WO2009056902A1 - Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard - Google Patents

Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2009056902A1
WO2009056902A1 PCT/IB2007/004255 IB2007004255W WO2009056902A1 WO 2009056902 A1 WO2009056902 A1 WO 2009056902A1 IB 2007004255 W IB2007004255 W IB 2007004255W WO 2009056902 A1 WO2009056902 A1 WO 2009056902A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
dashboard
storage arrangement
frame
opening
vehicle
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2007/004255
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Patrick Dalmas
Original Assignee
Renault Trucks
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Renault Trucks filed Critical Renault Trucks
Priority to PCT/IB2007/004255 priority Critical patent/WO2009056902A1/en
Publication of WO2009056902A1 publication Critical patent/WO2009056902A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R7/00—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps
    • B60R7/04—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps in driver or passenger space, e.g. using racks
    • B60R7/06—Stowing or holding appliances inside vehicle primarily intended for personal property smaller than suit-cases, e.g. travelling articles, or maps in driver or passenger space, e.g. using racks mounted on or below dashboards
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R11/00—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
    • B60R2011/0001—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for characterised by position
    • B60R2011/0003—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for characterised by position inside the vehicle
    • B60R2011/0005—Dashboard
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R11/00—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
    • B60R2011/0042—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for characterised by mounting means
    • B60R2011/0049—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for characterised by mounting means for non integrated articles
    • B60R2011/005—Connection with the vehicle part
    • B60R2011/0059—Connection with the vehicle part using clips, clamps, straps or the like
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R11/00—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
    • B60R11/02—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
    • B60R2011/027—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof for Din-sized apparatus

