Vehicle side doors

Abstract

In a side door where a door panel made of aluminum is joined to a door component made of steel, the aim is to suppress the occurrence of galvanic corrosion. [Solution] The side door comprises a door panel member 11 made of aluminum and a door component 30 joined to the door panel member 11. The door component 30 comprises a base material 30 made of steel and a plating layer 30b that has corrosion resistance and is formed on the surface of the base material 30a. At the joint 50 where the door panel member 11 and the door component 30 are joined, the plating layer 30b is interposed between the door panel member 11 and the base material 30a.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a side door for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] The side door of Patent Document 1 includes an inner panel made of an aluminum alloy material and a door frame joined to the inner panel and made of an aluminum alloy material.

[0003] A side door in which both the inner panel and the door frame are made of an aluminum alloy material as disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a high manufacturing cost. In order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the side door, it is known to manufacture the door frame from a steel material.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, when the door frame is manufactured from a steel material, dissimilar metal contact corrosion may occur at the joint between the inner panel made of an aluminum alloy material and the door frame made of a steel material.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to suppress the occurrence of dissimilar metal contact corrosion in a side door in which a door component made of a steel material is joined to a door panel member made of an aluminum material.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle side door comprising a door panel member made of aluminum and a door component joined to the door panel member, wherein the door component comprises a base material made of steel and a plating layer having corrosion resistance and formed on the surface of the base material, and the plating layer is interposed between the door panel member and the base material at the joint where the door panel member and the door component are joined.

[0008] Aluminum material refers to pure aluminum or aluminum alloys.

[0009] In this configuration, a corrosion-resistant plating layer is interposed between the door panel member and the base material of the door component at the joint. In other words, the door panel member, made of aluminum, and the base material, made of steel, are joined together at the joint without direct contact. Therefore, the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the door panel member and the door component can be suppressed.

[0010] The door panel member and the door component may be joined by clinch joint.

[0011] In this configuration, the door panel member and the door component are joined by clinch joining. Clinch joining is a joining method that allows multiple metal plates to be joined without fracturing them. Therefore, damage to the plating layer due to joining the door panel member and the door component is suppressed. As a result, the state in which the plating layer is interposed between the door panel member and the base material is maintained, so the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the door panel member and the door component can be suppressed.

[0012] The door panel member and the door component may be joined together by a surface-treated fastening component.

[0013] With this configuration, even if the fastening components are made of steel, the fastening components are surface-treated, so the aluminum door panel member and the steel fastening components do not come into direct contact. Therefore, the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the door panel member and the fastening components can be suppressed.

[0014] The fastening component may be a rivet, and the door panel member and the door component may be self-piercing rivet-joined using the surface-treated rivet.

[0015] The plating layer may contain zinc, aluminum, and magnesium.

[0016] Steel coated with a zinc-containing plating layer exhibits excellent corrosion resistance. Furthermore, adding aluminum and magnesium to the zinc in the plating layer further improves the corrosion resistance of the coated steel. With this configuration, since the plating layer contains zinc, aluminum, and magnesium, the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the door panel member and the door components can be suppressed.

[0017] The door panel member may be an inner panel or an outer panel that constitutes the door body, and the door component may be a sash inner or sash outer that constitutes the sash. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, in a side door in which a door component made of steel is joined to a door panel member made of aluminum, the occurrence of galvanic corrosion can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a side door according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] An exploded perspective view of the side door according to the above embodiment. [Figure 3]Schematic diagram showing the joint between the inner panel and the inner sash according to the above embodiment. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 according to a modification of the above embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the side door 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the side door 1 of the present embodiment. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the front of the vehicle is indicated by the X direction, the outside in the vehicle width direction is indicated by the Y direction, and the upper side of the vehicle is indicated by the Z direction.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, the side door 1 of the present embodiment is a front side door that is rotatably attached to the front side of the vehicle side portion around the vertical direction and opens and closes a door opening (not shown) provided in the vehicle side portion. The side door 1 of the present embodiment is an example of the side door for a vehicle according to the present invention.

[0023] The side door 1 includes a door main body portion 10 and a sash portion 20 disposed above the door main body portion 10. The sash portion 20 is a metal frame that supports a side window (not shown).

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, the door main body portion 10 includes an inner panel 11, an outer panel 12, and a door beam 13.

[0025] The inner panel 11 is made of an aluminum alloy plate. The inner panel 11 of the present embodiment is an example of the door panel member according to the present invention.

[0026] The outer panel 12 is made of an aluminum alloy plate. The outer panel 12 is positioned outside the inner panel 11 in the vehicle width direction. The outer panel 12 is joined to the inner panel 11 by folding its outer edge back towards the inner panel 11 and hemming it.

