GB2136367A

GB2136367A - Motor Vehicle Instrument Panel Arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2136367A
Application number: GB08407137A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dr Klaus Schubert
Original assignee: MAN Maschinenfabrik Augsburg Nuernberg AG
Current assignee: MAN AG
Priority date: 1983-03-18
Filing date: 1984-03-19
Publication date: 1984-09-19
Also published as: FR2542683A1; GB2136367B; IT8419965A0; FR2542683B1; SE451696B; DE3309757A1; IT1175449B; SE8400362L; DE3309757C2; SE8400362D0; GB8407137D0

Abstract

A glove compartment box 4, which can be closed by a cover, is arranged in the instrument panel of a motor vehicle and can be removed in its entirety from the opening accommodating it in the instrument panel for access to devices 6, 11 arranged behind the glove compartment box 4. For the purpose, the glove compartment box 4 is inseparably connected to the instrument panel for pivoting into an out of use position, as in Fig. 4, or is entirely removable from the instrument panel. In the latter case the glove compartment box 4 preferably takes the shape of a suitcase to be readily taken along as a container for valuables by the driver when leaving the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Motor Vehicle Instrument Panel Arrangement This invention relates to an instrument panel arrangement and, more particularly, this invention relates to a motor vehicle fitted with such an instrument panel arrangement.

Such motor vehicles, especially trucks, are produced with a cavity which extends in a direction transverse to the vehicle centerline and which is confined on the driver's side by a continuous or sectioned instrument panel and, on the top, by a shelf which provides a keeping surface for small items. A glove compartment box is normally recessed into the instrument panel, the box forming a container extending from an opening in the instrument panel into the cavity.

That opening in the instrument panel is normally closed by a cover which is normally flush with the instrument panel and prevents the contents of the glove compartment box from dropping out.

The cavity sometimes also contains service devices, as perhaps a comprehensive electrical central box comprising fuses, relays and the like.

The devices, especially the fuses, should be arranged for ready access by the driver or by service and repair personnel, enabling small repairs or checkups to be made with minimum effort. On the other hand, the devices are bulky, especially in commercia! vehicles, and have to be broken down for accommodation in various places in the driver's cabin. Often the interior of the glove compartment is used as one of these accommodating iocations to accommodate, e.g., a fuse box. This arrangement provides a disadvantage in that it either prevents the use of the glove compartment for storage or requires the glove compartment to be emptied for access to the fuse box.

Another proposed arrangement has been to fit a removable door into the confining walls of the glove compartment for access to facilities behind or under the glove compartment. In this case it will nevertheless still be necessary to first empty the glove compartment for access to such facilities.

In commercial vehicles, especially if used in the international transportation of goods, where important papers, considerable amounts of money and the like are often carried, the driver normally deposits such papers and his wallet in the glove compartment so as to have the papers and money always at hand. Then, when in the case of some malfunction, the glove compartment must be emptied, a particular disadvantage is provided in that the valuables are not stored safely as long as the repair is being made. A further disadvantage associated with accommodating such valuables in the glove compartment is that the driver feels that the glove compartment provides adequate safekeeping, so that he often fails to take the valuables with him, as he actually should, when leaving the vehicle.

An object of this invention is to at least partially eliminate such problems and provide an instrument panel arrangement which affords access at any time to devices behind the instrument panel while not requiring the glove compartment to be emptied first.

According to this invention there is provided an instrument panel arrangement with a glove compartment box which is confined by walls, which can be closed with a cover and which is recessed into an opening formed in an instrument panel, wherein the glove compartment box is fitted to the instrument panel such that it will clear the opening.

For this purpose, the previous solution of arranging a door in the lateral wall of the glove compartment for access to devices behind it or filling the glove compartment with such facilities is discarded in favor of fitting the glove compartment box to the instrument panel such that it can clear the opening in the instrument panel in which it is arranged in its normal operating position. This makes any device arranged behind the glove compartment, such as a central electrical box or a part thereof, readily accessible in that the glove compartment box is moved from its normal operating position, in which its cover blocks the opening in the instrument panel, into another position in which it is arranged such that it can be removed in its entirety from the opening to take a position in which free access is afforded, through the opening, to the device.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the glove compartment box is pivotally hinged for movement out of the opening by means, e.g., of a hinge arranged at the bottom of the glove compartment cover, at its top or at one of its lateral edges to permit the glove compartment box to be pivoted out of the opening in the instrument panel. In the process the cover of the glove compartment box remains closed, allowing the entire contents of the glove compartment box to remain inside the box and keeping them from being upset, as when the box is being pivoted sideways.

The pivotal arrangement of the glove compartment box on the instrument panel may be advantageously replaced or supplemented by sliding tracks in the instrument panel, permitting the glove compartment box to be slideably moved in a straight line. In this manner, e.g., the glove compartment box can first be retracted in a straight line from the opening and then be pivoted to above, below or the side, where an advantage is provided in that the glove compartment box can be given greater depth than would be allowable if it were simply pivoted out of the instrument panel without any prior, essentially straight-line sliding movement.

Other types of connection between the glove compartment box and the instrument panel may be used, such as a hinged connection using parallel links or the like.

Whereas in prior designs the glove compartment box was always inseparably connected to the instrument panel, the glove compartment box of an embodiment of this invention may be fully separably connected to the instrument panel. Separable connection of this type can be achieved, e.g., by releasing the hinge provided for pivoting the glove compartment box from the opening in the instrument panel, or by simply withdrawing the glove compartment box from the sliding track.

Inasmuch as the glove compartment can be fully removed from the instrument panel, such obstructions can now be avoided as may result from the outwardly pivoted position of a glove compartment box hinged to the instrument panel.