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a storage compartment intended to be fitted in a vehicle dashboard.
  • a personal or an industrial vehicle has a cabin which can accommodate a driver and a passenger.
  • the cabin is provided with a dashboard that is located at the front end of the cabin.
  • the typical layout of a vehicle dashboard contains a number of mandatory equipment such as an instrument cluster (speedometer, tachometer), climate control buttons etc. and a number of optional equipment such as an audio equipment, a navigation system etc.
  • instrument cluster speedometer, tachometer
  • climate control buttons etc.
  • optional equipment such as an audio equipment, a navigation system etc.
  • dashboard is usually a single piece usually made of plastic material that is provided with a number of compartments that can accommodate all the possible equipment, whether mandatory or optional.
  • a vehicle that is configured according to the specific requirement of a client may have a dashboard provided with empty compartments. These empty compartments can be closed by cover plates or can be fitted with storage boxes. These storage boxes are usually of parallelepipedic shape and are inserted into the empty compartments that are of no use on the dashboard, considering a vehicle dashboard specific configuration.
  • the dashboard which usually incorporates a central console, hides a number of vehicular components such as the blowing machinery of the climate control, electric cables, steering column, etc. These components are of irregular shape and therefore important void zones can be found behind a dashboard and the attached console. Summary of the invention
  • an object of the invention is to make a better use of the lost space that can be found behind a vehicle dashboard.
  • the invention concerns a storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard that includes at least one opening characterized in that the said storage arrangement includes (i) a frame having a shape matching the shape of the opening said frame being connectable onto the part of the dashboard surrounding the opening and (ii) a pouch made of a soft material.
  • the invention provides a storage arrangement that can make an optimum use of the free space that can be found behind the dashboard.
  • one of the functions of a vehicle dashboard is to hide technical equipment that has to be within the vehicle cabin but that has to be hidden from the driver and passenger's view.
  • Such equipment typically the blowing machinery of the vehicle climate control system
  • the storage arrangement proves to be extremely useful as the pouch part which is made of a soft material can fit into any free space behind a dashboard, whatever the geometry of the free space might be.
  • a first advantage of the invention is therefore to provide a better use of a space of irregular geometry behind the dashboard.
  • a further advantage of the invention is to provide a storage arrangement that can be fitted on vehicles of different types that have different layouts underneath their respective dashboards.
  • the storage arrangement according to the invention can be used to close empty compartments on different dashboards as the storage arrangement includes a pouch that can fit into any free space.
  • the storage arrangement of the invention is not designed for a specific vehicle but can be fitted on a wide range of vehicles.
  • the pouch can have a cross section exceeding the dimension of the frame.
  • the frame can include at least one means for connecting onto the part of the dashboard that surrounds the opening.
  • the frame can suitably be equipped with a series of flexible tabs having a retaining end that can lock the frame onto the dashboard.
  • the storage arrangement can be easily fitted into the dashboard and can easily be removed from the dashboard, for example, to put in, for example, an audio equipment.
  • Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a storage arrangement according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 illustrates a vehicle dashboard fitted with the storage arrangement according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a typical cabin of a vehicle that includes in particular a dashboard 2 and a steering wheel.
  • the dashboard 2 incorporates an instrument cluster 3 where all the information regarding the vehicle can be displayed to the driver.
  • the dashboard 2 can also be provided with one or more openings 4 that can accommodate for example an audio and/or navigation system.
  • the dimensions of the opening 4 are usually defined by an ISO standard used by all vehicle manufacturers.
  • the opening 4 gives access to a free space behind the dashboard surface.
  • a cover plate or a storage box closes the opening 4 as it is not desirable for aesthetic and safety reasons to leave an opening 4 in a dashboard 2 that leads to the technical equipment that is behind the dashboard 2.
  • the storage arrangement 1 is essentially made of two components, namely a frame 5 and a pouch 6.
  • the frame 5 is, in the illustrated example, of rectangular shape to fit the rectangular shape of the opening 4.
  • the frame 5 can be a plastic moulded component.
  • the frame 5 is preferably rigid or semi-rigid and can suitably be provided with means for connecting with the part of the dashboard 2 that surrounds the opening 4.
  • the connecting means can, for example, include several flexible lugs 7 each provided with a retaining end 8.
  • the connecting means could also comprise releasable fasteners, such as screws, or non releasable fasteners, such as rivets.
  • the frame could also be connected to the dashboard by gluing or welding.
  • the pouch 6 can be made of soft material, such as fabrics, flexible plastic sheet materials, leather or synthetic leather, etc....
  • the pouch 6 itself can be made of a single piece of material or can be made of several pieces of material stitched, glued or welded together.
  • the pouch 6 can be attached to the frame 5 by gluing or welding, but could also fitted to the frame by releasable or no releasable fasteners, including clips and staples, or could be attached to the frame by a gripping arrangement.
  • the attachment of the frame to the pouch can be provided directly by over-moulding.
  • the storage arrangement is inserted into the opening 4 and the frame 5 is clipped onto the part of the dashboard 2 by the flexible lugs 7. It is understood that other connecting means can be used to secure the storage arrangement onto the dashboard 2.
  • the frame of the storage arrangement can be comprised with a part of the dashboard, for example a frontal part of the dashboards acting as visual decorative panel. It is possible to provide that the pouch is directly attached to a structural part of the dashboard, and that the frame is merely a decorative panel hiding that attachment and delimiting the opening to the storage arrangement.
  • the pouch 6 has a cross section that exceeds the dimensions of the frame 5. This embodiment makes it possible to increase the storage volume as the pouch 6 can expand into the space that is behind the dashboard.
  • the storage arrangement 1 can also be used to close, for example, a space that is left by a gear stick in the case of a vehicle having a robotised gear box and therefore can be exempt from a gear stick.
  • the invention proves to be a significant improvement over the closing means that are currently used to close the openings that are left unused on a vehicle dashboard 2.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Step Arrangements And Article Storage (AREA)

Abstract

The storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard (2) that includes at least one opening (4) the storage arrangement includes a frame (5) having a shape matching the shape of the opening (4) said frame (5) being connectable onto the part of the dashboard (2) surrounding an opening (4) in a vehicle dashboard and (ii) a pouch (6) made of a soft material.

