Method and apparatus for supporting an electrical circuit board in a vehicle panel closure
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsJoseph J. Davis, Jr., Timothy F. O'Brien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for supporting an electrical component in a vehicle includes providing an electrical component, selecting a vehicle component to be made at least in part of a flexible foam material, and producing the vehicle component such that the electrical component is embedded in the foam material of the vehicle component, thereby providing support for the electrical component.
Claims16
A generally elongated vehicle instrument panel having an end with an opening formed therein, and having vehicle components mounted within the vehicle instrument panel, wherein the vehicle components transmit noise through the opening in the end, said vehicle instrument panel comprising:
- a closure for the opening in the end of the vehicle instrument panel, said closure constructed substantially of flexible foam material having sound dampening properties for reducing the noise transmitted through the opening in the end of the vehicle instrument panel;
- and
- an electrical circuit board substantially embedded in said closure.
A vehicle component comprising:
- a flexible foam material;
- and
- an electrical circuit board having an electrical component mounted thereon, said circuit board at least partially embedded in said foam material by a first portion of said foam material which covers at least a portion of said circuit board to support said circuit board within said foam material, wherein said first portion has an access opening formed therein and positioned adjacent said electrical component to provide access to said electrical component, wherein said vehicle component is an end cap for an opening in an end of a vehicle instrument panel, and wherein said vehicle component includes a groove formed in a peripheral edge of said vehicle component, said groove for selectively attaching and detaching said vehicle component in said opening of the end of the instrument panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.