Instrument panel structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370273-B2
Application number	US-201916700406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2019
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

Provided is an instrument panel structure including: a lower panel portion that is provided with an air-conditioning device at an interior thereof, the lower panel portion having, in a vehicle upper portion thereof, a placement surface portion that extends in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction, and having an open portion, for the air-conditioning device, that opens toward a side of the placement surface portion; an upper panel portion that covers the placement surface portion as seen from a vehicle upper side and that is placed on the placement surface portion; and a slit-shaped air outlet portion that is formed between the lower panel portion and the upper panel portion, that extends in the vehicle width direction while facing a seat side, and that communicates the open portion with a vehicle cabin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument panel structure, comprising:
a lower panel portion that is provided with an air-conditioning device at an interior thereof, the lower panel portion having, in a vehicle upper portion thereof, a placement surface portion that extends in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction so as to project in a tabular shape in the vehicle front-rear direction, and having an open portion, for the air-conditioning device, that opens toward a side of the placement surface portion;
an upper panel portion that covers the placement surface portion as seen from a vehicle upper side and that is placed on the placement surface portion; and
a slit-shaped air outlet portion that is formed between the lower panel portion and the upper panel portion, that extends in the vehicle width direction while facing a seat side, and that communicates the open portion with a vehicle cabin; and wherein:
a side wall portion having a shape of a frame, which surrounds the open portion and a pair of sides of the air outlet portion to form an open end corresponding to the air outlet portion as seen from the vehicle upper side, is provided between opposing surfaces of the placement surface portion and the upper panel portion, and
a space that links the open portion and the air outlet portion is formed by the opposing surfaces of the placement surface portion and the upper panel portion and an inner surface of the side wall portion.

2. The instrument panel structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the placement surface portion or a lower surface portion of the upper panel portion is provided with a plurality of flow-directing plates at a portion positioned at an inner side of the side wall portion as seen from a vehicle vertical direction.

3. The instrument panel structure according to claim 2 , wherein:
the plurality of flow-directing plates is provided at the placement surface portion and one or more of the plurality of flow-directing plates is formed in a shape of a frame, and
the placement surface portion is equipped with a plurality of anchor receiving portions, to which a plurality of anchoring portions provided at a peripheral edge of the upper panel portion can be anchored, and at least one of the plurality of anchor receiving portions is disposed inside a frame of the plurality of flow-directing plates at a vehicle front side of the air outlet portion.

4. The instrument panel structure according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of flow-directing plates is equipped with:
a linear portion that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction along the linear flow path portions, and
a curved portion that curves from a vehicle front end portion of the linear portion to one side in the vehicle width direction and toward the open portion.

5. The instrument panel structure according to claim 1 , wherein the upper panel portion is detachable from the placement surface portion.

6. The instrument panel structure according to claim 1 , wherein, in the placement surface portion, an air direction guide portion, which extends in a vehicle rearward direction and a vehicle upward direction as seen from the vehicle width direction, is formed at a seat-side peripheral edge of the placement surface portion and at a vehicle rear side of the air outlet portion.

7. The instrument panel structure according to claim 1 , wherein the air outlet portion extends from one side in the vehicle width direction to a region facing a vehicle width direction center.

8. The instrument panel structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
the air outlet portion is formed at a position at which it does not overlap with the open portion, for the air-conditioning device, as seen from the vehicle front-rear direction, and
the side wall portion is equipped with:
a delivery portion that projects in the vehicle width direction and surrounds a periphery of the open portion and
linear flow path portions, which are formed integrally with the delivery portion, extend in the vehicle front-rear direction from both sides of the air outlet portion, and supply, to the vehicle cabin, air-conditioned air that is supplied from the delivery portion.

9. An instrument panel structure, comprising:
a lower panel portion that is provided with an air-conditioning device at an interior thereof, the lower panel portion having, in a vehicle upper portion thereof, a placement surface portion that extends in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction, and having an open portion, for the air-conditioning device, that opens toward a side of the placement surface portion;
an upper panel portion that covers the placement surface portion as seen from a vehicle upper side and that is placed on the placement surface portion; and
a slit-shaped air outlet portion that is formed between the lower panel portion and the upper panel portion, that extends in the vehicle width direction while facing a seat side, and that communicates the open portion with a vehicle cabin, wherein:
a side wall portion, which surrounds the open portion and the air outlet portion as seen from a vehicle vertical direction, is provided between opposing surfaces of the placement surface portion and the upper panel portion,
a space that links the open portion and the air outlet portion is formed by the opposing surfaces of the placement surface portion and the upper panel portion and an inner surface of the side wall portion,
at least one of the placement surface portion or a lower surface portion of the upper panel portion is provided with a plurality of flow-directing plates at a portion positioned at an inner side of the side wall portion as seen from the vehicle vertical direction,
the plurality of flow-directing plates is provided at the placement surface portion and one or more of the plurality of flow-directing plates is formed in a shape of a frame, and
the placement surface portion is equipped with a plurality of anchor receiving portions, to which a plurality of anchoring portions provided at a peripheral edge of the upper panel portion can be anchored, and at least one of the plurality of anchor receiving portions is disposed inside a frame of the plurality of flow-directing plates at a vehicle front side of the air outlet portion.

10. An instrument panel structure, comprising:
a lower panel portion that is provided with an air-conditioning device at an interior thereof, the lower panel portion having, in a vehicle upper portion thereof, a placement surface portion that extends in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction, and having an open portion, for the air-conditioning device, that opens toward a side of the placement surface portion;
an upper panel portion that covers the placement surface portion as seen from a vehicle upper side and that is placed on the placement surface portion; and
a slit-shaped air outlet portion that is formed between the lower panel portion and the upper panel portion, that extends in the vehicle width direction while facing a seat side, and that communicates the open portion with a vehicle cabin; and wherein:
a side wall portion, which surrounds the open portion and a pair of sides of the air outlet portion as seen from the vehicle upper side, is provided between opposing surfaces of the placement surface portion and the upper panel portion,

a space that links the open portion and the air outlet portion is formed by the opposing surfaces of the placement surface portion and the upper panel portion and an inner surface of the side wall portion,
wherein at least one of the placement surface portion or a lower surface portion of the upper panel portion is provided with a plurality

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miwa Takahiro

Classifications

• B60K37/10

  Arrangements for attaching the dashboard to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60K37/20

  Dashboard panels · CPC title

• B60K35/20

  Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60H1/3414 Primary

  with means for adjusting the air stream direction (B60H1/345 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/3428 Primary

  using a set of pivoting shutters and a pivoting frame · CPC title