JP2000062498A - Instrument panel module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To economically apply a multiplex transmission system even to a vehicle with a low level of equipment by integrally arranging a multiplex control unit and an on-vehicle part including on-vehicle electrical equipment, and connecting the multiplex control unit through a flexible printed wiring body to another on-vehicle part to control the on-vehicle electrical equipment. SOLUTION: A circuit board 4 is disposed on the rear side of a cluster housing 2, and provided with a fitting part 4a and a connecting part 4b. The connecting part 4b is connected to a board socket 5a of a connector 5 to connect between a meter unit 3 and a multiple control unit 6. A panel module 1 is provided with on-vehicle parts arranged integrally, and assembled as an instrument panel module for interior. In the panel module 1, the multiple control unit 6 and the on-vehicle electrical equipment are connected to each other by the circuit board 4 which is a flexible printed wiring body taking the wiring passage of the meter unit 3 into consideration, so that the multiplex transmission system can be economically applied even to a vehicle with a comparatively low level of equipment.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument panel module constituting a part of a vehicle such as an automobile. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a vehicle, for example, an automobile, various on-vehicle electrical components have been increasing along with an increase in a need for comfort during riding. Is increasing. In particular, around the instrument panel, in-vehicle electrical components such as various meters and audio devices are concentrated. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to secure a harness wiring path since the number of harness wirings inevitably increases around the instrument panel. [0003] From such a background, a multiplex transmission system for an automobile has been proposed, in which multiplex control units are arranged in various parts of a vehicle and connected by a multiplex transmission line, thereby greatly reducing harness wiring. Have been. [0004] By the way, since some high-end vehicles have a high level of equipment, the number of wiring harnesses reduced by the multiplex transmission system and the effect of reducing the number of electronic circuits by integrating electronic circuits are significant. . For this reason, in a luxury car, even if many multiplex control units are arranged, the system is economically established. [0005] On the other hand, especially in a vehicle model with a low equipment level, even if many multiplex control units are arranged, the effect of reducing the harness wiring and the electronic circuit is small, it is not economical, and it is difficult to apply a multiplex transmission system. There was a problem that the number of wiring harnesses could not be reduced. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an instrument panel module that can economically apply a multiplex transmission system even in a vehicle with a relatively low level of equipment and that can reduce harness wiring. The purpose is to provide. According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, at least a vehicle-mounted component including at least a multiplex control unit and a vehicle-mounted electrical component is integrally disposed, and the multiplex control unit is flexible. It is configured to be connected to other in-vehicle components via a printed wiring body and to control the in-vehicle electrical components. Here, in the present specification, various types of meters,
Multiple control unit, A / CAMP, register, various switches, clock, electric connection box, cigar lighter, audio equipment, heater control switch, ashtray, etc. are included. The multiplex control unit and the meter are connected by a flexible printed wiring body also serving as the wiring in the meter, and the multiplex control unit controls the meter, so that the multiplex control unit is not newly provided for the meter. Thus, the number of wiring harnesses is reduced. Flexible printed wiring body considers the wiring route,
It can be manufactured in advance. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The instrument panel module (hereinafter simply referred to as “panel module”) 1 is, as shown in FIG.
In addition, the meter unit 3, the circuit board 4, the connector 5, the multiplex control unit 6, the audio equipment 7 and the panel cover 8 are integrally arranged, and are modularized as shown in FIG. The cluster housing 2 is a housing made of a synthetic resin in which the various vehicle-mounted components described above are arranged, and has first to fourth storage portions 2a to 2d. The panel cover 8 is attached to the front of the cluster housing 2. The meter unit 3 is a first housing 2 of the cluster housing 2.
