Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] The invention relates to a beam body to be mounted within a vehicle door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] Generally, vehicle doors comprise of a frame having an upper region with a window opening and a lower region which supports various components such as glass operating mechanism, speakers, door locks, etc. The frame of the vehicle door on its inner side is further covered by an inner trim panel and an outer panel on its exterior. In addition to accommodating and supporting various components, vehicle doors also have various requirements for impact protection, oil canning resistance, stiffness, etc. For improving impact protection, oil canning resistance, stiffness of vehicle doors the thickness of outer panel of door can be increased. However, increase in weight of the vehicle door is undesirable.
[003] Another solution for improving impact protection, oil canning resistance, stiffness of vehicle is to provide a dedicated oil canning beam and an intrusion beam. Figure 1 shows a vehicle door 100 comprising an oil canning beam 110 and an intrusion beam 120 as per prior-art. The oil canning beam is adapted to the door in a diagonal fashion and is welded to the vehicle door ends. The intrusion beam is adapted below the oil canning beam and is adapted to the door in a diagonal fashion and is welded to the vehicle door at both ends. The intrusion beam is designed to provide occupant protection in a side-impact collision and oil canning beam resists hand load on outer panel. Typically, the intrusion beam is made of hot rolled steel and the oil canning beam is made of cold rolled steel resulting in an increase in overall weight of the vehicle door, which is undesirable. Further, in addition to oil canning beam stiffener pads are also provided. The stiffener pads result in increase in weight and an increase in costs.
[004] In view of the above there is a need in the art for addressing at-least above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[005] Accordingly, the present invention in one aspect provides a beam body for a vehicle door. The beam body includes a top member and a bottom member. The top member is mounted between an outer panel and an inner panel in a lower region of the vehicle door. The top member extends between side-edges of the vehicle door from a first end to a second end. The bottom member is provided below the top member. The bottom member extends between side-edges of the vehicle door from a first end to a second end. The first end of the top member and the first end of the bottom member are spaced apart and at-least one of the top member and the bottom member extend diagonally such that a second end of the top member and a second end of the bottom member merge to form a common surface. The top member and the bottom member of the beam body spans across the lower region of the vehicle door to support and reinforce the outer panel and the inner panel in the lower region of the vehicle door.
[006] In an embodiment, a plurality of cross members extends between the top member and the bottom member.
[007] In an embodiment, the beam body is integrally formed.
[008] In an embodiment, the top member extends diagonally downwards, and the bottom member extends diagonally upwards.
[009] In an embodiment, the first end of the top member and the first end of the bottom member allow hinges of the vehicle door to be mounted.
[010] In an embodiment, the beam body is coupled to the inner panel and the outer panel.
[011] In an embodiment, the beam body is attached to the inner panel via welding, and the beam body is attached to the outer panel via mastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[012] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in context of these embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these embodiments.
Figure 1 shows a vehicle door comprising an oil canning beam and an intrusion beam as per prior-art.
Figure 2 shows a beam body in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the beam body disposed in a vehicle door in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 4 shows the beam body mounted within the vehicle door in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 5 shows the beam body in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[013] The present invention is directed towards providing a beam body for a vehicle door which improves oil canning resistance, impact resistance and hinge mounting stiffness. The beam body is designed to be light weight, thereby reducing weight of the vehicle door while still reinforcing the vehicle door and providing impact and oil canning resistance to the vehicle door.
[014] Figure 2 shows a beam body 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The beam body 200 comprises of a top member 210 and a bottom member 220 disposed below the top member 210.
[015] As shown, the top member 210 extends from a first end 210A to a second end 210B, and the bottom member 220 extends from a first end 220A to a second end 220B. In an embodiment, the first end 210A of the top member 210 and the first end 220A of the bottom member 220 are spaced apart and at-least one of the top member 210 and the bottom member 220 extend diagonally from the first end 210A, 220A to the second end 210B, 220B such that the second end 210B of the top member 210 and the second end 220B of the bottom member 220 merge to form a common surface or common second end. The top member 210 extends diagonally downwards and the bottom member 220 extends diagonally upwards. Further, the beam body 200 comprises of plurality of cross members 230. The cross members 230 are spaced apart and extend between the top member 210 and the bottom member 220. As can be seen, the cross members 230 are substantially perpendicular to the top member 210 and the bottom member 220.
[016] Further, the first end 210A of the top member 210 and the second end 220A of the bottom member 220 allows hinges of a vehicle door 300 to be mounted.
[017] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a vehicle door 300 with the beam body 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle door 300 having an upper region A with a window opening and a lower region B which supports various components such as glass operating mechanism, speakers, door locks, etc.
