Dashboard assembly with retaining means.

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly (1) for a dashboard (2) of a motor vehicle comprising at least one trim element (3), each designed to form part of the dashboard trim (2) and to be attached to the dashboard (2) by means of fasteners (4), the assembly (1) further comprising a structural element (7) designed to be disposed in the dashboard (2), the assembly (1) comprising retaining means (10) designed to connect each trim element (3) to the structural element (7) so as to limit the distance of each trim element (3) from the structural element (7) in order to limit its movement within the passenger compartment in the event of failure of the fasteners (4), when the assembly (1) is mounted on the dashboard (2). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Dashboard assembly with retaining means.

[0001] The technical field concerns assemblies formed from a trim element and a structural element of a dashboard, dashboards comprising such assemblies and vehicles equipped with such a dashboard.

[0002] In terms of road safety, automobile manufacturers must take into account multiple concerns and regulations when developing new vehicles. Thus, automobile manufacturers must ensure the safety of vehicle passengers in the event of a collision. In order to ensure passenger safety, vehicles are subjected to various standardized procedures for simulating impacts against a rigid obstacle impacting the vehicle.

[0003] Standardized procedures are, for example, described by the international organization Euro NCAP.

[0004] The behavior of motor vehicles in these situations is regulated and tested and the requirements in terms of results in these tests are ever more numerous, more difficult to satisfy and force automobile manufacturers to constantly innovate.

[0005] It is sometimes observed that, during an impact, certain parts arranged in the passenger compartment can become detached, most often due to the breakage of their fixings, and thus be projected into the passenger compartment. Such a part, referred to as a flying part, is obviously likely to cause injuries to the occupants of the vehicle. For this reason, certain simulation procedures require minimizing flying parts resulting from an impact or even prohibit flying parts.

[0006] In this context, some vehicles have inserts arranged under a screen to allow fingers to rest on it, in order to keep the hand at screen level, to facilitate data entry on the screen. Experience has shown that during a standardized impact simulation procedure, the inserts are likely to be ejected into the vehicle's passenger compartment.

[0007] Thus, there is a need for a solution to secure certain parts and in particular such inserts to prevent them from being projected into the passenger compartment.

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide an assembly comprising a trim element and a structural element making it possible to prevent the trim element from being transformed into a projectile in the passenger compartment.

[0009] For this purpose, the present invention relates to an assembly for a board of dashboard of a motor vehicle comprising at least one trim element, each being designed to form a part of the trim of the dashboard and to be fixed to the dashboard by fixing means, the assembly further comprising a structural element designed to be arranged in the dashboard, the assembly comprising retaining means designed to connect each trim element to the structural element so as to limit the distance of each trim element from the structural element to limit its movements in the passenger compartment in the event of breakage of the fixing means, when the assembly is mounted on the dashboard.

[0010] The invention also relates to a dashboard comprising at least one assembly according to the invention, the structural element being fixed in the dashboard.

[0011] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle comprising a dashboard according to the invention.

[0012] Thus, the assembly according to the invention makes it possible to secure the trim element by connecting it to the structural element. Indeed, in the event of breakage of the fixing means during a standardized procedure, the trim element becomes detached from the dashboard. Thanks to the retaining means, the distance of the trim element is limited since it remains connected to the structural element to prevent it from becoming a projectile. By limiting the distance, it is understood that the trim element can move by a few centimeters at most.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the retaining means comprise a first tab projecting from one of the cladding and structural elements and having an orifice to allow the introduction of a second tab of the retaining means projecting from the other of the cladding and structural elements.

[0014] Advantageously, the second tab has a free end forming a harpoon.

[0015] According to one possibility, the first and second tabs extend perpendicular to each other in the assembly.

[0016] In one embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, a covering element is a finger rest insert designed to extend over at least part of a perimeter of a screen.

[0017] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawing in which:

[0018] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of the retaining means of an assembly according to the invention.

[0019] An assembly 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figure, is intended to be mounted on a dashboard 2 of a motor vehicle.

