Layout of a motor vehicle dashboard and a digital screen

Abstract

An arrangement of a dashboard and a digital display (2) comprising at least one first display guide element (20, 20') attached to the back (201) of the display, at least one mounting bracket (21) having a substantially vertical upper portion (210) attached to the lower edge (203) of the display, and a structural panel (1) of the dashboard supporting the display (2) and comprising at least one second guide element (10) of said first guide element (20) and at least one frangible area (3, 3') receiving the lower mounting portion (211) of said mounting bracket, and a safety gap (E) being defined between portions of the vertical (103) and horizontal (104) structural panel and at the rear of the upper mounting bracket portion (210), to receive at least the lower portion of the display when the at least one frangible area (3, 3') is Broken upon impact with the screen. Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Layout of a dashboard of a motor vehicle and a digital screen

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement of a dashboard of a motor vehicle and a digital screen.

[0002] In the field of motor vehicles, the dashboard is installed attached to a structural crossmember, transversely within the passenger compartment and extending rearward from the inner side of the windshield to the front of the driver's and front passenger's seats. The dashboard may, in particular, accommodate, laterally on the driver's side, a digital screen displaying information related to driving indicators; in its central section, a digital screen allowing, for example, the display of controls for various vehicle parameters, climate control, and navigation assistance; and laterally on the passenger's side, one or two additional digital screens. These screens may be touchscreens.

[0003] The surface of the dashboard section closest to the inner edge of the windshield, known as the cowl or cowl, must be free of any potentially dangerous elements for safety reasons, particularly in the event of a pedestrian head-on collision. Indeed, the head of a pedestrian struck by the front of a vehicle can dent the windshield and thus potentially strike such a dangerous element.

[0004] However, there is a demand for passenger compartment configurations in which the digital screens are positioned further forward on the dashboard, thus closer to the windshield. These screens would then represent a risk in the event of a pedestrian head-on collision.

[0005] The invention aims to provide a dashboard and digital screen arrangement, meeting the safety needs of a pedestrian against a so-called "pedestrian head impact".

[0006] To this end, the invention provides an arrangement of a dashboard of a motor vehicle and a digital screen comprising a display face and an opposing back, an opposing upper edge and a opposing lower edge. The said arrangement includes: - at least one first screen guide element attached to the back of the screen, - at least one fixing bracket comprising a substantially vertical upper part, having a predetermined height, attached to the lower edge of the screen, and a lower fixing part receiving a fixing element, - a structural panel of the dashboard supporting the screen and comprising at least one second guide element for said first guide element and at least a frangible receiving area for the lower part of the fixing of said screen fixing bracket. The second guide element extends at a substantially inclined angle to the vertical and close to the back of the screen, and it includes a lower travel portion available over a predetermined distance. Furthermore, the second guide element is extended below by a substantially vertical structural wall portion, itself extended below by a horizontal structural wall portion spaced from the lower edge of the screen at least along the substantially vertical upper portion of the mounting bracket. A safety space is defined between said vertical and horizontal wall parts and at the rear of the upper fixing bracket part, to receive at least the lower part of the screen when at least one frangible zone is broken during an impact touching the screen, said screen being guided downward at least towards said safety space by said first and second guiding means along the available lower part of the second guiding means.

[0007] The term "frangible" zone, also sometimes called "fusible" zone, means that the zone is capable of breaking under stress, for example by breaking or tearing under stress.

[0008] The terms "front" and "rear" refer to the front and rear of the motor vehicle.

[0009] In the event of a pedestrian head impact, the impact transmitted to the top of the screen causes violent pressure until at least one of the mounting tabs breaks in the fragile area where the tab is fixed. Simultaneously, the guide elements will cause the screen to descend at least along the available lower travel of the second guide means, down to at least the safety zone, or even lower. This arrangement thus allows digital screens to be installed closer to the windshield than in prior art designs, while still meeting safety requirements, particularly in the event of a pedestrian head impact.

[0010] Preferably, the lower part of the available path over a predetermined distance (J) of the second guide element is such that this predetermined distance (J) is substantially equal to the height (H) of the substantially vertical upper part of the fixing lug.

