GLOVE BOX ENERGY ABSORBING STRUCTURE

• US 20090134654A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Doom, Troy, Clashman, Lynn M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,735,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/37.120
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards

Abstract

A glove box energy absorbing structure that does not use braces to attach to an instrument panel or instrument panel reinforcement is provided. The energy absorbing structure includes a selectively collapsible pillar proximate to a bottom region of an upper glove box and a selectively collapsible pillar as part of a top wall of a lower glove box. The selectively collapsible pillar of the lower glove box is oppositely disposed from and adjacent to the selectively collapsible pillar of the upper glove box. The two selectively collapsible pillars afford for engagement with each other and thereby afford for energy to be absorbed during an accident when the lower glove box is impacted by the knee of a passenger sitting in the front seat of a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A glove box energy absorbing structure for a motor vehicle, said energy absorbing structure comprising:

an upper glove box having a bottom region with a selectively collapsible pillar proximate said bottom region; and

a lower glove box located generally below said upper glove box and having a top wall with a selectively collapsible pillar, said selectively collapsible pillar of said lower glove box being oppositely disposed from and adjacent to said selectively collapsible pillar of said upper glove box, for the purpose of providing a glove box energy absorbing structure.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar has at least one wall section extending in a direction away from an interior of said upper glove box.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar has at least one wall section extending in a direction away from an interior of said lower glove box.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein said at least one wall section of said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar is oppositely disposed from and adjacent to said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar.

5. The structure of claim 4, wherein said at least one wall section of said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar is generally parallel to said at least one section of said upper glove box bottom wall selectively collapsible pillar.

6. The structure of claim 5, wherein said at least one wall section of lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said lower glove box.

7. The structure of claim 5, wherein said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said upper glove box.

8. The structure of claim 5, wherein said at least one wall section of said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said lower glove box and said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said upper glove box.

9. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

an instrument panel reinforcement with an instrument panel attached to said instrument panel reinforcement.

10. The structure of claim 9, wherein said upper glove box has a front wall with an instrument panel reinforcement section, said instrument panel reinforcement section having a shape complementary with an outside surface of said instrument panel reinforcement.

11. The structure of claim 10, wherein said instrument panel reinforcement section is adjacent to said outside surface of said instrument panel reinforcement.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein said selectively collapsible pillars of said upper glove box and said lower glove box are made from a polymer.

13. A glove box energy absorbing structure for a motor vehicle, said energy absorbing structure comprising:

an instrument panel reinforcement;

an instrument panel attached to said instrument panel reinforcement;

an upper glove box attached to said instrument panel and having a front wall with an instrument panel reinforcement section, said instrument panel reinforcement section having a shape complementary with an outside surface of said instrument panel reinforcement;

said upper glove box also having a bottom wall and a selectively collapsible pillar adjacent to and generally located below said bottom wall, said selectively collapsible pillar having at least one wall section extending in a direction away from an interior of said upper glove box; and

a lower glove box attached to said instrument panel, located generally below said upper glove box and having a top wall with a selectively collapsible pillar, said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar having at least one wall section extending in a direction away from an interior of said lower glove box and being oppositely disposed from and adjacent to said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar that extends in a direction away from the interior of said upper glove box.

14. The structure of claim 13, wherein said instrument panel reinforcement section is adjacent to said outside surface of said instrument panel reinforcement.

15. The structure of claim 13, wherein said at least one wall section of said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar is generally parallel to said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar.

16. The structure of claim 13, wherein said at least one wall section of said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said lower glove box.

17. The structure of claim 13, wherein said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said upper glove box.

18. The structure of claim 13, wherein said at least one wall section of said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said lower glove box and said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar extends across the width of said upper glove box.

19. A glove box energy absorbing structure for a motor vehicle, said energy absorbing structure comprising:

an instrument panel reinforcement;

an instrument panel attached to said instrument panel reinforcement;

an upper glove box attached to said instrument panel and having a front wall with an instrument panel reinforcement section, said instrument panel reinforcement section having a shape complementary with and adjacent to an outside surface of said instrument panel reinforcement;

said upper glove box also having a bottom wall and a selectively collapsible pillar adjacent to and generally located below said bottom wall, said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar having at least one wall section extending in a direction away from an interior of said upper glove box, said at least one wall section also extending the width of said upper glove box; and

a lower glove box attached to said instrument panel, located generally below said upper glove box and having a top wall with a selectively collapsible pillar, said lower glove box selectively collapsible pillar having at least one wall section extending in a direction away from an interior of said lower glove box, extending the width of said lower glove box and being oppositely disposed from, adjacent to and generally parallel with said at least one section of said upper glove box selectively collapsible pillar that extends in a direction away from an interior of said upper glove box.

20. The structure of claim 19, wherein said selectively collapsible pillars of said upper glove box and said lower glove box are made from a polymer.