Distance transmitting device mountable in an instrument panel air-outlet slit in a vehicle

• US 5,959,364 A
• Filed: 09/18/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Futschik, Hans-Dieter, Weber, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US08/933,083
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 701/1, 701/300, 701/301, 340/933, 340/903, 340/901, 340/461, 340/462, 340/980, 359/13, 219/203, 15/250.05, 280/727
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14

Abstract

The invention relates to a display arrangement for distance-transmitting device mounted on an instrument panel of a vehicle. The device has at least one display unit on the instrument panel within the field of vision of the driver. The display unit is advantageously inserted into an opening, in particular into a slit-like duct provided or into an extension thereof, in the instrument panel in approximately the vertical direction and to such an extent that a top part of the display unit which contains the display area, projects upwards beyond the instrument panel. The instrument panel has at least one air-outlet slit which extends along the vehicle'"'"'s windshield, approximately parallel to it and is intended for ventilating the windshield. For the purpose of retrofitting the instrument panel with auxiliary and additional modules for assisting the driver without adversely affecting the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the instrument panel not yet fitted with auxiliary and additional modules, the slit-like duct is introduced into the top side of the instrument panel, in extension of the at least one air-outlet slit, and serves for the purpose of inserting or adding the auxiliary and additional modules.

Claims

1. Display arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one display unit arranged on an instrument panel of the vehicle within a field of vision of a driver of the vehicle;

at least one elongated air-outlet opening arranged in a top side of the instrument-panel; and

an elongated duct arranged in the top side of the instrument panel;

wherein the at least one display unit is inserted into the elongated duct of the instrument panel, said elongated duct forming an extension of the at least one air-outlet opening.

2. Display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display unit is inserted into the elongated duct in approximately a vertical direction.

3. Display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display unit is inserted into the elongated duct so that a top part of the display unit containing a display area projects upwards beyond the instrument panel.

4. Display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the elongated duct in the instrument panel is formed by a channel provided in the instrument panel.

5. Display arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the channel also includes the air-outlet opening.

6. Display arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the elongated duct provided in the instrument panel for the at least one display unit has a removable covering, which can be removed to permit insertion of a display unit.

7. Display arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the elongated duct is contained at least in an upper surface of the instrument panel.

8. Display arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the elongated duct is an extension of a channel provided in the instrument panel.

9. Display arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said channel also includes a ventilation outlet.

10. Instrument panel arrangement for installation in a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle instrument panel;

at least one air-outlet slit which, in an installed position of said instrument panel in a vehicle, is arranged in the instrument-panel top side, oriented towards a windshield of the vehicle and extends approximately parallel to the windshield for ventilating the windshield; and

a slit-like duct in a top side, of said instrument panel, for receiving auxiliary and additional modules for assisting a driver of said vehicle, said slit-like duct forming an extension of the at least one air-outlet slit.

11. Instrument panel according to claim 10, wherein the slit-like duct extends in alignment with two spaced-apart air-outlet slits, which constitute defroster nozzles arranged in the vicinity of the windshield.

12. Instrument panel according to claim 11, wherein the slit-like duct extends between the two air-outlet slits, and opens into them at its ends.

13. Instrument panel according to claim 11, wherein the slit-like duct continues on both sides beyond the two air-outlet slits.

14. Instrument panel according to claim 10, wherein as an auxiliary or additional module, at least a display unit of a distance-transmitting device is inserted into the silt-like duct.

15. Instrument panel according to claim 14, wherein the distance-transmitting unit is designed as a parking aid with distance measurement towards at least a front and rear.

16. Instrument panel according to claim 14, wherein a display area of the display unit of the distance-transmitting device projects beyond a top side of the instrument panel.

17. Instrument panel according claim 10, wherein

as an auxiliary or additional module, a loudspeaker is attached to an underside of the slit-like duct, which is provided with a base cutout;

a loudspeaker covering which spans the base cutout is inserted into the slit-like duct.

18. Instrument panel according to claim 10, wherein in the absence of auxiliary and additional modules, the slit-like duct is covered by at least one releasable closure plate.

19. Instrument panel according to claim 18, wherein the at least one closure plate is arranged releasably in the slit-like duct, at a distance from the top edges of said duct.

20. Instrument panel according to claim 10, wherein fastening means for clip-like fastening of the auxiliary and additional modules and of the at least one closure plate are provided in the duct.

21. A display arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle instrument panel having a top surface facing substantially upward and a second surface adapted to face substantially toward an operator seat of the vehicle in an installed orientation of the instrument panel;

at least one elongated air outlet opening in the top surface of the instrument panel; and

a second elongated opening in the top surface of the instrument panel adapted to receive a display unit to be inserted vertically through said second elongated opening, said second elongated opening being longitudinally aligned with and abutting said elongated air outlet opening to form a substantially continuous feature of said top surface.

22. The display arrangement according to claim 21, wherein said elongated air outlet opening and said second elongated opening are disposed in a channel shaped depression in said top surface of said instrument panel.