FR2761649A1 - ELECTRIC WIRING DEVICE FOR INSTRUMENTATION AND / OR EQUIPMENT APPARATUS OF A VEHICLE AND INSTRUMENT PANEL PROVIDED WITH SUCH A DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical wiring device (1) for apparatus (2, 3, 4) for instrumentation and / or equipment of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising: - at least one harness (5) of electrical conductors, capable of allowing the circulation of an electric current, intended for supplying said equipment (2, 3, 4), and the circulation of digital information, intended for control and / or coming from said equipment (2, 3, 4), provided capable of presenting a digital operating mode, - at least one digital processing unit (9, 10) connected to said beam (5), capable at least of controlling said flow of information, said beam (5 ) being formed of a sheet (11) supporting said electrical conductors.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical wiring device for

  instrumentation and / or equipment

  vehicle as well as a dashboard fitted with such a device.

  Although more particularly developed for motor vehicles, the invention will also find its applications in all types of

  maritime, air and / or land vehicle.

  Currently, in the automotive field, dashboards conceal bundles of electrical cables used to connect certain equipment such as, for example, instrumentation boxes, steering wheel controls, ventilation, heating and / or

  air conditioning, car radio and / or others.

  Said beams are used, for some, to supply said equipment and, for others, to transmit the measurements recorded such as, in particular, speed, engine speed, possible malfunction and / or others, as well as orders received from the driver and / or the passenger, such as, in particular, control of the ventilation device, heating and / or air conditioning, triggering of the wipers and / or others. For

  this, said devices are connected point to point.

  Said bundles consequently have a large number of cables generally implying a particularly complex electrical connection diagram. Their development and assembly therefore constitute long and tedious operations and all the more so since said

  beams are often provided in areas that are difficult to access.

  They thus require reversals of the dashboard and / or "blind" connections. Connections made in this way also have questionable reliability and require, too frequently,

retouching.

  It should also be noted that said beams have a non-negligible size which can sometimes go so far as to harm space.

  available for storage volumes.

  In addition, it is understood that such wiring diagrams are very specific and can only be intended for a given vehicle. It will therefore be difficult to add a device to a vehicle after its manufacture. If this is however done, such an operation will then involve the introduction of additional cables, and this with the drawbacks mentioned above. Likewise, for each different type of vehicle to be produced, it is necessary to provide different wiring diagrams, in particular as a function of the position to the right or to the left of the steering position. Such constraints therefore complicate production by increasing the number of

different mounting ranges.

  It should also be noted that a multiplication of electrical cables between the devices does not facilitate the interventions to be

  performed in the event of failure of said cables.

  In addition, there is an evolution in the operating mode of devices which, more and more, use digital technologies. However, so far, such a development has not

  led to a questioning of their point to point wiring.

  The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrical wiring device for instrumentation and / or equipment of a vehicle which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and allows to simplify the definition and installation of the electrical conductors used to perform the connection. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical wiring device for instrumentation and / or equipment of a vehicle which allows to reduce the size of the

  electrical conductors used to make the connection.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical wiring device for instrumentation and / or equipment of a vehicle which can be easily adapted to different

  equipment configurations that can be used.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical wiring device for instrumentation and / or equipment for a vehicle which can remain unchanged from one type of vehicle to another. Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical wiring device for instrumentation equipment and / or

  equipment of a vehicle whose maintenance is facilitated.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention

  will appear during the description which follows which is given only as

  indicative and which is not intended to limit it.

  The invention relates to an electrical wiring device for instrumentation and / or equipment for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising: - at least one bundle of electrical conductors, capable of permitting the circulation of an electric current , intended for the supply of said apparatus, and the circulation of digital information, intended for the control and / or coming from said apparatus, provided capable of presenting a digital operating mode, - at least one digital processing unit, connected to said beam , capable of controlling said flow of information, said beam being formed of a sheet supporting said electrical conductors. The invention also relates to a dashboard for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising a wiring device.

  electric as mentioned above.

  The present invention will be better understood on reading the

  following description accompanied by the annexed drawings which form part thereof

  integral and among which - Figure 1 is an exploded view in perspective, illustrating an embodiment of the wiring device according to the invention and an example of a dashboard inside which it can be integrated, - Figure 2 details, in top view, the wiring device shown in the previous figure 1, - Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 111-111 shown in the previous figure 2, - Figure 4 is a view exploded, in perspective, detailing certain elements of the dashboard according to the invention shown in the previous figure 1, - Figure 5 is a side sectional view of the dashboard

  shown in Figure 1 above performed at its median plane.

