Vehicle door and door module

Abstract

In an example, a vehicle door module has a carrier carrying a plurality of functional door hardware components. The carrier defines a wet side facing towards a door cavity and a dry side facing away from the door cavity. The door includes an inner door panel having a front pocket and a rear pocket. The carrier includes front and rear latch presenters and carries front and rear door latches on the dry side thereof which seat in the front and rear door pockets. The latches are connected to reinforcement plates which are connected by fasteners at positions surrounding the door pockets thus enabling each latch to be easily accessed for service by simply removing the corresponding reinforcement plate, which may be located under an easily removed interior trim panel.

We claim: 
     
         1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A vehicle door, comprising:
 an outer door panel;   an inner door panel joined to the outer door panel so as to define a door cavity between the inner and outer door panels, the inner door panel having an aperture providing access to the door cavity, wherein the inner door panel includes a pocket positioned adjacent an edge of the inner door panel and extending towards the outer door panel;   a door module including a carrier carrying a plurality of functional door hardware components, wherein the door module is mounted to the inner door panel to seal the aperture, the carrier defining a wet side of the door module facing towards the door cavity and a dry side of the door module facing away from the door cavity, wherein the carrier includes a latch presenter positioned to at least partially seat in the pocket, wherein the door module includes a latch carried by the latch presenter on the dry side of the door module so as to be at least partially seated in the pocket; and   a latch reinforcement plate connected to the latch, wherein the latch reinforcement plate is connected to the inner door panel by a plurality of fasteners at positions outside of the latch.   
     
     
         21 . A vehicle door as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of fasteners includes at least three fasteners positioned non-colinearly. 
     
     
         22 . A vehicle door as claimed in any one of  claims 20 - 21 , wherein the latch presenter is positioned at the front of the carrier. 
     
     
         23 . A vehicle door as claimed in any one of  claims 20 - 22 , wherein the latch presenter is positioned at the rear of the carrier. 
     
     
         24 . A vehicle door, comprising:
 an outer door panel;   an inner door panel joined to the outer door panel so as to define a door cavity between the inner and outer door panels, the inner door panel having an aperture providing access to the door cavity, wherein the inner door panel includes a pocket positioned adjacent an edge of the inner door panel and extending towards the outer door panel;   a door module including a carrier carrying a plurality of functional door hardware components, wherein the door module is mounted to the inner door panel to seal the aperture, the carrier defining a wet side of the door module facing towards the door cavity and a dry side of the door module facing away from the door cavity, wherein the carrier includes a latch presenter positioned on the dry side and positioned to at least partially seat in the pocket, wherein the latch presenter is integral with the carrier and made from a polymeric material,   wherein the door module includes a latch carried by the latch presenter on the dry side of the door module so as to be at least partially seated in the pocket; and   a latch reinforcement plate covering the latch, wherein the latch reinforcement plate is connected to the inner door panel by a plurality of fasteners.   
     
     
         25 . A vehicle door as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the latch presenter is made from the same material as a main portion of the carrier. 
     
     
         26 . A vehicle door as claimed in any one of  claims 24 - 25 , wherein the main portion of the carrier and the latch presenter are a single molded item.