Glove box door damping device

• US 6,799,785 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Automotive Components Group North America (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Joseph J Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US10/605,728
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.12, 296/37.8, 493/86, 163/03
• US Class Current: 296/37.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards

Abstract

A glove box damper device is disclosed having a cam rotationally moving against a spring to slow the descent of glove box lid during opening. The glove box damper device is easy to install, has reduced costs over many previous damper devices and reduces breakage. The glove box damper is suitable for use with glove box lids having a sheet metal insert to meet automotive safety requirements.

Claims

1. A glove box damper comprising:

a cam assembly comprising a cam lobe attached substantially perpendicular to a pair of mounting spindles and at least two brackets for mounting said cam assembly along the bottom edge of a glove box lid, said glove box lid mounted along its lower edge to a glove box bin allowing said glove box lid to open in a downward direction;

a spring assembly comprising a body having an integral spring against which said cam lobe is biased and a pair of spindle mounting slots for positioning said cam assembly, mounted on an instrument panel retainer;

thereby providing a damping of the downward opening movement of said glove box lid.

2. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam assembly is molded of an engineered material selected from the group comprising but not limited to ABS, PC/ABS, and polypropylene.

3. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam assembly is molded as an integral part of said glove box lid.

4. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam assembly is molded as a separate unit fixedly attached to said glove box lid.

5. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam assembly cam lobe comprises a material different from the material comprising the rest of said cam assembly.

6. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring assembly is molded of an engineered material selected from the group comprising but not limited to ABS, PC/ABS, and polypropylene.

7. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring assembly is molded as an integral part of said instrument panel retainer.

8. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring assembly is molded as a separate unit fixedly attached to said instrument panel retainer.

9. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring assembly spring comprises a material different from the material comprising the rest of said spring assembly.

10. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring is compressed about 30% of a free position when said glove box lid is in a closed position and said spring is compressed about 50% of said free position when said glove box lid is in an open position.

11. A glove box damper comprising:

a cam assembly comprising a cam lobe attached substantially perpendicular to a pair of mounting spindles and at least two brackets for mounting said cam assembly along the bottom edge of a glove box lid, said glove box lid mounted along its lower edge to a glove box bin allowing said glove box lid to open in a downward direction;

a spring assembly comprising a body having an integral spring against which said cam lobe is biased and having a shape stopping the travel of the cam lobe at a desired point, and a pair of spindle mounting slots for positioning said cam assembly, mounted on an instrument panel retainer,

thereby providing a damping of the downward opening movement of said glove box lid as well as a desired amount of travel of said glove box lid.

12. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cam assembly is molded of an engineered material selected from the group comprising but not limited to ABS, PC/ABS, and polypropylene.

13. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cam assembly is molded as an integral part of said glove box lid.

14. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cam assembly is molded as a separate unit fixedly attached to said glove box lid.

15. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cam assembly cam lobe comprises a material different from the material comprising the rest of said cam assembly.

16. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spring assembly is molded of an engineered material selected from the group comprising but not limited to ABS, PC/ABS, and polypropylene.

17. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spring assembly is molded as an integral part of said instrument panel retainer.

18. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spring assembly is molded as a separate unit fixedly attached to said instrument panel retainer.

19. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spring assembly spring comprises a material different from the material comprising the rest of said spring assembly.

20. A glove box damper as claimed in claim 11, wherein said spring is compressed about 30% of a free position when said glove box lid is in a closed position and said spring is compressed about 50% of said free position when said glove box lid is in an open position.