JPH0127932Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to the structure of a heater control panel for an automobile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A heater control device for an automobile is built into an instrument panel so that hot or cold air can be taken in by the driver's operation. The heater control device mainly consists of a housing body containing a switch device and a panel covering the front surface of the housing body, and the switches protrude from the panel and can be operated manually. Such switches are mainly divided into slide type and push type.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The panel is fixed to the housing main body mainly by resilient engagement, that is, by engaging an elastically deformable engagement part including a claw, groove, notch, etc. with the other side. . This resilient engagement ensures that the panel remains securely attached to the housing body during normal use, but when extreme impact forces are applied to an automobile or instrument panel, such as when performing an impact test. It may come off when you work. In order to prevent the panel from popping out in such cases, conventionally, after the elastic engagement, the panel is further secured with a screw (for example, see screw 30 in Figure 2). Since the screws are fastened after installation, the heads of the screws are exposed on the panel, spoiling the beauty of the panel. Therefore, the present invention provides a means to prevent the panel from popping out without using such screws, or even if screws are used, to prevent such screws from being visible from the panel surface. The purpose is to

Means for Solving the Problems In the automobile heater control panel structure according to the present invention, an elastically deformable engaging portion provided on one side of the heater control housing body and the panel is engaged with the other side, so that the heater control panel can be attached to the housing body. The panel is fixed, the panel is formed with an opening for passing a switch lever extending from the housing body, and an operating knob is fixed to the outer end of the switch lever and is attached to the housing together with the switch lever for operation. A receiving seat movable within the opening of the main body and integral with the wall of the panel is formed at a position behind and overlapping the operating knob, when the panel is removed from the housing main body. Further, the operating knob is prevented from coming into contact with a receiving seat of the panel and falling off.

Function Since the panel is attached to the housing body by resilient engagement, it will not normally come off, but if an impact force is applied, the resilient engagement will come off and the panel will try to pop out from the housing body. The operating knob attached to the tip of the switch lever is ultimately attached to the housing body, and will not come off from the housing body unless a force greater than the bonding force between them is applied. A portion of the wall of the panel is formed at the rear of the operating knob so as to overlap therewith, so that when the panel moves from the housing body, the overlapping portion hits the operating knob, thereby preventing the panel from popping out.

Embodiment In FIGS. 1 to 4, 1 is a heater control housing body, 2 is a panel, 3 is an operation knob, and 4 is a switch lever. The housing body 1 can be attached to an instrument panel (not shown) by means of a boss portion 5 (FIG. 2). As shown in Figure 3, the panel 2 is approximately box-shaped and can be completely fitted over the housing body 1, and has thin extensions from both end walls (only one is shown in Figure 3). It is locked to the housing body 1 by resilient engagement between the groove or notch 7 of the extension part 6 and the claw 8 (FIG. 4) formed on the corresponding end wall of the housing body 1.

Two openings 9 and 10 are formed in the panel 2 when viewed from the front (Fig. 3), and five push-type operation knobs 3 are arranged in a line within the opening 9 (a second
figure). These operation knobs 3 are for switching modes of heater control. A sliding knob 11 is arranged in the other opening 10, which is for adjusting the temperature. These operation knobs 3 and 11 extend from the housing body 1. That is, the first
As is clear from the figure, the switch lever 4 extends perpendicularly to the surface of the panel 2, and the operating knob 3 is attached to the tip of the switch lever 4.
is installed. In FIG. 1, the operating knob 3 is adapted to be fitted or inserted into a switch lever 4. As shown in FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 2, each operating knob 3 is formed with a display section to indicate the mode of use, and a lens 1 attached to the housing body 1 is provided.
3 (FIG. 1) and a light source (not shown) for night illumination.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a receiving seat 15 made of a part of the wall of the panel 2 is formed corresponding to the position of the operating knob 3 on the right side of FIG. This catch seat 15 is located at the rear of the operating knob 3 when viewed in cross-section in FIG. It is located in a position that overlaps with Therefore, when the panel 2 is released from the above-mentioned resilient engagement and is about to pop out from the housing body 1 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. It is intended to prevent In addition, strike plate 15
A reinforcing rib 16 extending in a triangular shape is also formed at the same time. Further, the window 17 shown in FIG. 3 is for arranging a clock and motors. Further, the screw head indicated by the imaginary line 30 in FIG. 2 is drawn only for the purpose of explaining the prior art.
According to the present invention, since the panel 2 is prevented from popping out by the receiving seat 15, screws such as those shown at 30 are not necessary. Therefore, the aesthetic appearance is improved and the step of installing such screws can be omitted.

The force of preventing the panel 2 from popping out depends on the adhesion force between the operating knob 3 and the switch lever 4. In the example shown in FIG.
This is based on the fitting (or insertion) between the switch lever 4 and the switch lever 4, and the fitting force is such that the operating knob 3 can be removed from the switch lever 4 manually. In the example in Figure 1, panel 2
Although only one operating knob 3 is used to prevent the robot from popping out, if you want to further increase the prevention force, other operating knobs 3 can be used at the same time. 15 should be formed in correspondence with each other. The receiving seat 15 is integrally formed at the same time as the panel 2 is molded, so there is almost no increase in cost.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a receiving seat 15 formed similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG.
It is screwed onto the housing body 1 by a screw. According to this, the fixation of the panel 2 to the housing main body 1 becomes even more reliable. In this case, it should be noted that the screw 17 is hidden behind the operating knob 3 and does not appear on the surface of the panel. In order to make this possible (and to make the configuration shown in FIG. 1 possible), the panel 2 is first attached to the housing body 1 by elastic engagement, and then the operating knob 3 with a receiving seat is attached. The order of assembly to the switch lever 4 is important.

Effects of the invention As explained above, according to the invention, the panel can be held in the housing body without damaging its appearance, and it can also prevent the panel from flying out in the event of an impact, and the assembly work can be simplified. It can be done easily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a front view of the heater control device, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the panel, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the resilient engagement, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment. 1...Housing body, 2...Panel, 3...
Operation knob, 4... switch lever, 9... opening, 15... catch seat.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The panel is fixed to the housing body by engaging an elastically deformable engagement portion provided on one side of the heater control housing body and the panel with the other side, and a switch lever extending from the housing body is passed through the panel. an opening in the housing body, an operating knob being fixed to the outer end of the switch lever and movable within the opening in the housing body with the switch lever for operation, and an operating knob integral with the wall of the panel; A receiving seat is formed at a position behind the operating knob so as to overlap the operating knob, so that when the panel is removed from the housing main body, the operating knob does not come into contact with the receiving seat of the panel and fall off. Automotive heater control panel structure.