The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-118725 filed on Jun. 16, 2017 including the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle interior panel, in particular, to a structure of the interior panel.
In recent years, mobile electronic devices for individual use have come into widespread use, increasing opportunities to use or charge these devices in vehicles. A cable is used to connect between a vehicle and a mobile electronic device to charge the electronic device or communicate with the vehicle. Cables are used not only for those mobile electronic devices but also for supplying power to devices which were added afterwards in a vehicle compartment.
JP 2001-119464A discloses a phone holder (10) that holds a mobile phone for use in a vehicle compartment. A wire housing (16) for housing a spiral portion (32) of wire (30) is disposed below the phone holder (10). The wire (30) is guided out of the wire housing (16) through a wire outlet (16a) disposed at a lower end of a side wall of the wire housing (16). It should be noted that the above reference numbers in parentheses are used in JP 2001-119464A. The reference numbers do not relate to the reference numbers used in the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure.
A cable for connecting between a vehicle and a mobile electronic device or an on-board device added afterwards often has an extended line shape. It is desired to secure such a cable onto a vehicle interior panel to avoid movement of the cable. It is also desired to facilitate a procedure of securing the cable, even in the dark.
A first object of the present disclosure is to restrict movement of a cable that connects between a vehicle and a mobile electronic device or an on-board device added afterwards by holding the cable. When the first object is achieved, an additional second object is to make the position of a holding groove easily recognizable even in a dark environment.
A vehicle interior panel according to the present disclosure includes a holding groove formed therein that can hold a cable connecting between a device in a vehicle compartment and the vehicle.
A light emitting portion may be disposed along at least a part of the holding groove.
The light emitting portion may be disposed at an opening edge portion of the holding groove.
The internal panel may include a step such that the holding groove may be formed at at least a part of a corner portion of the step.
The internal panel may include a panel body, and an instrument cluster that protrudes from the panel body to form a step. The holding groove may be formed at at least a part of a corner portion of the step.
The holding groove may be formed by a flexible holding member having a U-shaped cross section that is disposed in a receiving groove formed in the interior panel. The holding member and the light emitting portion may be united.
The holding groove may include, between an opening top portion and a bottom portion, a portion having a narrower width than that of the bottom portion.
The interior panel may be an instrument panel.
Movement of a cable can be restricted by holding the cable in a holding groove formed in an interior panel. By providing a light emitting portion, the position of the holding groove becomes visible even in a dark environment, making the position of the holding groove easily recognizable. By disposing the holding groove at a corner of a step, the position of the holding groove becomes easily recognizable even in a dark environment.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described by reference to the following figures, wherein:
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described below by reference to the drawings.
The instrument panel 10 includes meters such as a speedometer, a fuel gauge, and an odometer, operation panels of an audio device and an air conditioner, lamps for displaying an operation status or an alarm of devices of the vehicle, and display screens for displaying various pieces of information. The instrument panel 10 may also include an air vent of an air conditioner and a lid of a storage of miscellaneous articles such as a glove compartment. The instrument panel 10 may further include a device for providing a power supply, such as a cigarette lighter socket and an accessory power outlet. A USB receptacle may also be provided. Operation switches and display screens are often positioned at a center portion of the instrument panel 10; in other words, at a center cluster 12 positioned between the right and left front seats.
In recent years, opportunities to use an electric device in a passenger compartment have increased. For example, mobile electronic devices such as a mobile information terminal, a mobile phone, a smartphone, and a tablet type computer are brought into a passenger compartment and used. An on-board device added afterwards such as a navigator or a dash cam which records views in front of a vehicle is also used in a passenger compartment. The USB receptacle 24 is disposed for supplying electric power to mobile electronic devices. When no USB receptacle 24 is provided, a converter can be attached to the cigarette lighter socket to connect a charging cable to the vehicle and a mobile electronic device via the converter. The USB receptacle 24 also enables information communications with the vehicle. The cigarette lighter socket may also be used to supply electric power to an on-board device added afterwards.
The instrument panel 10 includes a holding groove 34 formed therein for holding the cable 32 such that the cable 32 extends in a line-shape. The holding groove 34 may be formed in all or any of the top, the bottom, the right, and the left side surfaces of the center cluster 12. The holding groove 34 may have a groove width slightly narrower than the diameter of the cable 32. In this way, the cable 32 in the holding groove 34 can be squeezed by both of the side walls of the holding groove 34 to thereby be held inside the holding groove 34. In contrast, the holding groove 34 may have a groove width slightly wider than the diameter of the cable 32. Even with a wider groove width, the cable 32 can be held inside the holding groove 34 by friction or gravity. A typical diameter of the cable 32 is about 2 to 3 mm. The groove width of the holding groove 34 may be, for example, about 1.5 to 2.5 mm. The width of the holding groove 34 may be wide for most of the length and narrower at some points in the extending direction of the holding groove 34.
The holding groove 34 may be disposed along a step formed in the instrument panel 10; in particular, at a corner formed by the step. The position of the holding groove 34 becomes easily recognizable by positioning the holding groove 34 at the corner of the step.
The light emitting portion 46 may be set to start light emission at a timing when a driver or passenger gets in a vehicle. For example, when the driver or passenger opens a door or is seated, an accessory switch is turned ON (that is, when electric power is supplied to audio or other devices), or an ignition switch is turned ON (when the vehicle is ready for driving).
In the embodiments described above, the holding groove 34 is described to be disposed on the instrument panel 10, in particular, on a side surface of the center cluster 12. However, the holding groove 34 may be disposed at another portion of the instrument panel 10 or on an interior panel other than the instrument panel 10. For example, the holding groove 34 may be disposed on another interior panel, such as a ceiling or an A-pillar, which is the front-most interior panel.
10 instrument panel, 12 center cluster, 14 display screen, 16 air vent, 18 shift lever, 20 audio device operation panel, 22 air-conditioner operation panel, 24 USB receptacle, 26 panel body, 28 smartphone, 30 holder, 32 cable, 34 holding groove, 36 corner portion of a step, 38 narrow portion, 40 holding member, 42 panel member, 44 receiving groove, and 46 light emitting portion.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2017-118725 | Jun 2017 | JP | national |