JP3023337B2 - Air duct structure in vehicle instrument panel - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in the structure of an air duct installed behind an instrument panel for a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an instrument panel in which instruments are incorporated is provided in front of a driver's seat of a vehicle such as a passenger car. The instrument panel includes a defroster air outlet, a side vent air outlet, and the like. Are formed in plurality. These air outlets are connected to an air conditioning unit by an air duct installed on the back side of the instrument panel, and supply adjustment air from the air conditioning unit to each air outlet via the air duct.

[0003] As a structure of such an air duct, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-16747, there is an air duct in which the back side of an instrument panel is partitioned by a partition plate to form an air passage. In other words, this air duct is formed in a closed cross-sectional structure by the instrument panel and the partition plate, and the instrument panel is a component of the duct, so that the number of parts is reduced by that much so that the cost is not increased much. ing.

As another structure of an air duct, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-52683, a substrate in which a plurality of air ducts are previously assembled integrally is installed on the back side of an instrument panel. In some cases, the assembly workability is improved as compared with the case where the divided air ducts are connected one by one and installed on the back side of the instrument panel.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned publication, in order to form an air duct, the partition plate must be arranged on the back side of the instrument panel which is difficult to work. Workability will be reduced.

On the other hand, in the case of the latter publication, although a plurality of air ducts are assembled on a substrate and integrated, a plurality of air ducts must be prepared for that purpose.
In addition, these air ducts must be assembled to the board, which increases the number of parts and increases costs compared to the former publication. In addition, the structure becomes complicated due to the increase in the number of parts, and it is hard to say that the assemblability to the instrument panel is much improved in view of the entire assembling process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to reduce the number of parts, simplify the structure, reduce costs, and improve assembling workability. It is in.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method in which a part of an air duct is constituted by an instrument panel. It is characterized in that an air duct as a finished product is constituted by supplementing with an instrument panel.

More specifically, the present invention is directed to a structure of an air duct provided on the back side of a vehicle instrument panel having a plurality of air outlets, and for supplying regulated air from an air conditioning unit to each of the air outlets. The following solutions were taken.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a front defroster duct lower extending in the vehicle width direction and a center duct lower extending rearward from the center of the defroster duct lower in the vehicle width direction are integrally formed. Construct a duct lower. Further, the instrument panel is joined to the defroster duct lower from above to form a defroster duct having a defroster air passage formed therein. A center duct upper is joined to the center duct lower from above to form a center duct having an air conditioning air passage formed therein. The air conditioning air passage of the center duct includes a left side vent air passage, a center air passage, and a right side vent air passage. Further, a defroster air inlet for introducing the adjustment air into the defroster air passage from below is formed in the middle of the defroster duct lower in the vehicle width direction. Further, left and right side vent air inlets for introducing the adjustment air into the left and right side vent air passages from below are formed on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the center duct lower. In addition, a center air inlet for introducing the adjustment air into the center air passage from below is formed at a center of the center duct lower in the vehicle width direction. Further, the defroster air inlet, the left side vent air inlet, the center air inlet, and the right side vent air inlet are separated from the adjacent air inlet by a partition wall. A partition wall for partitioning the left side vent air inlet, the center air inlet, and the right side vent air inlet is formed of a rib that hangs down from the center duct upper and fits into the groove of the center duct lower. . Also, the left side vent air inlet, the center air inlet, and the partition wall that separates the right side vent air inlet from the defroster air inlet rises from the front end of the center duct lower and fits into the groove of the center duct upper. It is characterized by comprising ribs that fit together.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the air duct includes the front duct lower, which is an integral body of the defroster duct lower and the center duct lower,
It is composed of an instrument panel joined to the defroster duct lower from above and a center duct upper joined to the center duct lower from above, so that the cost is reduced with a small number of parts. In addition, the small number of parts means that the structure is correspondingly simple.Moreover, when assembling, the center duct upper is joined to the center duct upper from above, and the instrument panel is further attached to the defroster duct lower. It is only necessary to join them from the beginning, and the workability of assembly is improved. In addition, the defroster air inlet, the left side vent air inlet, the center air inlet, and the right side vent air inlet are separated from the adjacent air inlet by a partition wall. As a result, the rigidity of the air duct is improved. In particular, the center duct upper is easily assembled to the center duct lower by fitting the rib constituting the partition wall into the groove, and the assembling workability is improved.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a part of a rear passage wall of the defroster air passage is partially cut in the middle of the defroster duct lower in the vehicle width direction. Further, a vertical wall that rises from the front end of the center duct upper and extends in the vehicle width direction and abuts on the back surface of the instrument panel is formed in the defective portion from the rear side of the passage wall near the defective portion. The left and right ends are overlapped and joined, and the vertical wall forms a part of the passage wall of the defroster air passage.

