Vehicle dashboard instrument assembly

• US 8,777,290 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boese Engineering
• Original Assignee: Boese Engineering
• Inventors: Boese, Donna J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LYJAK, LORI LYNN
• Application Number:
  US13/787,064
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 180/90, 248/27.1, 248/115, 248/309.1
• US Class Current: 296/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/96 by assembling
• 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 dashboard instrument assembly includes a gauge faceplate having front and rear faces and a gauge-receiving opening extending through the gauge faceplate from the front face to the rear face, a gauge, a bracket, and a collar. The collar is applied directly against the front face of the gauge faceplate to encircle the gauge-receiving opening, a front end of the gauge is applied to the gauge-receiving opening to locate an outer rim of the gauge directly against the collar, and locate a measurement display of the gauge for viewing near the gauge-receiving opening. The gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate to the rear end of the gauge, and the bracket is coupled between the gauge and the rear face of the gauge faceplate to clamp the collar between the outer rim of the gauge and the front face of the gauge faceplate.

Claims

1. A vehicle dashboard instrument assembly, comprising:

a gauge faceplate includes a front face, a rear face, and a gauge-receiving opening through the gauge faceplate from the front face to the rear face;

a gauge includes a front end, having a measurement display and an outer rim encircling a viewing area to the measurement display, and a rear end;

a collar having an inner side directly abutting the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening, and an outer side;

the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening, the outer rim of the gauge directly abutting the outer side of the collar, the measurement display located for viewing in a direction toward the front face of the gauge faceplate, and the gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate from the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening to the rear end of the gauge;

a bracket removably connected between the gauge and the rear face of the gauge faceplate so as to clamp the collar between the outer rim of the gauge and the front face of the gauge faceplate; and

the collar decoratively encircles the outer rim of the gauge.

2. The vehicle dashboard instrument assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bracket encircles the gauge between the rear face of the gauge faceplate and the rear end of the gauge.

3. A vehicle dashboard instrument assembly, comprising:

a gauge faceplate includes a front face, a rear face, and a gauge-receiving opening through the gauge faceplate from the front face to the rear face;

a gauge assembly includes a bracket, a collar having an inner side and an outer side, and a gauge, the gauge includes a front end, having a measurement display and an outer rim encircling a viewing area to the measurement display, and a rear end;

the gauge assembly is configurable in first and second display configurations in relation to the gauge faceplate;

the first display configuration of the gauge assembly comprises;

the an inner side of the collar directly abutting the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening;

the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening, the outer rim of the gauge directly abutting the outer side of the collar, the measurement display located for viewing in a direction toward the front face of the gauge faceplate, and the gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate from the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening to the rear end of the gauge;

the bracket removably connected between the gauge and the rear face of the gauge faceplate so as to clamp the collar between the outer rim of the gauge and the front face of the gauge faceplate; and

the collar decoratively encircles the outer rim of the gauge;

the second display configuration of the gauge assembly comprises;

the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening, the outer rim of the gauge directly abutting the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening, the measurement display located for viewing in a direction toward the front face of the gauge faceplate, and the gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate from the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening to the rear end of the gauge; and

the bracket removably connected between the gauge and the rear face of the gauge faceplate so as to clamp down the outer rim of the gauge against the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening.

4. The vehicle dashboard instrument assembly according to claim 3, wherein the bracket encircles the gauge between the rear face of the gauge faceplate and the rear end of the gauge when the bracket is removably connected between the gauge and the rear face of the faceplate.

5. A vehicle dashboard instrument assembly, comprising:

a gauge faceplate includes a front face, a rear face, and a gauge-receiving opening through the faceplate from the front face to the rear face;

a gauge includes a front end, having a measurement display and an outer rim encircling a viewing area to the measurement display, and a rear end;

a collar having an inner side directly abutting the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening, and an outer side;

the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening, the outer rim of the gauge directly abutting the outer side of the collar, the measurement display located for viewing in a direction toward the front face of the faceplate, and the gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate from the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening to the rear end of the gauge;

a bracket includes an inner extremity and an outer extremity;

the inner extremity of the bracket is applied directly against the rear face of the gauge faceplate on either side of the gauge and extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate past the rear end of the gauge to the outer extremity of the bracket removably connected to the rear end of the gauge so as to tighten the inner extremity of the bracket against the rear face of the gauge faceplate 50 in a direction that is toward and orthogonal with respect to the rear face of the gauge faceplate, and tighten the outer rim of the gauge against the outer side of the collar in a direction that is toward and orthogonal with respect to the front face of the gauge faceplate, to clamp the collar between the outer rim of the gauge and the front face of the gauge faceplate; and

the collar decoratively encircles the outer rim of the gauge.

