JP2007091092A - Instrument panel unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an instrument panel unit. <P>SOLUTION: This instrument panel unit is characterized by having an opening for a side door to which the side door is mounted, an instrument panel loaded in an indoor of a vehicle having a specified unit set on a vehicle floor in an outline of the opening for the side door as seen from the side through the opening for the side door, a cross member supporting an instrument panel and fixed on the side of the vehicle so as to extend between sides of the vehicle, an upper center member extending downward from a central part in the width direction of the cross member, a lower part center member fixed to the vehicle floor in front of a prescribed unit in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a fastening means to fasten a lower part of the upper part center member and an upper part of the lower part center member with each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an instrument panel unit mounted on a vehicle.

  An instrument panel member is provided at the front of the interior of the automobile. This instrument panel member has a hollow cross member extending between the side portions of the vehicle, and a center member extending downward from the center portion in the width direction of the cross member and fixed to the floor panel. Used to support the panel. The center member is an important member for conforming the vehicle to the collision safety standard, and is adopted by many vehicles today.

  When installing the instrument panel to the passenger compartment, the instrument panel may be attached to the instrument panel member in advance. When attaching such an instrument panel unit to the passenger compartment, the instrument panel member may be hollow. Insert the support rod of the assembly jig into the cross member, and cantilever the entire instrument panel unit.

  Then, the instrument panel unit supported by the support rod is carried into the vehicle compartment from the front door attachment opening of the vehicle, the assembly jig is removed from the instrument panel unit, and the instrument panel unit is attached to the vehicle.

  By the way, depending on the type of vehicle, the rear seat air conditioning unit may be located on the floor behind the instrument panel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, separately from the front seat air conditioning unit installed inside or on the side of the instrument panel. May be attached to the panel. For example, in so-called one-box cars and minivans, the rear seat air conditioning unit may be arranged adjacent to the installation location of the instrument panel.

  This rear seat air conditioning unit is often performed prior to bringing the above-described instrument panel unit into the passenger compartment for reasons such as piping assembly. For this reason, when the instrument panel unit is brought into the passenger compartment, the instrument panel unit, particularly the center member of the instrument panel member, is installed in the rear seat depending on the installation position of the rear seat air conditioning unit. There is a problem that it interferes with the air conditioning unit for the vehicle. Note that this problem is particularly noticeable in the case of a vehicle type with a low vehicle height such that the A-pillar is relatively sleeping.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been invented to solve the above-described problems, and is an instrument panel that can be mounted in a vehicle interior while reducing interference with a predetermined unit previously installed in the vehicle interior. It is an object to provide a unit and a mounting method thereof.

  In order to achieve the above object, an instrument panel unit according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a side door opening to which a side door is attached and a vehicle within the outline of the side door opening when viewed from the side. It is mounted in a vehicle room of a vehicle having a predetermined unit installed on the floor through the side door opening, and supports an instrument panel, the instrument panel, and extends between the sides of the vehicle. A cross member fixed to a side portion of the vehicle, an upper center member extending downward from a center portion in the width direction of the cross member, and a lower portion fixed to the vehicle floor portion in front of the predetermined unit in the vehicle front-rear direction. It has a center member and a fastening means for fastening the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member.

  In the first invention, when the instrument panel unit is carried into the vehicle interior, the center member that easily interferes with the predetermined unit is separated into the upper center member and the lower center member, and these are separated into the vehicle interior of the instrument panel unit. Since it can be fastened after carrying in, the interference of the instrument panel unit with respect to a predetermined unit can be reduced.

  In the first invention, it is preferable that a height of the lower center member fixed to the vehicle floor is substantially the same as or higher than a height of a predetermined unit installed on the vehicle floor. The upper center member protruding downward from the instrument panel unit can be shortened in inverse proportion to the height of the lower center member, and interference with a predetermined unit can be reduced.

  The fastening means temporarily engages the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member prior to fastening of the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member. It is preferable to provide temporary engagement means. Due to the temporary engagement, the mounting operation of the instrument panel unit can be performed easily and accurately.

