JP2996130B2 - Cluster mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cluster mounting structure for fixing a cluster to an instrument panel of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A cluster (FIG. 3) surrounding a meter or the like is mounted on an instrument panel provided at a front portion of a vehicle cabin to store a meter, various switches, and the like so as to cover the instrument panel. is there. Conventionally, on the back surface of the resin-molded cluster 1, a plurality of protrusions 2A to 2H protruding from the outer periphery are integrally formed, and each of the protrusions 2A to 2H (collectively referred to as a protrusion 2) As shown in FIG. 4 (A), a mountain-shaped locking claw 21 is provided at the tip. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the protrusion 2 is pressed into the engagement hole 31 provided in the instrument panel 3 with the front inclined surface 212 of the locking claw 21 as a guide surface.
The cluster 1 is fixed by locking the locking surface 211 to the opening edge of the engagement hole 31.

[0003]

In the conventional mounting structure of the cluster 1, the cluster 1 needs to be repaired or the like.
4 is detached from the instrument panel 3, the vicinity of the protrusion 2 of the cluster 1 is pulled in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 4B, and the protrusion 2 is bent in the direction of arrow E while engaging holes 31 of the instrument panel 3 are bent. Pull out from. In this case, if the inclination angle C of the engagement surface 211 of the engagement claw 21 (the inclination angle with respect to the plane perpendicular to the main body of the protruding portion 2) C is large, the work of removing the cluster 1 is easy, but the instrument panel 3 and the When an impact is applied to the cluster 1, the locking claws 21 may come off from the engagement holes 31. Conversely, when the inclination angle C is reduced, the locking is reliably performed, but the work of removing the cluster 1 becomes difficult, and if it is forcibly removed, the projection 2 may be damaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cluster mounting structure which has a simple structure, has good removal workability, and does not come off the instrument panel due to an impact or the like.

[0005]

As shown in FIG. 1, a projection 2 is provided on the back surface of a cluster 1 (FIG. 3) that covers an instrument panel of a vehicle. A mountain-shaped locking claw 21 having a locking surface 211 rising from the main body and an inclined surface 212 gradually descending from the upper end of the locking surface 211 toward the leading end of the protrusion 2 is formed.
The protrusion 2 is inserted into the engagement hole 31 while the inclined surface 212 is pressed against the opening edge of the engagement hole 31 provided in the instrument panel 3, and the locking surface 211 is connected to the engagement hole 3.
In the mounting structure of the cluster 1 to be locked to the opening edge of the locking claw 1, the locking claw 2 is provided on the side surface of the locking claw 21.
1 is inclined in the width direction, and the rising angle
A chamfered portion 22 which forms a gentler inclined surface and serves as a guide surface guided by the opening edge of the engagement hole 31 at the time of cluster removal is formed.

The chamfered portion 22 may be formed on one side surface of the locking claw 21 as shown in FIG. 1, or may be formed on both side surfaces.

As shown in FIG. 2, according to the present invention, the side edge of the tip of the projecting portion 2 on which the chamfered portion 22 is formed is tapered to reduce the width of the projecting portion 2 toward the front end.
3 is assumed.

When the chamfered portion 22 is formed on one side surface of the locking claw 21, the tapered surface 23 is formed on the side edge on the side where the chamfered portion 22 is formed, and the chamfered portion 22 is formed on both sides of the locking claw 21. If it is formed on the side, it is formed on both side edges.

[0009]

According to the above structure, as shown in FIG. 1 (C), the cluster 1 attached to the instrument panel 3 by inserting the locking claw 21 of the projecting portion 2 into the engaging hole 31 and locking the same.
If the locking angle (the angle C in FIG. 1B) of the locking surface 211 that locks with the opening edge of the engagement hole 31 is reduced, the locking is not released even when an impact is applied. At the time of removing the cluster 1, when the cluster 1 is pulled in the direction of arrow B, the locking point becomes the chamfered portion 22 having a large locking angle (the angle D in FIG. 1B), as shown in FIG. 1D. The chamfered portion 22 having a gentle slope serves as a guide surface, and the protrusion 2 can be easily bent to remove the locking claw 21.

