Instrument panel for industrial vehicle

Abstract: The present invention provides an instrument panel (1) suitable for use on an industrial vehicle such as a fork-lift truck and excellent in noise insulating characteristics, switch configuration characteristics, safety and maintenance facility. The instrument panel (1) is disposed in front of a driver's seat, made of a synthetic resin and arranged to have a switch portion (11) with a variety of switches and a cylinder cover (12) for covering a portion of a tilt cylinder with protrusively facing the driver's seat. A noise insulating seal member (2) is interposed between the lower end surface (123) of the instrument panel (1) and the toe board (3).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument panel suitable for use in an industrial vehicle and excellent in noise insulating characteristics, switch configuration characteristics, safety and maintenance facility. 2. Related Art Statement Hitherto, an instrument panel 9 for an industrial vehicle such as a fork-lift truck has been disposed in front of a driver's seat and formed into a complicated shape as shown in Fig. 6. In general, the instrument panel 9 has a steering shaft fitting portion 90 at a substantially central portion thereof for the purpose of disposing a steering wheel (omitted from illustration). Furthermore, the instrument panel 9 has cargo lever fitting portions 92, 93 and 94 on the two sides thereof for the purpose of disposing cargo levers (omitted from illustration) for operating a lift or the like. In addition, the instrument panel 9 has switch portions 95 and 96 on which a variety of switches are mounted. The instrument panel 9 thus arranged is formed into a predetermined shape by molding a metal plate. In particular, the instrument panel 9 must be designed conspicuously and attractively because it is disposed in front of the driver's seat. Furthermore, there has been an eager desire that the instrument panel 9 is able to minimize noise generated by the aforesaid devices disposed on the instrument panel 9 or noise generated by the engine disposed in the front portion of the vehicle (and below the hood), hydraulic noise and vibrations. In addition, there has been a desire that the weight and the cost of the manufactured instrument panel 9 can be reduced while realizing an excellent manufacturing yield. However, the aforesaid conventional technology encounters the following problems: the fact that the instrument panel 9 is manufactured by molding a metal plate as shown in Fig. 7 causes a problem to arise in that the noise generated by, for example, the engine disposed in the front portion of the vehicle (and below the hood) and leaked through gaps formed on a toe board 3 for connecting pedals thereto or disposing pedals thereon cannot be isolated. Furthermore, it is not sometimes preferable to directly dispose switches on the instrument panel 9 because the instrument panel 9 cannot satisfactorily isolate vibrations. In addition, cylinder covers 91 for covering a pair of right and left tilt cylinders 4, which can be respectively tilted, must be, for safety, disposed below the instrument panel 9. Furthermore, the cylinder covers 91, which cover the tilt cylinders 4, must completely be removed at the time of repair and inspection of the tilt cylinders 4 and their piping portions which must sometimes be performed. Hence, a problem rises in that the maintenance cannot easily be performed with the conventional instrument panel 9. Document EP-A-0 374 975 shows an instrument panel receiving various switches and shielding the occupant cell against the engine compartment. The lower side of the panel may be provided with a sealing towards the vehicle bottom for improving the noise insulation. The document JP-A-56017726 discloses an instrument panel for industrial vehicles which comprises a front protector without showing further details of said protector. The subject matter of the application has the object to provide an instrument panel for an industrial vehicle having excellent noise insulating characteristics. According to the application this object is achieved by the features of the new claim 1. According to new claim 1, additional to the known state of the art according to EP-A-0 374 975, the hydraulic tilt cylinder facing the driver is covered by a cylinder cover integrally formed on said instrument panel. Further, a noise insulating sealing member is fastened around each periphery of elongated holes which are provided as pedal fitting portions. To increase the noise insulating characteristics of said instrument panel further a protector formed by applying a sound absorbing material to a metal plate is provided in front of the instrument panel. The instrument panel according to the invention can be made of a synthetic resin and includes the switch portion and the cylinder covers in such a manner that the noise insulating seal member is interposed between the lower end surface of the instrument panel and the toe board. As the synthetic resin, a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) or plastic made of polypropylene resin may be employed. As a result, the instrument panel according to the present invention reveals excellent durability. The instrument panel according to the present invention may be divided into a plurality of sections (for example, may be divided vertically), or may be integrally formed. It is preferable to arrange the switch portion in a flat portion at the top end portion of the instrument panel. In this case, the switch configuration characteristics can be improved and therefore attractiveness can be improved. The aforesaid noise insulating seal member is made of, for example, a hollow elastic member made of, for example, rubber and the like. The cylinder covers are formed while forming no gap from the toe board in such a manner that they are disposed, for example, at the two lower end portions of the instrument panel to protrusively expand toward the driver's seat. It is preferable that an