GB2346352A - Electrical wiring in the dashboard of a vehicle - Google Patents
Electrical wiring in the dashboard of a vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2346352A GB2346352A GB0001725A GB0001725A GB2346352A GB 2346352 A GB2346352 A GB 2346352A GB 0001725 A GB0001725 A GB 0001725A GB 0001725 A GB0001725 A GB 0001725A GB 2346352 A GB2346352 A GB 2346352A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- printed circuit
- flexible printed
- circuit board
- flexible
- control
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000009429 electrical wiring Methods 0.000 title description 3
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K37/00—Dashboards
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Instrument Panels (AREA)
- Installation Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)
- Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
- Control Of Stepping Motors (AREA)
- Connection Or Junction Boxes (AREA)
Abstract
In the control circuit structure in an instrument panel of a vehicle the low current part of the wiring harness is replaced by a flexible printed circuit board (10). The flexible printed circuit board (10) includes all of the low current wiring from the panel switches (3). The panel switch contact points (11) comprise part of the flexible printed circuit board (10). A flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable (14) connects the column switches (13) to the flexible printed circuit board (10). Another flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable (15) connects the flexible printed circuit board (10) to the junction box (6).
Description
2346352 VEHICLE WIRING This invention relates to the electrical wiring in
the dashboard of a vehicle.
Vehicles are generally assembled from a number of modules. Each module comprises a section of the vehicle such as the engine block, front end block, or body block.
These modules are assembled in parallel, and the fittings and electrical components are installed separately in each module. The modules are then connected together by welding or bolts to form a complete vehicle. To simplify the wiring harnesses required to connect the large number of electrical components, multiplex transmission systems are used, in which a single transmission path is used by a number of components. Nodes for various components and control nodes for electronic systems such as anti-lock brake control (ABS) and four wheel steering control are connected to a multiplex transmission path.
An example electrical wiring harness structure for a multiplex transmission system is described in EP-A-0507225, and includes main block control nodes in modules abutting each other in the vehicle and trunk wiring harnesses connecting adjacent main block control nodes. Each main block control node is connected to subordinate control nodes within the module by branch wiring harnesses. This reduces the number of connections between modules and simplifies assembly of the vehicle.
Such a structure has problems, however, particularly in the dashboard area of the vehicle, where a considerable amount of wiring is located. In such an area the branch wiring harness is thick and heavy, making it difficult to bend and causing problems in installation.
According to the present invention, a control circuit structure in an instrument panel of a vehicle comprises a flexible printed circuit board located behind the instrument panel comprising the low current control wiring from the panel switches on the instrument panel and wherein 2 the flexible printed circuit board is connected to a junction box by a flexible flat cable or printed circuit.
Preferably the flexible printed circuit board includes the contact points from the panel switches, further reducing the amount of wiring necessary.
The present invention dispenses with the need f or a bulky and heavy wiring harness behind the instrument panel. The use of a flexible printed circuit board provides a considerable saving in cost, weight and installation time.
The flexible printed circuit board is flexible enough to fit easily into the space available behind the instrument panel.
Preferably, a logic control member is mounted on the flexible printed circuit board. This further reduces the cost by combining the logic control member and the low current control wiring on a single flexible printed circuit board. In this case, the logic control member is connected via the flexible f lat cable or printed circuit to the junction box which is connected to the load control member.
The f lexible f lat cable or printed circuit may have releasable connectors at both ends for connection to the junction box and the logic control member or may only have a releasable connector at the junction box end. The low current signals from the logic control member control the load control member. High current wiring is provided to connect the load control member to various loads such as electric windows, an audio unit or an air conditioning unit.
Mounting the logic control on the flexible printed circuit board also decreases the size of the body control module, making it easier to install, as in the prior art the logic control member was included in the body control module as a hard circuit board.
Preferably, the column switches such as the indicator switches and windscreen wiper switches are connected to the logic control member by means of a flexible flat cable or printed circuit.
3 Preferably a meter control member is also mounted on the flexible printed circuit board and is connected directly to the meter unit. There are therefore two kinds of chip mounted on the flexible printed circuit board, one for logic control and the other for meter control.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure I shows a prior art wiring harness;
Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a prior art block control node as shown in figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a control circuit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figure 5 shows a logic control member and air conditioning unit.
Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the block control node according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 1 shows a prior art wiring harness I for the instrument panel of a vehicle. The wiring harness 1 connects the components on the instrument panel such as the meters 2, the panel switches 3, the audio unit 4 and the column switches (not shown) to the block control node 5. Figure 2 shows the operation of the block control node 5.
The block control node 5 comprises a junction box 6 and a body control module 7, which consists of a logic control member 8 and a load control member 9. The input to the junction block comes from the switches on the instrument panel and the column switches, and comprises low current signals. The logic control member 8, which comprises a hard printed circuit processes these signals and the load control member 9 outputs high current signals to the loads, for example the electric windows. The wiring harness 1 can therefore be considered in two parts, a first part for carrying the low current signals from the switches and a second part for the high current load control signals. The 4 majority of the wiring harness 1 comprises low current wiring.
The prior art wiring harness assembly of figure 1 is suitable for use in the wiring harness system of EP-A 507225. A branch wiring harness connects the nodes such as the audio node, the panel switches and the column switches to the main control node. This wiring harness is thick and heavy due to the requirements of current and fuse capacity.
It is therefore difficult to bend the harness, causing problems in installation when the wiring harness rubs or becomes jammed. This problem is exacerbated by the limited space due to the presence of the air conditioning unit and ducts behind the instrument panel.
The main control node comprises two parts, the junction box, into which the branch wiring harness from the instrument panel and other parts of the module are connected, and the body control module (BCM). The BCM, as shown in figure 2, further comprises a logic control member in the f orm of a hard circuit board, and a load control member including relays and Intelligent Power Switches for controlling the loads such as the electric windows and air conditioning. The input signals to the junction box from the instrument panel are generally low current signals from switches whereas the output signals from the load control member are higher current signals. It is possible to transfer the logic control member 8 behind the instrument panel, but as shown in Figure 5, there is limited space due to the presence of the air conditioning unit 20, its motor 21 and ducts 22.
In the embodiment of the present invention shown in figure 3, the low current part of the wiring harness I is replaced with a flexible printed circuit board 10. The flexible printed circuit board 10 includes all the low current wiring from the panel switches 3. The panel switch contact points 11 comprise part of the flexible printed circuit board 10. A flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable 14 connects the column switches 13 to the flexible printed circuit board 10. Another flexible printed circuit or flexible flat cable 15 connects the flexible printed circuit board 10 to the junction box 6.
The logic control member 8 is mounted on the flexible printed circuit 10. The output f rom the logic control member 8 is less than a few hundred milliamps, and is sent to the load control member 9 via the flexible printed circuit or f lat cable 15. The flexible printed circuit board 10 further includes a meter control circuit for controlling the meters 12 installed at the centre of the instrument panel. The control signal for the meters 12 is low current and can be carried from the block control node 5 by the flexible printed circuit or flat cable 15. High current wiring 16 is provided from the load control member 9 to loads in the instrument panel such as the audio unit 4.
Figure 4 illustrates the division of functions between the block control node 5 and the flexible printed circuit board 10. The flexible printed circuit board 10 includes the logic control member 8, the contact points 11 of the panel switches and a meter control circuit. The logic control circuit 8 is connected to the junction box 6 of the block control node 5 by a flexible flat cable or flexible printed circuit 15. The load control member 9 is included in the control node 5 and the high current output from the load control member 9 to the loads is carried by a high current wiring harness.
The present invention has the advantage over the prior art wiring harness of f igures 1 and 2 in that it is considerably less bulky and therefore easier to install, particularly as the number of functions on instrument panels of vehicles, and hence the amount of wiring necessary, increases. Installation is made easier by the use of releasable connectors 20a, 20b for connection of the components. The combination of the logic control member 8 and the meter control member in a single flexible printed 6 circuit results in a simplified structure and reduces costs.
7
Claims (8)
1. A control circuit structure in an instrument panel of a vehicle comprises a flexible printed circuit board located behind the instrument panel comprising the low current control wiring from the panel switches on the instrument panel and wherein the flexible printed circuit board is connected to a junction box by a flexible f lat cable or printed circuit.
