Assembly for lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly

Abstract

Assembly for a lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. The invention relates to an assembly (1) for a lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment, said lower half-sheath comprising a cutout (7) adapted to receive a steering wheel adjustment handle, said assembly comprising an interface part (9) and a reinforcing part (11) made of an absorbent material and assembled to said interface part. According to the invention, the interface part (9) is made of a plastic material and comprises a main plate and a finger guard, said main plate comprising a primary cutout whose geometry corresponds to that of the cutout (7) of said lower half-sheath, said finger guard being arranged to span said primary cutout. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Assembly for lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, in particular to the field of the safety of occupants present on board the motor vehicle.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to an assembly for a lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment and to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Prior art

[0003] The passenger compartment of a motor vehicle includes a dashboard which supports, among other things, a steering wheel.

[0004] Behind the steering wheel, the dashboard comprises a plastic ornamental part, comprising an upper half-sheath, defining the upper part of the steering column trim of the motor vehicle, fixed at its lower part to a lower half-sheath defining the lower part of the steering column trim.

[0005] In certain configurations, the steering wheel can be adjustable via an adjustment control, typically consisting of an adjustment handle adapted to lock and unlock a brake under the steering column, the unlocking of the brake allowing the steering wheel to be adjusted in depth and / or height.

[0006] The lower half-sheath has a cutout adapted to receive the adjustment handle. In order to prevent the driver from touching the steering column beams when handling the adjustment handle, it is known to mount a protective part on the lower half-sheath at the entrance to the cutout. The protective part typically consists of a finger guard welded to the lower half-sheath.

[0007] In the event of an impact, the knees hit the lower half-sheath before hitting the steering column components, which are metal parts.

[0008] Thus, in accordance with regulations, the lower half-sheath, which is a plastic part, must include a suitable reinforcement part to protect the driver's knees in the event of an impact.

[0009] In an embodiment of the prior art, the reinforcing piece typically comprises a piece made of absorbent material, for example consisting of a polystyrene spacer, assembled to a sheet metal plate welded to the lower plastic half-sheath.

[0010] The manufacture of the finger guard, made of plastic material, requires the use of an injection mold while the manufacture of the sheet metal plate serving as an interface for fixing the absorbent material part on the lower half-sheath requires the use of a stamping tool. Since the production of the parts added to the lower half-sheath requires two manufacturing tools, the cost of producing the lower half-sheath is relatively high.

[0011] In addition, the manufacturer must provide a reference nomenclature including not only the plastic finger guard but also the sheet metal plate and the reinforcement part made of absorbent material, which complicates the manufacture of these parts and the associated stock management. Statement of the invention

[0012] The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and to do so relates to an assembly for a lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment, said half-sheath comprising a cutout adapted to receive an adjustment handle of a steering wheel of said motor vehicle, said assembly comprising, on the one hand, an interface piece and, on the other hand, a reinforcing piece made of an absorbent material and assembled to said interface piece, said assembly being remarkable in that said interface piece is made of a plastic material and in that it comprises a main plate and a finger guard, said main plate comprising a primary cutout, the geometry of which corresponds to that of the cutout of said lower half-sheath when said assembly is mounted on said lower half-sheath, said finger guard being arranged to span said primary cutout.

[0013] Thus, by providing a two-material assembly which comprises an interface part made of a plastic material and a reinforcement part made of an absorbent material, the interface part integrating the finger guard, only one tool is now necessary.

[0014] The cost of producing the lower half-sheath is then reduced relative to the prior art. In addition, compared to the prior art, the nomenclature for referencing the parts is reduced, which simplifies stock management.

[0015] According to optional characteristics of the assembly according to the invention: - said reinforcement part consists of polystyrene foam; - said main plate comprises at least one secondary cutout and said reinforcing piece has a shape complementary to that of said main plate, said polystyrene foam filling said at least one secondary cutout; - said interface piece comprises at least one lateral end a fixing edge adapted to fix said interface piece to said lower half-sheath; - said fixing edge comprises an L-shaped fixing plate; - said fixing edge comprises at least one clipping appendage adapted to fix said interface piece on said lower half-sheath; - said finger guard has a U-shaped profile.

[0016] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment comprising a dashboard supporting a steering wheel, said dashboard comprising a lower half-sheath defining a lower part of a steering column trim of said motor vehicle, said lower half-sheath comprising a cutout receiving an adjustment handle of said steering wheel, said motor vehicle comprising an assembly mounted on said lower half-sheath, remarkable in that said assembly is according to the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of an assembly according to the invention mounted on a lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment.

[0019] [Fig.2] is a perspective view showing an interface part of the assembly according to the invention.

[0020] [Fig.3] is a view similar to that of [Fig.l]. Description of the embodiments

[0021] In the remainder of the description, elements having an identical structure or similar functions are designated by the same reference.

[0022] Reference is made to [Fig.l] showing in isometric view an assembly 1 according to the invention mounted on a lower half-sheath 3 of a dashboard (not shown) of a motor vehicle passenger compartment.

[0023] The lower half-sheath 3 is a part made of plastic material and defines a lower part of a steering column trim (not shown) of the motor vehicle.

[0024] The lower half-sheath 3 is fixed in its upper part 5 to an upper half-sheath (not shown), also made of plastic material, the upper half-sheath and the lower half-sheath 3 defining an ornamental part of the dashboard, arranged behind a steering wheel (not shown) of the motor vehicle.

[0025] The steering wheel is adjustable via an adjustment control (not shown) for example consisting of an adjustment handle adapted to lock and unlock a brake under the steering column, the unlocking of the brake allowing the steering wheel to be adjusted in depth and / or height.

