FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a three-wheeled vehicle and more
particularly to a three-wheeled vehicle equipped with a passenger door.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] Four wheeled vehicles are provided with reinforced side panels for safety
reasons, due to which it is possible to provide strong doors with hinge without requirement of any strength enhancement of the side panel. On other hand, a side panel in a three-wheeled vehicle is not reinforced mainly due to two reasons, first being the "cost" and second is "requirement". Since a three wheeled, vehicle does not attain a high speed as achieved by a four-wheeler and three-wheeler is used mainly for short commuting distances, such costly process of side panel reinforcement is avoided. Hence, the side panels in a typical three-wheeled vehicle are manufactured using only a thin sheet metal. Due to the above reasons, providing a passenger door in a three-wheeled vehicle becomes more challenging.
[0003] At present, there is no side door for passenger compartment in any of the
three-wheeled vehicles. Due to absence of a door and presence of an empty space exposed on the vehicle chassis, there is always a risk of mud and water splashing inside the passenger compartment. In addition, the present three wheeled vehicles where passenger doors are absent are not safe as there is risk of persons or their belongings falling out of the vehicle. Hence, there is a need to provide a passenger door in a three-wheeled vehicle for safety of the passengers and their belongings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention proposes to obviate the problems and the limitations
associated with the existing three wheeled vehicles, namely to avoid the splashing of mud and water inside the passenger cabin, and to eliminate the risk of any passenger or their belongings falling out of'the vehicle, when the vehicle is running, by providing a non-sliding door. A door can be installed in the passenger cabin using the vehicle frame by different methods. The different methods described herein to install a passenger door include an internal hinge mechanism, an external hinge mechanism and a pantograph mechanism. The passenger door as described in the current invention is designed in such a way that, it will not hinder the passenger ingress and egress.
[0005] In an internal hinge mechanism of installing a passenger door in a three-
wheeled vehicle, the hinges on which the whole passenger door rotates is disposed on the pillar B and is visible from inside the passenger cabin and not from outside the vehicle. In an external hinge mechanism of installing a passenger door in a three-wheeled vehicle, the hinges on which the whole passenger door rotates is disposed on the pillar B and is visible from outside the passenger cabin and not from inside the vehicle.
[0006] In yet another embodiment of the current invention, a pantograph form of
door hinge is described wherein the passenger door follows a pantograph pattern during opening or for closing the passenger door. This passenger door for three wheeled vehicle which follows pantograph pattern during opening or closing of the door covers lesser space for operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007] Figure 1 illustrates a typical three-wheeler.
[0008] Figure 2 illustrates the passenger door mechanism for a three-wheeler
according to the first embodiment wherein mechanism to rotate the door is on inner side of the door.
[0009] Figure 3 illustrates the exploded view of door mechanism for three-
wheeler according to the first embodiment wherein mechanism to rotate the door is on inner side of the door.
[00010] Figure 4 illustrates the passenger door wherein mechanism to rotate the
door is on outer side of the door.
[00011] Figure 5 illustrates the exploded view of passenger door mechanism
wherein mechanism to rotate the door is on outer side of the door.
[00012] Figure 6 illustrates the pantograph mechanism for the passenger door.
[00013] Figure 7 illustrates the exploded view of pantograph mechanism for the
passenger door.
>
[00014] Figure 8 illustrates the first conventional method of installing passenger
door.
[00015] Figure 9 illustrates the hinge location in first conventional method of
passenger door.

[00016] Figure 10 illustrates the exploded view of hinge location in first
conventional method of passenger door installation.
[00017] Figure 11 illustrates the hinge location in second conventional method of
passenger door installation.
[00018] Figure 12 illustrates the hinge location in second conventional method of
passenger door installation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[00019] The passenger door for a three-wheeled vehicle becomes necessary not
only to avoid the splashing of mud and water inside the passenger cabin but also to eliminate the risk of any passenger falling out of the vehicle. The current invention proposes a door for a three-wheeled vehicle with a non-sliding mechanism. The non-sliding passenger door as described in the current invention is designed in such a way that, it will not hinder the passenger ingress and egress. The non-sliding door can be installed in the passenger cabin using the vehicle frame by different methods. The different methods include an internal hinge mechanism, an external hinge mechanism and a pantograph mechanism.
[00020] Figure 1 illustrates a typical three-wheeled vehicle with front wheel 1, rear
wheel 2, driver seat 3, chassis 4, B pillar 5, and passenger cabin space side panel 6 and passenger seat 8. The B pillar 5 separates the three-wheeler into two compartments; the front compartment is used by driver and accommodates the driver seat. The rear compartment is used by the passengers and accommodates the passenger seat. The