2. A control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes the contact points from the panel switches.
3. A control circuit according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a logic control member is mounted on the flexible printed circuit board.
4. A control circuit according to claim 3, wherein the logic control member is connected via the flexible flat cable or printed circuit to the junction box which is connected to the load control member.
5. A control circuit according to any preceding claim, wherein the flexible flat cable or printed circuit has releasable connectors at both ends for connection to the junction box and the logic control member.
6. A control circuit according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flexible flat cable or printed circuit only has a releasable connector at the junction box end.
7. A control circuit according to any preceding claim, wherein column switches such as the indicator switches and windscreen wiper switches are connected to the logic control member by means of a flexible flat cable or printed circuit.
8
S. A control circuit according to any preceding claim, wherein a meter control member is also mounted on the flexible printed circuit board and is connected directly to the meter unit. There are therefore two kinds of chip mounted on the flexible printed circuit board, one for logic control and the other for meter control.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9902309.5A GB9902309D0 (en) | 1999-02-02 | 1999-02-02 | Vehicle wiring |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0001725D0 GB0001725D0 (en) | 2000-03-15 |
| GB2346352A true GB2346352A (en) | 2000-08-09 |
Family
ID=10846977
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9902309.5A Ceased GB9902309D0 (en) | 1999-02-02 | 1999-02-02 | Vehicle wiring |
| GB0001725A Withdrawn GB2346352A (en) | 1999-02-02 | 2000-01-25 | Electrical wiring in the dashboard of a vehicle |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBGB9902309.5A Ceased GB9902309D0 (en) | 1999-02-02 | 1999-02-02 | Vehicle wiring |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE10004020A1 (en) |
| GB (2) | GB9902309D0 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1319818B1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20170369104A1 (en) * | 2016-06-24 | 2017-12-28 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | Instrument carrier of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle |
| IT201900016313A1 (en) | 2019-09-13 | 2021-03-13 | Martur Italy Srl | Conductive multilayer panel for the passenger compartment of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2003154874A (en) * | 2001-11-16 | 2003-05-27 | Yazaki Corp | Instrument panel module and transmitting system for vehicle |
| US6611429B2 (en) * | 2001-11-21 | 2003-08-26 | Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. | Electronic circuit to MG beam grounding method |
| US7000969B2 (en) * | 2002-08-30 | 2006-02-21 | Visteon Global Technologies, Inc. | Instrument panel with integrated HVAC and electronic systems |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0504549A2 (en) * | 1991-03-08 | 1992-09-23 | Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. | Multiplex communication control unit |
| US5768092A (en) * | 1995-10-19 | 1998-06-16 | Yazaki Corporation | Cluster module and its assembling method |
-
1999
- 1999-02-02 GB GBGB9902309.5A patent/GB9902309D0/en not_active Ceased
-
2000
- 2000-01-25 GB GB0001725A patent/GB2346352A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2000-01-28 IT IT2000TO000086A patent/IT1319818B1/en active
- 2000-01-31 DE DE10004020A patent/DE10004020A1/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0504549A2 (en) * | 1991-03-08 | 1992-09-23 | Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. | Multiplex communication control unit |
| US5768092A (en) * | 1995-10-19 | 1998-06-16 | Yazaki Corporation | Cluster module and its assembling method |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20170369104A1 (en) * | 2016-06-24 | 2017-12-28 | GM Global Technology Operations LLC | Instrument carrier of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle |
| IT201900016313A1 (en) | 2019-09-13 | 2021-03-13 | Martur Italy Srl | Conductive multilayer panel for the passenger compartment of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles |
| US11912129B2 (en) | 2019-09-13 | 2024-02-27 | Martur Italy S.R.L. | Conductive multilayer panel for the cockpit of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9902309D0 (en) | 1999-03-24 |
| ITTO20000086A1 (en) | 2001-07-28 |
| GB0001725D0 (en) | 2000-03-15 |
| DE10004020A1 (en) | 2000-08-24 |
| IT1319818B1 (en) | 2003-11-03 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |