0001] The present disclosure described herein, in general, is directed to
provide lateral and torsional stiffness to a vehicle backdoor. In particular, the
5 present disclosure relates to an inner panel of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The background description includes information that may be useful in
understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the
information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed
10 subject matter, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior
art.
[0003] A vehicle backdoor, in addition to meeting the ordinary strength
conditions also requires to avoid or endure road surface excitations and the engine
idle frequency when the vehicle is in motion that otherwise causes resonance/
15 vibrations.
[0004] Also, the vehicle backdoor opens and closes in the vertical direction of
the vehicle body via a hinge at an upper end of the opening at the rear of the
vehicle body and uses a striker provided at a center of a bottom end of the vehicle
backdoor to facilitate a closed state of the vehicle backdoor. In the closed state,
20 the striker engages with a latch provided at the rear of the vehicle body at the
lower end. The engagement between the latch and the striker is released by
operating a handle provided on the vehicle backdoor. When the vehicle backdoor
in the open state is closed, the back door is pulled from the upper side of the
vehicle body toward the lower side of the vehicle body. A considerable amount of
25 momentum or impact is required for the vehicle backdoor to prevent a half-door
state. Therefore, the vehicle backdoor is further required to have a lateral and
3
torsional stiffness that can withstand such an impact that is exerted when the
vehicle backdoor is closed from an open state.
[0005] To achieve the lateral and torsional stiffness of the vehicle backdoor,
in an existing state of the art, an inner panel of the vehicle backdoor is provided
5 with reinforcement ribs arranged between a glass mounting frame and a
reinforcement frame of the inner panel. However, the arrangement of the
reinforcement ribs is such that a load is not transmitted towards a latch area of the
reinforcement frame and thus the lateral and torsional stiffness is imparted to
either the glass mounting frame or the reinforcement frame of the inner panel. As
10 a result, the vehicle backdoor in the whole doesn’t get the required lateral and
torsional stiffness and is, therefore, prone to deformation.
[0006] In view of the above-mentioned issues, there is a need to provide an
alternate or improved arrangement of the reinforcement ribs between the glass
mounting frame and the reinforcement frame of the inner panel.
15 OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0007] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment herein satisfy, are listed hereinbelow.
[0008] It is a general or primary object of the present disclosure to provide an
inner panel of a vehicle backdoor having an improved arrangement of
20 reinforcement ribs that can provide lateral and torsional stiffness to the whole
vehicle backdoor.
[0009] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide an inner panel
of a vehicle backdoor that can improve NVH (noise, vibration and harshness)
performance.
25 [0010] These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent
when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.
4
SUMMARY
[0011] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to an inner
panel of a vehicle backdoor. The concepts are further described below in the
detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or
5 essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to
limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0012] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an inner panel of a
vehicle backdoor. The inner panel comprises a glass mounting frame, a
reinforcement frame formed around the periphery of the vehicle backdoor and a
10 plurality of reinforcement ribs connecting lower edge and a lower center of the
glass mounting frame with the bottom edge of the reinforcement frame.
[0013] In an aspect, the plurality of reinforcement ribs comprises a primary
rib connecting the lower edge of the glass mounting frame with a latch area of the
reinforcement frame and a secondary rib connecting the lower center of the glass
15 mounting frame with a lower corner of the reinforcement frame. The primary rib
and the secondary rib form an “X” shape.
[0014] In another aspect, the inner panel comprises a pair of supporting ribs
connecting a wiper mounting area in the lower center of the glass mounting frame
with the latch area of the reinforcement frame.
20 [0015] The arrangement of the primary, secondary and the pair of supporting
ribs direct or transmits all the load towards the latch area of the reinforcement
frame from the glass mounting frame unlike the existing state of the art thereby
imparting lateral and torsional stiffness to the whole inner panel or the vehicle
backdoor and preventing its deformation.
25 [0016] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the
present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference
5
to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but
not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[0017] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive
subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description
5 of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which
like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only
typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be
10 considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally
effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the
accompanying figures. The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be
best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by
like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of
15 example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems,
and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein,
wherein:
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an inner panel of a vehicle backdoor as per the state
of art; and
20 [0020] FIG. 2 illustrates an inner panel of a vehicle backdoor in accordance
with the present disclosure.
[0021] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the
purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from
the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and
25 methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles
of the disclosure described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
6
[0022] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the
disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It
should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to
communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is
5 not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling
within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended
claims.
[0023] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised
10 that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of
the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects,
and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are
intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0024] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments
15 only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein,
the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as
well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the
terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including,” when used
herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements
20 and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more
other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups
thereof.
[0025] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the
functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example,
25 two figures shown in succession may be executed concurrently or may sometimes
be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific
terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further
7
understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should
be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the
context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly
formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
5 [0027] FIG. 1 shows an existing inner panel 100 of a vehicle backdoor. The
inner panel 100 comprises a glass mounting frame 102 and a reinforcement frame
104 which is formed around the periphery of the vehicle backdoor. A plurality of
reinforcement ribs 106 is arranged between the glass mounting frame 102 and the
reinforcement frame 104 of the inner panel 100. However, the arrangement of the
10 reinforcement ribs 106 is such that a load is not transmitted properly from the
glass mounting frame 102 towards a latch area 108 of the reinforcement frame
104 and thus the lateral and torsional stiffness is imparted to either the glass
mounting frame 102 or the reinforcement frame 104 of the inner panel 100. A
plurality of mounting location 110 is provided for mounting a wiper motor (not
15 shown) inside the glass mounting frame 102 and due to movement of the wiper
motor and its weight, the strength of inner panel weakens. Furthermore, the large
cavities are formed between the glass mounting frame 102 and the reinforcement
frame 104 that makes the vehicle backdoor weak. As a result, the whole vehicle
backdoor doesn’t get the required lateral and torsional stiffness and is, therefore,
20 prone to deformation.