[0011] Advantageously, said at least one first screen guide element attached to the back of the screen is a guide roller, and said at least one second guide element of said first guide element is a guide groove receiving the roller. These guide means also facilitate the installation of the screen, as explained later in the description of an example and the accompanying figures.

[0012] Preferably, the horizontal structural wall portion spaced from the lower edge of the screen includes a rearward-facing projecting portion that is included in the less fransible zone, and said fixing bracket includes a substantially horizontal part, between the lower and upper parts of said bracket, resting on said protruding part.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one frangible zone comprises weakened, thinned, and / or material-free portions of the structural wall surrounding the portion of the structural wall receiving the lower part of the fastening bracket. Preferably, the portion of the structural wall receiving the lower part of the fastening bracket, surrounded by said weakened wall portions, projects backward. The frangible zone can thus break along its entire perimeter in its weakened portions, and this portion of the structural wall for fastening is also easily accessible to an operator.

[0014] Advantageously, said arrangement includes a screen cover extending over at least a portion of the structural wall at the front of the screen, and projecting beyond the display face of the screen. Preferably, said screen cover is press-fitted to the structural wall. In a particular case, said screen cover is press-fitted to the upper lateral portion of at least one guide groove. This screen cover aesthetically conceals the open portion of the front of the screen while protecting it, particularly the back of the screen, from the heat behind the windshield. Furthermore, it provides initial protection to the head of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle with a screen positioned close to the windshield.

[0015] Advantageously, said first and second guide elements secure the screen body to the structural wall. Indeed, particularly if the screen is large, the mounting brackets attached to the lower edge of the screen might require additional vertical support to reinforce the screen's vertical retention to the structural wall. In particular, the first guide element attached to the screen is fixed approximately halfway up the screen.

[0016] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a dashboard supporting at least one digital screen, and comprising at least one arrangement of the dashboard and the digital screen as described above.

[0017] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given by way of example but not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig.1] is a general schematic perspective view of an arrangement of a dashboard and a digital screen according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0019] [Fig.2] is a longitudinal sectional view AA of the arrangement between the screen and the dashboard of [Fig.1].

[0020] [Fig.3] is a detailed, perspective and top view of part of the arrangement shown in the preceding figures.

[0021] [Fig.4] is a detailed, perspective, top view of another part of the arrangement shown in figures 1 and 2.

[0022] [Fig.5] is a perspective view of a classical orthonormal XYZ coordinate system of a motor vehicle.

[0023] The orientations expressed in the description of the figures are given with reference to an orthonormal XYZ frame of reference of a motor vehicle according to [Fig.5], in which X represents the longitudinal direction, oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, Y the transverse direction oriented towards the right of the vehicle, and Z the vertical direction oriented towards the top of the vehicle in usual position, resting on its wheels.

[0024] The orientations of the described arrangement therefore refer to these orientations, the terms "front" and "rear" also being indicated with reference to the front and rear of the motor vehicle.

[0025] Fig. 1 represents an arrangement of a dashboard of a motor vehicle comprising a structural wall 1 and a digital screen 2 according to the invention, located at the front of the dashboard, near the windscreen P, the dashboard panel 5 being located between said arrangement and the windscreen.

[0026] The structural wall 1 of the dashboard is transverse and fixed to the dashboard cross member T. It supports the screen 2 which is fixed to it by two fixing tabs 21, 21' in frangible areas 3, 3'.

[0027] Fig. 2 represents the arrangement in longitudinal section in the XZ plane, at the level of a fixing tab 21 along the axis AA mentioned in Fig. 1.

[0028] The digital screen 2 has an opposing display face 200 and back 201, an opposing upper edge 202 and lower edge 203 ([Fig.2]), the display face 200 being turned towards the front seats of the passenger compartment (not shown).

[0029] Two guide rollers 20, 20' of the screen, attached to the back 201 of the screen, are indicated in dotted lines on the [Fig.1].