  Further, the predetermined unit is an air conditioning unit for the rear seat, and the air conditioning unit for the rear seat is connected to an air conditioning medium supply pipe extending from an engine room located in front of the instrument panel unit in the vehicle direction. A supply pipe is preferably disposed between the floor panel and the floor mat from the instrument panel unit to the rear seat air conditioning unit. Prior to installation of the instrument panel unit, the connection work can be facilitated by connecting the rear seat air conditioning unit to the air conditioning medium supply pipe.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the second aspect of the present invention, a side door opening to which the side door is attached and a side door opening in the contour of the side door opening when viewed from the side are installed on the vehicle floor. The instrument panel unit is mounted in a vehicle compartment of a vehicle having a predetermined unit through the side door opening. The instrument panel unit includes a sub-instrument panel unit and a lower center member. The lower center member is fixed to the vehicle floor portion in front of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the predetermined unit, and the sub-instrument panel unit is extended so that the cross member extends between the side portions of the vehicle. It is carried into the vehicle compartment through a side door opening, and an upper center member extending downward from the center in the width direction of the cross member. Concluded server and with said lower center member, characterized in that it comprises securing the opposite ends of the cross member on a side of the vehicle.

  In the second invention, when the instrument panel unit is carried into the vehicle interior, the center member that easily interferes with the predetermined unit is separated into the upper center member and the lower center member, and these are separated into the vehicle interior of the instrument panel unit. Since it can be fastened after carrying in, the interference of the instrument panel unit with respect to a predetermined unit can be reduced.

In the second invention, it is preferable that a height of the lower center member fixed to the vehicle floor is substantially the same as or higher than a height of a predetermined unit installed on the vehicle floor.
The upper center member protruding downward from the instrument panel unit can be shortened in inverse proportion to the height of the lower center member, and interference with a predetermined unit can be reduced.

  In addition, the step of fastening the upper center member and the lower center member may include a step of fastening the lower portion of the upper center member and the upper portion of the lower center member prior to fastening the lower portion of the upper center member and the upper portion of the lower center member. Preferably including a temporary engagement. Due to the temporary engagement, the mounting operation of the instrument panel unit can be performed easily and accurately.

  Furthermore, after the step of fastening the upper center member and the lower center member temporarily engages the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member, the sub-instrument panel unit is It is preferable to include rotating the sub-instrument panel unit to the position where the sub-instrument panel unit is to be finally fixed in the vehicle compartment, with the temporary engagement point as the center in the vehicle front-rear direction. According to this configuration, since the sub-instrument panel unit can be rotated to the final fixed position around the temporary engagement point, the mounting operation of the instrument panel unit can be performed easily and accurately. It becomes possible.

  Furthermore, the predetermined unit is a rear seat air conditioning unit, and prior to fixing the lower center member, an air conditioning medium supply pipe is extended from the engine room to the rear seat air conditioning unit, and the air conditioning medium supply pipe is It is preferable to include covering the air conditioning medium supply pipe with a floor mat connected to the rear seat air conditioning unit. In this method, prior to mounting of the instrument panel unit, the connection work can be facilitated by connecting the rear seat air conditioning unit to the air conditioning medium supply pipe.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the instrument panel unit which can reduce interference with the predetermined unit previously installed in the vehicle interior, and can be mounted in a vehicle interior, and its mounting method can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an instrument panel unit attached to a vehicle equipped with a front engine.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle body 1 having a front seat and a rear seat is shown. An engine room (not shown) is provided at the front of the body 1, and a vehicle compartment R that is partitioned by a bulkhead or a dash panel (not shown) is formed behind the engine room in the vehicle front-rear direction.

  The body 1 includes a front door opening 2 to which a front door is attached to the front side portion of the passenger compartment R. The floor portion of the passenger compartment R is constituted by the floor panel 3, and the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the floor panel 3 is raised upward to constitute the center tunnel 4. A rear seat air conditioning unit 10 is provided on the center tunnel 4 so that the body 1 is located within the outline 2A of the front door opening 2 when the body 1 is viewed from the side of the front door opening 2. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 is connected to an air conditioning medium supply pipe 11 extending from the engine room (not shown) on the floor panel 3, and the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 and the air conditioning medium supply pipe 11 are connected. Is covered from above by a floor mat 12.

  An instrument panel unit is carried into the passenger compartment R from the opening 2 for the front door, and the instrument panel unit is attached to the front portion of the passenger compartment R, that is, the front of the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. .

  The instrument panel unit includes an instrument panel member and an instrument panel 21 supported by the instrument panel member and mounted with a front seat air conditioner and various electronic devices.

  The instrument panel member has a cross member 22 arranged so as to extend in the vehicle width direction through the passenger compartment R, and each end of the cross member 22 is formed by either a bolt / nut means or a known means such as welding. It is fixed to the side of the body 1.

  The instrument panel members are also fixed to the floor panel 3 in front of the pair of upper center members 23 extending downward from the center in the width direction of the cross member 22 and the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 in the vehicle front-rear direction. And a pair of lower center members 24.

