Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Utility Patent
1999-08-30
2001-01-02
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S070000, C296S192000
Utility Patent
active
06168230
ABSTRACT:
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 10-269592 filed on Sep. 24, 1998 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a defroster duct installation structure, and more particularly, to the installation structure used for installing the defroster duct in a vehicle body such as an automobile, on which an instrument panel is covered.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a structure for installing the defroster duct into a vehicle body such as an automobile has been disclosed, for example, in Publication of Japanese Patent Application HEI 10-175430.
Referring to
FIG. 4
, in a conventional defroster duct installation structure, a defroster duct
100
is divided into two portions, a lower defroster portion
102
and an upper defroster portion (defroster nozzle)
104
. The lower defroster portion
102
is fitted to a blow port
106
of an air conditioning unit mounted on the vehicle body side.
In the state where the defroster duct
100
is divided into two portions: the lower defroster portion
102
and the upper defroster portion
104
, the lower defroster portion
102
is fitted to the blow port
106
of the air conditioning unit and the defroster upper
104
is fitted to the instrument panel
108
so as to be installed to the vehicle body. This makes it possible to fit blow ports
104
A of the defroster upper
104
to the corresponding blow ports
108
A formed in the instrument panel
108
without any relative displacement. As a result, this structure prevents the blow port
108
A of the instrument panel
108
from deteriorating its air supply performance (defroster performance). The lower defroster portion
102
and the upper defroster portion
104
are joined together while installing the instrument panel
108
to the vehicle body.
The aforementioned defroster duct installation structure eliminates the relative displacement between the blow port
108
A of the instrument panel
108
for covering the upper defroster portion
104
and the blow port
104
A thereof. However, such structure requires the integration of the upper defroster portion
104
with the instrument panel
108
before it is installed to the vehicle body. The resultant integrated instrument panel is increased in size, and the installation capability, thus, is deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a defroster duct installation structure which eliminates the relative displacement between blow ports of the instrument panel and the defroster duct as well as improves the installation capability.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a defroster duct installation structure is defined by a defroster duct including an engagement portion to be engaged with a vehicle body and a duct portion that leads the flow of air conditioned by an air conditioning unit to the interior of a vehicle, an instrument panel that covers the defroster duct, a positioning portion formed in the instrument panel abutted against a duct portion of the defroster duct so as to align a blow port of the defroster duct with a blow port of the instrument panel, and displacement means for allowing displacement of the duct portion relative to the engagement portion.
In the aforementioned aspect, the displacement means formed on the defroster duct includes a deforming portion that deforms when the positioning portion presses the duct portion of the defroster duct. The deforming portion elastically deforms when the positioning portion presses the duct portion of the defroster duct.
After engaging the engagement portion of the defroster duct with the vehicle body during installation, the positioning portion formed on the instrument panel is brought into abutment against the duct portion of the defroster duct. Then, the blow port of the defroster duct is aligned with the blow port of the instrument panel. After bringing the positioning portion formed on the instrument panel into abutment against the duct portion of the defroster duct, when the instrument panel is further shifted toward the fixed direction, the positioning portion formed on the instrument panel presses the duct portion of the defroster duct toward the fixed direction. In the above state, the engagement portion of the defroster duct is engaged with the vehicle body. The displacement means deforms to displace the duct portion relative to the engagement portion. Therefore, the blow port of the defroster duct is kept aligned with the blow port of the instrument panel, eliminating the relative displacement therebetween. Unlike the generally employed art, in the present invention, the defroster duct does not have to be preliminarily integrated with the instrument panel. Accordingly, the size of the instrument panel is not increased, and the installation capability, thus, can be improved.
In the aforementioned aspect, it is preferable to dispose the displacement means between the engagement portion and the duct portion.
In the defroster duct installation structure of the first aspect of the invention in view of the second aspect thereof, the displacement means is disposed in the duct portion opposite to the portion that abuts against the positioning portion, and deformed in substantially the same direction as the one for installing the instrument panel.
When the duct portion of the defroster duct is pressed by the positioning portion in the direction where the instrument panel is installed, the displacement means deforms in the direction to which the pressure is applied. Then, accompanied with shifting of the instrument panel, the duct portion shifts toward the direction where the instrument panel is installed. The blow port of the defroster duct can be aligned with the blow port of the instrument panel only by installing the instrument panel. In the aforementioned state, the instrument panel is fixed to the vehicle body, and a reaction force caused by the deformation of the displacement means acts upon the abutted portion between the instrument panel and the defroster duct. As a result, the fit of the abutted portion between the instrument panel and the defroster duct can be made tighter.
According to the aforementioned second aspect, the instrument panel is installed to the duct portion at a location substantially rear of the vehicle, which allows the displacement means to change the position of the duct portion along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body relative to the engagement portion of the defroster duct.
In accordance with the aforementioned second aspect of the present invention, the instrument panel is installed to the duct portion at a substantially top portion of the vehicle, which allows the displacement means to change the position of the duct portion along the vertical direction of the vehicle relative to the engagement portion of the defroster duct.
According to the first and the second aspects of the present invention, the positioning portion may be a rib formed at the lower surface of the instrument panel. Further, the rib can have its profile formed into a triangle.
In the first and the second aspects of the present invention, the positioning portion can be formed into a protruded portion on the lower surface of the instrument panel.
In the first and the second aspects of the present invention, the displacement means includes a U-like shaped or bellows-like shaped curve portion disposed between the engagement portion and the duct portion.
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patent: 6089642 (20
Blankenship Greg
Dayoan D. Glenn
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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