Instrument Panel Carrier For A Motor Vehicle

Abstract

An instrument panel carrier for a motor vehicle comprising at least two carrier parts following the longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier. The two carrier parts are spaced apart from one another by their facing end sections and connected to one another by a carrier part connector. The carrier part connector is profiled in the form of a laterally opening profile in the transverse direction relative to the longitudinal extension. Part of the instrument panel carrier is a strut connected to one of the two carrier parts next to the carrier part connector, and via which strut the instrument panel carrier is supported on the chassis of the motor vehicle, when installed in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An instrument panel carrier for a motor vehicle comprising: at least two carrier parts following a longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier, a carrier part connector, and a strut, wherein respective end sections of the two carrier parts, which are adjacent in the longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier, are spaced apart from one another and connected to one another by the carrier part connector, thereby forming a carrier part connection, wherein the carrier part connector is profiled, transversely relative to a longitudinal extension of the carrier part connector, as a laterally open profile, wherein the strut is connected to one of the two carrier parts in the longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier next to the carrier part connector, and, when installed in the motor vehicle, the instrument panel carrier is supported via the strut on a chassis of the motor vehicle, wherein the strut is arranged next to the carrier part connector such that the carrier part connector and the strut complement each other in stiffening the carrier part connection.

17. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the laterally open profile of the carrier part connector is designed as a U-shaped profile with two side walls and a web connecting the two side walls.

18. The instrument panel carrier of claim 17, wherein the two side walls of the carrier part connector have a different height.

19. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the carrier part connector is stiffened by beads introduced therein.

20. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the strut comprises a laterally open profile.

21. The instrument panel carrier of claim 20, wherein an open side of the laterally open profile of the carrier part connector and an open side of the laterally open profile of the strut of the carrier part connection face in the same direction.

22. The instrument panel carrier of claim 20, wherein the laterally open profile of the strut is designed as a U-shaped profile with two side walls and a web connecting the two side walls.

23. The instrument panel carrier of claim 22, wherein the laterally open profile of the carrier part connector is designed as a U-shaped profile with two side walls and a web connecting the two side walls, and wherein an open side of the U-shaped profile of the carrier part connector and an open side of the U-shaped profile of the strut of the carrier part connection face in the same direction.

24. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein a direction of a longitudinal extension of the strut, in which the strut projects from the respective carrier part to which the strut is connected, at least in an end section of the strut connected to the respective carrier part, encloses an angle of 30 with a direction of the longitudinal extension of the carrier part connector, in which the carrier part connector projects from the respective carrier part to which the strut is connected.

25. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the carrier parts are designed as tubes.

26. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the carrier part connector is a component formed from a metal plate.

27. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the carrier part connector is welded to the two carrier parts.

28. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the carrier part connector is connected, via end faces thereof in the longitudinal extension of the carrier part connector, to the two carrier parts.

29. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the strut is a component formed from a metal plate.

30. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the strut is a tunnel strut which, when the instrument panel carrier is installed in the motor vehicle, is connected to a floor-side tunnel of the chassis.

31. The instrument panel carrier of claim 16, wherein the instrument panel carrier comprises more than two carrier parts and at least two carrier part connectors.

32. The instrument panel carrier of claim 31, wherein the instrument panel carrier comprises three carrier parts, and wherein a middle carrier part is arranged offset relative to two lateral carrier parts pointing in the same direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The following description is provided using an example embodiment with reference to the figures, wherein:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a section of an instrument panel carrier with two interconnected carrier parts,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the carrier part connection of FIG. 1,

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a horizontal sectional view along the line A-B of FIG. 2 through the carrier part connection, and