  Each lower center member 24 is attached to the center tunnel 4 of the floor panel 3 via a mounting bracket 25. The mounting bracket 25 extends over the top portion 4A and both side wall portions 4B of the center tunnel 4, and a plurality of bolt mounting holes (not shown) are formed in the peripheral portion thereof. The center tunnel 4 is internally threaded (not shown) corresponding to these bolt mounting holes (not shown) of the mounting bracket 25, and the bolt B1 is attached to the bolt mounting hole (not shown) of the mounting bracket 25. The mounting bracket 25 can be firmly attached to the center tunnel 4 by being screwed into a female screw (not shown) of the center tunnel 4.

  The mounting bracket 25 is also formed with a pair of mounting bases (not shown) that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and project upward. Each mounting base (not shown) has a bolt mounting hole (not shown). ) Is formed. A bolt mounting hole (not shown) corresponding to a bolt mounting hole (not shown) of each mounting base (not shown) is formed at the lower end of each lower center member 24. Accordingly, by tightening the bolt B2 penetrating the bolt mounting hole (not shown) of the lower center member 24 and the bolt mounting hole (not shown) of the mounting bracket 25 with a nut (not shown), it is shown in FIG. As described above, the lower center member 24 can be firmly attached to the mounting bracket 25 and thus to the center tunnel 4.

  As a modification, the one mounting bracket 25 described above may be configured by a pair of mounting brackets 25 corresponding to the pair of lower center members 24, or the pair of lower center members 24 may have a desired strength or As long as rigidity is obtained, it may be constituted by one lower center member 24 or may be constituted by three or more lower center members 24.

  As can be seen from FIG. 3, the height of the lower center member 24 attached to the center tunnel 4 is dimensioned to be higher than the height of the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 attached to the center tunnel 4. .

  Next, referring to FIG. 5, a rotating shaft 26 constituted by a bolt extending in the vehicle width direction, in this embodiment, outward is provided at the upper end portion of each lower center member 24. Bolt mounting holes 27 </ b> A and 27 </ b> B are formed in front of the vehicle in the front-rear direction.

  On the other hand, a slit 28 for receiving the rotating shaft 26 of the corresponding lower center member 24 is formed at the lower end portion of each upper center member 23 extending from the cross member 22, and a bolt mounting hole 29 </ b> A is provided forward of the slit 28 in the vehicle front-rear direction. , 29B are formed.

  Next, in the state shown in FIG. 3 in which the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 and the pair of lower center members 24 are firmly attached to the center tunnel 4, the sub panel comprising the instrument panel 21, the cross member 22, and the upper center member 23. -How to carry the instrument panel unit 20 from the front door opening 2 into the vehicle compartment R and attach it to the front of the vehicle compartment R will be described.

  First, as described in the section “Background Art”, one side of the cross member 22 of the sub instrument panel unit 20 in the vehicle width direction is cantilevered using an existing assembly jig, and this sub instrument is supported. The component panel unit 20 is carried from the front door opening 2 into the passenger compartment R along the vehicle width direction so that the cross member 22 extends between the side portions of the body 1, and is shown in FIG. Position "Position". In this “loading position”, the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is positioned above the rear seat air conditioning unit 10, but the upper center member 23 extending downward from the cross member 22 of the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is not present. The rear seat air conditioning unit is substantially shorter than the total height of the center member extending downward from the cross member of the instrument panel unit by the height of the lower center member 24, compared with the existing instrument panel unit. 10 can be reduced. In particular, as described above, since the height of the lower center member 24 is sized so as to be higher than the height of the rear seat air conditioning unit 10, the lower end of the upper center member 23 of the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is determined. It is not necessary to lower the portion below the height of the lower center member 24, and interference of the upper center member 23 with the rear seat air conditioning unit 10 can be avoided.

  Next, the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is moved forward in the vehicle front-rear direction to a “temporary deposit position” indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 4 using an assembly jig. In this “temporary depositing position”, the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is generally tilted forward and upward, and the front end portion of the sub-instrument panel unit 20 projects forward from the front window mounting opening W of the body 1. The slit 28 at the lower end of the upper center member 23 is engaged with the rotating shaft 26 of the lower center member 24 from obliquely rearward.