According to the above configuration, the vertical wall of the center duct upper is overlapped and joined to the passage wall of the defroster air passage, and the rigidity of the joint portion of the air duct is improved.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 13 shows an instrument panel A of a vehicle such as an automobile. The instrument panel A is a three-layer resin molded product in which a foam layer a3 is integrally formed between a skin a1 and a core material a2. (See FIGS. 8 to 11).
At the front end of the upper surface of the instrument panel A, two front defroster air outlets 1a extending almost over the entire vehicle width direction are formed to penetrate the instrument panel A, and the vehicle width of the upper surface of the instrument panel A is formed. Side defroster air outlet 1b
Are formed one by one through the instrument panel A, and a grill 3a is attached to each of the air outlets 1a and 1b (the grill attached to the front defroster air outlet 1a in FIG. 13). Is hidden behind and invisible.) Further, two center air outlets 1c are formed side by side at the center in the vehicle width direction in front of the instrument panel A so as to penetrate the instrument panel A, and at both ends in the vehicle width direction in front of the instrument panel A. In FIG. 1, side vent air outlets 1d are formed one by one through the instrument panel A, and grilles 3b, 3c are also mounted on the respective air outlets 1c, 1d.

On the back side of the instrument panel A, an air duct B having a structure as a feature of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 is installed. The air is supplied to each of the air outlets 1a to 1d via the air duct B. The adjustment air blown from the front defroster air outlet 1a and the side defroster air outlet 1b prevents the inner surface of the windshield from fogging, and the adjustment blown out from the center air outlet 1c and the side vent air outlet 1d. The temperature in the passenger compartment is adjusted by air.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the air duct B is composed of a defroster duct 5 and a center duct 7, both of which are resin molded products. The defroster duct 5 includes a defroster duct lower 9 extending in the vehicle width direction. A center duct lower 11 extending rearward of the vehicle body in the middle of the defroster duct lower 9 in the vehicle width direction.
Are formed integrally, and the defroster duct lower 9 and the center duct lower 11 form the front duct lower 1.
3.

A passage wall 15 is provided upright on the outer periphery of the defroster duct lower 9, and the passage wall 15 is missing at the rear end of the defroster duct lower 9 in the middle of the vehicle width direction. Three large and small projections 17, 19, 19 are provided at the front end of the passage wall 15.
Are provided at intervals in the vehicle width direction. Of the three large and small projections 17, 19, 19, the large projection 17 at the center in the vehicle width direction is provided.
Are formed with a screw hole 17a and a pin hole 17b for positioning, and the remaining two small projecting portions 19, 19 are formed with screw holes 19a.
a are respectively formed.

The instrument panel A is joined to the defroster duct lower 9 configured as described above by covering the instrument panel A from above.
The defroster duct 5 is constituted by the defroster duct lower 9 as a defroster duct upper, and a defroster air passage 21 is formed therein (see FIGS. 8 to 11). At the time of joining the instrument panel A, the large projecting portion 17 is attached to a positioning pin (not shown) formed on the instrument panel A.
The defroster duct lower 9 is positioned on the instrument panel A by fitting the positioning pin holes 17b of
With the upper end of the passage wall 15 of the defroster duct lower 9 in contact with the back surface of the instrument panel A, screws (not shown) are screwed into the screw holes 17a, 19a, 19a of the three large and small projections 17, 19, 19. Screw.
Although not shown, a plurality of engaging holes are formed in the passage wall 15 in addition to the positioning pin holes 17b and the screw holes 17a, 19a, 19a, and the instrument panel A is attached to the defroster duct lower 9. To prevent misalignment.