[0020] The assembly 1 according to the invention comprises at least one covering element 3, for partially illustrated in the figure, each being designed to form a part of the trim of the dashboard 2 and to be fixed to the dashboard 2 by fixing means 4. The fixing means 4 are, for example, clipping tabs 5, partially illustrated in the figure. The fixing means 4 allow, for example, fixing by clipping on the structural element 7 or on any other part of the dashboard 2.

[0021] The covering element 3 is, for example, an insert 6 for resting the fingers, designed to extend over at least one periphery of a screen, not shown in the figure.

[0022] The assembly 1 further comprises a structural element 7 designed to be arranged in the dashboard 2. In the example illustrated in the figure, the structural element 7 is a lower facade 8 designed to partially close a housing 9 intended to receive the screen.

[0023] The assembly 1 comprises retaining means 10 designed to connect each trim element 3 to the structural element 7 so as to limit the distance of each trim element 3 from the structural element 7, to limit its movements in the passenger compartment in the event of breakage of the fixing means 4, when the assembly 1 is mounted on the dashboard 2. In the event of an impact suffered by the vehicle according to the invention, the fixing means 4 are likely to break due, for example, to their fragility. Thus, in the event of breakage of the fixing means 4, the trim element 3 can only move away from the structural element 7 to a limited extent, thus avoiding the trim element 3 being qualified as a flying part when implementing a standardized impact procedure.

[0024] In the example illustrated in the figure, the retaining means 10 comprise a first tab 11, projecting from a covering element 3, which has an orifice 12 to allow the introduction of a second tab 13 of the retaining means 10. The second tab 13 projects from the structural element 7. As illustrated in the figure, the second tab 13 has a free end 14 forming a harpoon. Advantageously, the free end 14 is shaped so that it can be introduced into the orifice 12 by deformation. The free end 14 is also shaped so that the harpoon prevents the free end 14 from coming out of the orifice 12 once introduced into the orifice 12.

[0025] Advantageously, the first 11 and second 13 tabs are made in one piece with the structural element 7 or the corresponding covering element 3. For example, the first 11 and second 13 tabs are obtained by molding a plastic material.

[0026] In order to facilitate the mounting of the assembly 1 on the dashboard, the first 11 and second 13 tabs extend perpendicular to each other in the assembly 1. Alternatively, the first 11 and second 13 tabs extend in directions corresponding to the respective mounting directions of the cladding element 3 and the structural element 7 during the mounting of the assembly 1.

[0027] Thus, in a situation of impact suffered by the vehicle according to the invention, in the event of breakage of the fixing means 4, the covering element 3 remains connected to the structural element 7 by the retaining means 10. The covering element 3 then remains at a distance from the structural element 7, which corresponds to the length of the first 11 and second 13 tabs. Indeed, the free end 14 remains retained in the orifice 12 of the first tab 11 when the covering element 3 moves.

[0028] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the assembly described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Assembly (1) for a dashboard (2) of a motor vehicle comprising at least one trim element (3), each being designed to form a part of the trim of the dashboard (2) and to be fixed to the dashboard (2) by fixing means (4), the assembly (1) further comprising a structural element (7) designed to be arranged in the dashboard (2), the assembly (1) comprising retaining means (10) designed to connect each trim element (3) to the structural element (7) so as to limit the distance of each trim element (3) from the structural element (7) to limit its movements in the passenger compartment in the event of breakage of the fixing means (4), when the assembly (1) is mounted on the dashboard (2).

2. Assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means (10) comprise a first tab (11) projecting from one of the covering (3) and structural (7) elements and having an orifice (12) to allow the introduction of a second tab (13) of the retaining means (10) projecting from the other of the covering (3) and structural (7) elements.

3. Assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the second tab (13) has a free end (14) forming a harpoon.

4. Assembly (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the first (11) and second (13) tabs extend perpendicular to each other in the assembly (1).

5. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a covering element (3) is an insert (6) for resting the fingers designed to extend over at least part of a perimeter of a screen.

6. Dashboard (2) comprising at least one assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, the structural element (7) being fixed in the dashboard (2).

7. Motor vehicle comprising a dashboard (2) according to claim 6.

Images