[0027] The door beam 13 is a metal pipe with a circular cross-section that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The door beam 13 is positioned between the inner panel 11 and the outer panel 12. The door beam 13 is attached to the inner panel 11 at both ends in the longitudinal direction (vehicle longitudinal direction) via brackets 14 and 15. In this embodiment, the door beam 13 and the brackets 14 and 15 are made of steel plate. However, the cross-sectional shape of the door beam 13 is not limited to a circle, and its material is not limited to steel plate.

[0028] The sash section 20 comprises a sash inner 30 and a sash outer 40. The sash section 20 has a closed cross-sectional structure formed by joining the sash inner 30 and the sash outer 40.

[0029] The sash inner 30 of this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. The sash inner 30 comprises an inner front frame 31 and an inner rear frame 32. The sash inner 30 of this embodiment is an example of a door component according to the present invention.

[0030] The inner front frame 31 of this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. The inner front frame 31 extends upward and backward along the vehicle's front pillar (not shown) and side rail (not shown). The front end of the inner front frame 31 is joined to the inner panel 11. The rear end of the inner front frame 31 is joined to the upper end of the inner rear frame 32.

[0031] The inner rear frame 32 of this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. The inner rear frame 32 extends vertically along the center pillar (not shown) of the vehicle. The lower end of the inner rear frame 32 is joined to the inner panel 11 and the outer panel 12. The upper end of the inner rear frame 32 is joined to the rear end of the inner front frame 31.

[0032] The sash outer 40 in this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. The sash outer 40 comprises an outer front frame 41 and an outer rear frame 42. The sash outer 40 is positioned outside the sash inner 30 in the vehicle width direction.

[0033] The outer front frame 41 of this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. The outer front frame 41 extends upward and backward along the vehicle's front pillar (not shown) and side rail (not shown). The front end of the outer front frame 41 is joined to the inner panel 11. The rear end of the outer front frame 41 is joined to the upper end of the outer rear frame 42. The outer front frame 41 is also joined to the inner front frame 31 at multiple locations along its extending direction.

[0034] The outer rear frame 42 in this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. The outer rear frame 42 extends vertically along the center pillar (not shown) of the vehicle. The lower end of the outer rear frame 42 is joined to the inner panel 11 and the outer panel 12. The upper end of the outer rear frame 42 is joined to the rear end of the outer front frame 41. The outer rear frame 42 is also joined to the inner rear frame 32 at multiple locations along its extending direction.

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the joint 50 between the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30. Figure 3 also shows the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Figure 3 omits the illustration of components other than the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 (for example, the sash outer 40). In Figure 3, the front of the vehicle is indicated by the X direction, the outside in the vehicle width direction by the Y direction, and the top of the vehicle by the Z direction. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV in Figure 3.

[0036] Referring to Figure 3, multiple joints 50 are provided in the area where the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 overlap. As will be described later, in this embodiment, the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 are mechanically joined at the joints 50 by clinch joints such as Tox® joints.

[0037] As described above, the sash inner 30 of this embodiment is made of a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, the sash inner 30 of this embodiment has a base material 30a made of steel and a plating layer 30b formed on the surface of the base material 30a. The plating layer 30b of this embodiment contains zinc, aluminum, and magnesium and has corrosion resistance. The sash inner 30 has corrosion resistance because the base material 30a is covered with the plating layer 30b.

[0038] At the joint 50, a plating layer 30b is interposed between the inner panel 11 and the base material 30a. In other words, at the joint 50, the inner panel 11 and the plating layer 30b of the sash inner 30 are in contact. On the other hand, at the joint 50, the inner panel 11, which is made of aluminum, and the base material 30a, which is made of steel, do not come into direct contact.

[0039] In this embodiment, the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 are mechanically joined at the joint 50 by a Tox® joint. The joint 50 is provided on the inner panel 11 and consists of a convex portion 51 that protrudes toward the sash inner 30, and a recessed portion 52 provided on the sash inner 30 that is recessed toward the opposite side from the inner panel 11. The tip of the convex portion 51 (the end on the sash inner 30 side) has a bulge 51a that extends laterally. The bulge 51a bites into the recess 52, forming an interlock portion 53 where the convex portion 51 and the recess 52 interlock. The inner panel 11 and the inner rear frame 32 are joined by this interlock portion 53.

[0040] In the modified embodiment shown in Figure 5, the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 are mechanically joined at the joint 50 by self-piercing rivet joining. The inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 are joined by rivets 60 made of steel. The rivets 60 are surface-treated by plating or painting. A corrosion-resistant surface treatment layer or film 61 is formed on the surface of the rivets 60. The film 61 is, for example, a nickel plating film, a chromate film, or a zirconium-based chemical conversion film. The film 61 is not limited to a nickel plating film, a chromate film, or a zirconium-based chemical conversion film, as long as it has corrosion resistance.