The center duct 7 is vertically divided into two parts by the center duct lower 11 and the center duct upper 23. The center duct upper 23 is joined to the center duct lower 11 from above, and the left side vent air is internally provided. An air-conditioned air passage including three air passages, a passage 25a, a center air passage 25b, and a right side vent air passage 25c is formed (see FIGS. 9 to 11). The center duct 7 is covered with a front portion of the instrument panel A in the middle of the vehicle width direction (see FIGS. 8 to 11).

In the middle of the defroster duct lower 9 in the vehicle width direction, there is formed a defroster air inlet 27 for introducing adjustment air into the defroster air passage 21 from below. On the other hand, on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the center duct lower 11, left and right side vent air introduction ports 29a and 29c for introducing the adjustment air from below into the left and right side vent air passages 25a and 25c are formed. . Further, in the middle of the center duct lower 11 in the vehicle width direction, the adjustment air is supplied from below to the center air passage 2.
A center air introduction port 29b for introduction into 5b is formed. The defroster air inlet 27, the left side vent air inlet 29a, the center air inlet 29b, and the right side vent air inlet 29c are connected to an air conditioning unit via piping (not shown), and the temperature is adjusted by the air conditioning unit. The conditioned air flows through these pipes and these air inlets 2
7, 29a to 29c.

The left side vent air inlet 29a of the center duct lower 11 and the center air inlet 29
b, a groove portion 31a extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is formed, and between the center air inlet 29b and the right side vent air inlet 29c extends obliquely with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction. A groove 31b is formed, and the left side vent air inlet 29a, the center air inlet 29b, and the right side vent air inlet 2 are further formed.
Between the defroster air inlet 27 and the defroster air inlet 27, a rib 33 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided to protrude upward.

At the left and right outer sides of the left side vent air inlet 29a and the right side vent air inlet 29c,
The connecting pipe portions 35 are respectively protruded, and rising portions 37 that rise obliquely upward are formed at the front sides thereof. A screw hole 37a and a positioning pin 37b are formed in the rising portion 37, and a screw hole 35a and a positioning pin 35b are also formed in the left and right connection pipe portions 35. A screw hole 11a and a positioning pin 11b are formed, and a screw hole 11c is formed near the rear of the vehicle body in the middle of the vehicle width direction.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, ribs 39a and 39b are provided on the center duct upper 23 so as to correspond to the grooves 31a and 31b of the center duct lower 11, respectively. Grooves 40a, 40
b is formed so as to correspond to the rib 33 of the center duct lower 11.

On both left and right sides of the center duct upper 23, connecting pipes 41 are formed corresponding to the connecting pipes 35 of the center duct lower 11, respectively. It is formed so as to stand up. A screw hole 43a and a pin hole 43b for positioning are formed on both left and right ends of the upper end flat portion 43c of the vertical wall 43.
Are formed corresponding to the screw holes 37a and the positioning pins 37b of the upper end flat portion 37c of the rising portion 37 of the center duct lower 11, and the screw holes 41a and the positioning pins are also formed in the left and right connection pipe portions 41. The holes 41b are screw holes 35a of the left and right connection pipe portions 35 of the center duct lower 11.
And the positioning pin 35b, and the screw hole 23a and the positioning pin hole 23b are formed in the center of the center duct lower 11 and the positioning pin 11b in the middle in the vehicle front-rear direction. The screw hole 2 is formed in the middle of the vehicle width direction near the rear of the vehicle body.
3c is formed corresponding to the screw hole 11c of the center duct lower 11. 3 to 6, reference numeral 41c denotes an engagement piece projecting from the upper surface of the connection pipe portion 41, and the engagement piece 41c is adapted to engage with an inner surface of a side vent duct 47 described later. ing.