  The present invention relates to an electrical wiring device for instrumentation equipment and / or equipment of a

  vehicle, especially motor vehicle.

  However, although more particularly intended for such applications, it may also be used in any maritime vehicle,

air and / or ground.

  As shown in Figure 1, the various devices that can be connected by the electrical wiring device 1 according to the invention, are constituted, for example, by a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2, a box instrumentation 3 and / or a control assembly under the steering wheel 4. It may also be, in particular, a radio 35, shown in Figure 5, different displays such as shows

  or navigation screen, and / or others.

  Although the examples of apparatus 2, 3, 4 mentioned in the preceding paragraph are generally found at the level of the vehicle dashboards, it should be noted that the wiring device 1 according to the invention may also be used, in particular, to connect equipment located in other places. It could thus be, for example,

  a central locking device for the vehicle doors.

  To be able to be used with the wiring device 1 according to the invention, said apparatuses 2, 3, 4 are able to present a digital operating mode. By this we mean that they can emit

  and / or be controlled by electrical signals of binary type.

  It is therefore, for example, apparatus directly presenting a digital operating mode such as, in particular, for

  the instrumentation box 3, liquid crystal displays.

  It is also, for example, mechanical equipment with which electrical actuators of the logic type are associated. As such, it is thus possible to use, in addition, in particular, still in the case of the instrumentation box 3, needle indicators associated with stepper motors.

  step and / or to a gearbox controlling the movements of the needle.

  Similarly, in the case of the ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2, it is possible to use flaps for orienting the air flow also associated with a stepping motor and / or with a reduction gear, controlling their

closing / opening.

  The wiring device 1 will thus allow, for example, in the case of the devices mentioned above, the transmission of the information necessary both to control the operation of the ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2, to from orders given by the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle, only to vary the indications given by the displays of the instrumentation box 3, from measurements taken such as, for example,

  speed, engine speed and / or others.

  For this, as shown in FIG. 2, the wiring device 1 comprises at least one bundle 5 of electrical conductors 6, 7, 8, capable of allowing the circulation of an electric current, intended for the supply of said apparatuses 2, 3, 4, and the circulation of digital information,

  intended for the control and / or coming from said equipment 2, 3, 4.

  It also comprises at least one digital processing unit 9, 10, connected to said beam 5, capable of at least controlling said

circulation of information.

  Thanks to the use of such a beam 5 allowing both the supply of said equipment as well as, through said digital processing unit 9, 10, the orientation of the information they can transmit and / or must receive for their order, it is no longer necessary to provide point-to-point wiring. We can therefore reduce the

number of electrical conductors.

  In addition, according to the invention, said bundle 5 is formed of a sheet 11 supporting said electrical conductors 6, 7, 8. In fact, their number having decreased, it is now possible to arrange them all on a

unique support.

  By choosing such a solution, it can be seen that the wiring is thus made easier, since the installation of a single element, namely said ply 11, is sufficient to make the connection.

of said equipment 2, 3, 4.

  According to the illustrated embodiment, said ply 11 is provided with at least one connector 12, 13 at the input and at least one connector 14, 15, 16 at the output, to which said electrical conductors 6, 7, 8 are connected ,

  said processing unit 9, 10 being connected to said input connector 12, 13.

  This further simplifies the connection of said equipment 2, 3, 4

  by facilitating their connection to said sheet 1 1.

  Although several electrical conductors can be used, three so-called conductors 6, 7, 8 are sufficient. Thus, said bundle 5 "can consist, in particular, of two cables 6, 7 for supply and a cable 8, capable of allowing said circulation of digital information, such as a bus

of data.

  The supply is, for example, continuous, one of said two

  conductors 6, 7 being connected to the positive pole and the other to the negative pole.

  Said processing unit 9, 10 consists, in particular, of a printed circuit comprising a calculator provided with a memory, capable of storing software making it possible to control the circulation of information between

  said apparatuses 2, 3, 4, on the data bus 8.

