Motor vehicle with a fastening arrangement for a bulkhead panel separating an engine compartment or trunk from the passenger compartment

Abstract

Motor vehicle, with an engine compartment or trunk, with a passenger compartment, with a bulkhead (1) separating the engine compartment or trunk of the motor vehicle from the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, with a bulkhead panel (11) for at least partially covering the bulkhead (1), with a loudspeaker (3) and a loudspeaker grille (15), with a fastening arrangement for the bulkhead panel (11) which has at least one retaining element (2) arranged in the area of ​​the bulkhead (1) for the loudspeaker (3), wherein the retaining element (2) has retaining element-side fastening means (8, 9a, 9b) for the loudspeaker grille (15) and a hook-shaped positioning and holding means (10) for the bulkhead panel (11), wherein the bulkhead panel (11) has at least one opening (12) through which, in the assembled state, the positioning and holding means (10) for the bulkhead panel (11) arranged on the retaining element (2) projects.wherein the dimensions of the opening (12) and the positioning and holding means (10) are coordinated such that the bulkhead cladding (11) is precisely aligned after pre-assembly on the positioning and holding means (10), wherein the bulkhead cladding (11) has at least one further opening (13; 14) which, in the assembled state, is located in front of the retaining-part-side fastening elements (8, 9a, 9b) for the loudspeaker grille (15) and whose edge region is completely covered by the loudspeaker grille (15) in the assembled state, and wherein the loudspeaker grille (15), in the assembled state, covers the loudspeaker (3) and at least part of the retaining part (2) and has grille-side fastening means (18, 19a, 19b) which, in the assembled state, interact with the retaining-part-side fastening means (8, 9a, 9b) in such a way that a connection exists between the retaining part (2),a force-fit and form-fit connection is formed between the bulkhead panel (11) and the speaker grille (15), wherein the bulkhead panel (11) is clamped and thereby secured between the retaining part (2) and the speaker grille (15).