An unexpected, very special advantage afforded by the design in which the present invention is embodied, however, is that the entire glove compartment box and its contents can without much trouble be removed and taken along by the driver when he leaves the vehicle, which makes for simple but especialy effective safeguarding of the valuables stored in the glove compartment box. For this purpose, it will be advantageous to provide the glove compartment box with a carrying handle and additionally give it the shape of a suitcase that the driver can readily take with him together with other hand luggage.

Furthermore the glove compartment box can additionally be arrested in its normal operating position, in which it closes the opening in the instrument panel, such that its inadvertant or unauthorised withdrawal and removal from its mounting in the instrument panel is prevented.

An instrument panel in which this invention is embodied is described now, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a portion of the instrument panel showing a state-of-the-art glove compartment in its open position, and Figures 2 to 4 illustrate an instrument panel arrangement in accordance with the present invention.

Each of the Figures illustrates the right-hand portion of an instrument panel 1, which is a stepped design.

On the driver's side the instrument panel 1 confines a cavity which at the top is closed by a shelf 2 and at the bottom by cover 3.

Recessed into the instrument panel 1 is a glove compartment box 4 the cover 5 of which is hinged by its lower side to the lower edge of the instrument panel 1 and the outer contour of which is flush with that of the instrument panel.

The cover 5 of the glove compartment box 4 has a central lock or handle 6' which for access to the glove compartment box 4 serves to separably position the cover 5 by, e.g., locking or detent provisions over the opening recessed into the instrument panel.

Arranged on a side wall and the rear wall of the glove compartment box 4 are components 6 of a central electrical facility. These components must be separably closed each by its separate cover to prevent their being damaged by the other contents of the glove compartment box 4.

It will be readily apparent that for access to the electrical components 6, the driver must first empty the contents of the glove compartment box 4.

Figures 2 to 4 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention. As it will be seen from Figure 2 the instrument panel 1, the outer side of the glove compartment cover 5 and the shelf 2 take the same shape as the corresponding parts of the conventional design shown in Figure 1.

It will be apparent from the broken-line contour of the glove compartment box 4 shown in Figure 2, that the glove compartment box 4 is somewhat smaller. Also, a release button 7 is arranged in the surface of the shelf 2 centrally above the glove compartment box 4.

It will be seen from Figure 3 that the cover 5 of the glove compartment box 4 can be opened in the same manner as for the conventional design shown in Figure 1. Unlike that known design, however, the present design does not accommodate electrical devices in the interior of the glove compartment box 4.

The electrical devices 6, instead, are arranged behind the glove compartment box 4 and are accessible when the box is pivoted, as indicated by the arrow 8, to below, as shown in Figure 4.

For the purpose the cover 5 is closed, or remains closed, and the release button 7 is depressed to disengage from a mating device 9 in the upper side of the glove compartment box 4. Two leaf springs 10 on the rear side of the glove compartment box 4 urge the entire glove compartment box 4 forward to where it can readily be taken and pivoted downwards into the position shown in Figure 4.

In the process the entire contents of the glove compartment box remain within the box.

The electrical devices 6, which in this embodiment are fuses, are readily accessible and it will not be necessary, either, to disengage any enclosure for these fuses.

Also, relays and other electrical devices 11 are accommodated below the space occupied by the glove compartment box 4 in its retracted position.

These are now accessible in the same way as are the fuses 6 through the same opening in the instrument panel 1, whereas, in earlier designs they were necessarily accommodated elsewhere.

When the driver has completed a repair to the electrical devices 6, 11, he pivots the entire glove compartment box 4 upwards and to the rear, as indicated by arrow 8, until the springs 10 rest against respective arresting provisions not shown in the drawing. A moderate pressure on the cover 5 of the glove compartment box 4 will then cause the lock 7 to engage in the mating device 9 and securely arrest the glove compartment box in the position shown in Figure 2. The glove compartment box 4 can now again be opened and closed like the known glove compartment shown in Figure 1.

As will be apparent from Figure 4, the glove compartment box 4 is hinged at both sides of its lower edge to the instrument panel 1 by means of a hinge-joint 1 2. In order to replace the glove compartment box 4 it will merely be necessary to open the joints 1 2. It may conceivably be an advantage to design the joints 1 2 in the form of releasing hinges such that the glove compartment box 4, when in the position shown in Figure 4 or in a similarly tilted position can readily be engaged or disengaged without requiring the use of tools. In that case the additional advantage afforded would be that the driver, if he carries valuables or important papers in the glove compartment box, can readily disengage the box and take it with him when leaving the vehicle.

Claims

1. An instrument panel arrangement with a glove compartment box which is confined by walls, which can be closed with a cover and which is recessed into an opening formed in an instrument panel, wherein the glove compartment box is fitted to the instrument panel such that it will clear the opening.

2. An instrument panel arrangement according to Claim 1, wherein the glove compartment box is hinged to the instrument panel such that it can be pivoted out of the opening.

3. An instrument panel arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein sliding tracks in which the glove compartment box is slideably arranged are formed in the instrument panel.

4. An instrument panel arrangement according to any one of the Claims 1 to 3, wherein the glove compartment box is separably connected to the instrument panel.

5. An instrument panel arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein the glove compartment box is fitted with a carrying handle which gives it the form of a suitcase.

6. An instrument panel arrangement according to any one of the Claims 1 to 5, wherein the glove compartment box is arrestable in its normal operating position.

7. An instrument panel arrangement substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. An instrument panel arrangement according to Claim 7 and as shown in Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Any other novel feature or combination disclosed hereinbefore as shown in the accompanying drawings.