[0041] In this modified example, a plating layer 30b is interposed between the inner panel 11 and the base material 30a at the joint 50. In other words, the inner panel 11 and the plating layer 30b of the sash inner 30 are in contact at the joint 50. On the other hand, the inner panel 11 made of aluminum and the base material 30a made of steel are not in direct contact at the joint 50.

[0042] Since the rivets 60 are surface-treated by plating or painting, the inner panel 11 made of aluminum and the rivets 60 made of steel do not come into direct contact, thus suppressing galvanic corrosion. More specifically, a corrosion-resistant coating 61 is formed on the surface of the rivets 60, so the coating 61 is interposed between the door panel member 11 and the rivets 60. As a result, the inner panel 11 made of aluminum and the rivets 60 made of steel do not come into direct contact, thus suppressing galvanic corrosion.

[0043] The rivet 60 in this modified example is an example of a fastening component according to the present invention. The fastening component according to the present invention is not limited to the rivet 60, but may be a screw or a bolt. Furthermore, the joining method is not limited to self-piercing rivet joining, but may be FDS (Flow Drilling Screw) joining (FDS is a registered trademark) or bolt joining.

[0044] The side door 1 according to this embodiment has the following functions.

[0045] At the joint 50, a corrosion-resistant plating layer 30b is interposed between the inner panel 11 and the base material 30a. In other words, the inner panel 11, which is made of an aluminum alloy plate, and the base material 30a, which is made of steel, of the sash inner 30 are joined together without direct contact between them. Therefore, the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 can be suppressed.

[0046] The inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 are joined by clinch joining. Clinch joining is a joining method that allows multiple metal plates to be joined without fracturing them. Therefore, damage to the plating layer 30b caused by joining the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 is suppressed. As a result, the state in which the plating layer 30b is interposed between the base material 30a of the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 is maintained, so the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30 can be suppressed.

[0047] Steel coated with a zinc-containing plating layer exhibits excellent corrosion resistance. Furthermore, adding aluminum and magnesium to the zinc in the plating layer further improves the corrosion resistance of the coated steel. Since the plating layer 30b of the sash inner 30 contains zinc, aluminum, and magnesium, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of galvanic corrosion between the inner panel 11 and the sash inner 30.

[0048] Although specific embodiments and variations of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of this invention.

[0049] For example, in the above embodiment, a front side door, side door 1, was used as an example of a vehicle side door of the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this. In other words, the vehicle side door according to the present invention may also be a rear side door provided at the rear of the vehicle.

[0050] In the above embodiment, an inner panel 11 was used as an example of a door panel member according to the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this. In other words, the door panel member according to the present invention may also be an outer panel 12. In this case, the door components joined to the outer panel 12 as a door panel member may be, for example, brackets 14 and 15.

[0051] In the above embodiment, a sash inner 30 was used as an example of a door component according to the present invention, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the door component according to the present invention may be a sash outer 40, or brackets 14, 15.

[0052] The plating layer in the above embodiment contained zinc, aluminum, and magnesium, but is not limited to these as long as it has corrosion resistance. For example, the plating layer does not need to contain magnesium. In other words, in this case, the sash inner 30, sash outer 40, or brackets 14, 15 as door components may be made of zinc-aluminum alloy plated steel sheet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1. Side door (vehicle side door) 10 Door body 11. Inner panel (door panel component) 12 Outer Panels 13 Door Beam 14,15 Bracket 20 Sash section 30 Sash inner (door part) 30a Base material 30b Plating layer 31 Inner Front Frame 32 Inner Rear Frame 40 Sash Outer 41 Outer front frame 42 Outer Frame 50 Joint 51 Convex part 51a Bulge 52 recess 53 Interlock section 60 rivets (fastening components) 61 Coating

Claims

1. An inner panel or outer panel that constitutes the door body, and a door panel member made of aluminum, A sash inner or sash outer that constitutes the sash portion, and a door component joined to the door panel member. Equipped with, The aforementioned door component is a hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg plated steel sheet, A base material made of steel, It has corrosion resistance and the plating layer formed on the surface of the base material Equipped with, A vehicle side door in which, at the joint where the door panel member and the door component are joined, the door panel member and the plating layer are in contact, while the plating layer is interposed between the door panel member and the base material so that the door panel member and the base material do not come into direct contact.

2. The side door for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the door panel member and the door component are joined by a clinch joint.

3. The side door for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the door panel member and the door component are joined by a surface-treated fastening component.

4. The fastening component is a rivet, The side door for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the door panel member and the door component are joined together by self-piercing rivets with surface-treated rivets.

Images