Dashboard Screen Mount With Frangible Drop-Down Safety Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle dashboards with digital screens positioned close to the windshield pose a safety risk during a pedestrian head impact, as they can become dangerous elements upon local denting of the windscreen.
Innovation Solution
A dashboard arrangement with a frangible zone and guide elements that allow the digital screen to descend into a safety space upon impact, using fixing lugs and guide rollers to guide the screen away from the pedestrian's path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the digital screen is positioned further forward on the dashboard closer to the windshield, then the screen can be installed in a more desirable location for visibility and access, but the screen poses a safety risk in the event of a pedestrian head impact
Solution Approach 1:
The screen fixing system transitions from a static fixed position to a dynamic system that remains fixed during normal operation but allows controlled movement during impact. The frangible fixing lug breaks under impact force while guide elements constrain the screen's movement path, enabling the screen to safely descend to a predetermined position that maintains visibility during operation but protects pedestrians during impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements are pre-installed on the dashboard structure before the screen is mounted. These guide elements define a predetermined lower path that the screen will follow during impact. By preparing this guidance system in advance, the screen's movement during impact is controlled and directed toward a safe space, preventing uncontrolled deployment that could cause additional hazards.
2Shape
If the digital screen is positioned closer to the windshield, then the dashboard layout is improved, but the screen becomes a dangerous element upon local denting of the windscreen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potential harm of screen proximity to the windshield into a benefit by using the impact force from windscreen denting as the triggering mechanism for safety deployment. The frangible fixing lug is designed to break when subjected to the localized force of windscreen denting, which automatically initiates the screen's descent into the safe space, transforming the harmful impact into the activation signal for the safety mechanism.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a frangible fixing system is used to enable screen descent during impact, then pedestrian safety is improved, but the fixing mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: frangible fixing lugs that break under impact, guide elements that constrain movement, and a safe space receptacle. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while achieving the safety objective. The frangible lug's simple breakage action, combined with the guide elements' predetermined path, creates a reliable safety system without excessive complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Arrangement of a dashboard and a digital screen (2) comprising at least a first guide element (20, 20') for the screen secured to the back (201) of the screen, at least one fixing lug (21) comprising a substantially vertical upper part (210) secured to the lower edge (203) of the screen, and a structural wall (1) of the dashboard supporting the screen (2) and comprising at least a second guide element (10) for said first guide element (20) and at least one frangible zone (3, 3') receiving the lower fixing part (211) of said fixing lug, and a safety space (E) being defined between vertical (103) and horizontal (104) structural wall parts and at the rear of the upper fixing lug part (210), to receive at least the lower part of the screen when the at least one frangible zone (3, 3') is broken when an impact hits the screen.