Patent Description:
In motor vehicles, a passenger compartment is provided for receiving the driver and passengers. Inside the passenger compartment, an instrument panel is disposed. The instrument panel is made up of a set of indicators and warning lights that inform the driver of the motor vehicle about the operation of the motor vehicle and about driving parameters such as the speed or the outside temperature. In addition to the indicators, the instrument panel includes a variety of accessories for comfort and safety such as ventilation, air conditioning, radio, audio supports, glove box, passenger airbag, electronic components for controlling electronic device in the motor vehicle, etc..

All these indicators and accessories take a lot of space in the instrument panel, and the remaining space that can be used for storage spaces, such as the glove box, is reduced.

Yet, the drivers and the passengers of motor vehicles are requesting more storage space in the instrument panel.

In the current motor vehicles, the arrangement of the various indicators and accessories has been optimized to provide maximum storage space. The compactness of the indicators and accessories has also been optimized. However, the available storage space in the instrument panel still does not meet the drivers and passengers request.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle which improves the situation by providing an instrument panel with more storage space. The document JPH06199137A discloses a motor vehicle with a box according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

It is proposed a motor vehicle intended to be driven by a driver comprising:.

wherein the box is waterproof and at least a portion of the box extends on a lower side of the upper surface, the lower side of the upper surface being opposite to the upper side.

Hence, said portion of the box extending on the lower side of the upper surface of the floor, is disposed below the upper surface of the floor when considering the vertical direction extending from the floor to the passenger compartment. The box is thus disposed entirely below the upper surface of the floor. The box is thus no longer disposed in the instrument panel of the motor vehicle, which frees up space in the instrument panel. Storage spaces can thus be created in the former location of the box in the instrument panel.

The box is also waterproof to protect the electronic equipment housed inside the box from the external environment of the cabin. Thus, even if the box is more exposed to the external environment of the cabin than when it was in the instrument panel, the protection of the electronic equipment is still guaranteed.

According to the invention, the floor comprises a housing receiving said at least portion of the box.

The housing is a hole through the floor.

The box can thus be positioned in the motor vehicle from the inside of the cabin, which avoids any contact between the electronic equipment and the external environment of the cabin.

According to the invention, the housing comprises a peripheral wall extending from the upper surface of the floor, the peripheral wall comprising at least one abutment supporting the housing.

The abutment enables to position the box in the housing and provides a support to secure the box in the housing.

According to the invention, the box comprises a top wall oriented toward the passenger compartment, and leveled with the upper surface of the floor in the vertical direction.

Thus, no part of the box is disposed inside the passenger compartment. Moreover, the top wall of the box is easily reachable from the inside of the cabin for maintenance.

According to one aspect, the electronic equipment is an electronic control unit (ECU) or a fuse and relay center (FRC).

According to one aspect, the motor vehicle comprises at least one cable extending from the box to the electronic device to connect the electronic equipment and the electronic device, a portion of the cable extending in the passenger compartment, on the upper surface of the floor.

The cable is thus protected from the external environment of the cabin.

According to one aspect, the box is positioned on a passenger side of the cabin.

Hence, the box is away from the steering column of the vehicle. The box is thus easy to assemble to the vehicle, and the box is thus more easily accessible for maintenance.

The invention is also directed to a method for assembling the box to the cabin of the motor vehicle as described above.

In particular, the cabin comprises a door opening delimiting the passenger compartment in a transversal direction which is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and an instrument panel, and the method comprises the steps of:.

Introducing the box inside the passenger compartment simultaneously with the instrument panel enables to minimize the number of steps necessary to set the box in the motor vehicle.

In the figures, the same references denote identical or similar elements. For sake of clarity, various elements may not be represented at scale.

In the description, the longitudinal direction L is defined as the direction from the rear to the front of the vehicle when considering the normal direction of travel of the vehicle, the transverse direction T is defined as the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and from one side of the vehicle to the other, and the vertical direction V is defined from top to bottom, as the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the transverse direction.

<FIG> shows a truck <NUM> comprising a cabin <NUM>. Although the description presents a truck <NUM> as a motor vehicle, it is understood that the invention applies to any type of vehicle such as a car, a bus or any other ground vehicle.

The cabin <NUM> of the truck comprises a floor <NUM> with an upper surface <NUM>. As shown on <FIG>, the upper surface <NUM> of the floor delimits a passenger compartment <NUM> of the truck <NUM> in the vertical direction V. The passenger compartment <NUM> is intended to receive the driver of the truck <NUM>, and passengers if any. The passenger compartment <NUM> extends on an upper side 21U of the upper surface <NUM>.

An instrument panel <NUM> is set in the passenger compartment <NUM>. The instrument panel <NUM> is attached to the cabin <NUM>, on the upper side 21U of the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>.

The truck <NUM> also comprises a box <NUM> housing an electronic control unit (ECU). The electronic control unit controls at least one electronic device of the truck <NUM>. The electronic device can be disposed in the instrument panel. The electronic device can be one or more actuators responsible for the operation of the truck. For example, they participate to the engine performance, or power steering, or comfort and security features such as parking assistance, airbag deployment. Through the control of the actuators, the ECU thus controls the engine performance, or power steering, or comfort and security features.

The box <NUM> could alternatively houses a fuse and relay center (FRC) or any other electronic equipment configured to control an electronic device in the truck <NUM>.

The box <NUM> is represented on <FIG>. The box <NUM> has substantially a rectangular shape. It has a planar top wall <NUM> and vertical sides <NUM>. The top wall <NUM> extends beyond the vertical sides <NUM>, and forms a flange <NUM>. A cable <NUM> extends from the top wall <NUM> of the box <NUM>. The cable <NUM> enables to connect the electronic control unit, which is inside the box <NUM>, with the electronic device that is controlled by the electronic control unit.

