FR2823173A1 - Cover plate comprises a cap incorporating a lid made up of a flap and a stiffening element, and is provided with positioning means allowing its installation from the front side - Google Patents

Abstract

A cover plate comprises a cap (3) incorporating a lid (5) made up of a flap (6) and a stiffening element (7) attached to the flap, and is provided with positioning means (8) allowing its installation from the front side. Independent claims are also included for: (1) a motor vehicle instrument panel with such a cover plate; and (2) a method for installation of such an instrument panel.

Description

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 The invention relates to a trim panel and a dashboard, in particular for a motor vehicle, equipped with such a trim panel, as well as a method for mounting such a dashboard.

 Although more particularly intended to be used in dashboards, the trim panel according to the invention may find other applications, in particular in other parts of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

 Currently, there are known dashboards consisting of different pieces of equipment, mounted on a stiffening cross member, and a cover, concealing said pieces of equipment and said cross member.

 When such dashboards are provided with means to allow the expansion of an airbag, also called an airbag, their cover has a cover capable of closing a passage orifice for said airbag.

 In many dashboards, the cover is visible at the level of the cap, which affects their aesthetic appearance.

 Various solutions have already been proposed for concealing the cover. However, the covers then used do not always have mechanical characteristics allowing safe use.

In addition, these solutions implement relatively complex assembly methods requiring a more or less complete redefinition of the assembly lines.

 The object of the present invention is to provide a covering panel and a dashboard, in particular for a motor vehicle, equipped with such a covering panel, as well as a method for assembling such a dashboard. , which overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by allowing said cover to have an improved aesthetic appearance thanks to a reduction, or even disappearance, of the external traces of the presence of a cover of means to allow the expansion of an airbag, while remaining simple mounting.

 Another object of the present invention is to provide a

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 cover panel and a dashboard, in particular for a motor vehicle, equipped with such a cover panel and provided with means for expanding an airbag, the cover of which has a structure and an operation allowing safe use.

 Another object of the present invention is to provide a cover panel and a dashboard, in particular for a motor vehicle, equipped with such a cover panel, as well as a method for assembling such a control panel. which allow the use of parts and assembly operations already used for other dashboards, with a minimum number of modifications.

 Other objects and advantages of the invention will emerge during the description which follows, which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

 The invention relates first of all to a covering panel, comprising a cover having a cover capable of closing a passage orifice for an airbag, characterized in that: - said cover consists, on the one hand, of '' a hatch, formed in the mass of said cap and, on the other hand, a reinforcing flap, subject to said hatch at the face of said cap intended to be concealed from view, - said panel has first positioning means for mounting it from the front, provided at said reinforcement flap.

 The invention also relates to a dashboard, in particular for a motor vehicle, consisting of elements of equipment and / or reinforcement, comprising at least means for allowing the expansion of an airbag, and of a panel. covering as described above, at least partially concealing said equipment and / or reinforcement elements, said dashboard comprising second positioning means, provided on said means to allow the expansion of a cushion inflatable, said first and second positioning means,

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 provided complementary, cooperating with each other so as to allow the adaptation of the cap relative to the items of equipment and / or reinforcement.

 The invention also relates to a method of mounting a dashboard as described above in which at least one part of said equipment and / or reinforcement elements is assembled beforehand and said cap is adapted with respect to said elements. equipment and / or armature pre-assembled using said first and second complementary positioning means.

 The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, accompanied by the accompanying drawings, in which: - FIG. 1 illustrates, according to a cross-sectional plane, an example of embodiment of the dashboard according to the invention, - FIG. 2 is a perspective view, exploding exploding the dashboard of FIG. 1.

 As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the covering panel according to the invention comprises a cover 3 having a cover 5 capable of closing a passage orifice 4 for an airbag 21, marked with dotted lines.

 Said cap consists, for example, of an insert 22, coated with a skin of aesthetic appearance 23.

 Said cover 5 is intended to open during the expansion of said airbag 21. It has, in particular, an open contour, that is to say a contour allowing its articulation relative to the rest of the covering panel around a fictitious line 24. It may thus have, in particular, a U-shaped contour, said line 24 closing said U at the level of the upper end of its lateral branches.

