 524 of the protector 520 is rotated counterclockwiseapproximately 90 degrees on the integral hinge 523. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, thevertically long lid-like portion 524k of the vertically long block portion 524 fits in thevertically long opening Sb formed in the rear end periphery of the door mirror attaching panel500.

[0033] That is, the vertically long lid-like portion 524k of the vertically long block portion524 fits in the vertically long opening Sb formed between the rear end periphery 503b of theinner plate 503 of the door mirror attaching panel 500 and the rear end periphery 501b of theouter plate 501 of the door mirror attaching panel 500. As a result, the vertically longopening Sb is closed. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the front guiderail 35 is positioned while being fitted in the rail positioning portion 524s of the verticallylong block portion 524 of the protector 520. In this condition, the lower end of the frontguide rail 35 is secured in place within the interior space of the door body 20 while the upperend of the front guide rail 35 is connected to the lower side of the rising portion 33k of thedoor frame 33. Thus, attachment of the front guide rail 35 is completed. As describedabove, the front guide rail 35 is fitted in the rail positioning portion 524s of the vertically longblock portion 524 closing the vertically long opening Sb formed in the door mirror attachingpanel 500, so that the clearance formed between the door mirror attaching panel 500 and thefront guide rail 35 and opening into the door outside and the door inside can be closed. Thismay prevent air from entering an interior of the door mirror attaching panel 500 from betweenthe door mirror attaching panel 500 and the front guide rail 35 while a vehicle is moving. Asa result, a wind noise generated in the door mirror 60 can be minimized.

[0034] <Regarding Attachment of Door Mirror 60>As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the door mirror 60 is bolted on the outer plate501 in a condition in which the wiring harness 65 of the door mirror 60 is passed through theopenings 501h, 530h of the door mirror attaching panel 500 and the cable insertion opening521h of the protector 520. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the wiring harness 65 of the doormirror 60 is supported on the supporting portion 521y of the covering portion 521 of theprotector 520, for example, by binding. As a result, the wiring harness 65 can be preventedfrom being damaged and generating noise by friction against the door mirror attaching panel500 and the inner panel 23 of the door body 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the door mirrorattaching panel 500, the protector 520, the wiring harness 65 and the inner panel 23 of thedoor body 20 are covered by an interior material, i.e., a door trim panel 68.

[0035] <Regarding Terms in Present Embodiment and Terms in Present Invention>The front door 10 in the present embodiment corresponds to a vehicle door in thepresent invention while the door frame 33 of the window frame unit 30 corresponds to awindow frame in the present invention. Further, the protector 520 corresponds to a closuremember in the present invention. Further, the front guide rail 35 corresponds to a guide railin the present invention.

[0036] <Advantage of Front Door 10 According to Present Embodiment>According to the front door 10 according to the present embodiment, the clearanceformed between the door mirror attaching panel 500 and the front guide rail 35 (the guide rail)and opening into the door outside and the door inside is closed by the protector 520 (theclosure member). Therefore, while a vehicle is moving, air flowing along the door mirror 60and swirling outside the window glass 31 behind the door mirror 60 may be prevented fromentering the interior of the door mirror attaching panel 500 via the clearance formed betweenthe door mirror attaching panel 500 and the front guide rail 35. As a result, while the vehicleis moving, the wind noise generated in the door mirror 60 can be minimized.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the vertically long block portion 524 of theprotector 520 (the closure member) includes the rail positioning portion 524s formed in itsinner side. The rail positioning portion 524s is configured to position the front guide rail 35while the front guide rail 35 is held from its widthwise both sides. This may lead toincreased efficiency of connecting the upper end of the front guide rail 35 to the door frame33 (the window frame) and connecting the front guide rail 35 to the door body 20. Further,the covering portion 521 and the vertically long block portion 524 of the protector 520 areconnected via the integral hinge 523. Therefore, the protector 520 can be formed in a flatunfolded condition. This may, for example, simplify the structure of the forming die forforming the protector 520. Further, the covering portion 521 of the protector 520 includesthe supporting portion 521y for supporting the wiring harness 65 of the door mirror 60.Therefore, the wiring harness 65 can be bound to the supporting portion 521y of the protector520. As a result, the wiring harness 65 can be prevented from being damaged andgenerating noise by friction against the inner plate 503 and the door body 20.

[0038] <Modified Embodiment>The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and can bechanged without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the presentembodiment, the covering portion 521 and the vertically long block portion 524 of theprotector 520 are connected via the integral hinge 523. However, the covering portion 521and the vertically long block portion 524 of the protector 520 may be separately formed.Further, in the present embodiment, the front door 10 includes the fixed glass 32 that isdisposed on an upper side of the door mirror attaching panel 500 of the mirror bracket 50.However, the present invention may be applied to a front door in which the door mirrorattaching panel 500 of the mirror bracket 50 is configured to cover all of the area enclosed bythe door frame 33 and the front guide rail 35. In addition, the present invention may beapplied to a door other than the front door 10.

Claims

1. A vehicle door, comprising: a door body in which a vertically movable window glass can be stored; a window frame disposed on an upper side of the door body; a guide rail connected to the window frame at its upper end and vertically movably guiding the window glass; and a door mirror attaching panel disposed on the upper side of the door body in an area enclosed by the guide rail and the window frame, wherein a clearance formed between the door mirror attaching panel and the guide rail and opening into a door outside and a door inside is closed by a closure member, wherein the door mirror attaching panel is composed of an outer plate corresponding to the door outside and an inner plate corresponding to the door inside, and wherein the closure member includes a vertically long lid-like portion configured to fit in a vertically elongated vertically long opening formed between an end periphery of the outer plate and an end periphery of the inner plate so as to close the vertically long opening, and a rail positioning portion positioned opposite to the vertically long lid-like portion and configured such that the guide rail fits therein while being held from its widthwise both sides.

2. The vehicle door as described in claim 1, wherein the closure member includes a covering portion covering the inner plate of the door mirror attaching panel from the door inside, and a vertically long block portion composed of the vertically long lid-like portion and the rail positioning portion, and wherein the covering portion and the vertically long block portion are connected via an integral hinge.

3. The vehicle door as described in any one of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the covering portion of the closure member includes a supporting portion configured to support a wiring harness of a door mirror.