  Subsequently, the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is rotated forward in the vehicle front-rear direction about the rotation shaft 26 of the lower center member 24 to the “set position” indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. At this time, since the glass is not yet attached to the front window W, the unit 20 does not interfere with the glass by such rotation. In this “set position”, the sub-instrument panel unit 20 takes a position where it should be finally fixed to the body 1, and the lower center members 24 corresponding to the bolt mounting holes 29 </ b> A and 29 </ b> B of the upper center members 23. The bolt mounting holes 27A and 28B are aligned. In this state, the bolt B3 is passed through the aligned bolt mounting holes 27A and 28B and bolt mounting holes 29A and 29B, and tightened with nuts (not shown) to fasten the upper center member 23 and the lower center member 24. Before and after this, each end portion of the cross member 22 is fixed to the side portion of the body 1 by bolts and nuts (via a bracket if necessary) or by welding.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications as described below are possible.

For example, although the cross member 22 and the upper center member 23 are integrally formed in the above embodiment, the cross member 22 and the upper center member 23 are formed of different members, and these members can be fastened. You may do it.
In the above embodiment, the sub-instrument panel unit 20 is temporarily fixed to the lower center member 24 by the slit 28 formed in the upper center member 23 and the rotating shaft 26 of the lower center member. May be formed on the lower center member 24, and the rotation shaft 26 may be provided on the upper center member 23.

It is a schematic partial side view which shows the body of the vehicle to which the air conditioning unit for rear seats was attached. It is sectional drawing in the II-II line of FIG. It is a schematic partial side view which shows the state by which the lower center member which comprises an instrument panel unit was attached to the body of FIG. It is a general | schematic fragmentary side view which shows the mounting method of the instrument panel unit by one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic partial enlarged view showing how to connect the upper center member and the lower center member of the instrument panel unit of FIG. 4.

Explanation of symbols

2 Front door opening (side door opening)
3 Floor panel, center tunnel 4 (vehicle floor)
21 Instrument panel 22 Cross member 23 Upper center member 24 Lower center member

Claims (9)

In a vehicle compartment of a vehicle having a side door opening to which the side door is attached and a predetermined unit installed on the vehicle floor within the outline of the side door opening when viewed from the side, An instrument panel unit mounted through the side door opening,
An instrument panel,
A cross member that supports the instrument panel and is fixed to the side of the vehicle so as to extend between the sides of the vehicle;
An upper center member extending downward from the center in the width direction of the cross member;
A lower center member fixed to the vehicle floor portion in front of the vehicle front-rear direction than the predetermined unit;
Fastening means for fastening the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member;
Instrument panel unit.   The instrument panel unit according to claim 1, wherein a height of the lower center member fixed to the vehicle floor is substantially the same as or higher than a height of a predetermined unit installed on the vehicle floor. .   The fastening means temporarily engages the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member prior to fastening of the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member. The instrument panel unit according to claim 1, further comprising a combination unit.   The predetermined unit is a rear seat air conditioning unit, and the rear seat air conditioning unit is connected to an air conditioning medium supply pipe extending from an engine room located in front of the instrument panel unit in the vehicle direction, and the air conditioning medium supply pipe The instrument panel unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the instrument panel unit is disposed between the vehicle floor portion and a floor mat from the instrument panel unit to the rear seat air conditioning unit. In a vehicle compartment of a vehicle having a side door opening to which the side door is attached and a predetermined unit installed on the vehicle floor within the outline of the side door opening when viewed from the side, A method of mounting an instrument panel unit through the side door opening, wherein the instrument panel unit comprises a sub-instrument panel unit and a lower center member,
The lower center member is fixed to the vehicle floor portion in front of the vehicle front-rear direction than the predetermined unit,
Carrying the sub-instrument panel unit into the vehicle compartment through the side door opening so that the cross member extends between the sides of the vehicle;
Fasten the upper center member and the lower center member extending downward from the center in the width direction of the cross member,
Including fixing both ends of the cross member to the side of the vehicle,
Method.   The method according to claim 5, wherein a height of the lower center member fixed to the vehicle floor is substantially equal to or higher than a height of a predetermined unit installed on the vehicle floor.   The step of fastening the upper center member and the lower center member temporarily connects the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member prior to fastening of the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member. 7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6 comprising engaging the two.   After the step of fastening the upper center member and the lower center member temporarily engages the lower part of the upper center member and the upper part of the lower center member, the sub-instrument panel unit is 8. A method according to claim 7, comprising rotating the sub-instrument panel unit forward in the direction about a temporary engagement point to a position to be finally fixed in the vehicle compartment. The predetermined unit is a rear seat air conditioning unit;
Prior to fixing the lower center member,
Extending the air conditioning medium supply pipe from the engine room to the rear seat air conditioning unit,
Connecting the air conditioning medium supply pipe to the rear seat air conditioning unit;
Covering the air conditioning medium supply pipe with a floor mat,
9. A method according to any one of claims 5 to 8.

Images