Vehicle door frame structure and method of producing vehicle door frame

Abstract

A door frame, a frame body which includes a glass opposing portion, a design portion positioned on one side of the glass opposing portion on the vehicle exterior side, a tubular portion positioned on the other side of the glass opposing portion on the vehicle interior side, and a glass guide portion having a concave cross section surrounding the edge of the door glass, is structured as a single member which is continuous from an upper sash portion to a side sash portion by having a uniform cross section from the upper to side sash portions, and by a bending process performed on the corner portion. The width of the design portion of the frame varies at least one area along the length thereof and the design portion of the frame body is covered with an exterior member.

1 . A vehicle door frame structure which includes an upper sash portion that holds an upper edge of an upward/downward movable door glass, a side sash portion that holds a side edge of said door glass and a corner portion positioned at a boundary between said upper sash portion and said side sash portion, said vehicle door frame structure comprising:
 a frame body which includes a glass-opposing portion that is opposed to an edge of said door glass, a design portion that is positioned on one side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle exterior side and a tubular portion that is positioned on the other side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle interior side, wherein said frame body is structured as a single member which is continuous from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion by forming a glass guide portion from said glass-opposing portion, said design portion and said tubular portion so that said glass guide portion has a concave-shaped cross section surrounding said edge of said door glass, by forming said tubular portion to have a uniform cross section over a range from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion, and by performing a bending process on said corner portion; and   an exterior member which covers the design portion of each of said upper sash portion and said side sash portion of said frame body from said vehicle exterior side,   wherein said frame body is configured such that a width of said design portion varies at least one area along the length of said design portion.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle door frame structure according to  claim 1 , wherein said frame body is configured such that the width of said design portion in an area in which said glass guide portion is formed varies at least said one area along the length of said design portion. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle door frame structure according to  claim 2 , wherein said width of said design portion in said glass guide portion formation area is greater in said side sash portion than in said upper sash portion. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle door frame structure according to one of  claim 1 , wherein said design portion has been cut out at said corner portion in said frame body. 
     
     
         5 . A method of producing a vehicle door frame which includes an upper sash portion that holds an upper edge of an upward/downward movable door glass, a side sash portion that holds a side edge of said door glass and a corner portion positioned at a boundary between said upper sash portion and said side sash portion, said method comprising:
 forming a frame body which is continuous from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion by forming a linear member from a metal plate which has a length extending at least from said upper sash portion to said side sash portion so that said linear member has an uniform cross sectional shape which includes a glass-opposing portion that is opposed to an edge of said door glass, a design portion that is positioned on one side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle exterior side, a tubular portion that is positioned on the other side of said glass-opposing portion on a vehicle interior side, and a glass guide portion which has a concave-shaped cross section surrounding said edge of said door glass by said glass-opposing portion, said design portion and said tubular portion; and by bending said linear member at said corner portion,   performing a process of making a width of said design portion of said frame body vary at least one area along length of said design portion, and   covering said design portion of said frame body with an exterior member from said vehicle exterior side.