If the tapered surface 23 is formed together with the chamfered portion 22, as shown in FIG. 2 (C), when the protruded portion 2 is pulled out in the direction of arrow B when the protruded portion 2 is pulled out, 2 can be more easily pulled out without interfering with the opening edge of the engagement hole 31. Moreover, the engagement hole 31 is formed small, and the cluster 1 can be mounted without rattling.

[0011]

As shown in FIG. 3, a protruding portion 2 is integrally formed on the rear surface of the outer periphery of a cluster 1 of a resin molded body which is attached so as to cover an instrument panel. The protruding portion 2 has a rectangular plate shape, and as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a rising angle close to a right angle, that is, a small inclination angle C
Of the locking surface 211, and an angled locking claw 21 having an inclined surface 212 which is gently inclined downward from the upper end of the locking surface 211 toward the front end.

The locking claw 21 is formed with a chamfered portion 22 in which one side in the width direction is notched obliquely. The chamfered portion 22 is a triangular inclined surface having an inclination angle D (D> C) that rises gently in the width direction and the upper end direction of the locking claw 21.

On the other hand, the instrument panel 3 is provided at a position corresponding to each of the protrusions 2 provided on the back surface of the cluster 1.
Vertical than the cross section of the tip of the protruding portion 2 having the locking claw 21,
A rectangular engaging hole 31 having a slightly larger lateral dimension is formed (FIGS. 1C, 1D, and 4B). Engagement hole 3
The upper edge of the opening 1 is located at a position in the vertical direction that interferes with the inclined surface 212 of the locking claw 21.

Cluster 1 provided with protrusion 2 having the above structure
Fig. 4
As in the conventional example shown in FIG.
The inclined surface 212 of the instrument panel 3 with the engaging hole 3
The projection 2 is pressed into the projection 2 while being bent, and the locking surface 211 of the locking claw 21 is locked to the upper edge of the opening. Locking surface 21
1 is securely locked to the upper edge of the opening without a risk of coming off due to impact or the like because the inclination angle C is small.

When the cluster 1 is to be removed from the mounting state shown in FIG. 1C, the tip of the projection 2 is pulled in the direction of arrow B so that the tip of the projection 2 rotates toward the chamfer 22 as shown in FIG. And the locking point between the locking claw 21 and the engaging hole 31 is shifted to a gentle chamfer 22 having a large inclination angle.
Is a guide surface, and the chamfered portion 22 moves over the opening edge of the engagement hole 31 to bend the protruding portion 2 so that the opening edge rides over the top of the locking claw 21 to release the locking. The cluster 1 can be easily removed from the panel 3.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment in which a chamfered portion 22 is formed on a locking claw 21 of the projecting portion 2 as in the previous embodiment, and the tip of the projecting portion 2 on the chamfered portion 22 side. The side edge is formed as a tapered surface 23 that gradually narrows the width of the protruding portion 2 in the front end direction. Other structures are the same as the previous embodiment.

The attachment and detachment of the cluster 1 in this embodiment is performed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment.

When the cluster 1 is removed from the mounted state shown in FIG. 2 (B), as shown in FIG. The chamfered portion 22 serves as a guide surface, and the protrusion 2 is removed along the upper edge of the engagement hole 31. At this time, the side edge of the tip of the protrusion 2 can be smoothly extracted with a small pulling force without interfering with the opening side edge by the tapered surface 23. Further, even if the side edge of the protrusion 2 contacts the opening side edge of the engagement hole 31, the protrusion 2
Has a tapered surface 23, so that the sliding resistance is small, and it can be easily pulled out. Tapered surface 23
By forming, the engagement hole 31 can be a small hole with little backlash when the protrusion 2 is inserted and locked, and the mounting accuracy of the instrument panel 3 and the cluster 1 can be increased. Further, it is convenient even when the size of the engagement hole 31 of the instrument panel is limited due to the positional relationship with other surrounding components.

