FR2670165A1 - Device for anchoring an instrument casing in the dashboard of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a device for anchoring an instrument casing in an opening of a dashboard of a motor vehicle, including elastic blades. According to the invention, the elastic blades (7) are solidly attached to the dashboard (1), at least one being provided in the top part of the opening (2) and at least another in the bottom part of this opening; their free end includes a projecting part (9) capable of engaging in an opening (3) of a rigid appendage (4) provided outside the instrument casing (3).

Description

Motor vehicles are generally equipped with a.

box containing a group of instruments such as tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature and other indicators, which provide the driver with various indications useful or necessary for driving the vehicle. These instruments are assembled on a panel constituting the front part of the box and are flush with the wall of the dashboard in which said box is embedded.

Up to now, different methods of fixing the boxes to the wall or to the recess of the dashboard have been adopted, comprising external screws or else clamping flanges disposed inside the wall of the dashboard.

It has also been proposed to assemble said box to the dashboard to make use of a couple of elastic strips associated with the box by one of their ends and free to flex elastically at their opposite end, the latter engaging with the corresponding edge of an adequate opening of the dashboard.

The present invention relates to a device for anchoring an instrument case in an opening of a dashboard using elastic strips, which does not require any access to the dashboard, otherwise said opening.

This device is characterized in that the elastic strips are integral with the dashboard, being provided at least one in the upper part of the opening and at least one in the lower part of this opening, and in that their free end has a projecting part suitable for engaging in an opening of a rigid appendage provided on the outside of the instrument case.

An embodiment of the device according to the invention has been described below, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view
schematic of the back of the box
of instruments.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view
box and dashboard, front
anchoring.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure
2, after anchoring.

Figure 4 is a sectional view
horizontal of a detail of a
variant, after anchoring.

Figure 5 is a view similar to the
Figure 4, during disassembly.

In the drawings, we see the dashboard 1 of a vehicle
automobile, which has a recess or opening
2 intended to receive a box of instruments 3.

Instrument box 3 has four appendices
outer 4, two in the lower part of the boot
and two at the top; the outer face
4a of these appendices is sloping and has a
opening 5.

The part of the dashboard 1 surrounding the recess
2 is stiffened by an insert 6. This insert is extended by four elastic strips 7 which can debate in recesses 8 of the dashboard opening into the recess 2 and protrude outside of the latter; two of the strips are on the side of the upper edge of the recess 2 and the other two on the side of its lower edge. The free end of each tongue 7 is folded back in the shape of a C, the rounded part 9 of which is turned towards the recess 2. The tongues are arranged so that their rounded parts 9 can engage in the openings 5 of the box. instruments 3.

For assembly, it suffices to introduce the box 3 into the recess 2 and to push it in the direction of the arrow F. The ends of the strips 7 come into contact with the sloping face 4a of the appendages 4; the strips are deformed until their parts 9 are received in the openings 5 of the appendages in which they remain blocked. The deformation of the lamellae causes a reaction on the box 3 which thus fixes it in the recess 2.

The dashboard 1 has, at the right of each of the upper and lower edges of the recess 2, a rebate 10 in which a cover can be housed. It provides a finish between the box 3 and the dashboard 1. This cover is fixed by screws 12 screwed into the strips 7; it has recesses 13 in which the heads of the screws 12 can be housed. When the box 3 has been placed in the recess 2, the cover 11 is inserted into the rebates 10 and they are fixed using the screws 12 This operation has the effect of reducing the length of the part of the blades 5 which can bend, which reinforces the fixing.

To remove the box 3, simply remove the cover 11 by removing the screws 12, then put pressure on the strips using a tool inserted in the holes 13, so as to raise the strips 7 in the recesses 8 and to clear the openings 5 the rounded parts 9 of the strips 7, and to pull the box 3 in the opposite direction to that of the arrow
F.

The assembly of the box 3 is quick and does not require any special tools. The fixing screws 12 of the finishing covers 11 are not in the field of vision of the instrument box; their heads are set back in the recesses 13 of the covers 11 therefore not visible. I1 does not require fitted sipes whose attachment to the dashboard is relatively complicated.

 It goes without saying that the present invention should not be considered as limited to the embodiment described and shown, but on the contrary covers all variants thereof. Thus the strips 7 may have, at their free ends, an attached finger 14 instead of a rounded part in C (Figure 4). In this case, disassembly requires the use of a tool (15) which is introduced in place of the fixing screw 12 (Figure 5).

Claims (9)

Claims 1. Device for anchoring an instrument case in a dashboard opening of a motor vehicle, which comprises elastic strips, characterized in that the elastic strips (7) are integral with the dashboard (1 ), at least one being provided in the upper part of the opening (2) and at least one other in the lower part of this opening, and in that their free end comprises a projecting part (9) suitable for engage in an opening (5) of a rigid appendage (4) provided on the outside of the instrument box (3). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the strips (7) are integral with an insert (6) stiffening the part of the dashboard (1) surrounding the opening (2). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the elastic strips (7) are four in number, two in the upper part of the opening (2) and two in the lower part of this opening. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the free end of each strip (7) is folded in the shape of a C, its rounded part (9) being turned towards the axis of the opening (2). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the free end of each strip carries an attached finger (14) suitable for engaging in the opening (5) corresponding. 6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the blades (7) can debate in recesses (8) of the dashboard (1) opening into the opening (2), projecting outside this dashboard and in that screws (12) screwed into the strips (7) allow these strips to be fixed to the dashboard by limiting their clearance in the recesses (8).  7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the dashboard (1) has, to the right of each of the upper and lower edges of the opening 2, a rebate (10) in which can be fixed a finishing cover (11). 8. Device according to claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the covers (11) are fixed in their rebates (10) by the screws (12) screwed into the strips (7). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that each cover (11) has recesses (13) in which can house the heads of the screws.