[0028] Also, the vehicle backdoor opens and closes in the vertical direction of
the vehicle body via a hinge (not shown) at an upper end of the opening at the rear
of the vehicle body and uses a striker (not shown) provided at a center of a bottom
end of the vehicle backdoor to facilitate a closed state of the vehicle backdoor. In
25 the closed state, the striker engages with a latch (not shown) provided at the rear
of the vehicle body at the lower end. The engagement between the latch and the
striker is released by operating a handle provided on the vehicle backdoor. When
the vehicle backdoor in the open state is closed, the vehicle backdoor is pulled
from the upper side of the vehicle body toward the lower side of the vehicle body.
30 A considerable amount of momentum or impact is required for the vehicle
8
backdoor to prevent a half-door state. The impact also affects the lateral and
torsional stiffness of the vehicle back door in the long run and therefore, the
vehicle backdoor is required to have high lateral and torsional stiffness. Hence,
there is a need to provide an alternate or improved arrangement of the
5 reinforcement ribs 106 between the glass mounting frame 102 and the
reinforcement frame 104 of the inner panel 100 that can overcome the abovementioned shortcomings.
[0029] Accordingly, FIG. 2 shows an inner panel 200 of a vehicle backdoor.
The inner panel 200 comprises a glass mounting frame 202 and a reinforcement
10 frame 204 which is formed around the periphery of the vehicle backdoor. A latch
area 206 is provided at center of a bottom edge 204a of the reinforcement frame
204. To impart lateral and torsional stiffness to the whole vehicle backdoor, the
inner panel 200 comprises a plurality of reinforcement ribs 208 provided or
arranged between the glass mounting frame 202 and the reinforcement frame 204
15 in such a way that all the load acting on the glass mounting frame 202 and the
reinforcement frame 204 is transmitted or directed towards the latch area 206. The
plurality of reinforcement ribs 208 is symmetrical along a central axis 2-2 of the
inner panel 200 in the width direction. As a result, the lateral and torsional
stiffness is imparted to the whole vehicle backdoor. The plurality of reinforcement
20 ribs 208 includes a primary rib 208a connecting a lower edge 202a of the glass
mounting frame 202 with the latch area 206 of the reinforcement frame 204 and a
secondary rib 208b connecting a lower center 202b of the glass mounting frame
202 with a lower corner 204a' of the reinforcement frame 204. In another
embodiment, the primary rib 208a connects an intersection of the lower edge 202a
25 and the side edge (not given reference numeral) of the reinforcement frame 204
with the intersection of the latch area 206 and an area near it (not given reference
numeral). In an aspect, the primary rib 208a and the secondary rib 208b are
formed diagonally and form an ‘X’ shape. In another aspect, the primary rib 208a
and the secondary rib 208b can be connected in such a way to form a ‘+’ shape.
9
The primary rib 208a and the secondary rib 208b divide a hollow cavity into four
regions.
[0030] The inner panel 200 further comprises a pair of supporting ribs 210
that connects a wiper mounting area 202b' in the lower center 202b of the glass
5 mounting frame 202 with the latch area 206 of the reinforcement frame 204. The
primary rib 208a, secondary rib 208b and the supporting ribs 210 help in
providing high lateral and torsional stiffness to the whole vehicle backdoor. The
wiper mounting area 202b', an area near the latch area 206 and the supporting ribs
210 are enclosed to form a hollow cavity. Specifically, the hollow cavity is
10 generally quadrangular. The supporting ribs 210, connected with the wiper
mounting area 202b', help to absorb vibration induced by a wiper motor which is
to be mounted at the wiper mounting area 202b'. This arrangement helps in
improving NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance of the vehicle.
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
15 [0031] The present disclosure provides an inner panel of a vehicle backdoor
having an improved arrangement of reinforcement ribs that provide lateral and
torsional stiffness to the whole vehicle backdoor.
[0032] The present disclosure provides an inner panel of a vehicle backdoor
that improves NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance.
20 [0033] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present
disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be
devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the
invention is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure is not
limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included
25 to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the present
disclosure when combined with information and knowledge available to the
person having ordinary skill in the art.

We claim:

1. An inner panel (200) of a vehicle backdoor, comprising:
a glass mounting frame (202);
a reinforcement frame (204) formed around the periphery of the
5 vehicle backdoor; and
a plurality of reinforcement ribs (208a, 208b) connecting lower edge
(202a) and a lower center (202b) of the glass mounting frame (202) with the
bottom edge (204a) of the reinforcement frame (204).
2. The inner panel (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of
10 reinforcement ribs (208a, 208b) comprising:
a primary rib (208a) connecting the lower edge (202a) of the glass
mounting frame (202) with a latch area (206) of the reinforcement frame
(204); and
a secondary rib (208b) connecting the lower center (202b) of the glass
15 mounting frame (202) with a lower corner (204a') of the reinforcement
frame (204).
3. The inner panel (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary rib (208a)
and the secondary rib (208b) form an “X” shape.
20 4. The inner panel (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of supporting
ribs (210) connecting a wiper mounting area (202b') in the lower center
(202b) of the glass mounting frame (202) with a latch area (206) of the
reinforcement frame (204).