In the above-described embodiment, the chamfered portion 22 is formed on one side surface of the protruding portion 2. However, the chamfered portion 22 can be formed on both side surfaces, so that there is no restriction on the direction of the extraction. When the chamfered portion 22 is formed on both sides, the tapered surface 23 is formed on both sides.

An example of the operation of removing the cluster 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The cluster 1 has a plurality of protrusions 2A to 2H provided on the back surface thereof, each of which is inserted and locked in an engagement hole of an unillustrated instrument panel.
A screw 12 is used to secure the instrument panel to the instrument panel.

To remove the cluster 1, first remove the screw hole 1
Remove screws 1 and 12. Next, for example, the protrusions 2A and 2B at the lowermost end of the cluster 1 are extracted. Projection 2A, 2
B has an unillustrated chamfer on the right side in the protruding direction,
Pull out in the direction of arrow F. Next, the protrusion 2C having the chamfered portion formed on the lower end surface is pulled out in the direction of arrow G, and the protrusions 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2 having the chamfered portion formed on the left side surface.
H is sequentially pulled out in the direction of arrow H, and cluster 1 is removed.

The removal operation of the cluster from the instrument panel is not limited to the above-described removal operation procedure, and the removal direction and order of the projections are determined by the positions of the chamfers of the projections provided on the back surface of the cluster.

Further, if the chamfered portion and the tapered surface are provided on both sides in the width direction of the tip of the protruding portion, the direction of pulling out the protruding portion is not restricted, and the pulling workability is improved.

[0024]

According to the cluster mounting structure of the present invention,
With a simple structure, the cluster can be locked without coming off the instrument panel due to impact, etc., and it is possible to easily and easily remove the cluster without causing damage to the locking claws etc. when removing the cluster. Workability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a protrusion having a locking claw protruding from a back surface of a cluster according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the protrusion at a position along the line IB-IB, FIG.
FIG. 1C is a plan view showing a state where the protruding portion is inserted and locked in the engagement hole of the instrument panel, and FIG. 1D is a plan view showing a state where the protruding portion is pulled out from the engagement hole.

FIG. 2 (A) is a perspective view of another protrusion in the present invention, FIG. 2 (B) is a plan view showing a state where the protrusion is inserted and locked in an engagement hole of an instrument panel, FIG. (C) is a top view which shows the state which pulls out a protrusion part from an engagement hole.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cluster to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 (A) is a perspective view of a conventional projection having a locking claw projecting from the back surface of a cluster, and FIG. 4 (B) is FIG. 4 (A).
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where a protruding portion at a position along a line IVB-IVB is inserted and locked in an engagement hole of an instrument panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cluster 2 Projecting part 21 Locking claw 211 Locking surface 212 Inclined surface 22 Chamfered part 23 Tapered surface 3 Instrument panel 31 Engagement hole

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A projection is provided on the back surface of a cluster that covers an instrument panel of a vehicle, a locking surface rising from a projection main body at a tip of the projection, and the projection gently extending from an upper end of the locking surface. Forming a chevron-shaped locking claw having an inclined surface descending toward the front end of the engagement hole, and pressing the projected portion into the engagement hole while pressing the inclined surface against the opening edge of the engagement hole provided in the instrument panel. In the mounting structure of the cluster in which the locking surface is locked to the opening edge of the engagement hole, the side surface of the locking claw is inclined in the width direction of the locking claw and the rising angle is increased. A cluster mounting structure, wherein the chamfered portion forms a slope that is gentler than the locking surface and serves as a guide surface guided by the opening edge of the engagement hole when the cluster is extracted. 2. The cluster mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein a side edge of the tip of the protruding portion having the chamfered portion is formed as a tapered surface that reduces the width of the protruding portion toward the front end.