 However, according to the invention, said cover 5 consists, on the one hand, of a hatch 6 formed in the mass of said cap 3 and, on the other hand, of a reinforcement flap 7, subject to said hatch 6, at the face of said cap 3 intended to be concealed from view. The presence of the cover 5 is thus particularly discreet, or even undetectable, thanks to said

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 hatch 6 provided in the mass, said cover 5 may also have mechanical characteristics allowing it to withstand the forces to which it is subjected during the expansion of the airbag, by virtue of said reinforcement flap 7, for example provided in a material different from that of the cap 3.

 In addition, in order to facilitate the assembly of the covering panel with respect to the elements which it is intended to cover, it has first positioning means 8, allowing it to be mounted from the front, provided at level of said reinforcing flap 7, the mechanical characteristics of which are consistent with the presence of such means.

 To allow the opening of the cover 5, said hatch 6 is delimited, in particular, by lines of weakness 10 constituting incipient fractures provided at the level of said face hidden from view. This reinforces the impression of invisibility of the cover 5.

Said weakening lines 10 are defined, for example, by precuts, in particular made by laser, of the insert 22 of the cap
3. The depth of the cuts made may be variable.

 In the case of a U-shaped contour, it is possible, for example, to provide deeper pre-cuts at the level of the branch of the U connecting its lateral branches than at the level of said lateral branches.

 Said flap 7 is, for example, welded to said cap 3. It comprises, in particular, a moving part 14, articulated around a fixed part 13, said first positioning means 8 being located at said fixed part 13.

More specifically, said fixed part 13 may have ribs 18, 19 at which said first positioning means 8 are located. Said ribs 18, 19 are, in particular, substantially orthogonal to said cap 3. Some 18 are substantially parallel to the line 24 closing the outline of said cover while the others
19 are subject to them and are perpendicular to them.

 Said fixed part 13 and said movable part 14 are connected together, for example, by a strap 15 forming a hinge, provided at

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 said line 24 closing the outline of the cover 5. Said fixed 13 and movable parts 14 are, in particular molded onto said strap 15.

 The latter can be oriented substantially parallel to the cover 3. It allows, for example, a rotation of the movable part 14 around said line 24 of about 110 0 relative to its initial position, during triggering of the airbag.

 Said cap 3, more particularly its insert 22, and / or said flap 7 are made, in particular of polypropylene, said flap 7 being additionally charged with reinforcing particles, possibly made of glass. Said skin 23 of the cap 3 may be made of TPO.

 The invention also relates to a dashboard consisting of elements of equipment and / or reinforcement 1 and of a trim panel as described above, at least partially concealing said elements of equipment and / or armature 1, thanks to the cover 3.

 Said reinforcing means 1 consist, for example, of a stiffening cross member 20 extending longitudinally from one end to the other of said dashboard. Said stiffening crosspiece 20 makes it possible, in particular, to strengthen the resistance to lateral impacts of the vehicle intended to be equipped with said dashboard. It is also intended to allow the support of all or part of said equipment items.

 In this regard, these include at least means 2 to allow the expansion of the airbag 21. They may also consist, for example, of the components of a ventilation, heating and air conditioning device, a steering column, a pedals and / or other, not shown. It could also be a storage bin 25.

 These pieces of equipment 1 are mounted on said stiffening cross member 20, for example, using stirrups 26.

 According to the invention, said dashboard comprises second positioning means 9, provided on said means 2 to allow the expansion of an airbag, said first and second positioning means 8,9, provided complementary, cooperating with each other so that

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 authorize the adaptation of the cover relative to the equipment and / or reinforcement elements 1.

 Thanks to the constitution of said covering panel and to said first and second positioning means 8, 9, there is thus a dashboard whose cap can be mounted at the end of the chain, from the front, after pre-assembly. elements of equipment and / or armouring.

 According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said first and second positioning means 8, 9 are capable of cooperating with each other so as to constitute a first point of attachment between the cover 3 and said elements of pre-assembled equipment and / or reinforcement 1. They thus make it possible not only to ensure that the cover 5 is located in the axis of said means 2 to allow the expansion of the airbag but also to contribute to the general fixing of the cover 3 relative to the rest of the dashboard.

