JP2539483Y2 - Instrument panel frame structure - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument panel frame structure for supporting an instrument panel of an automobile (referred to as an instrument panel frame structure).

An instrument panel frame is a frame that supports an instrument panel at a predetermined position in front of a driver's seat of an automobile, and requires a frame structure that is lightweight and has excellent strength and rigidity.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional instrument panel frame includes a main frame formed of a pipe member extending in a width direction of an instrument panel, a pair of side brackets welded or screwed to both ends of the main frame, and a main frame. It consists of a pair of center reinforcements welded to the center of the frame.

The center reinforcement is integrated by welding a connecting member having a substantially U-shaped cross section. The instrument panel frame supports the instrument panel from behind, the side brackets are fixed to the vehicle body, and the center reinforcement is fixed to the vehicle floor to support the instrument panel at a predetermined position in front of the driver's seat. I have.

Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 63-4839 relates to an improvement of a main frame portion of an instrument panel frame. A connecting member having a substantially U-shaped cross section is used for integrally connecting a pair of center reinforcements. I have.

[0006]

As described above, the instrument panel frame is required to have strength and rigidity and light weight. However, as in the conventional instrument panel frame, a connecting member is used to connect a pair of center reinforcements. In the frame structure, the use of the connecting member is against the demand for weight reduction.

When such a connecting member is used, two welding locations are required, which is disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing man-hours.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to provide an instrument panel frame structure in which the number of parts and the number of manufacturing steps are reduced and the weight is reduced.

[0009]

The instrument panel comprises a main frame extending in the width direction of the instrument panel, and a pair of support members fixed to a central portion of the main frame. The main frame supports the instrument panel from the back side. In the instrument panel frame structure in which both ends of the main frame are fixed to the vehicle body and the support members are fixed to the vehicle floor, the pair of support members are made of sheet metal and provided with cut-and-raised portions cut and raised in directions approaching each other. Then, these cut and raised portions are fixed to each other by welding, bolts, rivets, or the like.

[0010]

The supporting members are integrated by providing cut-and-raised portions on a pair of supporting members and fixing them to each other, so that the connecting members required conventionally can be omitted, and the weight of the instrument panel frame can be reduced. Can be achieved.

Further, the cut-and-raised portion can be fixed at only one place, and the number of working steps can be reduced as compared with the conventional case where two places at both ends of the connecting member need to be fixed to the respective supporting members.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an instrument panel frame structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. A pair of side brackets 12, 14 are fixed to both side ends of a main frame 10 formed of a pipe member by welding or bolts. Have been.

A pair of sheet metal center reinforcements 16 and 18 as support members are welded to the central portion of the main frame 10 so as to be perpendicular to the main frame 10. Cut-and-raised portions 24 and 26 cut and raised in a direction approaching each other are provided at approximately the center in the vertical direction of each of the center reinforcements 16 and 18, and the ends of these cut-and-raised portions 24 and 26 are welded. A pair of center reinforcements 16 and 18 are integrally fixed to each other. The cut-and-raised portions 24 and 26 are simultaneously formed in the press-forming process of the center reinforcements 16 and 18. 25 and 27 cut and raised the cut and raised portions 24 and 26, and as a result, the center reinforcement 16,
18 is an opening formed at 18.

Instead of welding, the cut-and-raised portions 24 and 26 may be fixed by bolts or rivets.
Fixing holes 17 for fixing the center reinforcement to the backbone of the vehicle floor are provided at lower end portions of the center reinforcements 16 and 18, respectively.

Support brackets 20 and 22 are welded to the main frame 10 to completely support an instrument panel having a more complicated shape.

Referring to FIG. 2, the instrument panel frame 28 constructed as described above is mounted on the instrument panel 30.
Is supported from behind. That is, cover the instrument panel 30 with the instrument panel frame 28,
Secure with screws. With the instrument panel 30 covered in this manner, the side brackets 12,
14 is fixed to the vehicle body with bolts.

Then, center reinforcement 1
By fixing screws 6, 18 to the backbone of the vehicle floor by screwing, instrument panel 30 is supported at a predetermined position in front of the driver's seat.

In the above embodiment, the main frame 10 is made of a pipe member. However, the main frame may be made of sheet metal.

[0020]

Advantages of the Invention The instrument panel frame structure of the present invention is constructed as described in detail above, so that it is possible to reduce the number of parts and achieve weight reduction. In addition, only one fixed portion of the cut-and-raised portion is required, so that the number of work steps can be reduced as compared with the related art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an instrument panel frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing how the instrument panel is attached to the instrument panel frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Main frame 12, 14 Side bracket 16, 18 Center reinforcement (support member) 24, 26 Cut-and-raised part 28 Instrument panel 30 Instrument panel

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A main frame extending in a width direction of the instrument panel; and a pair of support members fixed to a central portion of the main frame. The main frame supports the instrument panel from the back side and supports the main frame. In an instrument panel frame structure in which both side ends are fixed to a vehicle body and the support member is fixed to a vehicle floor, the pair of support members are made of sheet metal and provided with cut-and-raised portions cut and raised in directions approaching each other. An instrument panel frame structure wherein the cut-and-raised portions are fixed to each other.