Cowl cross member assembly for vehicle

• US 9,340,236 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Kong, Byung Seok
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US14/502,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20150183469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 296/193.02, 296/72, 296/192, 180/90, 280/779
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/16 Steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/145 having a crossbeam incorporated therein
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/02 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/224 acting between the steering wheel and the steering gear, e.g. on the steering column

Abstract

A cowl cross member assembly for a vehicle for improving convenience in mounting a steering module and avoiding interference with an audio system in a vehicle, may include a main cowl crossbar disposed at a driver'"'"'s seat in a width direction of the vehicle, a sub-cowl crossbar disposed at a passenger'"'"'s seat in the width direction of the vehicle, a connection unit disposed between one end of the main cowl crossbar and one end of the sub-cowl crossbar and connecting the main cowl crossbar with the sub-cowl crossbar, a cowl bracket coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to a vehicle body at another side, a steering bracket coupled to a bottom of the cowl bracket and coupled to the steering module, and a steering mounting unit coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to the steering module at another side.

Claims

1. A cowl cross member assembly for a vehicle which improves convenience in mounting a steering module and avoids interference with an audio system in a vehicle, the cowl cross member assembly comprising:

a main cowl crossbar disposed at a driver'"'"'s seat in a width direction of the vehicle;

a sub-cowl crossbar disposed at a passenger'"'"'s seat in the width direction of the vehicle;

a connection unit disposed between one end of the main cowl crossbar and one end of the sub-cowl crossbar and connecting the main cowl crossbar with the sub-cowl crossbar;

a cowl bracket coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to a vehicle body at another side;

a steering bracket coupled to a bottom of the cowl bracket and coupled to the steering module; and

a steering mounting unit coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to the steering module at another side,

wherein the steering bracket is inserted inside the bottom of the cowl bracket and welded to the cowl bracket.

2. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1, wherein the cowl bracket and the steering bracket are symmetric at both sides based on a center of the steering module.

3. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1, wherein the main cowl crossbar and the sub-cowl crossbar are connected and mounted to each other by the connection unit with a step therebetween.

4. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1, wherein the connection unit includes:

a connection bracket having a fitting hole in which the sub-cowl crossbar is inserted; and

a connection plate coupled to the connection bracket and having an insertion hole in which the main cowl crossbar is inserted.

5. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 4, wherein the fitting hole and the insertion hole are arranged at vertically different positions.

6. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering mounting unit includes:

a main steering plate coupled to the main cowl crossbar and having coupling holes at both sides;

sub-steering plates coupled to both sides of the main steering plate and each sub-steering plate having a mounting hole corresponding to the coupling holes;

reinforcing members inserted in between the main steering plate and the sub-steering plates, supporting an inner side of the main steering plate and outer sides of the sub-steering plates, and each reinforcing member having a through-hole corresponding to each of the coupling and the mounting holes; and

steering bolts tightened to the steering module sequentially through the coupling holes, the through-holes, and the mounting holes.

7. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 6, wherein the reinforcing members are formed in a shape of a pipe.

8. A cowl cross member assembly for a vehicle which improves convenience in mounting a steering module and avoids interference with an audio system in a vehicle, the cowl cross member assembly comprising:

a main cowl crossbar disposed at a driver'"'"'s seat in a width direction of the vehicle;

a sub-cowl crossbar disposed at a passenger'"'"'s seat in the width direction of the vehicle;

a connection unit disposed between one end of the main cowl crossbar and one end of the sub-cowl crossbar and connecting the main cowl crossbar with the sub-cowl crossbar;

a cowl bracket coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to a vehicle body at another side;

a steering bracket coupled to a bottom of the cowl bracket and coupled to the steering module; and

a steering mounting unit coupled to the main cowl crossbar at one side and coupled to the steering module at another side,

wherein the steering mounting unit includes;

a main steering plate coupled to the main cowl crossbar and having coupling holes at both sides;

sub-steering plates coupled to both sides of the main steering plate and each sub-steering plate having a mounting hole corresponding to the coupling holes;

reinforcing members inserted in between the main steering plate and the sub-steering plates, supporting an inner side of the main steering plate and outer sides of the sub-steering plates, and each reinforcing member having a through-hole corresponding to each of the coupling and the mounting holes; and

steering bolts tightened to the steering module sequentially through the coupling holes, the through-holes, and the mounting holes.

9. The cowl cross member assembly of claim 8, wherein the reinforcing members are formed in a shape of a pipe.