a. The meter unit 3 is a unit in which a speedometer, an engine speed meter, a fuel gauge, a thermometer for cooling water, and the like are integrated, and a mounting portion 4a of the circuit board 4 is disposed on the back surface. The circuit board 4 is disposed on the rear side of the cluster housing 2. The circuit board 4 is a flexible printed wiring body in which a plurality of flat circuits formed in a desired shape in consideration of a wiring path are covered with an electrically insulating synthetic resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyimide. , A mounting portion 4a and a connection portion 4b, and one end of the plurality of circuits 4c is exposed at the connection portion 4b. Various lamps L for illuminating the various meters are attached from the back side to a connection portion (not shown) provided between the plurality of circuits 4c in the attachment portion 4a. The connection part 4b connects to the board socket 5a of the connector 5 to connect between the meter unit 3 and the multiplex control unit 6. The connector 5 is a connector in which a board socket 5a and a harness socket 5b are integrally formed, and a wire harness 5e to which audio sockets 5c and 5d are attached at the tip extends. The board socket 5a is a long-life type connector into which a flat wiring body such as the connection portion 4b of the circuit board 4 can be inserted with a low insertion force. Here, the connector 5 is designed in consideration of enabling various audio devices to be mounted after an automobile having the panel module 1 of the present invention mounted thereon is sold. (Not shown) and the circuit board 4 are also connected. The multiplex control unit 6 is housed in the third housing 2c of the cluster housing 2. The multiplex control unit 6 includes a control unit (CPU), various switches, resistors, capacitors, relays, and other electric or electronic components on a front surface of a substrate 6a on which a desired circuit is formed. 6b are respectively mounted and arranged on the panel module 1 or the panel module 1
Controls the operation of onboard electrical components connected to Here, the multipolar alignment connector 6b is connected to a socket 10a attached to one end of the cowl wire harness 10, as shown in FIG. The other end of the cowl wire harness 10 is connected to, for example, an electric connection box (not shown) having a multiplex transmission function installed in a cowl of an automobile. The audio device 7 is housed in the second housing portion 2b of the cluster housing 2, and includes a CD, a mini disk,
It is a player such as a cassette tape or an audio device such as a radio receiver. The panel cover 8 is a cover attached to the front surface of the cluster housing 2, and has a storage portion 8 b for the cigar lighter 8 a and a storage portion 8 d for the ashtray 8 c, and further has windows 8 e and 8 f for the meter unit 3 and the audio device 7. ing. In the panel module 1 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the above-mentioned in-vehicle components are integrally arranged and assembled into an automobile as an interior instrument panel module. At this time, since the panel module 1 is connected between the multiplex control unit 6 and the on-vehicle electrical components by the circuit board 4 which is a flexible printed wiring body in consideration of the wiring route of the meter unit 3, The multiplex transmission system can be economically applied even to a vehicle with a low level of equipment, and the wiring of the harness can be greatly reduced. The circuit board 4 may be plural, but is desirably single. Incidentally, it goes without saying that the panel module 1 of the present invention may be provided with a navigation device, a vehicle-mounted personal computer and the like in addition to the above-mentioned vehicle-mounted components. Further, the cluster housing 2 and the panel cover 8 may be divided into a meter housing, a cover and another center cluster housing and a cover, respectively. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the multiplex transmission system can be economically applied to a vehicle having a relatively low equipment level, and the wiring of the harness can be greatly reduced. A possible instrument panel module can be provided. Therefore, when the instrument panel module of the present invention is used, the wiring of the harness is greatly reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the arrangement of the vehicle-mounted components is increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an instrument panel module according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an instrument panel to which the module of FIG. 1 is attached. [Description of Signs] 1 instrument panel module 2 cluster housing 3 meter unit 4 circuit board 5 connector 6 multiplex control unit 7 audio equipment 8 panel cover 10 cowl wire harness

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An in-vehicle component including at least a multiplex control unit and an in-vehicle electrical component are integrally disposed, and the multiplex control unit is connected to another in-vehicle component via a flexible printed wiring body. And an instrument panel module for controlling the on-vehicle electrical components.