Vehicle center cluster assembling structure with electrical connection

• US 6,388,881 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Shouji, Imanaka, Noritoshi, Ichino, Masahiro, Mori, Kenichi, Nakata, Kenji, Yokoyama, Katsuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERVINSKY, BORIS LEO
• Application Number:
  US09/779,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20010016432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 361/688, 361/622, 361/627-636, 361/704, 361/707, 361/720, 361/721, 361/641-647, 296/70, 296/72, 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 174/71.R
• US Class Current: 361/704
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/774 on or in the centre console
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/774 on or in the centre console
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/81 Fastening of instruments, e.g. to dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• 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 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0047 using hidden fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0288 Apparatus made of several modules independently mounted

Abstract

In an assembling structure of a vehicle center cluster, plural electrical devices are detachably assembled to a holding member to be removed from an inside of a passenger compartment while the holding member is fixed to a dashboard. Therefore, for example, when a CD deck is removed from the center cluster into the passenger compartment among the electrical devices, only the CD deck can be removed from the holding member into the passenger compartment without removing the other electrical devices, in a fixed state of the holding member to the dashboard. Accordingly, removing operation of the electrical devices can be made simple.

Claims

1. An assembling structure of a center cluster disposed inside a dashboard of a vehicle at an approximate center portion in a vehicle right-left direction, the assembling structure comprising:

a plurality of electrical devices including at least an electrical deck and an electrical circuit substrate for the electrical deck;

a single operating circuit substrate having an operating member for operating the electrical devics; and

a holding member fixed to the dashboard, for holding the electrical devices;

wherein;

the electrical devices are assembled to the holding member to be respectively detachable from an inside of a passenger compartment of the vehicle while the holding member is fixed to the dashboard; and

the elctrical devices have connectors, respectively, all of which are electrically connected to only the single operating circuit substrate.

2. The assembling structure according to claim 1, wherein the electrical deck and the electrical circuit substrate are disposed to be stacked in a vertical direction.

3. The assembling structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrical devices have rear side surfaces toward inside the passenger compartment, in a vehicle front-rear direction; and

the rear side surfaces of the electrical devices have fastening members detachably fastened to the holding member.

4. The assembling structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrical devices have front side surfaces opposite to the inside of the passenger compartment, in a vehicle front-rear direction;

the front side surfaces of the electrical devices have engagement portions, respectively, being detachably engaged with engagement portions of the holding member; and

at least one of the engagement portions of the electrical devices and the engagement portions of the holding member is elastically deformed while being engaged.

5. The assembling structure according to claim 1, wherein the single operating circuit substrate is assembled to be detachable from the inside of the passenger compartment relative to the electrical devices and the holding member, while the electrical devices are held in the holding member.

6. The assembling structure according to claim 5, wherein the single operating circuit substrate has a plurality of connectors directly connecting with the connectors of the electrical devices.

7. The assembling structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrical circuit substrate has an electronic member which generates heat;

the electronic member is disposed to contact the holding member; and

the holding member is made of a material having a thermal conductivity larger than a predetermined value.

8. The assembling structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fitting portion for fitting the holding member to the dashboard,

wherein the fitting portion is provided integrally with the holding portion.

9. The assembling structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a wire harness for supplying electrical power to the electrical devices;

a connection portion, disposed at a vehicle rear side position of one electrical device, through which the wire harness and the one electrical device are electrically connected; and

an ornamental panel disposed at a vehicle rear side of the connection portion and the one electrical device, the ornamental panel being assembled to be detachable from the inside of the passenger compartment.

10. The assembling structure according to claim 9, wherein:

the holding member has an opening portion enclosed by a frame portion, into which the electrical devices are disposed;

the frame portion of the holding member has a recess extending from outside the frame portion to inside the frame portion; and

a part of the wire harness is disposed in the recess.

