Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2001-07-17
Pedder, Dennis H. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S192000, C280S779000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260914
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to dash reinforcements and dash assemblies for mobile vehicle with a passenger cab such as a sport utility vehicle, or medium or heavy-duty truck. The dash reinforcement may be a stamped sheet metal panel that strengthens the dash structure of the cab and provides for mounting of vehicle components. The dash reinforcement of this invention is symmetrical about the centerline of the vehicle and this symmetry allows the panel to accommodate both left-hand drive and right-hand drive vehicle configurations. The dash reinforcement also includes ‘Y’ shaped passages for a driver control module and for accessory equipment such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) modules. The dash reinforcement may be engaged to a dash panel to form a dash assembly.
PRIOR ART
Vehicle cabs have previously been comprised of a series of sheet metal parts welded or otherwise fastened together. A forwardly and generally vertical portion of the cab comprising one of these sheet metal parts has been the dash reinforcement panel. This dash reinforcement panel is located on a lower forward portion of the cab. The dash reinforcement extends vertically from the front edge of the floor to the lower edge of the windshield and spans the width of the cab. The dash reinforcement provides structural support to various vehicle components. When the vehicle is fully assembled a dash panel was joined to the dash reinforcement to make up a dash assembly. Prior art dash reinforcements, dash assemblies, and cabs of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,163 and 5,863,093. The prior art reinforcement panels were asymmetrical about the centerline of the vehicles when installed. This asymmetry was characterized in that the primary passages or mounting locations on the panel were different from right to left side of the panel and hence the vehicle when installed. These passages or mounting locations were for vehicle components such as steering columns, brake and accelerator pedals, and accessory equipment such as HVAC. Left-hand drive vehicles required different dash reinforcements than right-hand drive for the same make and model vehicles. Where there were significant sized openings on each side of the reinforcement, albeit different in shape as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,163, these holes reduced the overall strength and rigidity of the dash reinforcements. This was particularly true where the dash reinforcement arched over the engine compartment. Additionally, the dash reinforcement had to be of different stamped pieces depending on usage in a left-hand drive or right-hand drive application or whether in a conventional engine mounted forward of the cab or low front entry (LFE), engine under cab, application.
To date, a dash reinforcement, a dash assembly, or a vehicle incorporating a dash reinforcement has not been suggested which provides for symmetry across the major passages or openings in the reinforcement panel, same size holes for driver control equipment or module and accessory equipment such as HVAC equipment or modules, enhanced major opening shape for enhanced rigidity, and one stamped for the dash reinforcement configuration regardless of left-hand, right-hand drive, or conventional or LFE configuration.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
As a result, a primary object of this invention is to provide a dash reinforcement that provides for symmetry across the major passages or openings in the reinforcement panel. A second object of the invention is to provide a dash reinforcement that has same size and shape holes for driver control equipment or module and accessory equipment such as HVAC equipment or modules. A third object of the invention is to provide a dash reinforcement that has enhanced major opening shape for enhanced rigidity. A fourth object of the invention is to provide a dash panels for engagement to the dash reinforcement that may be made stamped for the dash panel configuration regardless of left-hand, right-hand drive, or conventional or LFE configuration using shared tooling dies.
The dash reinforcement and dash panel of this invention satisfies all of the above objects plus others not mentioned. The dash reinforcement is a sheet metal panel formed of high strength sheet steel. This dash reinforcement is located on a lower forward portion of the cab. Stamping may form the sheet metal. The dash reinforcement extends vertically from the front edge of the floor to the lower edge of the windshield and spans the width of the cab. The dash reinforcement arches over the engine compartment since the front of the truck cab is immediately over the rear end of the engine. The dash reinforcement has two large openings to accommodate HVAC components and the steering column mounting, as well as smaller holes for mounting components such as air cleaner or wind shield wiper system. These two large openings are in the same generally ‘Y’ shape to add rigidity to the dash reinforcement. These two large ‘Y’ openings will be referred to as the ‘double Y’ configuration. The double ‘Y’ openings may be symmetrical to each other on the dash reinforcement relative to the centerline of the dash reinforcement and hence the cab. This symmetry allows for the steering column mounting or a multi-component driver control module containing the steering column to be mounted on either side of the dash reinforcement without the need to asymmetrically relocate associated steering equipment such as a steering gear on vehicle chassis. This configuration allows for both left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles to be produced using the same dash reinforcement.
The dash reinforcement is closely related to the dash panel. The dash panel acts as a heat and noise barrier between the passenger and the engine compartment. The dash panel is flat for the majority of its area. The top of the dash panel is flanged to allow assembly with the dash reinforcement.
The dash reinforcement is fastened to the dash panel by spot welding. The welded assembly of the dash reinforcement and the dash panel complete the structure for the front face of the cab. Together, the dash panel and the dash reinforcement, also in combination referred to as the cowl, carry the loads entering the cab structure through the front cab mounts as well as provide mounting for the vehicle components: air cleaner, HVAC, driver control module, electrical systems, windshield wiper system, and the instrument panel. The front cab mounts are engaged to the cab immediately adjacent to the bottom of the portions of the dash reinforcement containing the bottom of the ‘Y’ shaped openings.
The cross-sectional shape of the dash reinforcement increases the rigidity and strength of the part. The assembly of the dash panel and the dash reinforcement is subjected to various complex-loading conditions. The dash assembly would best perform as a single continuous shear panel to resist vertical out of phase loads transmitted through the front cab mounts. Due to the engine packaging, the center of the ideal shear panel must be removed for conventional engine mounting, reducing the structural efficiency and allowing twisting of the cowl section generated by out of phase fore/aft loads, The unique ‘double Y’ configuration of the dash reinforcement stabilizes the large shear panel outboard of the engine opening, while the cross section of the cowl acts in torsion to manage to manage out of phase fore/aft loading. This fore/aft loading may be a result of the cab mounts on one side of the vehicle reacting to a bump sensed by a chassis of the vehicle on that side only. The depressions in the dash panel across the engine opening have been customized to endure the complex stress pattern generated by the complex and dynamic loading conditions.
The dash panel may be made from a combination of the same stamping dies moved to account for left-hand versus right-hand drive, or for conventional engine versus LFE configuration. Areas of the rough stamping may be trimmed away to account for the different variations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1823156 (1931-09-01), McDo
Gibbs Brian P.
Kipfer Charles W.
Monteith Gary E.
Nieminski Brant R.
Romie Norbert E.
Calfa Jeffrey P.
Dennis Kelly Skillivan Gilberto Hernandez
International Truck and Engine Corporation
Pedder Dennis H.
Powell Neil T.
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