t
According to the current invention, the non sliding door resides between the B pillar 5 and passenger cabin space side panel 6.
[00021] Figure 2 illustrates the B pillar 5, and passenger cabin space side panel 6,
support arm for door bracket 90, and mounting bracket 103 according to the first embodiment of the current invention. The view shown in Figure 2 corresponds to from. the inside the vehicle and from the passenger compartment. The mounting bracket 103 is rigidly mounted to the passenger cabin space side panel 6.
[0001] Figure 3 illustrates the exploded view of the door opening mechanism and
shows B pillar 5, passenger cabin space side panel 6, passenger door 20, arm tube 101, door tube support 102, mounting bracket 103, door arm 104, door arm support bracket 105 and door down tube support 106. The mounting bracket 103 is welded to the passenger door 20. The arm tube 101 on both its sides is placed in a groove inside the mounting bracket 103 with a clearance fit such that, the arm tube 101 is free to rotate inside the mounting bracket 103.The door arm 104 is rigidly fastened to the passenger door 20 through door arm support bracket 105. Arm tube 101 is supported through mounting bracket 103 at top and door down tube support 106 at bottom. As the door is pushed outwards or inwards, the door arm 104 rotates on its axis, which in turns rotates the passenger door 20.
[0002] Figure 4 illustrates the B pillar 5, passenger cabin space side panel 6 and
passenger door 20 with door opening mechanism according to the second embodiment of the current invention. The door opening mechanism includes an external support for door arm 122. Door arm 122 is hinged to chassis by means of door arm bracket 123. The

passenger door 20 is capable of rotating on the axis of the door arm bracket 123 with support of door arm 122.
[0003] Figure 5 illustrates exploded view of the support and hinge mechanism for the
passenger door according to the second embodiment. Figure 5 shows B Pillar 5, passenger door 20, door bracket 121, door arm 122 and door arm bracket 123. According to this non sliding door opening mechanism as per the second embodiment of the current invention, the door opens as per a pantograph profile. The door arm bracket 123 is rigidly joined to the passenger door 20 at one end and at the other end is fastened to door arm bracket 123, which keeps the passenger door 20 up straight, and vertical during the door opening operation.
[0004] Figure 6 illustrates the passenger. door for three-wheeled vehicle, which
follows a pantograph pattern. Figure 6 shows chassis 4, B Pillar 5, passenger cabin space side panel 6 and passenger door 20 with door opening mechanism according to the third embodiment of the current invention.
[0005] Figure 7 illustrates exploded view of the passenger door following the
pantograph pattern. Figure 7.further shows passenger door 20, door beading 141, arm supporting bracket 142, arm supporting hinge 143, external arm 144 and door supporting bracket 145. The passenger door 20 is rigidly attached to the door-supporting bracket 145. The external arm 144 at one end is rigidly attached to the passenger door 20 at one end and at the other end is rotatably connected to an arm support hinge 143. The external arm 144 is free to rotate on the arm support hinge 143. Hence, when the door is pulled outside, the whole door rotates on the arm support hinge 143 and the door is opened.

[0006] In yet another, fourth embodiment of the current invention, conventional
internal and external hinges are used. Figure 8 illustrates B Pillar 5, passenger cabin space side panel 6, passenger door 20 and hinge 150. Figure 9 illustrates B Pillar 5, passenger door 20 and hinge 160. The conventional hinges 160 are locked on the B pillar 5 using the hinge-locating pin 171. The door is attached to the hinge 160 and the door along with the hinge is capable of rotating along the axis of the hinge-locating pin 171.
[0007] Figure 10 illustrates B Pillar 5, passenger door 20, hinge 160, and hinge
mounting bracket 170, hinge locating pin 171, hinge slot 172 and bracket slot 173.The passenger door 20 is fastened to the hinge 160 at the upper and lower portions. The hinge slot 172 is inserted and aligned with the bracket slot 173 and a hinge locating pin 171 is inserted which thoroughly crosses both the hinge slot 172 and the bracket slot 173. The hinge locating pin 171 keeps the hinge 160 in places and allows the hinge 160 to rotate on the axis of the hinge locating pin 171. When the door is operated, the hinge 160 rotates on the axis of the hinge-locating pin 171 and thus the door is opened or closed as per requirement.
[0008] Figure 11 shows yet another embodiment of the current invention wherein the
passenger door installation is further simplified wherein the passenger door 20 rotates on the axis of the B Pillar 5 by help of the hinges 191 supported on the hinge brackets 192. Figure 12 further shows the exploded view of the passenger door installation. The hinges 192 comprises of two flaps capable of rotating along same axis. First flap of the hinge 192 is fastened to the B pillar 5 and the other flap is fastened to the passenger door 20.

We claim:
1. A passenger door for a three wheeled vehicle; the three wheeled vehicle
comprising:
a B pillar (5) spread across vehicle width direction to separate the driver seat and passenger side area and to provide a vertical support for the covering member (7);
a passenger cabin space side panel (6) which covers.the passenger from both the sides of the vehicle;
an arm support hinge (143) attached to chassis (4) of the three wheeled vehicle;
a door arm (122); the door arm (122) being rotatably coupled to the arm support hinge (143);
a passenger door (20); the passenger door supported vertically by the door arm (122);
wherein atleast one door arm (122) at one end is rigidly joined to the arm support hinge (143) and the other end to a lower portion of the passenger door (20) is coupled to the passenger door (20) such that one edge of the passenger door (20) rotates on the axis of the B pillar (5) and in-between the B pillar (5) and passenger cabin space side panel (6).
2. The passenger door (20) as claimed in claim 1 that is attached to the B pillar (5) using hinges (191).
3. The passenger door (20) as claimed in claim 1 that is attached to the B pillar (5) and rotatably supported on a locating pin (171) and capable of rotating on an axis parallel to vertical B pillar (5).

4. The passenger door (20) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the passenger door (20) when opened or closed, follows a pantograph profile.