11. The assembling structure according to claim 9, wherein:

the single operating circuit substrate is disposed at a vehicle front side of the ornamental panel to be detachably assembled from the inside of the passenger compartment together with the ornamental panel;

all of the electrical devices are electrically connected to the single operating circuit substrate; and

the electrical devices are electrically connected from each other through a printed circuit on the single operating circuit substrate.

12. The assembling structure according to claim 1, wherein:

all of the electrical devices are electrically connected to the single operating circuit substrate; and

the electrical devices are electrically connected from each other through a printed circuit on the single operating circuit substrate.

13. The assembling structure according to claim 12, wherein:

the single operating circuit substrate has a plurality of connectors, on a surface opposite to the operating member, being electrically connected to all of the electrical devices; and

the electrical devices have connectors directly connecting with the connectors of the single operating circuit substrate.

14. The assembling structure according to claim 13, wherein:

the electrical devices include a plurality of decks; and

the decks have the same shaped connectors.

15. The assembling structure according to claim 14, wherein:

the operating circuit substrate has a preliminary connector for an additional electrical unit; and

the preliminary connector has a shape equal to the same shaped connectors.

16. An electrical connection structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of electrical devices including at least an audio unit and an electrical circuit substrate for the audio unit, the electrical devices being disposed inside a vehicle dashboard;

a single operating circuit substrate having an operating member for operating the electrical devices;

a wire harness for supplying electrical power to the electrical devices;

a connection portion, disposed at a vehicle rear side position of one electrical device, through which the wire harness and the one electrical device are electrically connected; and

an ornamental panel disposed at a vehicle rear side of the connection portion and the electrical devices, the ornamental panel being assembled to be detachable from the inside of the passenger compartment;

wherein the electrical devices have connectors, respectively, all of which are electrically connected to only the single operating circuit substrate.

17. The electrical connection structure according to claim 16, further comprising:

a holding member has an opening portion enclosed by a frame portion, into which the electrical devices are disposed, wherein;

the frame portion of the holding member has a recess extending from outside the frame portion to inside the frame portion; and

a part of the wire harness is disposed in the recess.

18. The electrical connection structure according to claim 16, wherein:

the electrical devices are integrally clustered to form a center cluster; and

the center cluster is disposed in the vehicle dashboard at an approximate center in a vehicle width direction.

19. The electrical connection structure according to claim 16, wherein:

the single operating circuit substrate is disposed at a vehicle front side of an ornamental panel to be detachably assembled from the inside of the passenger compartment together with the ornamental panel;

all of the electrical devices are electrically connected to the single operating circuit substrate; and

the electrical devices are electrically connected from each other through a printed circuit on the single operating circuit substrate.

20. The electrical connection structure according to claim 16, further comprising:

an option connector for electrically connecting an additional electronic unit,

wherein the option connector is disposed to be appeared when the ornamental panel is removed.

21. An electrical connection structure of a vehicle center cluster in which a plurality of electrical devices are integrally clustered, the center cluster being disposed inside a vehicle dashboard, the electrical connection structure comprising:

a single operating circuit substrate having an operating member for operating the electrical devices, the operating member being provided at a vehicle rear side of the electrical devices to operate the electrical devices from the inside of the passenger compartment,

all of the electrical devices are electrically connected to only the single operating circuit substrate; and

the electrical devices are electrically connected with each other through a printed circuit on the single operating circuit substrate.

22. The electrical connection structure according to claim 21, wherein:

the single operating circuit substrate has a plurality of connectors, on a surface opposite to the operating member, being electrically connected to the electrical devices; and

the electrical devices have connectors being directly connected to the connectors of the single operating circuit substrate.

23. The electrical connection structure according to claim 22, wherein:

the electrical devices have a plurality of decks; and

the decks have the same shaped connectors.

24. The electrical connection structure according to claim 23, wherein:

the single operating circuit substrate has a preliminary connector for an additional electrical unit; and

the preliminary connector has a shape equal to the same shaped connectors.