Plastic modular structural dash

Abstract

In some examples, a method of manufacturing an integrated vehicle body structure includes forming a monolithic molded plastic panel that defines a vehicle barrier extending across at least a portion of a vehicle cabin width. The monolithic molded plastic panel integrates a dash structure and a cowl structure for the vehicle. The method includes attaching components to the panel and mounting it into the vehicle. The panel may incorporate HVAC ducting, pre-assembled NVH panels on both wet and dry sides, connection points for vehicle systems, reinforcement ribs, embedded glass fiber, and molded-in datum pins. The vehicle body structure includes the monolithic molded plastic panel that provides the integrated dash and cowl structure when mounted to a vehicle, creating a barrier between the passenger cabin and external elements. The structure may include pre-assembled NVH panels spanning the vehicle cabin width, integrated connection points for vehicle systems, and channels for perimeter seals.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.