Description

Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard
Field of the invention
The present invention concerns a storage compartment intended to be fitted in a vehicle dashboard.
Technological background
A personal or an industrial vehicle has a cabin which can accommodate a driver and a passenger. The cabin is provided with a dashboard that is located at the front end of the cabin.
The typical layout of a vehicle dashboard contains a number of mandatory equipment such as an instrument cluster (speedometer, tachometer), climate control buttons etc. and a number of optional equipment such as an audio equipment, a navigation system etc.
Vehicles are mass produced and, to comply with standardization, the dashboard is usually a single piece usually made of plastic material that is provided with a number of compartments that can accommodate all the possible equipment, whether mandatory or optional.
Therefore, a vehicle that is configured according to the specific requirement of a client may have a dashboard provided with empty compartments. These empty compartments can be closed by cover plates or can be fitted with storage boxes. These storage boxes are usually of parallelepipedic shape and are inserted into the empty compartments that are of no use on the dashboard, considering a vehicle dashboard specific configuration.
The dashboard, which usually incorporates a central console, hides a number of vehicular components such as the blowing machinery of the climate control, electric cables, steering column, etc. These components are of irregular shape and therefore important void zones can be found behind a dashboard and the attached console. Summary of the invention
Therefore, an object of the invention is to make a better use of the lost space that can be found behind a vehicle dashboard. The invention concerns a storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard that includes at least one opening characterized in that the said storage arrangement includes (i) a frame having a shape matching the shape of the opening said frame being connectable onto the part of the dashboard surrounding the opening and (ii) a pouch made of a soft material. Thus, the invention provides a storage arrangement that can make an optimum use of the free space that can be found behind the dashboard. In addition to incorporating vehicle instrument, one of the functions of a vehicle dashboard is to hide technical equipment that has to be within the vehicle cabin but that has to be hidden from the driver and passenger's view. Such equipment, typically the blowing machinery of the vehicle climate control system, may be of irregular shape. The space that can be found behind a vehicle dashboard is therefore of awkward shape. In the environment, the storage arrangement proves to be extremely useful as the pouch part which is made of a soft material can fit into any free space behind a dashboard, whatever the geometry of the free space might be. A first advantage of the invention is therefore to provide a better use of a space of irregular geometry behind the dashboard. A further advantage of the invention is to provide a storage arrangement that can be fitted on vehicles of different types that have different layouts underneath their respective dashboards. In other words, the storage arrangement according to the invention can be used to close empty compartments on different dashboards as the storage arrangement includes a pouch that can fit into any free space. Thus the storage arrangement of the invention is not designed for a specific vehicle but can be fitted on a wide range of vehicles. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pouch can have a cross section exceeding the dimension of the frame.
This embodiment makes it possible to make an optimum use of the space behind the dashboard as the pouch can offer a storage space bigger than the storage space of a rigid storage box that must be inserted through the opening and which volume is dictated by the dimensions of the opening. To secure the storage arrangement, the frame can include at least one means for connecting onto the part of the dashboard that surrounds the opening.
In concrete words, the frame can suitably be equipped with a series of flexible tabs having a retaining end that can lock the frame onto the dashboard.
Thus the storage arrangement can be easily fitted into the dashboard and can easily be removed from the dashboard, for example, to put in, for example, an audio equipment.
Brief description of the drawings
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a storage arrangement according to the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a vehicle dashboard fitted with the storage arrangement according to the invention.
Description of the invention
Figure 2 illustrates a typical cabin of a vehicle that includes in particular a dashboard 2 and a steering wheel.
The dashboard 2 incorporates an instrument cluster 3 where all the information regarding the vehicle can be displayed to the driver.
The dashboard 2 can also be provided with one or more openings 4 that can accommodate for example an audio and/or navigation system. The dimensions of the opening 4 are usually defined by an ISO standard used by all vehicle manufacturers. The opening 4 gives access to a free space behind the dashboard surface.
When the opening 4 is not used to accommodate an audio equipment, a cover plate or a storage box closes the opening 4 as it is not desirable for aesthetic and safety reasons to leave an opening 4 in a dashboard 2 that leads to the technical equipment that is behind the dashboard 2.