opening/closing cap, which can be opened/closed, be provided for each of the cylinder covers. If the instrument panel according to the present invention is made of a synthetic resin, the instrument panel can be formed into a complicated shape while revealing excellent design characteristics. Furthermore, the weight can be reduced, vibrations can be prevented, noise can be insulated and the instrument panel can easily be fastened. Since the noise insulating seal member is interposed between the lower end surface of the instrument panel and the toe board, noise generated by the engine or the like can effectively be insulated. The fact that the switch portion is arranged in the flat portion at the top end portion of the instrument panel will enable switches to be fastened attractively. In addition, the cylinder cover for the tilt cylinder is integrally formed on the instrument panel without formation of any gap between the cylinder cover and the toe board and, as the result of which, the safety can be improved. In the case where the instrument panel is composed of a plurality of pieces, the instrument panel can easily be attached/detached, fastened and interchanged. In the case where the opening/closing cap is provided on the cylinder cover, the maintenance can easily be performed. Therefore, according to the present invention, there is provided an instrument panel for an industrial vehicle excellent in the noise insulating characteristics, switch configuration characteristics, safety and maintenance facility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a developed perspective view which illustrates a first embodiment of an instrument panel for an industrial vehicle according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view which illustrates the instrument panel as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view which illustrates the instrument panel as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a front elevational view which illustrates a second embodiment of an instrument panel for an industrial vehicle according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevational cross sectional view of the instrument panel taken along line V-V of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view which illustrates a conventional instrument panel for an industrial vehicle; and Fig. 7 is a side elevational view which illustrates the instrument panel as shown in Fig. 6. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate a first embodiment of an instrument panel 1 for an industrial vehicle according to the present invention. In particular, the instrument panel 1 according to this embodiment is to be disposed in front of the driver's seat of the industrial vehicle such as a fork-lift truck. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the instrument panel 1 is made of a synthetic resin and comprising a switch portion 11, in which various switches are arranged, and cylinder covers 12 each for covering the portion of the tilt cylinder 4 with protrusively facing the driver's seat. In particular, a noise insulating seal member 2 is, as illustrated, interposed between a lower end surface 123 of the instrument panel 1 and a toe board 3. As the aforesaid synthetic resin for making the instrument panel 1, a molded plastic member which uses fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) is employed. The molded plastic member is used to integrally form the instrument panel 1 having a complicated shape. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the instrument panel 1 is formed into a two-sectioned member composed of an upper instrument panel 101 and a lower instrument panel 102 which has the lower end surface 123 and the cylinder covers 12. The upper instrument panel 101 has, at a substantially central portion thereof, a steering shaft fitting portion 110 within which a steering shaft 310 of a steering wheel 31 is positioned. Furthermore, meter panels 311 and 312 are disposed below the steering wheel 31 as shown in Fig. 3. In addition, switch portions 11 are disposed on the two sides of the steering shaft fitting portion 110 of the steering wheel 31. Since switch boxes 111 are, in a horizontal direction, concentrically arranged in the switch portion 111 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, an advantage in terms of design can be obtained because a variety of switches can easily and attractively be arranged. Furthermore, a rubber boot 21 is fastened in the vicinity of the base portion of the steering shaft 310 in the steering shaft fitting portion 110 of the steering wheel 31 as shown in Fig. 2. In the aforesaid upper instrument panel 101, cargo lever fitting portions 320 and 330, within which cargo levers 32 and 33 for operating the tilt cylinder 4 or the like are positioned, are formed above the switch portion 11, more particularly, on the right of the steering shaft fitting portion 110 for the steering wheel 31. In the portion adjacent to the steering shaft fitting portion 110, more particularly, in a portion on the left of the steering shaft fitting portion 110, a brake fitting portion 112, within which a parking brake 34 is disposed, is formed as shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, a reservoir tank cover 113 is disposed adjacent to the brake fitting portion 112. In the cargo lever fitting portions 320 and 330, a bellows-type rubber boots 22 and 23 are formed in the vicinity of the base portions of the cargo levers 32 and 33 as shown in Fig. 2. Also in the vicinity of the base portion of the parking brake 34 in the brake fitting portion 112, a bellows-type rubber boot 24 is fastened. The instrument panel 1 is disposed in the front portion of the industrial vehicle and arranged between a pair of right and left pillars 35 in such a manner that the lower instrument panel 102 is disposed below the upper instrument panel 101. The lower instrument panel 102 has, in a substantially central portion thereof, a steering shaft portion 15 through which the steering shaft 