Cowl cross structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025026413-A1
Application number	US-202318465230-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 12, 2023
Priority date	Jul 17, 2023
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cowl cross structure including a cowl portion disposed in a driver's seat section in a width direction of a vehicle, the cowl portion including a cowl upper and a cowl lower and a crash pad portion provided in a structure extending from the cowl portion, and disposed between a center fascia section and a passenger's seat section of the vehicle, the crash pad portion including a glovebox accommodation space that is open toward an interior of the vehicle on a front surface thereof that is exposed to the interior of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cowl cross structure, comprising:
a cowl portion disposed in a driver's seat section in a width direction of a vehicle, the cowl portion comprising a cowl upper and a cowl lower; and a crash pad portion provided in a structure extending from the cowl portion, and disposed between a center fascia section and a passenger's seat section of the vehicle, wherein the crash pad portion includes a glovebox accommodation space defined therein, the glove box accommodation space being open toward an interior of the vehicle on a front surface thereof that is exposed to the interior of the vehicle.

2 . The cowl cross structure of claim 1 , further comprising a pipe having one end in a lengthwise direction coupled and fixed to the cowl portion,
wherein the pipe is coupled to the crash pad portion in a fixed state to support the crash pad portion.

3 . The cowl cross structure of claim 2 , wherein the cowl lower includes an insertion hole therein, the pipe being configured to be inserted into the insertion hole, and
wherein the cowl lower further comprises a touch rib formed in a protruding structure within the insertion hole and configured to be in contact with a surface of the pipe inserted into the insertion hole.

4 . The cowl cross structure of claim 2 , wherein the crash pad portion has a coupling groove defined therein into which the pipe is configured to be fitted and coupled in the lengthwise direction.

5 . The cowl cross structure of claim 1 , wherein the cowl upper and the cowl lower are configured to be mutually coupled,
wherein the cowl upper includes a bolt hole defined therein through which a bolt passes and a slit hole defined therein extending from the bolt hole, and wherein the slit hole extends in a direction different from a lengthwise direction of the cowl upper.

6 . The cowl cross structure of claim 1 , wherein the crash pad portion is provided independently of the cowl portion and is configured to be coupled to the cowl portion.

7 . The cowl cross structure of claim 1 , wherein the crash pad portion is continuously connected to the cowl lower and configured to form an integrated structure with the cowl portion.

8 . The cowl cross structure of claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcing bracket comprising a first end configured to be fixed to the cowl lower and a second end configured to be fixed to the crash pad portion,
wherein the reinforcing bracket is configured to minimize a crack that occurs between the cowl portion and the crash pad portion.

9 . The cowl cross structure of claim 8 , wherein the reinforcing bracket comprises:
a protrusion protruding forward from a front surface of the crash pad portion; a first extension and a second extension extending from a left side and a right side of the protrusion, the first extension being positioned on a front surface of the cowl lower and the second extension being positioned on the front surface of the crash pad portion; a first bent portion bent from the first extension and positioned on an inner surface of the cowl lower; and a second bent portion bent from the second extension and positioned on an upper surface of the crash pad portion, and wherein the reinforcing bracket is configured to elastically deform through the protrusion in a state of being fastened to the cowl lower and the crash pad portion through a fixing tool at each of the first bent portion, the second bent portion, and the second extension.

10 . The cowl cross structure of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing bracket comprises:
a first body fitted and fixed to an upper edge of the crash pad portion, the first body comprising a structure protruding rearward from a rear surface of the crash pad portion; and a second body fastened to an outer surface of the cowl lower and the first body through the fixing tool, and wherein the second body includes a sliding hole defined therein being formed in a portion placed on and overlapping the first body, wherein the fixing tool is configured to slide along the sliding hole in a state of being fastened to the first body in the sliding hole.

11 . A method, the method comprising:
forming a cowl portion, the cowl portion being configured to be affixed to a dash panel for a vehicle, the cowl portion being formed to include a cowl upper and a cowl lower; forming a crash pad portion, the crash pad portion comprising a structure extending in a width direction of the vehicle and a side mounting bracket to be fastened to the vehicle; and inserting a touch rib into an insertion hole defined within the cowl lower.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
joining the cowl upper and the cowl lower by inserting a bolt into a bolt hole defined within the cowl upper as an elongated slit, wherein, when an impact is received by the bolt, when the bolt is fastened to the cowl upper, the cowl lower moves with the bolt a direction of the bolt hole to relieve deformation resulting from the impact to the dash panel.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing a pipe having a first end coupled to the cowl lower and a second end coupled to the side mounting bracket.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
forming an insertion hole in the cowl lower; forming touch ribs extending from an inner surface of the insertion hole; and inserting the pipe into insertion hole, wherein the touch ribs are configured to absorb a vibration of the pipe when inserted in the insertion hole.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
forming a coupling groove in an upper surface of the crash pad portion in a lengthwise direction of the crash pad portion; and inserting the pipe into the coupling groove.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the forming of the cowl portion comprises disposing the cowl portion to not be exposed to an interior of the vehicle, and
wherein the forming of the crash pad portion comprises: forming a glovebox accommodation space being open toward the interior of the vehicle; and forming a crash pad lower comprising a front side portion being exposed to the interior of the vehicle.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
affixing a reinforcing bracket to the cowl lower at a first backet end and to the crash pad portion at a second bracket end.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
forming the reinforcing bracket, the forming of the reinforcing bracket comprising: forming a protrusion to protrude in a first direction; forming a first extension extending from a first side of the protrusion, the first extension being positioned on a front surface of the cowl lower; and forming a second extension extending from a second side of the protrusion, the second extension being position on a front surface of the crash pad portion, wherein the reinforcing bracket is configured to, upon an impact, elastically deform the protrusion to absorb the impact to prevent a crack from forming between the cowl lower and the crash pad portion.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the forming of the reinforcing bracket further comprises:
forming a first bent portion bent from the first extension, the first bent portion being positioned on an inner surface of the cowl lower; and forming a second bent portion bent from the second extension, the second bent portion being position on an upper surface of an upper edge of the crash pad portion.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
fixing the first bent por

Assignees

• Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Ik Keun
• Lee Min Kyeong

Classifications

• B62D25/081

  Cowls (ventilating openings situated directly in front of the vehicle front window B60H1/28) · CPC title

• B62D25/145 Primary

  having a crossbeam incorporated therein · CPC title

• B62D25/08 Primary

  Front or rear portions {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11)} · CPC title

• B62D27/065

  using screwthread (connection of crossbeam to A- pillars B62D25/147; mounting load bearing surfaces B62D21/09; securing mudguards B62D25/163; connections for synthetic parts B62D29/048) · CPC title

• B60R21/045 Primary

  associated with the instrument panel or dashboard · CPC title