Instrument Panel Support For A Motor Vehicle

Abstract

An instrument panel support 1 is used for installation between the two A-pillars 2, 2.1 of a motor vehicle. The instrument panel support 1 comprises a cross-member 3 which extends between the A pillars 2, 2.1 and which has at least one connecting element 4, 4.1 on each of its two ends for connecting the instrument panel support 1 to the vehicle by means of screw fasteners 10. The connecting members 4, 4.1 have a U-shaped main body 6 connected to the cross member 3, its longitudinal axis aligned in the z-direction, with at least one support insert extending between the two wings 7, 7.1 and penetrated by a fastener 10, for connecting the instrument panel support 1 on the vehicle side. The opening side of the main body 6 points in the transverse direction to the longitudinal extent of the cross-member 3. The support insert and the wing 8 of the main body 6 have fastening apertures aligned with one another at least in regions for the purpose of passing through the shank of a fastener 10.

Claims

1. An instrument panel support for a motor vehicle to be installed between the two A-pillars (2, 2.1), the instrument panel support (1) comprising a cross-member (3) which extends between the A-pillars (2, 2.1) and which, at each of its two ends, supports at least one connecting member (4, 4.1-4.7) for connecting the instrument panel support (1) on the vehicle side by means of screw fasteners (10), wherein the connecting members (4, 4.1-4.7) have a U-shaped main body (6, 6.1-6.5) connected to the cross member (3), its longitudinal axis aligned in the z-direction, with at least one support insert (9, 9.1-9.3) extending between the two wings (7, 7.1; 7.2-7.5) and penetrated by a fastener (10), for example a screw fastener for connecting the instrument panel support (1) on the vehicle side, the opening side of the main body (6, 6.1-6.5) points in the transverse direction to the longitudinal extent of the cross-member (3), and the support insert (9, 9.1-9.3) and the spine (8, 8.1-8.4) of the main body (6, 6.1-6.5) have fastening apertures (13, 14, 13.1, 14.1) aligned with one another at least in regions for the purpose of passing through the shank of a fastener (10).

2. The instrument panel support of claim 1, characterized in that the opening side of the main bodies (6, 6.1-6.5) of the connecting members (4, 4.1-4.7) points in the direction of the respective B-pillar of the vehicle.

3. The instrument panel support of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wings (7, 7.1; 7.2-7.5) of the main bodies (6, 6.1-6.5) formed on the spines (8, 8.1-8.4) have a different outline geometry, in particular in connection to a different wing surface.

4. The instrument panel support of claim 3, characterized in that one wing (7.1) of the main body (6) extends with essentially constant wing height over the entire length of the main body (6), while the other wing (7) has a reduced wing height in the longitudinal extent of the main body (6) adjacent to the support inserts (9, 9.1).

5. The instrument panel support of any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an extension tab (16, 16.1, 16.2) having a connecting point (15.1, 15.3) is molded on the spine (8.4) of the connecting member (4.2, 4.3, 4.7).

6. The instrument panel support of claim 5, characterized in that the extension tab (16, 16.1, 16.2) is folded with respect to the plane of the spine (8.4) of the connecting member (4.2, 4.3, 4.7), in particular in the direction of its two wings.

7. The instrument panel support of claim 6, characterized in that the extension tab (16.2) is additionally connected to at least one of the two wings (7.5).

8. The instrument panel support of any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support inserts (9, 9.1-9.3) have a U-shaped cross-sectional geometry and face with their opening side towards the spine (8, 8.1-8.3) of the main body (9, 9.1-9.3).

9. The instrument panel support of claim 8, characterized in that flanges (12, 12.1) are molded on the free ends of the wings of the support inserts (9, 9.1), which are folded with respect thereto in directions pointing away from each other.

10. The instrument panel support of any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the support inserts (9, 9.1-9.3) are connected to the respective main body (6, 6.1-6.5) with material fit.

11. The instrument panel support of any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least two support inserts (9, 9.1-9.3) are arranged in one main body (6, 6.1-6.5).

12. The instrument panel support of claim 11, characterized in that the at least two support inserts (9.2, 9.3) are provided by a single insert part (17) in which the two support inserts (9.2, 9.3) are formed.