Description

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle with a fastening arrangement for a bulkhead panel separating an engine compartment or trunk from the passenger compartment. In motor vehicles, it is common practice to cover interior body panels, especially those visible to occupants in the final assembly state, with decorative material in the form of a cover. These covers are typically secured to the body shell with snap-in nuts. To create clean joints and edges where the cover meets other trim panels, and thus achieve a visually appealing appearance, the edges of the cover are usually concealed by the adjacent trim panels. To separate the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle from the engine compartment or trunk, bulkheads are used, which are usually also covered with decorative material in the form of a panel. This panel, often referred to as bulkhead trim, is typically attached to the vehicle's body shell by rivets and secured with nuts. The attachment points are usually concealed by several trim pieces, such as a roll bar cover, a seatbelt rosette, or a seatbelt retractor cover. Therefore, to remove the bulkhead trim, several other trim pieces of the vehicle must first be removed. Access to the bulkhead, and thus removal of the bulkhead trim, is particularly necessary when the bulkhead is designed as an engine bulkhead and separates the passenger compartment from the engine compartment of the motor vehicle.The engine bulkhead typically includes service openings – often also referred to as bulkhead covers or bulkhead flaps – to allow the installation or maintenance of components in the engine compartment from the passenger compartment. DE 102 04 604 C1 discloses a motor vehicle with a fairing panel and a loudspeaker mounted on the fairing panel, including a loudspeaker grille. A mounting element for the loudspeaker is provided in the area of ​​the fairing panel. The fairing panel has an opening which, in the assembled state, is located in front of the fastening elements of the mounting element and whose edge is covered by the loudspeaker grille in the assembled state. In the assembled state, the loudspeaker grille covers the loudspeaker and parts of the mounting element, with the fastening elements of the loudspeaker grille interacting with the fastening elements on the mounting element in such a way that a force-fit and form-fit connection is created between the mounting element, the fairing panel, and the loudspeaker grille. DE 196 49 140 A1 discloses an assembly of a loudspeaker. DE 197 14 160 A1 discloses a loudspeaker arrangement. DE 10 2004 029 865 B3 reveals an interior paneling. The present invention therefore aims to create a motor vehicle which enables simplified assembly and disassembly of the bulkhead cladding. This problem is solved according to the invention by a motor vehicle with the features according to claim 1. The underlying idea of ​​the present invention is that the bulkhead panel, which at least partially covers the bulkhead, is attached by means of a loudspeaker baffle located in the bulkhead area. For this purpose, the motor vehicle according to the invention has a bulkhead that separates an engine compartment or trunk from a passenger compartment. Furthermore, the motor vehicle comprises at least one mounting element for a loudspeaker located in the bulkhead area, wherein the mounting element provides fastening means for a loudspeaker baffle and a hook-shaped positioning and holding element for the bulkhead panel.The bulkhead panel has at least one opening through which, in the assembled state, the positioning and holding element arranged on the mounting bracket projects. The dimensions of the opening and the positioning and holding element are coordinated such that, after pre-assembly, the bulkhead panel is precisely aligned with the positioning and holding element. The bulkhead panel has at least one further opening which, in the assembled state, is located in front of the mounting bracket-side fastening elements and whose edge is completely covered by the speaker grille in the assembled state.Finally, the speaker grille, when installed, covers the speaker and at least parts of the mounting bracket, with the grille-side fastening means of the speaker grille interacting with the mounting bracket-side fastening means in such a way that a force-fit and form-fit connection is created between the mounting bracket, the bulkhead panel and the speaker grille, such that the bulkhead panel is clamped and thereby secured between the mounting bracket and the speaker grille. The present invention has the advantage over approaches known from the prior art that the dual function of the loudspeaker grille as a cover for the loudspeaker on the one hand and as a fastening element for the bulkhead cladding on the other hand allows for precise and stable fastening of the bulkhead cladding, which remains accessible even in the fully assembled state without dismantling further cladding parts, thus enabling easy dismantling. The opening in the bulkhead cladding, in conjunction with the positioning and holding device, allows the bulkhead cladding to be pre-assembled to the mounting bracket and thus to the bulkhead during installation. The positioning and holding device, located on the mounting bracket, is inserted through the corresponding opening in the bulkhead cladding, and the bulkhead cladding is "hooked" into the positioning and holding device. This ensures that the bulkhead cladding is held precisely in position on the mounting bracket and thus on the bulkhead before it is finally secured to the mounting bracket with the help of the speaker grille, creating a positive and force-fit connection. The dependent claims contain advantageous embodiments and improvements of the fastening arrangement specified in claim 1. According to a preferred embodiment, the bulkhead separates an engine compartment from a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and has at least one service opening through which components in the engine compartment can be accessed from the passenger compartment. The fastening arrangement according to the invention allows a service technician to remove the bulkhead paneling with very little effort in the event of servicing, thereby exposing a service opening provided in the bulkhead in order to carry out assembly or maintenance work in the engine compartment. According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one of the fastening means on the retaining part side or the panel side is designed as a dome projecting from the retaining part or the speaker panel, which, in the assembled state, is reversibly clipped into a first receptacle attached to the speaker panel or to the retaining part. Such a clip connection allows for particularly easy removal of the speaker panel and thus of the bulkhead cladding. Another preferred embodiment provides that at least one of the fastening means on the retaining part side or the baffle side is designed as a hook projecting from the retaining part or the speaker baffle, which, in the assembled state, engages in a second receptacle formed on the speaker baffle or on the retaining part. The provision of fastening means that are hook-shaped and engage in a second receptacle, in conjunction with further fastening means that are designed as domes and are reversibly clipped into a corresponding receptacle in the assembled state, represents a particularly simple realization of a force-fit and form-fit connection between the retaining part, the bulkhead cladding, and the speaker baffle. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying figures. Of the figures: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a mounting element for a loudspeaker arranged on a bulkhead of a motor vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the mounting element according to Fig. 1 with a pre-assembled bulkhead panel; Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a loudspeaker grille according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a bulkhead panel in a partially assembled state according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the figures of the drawings, the same reference symbols denote identical or functionally equivalent components, unless otherwise stated. Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a mounting element 2 for a loudspeaker 3, arranged on a bulkhead 1 of a motor vehicle, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The mounting element 2 is inserted into mounting openings 4, located on an end face 5 of the bulkhead 1, by means of pins (not shown), and is fastened to a body-in-white component of the motor vehicle, in the illustrated embodiment to a crossmember 7, by means of a screw 6. Alternatively, the mounting element 2 can also be attached elsewhere in the area of ​​the bulkhead 1 or even be integrated into the bulkhead 1. A first mounting element 8, in the form of a first receptacle for a dome formed on a loudspeaker grille (not shown in Fig. 1), is provided on the mounting element 2.Furthermore, the retaining part 2 has two additional fastening means 9a and 9b on the retaining part side in the form of second receptacles for hook-shaped fastening means arranged on the loudspeaker grille, which are also not shown in Fig. 1. In addition, a hook-shaped positioning and holding means 10 is provided on the retaining part 2. Fig. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the retaining element 2 according to Fig. 1 with a pre-assembled bulkhead panel 11. The bulkhead panel 11 has an opening 12 through which the hook-shaped positioning and holding element 10 of the retaining element 2 projects. Due to the hook-shaped design of the positioning and holding element 10, the bulkhead panel 11 can be "hooked" into the positioning and holding element 10 and thus pre-assembled. The dimensions of the opening 12 and the positioning and holding element 10 are advantageously coordinated such that the bulkhead panel 11 is precisely aligned after being hooked into position. The bulkhead cladding 11 includes further openings 13 and 14. Opening 13 is located in the area of ​​the mounting element 8 and is positioned in front of it in the pre-assembled and assembled state. Opening 14 is arranged and shaped such that, in the pre-assembled and assembled state, it is positioned in front of the loudspeaker 3 and the further mounting element 9a and 9b, effectively exposing these components. The illustrated arrangement and design of openings 13 and 14 is merely an example. Separate openings could also be provided for the loudspeaker 3 and the further mounting element 9a and 9b. Opening 14 could also be designed to expose both the loudspeaker 3 and all mounting element 8, 9a, and 9b.The only crucial factor for the functionality of the fastening arrangement is that the fastening means 8, 9a and 9b on the retaining part side are not covered by the pre-assembled bulkhead cladding 11, so that subsequent mounting of the speaker grille is possible. A loudspeaker grille 15 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in perspective view in Fig. 3. The loudspeaker grille 15, which projects beyond the openings 12, 13, and 14 of the bulkhead panel 11 and the loudspeaker 3 on all sides, is placed on the side of the mounting part 2 facing the passenger compartment and thus also on the bulkhead panel 11. It has, at least in some areas, a grid-like structure 16 with an outer, circumferential, closed frame 17. A first grille-side fastening element 18 in the form of a dome is integrally formed on the side of the loudspeaker grille 15 facing away from the passenger compartment. This element is designed such that it forms a reversible clip connection together with the first mounting part-side fastening element 8. This can be achieved, for example, by the mounting part-side fastening element 8 having a correspondingly designed retaining clip.For interaction with the other mounting-side fasteners 9a and 9b, further mounting-side fasteners 19a and 19b in the form of hooks are provided on the side of the speaker grille 15 facing away from the passenger compartment. These hook-shaped mounting-side fasteners 19a and 19b can be hooked into the mounting-side fasteners 9a and 9b, respectively, during the installation of the speaker grille 15 and, together with the clip connection provided by the fasteners 8 and 18, create a force-fit and form-fit connection between the mounting part 2, the bulkhead panel 11, and the speaker grille 15.The openings 12, 13 and 14 in the bulkhead cladding 11 and the speaker grille 15 are coordinated with respect to their dimensions in such a way that the edge areas of the openings are completely covered by the speaker grille in the mounted state, so that the bulkhead cladding is, in a sense, "clamped" and thus fastened between the retaining part 2 and the speaker grille 15. The specific number, design, and arrangement of the fastening elements on the mounting part and the baffle side can, of course, be varied. In particular, the described fastening elements on the mounting part side can also be formed on the speaker baffle and vice versa. The crucial point is that the fastening elements on the mounting part and the baffle side interact in such a way as to create a force-fit and form-fit connection between the mounting part 2, the bulkhead cladding 11, and the speaker baffle 15. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a bulkhead panel 11 of a two-seater motor vehicle with a mid- or rear-mounted engine. The bulkhead, located in the area behind the seats, serves to separate the passenger compartment from the engine compartment and covers at least part of the bulkhead. Complete coverage of the bulkhead by the bulkhead panel 11 is unnecessary if parts of the bulkhead are covered by other trim parts of the motor vehicle. To create an appealing appearance for the vehicle occupants, the bulkhead panel has a decorative layer on the side facing the passenger compartment, for example in the form of a decorative fabric or carpet, which is advantageously backed with foam. Both in the area behind the bulkhead shown in Fig.In the area of ​​the firewall, mounting brackets 2 for a loudspeaker 3 are provided in the area of ​​the firewall, both in front of the driver's seat (not shown) and in the area behind the passenger seat (also not shown). The mounting brackets 2 and the corresponding openings 12, 13, and 14 in the firewall panel 11 are designed according to the embodiment described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 4 shows an assembly state in which a first loudspeaker grille 15 has already been mounted, while a second loudspeaker grille has not yet been mounted, so that the loudspeaker 3, the mounting bracket-side fasteners 8, 9a, and 9b, and the positioning and holding element 10 are still visible. To achieve an overall appealing visual appearance, the edge areas of the firewall panel 11 are concealed all around by other paneling parts of the vehicle.However, due to the elastic properties of the bulkhead cladding 11, disassembly, i.e. removal of the bulkhead cladding 11, is still possible without much effort by simply removing the speaker grilles.