The center duct upper 23
The left side vent air passage 25a, the center air passage 25b, and the right side vent air passage 25 as described above are internally provided in a state where they are joined to the center duct lower 11 from above.
c, three air passages are formed. When joining the center duct upper 23, the positioning pins 37b, 35b, 1 of the center duct lower 11 are connected.
1b are respectively inserted into the positioning pin holes 43b, 41b, 23b of the center duct upper 23 to position the center duct upper 23 with respect to the center duct lower 11, and the screw holes 43 of the center duct upper 23 are formed.
a, 41a, 23a, 23c and center duct lower 11
The screw holes 37a, 35a, 11a, 11c are vertically stacked, and a screw 45 is screwed into each of them. Some screws 45 appear in FIGS. 8 and 10. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, in a state where the center duct upper 23 is joined to the center duct lower 11, the engagement projection 41 d at the lower end of the connection pipe 41 on the center duct upper 23 side is connected to the center duct lower. The engagement recess 35c at the upper end of the connection pipe portion 35 on the eleventh side is engaged.

When the center duct upper 23 is joined to the center duct lower 11 in this manner, the rib 39 of the center duct upper 23 is provided.
a and 39b are grooves 31 of the center duct lower 11.
a, 31b, respectively, and these ribs 39a, 39b
b, the left side vent air inlet 29a, the center air inlet 29b, and the right side vent air inlet 29
A partition wall for partitioning c is formed. The ribs 33 of the center duct lower 11 fit into the grooves 40a and 40b of the center duct upper 23,
The upper end flat portion 43c of the vertical wall 43 is in contact with the back surface of the instrument panel A. The rib 33 constitutes a partition wall for separating the defroster air inlet 27 from the left side vent air inlet 29a, the center air inlet 29b, and the right side vent air inlet 29c. Thereby, the adjacent air introduction ports 27 and 29a to 2
9c are separated from each other by a partition wall.
The adjustment air introduced into the tubes 7, 29a to 29c does not merge with each other.

In a state where the center duct upper 23 is joined to the center duct lower 11, the vertical wall 43 of the center duct upper 23 is disposed at a defective portion of the rear passage wall 15 of the defroster duct lower 9. At the same time, the left and right ends of the vertical wall 43 are overlapped and joined from the rear to the passage wall 15 in the vicinity of the defective portion, and constitute a part of the passage wall 15 of the defroster air passage 21.

Then, the center duct upper 23
As shown in FIG. 1, the center duct 7 formed by the center duct lower 11 and the left and right side vent air passages 25a and 25c is an outlet of the left and right connection pipe portions 35 and 41 (see FIG. 7 and FIG. 12), blow-molded side vent ducts 47 are joined by external fitting, and these side vent ducts 47 (left and right side vent air inlets 29a, 29c) are connected to the left and right sides of the instrument panel A. Side vent air outlet 1
d is connected by a connection pipe (not shown). The rear end of the center duct 7 (center air passage 25b) is connected to the center air outlet 1c of the instrument panel A as shown in FIGS.
The front end and the left and right ends of the defroster duct 5 are connected to the front defroster air outlet 1a and the side defroster air outlet 1b of the instrument panel A, respectively.

As described above, in this example, the front duct lower 13 which is an integral body of the defroster duct lower 9 and the center duct lower 11, the instrument panel A joined to the defroster duct lower 9 from above,
The air duct B is formed by the three members of the center duct lower 11 and the center duct upper 23 which is joined from above.
With this configuration, the number of parts can be reduced, the cost can be reduced, and the structure can be simplified by the reduced number of parts. Moreover,
Center duct upper 23 to center duct lower 11
To the instrument panel A
Can be easily assembled simply by joining it to the defroster duct lower 9 from above, and the assembling workability can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the defroster air inlet 27, the left side vent air inlet 29a, the center air inlet 29b, and the right side vent air inlet 29
Since c is partitioned by the partition walls composed of the ribs 33, 39a and 39b, the rigidity of the air duct B can be improved by using these partition walls as reinforcing ribs.