[0030] One of the rollers 20 is visible in the [Fig.2] section, fixed to the back 201 of the screen 2. The structural wall 1 of the dashboard, supporting the screen 2, includes a guide groove 10 receiving said roller 20.

[0031] With reference to the [Fig.3] of details, this guide groove 10 extends close to the back 201 of the screen and has an inclined direction relative to the vertical. The groove 10 is delimited by a rear wall 102 slightly inclined relative to the vertical, proximal to the back 201 of the screen, and by two front walls 101, 101' spaced apart in the transverse (Y) direction from each other and each having an orientation parallel to the rear groove wall 102.

[0032] The structural wall extends into the lower part of the groove 10 by a substantially vertical structural wall portion 103, the latter being extended by a substantially horizontal structural wall portion 104 extending lower than the lower edge 203 of screen 2.

[0033] The frangible zone 3 of said structural wall is located in the lower part of said structural wall, lower than the lower edge 203 of the screen 2. It includes through openings 30 which weaken this zone 3 of the structural wall by the lack of material. Said openings 30 are distributed in a rectangular shape occupying the lower part of the structural wall, including the horizontal structural wall portion 104 and a rearward-projecting mounting wall portion 105, making it accessible to an operator, and to which the screen mounting bracket 21 is attached. The frangible zone 3 also covers a structural wall portion 106 with a substantially V-shaped cross-section extending downward from the mounting wall portion 105.

[0034] The fixing bracket 21 includes a vertical upper part 210, the upper end of which is fixed to the lower edge 203 of the screen 2. It further includes a lower fixing part 211 fixed in the frangible zone 3 of said structural wall 1. Said bracket 21 includes a horizontal central part 212 which is located between its vertical upper part 210 and its lower fixing part 211 and which rests on the portion 1040 projecting towards the rear of the horizontal structural wall part 104, inside the frangible zone 3, i.e. in the inner zone delimited by through-weakening openings 30.

[0035] The upper vertical part 210 of the fixing bracket has a height H. The upper vertical part 210 of the bracket thus keeps the bottom of the screen away from the substantially horizontal structural wall part 104.

[0036] Said guide groove 10 includes a lower travel portion available over a distance J, also called "lower travel clearance" leaving a portion to be traveled by the roller 20, this distance J being equal to the height H of the leg.

[0037] The arrangement of the structural wall described and of the other roller 20' and of the other fixing bracket 21' of the screen is similar to that which has just been described.

[0038] This fixing of the screen by the fixing tabs 21, 21' and the configuration of the structural wall, in particular of its substantially vertical parts (103 for tab 21) and of its substantially horizontal parts (104 for tab 21) extending lower than the lower edge 203 of the screen 2, create a safety space E under the lower part of the screen.

[0039] Furthermore, the upper edge 202 of the screen is covered by a screen cover 4 which extends over a portion of the structural wall at the front of the screen and overhangs the display face 200 of the screen. This screen cover 4 is held in place by a clip 40 at the upper lateral end of said guide grooves (respectively for the two rollers 20, 20'). The screen cover has a flat shape in an inclined plane rising from its proximal front edge of the windshield towards the screen.

[0040] The main function of the screen cover 4 is to conceal the technical areas. In addition, the screen cover 4 is designed to limit injuries in the event of a pedestrian collision.

[0041] Indeed, in the event of an accident with a pedestrian, the impact on the screen cover 4 of the screen 2 is reflected on the top of the screen, and as a result the fixing tabs 21,21' will press on the frangible areas 3 in which they are fixed and cause these areas to break, and simultaneously the rollers 20, 20' will travel the lower travel distance (of distance J) of the guide grooves, causing the release of the screen 2 with a descent of the screen of at least the height H (and the distance J of the travel distance of grooves) into the safety space E, or even lower.

[0042] In the event of an impact, the screen 2 is thus moved out of danger range of the head of a pedestrian who might be struck. The screen cover initially protected the pedestrian's head.

[0043] The arrangement also allows for the installation of digital screens closer to the windshield, compared to the prior art, while respecting safety conditions, particularly in the event of a "pedestrian head collision".

[0044] Furthermore, this arrangement, particularly through the use of guide rollers, substantially secured along the Z (vertical) axis in the middle of the back of the screen, which fit into corresponding guide grooves in the structural wall, allows for easy mounting of the screen. The mounting brackets in the described configuration are oriented towards the display face 200 and are therefore easily accessible for attachment to the structural wall. An operator can thus mount the screen 2 by taking the screen 2 equipped with the guide rollers 20, 20' and the mounting brackets 21, 21', inserting the rollers 20, 20' from top to bottom into the respective guide grooves (arrow M in [Fig. 2]), the mounting brackets 21, 21' abutting respectively against the horizontal parts of the structural wall while positioning themselves in the respective frangible mounting zones 3, 3'.The guide rollers and guide grooves also help to secure the upper part of the screen to the structural wall, ensuring better screen support in addition to that provided by the mounting brackets.

[0045] The invention has been described for a screen equipped with two guide rollers; however, this number is not limiting. The number of guide elements (rollers, guide grooves associated with the rollers) depends on the size of the screen.

[0046] Furthermore, several digital screens can be installed in the same arrangement on the structural wall in the same arrangements as that which has just been described.

Claims

Demands

1. Arrangement of a motor vehicle dashboard and a digital display (2) comprising an opposing display face (200) and back (201), an opposing upper edge (202) and lower edge (203), said arrangement comprising: - at least one first guiding element (20, 20') of the screen attached to the back of the screen, - at least one fixing bracket (21) comprising a substantially vertical upper part (210), having a predetermined height (H), attached to the lower edge (203) of the screen, and a lower fixing part (211) receiving a fixing element (22), - a structural wall (1) of the dashboard supporting the screen (2) and comprising at least one second guide element (10) of said first guide element (20) and at least one frangible area (3, 3') receiving the lower fixing part (211) of said screen fixing bracket, said second guide element (10) extending substantially inclined with respect to the vertical and close to the back of the screen, having a lower travel portion available over a predetermined distance (D, and said second guide element (10) being extended inferiorly by a substantially vertical structural wall portion (103) extended inferiorly by a horizontal structural wall portion (104) spaced from the lower edge (203) of the screen following at least the substantially vertical upper part (210) of the fixing bracket,a safety space (E) being defined between said vertical (103) and horizontal (104) wall parts and at the rear of the upper fixing bracket part (210), to receive at least the lower part of the screen when at least one frangible zone (3, 3') is broken during an impact affecting the screen, said screen being guided downwards at least towards said safety space (E) by said first (20) and second (10) guiding means along the available lower part of the path of the second guiding means (10).

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower travel portion available over a predetermined distance (J) of the second guide element is such that this predetermined distance (J) is substantially equal to the height (H) of the upper portion. logically vertical (210) of the fixing bracket.

3. Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that said at least first guide element (20, 20') of the screen, attached to the back of the screen, is a guide roller, and said at least second guide element (10) of said first guide element is a guide groove receiving the roller.

4. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the horizontal structural wall portion (104) spaced from the lower edge (203) of the screen comprises a rearward projecting portion (1040) which is included in the at least frangible zone (3), and said fixing tab (21) comprises a substantially horizontal portion (212), between the lower and upper portions of said tab, bearing on said projecting portion (1040).

5. Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least frangible zone (3, 3') comprises weakened structural wall portions (30), of thinned thickness and / or devoid of material, surrounding the structural wall portion receiving the lower fixing portion (211) of the fixing tab.

6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the structural wall portion (105) receiving the lower fixing portion (211) of the fixing lug surrounded by said weakened wall portions (30) is projecting rearward.

7. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a screen cover (4) extending over at least a portion of the structural wall at the front of the screen, and overhanging the display face (200) of the screen, and preferably said screen cover (4) being held by force to the structural wall.

8. Arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said first (20) and second (10) guide elements retain the screen body to the structural wall.

9. Motor vehicle comprising a dashboard supporting at least one digital display (2), characterized in that it comprises at least one arrangement of the dashboard and the digital display according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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