  On the latter, we thus operate, for example, a multiplexed communication according to which the orders intended for said apparatuses and / or the information transmitted in return transit from one to the other in digital form, with a chosen transmission protocol, under the

  control of said processing unit 9, 10.

  In this regard, the latter may also, if necessary, carry out the operation control of said apparatuses such as, for example, that of the ventilation, heating and / or conditioning device.

air 2.

  As shown in FIG. 3, said ply 11 consists, in particular, of two sheets of insulating material 17, 18 between

  which said electrical conductors 6, 7, 8 are sandwiched.

  Referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the wiring device 1 according to the invention more particularly comprises, by way of example, at least two said processing units 9, 10, each connected to a said input connector 12, 13, said bundle 5 having at least three

  said connectors 14, 15, 16 at output.

  According to this particular embodiment, one 9 of said processing units is intended for devices located under the hood of said vehicle, the other 10 processing unit being intended for devices

finding it in its passenger compartment.

  However, the present invention also relates to a dashboard 19 for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising

  an electrical wiring device 1 as described above.

  As shown in Figure 1, said dashboard 19 includes, in particular, at least one cross 20, adapted to be disposed between the side faces of said vehicle and, as previously mentioned, a

  ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2.

  The latter consists, for example, of at least one three-dimensional element 21, capable of being arranged substantially parallel to said

cross 20.

  Said ply 11 of electrical conductors 6, 7, 8 is then

  provided, in particular, at said cross member 20 and / or said tri-element

  dimensional 21, parallel to these, its fixing being able to be

  made, for example, by gluing and / or clipping.

  It is also possible to block said ply 11 between

  said cross member 20 and said three-dimensional element 21.

  Said ply 11 and said sleepers 20 are, in particular, of the same dimension in length. As developed below, the choice of connections between said devices 2, 3, 4 and said sheet 11 is thus facilitated. Said processing units 9, 10 are provided, for example, in housings 22, 23 arranged at each of the ends

  lateral of said three-dimensional element 21.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2 comprises, for example, an evaporator 24, a radiator 25, a blower 26 and / or a filter 27. The latter are arranged in said three-dimensional element 21, consisting of a shell

  28. They are distributed, for example, along the longitudinal axis of said tri-element

  dimensional 21 provided, possibly, substantially horizontal.

  Said ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2 receives outside or inside air depending on the position of an inlet valve

  of air 29, provided in the extension of said longitudinal axis of the tri-element

  dimensional 21, and restores it by various outlets, constituted by orifices, 31, represented in FIG. 1, provided on the surface of said dashboard 19

  for defrosting and / or ventilation.

  For this, said cross 20 is, optionally, provided

  hollow and thus form a conduit between the air outlet of said tri-element

  dimensional 21 and said orifices 31.

  The adjustment of the flow rate to the different outlets as well as the adjustment of the temperature is done, by means of said wiring device 1, by controlling the position of a plurality of flaps 50, 51, 52 shown in FIG. 5, under control of different electric actuators, such as

previously mentioned.

  Said cross member 20 is made, for example, of metallic materials, such as, in particular steel stamped in one or more welded parts. It can also be molded magnesium or a composite material such as, for example, thermoplastic reinforced with glass fiber. Such a crosspiece 20 allows, in particular, to increase the

  mechanical resistance of the vehicle to side impacts.

  Referring again to Figure 1, we see that on said wiring device 1, said output connectors 14, 15, 16 are provided, in particular, along said ply 11 at least at the locations intended to be vis-à-vis the pilot, the front passenger

  and / or in the median plane of the dashboard 19.

  Such an arrangement facilitates, for example, the use of the same type of wiring device 1 for a large number of versions

different vehicles.

  By way of example, the same wiring device 1 may thus be used, both for a vehicle having a right-hand direction and for a vehicle having a left-hand direction, the nature of the equipment 2, 3, 4 connected to said connections 14 , 15, 16 then being adapted

as needed.

  As shown in Figure 5, according to the particular embodiment illustrated, the instrumentation box 3 is located at the median plane. It is thus connected to the output connector 15 located at the same level. According to other embodiments, the instrument cluster 3 can be installed on one of the other output connectors 14, 16, in the right-hand direction and in the left-hand direction respectively, the body

  board 37 and the cover 41 being adapted to this assembly.

  As for the output connectors remaining free, one of them is used to be connected to the steering wheel control 4 depending on the position of the

  driving position provided, in this case, on the left.