13. The instrument panel support of claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the main body of at least one of the two connecting members (4.6) in the region of the two support inserts has a spine section with a different spine width in each case.

14. The instrument panel support of any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the main body of at least one of the two connecting members (4.6) has a cranked portion (19) located between the two support inserts, by means of which the planes of the spine sections adjacent to the cranked portion (19) are offset from one another.

Description

[0020] In the following, the invention is described by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. In particular:

[0021] FIG. 1: shows a schematic top view of an instrument panel support when installed in a vehicle between the two A-pillars,

[0022] FIGS. 2a, 2b: show two perspective views of a connector member of the instrument panel support according to FIG. 1,

[0023] FIGS. 3a, 3b: show two perspective views of the connecting member according to FIGS. 2a, 2b with the cross-member of the instrument panel support according to FIG. 1 connected thereto,

[0024] FIG. 4: shows a perspective view of the connection of the instrument panel support of FIG. 1 with its one end to the A-pillar of a motor vehicle,

[0025] FIG. 5: shows a perspective view of another connecting member for an instrument panel support for connecting the same on the vehicle side,

[0026] FIG. 6: shows a connecting member according to a further embodiment for connecting an instrument panel support on the vehicle side,

[0027] FIG. 7: shows a connecting member according to yet another exemplary embodiment for connecting an instrument panel support on the vehicle side,

[0028] FIGS. 8a, 8b: show two perspective views of yet another connecting member for connecting an instrument panel support to a vehicle on the vehicle side,

[0029] FIGS. 9a, 9b: show two perspective views of yet another connecting member for connecting an instrument panel support to a vehicle on the vehicle side,

[0030] FIG. 10: shows a perspective representation of a development of the connecting member according to FIG. 6.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an instrument panel support 1 when installed between two A-pillars 2, 2.1 of a vehicle not otherwise shown in more detail. The instrument panel support 1 comprises a cross-member 3 which extends between the sides of the two A-pillars facing each other. With regard to the connection of the instrument panel support 1 to the A-pillars, means for providing tolerance compensation not shown in greater detail in the figure are provided. The cross-member 3 of the embodiment shown is a profiled, continuous tube. Instead of the cross-member 3 shown in the figures, other cross-members can also be used, in particular those which are assembled in modular fashion from a plurality of support pieces. The cross-member 3 need not necessarily have the straight design shown in FIG. 1, but may have cranked portions, offsets or the like. A connecting member 4, 4.1 is connected to the cross-member 3 at each longitudinal end. The connecting members are used for mounting the instrument panel support 1 on the vehicle side. For this purpose, in the exemplary embodiment shown, a terminal connector 5, 5.1 is attached to each of the facing inner sides of the A-pillars 2, 2.1. The terminal connectors 5, 5.1 are designed as angle pieces, where one wing comes into contact with the inside of the A-pillars 2, 2.1 and is fastened thereto, the other wing, which then projects from the plane of the A-pillars 2, 2.1, serving with its outer side as a contact surface for a respective connecting member 4, 4.1.

[0032] The connecting member 4 comprises a U-shaped main body, the two wings 7, 7.1 of which are oriented away from the terminal connector 5. Thus, the opening side of the main body 6 is directed towards the B-pillar of the vehicle. The outer side of the spine 8 of the connecting member 4 rests against the outer side of one wing 7.1 of the terminal connector 5 facing towards the spine 8. Support inserts 9 are inserted in the main body 6. In FIG. 1, only one support insert 9 is visible due to the selected perspective. The instrument panel support 1 is fastened to the terminal connectors 5, 5.1 with screw fasteners 10, which penetrate the support inserts 9 of the connecting members 4, 4.1 and are fixed in or on the fastening wing of the connecting member 5, 5.1. For this purpose, the support inserts 9 are connected to the inner sides of the two wings 7, 7.1 with material fit. In addition, the support inserts 9 are supported against the inside of the spine 8.

