Center stack module

• US 10,059,205 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Woodhouse, David, Kang-Morales, Soo Young, Niemiec, Ryan G., Blodi, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Romain, Pinel E
• Application Number:
  US15/450,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20170274773A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 296 70, 296 3712
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/586 Wired data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/658 Dashboard parts used as air ducts
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/68 Features of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/688 Frames or decorative parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/774 on or in the centre console
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/816 Fastening of displays or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/96 by assembling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements

Abstract

A vehicle instrument panel module is provided herein. The module includes a display portion including a display. A transition portion is disposed along a bottom section of the display portion. A register portion is disposed below the transition portion and has one or more airflow registers therein. The display portion, the transition portion, and the register portion each have at least one component that is integrally formed with the remaining portions of the module. A first electrical connector housing is formed with the module and configured to mate with a second electrical connector disposed within the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle instrument panel module, comprising:

a display portion including a display;

a transition portion disposed along a bottom section of the display portion;

a register portion disposed below the transition portion and having one or more airflow registers therein, wherein the register portion has at least one component that anchors the display and transition portions of the module; and

a first electrical connector housing formed with the module and configured to mate with a second electrical connector disposed within the vehicle.

2. The vehicle instrument panel module of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the registers have a substantially rectangular housing and one or more vanes within the housing.

3. The vehicle instrument panel module of claim 1, wherein the vehicle instrument panel module is partially disposed within an instrument panel.

4. The vehicle instrument panel module of claim 1, wherein the vehicle instrument panel module is coupled to an instrument panel substrate that is concealed by an A-surface material of an instrument panel.

5. The vehicle instrument panel module of claim 1, wherein the display is configured as a light-emitting diode (LED) display, organic LED (OLED) display, light emitting polymer (LEP) display or polymer LED (PLED) display, liquid crystal display (LCD), thin film transistor (TFT) LCD display, LED side-lit or back-lit LCD display, or combinations thereof.

6. The vehicle instrument panel module of claim 1, wherein the transition portion is configured to support the display portion in a vertical orientation.

7. The vehicle instrument panel module of claim 1, further comprising:

a bezel surrounding the display portion, the transition portion, and the register portion and is made of a common material.

8. A bezel housing for a center stack module, comprising:

a first portion that encompasses a display that extends upwardly from an instrument panel;

a second portion having a first radius, wherein the first radius has a curvature in a first direction; and

a third portion having a second radius that has a curvature in a second direction, wherein the first and second portions of said bezel housing are anchored to an instrument panel by the third portion.

9. The bezel housing for the center stack module of claim 8, wherein the second portion is radiused in a first direction that is opposite of a radiused direction of the third portion.

10. The bezel housing for the center stack module of claim 8, wherein said bezel housing covers one or more perimeter edges and vehicle forward surface of the display.

11. The bezel housing for the center stack module of claim 8, further comprising:

a camera disposed within the first portion.

12. The bezel housing for the center stack module of claim 8, wherein said bezel housing is of a two-piece construction and includes a perimeter portion and a front portion.

13. The bezel housing for the center stack module of claim 12, wherein the perimeter portion covers a vehicle forward surface of the display.

14. The bezel housing for the center stack module of claim 8, wherein the front portion faces vehicle rearward and is attached to a vehicle rearward surface of the module.

15. A module for a vehicle, comprising:

a display portion surrounding a portion of a display;

a transition portion disposed below the display portion; and

a register portion disposed below the transition portion and including one or more airflow registers therein, wherein the display portion and the transition portion are anchored by the register portion.

16. The module for the vehicle of claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of controls that is accessible to an occupant of the vehicle to adjust an option or setting of the vehicle, wherein the controls are utilized in conjunction with the display.

17. The module for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein the transition portion is radiused in a first direction that is opposite a radiused direction of the register portion.

18. The module for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein each register is provided with one or more horizontally oriented vanes and one or more vertically oriented vanes.

19. The module for the vehicle of claim 18, wherein the horizontally oriented vanes are mechanically coupled one to the other by a first linkage that connects to a register control tab and each of the vertically oriented vanes is mechanically coupled one to the other by a second linkage that connects to the control tab.

20. The module for the vehicle of claim 15, wherein the coupling of each register to an air duct provides support against a torsional force and a linear force that act against said module when contact is made thereto.