[0026] The lower half-sheath 3 has a cutout 7 adapted to receive the adjustment handle.

[0027] The assembly 1 mounted on the lower half-sheath 3 consists of two parts. On the one hand, the assembly 1 comprises an interface part 9, and, on the other hand, the assembly 1 comprises a reinforcing part 11 assembled to the interface part 9 and made of an absorbent material.

[0028] Reference is made to [Fig.2] showing the interface part 9 in isometric view.

[0029] The interface part 9 is made of a plastic material.

[0030] The interface part 9 comprises a main plate 13 and a finger guard 15.

[0031] The main plate 13 comprises a primary cutout 17 whose geometry corresponds to that of the cutout 7 of the lower half-sheath 3.

[0032] The finger guard 15 is designed to prevent the driver from touching beams of the steering column when manipulating the adjustment handle. For this purpose, the finger guard 15 comprises a protective shell 19 comprising an upper edge 21. The protective shell 19 is adapted to prevent a driver from accessing an area Zi located above a plane Pi passing through the upper edge 21 of the protective shell 19.

[0033] The finger guard 15 is arranged in the interface part 9 so as to span the primary cutout 17. Unlike the prior art, the finger guard 15 is an integral part of the interface part 9, that is to say it is no longer welded onto the lower half-sheath 3.

[0034] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the finger guard 15 comprises a U-shaped profile, the U-shaped profile being turned relative to the main plate 13 of the interface part 9.

[0035] The primary cutout 17 has a first lateral end 23 and a second lateral end 25 and the finger guard 15 connects the first lateral end 23 to the second lateral end 25.

[0036] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the main plate 13 of the interface part 9 comprises secondary cutouts 27.

[0037] As best seen in [Fig. 3] which is a view similar to that of [Fig. 1], when the main plate 13 of the interface part 9 has secondary cutouts 27, the reinforcement part 11 may consist of a polystyrene foam 29 which fills the secondary cutouts 27 during its expansion. Thus, the secondary cutouts 27 define orifices for receiving the polystyrene foam.

[0038] In an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the main plate 13 may comprise a single secondary cutout 27. According to another alternative, the main plate 13 does not comprise any cutout. In this case, the reinforcing piece 11 made of absorbent material does not consist of polystyrene foam and the reinforcing piece 11 is assembled to the main plate 13 of the interface part 9 by any assembly means known to those skilled in the art.

[0039] The interface part 9 is obtained by plastic injection molding.

[0040] Once the interface part 9 is molded, and when the reinforcement part 11 consists of a polystyrene foam 29, the assembly of the interface part 9 with the reinforcement part 11 is obtained by expansion of the polystyrene foam 29 which fills the secondary cutouts 27 during its expansion.

[0041] The assembly 1 consists of a two-material part intended to be assembled to the lower half-sheath 3.

[0042] The assembly of the assembly 1 on the lower half-sheath 3 can be carried out using fixing edges 31, 33 respectively arranged at the level of lateral ends 35, 37 of the interface part 9.

[0043] The fixing edges 31, 33 are adapted to fix the interface piece 9 on the lower half-sheath 3.

[0044] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the fixing edges 31, 33 comprise an L-shaped fixing plate.

[0045] Also, in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the fixing edges 31, 33 comprise clipping appendages 39 adapted to fix the interface part 9 on said lower half-sheath. Thus, the assembly of the assembly 1 on the lower half-sheath 3 is here obtained by clipping, which makes the assembly particularly simple in comparison with the welding step necessary in the prior art to fix the finger guard.

[0046] As goes without saying, the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this assembly for the lower half-sheath of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment and of this motor vehicle comprising such an assembly, described above solely as illustrative examples, but on the contrary it embraces all the variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Assembly (1) for a lower half-sheath (3) of a dashboard of a motor vehicle passenger compartment, said lower half-sheath (3) comprising a cutout (7) adapted to receive an adjustment handle of a steering wheel of said motor vehicle, said assembly (1) comprising, on the one hand, an interface part (9) and, on the other hand, a reinforcing part (11) made of an absorbent material and assembled to said interface part (9), said assembly (1) being characterized in that said interface part (9) is made of a plastic material and in that it comprises a main plate (13) and a finger guard (15), said main plate (13) comprising a primary cutout (17), the geometry of which corresponds to that of the cutout (7) of said lower half-sheath (3) when said assembly (1) is mounted on said lower half-sheath (3), said finger guard (15) being arranged to span said primary cutout (17).

2. Assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said reinforcing piece (11) consists of a polystyrene foam (29).

3. Assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said main plate (13) comprises at least one secondary cutout (27) and in that said reinforcing piece (11) has a shape complementary to that of said main plate (13), said polystyrene foam (29) filling said at least one secondary cutout (27).

4. Assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said interface piece (9) comprises at least one lateral end (35, 37) a fixing edge (31, 33) adapted to fix said interface piece (9) on said lower half-sheath (3).

5. Assembly (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said fixing edge (31, 33) comprises an L-shaped fixing plate.

6. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that said fixing edge (31, 33) comprises at least one clipping appendage (39) adapted to fix said interface piece (9) on said lower half-sheath (3).

7. Assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said finger guard (15) comprises a U-shaped profile.

8. Motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment comprising a board dashboard supporting a steering wheel, said dashboard comprising a lower half-sheath (3) defining a lower part of a steering column trim of said motor vehicle, said lower half-sheath (3) comprising a cutout (7) receiving an adjustment handle of said steering wheel, said motor vehicle comprising an assembly (1) mounted on said lower half-sheath (3), characterized in that said assembly (1) is according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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