[0033] The connecting member 4.1 located on the other side of the cross-member 3 has an identical design. Thus, the above explanations regarding the connecting member 4 also apply to the connecting member 4.1. Identical parts can be used for connecting members 4.4.1.

[0034] The connecting members 4, 4.1 are illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. In FIGS. 2a, 2b, the connecting member 4 is shown in two different perspective views with more details. In this exemplary embodiment, the wing 7.1 essentially extends with constant wing height (distance from the spine 8 towards the free end) over the entire longitudinal extension of the main body 6. The height of the wing 7.1 projects beyond the height of the support inserts 9, 9.1. This projection serves to form a groove between the upper side 11 of the support inserts 9, 9.1 and the inner side of the two wings 7, 7.1 for a weld seam with which the support inserts 9, 9.1 are joined to the inner sides of the wings 7, 7.1 with material fit. The weld seam is not shown in the figures.

[0035] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the support insert 9 (identical in structure to the support insert 9.1) is a section of a profile with a hat-shaped cross-sectional geometry, the open side of which faces the inside of the spine 8. Flanges 12, 12.1 angled with respect to the wings of the U-structure of the support insert 9 serve as a contact surface on the inside of the spine 8. The flanges 12, 12.1 are welded to the spine 8 of the main body 6, for example by spot welds.

[0036] The cross-member 3 is connected to the outer side 13 (see FIG. 2b) of the wing 7.1.

[0037] The outline geometry of the wing 7 differs from that of the wing 7.1, in that wing 7 has the same wing height as the wing 7.1 only in the sections in which the support inserts 9, 9.1 are located. In the other sections, the height of the wing 7 is reduced, namely by about 80%. In order to be able to connect the support inserts 9, 9.1 also with respect to their wings on the inside of the wing 7 with a fillet weld, the length of the wing sections with the greater height of the wing 7 is somewhat greater than the extension of the support inserts 9, 9.1 in this respect. Due to the special design of the wing 7 of the main body 2, the connecting member 4 is weight-optimized. An aperture 13, 13.1 is made in the spine of the support inserts 9 forming the upper side 11, as well as at a complementary point in the spine 8 of the main body 2, so that a screw fastener 10 can pass through the connecting member 4 in the x-direction.

[0038] The left-hand end section of the instrument panel support 1 according to FIG. 1 is shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b in two different perspective views, namely looking forward in the direction of travel in FIG. 3b and looking backward in the direction of travel in FIG. 3a. In FIG. 3a, the apertures 14, 14.1 of the spine 8 of the main body 6 of the connecting member 4, which have already been addressed previously with respect to the connecting member 4, can be seen.

[0039] The terminal connector 5 may be such an angle piece as is shown schematically in FIG. 4. The instrument panel support 1 connected thereto with its connecting member 4 is shown with its left-hand end section pointing in the direction of travel. The illustration shown in FIG. 4 shows the installed instrument panel support 1 still without the screw fasteners inserted.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a connecting member 4.2 with a different embodiment of its main body 6.1. In the case of the main body 6.1, the wing 7.2 of the main body opposite the connection of the cross-member is used to provide an additional connecting point 15. In the embodiment illustrated, this is located in an extension of a section with a greater wing height. In addition, the connecting member 4.2 differs from the connecting members 4, 4.1 in that the spine 8.1 has an extension tab which points in the z-direction and is folded in the direction of the two wings of the main body 6.1. This extension tab 16 provides a further connecting point 15.1.

[0041] The connecting member 4.3 shown in FIG. 6 of yet another embodiment shows that also that wing of the main body 6.2 to which the cross-member is to be connected, namely the wing 7.3, can be used to provide a further connecting point 15.2. To provide the connecting point 15.2, the wing 7.3 of the main body 6.2 supports a corresponding extension tab in the x-direction. This connecting member 4.3 also has an extension tab 16.1 folded in the x-y plane mounted on the spine of its main body 6.2 for providing a further connecting point.

[0042] FIG. 7 shows yet another possible design of a connecting member 4.4. This design corresponds to the design of the connecting members 4, 4.1, but the wing 7.4 of the main body 6.3 opposite the cross-member connection also has a reduced height in the region of the lower support insert.

