Reconfigurable dashboard assembly for military vehicles

• US 7,823,952 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korry Electronics Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Korry Electronics Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Utsugi, Michael, Doyea, Shawn, Mitchell, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Kiran B.
• Application Number:
  US12/246,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 180/90, 224/483, 280/732, 248/27.1
• US Class Current: 296/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/60 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 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/12 in graphical form
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49904 Assembling a subassembly, then assembling with a second subassembly

Abstract

A modular dashboard assembly for a vehicle, such as a tactical vehicle, is described. In some cases, the dashboard assembly includes a smart back plane and removably attachable front modules. The back plane may facilitate communications between components within the front modules and systems with the vehicle, or between components.

Claims

1. A dashboard assembly for a tactical vehicle, the dashboard assembly comprising:

a back plane attached to the tactical vehicle, wherein the back plane includes;

a wiring harness that provides electrical communication between the dashboard assembly and the vehicle;

a data bus that provides data communication between the dashboard assembly and the vehicle; and

two or more module reception portions, wherein the module reception portions are configured to;

receive a module containing one or more dashboard components,

provide an electrical communication link between the one or more dashboard components and the wiring harness; and

provide a data communication link between the one or more dashboard components and the data bus;

a first module removably attached to the back plane, wherein the first module contains at least one component providing an indication of a functionality of the tactical vehicle and at least one component that receives input to control a functionality of the tactical vehicle; and

a second module removably attached to the back plane, wherein the second module contains at least one component useable in connection with a mission performed by the tactical vehicle.

2. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the second module includes at least one C4I component specific to the mission.

3. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, further comprising a third module removable attached to the back plane, wherein the third module contains at least one component that receives input to control operation of a system carried by the tactical vehicle.

4. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second modules includes at least one display component that provides a user interface capable of receiving input from a user of the tactical vehicle and displaying an output to the user.

5. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second modules includes one or more gauges that display information related to systems remote from the vehicle.

6. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second modules contains a support portion connected to the back plane and at least one sub-module of components releasably connected to the support portion.

7. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first and second modules includes at least one control component configured to communicate with a component contained by the other of the first and second modules.

8. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the module reception portions is configured to interchangeably receive the first or second modules.

9. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the back plane is a smart back plane with an integral control system operatively connected to the first and second modules and is configured to communicate with one or more component systems carried by the tactical vehicle.

10. The dashboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the back plane is a smart back plane that communicates with the tactical vehicle over a SAE J1939 communications protocol.