Dashboard air vent support bracket.

Abstract

The invention relates to a vent support device (1) designed to be mounted in the dashboard of a motor vehicle, the device (1) comprising a first part (2) forming at least one structural element (3) of the dashboard designed to support the dashboard, the device (1) comprising a second part (4) forming a vent support (5) designed to allow the attachment of a dashboard vent to the device (1) and to establish fluidic communication between the vent and a ventilation duct located in the dashboard, the second part (4) being integral with the first part (2). The invention also relates to a dashboard comprising a structure formed at least in part by a device (1) and a vent attached to the second part (4) of a device (1) in the second position, allowing the fluidic connection of the vent with a ventilation duct. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Dashboard air vent support device.

[0001] The technical field relates to devices for supporting a dashboard air vent, dashboards comprising at least one such device and vehicles equipped with such dashboards.

[0002] For car manufacturers, the quality of their vehicles' finish and their aesthetic aspects are essential to stand out from other brands. Manufacturers therefore make numerous efforts to constantly improve these areas. Customers therefore expect a vehicle to have an impeccable level of finish and interior comfort.

[0003] In this context, one of the challenges for manufacturers is to integrate ventilation functions into the dashboard while reconciling functionality, style and quality of finish. Furthermore, car manufacturers must be able to offer such quality at affordable costs for customers.

[0004] There are several possibilities for integrating an air vent into a dashboard. Generally, the air vents are secured to the internal structure of the dashboard by means of air vent supports which are additional parts added to the structure. Each of these additional parts obviously requires the design of a specific injection mold, which results in significant development costs. Furthermore, these air vent supports generate, in order to be assembled on a dashboard, logistics and handling costs.

[0005] There are solutions in which the air vent supports are integrated into dashboard inserts, thus saving the costs mentioned above. However, these technical solutions involve limitations in terms of styles and require more cumbersome finishes.

[0006] Furthermore, whatever the technical solution chosen, the tools required for mounting the aerator supports are complex and expensive.

[0007] Thus, there is a need for a solution that can reduce or eliminate the disadvantages associated with integrating air vent supports into a dashboard.

[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 a support device making it possible to overcome problems linked to tooling and to limit the number of parts required for assembling a dashboard.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to an air vent support device designed to be mounted in a dashboard of a motor vehicle, the device comprising a first part forming at least one structural element of the dashboard designed to support the dashboard, the device comprising a second part forming an aerator support designed to allow the attachment of a dashboard aerator to the device and to put the aerator in fluid communication with a ventilation duct arranged in the dashboard, the second part being integral with the first part.

[0010] The invention also relates to a dashboard comprising a structure formed at least in part from a device according to the invention and at least one aerator fixed to the second part of a device in the second position, so as to allow the fluid connection of the aerator with a ventilation duct arranged in the dashboard.

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

[0012] Thus, a support device according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the number of parts necessary for the assembly of a dashboard according to the invention. Indeed, the first part forms at least part of the structure of the dashboard while the second part, forming an integral part of the first part, forms an air vent support. The first and second parts, being integral with each other, therefore form a single part replacing two parts. Thus, the device according to the invention makes it possible to overcome the problems linked to the handling of an independent air vent support.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a hinge zone connecting the first and second parts and designed to articulate the second part between at least two distinct relative positions with respect to the first part.

[0014] According to one possibility, the hinge zone is formed by a thickness of material allowing folding of the hinge zone. Folding the hinge zone allows the second part to be placed in position for connecting the aerator to the duct. This operation does not require any special tools or installation.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the device, the hinge zone is shaped to allow rotation of the second part around an axis of rotation extending in the first part, preferably rotation through an angle of approximately 90°.

[0016] According to one possibility, the device is obtained by injection molding, the first position corresponding to a conformation of the hinge zone resulting from the demolding of the device. Thus, such a conformation considerably simplifies the demolding operations of the device according to the invention.

[0017] Advantageously, the device comprises clipping means making it possible to hold the second part in the second relative position.

[0018] According to one possibility of the dashboard, each vent is placed in fluid connection with a ventilation duct designed to transport an air flow between the vent and an air conditioning unit of the vehicle equipped with the dashboard.

[0019] 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:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of a support device aerator according to the invention.

[0021] An aerator support device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig.l], is designed to be mounted in a dashboard of a motor vehicle, not illustrated.

[0022] The device 1 comprises a first part 2 forming at least one structural element 3 of the dashboard designed to support the dashboard. The structural element 3 thus constitutes the frame of the dashboard. The structural element 3 is typically intended to be covered with foams and / or a dashboard covering.

[0023] The device 1 further comprises a second part 4 forming an aerator support 5 designed to allow the attachment of an aerator, not shown, of the dashboard to the device 1 and to put the aerator in fluid communication with an aeration duct, not shown, arranged in the dashboard.