[0025] FIG. 4 shows the instrument panel carrier of FIG. 1 with another section thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] An instrument panel carrier 1 for a motor vehicle, to be installed between the A-pillars of the chassis, comprises several carrier parts, of which two carrier parts 2, 3 are shown in FIG. 1. The longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier 1 runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction). The carrier parts 2, 3 of the illustrated example embodiment are steel tubes with a cylindrical lateral surface. The two carrier parts 2, 3 are offset and arranged at a distance from each other in the offset direction. The two carrier parts 2, 3 overlap in the direction of their longitudinal extension with their end sections pointing towards each other. In the overlapping region of the two carrier parts 2, 3, there is a carrier part connector 4 by which the two carrier parts 2, 3 are connected to each other. In the illustrated example embodiment, the longitudinal extension of the carrier part connector 4 extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the two carrier parts 2, 3, which are aligned parallel to each other with respect to their longitudinal axis. The carrier part connector 4 is a formed steel plate, namely formed in order to form a profiling transverse to its longitudinal extension. The longitudinal extension of the carrier part connector 4 corresponds to the direction in which the carrier part connector 4 connects the two carrier parts 2, 3. The profiling, which is U-shaped in the example embodiment shown, can be clearly seen in the sectional view in FIG. 3. Due to the profiling, the carrier part connector 4 has two side walls 5, 5.1 which are connected to each other by a web 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the height of the side walls 5, 5.1 is the same. The end faces of the carrier part connector 4 are adapted to the curvature of the lateral surface of the respective carrier part 2, 3. The diameter of the carrier parts 2, 3 is different. The diameter of carrier part 3 is slightly larger than that of carrier part 2. In order to connect the carrier part connector 4 to both carrier parts 2, 3 with approximately the same circumferential extent, the side walls 5, 5.1 are tapered towards one another when viewed from the direction of the end face connected to the carrier part 3. The end faces of the carrier part connector 4 are welded to the carrier parts 2, 3. The carrier part connector 4 is welded with its profile outer sides to the carrier parts 2, 3. This means that the length of the weld seam is shorter than that required for a hollow chamber profile.

[0027] At a distance from the carrier part connector 4 and the end 7 of the carrier part 2 in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier 1, a strut, which in the illustrated embodiment is a tunnel strut 8, is connected to the carrier part 3. The tunnel strut 8 is also U-shaped and welded to the carrier part 3 with its end side facing the carrier part 3. As can be seen from the figures, the tunnel strut 8 as well as the carrier part connector 4 are profiled with a lateral opening. In the embodiment shown, the opened sides point in the same direction. The distance of the tunnel strut 8 from the carrier part connector 4 in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier 1 is dimensioned such that the opening of the carrier part 2 at its end 7 is not closed by the tunnel strut 8. The tunnel strut 8 also does not close the opening side of the carrier part connector 4. Nevertheless, the distance between the tunnel strut 8 and the carrier part connector 4 is still so close that the carrier part connector 4, in cooperation with the tunnel strut 8 in the installed state of the instrument panel carrier 1, provides sufficient stiffening of the carrier part connection by the carrier part connector 4 to meet the requirements. In this respect, these two components-carrier connector 4 and tunnel strut 8complement each other. Depending on the rigidity requirements placed on such an instrument panel carrier 1 when subjected to a load transverse to its longitudinal extent, this distance can be dimensioned differently. In one embodiment, the distance between the tunnel strut 8 and the carrier part connector is approximately 5-6 cm.

[0028] The carrier part connector 4 and the tunnel strut 8 protrude from the carrier part 3 in the same direction, even if the longitudinal axes of the carrier part 3 and the end section of the tunnel strut 8 form an angle of approximately 30 in the example embodiment shown.

[0029] The overlap of the carrier parts 2, 3 and the arrangement of the carrier part connector 4 and tunnel strut 8 can be seen in the sectional view in FIG. 3.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows the instrument panel carrier 1 in a more complete representation. In addition to the two carrier parts 2, 3 already described above, the instrument panel carrier 1 has a third carrier part 9 which is connected to the carrier part 3 in the same way as described for the carrier part connection between the carrier parts 2 and 3. The carrier part connector inserted into this connection is identified in FIG. 4 with the reference number 4.1. The tunnel strut of this carrier connection is indicated with 8.1. The perspective view of this carrier part connection-connection of the carrier parts 9 and 3also shows the rear view of the carrier part connection between the carrier parts 2 and 3.

[0031] The struts 8, 8.1 are components formed from a metal plate.

[0032] In another example embodiment not shown in the figures, the end of the carrier part connector facing the strut is aligned with the end of the carrier part to which the strut is not connected. Then the strut, especially if its base or web points towards the carrier part connector, can contact the carrier part connector and be joined to it. In order to ensure that in such a design the end of the carrier part facing the strut, to which only the carrier part connector is connected, is not closed by the strut, the longitudinal axis of the strut is arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the carrier part connector.

[0033] Due to its open components, the instrument panel carrier 1 can easily be coated with an anti-corrosive coating, in particular a cathodic dip-painting coating. There is no risk that certain surface portions, either inside or outside, will not be coated. In addition, since the carrier part connector, when made from a metal plate, typically consists of only one component, the manufacturing effort and thus also the handling costs are reduced. This also eliminates the need to join two half-shells together to form the carrier part connector according to the prior art.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0034] 1 Instrument panel carrier [0035] 2 Carrier part [0036] 3 Carrier part [0037] 4, 4.1 Carrier part connector [0038] 5, 5.1 Side wall [0039] 6 Wcb [0040] 7 End [0041] 8, 8.1 Tunnel strut [0042] 9 Carrier part