Extruded instrument panel structure

• US 5,934,733 A
• Filed: 12/19/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Manwaring, David Henley
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US08/993,338
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 296/72, 296/192, 296/194, 296/203.02, 180/90, 280/779, 280/752, 248/223.41
• US Class Current: 296/72
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/145 having a crossbeam incorporated therein

Abstract

An instrument panel structure for use in an vehicle having opposing side pillars, so called "A Pillars". The structure includes an extruded cross car beam having a plurality of radially spaced grooves transversely extending along the length. End caps having a receiving cavity adapted to receive the cross car beam suitably mounted to each of the pillars and the cross car beam is installed within each of the end caps. A plurality of extruded component brackets adapted to slidably engage within the cross car beam are positioned therein along the beam. The component brackets are fixed positionally along the beam by a plurality of fasteners, adhesive joining, or welding. Advantageously the instrument panel structure provides a flexible and efficient method of installing interior components within a right hand drive or left hand drive vehicle with the same structural elements.

Claims

1. A support structure for use in an instrument panel structure in a vehicle having a body and a pair of side pillars located on opposite sides of the body, the support structure comprising:

a cross beam having a length and a predetermined cross section and further including;

a pair of opposing, transversely extending guide grooves defined therein and a pair of opposing retaining grooves defined therein, and

a pair of end caps, each end cap having a receiving cavity, each end cap being mounted to one of the side pillars with the respective ends of the cross beam disposed within the receiving cavity of each end cap, the receiving cavity having a cross section complementary to the predetermined cross section the cross beam, wherein the end caps receive the ends of the cross beam in an interlocking manner.