INSTRUMENT PANEL SUBASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC B62D1/16 B60K35/00 B62D25/14 

FIELD: transportation.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to modular units of the instrument panel of vehicles. Instrument panel subassembly comprises a cross beam, an instrument panel substrate, a steering shaft assembly and a closeout trim panel. Steering shaft assembly has an upper end with a swivel connection to the substrate and has a lower end for coupling to a steering gear assembly. Closeout trim panel comprises an elongated strip, mounted to the cross beam and has a snap-in retainer slot positioned to temporarily retain the steering shaft assembly prior to final coupling to the steering gear assembly at a substantially fixed position, which is spaced away from a final position of the steering shaft assembly when coupled to the steering gear assembly. Retainer slot can be deformed.

EFFECT: enabling temporary fixation of the steering shaft assembly during transportation and final installation of the instrument panel subassembly into the vehicle at the car assembly plant.

7 cl, 6 dwg