Cowl cross member assembly for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9340236-B2
Application number	US-201414502847-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A cowl cross member assembly for a vehicle for improving convenience in mounting a steering module and avoiding interference with an audio system in a vehicle, may include a main cowl crossbar disposed at a driver's seat in a width direction of the vehicle, a sub-cowl crossbar disposed at a passenger's seat in the width direction of the vehicle, a connection unit disposed between one end of the main cowl crossbar and one end of the sub-cowl crossbar and connecting the main cowl crossbar with the sub-cowl crossbar, a cowl bracket coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to a vehicle body at another side, a steering bracket coupled to a bottom of the cowl bracket and coupled to the steering module, and a steering mounting unit coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to the steering module at another side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cowl cross member assembly for a vehicle which improves convenience in mounting a steering module and avoids interference with an audio system in a vehicle, the cowl cross member assembly comprising:
a main cowl crossbar disposed at a driver's seat in a width direction of the vehicle;
a sub-cowl crossbar disposed at a passenger's seat in the width direction of the vehicle;
a connection unit disposed between one end of the main cowl crossbar and one end of the sub-cowl crossbar and connecting the main cowl crossbar with the sub-cowl crossbar;
a cowl bracket coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to a vehicle body at another side;
a steering bracket coupled to a bottom of the cowl bracket and coupled to the steering module; and
a steering mounting unit coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to the steering module at another side,
wherein the steering bracket is inserted inside the bottom of the cowl bracket and welded to the cowl bracket.

2. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cowl bracket and the steering bracket are symmetric at both sides based on a center of the steering module.

3. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1 , wherein the main cowl crossbar and the sub-cowl crossbar are connected and mounted to each other by the connection unit with a step therebetween.

4. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connection unit includes:
a connection bracket having a fitting hole in which the sub-cowl crossbar is inserted; and
a connection plate coupled to the connection bracket and having an insertion hole in which the main cowl crossbar is inserted.

5. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 4 , wherein the fitting hole and the insertion hole are arranged at vertically different positions.

6. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1 , wherein the steering mounting unit includes:
a main steering plate coupled to the main cowl crossbar and having coupling holes at both sides;
sub-steering plates coupled to both sides of the main steering plate and each sub-steering plate having a mounting hole corresponding to the coupling holes;
reinforcing members inserted in between the main steering plate and the sub-steering plates, supporting an inner side of the main steering plate and outer sides of the sub-steering plates, and each reinforcing member having a through-hole corresponding to each of the coupling and the mounting holes; and
steering bolts tightened to the steering module sequentially through the coupling holes, the through-holes, and the mounting holes.

7. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 6 , wherein the reinforcing members are formed in a shape of a pipe.

8. A cowl cross member assembly for a vehicle which improves convenience in mounting a steering module and avoids interference with an audio system in a vehicle, the cowl cross member assembly comprising:
a main cowl crossbar disposed at a driver's seat in a width direction of the vehicle;
a sub-cowl crossbar disposed at a passenger's seat in the width direction of the vehicle;
a connection unit disposed between one end of the main cowl crossbar and one end of the sub-cowl crossbar and connecting the main cowl crossbar with the sub-cowl crossbar;
a cowl bracket coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to a vehicle body at another side;
a steering bracket coupled to a bottom of the cowl bracket and coupled to the steering module; and
a steering mounting unit coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to the steering module at another side,
wherein the steering mounting unit includes:
a main steering plate coupled to the main cowl crossbar and having coupling holes at both sides;
sub-steering plates coupled to both sides of the main steering plate and each sub-steering plate having a mounting hole corresponding to the coupling holes;
reinforcing members inserted in between the main steering plate and the sub-steering plates, supporting an inner side of the main steering plate and outer sides of the sub-steering plates, and each reinforcing member having a through-hole corresponding to each of the coupling and the mounting holes; and
steering bolts tightened to the steering module sequentially through the coupling holes, the through-holes, and the mounting holes.

9. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 8 , wherein the reinforcing members are formed in a shape of a pipe.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kong Byung Seok

Classifications

• B62D25/145

  having a crossbeam incorporated therein · CPC title

• B62D27/02 Primary

  rigid · CPC title

• B62D7/224

  acting between the steering wheel and the steering gear, e.g. on the steering column · CPC title

• B62D1/16 Primary

  Steering columns · CPC title

• B62D25/081 Primary

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