Dashboard bezel assembly

Abstract

An instrument bezel for an automobile facilitates the addition of supplemental instruments to a vehicle while maintaining a clear and unobstructed view of the road for the driver without placing the supplemental instruments in a location that would make reading these instruments awkward and unsafe. The present instrument bezel is shaped to surround the dashboard of the automobile and replace an original instrument panel or dashboard bezel of the automobile. In one embodiment, the present instrument bezel assembly includes a bezel body and integral pods or mounts on the bottom corners, and supplemental instruments retained in the pods or mounts. The bezel body may be made of fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastic, metal, or the like.

1 . A dashboard bezel assembly, comprising: 
 a body configured to be mounted in a bezel mounting space defined between a dashboard housing and an instrument cluster assembly of a vehicle;    an instrument mount secured to said body; and    an instrument supported by said instrument mount.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said instrument mount is integrally formed with said body.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said body is formed by an upper body portion, a lower body portion, a right side portion coupled to a first side of said upper body portion and a first side of said lower body portion, and a left side portion coupled to a second side of said upper body portion and a second side of said lower body portion, and    said upper body portion, said lower body portion, said right side portion, and left side portion collectively define a viewing opening.    
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said upper body portion, said lower body portion, said right side portion, and left side portion of said body are integrally formed with one another.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said instrument mount is positioned proximate to said lower body portion.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a second instrument mount disposed proximate said lower body portion.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said first instrument mount is positioned proximate to said right side portion, and    said second instrument mount is positioned proximate to said left side portion.    
   
   
       8 . A dashboard bezel assembly, comprising: 
 a body configured to be mounted in a bezel mounting space defined between a dashboard housing and an instrument cluster assembly of a vehicle;    an instrument mount secured to said body; and    an instrument positioned within said instrument mount.    
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said instrument mount is integrally formed with said body.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said body is formed by an upper body portion, a lower body portion, a right side portion coupled to a first side of said upper body portion and a first side of said lower body portion, and a left side portion coupled to a second side of said upper body portion and a second side of said lower body portion, and    said upper body portion, said lower body portion, said right side portion, and left side portion collectively define a viewing opening.    
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said upper body portion, said lower body portion, said right side portion, and left side portion of said body are integrally formed with one another.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said instrument mount is positioned proximate to said lower body portion.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a second instrument mount disposed proximate said lower body portion.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said first instrument mount is positioned proximate to said right side portion, and    said second instrument mount is positioned proximate to said left side portion.