Vehicle glove box door incorporating variations in rib structure for adjusting impact deformation proximate to respective knee and hand hit areas
First Claim
1. A vehicle dashboard mounted glove box exhibiting controlled deformation characteristics, comprising:
- a three-dimensional and volume holding bin;
an inner panel secured to locations associated with said bin, said panel exhibiting an exposed face, a plurality of stiffening and supporting ribs projecting in substantially grid-shaped fashion along at least a portion of said exposed face; and
an outer panel substantially matching said inner panel in overall configuration and, upon being welded to said inner panel along contact locations established between said support ribs and an inner surface of said outer panel, establishing a glove box door with an exposed face when said bin is mounted within the dashboard;
arrangement of said support ribs associated with said inner panel causing varying deformation characteristics of said door, and proximate to respective hand and knee contact zones of an occupant impacting the door.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A glove box assembly exhibiting controlled deformation characteristics and including a three-dimensional and volume holding bin. A door includes an inner panel incorporating a variety of stiffening and supporting ribs projecting in a substantially grid-shaped fashion and along specified areas of the inner panel associated with an occupant knee impact zone. Additional uninterrupted surfaces are separated by the ribs and create softer hand impact zones. An outer panel substantially matches the inner panel in overall configuration and, upon being vibrationally welded to the inner panel along selected ribs, exhibits an exposed face defining the knee and hand impact zones when the glove box assembly is recess mounted within a vehicle dashboard.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A vehicle dashboard mounted glove box exhibiting controlled deformation characteristics, comprising:
-
a three-dimensional and volume holding bin;
an inner panel secured to locations associated with said bin, said panel exhibiting an exposed face, a plurality of stiffening and supporting ribs projecting in substantially grid-shaped fashion along at least a portion of said exposed face; and
an outer panel substantially matching said inner panel in overall configuration and, upon being welded to said inner panel along contact locations established between said support ribs and an inner surface of said outer panel, establishing a glove box door with an exposed face when said bin is mounted within the dashboard;
arrangement of said support ribs associated with said inner panel causing varying deformation characteristics of said door, and proximate to respective hand and knee contact zones of an occupant impacting the door. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A door incorporated into a dashboard mounted glove box assembly, said door exhibiting controlled deformation characteristics and comprising:
-
an inner panel incorporating a plurality of stiffening and supporting ribs projecting in substantially grid-shaped fashion along at least selected portions of said inner panel; and
an outer panel substantially matching said inner panel in overall configuration and being vibrationally welded to said inner panel along at least a sub-plurality of horizontally extending ribs, said outer panel exhibiting an exposed face when said glove box assembly is recess mounted within the dashboard;
arrangement of said support ribs associated with said inner panel causing varying deformation characteristics of said door, and proximate to respective hand and knee contact zones of an occupant impacting the door. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A glove box assembly exhibiting controlled deformation characteristics and comprising:
-
a three-dimensional and volume holding bin;
a door comprising an inner panel incorporating a variety of stiffening and supporting ribs projecting in a substantially grid-shaped fashion and along selected portions of said inner panel associated with an occupant knee impact zone, additional uninterrupted surfaces separated by said ribs, creating softer hand impact zones; and
an outer panel substantially matching said inner panel in overall configuration and being vibrationally welded to said inner panel along selected ribs, said outer panel exhibiting an exposed face defining said knee and hand impact zones when said glove box assembly is recess mounted within a vehicle dashboard.
-
Specification