  Said ply 11 may also be provided with two additional output connectors, not shown, to allow the connection of the ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device 2 and / or

other devices.

  However, referring again to Figure 1, we see that the dashboard 19, possibly, an architecture in three levels. The first level comprises, in particular, at least said crosspiece 20 and / or said three-dimensional element 21 as well as said sheet 11 of electrical conductors 6, 7, 8 and said boxes 22, 23 containing the units

digital processing 9.10.

  Said first level thus comprises, for example, the

  elements remaining fixed from one type of vehicle to another.

  The second level includes elements that may be optional from one vehicle to another, that is to say those whose

  nature or positioning can be changed.

  This is, for example, a steering column 32, an airbag device 33, a parking brake 34, said radio 35, a

ashtray 36 and / or other.

  The third level includes, in particular, the variable elements of said dashboard 19, that is to say those defining its covering.

outside.

  It is, for example, a board body 37, having said ventilation holes 31, storage compartments 38 equipped with their cover 39 and / or speakers 40. It may also be, in particular of a cover 41, presenting said defrosting orifice 30 and the associated duct 42, of said instrument cluster 3, of said control assembly

  sub-steering wheel 4, lower storage compartments 43 and / or others.

  It can thus be seen that, in the assembly ranges, only said third level will have to be differentiated. As a result, the number of variable parts is decreased. The same is true for connections

  specific electrical components to be produced.

  Indeed, thanks to the use of said ply 11, whatever said apparatus used at the second and third levels, the latter can be connected to the output connections previously provided. Naturally, other modes of implementation, within the reach of those skilled in the art, could have been envisaged without departing from the scope

of the invention.

Claims (10)

  1. Electrical wiring device (1) for apparatus (2, 3, 4) for instrumentation and / or equipment of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle comprising: - at least one bundle (5) of electrical conductors (6 , 7, 8), capable of allowing the circulation of an electric current, intended for the supply of said apparatus (2, 3, 4), and the circulation of digital information, intended for the control and / or coming from said apparatus (2, 3, 4), provided capable of presenting a digital operating mode, - at least one digital processing unit (9, 10), connected to said beam (5), able at least to control said flow of information, said bundle (5) being formed of a sheet (11) supporting said conductors electric (6, 7, 8).   2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said ply (11) is provided with at least one connector (12, 13) at the input, and at least one connector (14, 15, 16) at the output, to which said electrical conductors (6, 7, 8) are connected, said processing unit (9, 10) being connected to said input connectors (12, 13).   3. Device according to claim 1, wherein said bundle (5) consists of two power cables (6, 7) and a data bus (8). 4. Device according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit (9, 10) consists of a printed circuit comprising a computer provided with a memory, capable of storing software making it possible to control said flow of information; 5. Device according to claim 1, wherein said ply (11) consists of two sheets of insulating material (17, 18) between   which said electrical conductors (6, 7, 8) are sandwiched.   6. Device according to claim 1, comprising at least two said processing units (9, 10) each connected to a said input connector (12, 13), said bundle (5) having at least three said N% connectors (14 , 15, 16) at the outlet, one (9) of said processing units being intended for equipment located under the hood of said vehicle, the other (10) processing unit being intended for equipment located in the passenger compartment of said vehicle. 7. Instrument panel for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising an electrical wiring device (1) according to one   any of the preceding claims.   8. dashboard according to claim 7 comprising at least one cross (20) adapted to be disposed between the side faces of said vehicle and a ventilation, heating and / or air conditioning device (2) consisting of at least one three-dimensional element (21), capable of being arranged substantially parallel to said cross-member (20), said sheet of conductors   (11) being disposed at the level of said crosspiece (20) and / or of said tri-element   dimensional (21) parallel to the latter, and / or said processing units being provided in casings (22, 23), arranged at   each of the lateral ends of said three-dimensional element (21).   9. Dashboard according to claim 7, wherein said outlet connectors (6, 7, 8) are provided along said ply (11) at least at the locations intended to be opposite the pilot,   of the front passenger and / or in the median plane of the vehicle.   10. Dashboard according to claim 8, having an architecture in three levels: - a first level comprising at least said crosspiece (20) and / or said three-dimensional element (21), - a second level comprising the elements capable of 'be optional,   - a third level comprising the variable elements.