310 extends as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. Furthermore, a variety of elongated through holes respectively serving as an accelerator pedal fitting portion 16, a clutch pedal fitting portion 17, and a brake pedal fitting portion 18 are formed on the two sides of the steering shaft portion 15. In addition, a pair of cylinder covers 12 are disposed on the two sides of the lower instrument panel 102. The cylinder covers 12 have stream-line expansion or projection portions expanding or projecting toward the driver's seat as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The tilt cylinder 4 are disposed in front of the cylinder covers 12. It should be noted that the noise insulating seal member 2 is disposed between the lower end surface of the lower instrument panel 102 and the toe board 3. The noise insulating seal member 2 is made of a hollow rubber member revealing excellent noise insulating characteristics and having satisfactory durability and elasticity. In addition, a noise insulating seal 2' similar to the noise insulating seal member 2 is fastened around each periphery of the elongated holes serving as the accelerator pedal fitting portion 16, the clutch pedal fitting portion 17 and the brake pedal fitting portion 18, so that the noise insulating characteristics are further improved. The upper instrument panel 101 and the lower instrument panel 102 thus configured are connected to each other at a joint portion 10 by bolts and spring nuts (omitted from illustration) as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As a result, the two instrument panels 101 and 102 are integrally jointed together. Furthermore, a protector 30 formed by applying a sound absorbing material 301 to a metal plate is fastened in front of the upper instrument panel 101 and the lower instrument panel 102. The residual portions are arranged to be similar to the conventional instrument panel. Since the instrument panel 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is made of the synthetic resin, the instrument panel 1 can be formed into a complicated shape while revealing excellent design characteristics. Furthermore, the instrument panel 1 according to the present invention will enable effects to be obtained in that the weight can be reduced, vibration and noise can be satisfactorily eliminated, and it can be fastened easily, while revealing an advantage that it can be manufactured easily. In addition, switches can be disposed as desired and attractively because the switch boxes 111 are horizontally and collectively arranged in order on the two sides of the steering shaft fitting portion 110 of the steering wheel 31. Hence, an advantage in terms of design attractiveness can be obtained. The fact that the noise insulating seal member 2 is interposed between the lower end surface 123 of the instrument panel 1 and the toe board 3 leads to a fact that the noise generated from the engine or the like can be insulated. The noise insulating characteristics and the attractiveness can be further improved because the rubber boots 21 to 24 are fastened in the vicinity of the base portion of each of the steering shaft 310, the cargo levers 32 and 33 and the parking brake 34. Furthermore, the cylinder cover 12, which covers the portion of the tilt cylinder 4 with protrusively facing the driver's seat, is formed to expand over the toe board 3 while forming no gap between the cylinder cover 12 and the toe board 3, so that a foot of the driver cannot be undesirably received by the portion between the cylinder cover 12 and the toe board 3. As a result, the safety can be improved satisfactorily. In addition, the instrument panel 1 according to this embodiment can be attached/detached easily, causing effects to be obtained in that the same can be easily fastened and interchanged because the instrument panel 1 is formed into a separation type composed of the upper instrument panel 101 and the lower instrument panel 102. Although the first embodimnt is arranged in such a manner that the instrument panel 1 is formed into a separation type composed of the upper portion and the lower portion, they may be integrally formed into a one-piece member. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an instrument panel 1' according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the instrument panel 1 according to the first embodiment lies in that opening/closing caps 121 and 122 for maintenance are disposed to open/close the expansion portions of cylinder covers 12'. The residual arrangements are the same as those according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the opening/closing caps 121 and 122 are opened/closed at the time of repairing and/or inspecting the tilt cylinder 4 (see Fig. 3) and its piping portion to be performed in the right and the left cylinder covers 12'. Each of the opening/closig caps 121 and 122 is disposed in such a manner that a substantially elongated hole is formed in a portion of each cylinder cover 12' and an integral hinge 19 is fastened to enable the bottom portion of the elongated hole to be opened/closed. The integral hinge 19 has, in a portion thereof, a bending-enabled portion formed into a V-groove. When the tilt cylinders 4 and their piping portions are repaired and/or inspected, the aforesaid opening/closing caps 121 and 122 are opened, but the same are closed in an ordinary state. The instrument panel 1' according to the second embodiment reveals excellent safety and noise insulating characteristics. Furthermore, the tilt cylinder 4 can be repaired conveniently, causing an effect to be obtained in that excellent maintenance characteristics can be realized. Therefore, the instrument panel 1' according to the second embodiment enables excellent maintenance facility to be obtained in that the repair and/or inspection can easily be performed as compared with the instrument panel 1 according to the aforesaid first embodiment, while obtaining similar effects to those obtainable from the first embodiment.