[0043] FIGS. 8a, 8b show a further connecting member 4.5 as part of an instrument panel support for connecting the same on the vehicle side. In the connecting member 4.5, the two support inserts 9.2, 9.3 are provided by a single support insert part 17. The two support inserts 9.2, 9.3 are also hat-profile shaped in cross-section, as in the case of the connecting member 4 or 4.1. However, in contrast to the connecting member 4 or 4.1, the flanges facing each other are connected by a connecting bar 18. Thus, in this embodiment, the spacing of the apertures in the support inserts 9.2, 9.3 is not determined by the assembly of the support inserts in relation to one another within the main body, but by the shaping process (forming process) with which the support insert part 17 is manufactured. In this design, the spacing of the support insert apertures may be provided with a lower tolerance. In order not to add weight to the connecting member 4, 5 by this measure, the spine 8.2 of the main body 6.4 is notched between the two support inserts 9.2, 9.3, as shown in FIG. 8b.

[0044] Yet another design of a connecting member 4.6 is shown in FIGS. 9a, 9b. In this exemplary embodiment, the spine 8.3 of the main body 6.5 is cranked. The cranked portion is indicated by the reference numeral 19. Due to the cranked portion 19, the upper section in FIG. 9a with its support insert is in a different y-z plane than the lower section of the spine 8.3 with the other support insert. This may be necessary if the connecting member, as is the case with the connecting member 4.6, is to be adapted to certain geometries specified on the vehicle side. In addition to the cranked portion of the spine 8.3 described above, the width of the spine 8.3 is also different in its two sections accommodating a support insert (see in particular FIG. 9b). In this exemplary embodiment, the cranked portion 19 is accompanied by a reduction in width from the upper wider spine section to the lower narrower spine section.

[0045] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a further connecting member 4.7, which is configured in principle like the connecting member 4.3 according to FIG. 6. The connecting member 4.7 is shown looking at its spine 8.4. Like the connecting member 4.3, the connecting member 4.7 has a connecting point 15.3 located in the x-y plane. In contrast to the connecting member 4.3, the extension tab 16.2 of the connecting member 4.7 is connected to both the spine 8.4 and the wing 7.5. This increases the rigidity of the extension tab 16.2 in the event of transverse forces introduced into the connecting point 15.3. To facilitate the forming process, a punched-out portion 20 has been formed in the corner to be created between the wing 7.5, the spine 8.4 and the extension tab 16.2.

[0046] The description of the exemplary embodiments makes it clear that, due to the clever arrangement of the respective connecting member in the connection arrangement between the cross-member and a vehicle-side contact, which in the exemplary embodiments illustrated is provided by the terminal connector, there is a wide range of possibilities for providing additional connecting points by changing the geometry of the wings. The examples described above represent only a few of a large number of possible embodiments. This also means that the portions of a wing supporting a connecting point may also be embossed, whether by beads for stiffening or by angled portions or embossments or the like. Just as this is shown with reference to the extension tab 16 of the spine 8 in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, a wing extension of one or both of the main body's wings may also be folded one or more times to bring one or more connecting points located thereon into the desired spatial plane with respect to the orientation of the spine of the connecting member.

[0047] The invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments. Without departing from the scope of the applicable claims, there are numerous further ways for a person skilled in the art to realize the invention without this having to be described in more detail within the scope of the present embodiments.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0048] 1 instrument panel support [0049] 2, 2.1 A-pillar [0050] 3 cross-member [0051] 4, 4.1-4.7 connecting member [0052] 5, 5.1 terminal connector [0053] 6, 6.1-6.5 main body [0054] 7, 7.1-7.5 wing [0055] 8, 8.1-8.4 spine [0056] 9, 9.1-9.3 support insert [0057] 10 screw fastener [0058] 11 top [0059] 12, 12.1 flange [0060] 13, 13.1 aperture [0061] 14, 14.1 aperture [0062] 15, 15.1, 15.3 connecting point [0063] 16, 16.1, 16.2 extension tab [0064] 17 support insert part [0065] 18 connecting bar [0066] 19 cranked portion [0067] 20 punched-out portion