The storage arrangement 1 according to the invention is essentially made of two components, namely a frame 5 and a pouch 6. The frame 5 is, in the illustrated example, of rectangular shape to fit the rectangular shape of the opening 4. The frame 5 can be a plastic moulded component. The frame 5 is preferably rigid or semi-rigid and can suitably be provided with means for connecting with the part of the dashboard 2 that surrounds the opening 4. The connecting means can, for example, include several flexible lugs 7 each provided with a retaining end 8. The connecting means could also comprise releasable fasteners, such as screws, or non releasable fasteners, such as rivets. The frame could also be connected to the dashboard by gluing or welding. The pouch 6 can be made of soft material, such as fabrics, flexible plastic sheet materials, leather or synthetic leather, etc.... The pouch 6 itself can be made of a single piece of material or can be made of several pieces of material stitched, glued or welded together.
The pouch 6 can be attached to the frame 5 by gluing or welding, but could also fitted to the frame by releasable or no releasable fasteners, including clips and staples, or could be attached to the frame by a gripping arrangement. In the case where at least one of the pouch or the frame is injection moulded, the attachment of the frame to the pouch can be provided directly by over-moulding. On a dashboard 2 where the opening 4 is not required to accommodate any equipment, the storage arrangement is inserted into the opening 4 and the frame 5 is clipped onto the part of the dashboard 2 by the flexible lugs 7. It is understood that other connecting means can be used to secure the storage arrangement onto the dashboard 2. According to alternate embodiments of the invention, not represented, the frame of the storage arrangement can be comprised with a part of the dashboard, for exemple a frontal part of the dashboards acting as visual decorative panel. It is possible to provide that the pouch is directly attached to a structural part of the dashboard, and that the frame is merely a decorative panel hiding that attachment and delimiting the opening to the storage arrangement.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention the pouch 6 has a cross section that exceeds the dimensions of the frame 5. This embodiment makes it possible to increase the storage volume as the pouch 6 can expand into the space that is behind the dashboard. The storage arrangement 1 can also be used to close, for example, a space that is left by a gear stick in the case of a vehicle having a robotised gear box and therefore can be exempt from a gear stick.
The invention proves to be a significant improvement over the closing means that are currently used to close the openings that are left unused on a vehicle dashboard 2.
The invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiment described above and shown in the drawing, but can be varied within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard (2) that includes at least one opening (4) characterized in that the said storage arrangement includes (i) a frame (5) having a shape matching the shape of the opening (4) said frame (5) being connectable onto the part of the dashboard (2) surrounding the opening (4) and (ii) a pouch (6) made of a soft material.
2. The storage arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pouch (6) has a cross section exceeding the dimension of the frame (5).
3. The storage arrangement according the claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the frame (5) includes at least one means for connecting onto the part of the dashboard (2) that surrounds the opening (4).
4. The storage arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame (5) is equipped with a series of flexible tabs having a retaining end that can lock the frame onto the dashboard.
PCT/IB2007/004255 2007-10-29 2007-10-29 Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard WO2009056902A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2007/004255 WO2009056902A1 (en) 2007-10-29 2007-10-29 Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2007/004255 WO2009056902A1 (en) 2007-10-29 2007-10-29 Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2009056902A1 true WO2009056902A1 (en) 2009-05-07

Family

ID=39739569

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2007/004255 WO2009056902A1 (en) 2007-10-29 2007-10-29 Storage arrangement for a vehicle dashboard

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2009056902A1 (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB961469A (en) * 1962-04-24 1964-06-24 Wilmot Breeden Ltd Improvements in or relating to passenger-carrying road vehicles
WO1996018525A1 (en) * 1994-12-15 1996-06-20 Reydel Container for objects, providing a storage space such as a glove compartment in a dashboard
DE29721096U1 (en) * 1996-12-19 1998-02-05 Sarnatech Paulmann & Crone GmbH, 58509 Lüdenscheid Storage compartment or the like. cup-like installation part for motor vehicles

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB961469A (en) * 1962-04-24 1964-06-24 Wilmot Breeden Ltd Improvements in or relating to passenger-carrying road vehicles
WO1996018525A1 (en) * 1994-12-15 1996-06-20 Reydel Container for objects, providing a storage space such as a glove compartment in a dashboard
DE29721096U1 (en) * 1996-12-19 1998-02-05 Sarnatech Paulmann & Crone GmbH, 58509 Lüdenscheid Storage compartment or the like. cup-like installation part for motor vehicles

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