Instrument panel to front cowl attachment

A stiffening assembly for a vehicle cowl panel includes a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets. Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another. Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises a pair of parallel bracket arms which align with one another when the stiffening assembly is attached to the cowl panel. Cowl panel and instrument panel assemblies incorporating one or more stiffening assemblies and vehicles incorporating the cowl panel and instrument panel assemblies are provided.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to vehicle instrument panel assemblies. In particular, the disclosure relates to strategies for assembling an instrument panel to a vehicle front cowl, and for bracket assemblies for accomplishing same.

BACKGROUND

A vehicle instrument panel is an important component of a vehicle assembly, carrying a variety of essential, useful, and/or desirable elements. For example, the typical instrument panel typically carries or holds such diverse elements as a steering column/wheel, an instrument cluster, an entertainment center, a glove box and/or other dash-mounted storage compartments, navigation systems, built-in cameras, associated electronic modules, and others.

The vehicle instrument panel also serves an important structural function and must meet certain engineering requirements. In particular, for a desirable passenger cabin occupant experience, a primary requirement is for the instrument panel to be as rigid as possible. A suitably rigid instrument panel ensures an acceptable level of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), acceptable crash safety performance, and acceptable climate control performance, among others. A higher NVH characteristic translates into an improved user experience from the perspective of a passenger. A lower instrument panel NVH characteristic results in user dissatisfaction.

FIG. 1shows a portion of a vehicle100including a frame102defining an engine compartment104and a passenger cabin106, a cowl panel108disposed substantially at a juncture of the engine compartment and the passenger cabin, and an instrument panel110. In many vehicle100designs, the instrument panel110is attached to a portion of the cowl panel108.

This is shown in greater detail inFIG. 2, wherein a portion of the instrument panel110is attached to a cowl panel108defined by a vehicle-forward wall112, a vehicle-rearward wall114, and an intervening floor116. Because of the relative positions of the instrument panel110and the cowl panel108in an assembled vehicle100, as shown inFIG. 3the instrument panel110is typically attached to an upper portion of the vehicle-rearward wall114of the cowl panel108at one or more attachment points118(seeFIG. 3).

Because of the relatively high attachment points118of the instrument panel110to the cowl panel vehicle rearward wall114, particularly if a portion of the vehicle100construction such as the cowl panel108is of a lesser stiffness a certain amount of vibration and translation (shown generally as arrow A inFIG. 2) of the instrument panel caused by engine- and road-induced vibrations occurs as the vehicle is operated. These vibrations are measurable as cycles/sec. or Hz, and translate to physical movement, bending, and/or torsional responses of the instrument panel110. This instrument panel110“roll” resulting in a pulling effect on the cowl panel vehicle-rearward wall114can result in a lowered NVH characteristic for the instrument panel.

Thus, a need is identified in the art for reducing the tendency of an instrument panel110attached to a cowl panel108to translate and contribute to NVH during vehicle operation.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein and to solve the above-summarized and other problems, in one aspect of the present disclosure a stiffening assembly for a vehicle cowl panel is provided, comprising a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each comprising cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another. In embodiments, each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises parallel bracket arms.

The parallel bracket arms may each be provided with one or more spaced bracket arm through-bores. The parallel bracket arms of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets are disposed to align with one another when the stiffening assembly is attached to the cowl panel. In embodiments, the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each respectively includes a bracket flange provided with one or more spaced flange through-bores configured to allow securing the stiffening assembly to the cowl panel wall.

In another aspect, an instrument panel and cowl panel assembly for a vehicle is provided, comprising a cowl panel, an instrument panel assembly attached to a portion of a vehicle-rearward cowl panel, and one or more stiffening assemblies attached to a portion of the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to a vehicle-forward cowl panel wall. The one or more stiffening assemblies each comprise a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each including cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another.