Claims

Motor vehicle, with an engine compartment or trunk, with a passenger compartment, with a bulkhead (1) separating the engine compartment or trunk of the motor vehicle from the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, with a bulkhead panel (11) for at least partially covering the bulkhead (1), with a loudspeaker (3) and a loudspeaker grille (15), with a fastening arrangement for the bulkhead panel (11) which has at least one retaining element (2) for the loudspeaker (3) arranged in the area of ​​the bulkhead (1), wherein the retaining element (2) has fastening means (8, 9a, 9b) on the retaining element side for the loudspeaker grille (15) and a hook-shaped positioning and holding means (10) for the bulkhead panel (11), wherein the bulkhead panel (11) has at least one opening (12) through which, in the assembled state, the positioning and holding means (10) for the bulkhead panel (11) arranged on the retaining element (2) projects.wherein the dimensions of the opening (12) and the positioning and holding means (10) are coordinated such that the bulkhead cladding (11) is precisely aligned after pre-assembly on the positioning and holding means (10), wherein the bulkhead cladding (11) has at least one further opening (13; 14) which, in the assembled state, is located in front of the retaining-part-side fastening elements (8, 9a, 9b) for the loudspeaker grille (15) and whose edge region is completely covered by the loudspeaker grille (15) in the assembled state, and wherein the loudspeaker grille (15), in the assembled state, covers the loudspeaker (3) and at least part of the retaining part (2) and has grille-side fastening means (18, 19a, 19b) which, in the assembled state, interact with the retaining-part-side fastening means (8, 9a, 9b) in such a way that a connection exists between the retaining part (2),a force-fit and form-fit connection is formed between the bulkhead panel (11) and the speaker grille (15), wherein the bulkhead panel (11) is clamped and thereby secured between the retaining part (2) and the speaker grille (15). Motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the bulkhead (1) separates an engine compartment from a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and has at least one service opening through which access to components in the engine compartment is possible from the passenger compartment. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the bulkhead cladding (11) has a decorative layer. Motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the decorative layer is foamed behind. Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the fastening means (18) on the retaining part side or on the panel side is designed as a pin projecting from the retaining part (2) or the speaker panel (15), which in the assembled state is reversibly clipped into a first receptacle attached to the speaker panel (15) or to the retaining part (2). Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the fastening means (19a; 19b) on the retaining part side or on the panel side is designed as a hook projecting from the retaining part (2) or the speaker panel (15), which engages in a second receptacle formed on the speaker panel (15) or on the retaining part (2) when mounted. Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle has a mid- or rear-mounted engine.

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