JPH05170010A - Reinforcement of instrument panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To achieve reduction in size and weight or an instrument panel bracket by using a plurality of pipe frames extending in the widthwise direction of a vehicle, light-weighting an instrument while the rigidity of the pipe members is maintained to be sufficient even if the pipe members are small in diameter, and further making the bending thereof easy. CONSTITUTION:In a reinforcement 3 equipped with a pipe frame 3 extending in the widthwise direction of a vehicle, the pipe frame 35 being made to support an instrument panel, the pipe frame 35 is provided at least two in number, and the interval between each pipe frame is made different in position thereof viewed in the widthwise direction of the vehicle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the improvement of the reinforcement of an instrument panel, and more particularly to the structure of a pipe frame that supports the instrument panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the reinforcement of an instrument panel of an automobile has been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Sho 63-1.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 59334, a side provided at both ends of the pipe frame is provided with a pipe frame extending in the vehicle width direction, with the instrument frame being supported by the pipe frame via an instrument panel bracket. The instrument panel is attached to the vehicle body by connecting the bracket to the vehicle body.

[0003]

However, in the reinforcement of the above-mentioned publication, since there is only one pipe frame, it is necessary to use a large-diameter pipe material in order to ensure rigidity. There is a problem that the weight of the ment increases. In some cases, it may be preferable to partially bend the pipe in terms of design, but it is difficult to bend the pipe material having a large diameter. Furthermore, with a single pipe material, the distance from the instrument panel may become wider,
This leads to an increase in the size and weight of the instrument panel bracket that supports the instrument panel.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make a plurality of pipe frames extending in the vehicle width direction of a reinforcement and to change their intervals so as to reduce the diameter. Even if it is a pipe material, it is intended to reduce the weight of the reinforcement while ensuring sufficient rigidity, to facilitate bending, and to reduce the size and weight of the instrument panel bracket.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the solution means of the present invention comprises a pipe frame extending in the vehicle width direction, and a reinforcement for attaching an instrument panel to the pipe frame and attaching it to a vehicle body. Ment, at least two pipe frames are provided. Further, the interval of each of the pipe frames is made different at the position in the vehicle width direction.

[0006]

With the above structure, in the present invention, at least two pipe frames extending in the vehicle width direction are provided, and the intervals between the pipe frames are different in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the total section modulus is one. When the pipe frame is smaller and the pipe frame has a smaller diameter, the gap can be increased. .. Further, the distance between the instrument panel and the pipe frame is reduced by changing the interval between the pipe frames, and the instrument panel bracket can be made smaller and lighter.

[0007]

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

1 and 3, 1 is an instrument panel, 3 is a reinforcement according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the instrument panel 1 is
The upper panel 11 has a three-layer structure in which the hard foam layer 9 is interposed between the skin material 5 and the base material 7, the lower panel 13 inside the vehicle interior, and the dash panel 15 on the rear side. The upper panel 11 is provided with a meter hood 17, a differential grill 21 connected to the duct 19, and an airbag cover 23. An airbag 25 and an inflator 27 are arranged on the back side of the airbag cover 23. In addition, the lower panel 13
A glove box 29 is attached to the. In Figure 1,
Reference numeral 31 is a cooler unit, and 33 is a windshield.

On the other hand, the reinforcement 3 is provided with three pipe frames 35, 35, 35 extending in the vehicle width direction as shown in FIG.
Side brackets 37, 37 are provided on both ends of 5, 35, 35.
Is attached. Also, the pipe frames 35, 3
A center bracket 43 formed by connecting two plate members 39, 39 with a connecting plate 41 is attached to the center of the vehicle width direction 5 and 35 so that the center bracket 43 is connected to the floor panel side of the vehicle body. Has been done. Further, a steering bracket 49 composed of two upper and lower plate members 45 and 47 is provided near one end (the right end in FIG. 2) in the vehicle width direction of the pipe frames 35, 35, 35.
5, 35 are attached so as to embrace, and a part of a steering wheel (not shown) is fixed to the steering bracket 49 to support the steering wheel. Further, in each of the pipe frames 35, six instrument panel brackets 51, 51, ... Connected to the upper panel 11 of the instrument panel 1 and three fixing brackets 53, 53, 5 connected to the inflator 27.
3 and 3 are attached.

Further, the pipe frames 35, 35, 3
5 is a side bracket 37, so that the planes formed between the adjacent pipe frames 35, 35 face in different directions from each other, that is, each pipe frame 35, 35, 35 is located at the apex of a triangle. Three points are supported by 37. Further, the pipe frames 35, 35, 35 are bent such that the intervals between the pipe frames 35, 35, 35 are different at positions in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the interval between the pipe frames 35, 35, 35 is wide from the right end to the middle to the left end, and is narrow from the middle to the right end. The width of the interval may be widened where high rigidity is required, but narrowed where rigidity is not so important. Also,
In the linear shape, the upper panel 11 and each pipe frame 3
The pipe frame 35 may be bent and brought closer to the upper panel 11 at a position away from the upper panel 11.

Then, the instrument panel 1
The (upper panel 11 and the lower panel 13) are the three pipe frames 35, 3 of the reinforcement 3.
5 and 35, the side brackets 37, 37 are attached to the vehicle body through the reinforcement 3 by connecting the side brackets 37, 37 to the vehicle body.

As described above, in this embodiment, the pipe frame 35 extending in the vehicle width direction of the reinforcement 3 is formed by three pipes.
Since the number of sections is made different and the intervals between the pipe frames are different in the vehicle width direction, the total sectional modulus can be increased as compared with the case where only one is used, and the pipe frames 35, 3 are provided.
A large rigidity can be obtained by widening the distance between the pipes 5, so that the rigidity can be sufficiently secured even if the pipe frame 35 has a small diameter, the reinforcement 3 can be made lightweight, and bending can be facilitated. be able to.
In addition, the instrument panel 1 (upper panel 1
1) and the distance between the pipe frame 35 and the pipe frame 3
It can be made closer by widening the interval of 5, and the instrument panel bracket 51 can be made smaller and lighter.

Further, in the above embodiment, the pipe frame 3
Since the side brackets 37 and 37 are supported at three points on the side brackets 37 and 37 and the planes formed between the adjacent pipe frames 35 and 35 are directed in different directions from each other, they are stronger and have a larger load. Can also withstand enough.

In the above embodiment, the pipe frame 3
Although the case where 5 is set to 3 is shown, it may be 2 or 4 or more.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since at least two pipe frames extending in the vehicle width direction are provided and the intervals between the pipe frames are made different at positions in the vehicle width direction, it is possible to secure sufficient rigidity with a pipe frame having a small diameter to reduce the weight and bend of the reinforcement. The processing can be facilitated. Further, the distance between the instrument panel and the pipe frame can be reduced by changing the interval between the pipe frames, and the instrument panel bracket can be made smaller and lighter.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a reinforcement.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an instrument panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Instrument panel 3 ... Reinforcement 35 ... Pipe frame

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Noriaki Igaki 2-25-31 Kabe Minami Asakita-ku, Hiroshima City Nishikawa Kasei Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Koji Kondo Minami Kabe, Asakita-ku, Hiroshima 2-25-31 Nishikawa Kasei Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A reinforcement comprising a pipe frame extending in a vehicle width direction, the instrument panel being supported by the pipe frame and being attached to a vehicle body, wherein at least two pipe frames are provided, and a distance between the pipe frames is provided. Reinforcement of the instrument panel, which is different in the position in the vehicle width direction.