6. The vehicle dashboard instrument assembly according to claim 5, wherein the outer extremity of the bracket is removably connected to the rear end of the gauge with an engagement assembly.

7. The vehicle instrument assembly according to claim 6, wherein the engagement assembly comprises:

openings formed in the outer extremity of the bracket, threaded posts each extending rearwardly from the rear end of the gauge to a free, and threaded nuts; and

the free ends of the threaded posts are applied into and through the openings formed in the outer extremity of the bracket, and each of the threaded nuts is threaded onto one of the threaded posts and is tightened against the outer extremity of the bracket.

8. The vehicle dashboard instrument assembly according to claim 5, wherein the inner extremity of the bracket encircles the gauge between the rear face of the gauge faceplate and the rear end of the gauge.

10. The vehicle dashboard instrument assembly according to claim 5, further comprising an engagement assembly for removably connecting the outer extremity of the bracket to the rear end of the gauge.

11. The vehicle instrument assembly according to claim 10, wherein the engagement assembly comprises:

openings formed in the outer extremity of the bracket, threaded posts each extending rearwardly from the rear end of the gauge to a free, and threaded nuts; and

when the engagement assembly removably connects the outer extremity of the bracket to the rear end of the gauge, the free ends of the threaded posts are applied into and through the openings formed in the outer extremity of the bracket, and each of the threaded nuts is threaded onto one of the threaded posts and is tightened against the outer extremity of the bracket.

9. A vehicle dashboard instrument assembly, comprising:

a gauge faceplate includes a front face, a rear face, and a gauge-receiving opening through the gauge faceplate from the front face to the rear face;

a gauge assembly includes a bracket having an inner extremity and an outer extremity, a collar having an inner side and an outer side, and a gauge, the gauge includes a front end, having a measurement display and an outer rim encircling a viewing area to the measurement display, and a rear end;

the gauge assembly is configurable in first and second display configurations in relation to the gauge faceplate;

the first display configuration of the gauge assembly comprises;

the an inner side of the collar directly abutting the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening;

the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening, the outer rim of the gauge directly abutting the outer side of the collar, the measurement display located for viewing in a direction toward the front face of the gauge faceplate, and the gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate from the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening to the rear end of the gauge;

the inner extremity of the bracket is applied directly against the rear face of the gauge faceplate on either side of the gauge and extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate past the rear end of the gauge to the outer extremity of the bracket removably connected to the rear end of the gauge so as to tighten the inner extremity of the bracket against the rear face of the gauge faceplate 50 in a direction that is toward and orthogonal with respect to the rear face of the gauge faceplate, and tighten the outer rim of the gauge against the outer side of the collar in a direction that is toward and orthogonal with respect to the front face of the gauge faceplate, to clamp the collar between the outer rim of the gauge and the front face of the gauge faceplate; and

the collar decoratively encircles the outer rim of the gauge; and

the second display configuration of the gauge assembly comprises;

the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening, the outer rim of the gauge directly abutting the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening, the measurement display located for viewing in a direction toward the front face of the gauge faceplate, and the gauge extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate from the front end of the gauge applied to the gauge-receiving opening to the rear end of the gauge; and

the inner extremity of the bracket is applied directly against the rear face of the gauge faceplate on either side of the gauge and extends rearwardly from the rear face of the gauge faceplate past the rear end of the gauge to the outer extremity of the bracket removably connected to the rear end of the gauge so as to tighten the inner extremity of the bracket against the rear face of the gauge faceplate 50 in a direction that is toward and orthogonal with respect to the rear face of the gauge faceplate, and tighten the outer rim of the gauge against the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening in a direction that is toward and orthogonal with respect to the front face of the gauge faceplate, to clamp down the outer rim of the gauge against the front face of the gauge faceplate outboard of the gauge-receiving opening.