In embodiments, each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets comprises parallel bracket arms provided with one or more spaced bracket arm through-bores. The pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets may further each respectively include a bracket flange provided with one or more spaced flange through-bores. The parallel bracket arms of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets are disposed to align with one another when the one or more stiffening assemblies are attached to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall. The one or more spaced flange through-bores are configured to allow securing the one or more stiffening assemblies to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

In yet another aspect, a vehicle is provided, comprising a body defining at least a passenger compartment and a cowl panel defined by at least a vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and a vehicle-forward cowl panel wall. An instrument panel assembly is attached to a portion of the vehicle-rearward cowl panel. One or more stiffening assemblies are attached to a portion of the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall. The vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall may be held in a substantially upright orientation.

In embodiments, the one or more stiffening assemblies each comprise a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets each including cooperating bracket arms adapted for holding opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets at varying distances from one another. Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets may comprise parallel bracket arms each provided with one or more spaced bracket arm through-bores. The pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets may further each respectively include a bracket flange provided with one or more spaced flange through-bores.

The parallel bracket arms of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets are disposed to align with one another when the one or more stiffening assemblies are attached to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall. The one or more spaced flange through-bores are configured to allow securing the one or more stiffening assemblies to the vehicle-rearward cowl panel wall and to the vehicle-forward cowl panel wall.

In the following description, there are shown and described embodiments of the disclosed cowl panel stiffening assembly. As it should be realized, the described devices are capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the devices and methods as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed cowl panel stiffening assembly, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIGS. 4-6, a cowl panel stiffening assembly120is shown which solves the above-described and other problems by reducing the tendency of a cowl panel108and an instrument panel110attached thereto to translate or deflect in response to engine- and/or road-induced vibrations. The cowl panel stiffening assembly120is shown attached to a vehicle-forward wall112and a vehicle-rearward wall114of the cowl panel108.

The cowl panel stiffening assembly120includes a pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets122,124, in the depicted embodiments being mirror images of one another. With reference toFIG. 4showing C-shaped bracket122, each C-shaped bracket includes a pair of cooperating bracket arms126,126′ adapted to hold opposed ends of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets122,124at varying distances from one another to provide an adjustable cowl panel stiffening assembly120(seeFIG. 5, arrow B). Each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets122,124also includes a flange128adapted to be attached to a cowl panel108wall. While only a single flange128is provide in the depicted embodiment of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets122,124, it will be appreciated that a flange portion (not shown) providing a mirror image to the depicted flange128could be provided for a stronger attachment to a cowl panel108wall.

This feature of adjustability is implemented by providing one or more spaced through-bores130in the cooperating bracket arms126,126′ and in the flanges128. These spaced through-bores130are dimensioned to receive suitable fasteners132therethrough. With reference toFIGS. 5-6, in use the cooperating bracket arms126,126′ of each of the pair of cooperating C-shaped brackets122,124are aligned and fastened to one another by fasteners132, selecting the through-bores130providing a length of the assembled cowl panel stiffening assembly120which will accommodate a width dimension W of the cowl panel108. As will be appreciated, this feature allows the described cowl panel stiffening assembly120to be adapted to fit cowl panels108having a range of widths, i.e. distances between vehicle-forward wall112and vehicle-rearward wall114.

As shown inFIG. 6, the described cowl panel stiffening assembly120stiffens and stabilizes the cowl panel vehicle-forward wall112and vehicle-rearward wall114, in turn reducing the tendency of the instrument panel110to roll. As will be appreciated, one, two, or more cowl panel stiffening assemblies120may be attached to the cowl panel vehicle-forward wall112and vehicle-rearward wall114in accordance with the length and width of the cowl panel108and with the tendency of the vehicle-rearward wall114to deflect and allow the instrument panel110to roll.

As will be appreciated, by use of the described cowl panel stiffening assembly120, a number of advantages are realized. The described assembly provides a simple, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to solutions based on increasing instrument panel110subassembly stiffness/weight. By the described cowl panel stiffening assembly, instrument panel NVH requirements can be met, improving customer acceptance of vehicle incorporating the assembly.

The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the foregoing description focused on cowl panel/instrument panel assemblies. However, the skilled artisan will readily appreciate that the described stiffening assembly is readily applicable to any joint attachment scenario wherein a bracket assembly as described can be applied to stiffen a panel or assembly comprising substantially vertical forward and rearward walls. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.