In this embodiment, the ribs 3 constituting the partition wall are used.
3, 39a, 39b are formed in the grooves 31a, 31b, 40 of the center duct lower 11 or the center duct upper 23.
The center duct upper 23 can be easily assembled to the center duct lower 11 by being fitted to the a and 40b, and the assembling workability can be improved.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the vertical wall 43 of the center duct upper 23 is overlapped and joined to the passage wall 15 of the defroster duct lower 9, the rigidity of the joint of the air duct B can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, since the side vent duct 47 is externally fitted to the joint between the center duct upper 23 and the center duct lower 11, it is possible to tighten the joint so as not to open. It is possible to enhance the joining force and eliminate rattling between the two.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, a front duct lower, which is an integral unit of a defroster duct lower and a center duct lower, an instrument panel joined to the defroster duct lower from above, Since the air duct is composed of the center duct lower and the center duct upper joined from above, the cost can be reduced with a small number of parts and the structure can be simplified.
The assembly workability can also be improved. In addition, defroster air inlet, left side vent air inlet,
Since the center air inlet and the right side vent air inlet are separated from the adjacent air inlet by a partition wall, the partition wall serves as a reinforcing rib to improve the rigidity of the air duct, and the partition wall can be improved. The center duct upper can be easily attached to the center duct lower by fitting the ribs constituting the groove into the groove, and the assembling workability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an air duct.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a front duct lower.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a center duct upper.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the center duct upper as viewed from the left side.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the center duct upper as viewed from the right side.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the center duct upper as viewed from the rear side.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the center duct corresponding to line VII-VII in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a center duct corresponding to line VIII-VIII in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the center duct corresponding to line IX-IX in FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a center duct corresponding to line XX of FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a center duct corresponding to line XI-XI in FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the center duct corresponding to line XII-XII in FIG. 3;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an instrument panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a Front defroster air outlet 1b Side defroster air outlet 1c Center air outlet 1d Side vent air outlet 5 Defroster duct 7 Center duct 9 Defroster duct lower 11 Center duct lower 13 Front duct lower 15 Passage wall 21 Defroster air passage 23 Center Duct upper 25a Left side vent air passage (air conditioning air passage) 25b Center air passage (air conditioning air passage) 25c Right side vent air passage (air conditioning air passage) 27 Defroster air inlet 29a Left side vent air inlet 29b Center air inlet 29c Right side vent air inlet 31a, 31b, 40a, 40b Groove (partition wall) 33, 39a, 39b Rib (partition wall) 43 Vertical wall (partition wall) 47 Side vent duct A Instrument panel B Adduct

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-9-323568 (JP, A) JP-A-7-52683 (JP, A) JP-A-6-22054 (JP, U) JP-A 55-16747 (JP) , Y2) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60K 37/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A defroster provided on the back side of a vehicle instrument panel having a plurality of air outlets and configured to supply regulated air from an air conditioning unit to each of the air outlets, the defroster extending in a vehicle width direction. A duct lower and a center duct lower extending rearward from the middle of the defroster duct lower in the vehicle width direction are integrally formed to form a front duct lower, and the instrument panel is joined to the defroster duct lower from above. Forming a defroster duct having a defroster air passage formed therein; a center duct upper being joined to the center duct lower from above to form a center duct having an air conditioning air passage formed therein; The air conditioning air passage of the left side vent air passage, the center A defroster air introduction port is formed in the middle of the defroster duct lower in the vehicle width direction to introduce adjustment air from below into the defroster air passage, and a vehicle width of the center duct lower is provided. Left and right side vent air introduction ports are formed on both sides in the direction to introduce the adjustment air from above into the left and right side vent air passages. The adjustment air flows downward in the middle of the center duct lower in the vehicle width direction. A center air inlet for introducing into the center air passage is formed from the above, and the defroster air inlet, the left side vent air inlet, the center air inlet, and the right side vent air inlet are separated from the adjacent air inlet. It is separated by a wall, the left side vent air inlet, center air inlet
And a partition that separates the right side vent air inlet
The wall hangs from the center duct upper
The lower side vent air inlet and the center air inlet
And right side vent air inlet and defroster air guide
The partition wall that separates from the entrance is in front of the center duct lower.
Stand up from the end and groove the center duct upper
An air duct structure in an instrument panel for a vehicle, characterized in that the air duct structure is constituted by a rib that fits into the instrument panel. 2. An air duct structure of the vehicle instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the vehicle width direction middle of the defroster duct lower, a part of the side passage wall after the de <br/> furo Star air passage There are defective, this defective portion, the rear side of the center duct upper rising from the front end of, and in contact with the rear surface of the instrument panel extending in the vehicle width direction vertical walls the defect portion near the passage wall air duct structure from being joined by polymerizing left and right ends of the vertical wall, in the defroster vehicle instrument panel, characterized in that it constitutes a part of the passage wall of the air passage.