Claims: An instrument panel for an industrial vehicle of a type disposed in front of a driver's seat comprising: a switch portion (11) which is integrally formed on said instrument panel (101, 102) and on which switches are arranged; a cylinder cover (12) integrally formed on said instrument panel (101, 102) to cover a portion of a tilt cylinder (4) with facing said driver's seat; elongated holes serving as pedal fitting portions (16, 17, 18); a noise insulating seal member (2') fastened around each periphery of said elongated holes (16, 17, 18); a noise insulating seal member (2) interposed between the lower end surface of said instrument panel (101, 102) and a toe board; and a protector (30) formed by applying a sound absorbing material (301) to a metal plate fastened in front of the instrument panel (101, 102). An instrument panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a stearing shaft fitting portion (110) for a steering shaft (310) of a steering wheel (31), said steering shaft fitting portion (110) being formed in a substantially central portion of said instrument panel (101, 102), switch boxes horizontally and concentrically disposed in said switch portion (11) to form a line on the two sides of said steering shaft fitting portion (110), a cargo lever fitting portion (320, 330) for a cargo lever (32, 33), said cargo lever fitting portion (320, 330) being disposed adjacent to said switch portion for the purpose of operating said tilt cylinder (4), a brake fitting portion (112) for a parking brake (34), said brake fitting portion (112) being disposed adjacent to said steering shaft fitting portion (110) for said steering wheel (31) and bellows-shape rubber boots (22, 23) respectively fastened to the base portion of each of said steering shaft (310), said cargo lever (32, 33) and said parking brake (34) in said steering shaft fitting portion (110), said cargo lever fitting portion (320, 330) and said brake fitting portion (112). An instrument panel according to claim 2, wherein said instrument panel (101, 102) is formed into a two-piece member composed of an upper instrument panel (104) and a lower instrument panel (102), said upper instrument panel (101) has said steering shaft fitting portion (110), said switch portion, said cargo lever fitting portion (320, 330) and said brake fitting portion (112), and said lower instrument panel (102) has said tilt cylinder covers (12) disposed on the two sides thereof, a steering shaft fitting portion (110) which is disposed in a substantially central portion thereof and through which said steering shaft (310) extends, an accelerator pedal fitting portion (16), a clutch pedal fitting portion (17) and a brake pedal fitting portion (18) respectively disposed in the two sides of said steering shaft fitting portion (110) and formed into enlongated through-holes. An instrument panel according to claim 3, wherein said upper instrument panel (101) and said lower instrument panel (102) are connected to each other at their joint portions by bolts and spring nuts. An instrument panel according to claim 3, wherein said protector (30) is fastened in front of said upper instrument panel (101) and said lower instrument panel (102). An instrument panel according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder cover (12) has an expansion portion expanding toward said driver's seat and has an opening/closing cap which can be opened/closed, said opening/closing cap being disposed in said expansion portion so as to repair and/or inspect said tilt cylinder (4) and its piping portion therethrough. An instrument panel according to claim 1, wherein said instrument panel (101, 102) is made of a synthetic resin. An instrument panel according to claim 7, wherein said synthetic resin is selected from a group including fiber rein-forced plastic (FRP) and a polypropylene resin. An instrument panel according to claim 1, wherein said noise insulating seal member (2') contains a hollow rubber material. An instrument panel according to one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein said instrument panel (101, 102) is disposed in front of a driver's seat of a fork-lift truck in such a manner that said instrument panel (101, 102) is disposed on a toe board.

Inventors: IZUMI AKIRA, IZUMI, AKIRA, Izumi, Akira, c/o Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda
Applicants: TOYODA AUTOMATIC LOOM WORKS, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYODA JIDOSHOKKI SEISAKUSHO
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B62D65
IPC codes: B60R13, B60K37, B62D33, B62D25, B66F9, B62D65