Integrated center stack for a motor vehicle

• US 7,264,294 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America (Lear Corporation)
• Inventors: Cass, Michael W, Gresham, Timothy, Miciuda, Gail C
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder; Dennis H.
• Application Number:
  US10/906,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20060186689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 180/90
• US Class Current: 296/70
• 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 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14

Abstract

A center stack for an instrument panel of a motor vehicle. The center stack includes a front plate having an exposed surface with a first surface finish and a back plate having a visible portion uncovered by the front plate. The front plate has at least one opening extending through the exposed surface for accessing at least one operational feature of the motor vehicle. The visible portion of the back plate has a second surface finish that differs from the first surface finish of the front plate. The back plate may include a flex joint that permits the visible portion of the back plate to move relative to an adjacent non-visible portion covered by the front plate.

Claims

1. A center stack for an instrument panel of a motor vehicle having an operational feature and an HVAC system, said center stack comprising:

a front plate having an exposed surface with a first surface finish, said front plate including at least one opening extending through said exposed surface for accessing the operational feature; and

a back plate having a visible portion uncovered by said front plate and a central panel covered by said front plate, said visible portion having a second surface finish, and said visible portion including a first opening configured to be coupled with the HVAC system of the motor vehicle,

wherein said first and second surface finishes are Class A surface finishes, and said front plate includes a flange arranged to partially overlap said visible portion of said back plate at a boundary between said visible portion of said back plate and said exposed surface of said front plate.

2. The center stack of claim 1 wherein said visible portion extends laterally relative to said central panel.

3. The center stack of claim 2 wherein said back plate further includes a flex joint joining said visible portion with said central panel, said flex joint permitting said visible portion to move relative to said central panel.

4. The center stack of claim 3 wherein said flex joint further includes a pair of converging walls separated by a gap, said gap capable of naffowing when a force is applied to move said visible portion relative to said central panel.

5. The center stack of claim 3 wherein said flex joint further includes a thinned wall capable of flexing when a force is applied to move said visible portion relative to said central panel.

6. The center stack of claim 1 wherein said visible portion includes first and second visible regions that flank said central panel on opposite lateral sides.

7. The center stack of claim 6 wherein said first visible region includes said first opening, and said second visible region includes a second opening configured to be coupled with the HVAC system of the motor vehicle.

8. The center stack of claim 6 wherein said back plate further includes a first flex joint joining said first visible region with said central panel and a second flex joint joining said second visible region with said central panel, said first and second flex joints permitting a conesponding one of said first and second visible regions to move relative to said central panel.

9. The center stack of claim 8 wherein each of said first and second flex joints further includes a pair of converging walls separated by a gap, said gap capable of narrowing when a force is applied to move a corresponding one of said visible regions relative to said central panel.

10. The center stack of claim 8 wherein each of said first and second flex joints further includes a thinned wall capable of flexing when a force is applied to move a conesponding one of said visible regions relative to said central panel.

11. The center stack of claim 1 wherein said first and second surface finishes differ.

12. A center stack for an instrument panel of a motor vehicle having an operational feature, said center stack comprising:

a front plate having an exposed surface and at least one opening extending through said exposed surface for accessing the operational feature; and

a back plate having a central panel covered by said front plate, a visible portion uncovered by said front plate, and a flex joint joining said visible portion with said central panel, said flex joint permitting said visible portion to move relative to said central panel.

13. The center stack of claim 12 wherein said back plate further includes a central panel covered by said front plate, and said visible portion extends laterally relative to said central panel.

14. The center stack of claim 13 wherein said visible portion includes an opening configured to be coupled with an HVAC system of the motor vehicle.

15. The center stack of claim 12 wherein said flex joint further includes a pair of converging walls separated by a gap, said gap capable of narrowing when a force is applied to move said visible portion relative to said central panel.

16. The center stack of claim 12 wherein said flex joint further includes a thinned wall capable of flexing when a force is applied to move said visible portion relative to said central panel.

17. The center stack of claim 12 wherein said back plate further includes a central panel covered by said front plate, and said visible portion includes first and second visible regions that flank said central panel on opposite lateral sides.

18. The center stack of claim 17 wherein each of said visible regions includes an opening configured to be coupled with an HVAC system of the motor vehicle.

19. The center stack of claim 12 wherein said exposed surface of said front plate has a first Class A surface finish, and said visible portion of said back plate has a second Class A surface finish that differs from the first class A surface finish.