JP2000038056A - Assembly structure of vehicle instrument panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle instrument panel assembly structure to prevent the increase of a cost and lowering of support rigidity for a steering wheel handle due to division when an instrument panel is formed into a module, and facilitate an assembly work. SOLUTION: An instrument panel disposed in the front of a driver's seat is fixed at a cross member 2, a steering handle wheel mounting bracket 3 is fixed at the cross member, mounting pieces 11c and 11d formed at a caul brace 11 are fixed at the bracket, and a fixing piece 11b formed at the caul brace is fixed at a caul panel 10 (a car body spring). In a so formed assembly structure, the caul brace is previously fixed at the caul panel, and the instrument panel and the steering wheel mounting bracket are pre-assembled to the cross member 2 to form a module. When the instrument panel formed in a module is assemblyd to the bracket, an induction groove 5a and a recessed part 5b for engaging the mounting piece of the caul brace 11 are formed and the mounting piece is fixed at the bracket by a bolt.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an assembling structure of an instrument panel for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an improvement in assembling property when an instrument panel and a steering mounting bracket are assembled in advance to a cross member to be modularized. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various meters,
An instrument panel on which switches and the like are arranged is provided. Conventionally, as an assembling structure of this type of instrument panel, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an instrument panel 52 is fixed to a steel pipe cross member 51 extending in the vehicle width direction via a bracket or the like.
Support bracket 54 for supporting steering column 53
And a rear end mounting piece 55a of the cowl brace 55 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is fixed to the bracket 54 and the cross member 51, and the front end fixing piece 55a is
6 is bolted and fixed.

By the way, from the viewpoint of increasing the efficiency of the assembling work, the instrument panel 52, the support bracket 54, and the cowl brace 55 are previously attached to the cross member 5 in advance.
In some cases, it may be assembled into a module to be modularized. in this case,
The modularized instrument panel 52 is pushed in from the driver's seat side to fix the fixing pieces 55b of the cowl brace 55 to the cowl panel 56 with bolts using the impact wrench 57, and to attach both ends of the cross member 51 to the left and right side panels ( (Not shown).

[0004]

However, in the above assembly structure, as shown in FIG. 6, the long impact wrench 57 of the bit 57a is inserted through the meter opening 52a of the instrument panel 52, and the cowl brace 5 is inserted.
Since the operation of bolting the fixing piece 55b of No. 5 is performed, there is a problem that workability is low.

When the meter opening 52a of the instrument panel 52 is separated from the position facing the fixing piece 55b, for example, in the left and right directions, the impact wrench 57 cannot be inserted, and the tightening work becomes difficult. In this case, it is possible to perform the tightening operation by dividing the instrument panel into upper and lower parts. However, this causes a problem that the cost increases.

In order to solve such a problem caused by modularization, it is conceivable to abolish the cowl brace and fix only the cross member to the vehicle body panel. However, if the cowl brace is abolished, the support rigidity of the steering is reduced, and there is a concern that vibration or the like may occur in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and does not cause a problem of an increase in cost due to division and a decrease in steering support rigidity when modularizing an instrument panel. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting structure of an instrument panel for a vehicle, which can easily perform the assembly.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an instrument panel disposed in front of a driver's seat is fixed to a cross member extending in a vehicle width direction, and a steering mounting bracket is fixed to the cross member. A fixing piece formed at the rear end of the cowl brace extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction was fixed to the mounting bracket, and the fixing piece formed at the front end of the cowl brace was fixed to a vehicle body panel constituting a front wall of the vehicle compartment. In the mounting structure of the vehicle instrument panel, the cowl brace is fixed to the vehicle body panel in advance, the instrument panel and the steering mounting bracket are previously mounted on the cross member to form a module, and the mounting bracket is mounted on the mounting bracket. When installing the instrument panel from the driver's seat side, A guide groove with which the mounting piece of the race engages is formed wider than the mounting piece, and a positioning portion is formed following the guide groove so that both end faces in the vehicle width direction of the mounting piece contact with each other. It is characterized in that it is fastened and fixed to a mounting bracket by a bolt screwed from below the mounting bracket.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the steering mounting bracket has a box-like shape with a substantially closed cross section formed by joining a lower bracket main body and an upper patch with the cross member interposed therebetween. The guide groove and the positioning portion are formed in the patch, and a fastening opening is formed in a portion of the bottom wall of the bracket body facing the mounting piece.

[0010]

In order to assemble the instrument panel of the present invention, first, a cowl brace is fixed to a vehicle body panel in advance. Then, the modularized instrument panel is pushed forward from the driver's seat side to the front of the vehicle body, and the mounting piece of the cowl brace is engaged with the guide groove of the steering mounting bracket. In this state, the instrument panel is further pushed in. Then, the mounting piece is relatively moved while engaging with the guide groove and fitted into the positioning portion, thereby positioning the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction. In this state, a bolt is screwed from below the steering mounting bracket to fix the mounting piece to the mounting bracket. Then, fix both ends of the cross member to the left and right side panels.