[0024] The second part 4 is made of the same material as the first part 2 of the device 1.

[0025] The aerator support 5 has, for example, a sleeve 6, extending between two ends 7, 8, designed to be connected by one 7 of its ends 7, 8 to the aerator and by its other end 8 to the ventilation duct. The sleeve 6 is shaped to put the aerator and the duct into fluid communication. For example, the aerator is introduced into the sleeve 6 by the corresponding end 7. The sleeve 6 delimits, for example, a cylindrical communication orifice 9 with a substantially rectangular base extending along a main axis P. The second part 4 also has a fixing interface 10 allowing its fixing to the dashboard.

[0026] In the example illustrated in the figure, the device 1 comprises a hinge zone 11 connecting the first 2 and second 4 parts and designed to articulate the second part 4 between at least two distinct relative positions with respect to the first part 2. In the example illustrated in the figure, the hinge zone 11 is formed by a thickness of material allowing folding of the hinge zone 11. For example, the hinge zone 11 is formed by a local reduction in the thickness of material. The second relative position is illustrated in [Fig.l]. In this second position, the sleeve 6 is oriented so that its main axis P is substantially parallel to a mean plane of the first part 2.

[0027] The hinge zone 11 is advantageously shaped to allow rotation of the second part 4 around an axis of rotation A, illustrated in the figure, extending into the first part 2. Preferably, the rotation around the axis of rotation A is a rotation through an angle of approximately 90°. By approximately, it is understood that a variation of the order of 10% is possible in both directions of rotation.

[0028] In the example illustrated in [Fig.l], the device 1 is obtained by injection molding, the first position, not illustrated in the figure, corresponding to a conformation of the hinge zone 11 resulting from the demolding of the device 1, that is to say that the hinge zone 11 has not undergone any folding. Thus, in the first position, the first 2 and second 4 parts are shaped to allow ejection of the device 1 from the mold in a single direction. In the first position, the sleeve 6 is oriented so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane containing the axis of rotation A and to the mean plane of the first part 2.

[0029] Advantageously, the device 1 according to the invention comprises clipping means, not illustrated, making it possible to hold the second part 4 in the second relative position. The clipping means have, for example, a clipping tab secured to one of the first 2 and second 4 parts and cooperating with a clipping orifice secured to the other of the first 2 and second 4 parts.

[0030] The device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to produce a dashboard, not illustrated, comprising a structure formed at least in part by a device 1 and at least one aerator fixed to the second part 4 of the device 1 in the second position, so as to allow the fluid connection of the aerator with a ventilation duct arranged in the dashboard. The aerator is connected to the end 7 intended for the aerator and the ventilation duct, designed to transport an air flow between the aerator and an air conditioning unit of the vehicle equipped with the dashboard, is then connected to the other end 8 of the sleeve 6.

[0031] Thus, the device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to dispense with a part thanks to the second part 4 secured to the first part 2 forming a part of the structure of the dashboard. The installation of the second part 4 is simple thanks to the folding of the hinge zone 11 and does not require any particular tooling. Furthermore, the first position resulting from a demolding operation facilitates the production of the device 1 according to the invention.

[0032] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the support device 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. A vent support device (1) designed to be mounted in a dashboard of a motor vehicle, the device (1) comprising a first part (2) forming at least one structural element (3) of the dashboard designed to support the dashboard, the device (1) comprising a second part (4) forming an vent support (5) designed to allow the attachment of a dashboard vent to the device (1) and to place the vent in fluid communication with a ventilation duct arranged in the dashboard, the second part (4) being integral with the first part (2).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a hinge zone (11) connecting the first (2) and second (4) parts and designed to articulate the second part (4) between at least two distinct relative positions with respect to the first part (2).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the hinge zone (11) is formed by a thickness of material allowing folding of the hinge zone (11).

4. Device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the hinge zone (11) is shaped to allow rotation of the second part (4) around an axis of rotation (A) extending in the first part (2), preferably rotation through an angle of approximately 90°.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the device (1) is obtained by injection molding, the first position corresponding to a conformation of the hinge zone (11) resulting from the demolding of the device (1).

6. Device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises clipping means making it possible to maintain the second part (4) in the second relative position.

7. Dashboard comprising a structure formed at least in part by a device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 6 and at least one aerator fixed to the second part (4) of a device (1) in the second position, so as to allow the fluid connection of the aerator with a ventilation duct arranged in the dashboard.

8. Dashboard according to claim 7, characterized in that each aerator is fluidically connected to a ventilation duct designed to transport an air flow between the aerator and a group of cli-

9. Matization of the vehicle equipped with the dashboard. Motor vehicle having a dashboard according to claim 7 or 8.

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