GB2339734A

GB2339734A - Vehicle facia with removable container

Info

Publication number: GB2339734A
Application number: GB9816199A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Mellor; Jonathan Mark Nowill; Alec Williams; Andreas Maashoff; Hans Gert Nilson
Original assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems Deutschland GmbH; MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems Deutschland GmbH; MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-25
Filing date: 1998-07-25
Publication date: 2000-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-25
Also published as: GB2339734B; GB9816199D0

Description

1 2339734 A Vehicle Facia Assembly

Field

This invention relates to facia assemblies, sometimes called dashboards, used in motor vehicles.

Background of Invention

A typical facia assembly is located at the front of the motor vehicle interior immediately below the windscreen and extends across the full width of the vehicle. The driver's side of the facia assembly typically supports an instrument panel, the centre portion may include heater controls and a radio, and the passenger side of the facia assembly may typically incorporate a built-in glove compartment. In more recent times the passenger side may alternatively or additionally house a passenger side air bag as a protection for a passenger during head-on collisions. The typical facia assembly comprises at least one support panel that extends the full width of the vehicle and which has anchorage points for securing the panel in the vehicle body and for the attachment of other components to the panel. Such panels may contribute to the overall strength of the vehicle shell.

2 Oblect of the Invention The present invention provides for an improved facia assembly.

Statements of Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a facia assembly for a motor vehicle including a facia support which extends substantially across the width of the vehicle and has on the passenger side thereof a walled recess which opens upwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle to accommodate within the recess a readily removable and replaceable unitary container having an exposed surface that blends with the facia.

The facia suppoprt is typically a panel, or composite of - panels, which are covered in a decorative material.

Preferably, the unitary container is a glove compartment having a removable lid with the expog-ed surface being formed on said lid. Alternatively the unitary container may be an interchangeable unit which may contain apparatus such as a portable fax machine, portable computer, or other.

The walled recess may include an electrical connector terminal mounted in a wall thereof and adapted to receive 3 a co-operating terminal connected to an electrical component. The connector may be of the type described in US-A-5620,329, the contents of which are hereby incorporated into the present description, or may be a standard connector which accommodates power feeds for most portable equipment.

Preferably the facia assembly includes an inflatable air bag housing which is located immediately below the recess and is anchored to either the vehicle body or the facia panel. The air bag housing may form the base of the recess.

According to a second aspect of the Invention there is 15 provided a method of temporary installation of electrical equipment in a motor vehicle, wherein the vehicle facia assembly includes a facia support which extends for the full width of the vehicle and has on the passenger side thereof a walled recess which opens upwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle to accommodate within the recess a readily removable and replaceable unitary container in the form of a glove box, the wall having at least one electrical connector terminal mounted therein, wherein the equipment is mounted in a housing that is interchangeable with said unitary container allowing the electrical equipment to be installed in the recess, and connected to said terminal.

4 Description of Drawings

The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a facia assembly according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a combined recess and air bag housing.

Detailed description of the Invention

With reference to Fig 1., there is shown a facia assembly 11 for a motor car. The assembly 11 extends substantially the full width of the vehicle and is located beneath the windscreen 12 extending between the two roof pillars 13 (only one of which is shown), sometimes referred to as "A" posts.

The facia assembly 11 comprises at least one facia support in the form of a panel 14 which may be pressed sheet steel, or a glass reinforced polyester (GRP) moulding, and which is typically covered in a decorative trim material such as leather cloth. An instrument panel 15 is mounted on the driver's side of the assembly 11 and a recess 16 is located in the passenger side of the assembly 11. Other controls 17 e.g. heater controls, radio-cassette player, may be mounted in the centre portion of the facia assembly 11.

The recess 16 opens upwardly and rearwardly of the panel 14 and has a base 18 and walls 19, 21, which are preferably formed from a structural material such as sheet steel, sheet aluminium, or GRP. When formed of a structural material the recess will enhance the structural rigidity of the panel 14. The base 18 may have drinks container holding depressions 22 formed therein, and at least one of the back wall 21 or side walls 19 may have an electrical connector terminal 23 mounted therein.

The recess 16 forms a receptacle to accommodate a unitary container 24 which in this case is a glove box. The container 24 has a removable lid 25 which blends with the facia panel 14 when the container 24 is docked in the recess 16. The container 24 may be held in the recess by a resilient detent 26 which may engage a side wall 19 and which is releasable allowing the container 24 to be readily removed from the recess 16.

A passenger grab handle 27 may be located below the recess, and a release for the glove box may be incorporated with the grab handle.

The unitary container 24 may be made interchangeable with a similar shaped housing 28, which may house a PC or fax 29 which can be connected to the terminal 23 for operation.

The base 18, or walls 19, 21, may have a sensor 29 therein 6 which senses the presence of the container 24 or similar housing 28. The signal from the sensor may be passed to a programmable control means so as to render the vehicle inoperable if the presence of the container 24, or the like, is not sensed.

In a further development of the invention, an air bag housing 31 may be located in the facia assembly 11 immediately beneath the recess 16 to provide passenger protection in the event of a crash. In the preferred embodiment the air bag housing forms a part of the recess 16 so that the base 18 of the recess is formed by a side wall of the air bag housing 31. The side walls 19 and rear wall 21 may also be formed integrally with the air bag housing 34, or may be separately formed and affixed thereto.

With this type of construction the combined housing 34 and recess 16 may be used as a structural component in the design of the facia assembly. with the air bag housing located adjacent and beneath the recess 16 it may be necessary to re-site the grab handle 27.

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Claims

1. A facia assembly for a motor vehicle including a facia support which extends for the width of the vehicle and has on the passenger side thereof a walled recess which opens upwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle to accommodate within the recess a readily removable and replaceable unitary container having an exposed surface that blends with the facia.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the unitary container is a glove compartment having a removable lid with the exposed surface being formed on said lid.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the walled recess includes at least one electrical connector terminal mounted in a wall thereof and adapted to receive a co- operating terminal connected to an electrical component.

4. An assembly as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the electrical connector terminals comprise a blind assembly connective arrangement.

5. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, 8 wherein the facia assembly includes an inflatable air bag housing which is located immediately below the recess and is anchored to either the vehicle body or the facia support.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein a wall of the air bag housing forms the base of the recess.

7. A assembly as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the side walls of the recess are formed integrally with the air bag housing.

8. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the unitary container is secured within the recess is by a resilient detent having an easily accessible release mechanism.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8 and further including a grab handle located on the exterior of the facia below the recess, wherein the release mechanism is incorporated into the grab handle.

10. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 9 and further including a sensor for sensing the presence of a unitary container in the recess, said sensor passing a signal to a control to disable the vehicle in the absence of a unitary container.

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11. An assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 further including unitary containers that are interchangeable with said unitary container allowing auxiliary equipment to be installed in the recess.

12. In a motor vehicle a method of temporary installation of electrical equipment wherein the vehicle facia assembly includes a facia support which extends for the width of the vehicle and has on the passenger side thereof a walled recess which opens upwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle to accommodate within the recess a readily removable and replaceable unitary container in the form of a glove box, the wall having at least one electrical connector terminal mounted therein, wherein the equipment is mounted in a housing that is interchangeable with said unitary container allowing the electrical equipment to be installed in the recess, and connected to said terminal.