According to the mounting structure of the present invention, the fixing piece at the front end of the cowl brace is fixed in advance to the vehicle body panel, and the steering mounting bracket is screwed to the mounting piece at the rear end of the cowl brace from below. , It is possible to perform a tightening operation using an impact wrench having a short bit, that is, a position close to the operator, and the workability can be improved as compared with a conventional case using a long bit.

Further, since the bolt can be fixed from below the mounting bracket by using the lower end opening of the instrument panel, it is not necessary to use the meter opening of the instrument panel, so that the tightening work can be performed regardless of the meter opening position. It can be carried out. As a result, an increase in cost when dividing the instrument panel can be avoided.
Furthermore, since modularization is possible without abolition of the cowl brace, assemblability can be improved, and the support rigidity of the steering can be secured to suppress occurrence of vibration and the like.

According to the present invention, a wide guide groove is formed in the steering mounting bracket so that the mounting piece of the cowl brace is engaged, and a positioning portion is formed following the guide groove so that both end surfaces of the mounting piece abut. , Assembling accuracy of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction can be ensured, and even if the mounting bracket is hidden by the instrument panel and cannot be seen, it can be easily assembled.
From this point, workability can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the steering mounting bracket is formed in a box shape having a closed cross section including the lower bracket main body and the upper patch, so that the rigidity of the entire mounting bracket can be improved and vibration can be reduced. It can be further prevented. In addition, since the fastening opening is formed in a portion of the bottom wall of the bracket body facing the mounting piece, an operation for screwing a bolt from below the mounting bracket can be easily performed.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 to 4 are views for explaining an instrument panel mounting structure of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. It is the perspective view which shows an assembly procedure, a side view, a top view, and a principal part enlarged perspective view.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an instrument panel disposed in front of a driver's seat. The instrument panel 1 is provided with various meters and switches for displaying speed, fuel amount, and the like. It is composed of a portion 1a and a vertical wall portion 1b extending downwardly and curved therefrom. A steering insertion recess 1c is formed in the vertical wall portion 1b, and the basic structure is the same as the conventional one. .

A cross member 2 made of a steel pipe extending in the vehicle width direction is provided in the instrument panel 1, and both ends of the cross member 2 are fixed to left and right side panels (not shown). ing. The instrument panel 1 is fixed to the cross member 2 via a plurality of brackets (not shown).

A steering mounting bracket 3 is disposed on the driver's seat side of the cross member 2. The mounting bracket 3 is a box-shaped closed section having a lower bracket main body 4 and an upper patch 5. The left and right edges are welded to each other, and the mounting bracket 3 is sandwiched between the cross members 2. It is then welded.

On the bottom wall 4a of the bracket main body 4, a steering column 6 extending obliquely up and down along the bottom wall 4a is provided. This steering column 6 is 2
The bolts 9 attached to the three clamp members 8 are attached to the bottom wall 4.
It is fixed by screwing to nuts 7 fixed to the four corners of a. A steering shaft (not shown) is rotatably inserted into the steering column 6, and a steering wheel is provided at an upper end of the steering shaft.
A steering gear is connected to the lower end.

A cowl panel 10 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided in front of the cross member 2.
A dash panel (not shown) is connected to the lower surface of 0, thereby forming a front wall of the cabin.

A cowl brace 11 extending between the cowl panel 10 and the mounting bracket 3 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
Has been erected. In the cowl brace 11, a reinforcing flange 11a is formed by bending an outer peripheral edge of a brace body 11e having a substantially triangular shape in a side view, a fixed piece 11b is formed by bending at a front end, and a pair of mounting pieces 11c, 1 are formed at a rear end.
1d is formed by bending.
A nut 12 is fixed to 1c and 11d. The fixing piece 11b is fixed to the cowl panel 10 by bolts 13.

A guide groove 5a extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the center of the patch 5 in the vehicle width direction.
a is formed to be wider according to the vehicle width dimension of the mounting pieces 11c and 11d, and is formed so that the groove width becomes narrower toward the rear side. The guide groove 5a is followed by a positioning recess 5 with which the left and right end surfaces of the rear mounting piece 11d abut.
b is formed.

Further, bolt insertion holes 5c, 5c are formed in portions corresponding to the nuts 12 of the guide groove 5a and the positioning recess 5b of the patch 5, respectively. It is formed in the long hole which extends.

The bottom wall 4a of the bracket body 4 has a notch formed in a portion facing the bolt insertion hole 5c of the patch 5, and a peripheral portion 4c of the tightening opening 4b is formed by cutting the patch 5. It is bent to contact the inner surface and is welded to the patch 5. This peripheral part 4c
Are welded simultaneously on the welding line of the bracket body 4, the patch 5, and the cross member 2.

The mounting pieces 11c and 11d are
A bolt 15 inserted from below the fastening opening 4b of the bracket body 4 is screwed to the nut 12 to be fastened and fixed to the mounting bracket 3. The bolt 15 is fastened by inserting the impact wrench 16 from the insertion recess 1 c of the instrument panel 1.

The instrument panel 1 is assembled according to the following procedure. In a pre-assembly process, the instrument panel 1 and the steering mounting bracket 3 are assembled to the cross member 2 and modularized in advance.

First, the fixing piece 11b of the cowl brace 11 is fastened and fixed to the cowl panel 10 with the bolt 13. Then, the modularized instrument panel 1 is assembled from the driver's seat side, and the mounting pieces 11c and 11d of the cowl brace 11 are engaged with the guide groove 5a of the patch 5, and the instrument panel 1 is pushed in this state. Then, the rear mounting piece 11d is fitted in the positioning recess 5b, whereby the cross member 2 is positioned in the vehicle width direction (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

Next, the instrument panel 1 is aligned in the front-rear direction, and a bolt 15 is screwed to the nut 12 from below the bracket body 4 by an impact wrench 16 to fix the mounting pieces 11c and 11d (FIG. 2). reference). In this case, the mounting error of the instrument panel 1 in the front-rear direction is absorbed by the elongated bolt insertion hole 5c. Thereafter, both ends of the cross member 2 are fixed to the left and right side panels.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the fixing piece 11b of the cowl brace 11 is bolted and fixed to the cowl panel 10 in advance, and the mounting piece 11 of the cowl brace 11 is fixed.
Since the mounting bracket 3 is fixed to each of the mounting brackets 3 and 11d from below the bracket main body 4 by bolts, the tightening work can be performed at a position close to the worker, and the bit 1
The short impact wrench 16 of 6a can be used, and workability can be improved as compared with the case where a conventional long bit is used.

Further, since the bolt 15 is screwed from below the bracket body 4 using the steering insertion concave portion 1c of the instrument panel 1, it is not necessary to use the meter opening of the instrument panel 1, so that the meter opening position is not required. The fastening work can be performed without being affected by the above. As a result, it is possible to avoid an increase in cost when dividing the instrument panel.

Furthermore, since the module can be modularized without abolishing the cowl brace 11, the support rigidity of the steering device can be secured, and the occurrence of vibration and the like can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the steering mounting bracket 3 is formed in a box shape with a closed cross section formed by joining the lower bracket main body 4 and the upper patch 5, so that the rigidity of the entire mounting bracket 3 can be improved. The generation of vibration can be further prevented.

Since the fastening opening 4b is formed in the bottom wall 4a of the bracket main body 4, the operation for screwing the bolt 15 from below the bracket main body 4 can be easily performed. The bolt insertion hole 5 through which the bolt 15 is inserted
Since c is a long hole extending in the front-rear direction, the mounting error of the instrument panel 1 in the front-rear direction can be absorbed.
Assembly work can be easily performed.

In this embodiment, a wide guide groove 5a is formed in the patch 5 so that the mounting pieces 11c and 11d of the cowl brace 11 can be engaged, and both end faces of the mounting piece 11d are connected to the guide groove 5a. Positioning recess 5 to contact
Since b is formed, the mounting accuracy of the instrument panel 1 in the vehicle width direction can be improved, and the mounting bracket 3 can be easily mounted even when the mounting bracket 3 is hidden by the instrument panel 1 and cannot be seen. Therefore, workability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining an installation structure of an instrument panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an assembled state of the instrument panel.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a procedure for assembling the instrument panel.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a procedure for assembling the instrument panel.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional general instrument panel mounting structure.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an assembled state of a conventional instrument panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument panel 2 Cross member 3 Steering mounting bracket 4 Bracket body 4a Bottom wall 4b Tightening opening 5 Patch 5a Guide groove 5b Positioning recess 10 Cowl panel 11 Cowl brace 11b Fixed piece 11c, 11d Mounting piece

Claims (2)

[Claims] An instrument panel disposed in front of a driver's seat is fixed to a cross member extending in a vehicle width direction, a steering mounting bracket is fixed to the cross member, and a cowl extending to a vehicle front-rear direction is attached to the mounting bracket. In a mounting structure of a vehicle instrument panel in which a fixing piece formed at a rear end of a brace is fixed, and a fixing piece formed at a front end of the cowl brace is fixed to a body panel constituting a front wall of a vehicle compartment. The cowl brace is fixed to the vehicle body panel in advance, the instrument panel and the steering mounting bracket are assembled in advance to the cross member to form a module, and the modularized instrument panel is mounted to the mounting bracket from the driver's seat side. Guide groove with which the mounting piece of the cowl brace is engaged Is formed wider than the mounting piece, and a positioning portion is formed following the guide groove so that both end faces in the vehicle width direction of the mounting piece come into contact with each other, and the mounting piece is screwed to the mounting bracket from below. A vehicle instrument panel assembling structure, wherein the vehicle instrument panel is fastened and fixed by bolts. 2. The steering mounting bracket according to claim 1, wherein the steering mounting bracket has a substantially closed box shape formed by joining a lower bracket body and an upper patch with the cross member interposed therebetween. An assembly structure for a vehicle instrument panel, wherein the guide groove and the positioning portion are formed, and a fastening opening is formed in a portion of the bottom wall of the bracket body facing the mounting piece.