Two-piece assembly for a wrapped panel having a hole or unique feature
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorRobert Anthony Porcs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention can include a panel assembly and method to make the panel assembly to be installed in an instrument panel, the panel assembly having a front panel and a side panel. The front panel and side panel can be covered with a flexible covering. The flexible covering on the front panel and the flexible covering on the side panel can be wrapped around the respective panel in a joint area where the front panel and side panel meet. A compression force in the joint area can help secure the flexible coverings. The front panel and/or the side panel can also have one or more attachment means, such as clips, fastener holes and the like for attaching the panel assembly to the instrument panel.
Claims13
A panel assembly for an instrument panel in a motor vehicle, the panel assembly comprising:
- a front panel having an end portion extending generally normal from a distal end of the front panel, a front surface and a back surface;
- a side panel;
- a flexible covering extending along the front surface of the front panel, wrapping around to the back surface of the front panel;
- the front panel being attached to the side panel such that the end portion of the front panel abuts the side panel to form a joint between the front panel and the side panel;
- the flexible covering being compressed in the joint between the front panel and the side panel.
A method for assembling a panel assembly and installing the assembly into an instrument panel of an automobile, the method comprising:
- providing an instrument panel, a front panel, a side panel, and a flexible covering, the front panel having an end portion extending generally normal from a distal end of the front panel;
- applying the flexible covering to the front panel;
- attaching the side panel to the front panel after the flexible covering has been applied such that the end portion of the front panel abuts the side panel to form a joint between the front panel and the side panel, the flexible covering being compressed in the joint between the front panel and the side panel;
- and
- attaching the side panel and the front panel to the instrument panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.