Cluster mounting bracket

• US 7,325,852 B1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Coon, Zachary A
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyjak; Lori L.
• Application Number:
  US11/340,204
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 296/72, 180/90, 248/200, 248/201, 248/205.1, 248/213.2, 248/674, 248/675, 248/475.1, 248/37.6, 248/534, 248/48.2
• US Class Current: 296/72
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle instrument panel can include a housing and a bracket that is coupled to the housing. The housing has an aperture and a structure with a projecting portion coupled to an attachment portion. The bracket can include a first arm, a second arm and a leg that is disposed between the first arm and second arm. The first arm of the at least one bracket can be received in a first side of the attachment portion and the second arm can be received in a second side of the attachment portion.

Claims

1. A vehicle instrument panel comprising:

a housing having an aperture;

a structure having an attachment portion, the attachment portion being coupled to a projecting portion; and

at least one bracket coupled to the housing, the at least one bracket having a first arm, a second arm and a leg that is disposed between the first arm and second arm, the first arm being received in a first side of the attachment portion and the second arm being received in a second side of the attachment portion.

2. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket is formed of a material selected from the group comprising:

acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, polycarbonate-ABS, nylon, acetal, aluminum, steel, and magnesium.

3. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket is integrally formed with the housing.

4. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one bracket is a discrete component independent of the housing and the structure.

5. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 1, wherein the leg further includes a transition portion between a first end and a second end of the leg so that the first end is approximately parallel to the first side of the attachment portion and the second end extends outwardly from the transition portion.

6. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 5, wherein the second end of the leg is angled from the transition portion for receipt of the attachment portion in a first position.

7. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 6, wherein the second arm further includes a first end coupled to the second end of the leg and a second end, with an engagement projection extending from the second end, the engagement projection defining a stem and a projection, the projection being selectively coupled to the second side of the attachment portion.

8. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 7, wherein the projection includes an angled surface approximately parallel to the second end of the leg.

9. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 7, wherein a distance between the angled surface of the projection and the second end of the leg forms a channel for receipt of the attachment portion at an angle.

10. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 7, wherein the first arm includes a first end coupled to the first end of the leg and a second end selectively coupled to the attachment portion, the first arm parallel to the projection of the second arm.

11. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 9, wherein the attachment portion further comprises:

an aperture sized for receipt of the second end of the first arm; and

a lip defined on the second side, the lip configured to engage the projection of the second arm to couple the attachment portion to the at least one bracket.

12. A vehicle instrument panel comprising:

a mounting bracket having a leg, a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being coupled to the leg and extending in a first direction therefrom, the second arm having a first end and a second end defining an engagement projection, the engagement projection including a projection and a stem that spaces the projection apart from the first end, the projection extending from the stem in a second direction that is opposite the first direction, the first end being coupled to the leg at a point that is spaced apart in the second direction from a point at which the first arm is coupled to the leg; and

a structure having a first side and a second side, the first side defining an aperture, the second side defining a lip,

wherein the first arm is received in the aperture, the leg is disposed proximate the first side of the structure and the lip is disposed between the projection and the second end of the second arm.

13. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 12, wherein the leg includes a first portion and a second portion and wherein the first and second portions intersect at a knee that is spaced apart in the first direction from the point at which the first arm is coupled to the leg.

14. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 13, wherein the knee abuts the first side of the structure.

15. The vehicle instrument panel of claim 12, wherein the first end and second end of the second arm intersect at a knee that defines a fulcrum, which contacts a surface of the structure that is located opposite of a surface of the lip that is engaged by the projection.

16. A method comprising:

providing a mounting bracket having a first arm, a second arm and a leg that is disposed between the first arm and second arm, the leg including a first portion coupled to the first arm and a second portion coupled to the second arm;

providing a structure defining an aperture and having a first side and a second side defining a lip;

inserting the structure into a channel formed by the first arm, the leg and the second arm;

rotating the structure so that the first arm engages the aperture, the leg abuts the first side, and the second arm engages the lip on the second side of the structure to thereby couple the mounting bracket to the structure; and

coupling the mounting bracket to a housing.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein inserting the second housing into the channel further comprises:

positioning the structure in an inserting orientation that is approximately parallel to at least the second portion of the leg.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein positioning the structure further comprises:

moving the structure from the inserting orientation to an installed orientation so that the structure is disposed approximately parallel to the first portion of the leg.