The cable <NUM> connecting the electronic control unit with the electronic device extends in the passenger compartment <NUM>, at least partly on the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>. All the cable <NUM> extends inside the cabin <NUM>. It starts from the top wall <NUM> of the box <NUM>, which enables it to be directly into the cabin <NUM>, and then extends on the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM> until it reaches the instrument panel <NUM>. The cable <NUM> is thus protected from the external environment of the cabin <NUM>.

The box <NUM> is positioned on a passenger side of the cabin <NUM> so as to be away from the steering column. The box <NUM> is thus easy to assemble to the truck <NUM>, and easily accessible for maintenance.

The box <NUM> extends on a lower side <NUM> of the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>. The lower side <NUM> of the upper surface <NUM> is opposite to the upper side 21U of the upper surface <NUM> in the vertical direction V. The vertical direction V is oriented from the floor <NUM> to the passenger compartment <NUM>. In other words, the box <NUM> extends below the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>.

The box <NUM> is disposed entirely below the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>. As the box is positioned below the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>, the box <NUM> is not positioned in the instrument panel <NUM>. Storages spaces can thus be created inside the instrument panel <NUM>.

Preferably, at least <NUM>% of the box <NUM> extends on the lower side <NUM> of the upper surface <NUM>. More preferably, at least <NUM>% of the box <NUM> extends on the lower side <NUM> of the upper surface <NUM>. This minimizes the proportion of the box <NUM> protruding inside the passenger compartment <NUM>. Hence, the available space in the passenger compartment <NUM> for receiving the driver and the passengers is barely not impacted by the presence of the box <NUM>.

The floor <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM> for receiving the box <NUM>. The housing <NUM> is schematically represented on <FIG>. The housing <NUM> is a hole through the floor <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> comprises a peripheral wall <NUM> extending from the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>. The peripheral wall <NUM> comprises one abutment <NUM> for supporting the box <NUM>. The shape of the housing <NUM> is thus adapted to receive the box <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically represents the box <NUM> positioned inside the housing <NUM> of the floor <NUM>. When the box <NUM> is positioned in the housing <NUM>, the vertical sides <NUM> of the box <NUM> are facing the peripheral wall <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. The flange <NUM> is supported by the abutment <NUM>. The abutment <NUM> enables to position the box <NUM> in the housing <NUM> and provides a support to secure the box <NUM> in the housing <NUM>. The box <NUM> is attached to the floor by screws attaching the flange <NUM> to the floor <NUM> at the abutment <NUM>.

Besides, the top wall <NUM> is leveled with the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>, in the vertical direction V. The box <NUM> is thus entirely below the upper surface <NUM> of the floor <NUM>, and easily reachable from the inside of the passenger compartment <NUM>.

As can be seen on <FIG> and <FIG>, the vertical sides <NUM> of the box <NUM> extend beyond the floor <NUM>.

To protect the electronic control unit from the external environment of the box <NUM>, such as dust and water, the box <NUM> is waterproof. Thus, even if the box <NUM> is not entirely protected by the floor <NUM>, the electronic control unit is still protected, which guarantees the proper operation of the control unit and the truck <NUM>.

For assembling the box <NUM> to the cabin <NUM> of the truck <NUM>, the instrument panel <NUM> and the box <NUM> are simultaneously introduced in the passenger compartment <NUM> through the door opening <NUM> of the cabin <NUM>, as shown on <FIG>.

Then, the instrument panel <NUM> is positioned and fixed on the cabin <NUM>.

Once the instrument panel <NUM> is fixed, the box <NUM> is positioned and fixed on the cabin <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A motor vehicle (<NUM>) intended to be driven by a driver, the motor vehicle being a truck, comprising:
- a cabin (<NUM>) comprising a floor (<NUM>) with an upper surface (<NUM>),
- a passenger compartment (<NUM>) intended to receive the driver inside, delimited in a vertical direction (V) by the upper surface of the floor and extending on an upper side (21U) of the upper surface;
- at least one electronic device configured to be electronically controlled;
- a box (<NUM>) housing an electronic equipment configured to control the at least one electronic device;
wherein the box is waterproof and at least a portion of the box extends on a lower side (<NUM>) of the upper surface, the lower side (<NUM>) of the upper surface being opposite to the upper side (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the floor (<NUM>) comprises a housing (<NUM>) for receiving the box (<NUM>), the housing (<NUM>) comprising a peripheral wall (<NUM>) extending from the upper surface (<NUM>) of the floor (<NUM>),
wherein the peripheral wall (<NUM>) comprises one abutment (<NUM>) for supporting the box (<NUM>),
wherein the box (<NUM>) has substantially a rectangular shape with a planar top wall (<NUM>) and vertical sides (<NUM>), the top wall (<NUM>) extending beyond the vertical sides (<NUM>) and forming a flange (<NUM>), the flange (<NUM>) being supported by the abutment (<NUM>), the box (<NUM>) being attached to the floor (<NUM>) by screws attaching the flange (<NUM>) to the floor (<NUM>) at the abutment (<NUM>), the top wall (<NUM>) being leveled with the upper surface (<NUM>) of the floor (<NUM>), in the vertical direction so that the box (<NUM>) is entirely below the upper surface (<NUM>) of the floor (<NUM>),
wherein the vertical sides (<NUM>) of the box (<NUM>) extend beyond the floor (<NUM>).