In the assembly of vehicles the fitting of doors to the vehicle frame is one of the most labor intensive and time consuming operations. This is due to the necessity of performing a number of intricate, manipulative operations in assembling the window, window operating mechanism, and the door lock mechanism with the door after the door has been fitted to the vehicle. Regardless of whether the vehicle doors are formed of metal, plastic, or a combination of metal and plastic, the window, window operating mechanism, and lock operating mechanism must be assembled in a space or cavity between inner and outer panels forming the door. Modern vehicles conventionally include a finish or trim panel overlying the inner door panel. In some instances the trim panel is omitted from the door until the door is fitted to the vehicle and the window, lock, and associated operating mechanisms are installed. Thereafter, the trim panel may be fitted to the inner door panel after which the operating levers, cranks, and switches are connected to their respective mechanisms.
In other current door assembly operations a hollow door may be fitted with a transverse reinforcement beam to provide protection for the vehicle occupants against transversely applied impacts. The presence of such beams increases the difficulty in installing the window and lock operating mechanisms in the space between the inner and outer door-forming panels. In such operations the installer utilizes the same or other openings in the inner panel to effect manual mounting and connection of the window and lock components. Thereafter, the inner trim panel and operating cranks, levers, or switches are installed.
Regardless of the methods currently used to assemble doors with vehicles and to incorporate in such doors reinforcement beams, windows, window adjusting mechanisms, and lock operating mechanisms, the assembly operations are laborious and may result in injury to assemblers when moving their hands and arms through the space between the inner and outer panels.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a door and reinforcement therefor and a rapid, and effective method of assembling the door with the reinforcement and with a vehicle and which materially minimizes or overcomes the difficulties referred to above.