INSTRUMENT PANEL TO FRONT COWL ATTACHMENT

Abstract

A stiffening assembly for a vehicle cowl panel includes a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets. Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another. Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises a pair of parallel bracket arms which align with one another when the stiffening assembly is attached to the cowl panel. Cowl panel and instrument panel assemblies incorporating one or more stiffening assemblies and vehicles incorporating the cowl panel and instrument panel assemblies are provided.

Claims

1. A stiffening assembly for a vehicle cowl panel, comprising a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each comprising cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another.

2. The stiffening assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises parallel bracket arms; further wherein the parallel bracket arms are each provided with one or more spaced bracket arm through-bores.

3. The stiffening assembly of claim 1, further wherein the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each respectively includes a bracket flange provided with one or more spaced flange through-bores.

4. The stiffening assembly of claim 2, wherein the parallel bracket arms of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets are disposed to align with one another when the stiffening assembly is attached to the cowl panel.

5. The stiffening assembly of claim 4, wherein the one or more spaced flange through-bores are configured to allow securing the stiffening assembly to opposed walls of the cowl panel.

6. A vehicle including the stiffening assembly of claim 1.

7. An instrument panel and cowl panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a cowl panel; an instrument panel assembly attached to a vehicle-rearward cowl panel; and one or more stiffening assemblies attached to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to a vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

8. The instrument panel and cowl panel assembly of claim 7, wherein the one or more stiffening assemblies each comprise a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each including cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another.

9. The instrument panel and cowl panel assembly of claim 8, wherein each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises parallel bracket arms; further wherein the parallel bracket arms are each provided with one or more spaced bracket arm through-bores.

10. The instrument panel and cowl panel assembly of claim 8, further wherein the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each respectively includes a bracket flange provided with one or more spaced flange through-bores.

11. The instrument panel and cowl panel assembly of claim 9, wherein the parallel bracket arms of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets are disposed to align with one another when the one or more stiffening assemblies are attached to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

12. The instrument panel and cowl panel assembly of claim 11, wherein the one or more spaced flange through-bores are configured to allow securing the one or more stiffening assemblies to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

13. A vehicle including the instrument panel and cowl panel assembly of claim 7.

14. A vehicle, comprising: a body defining at least a passenger compartment and a cowl panel defined by at least a vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and a vehicle-forward cowl panel wall; an instrument panel assembly attached to a vehicle-rearward cowl panel; and one or more stiffening assemblies attached to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall are held in a substantially upright orientation.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the one or more stiffening assemblies each comprise a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each including cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises parallel bracket arms; further wherein the parallel bracket arms are each provided with one or more spaced bracket arm through-bores.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, further wherein the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each respectively includes a bracket flange provided with one or more spaced flange through-bores.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the parallel bracket arms of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets are disposed to align with one another when the stiffening assemblies are attached to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

20. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the one or more spaced flange through-bores are configured to allow securing the one or more stiffening assemblies to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the cowl panel stiffening assembly, and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawings:

[0017] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a prior art vehicle including a cowl panel and an instrument panel secured thereto;

[0018] FIG. 2 depicts a cowl panel and instrument panel assembly showing an instrument panel movement allowed by the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 3 shows representative attachment points whereby an instrument panel is attached to a cowl panel as shown in FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a C-shaped bracket for use in a stiffening assembly according to the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 5 depicts an isometric view of a cowl panel including a stiffening assembly according to the present disclosure; and

[0022] FIG. 6 depicts a cowl panel and instrument panel assembly including a pair of cowl panel stiffening assemblies according to the present disclosure.

[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed cowl panel stiffening assembly, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] With reference to FIGS. 4-6, a cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 is shown which solves the above-described and other problems by reducing the tendency of a cowl panel 108 and an instrument panel 110 attached thereto to translate or deflect in response to engine- and/or road-induced vibrations. The cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 is shown attached to a vehicle-forward wall 112 and a vehicle- rearward wall 114 of the cowl panel 108.

[0025] The cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 includes a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets 122, 124, in the depicted embodiments being mirror images of one another. With reference to FIG. 4 showing C-shaped bracket 122, each C-shaped bracket includes a pair of cooperating bracket arms 126, 126 adapted to hold opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets 122, 124 at varying distances from one another to provide an adjustable cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 (see FIG. 5, arrow B). Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets 122, 124 also includes a flange 128 adapted to be attached to a cowl panel 108 wall. While only a single flange 128 is provide in the depicted embodiment of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets 122, 124, it will be appreciated that a flange portion (not shown) providing a mirror image to the depicted flange 128 could be provided for a stronger attachment to a cowl panel 108 wall.

[0026] This feature of adjustability is implemented by providing one or more spaced through-bores 130 in the cooperating bracket arms 126, 126 and in the flanges 128. These spaced through-bores 130 are dimensioned to receive suitable fasteners 132 therethrough. With reference to FIGS. 5-6, in use the cooperating bracket arms 126, 126 of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets 122, 124 are aligned and fastened to one another by fasteners 132, selecting the through-bores 130 providing a length of the assembled cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 which will accommodate a width dimension W of the cowl panel 108. As will be appreciated, this feature allows the described cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 to be adapted to fit cowl panels 108 having a range of widths, i.e. distances between vehicle-forward wall 112 and vehicle-rearward wall 114.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 6, the described cowl panel stiffening assembly 120 stiffens and stabilizes the cowl panel vehicle-forward wall 112 and vehicle-rearward wall 114, in turn reducing the tendency of the instrument panel 110 to roll. As will be appreciated, one, two, or more cowl panel stiffening assemblies 120 may be attached to the cowl panel vehicle-forward wall 112 and vehicle-rearward wall 114 in accordance with the length and width of the cowl panel 108 and with the tendency of the vehicle-rearward wall 114 to deflect and allow the instrument panel 110 to roll.

[0028] As will be appreciated, by use of the described cowl panel stiffening assembly 120, a number of advantages are realized. The described assembly provides a simple, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to solutions based on increasing instrument panel 110 subassembly stiffness/weight. By the described cowl panel stiffening assembly, instrument panel NVH requirements can be met, improving customer acceptance of vehicle incorporating the assembly.

[0029] The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the foregoing description focused on cowl panel/instrument panel assemblies. However, the skilled artisan will readily appreciate that the described stiffening assembly is readily applicable to any joint attachment scenario wherein a bracket assembly as described can be applied to stiffen a panel or assembly comprising substantially vertical forward and rearward walls. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.