[018] As shown in Figure 3, the beam body 200 is mounted between an outer panel 310 and an inner panel 320 in the lower region of the vehicle door 300. The top member 210 extends between side-edges of the vehicle door 300 from a first end 210A to a second end 210B; and the bottom member 220 extends between side-edges of the vehicle door 300 from a first end 220A to a second end 220B whereby the first end 210A of the top member 210 and the first end 220A of the bottom member 220 are spaced apart and at-least one of the top member 210 and the bottom member 220 extending diagonally such that a second end 210B of the top member 210 and a second end 220B of the bottom member 220 merge to form a common surface. The top member 210 extends diagonally downwards from top area of lower region across width of the vehicle door 300, and the bottom member 220 extends diagonally upwards from bottom area of lower region across width of the vehicle door 300, and the cross members 230 interconnect the top member 210 and the bottom member 220.
[019] The beam body 200 thus spans a substantial area of the lower region of vehicle door 300 i.e., the top member 210 and the bottom member 220 of the beam body 200 spans across the lower region of vehicle door 300, providing support/reinforcement to the outer panel 310 and the inner panel 320 in the lower region of the vehicle door 300 via the top member 210, the bottom member 220 and the plurality of cross members 230. The top member 210 reinforces the outer panel 310 of the vehicle door 300 and provides oil canning resistance by preventing any deformities due to external force. The bottom member 220 provides impact resistance due to heavy impact during collisions by preventing the outer panel 310 from intruding and collapsing on the inner panel 320 and thereby preventing any injury to an occupant of the vehicle. Further, the plurality of cross members 230 are positioned to provide additional support and reinforcement to the vehicle door 300 to prevent deformities due to impact or external forces.
[020] In an embodiment, the beam body 200 is integrally formed and is made of cold rolled steel. The beam body is made of cold rolled steel thus is light weight. The beam body 200 can be made of any other material such as SPC grade steel or EDD sheet steel. Further, the beam body 200 is attached to the inner panel 320 of the vehicle body 300 via welding, and the beam body 200 is attached to the outer panel 310 of the vehicle door 300 by means of adhesives such as mastic. Alternately, the beam body 200 is attached via welding or via adhesive to both the outer panel 310 and the inner panel 320 of the vehicle door 300.
[021] Further, the vehicle door 300 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is a type of vehicle door whereby hinges for the vehicle door 300 are mounted on the outer panel 310 of the vehicle door 300 i.e., hinges are visible outside outer panel 310 of the vehicle door 300. As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle door 300 has two hinges - top hinge H1 and bottom hinge H2. Further, the hinges H1, H2 are mounted to the beam body 200 via reinforcement members R and fasteners (not shown). The reinforcement members R are welded to the beam body 200, and the first end 210A of the top member 210 and the first end 220A of the bottom member 220 and the reinforcement members R have one or more holes to receive the fasteners.
[022] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first end 210A of the top member 210 allows top hinge H1 to be mounted and the second end 220A of the bottom member 220 allows bottom hinge H2 to be mounted. Accordingly, the top member 210 extends from the top hinge H1 and the bottom member 220 extends from the bottom hinge 220A towards center of opposing side-edge of the vehicle door 300. The center of the vehicle door 300 generally has a latch (not shown). Accordingly, the beam body 200, is mounted across the vehicle door 300 and is mounted with strong points of the vehicle door 300 - the hinges H1, H2 and the latch.
[023] Advantageously, the present invention provides a beam body for a vehicle door, which provides a thickness reduction benefits for outer panel and inner panel thereby reducing weight of the vehicle door. The beam body comprising the top member for oil canning resistance, bottom member for impact resistance and the cross member provides additional strength and stiffness which improves oil canning and intrusion performance.
[024] While the present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

, Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A beam body (200) for a vehicle door (300), the beam body (200) comprising:
a top member (210) mounted between an outer panel (310) and an inner panel (320) in a lower region (B) of the vehicle door (300), the top member (210) extending between side-edges of the vehicle door (300) from a first end (210A) to a second end (210B);
a bottom member (220) provided below the top member (210), the bottom member (220) extending between side-edges of the vehicle door (300) from a first end (220A) to a second end (220B), the first end (210A) of the top member (210) and the first end (220A) of the bottom member (220) are spaced apart and at-least one of the top member (210) and the bottom member (220) extending diagonally such that a second end (210B) of the top member (210) and a second end (220B) of the bottom member (220) merge to form a common surface, the top member (210) and the bottom member (220) of the beam body (200) spans across the lower region of the vehicle door (300), supporting and reinforcing the outer panel (310) and the inner panel (320) in the lower region (B) of the vehicle door (300).
2. The beam body (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of cross members (230) extend between the top member (210) and the bottom member (220).

3. The beam body (200) as claimed in claim 1 and 2, wherein the beam body (200) is integrally formed.
4. The beam body (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top member (210) extends diagonally downwards and the bottom member (220) extends diagonally upwards.
5. The beam body (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end (210A) of the top member (210) and the first end (220A) of the bottom member (220) allow hinges of the vehicle door (300) to be mounted.
6. The beam body (200) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the beam body (200) is coupled to the inner panel (320) and the outer panel (310) of the vehicle door (300).
7. The beam body (200) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the beam body (200) is attached to the inner panel (320) via welding, and the beam body (200) is attached to the outer panel (310) via mastic.