 Said expansion means 2 consist, for example, of a guide channel 11 of said cushion and of one or more inserts 12 on said channel 11, said second assembly means 9 being provided at the level of said one or more inserts 12. These are, in particular, strips fixed on the channel 12. Such an embodiment makes it possible to use a guide channel 11 of conventional structure, only the strips 12 being to be adapted.

Said first and second positioning means 8, 9 consist respectively, for example, of fingers or lugs 16 and orifices 17, intended to cooperate with one another by snap-fastening. Said fingers or lugs 16 project, in particular, perpendicularly to one of said parallel ribs 18 of said fixed part 13. As for said orifices
17, they are located, in particular, at the level of said strip 12.

 Said first and second positioning means 8, 9 are located, for example, in the upper part of the dashboard, said cover 3 being furthermore subject to said expansion means 2, in the lower part, beyond said orifice 4. There is thus provided a second fixing point.

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For this, said expansion means 2 may be provided with another strip 27, attached to said guide channel 11. As for the cover 3, it may be provided with a dish 28, located opposite of said other strip 27, said plate 28 and said other strip 27 being interconnected by fixing means, for example by screwing.

 It should be noted that said ribs 18, 19 provided at the level of the fixed part 13 cooperate with said guide channel 11 to ensure the resistance of the cover 5 to the forces to which it is subjected during the expansion of the airbag.

 The invention also relates to a method of mounting a dashboard as described above. According to said method, at least a portion of said equipment and / or reinforcement elements 1, in particular said expansion means 2 and said stiffening cross member 20, are assembled beforehand, then said cap 3 is adapted relative to said equipment elements. and / or reinforcement 1 pre-assembled, thanks to said first and second complementary positioning means 8, 9.

 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)

 CLAIMS 1. Cover panel, comprising a cover (3) having a cover (5) capable of closing a passage orifice (4) for an airbag, characterized in that: - said cover (5) is made up, on the one hand, a hatch (6), formed in the mass of said cap (3) and, on the other hand, a reinforcing flap (7), subject to said hatch (6) at the face of said cap (3) intended to be concealed from view, - said panel has first positioning means (8), allowing it to be mounted from the front, provided at said reinforcement flap (7).  2. covering panel according to claim 1, wherein said hatch (6) is delimited by lines of weakness (10) constituting incipient fractures, provided at the level of said face hidden from view.  3. covering panel according to claim 1, wherein said flap (7) comprises a movable part (14), articulated around a fixed part (13), provided with ribs (18,19) substantially perpendicular to said cap (3), said first positioning means (8) being located at said ribs.  4. covering panel according to claim 1, wherein said cap (3) and / or said flap (7) are made of polypropylene, said flap (7) being additionally charged with reinforcing particles.  5. Dashboard, in particular of a motor vehicle, consisting of elements of equipment and / or armature (1), comprising at least means (2) to allow the expansion of an airbag, and a covering panel according to claim 1, at least partially concealing said equipment and / or reinforcement elements (1), said dashboard comprising second positioning means (9), provided on said means (2 ) to allow the expansion of an airbag, said first and second positioning means (8, 9) provided <Desc / Clms Page number 9>  complementary, cooperating with each other so as to allow the adaptation of the cap (3) with respect to the elements of equipment and / or reinforcement (1).  6. covering panel according to claim 5, wherein said first and second positioning means (8, 9) are able to cooperate with each other so as to constitute a first point of attachment between the cover (3 ) and said pieces of equipment and / or reinforcement (1) 7. dashboard according to claim 5, wherein said expansion means (2) consist of a guide channel (11) of said cushion and one or more inserts (12) on said channel (11) , said second assembly means (9) being provided at the level of said insert (s) (12).  8. dashboard according to claim 5, wherein said first and second positioning means (8,9) consist respectively of fingers or lugs (16) and orifices (17), intended to cooperate with each other by snap.  9. dashboard according to claim 6, wherein said first and second positioning means (8,9) are located in the upper part of the dashboard, said cover being further subject to said expansion means (2), lower part, beyond said orifice (4).  10. A method of mounting a dashboard according to claim 5, wherein one assembles beforehand at least a part of said equipment elements and / or armature (1) and one adapts said cover (3) with respect to said elements of equipment and / or reinforcement (1) pre-assembled using said first and second complementary positioning means (8, 9).