Active Glove Box Door Interlock Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional active bolster systems in automotive vehicles, particularly those integrated into glove box doors, face issues with submarining and door opening due to the flexibility of the reaction wall during impact, which can lead to a partial loss of restraint force and compromised functionality.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of mechanical interlocking features in the latch rods and rear walls of the strikers prevents submarining by engaging during bolster deployment without interfering with normal door operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the reaction wall is made from moldable thermoplastic for low cost and easy attachment, then manufacturing cost and ease of attachment are improved, but the door may bend during deployment causing unlatching or submarining
Solution Approach 1:
The door structure is segmented into the reaction wall and the reinforcement member as separate components. The reinforcement member is attached to the reaction wall to provide additional structural support without requiring the entire reaction wall to be made from rigid material, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while improving door stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The door assembly uses a composite structure combining the moldable thermoplastic reaction wall with a reinforcement member (which may be made from a different material with higher stiffness). This composite approach allows the reaction wall to retain its manufacturing advantages while the reinforcement member provides the necessary structural rigidity to prevent bending, unlatching, and submarining.
2Ease of operation
If conventional latch rods with sloped ends are used for automatic retraction, then ease of operation is improved, but the latch rods may retract during impact causing loss of contact and submarining
Solution Approach 1:
The latch rod system incorporates dynamic characteristics with spring-loaded operation for automatic retraction during normal use. However, the reinforcement member creates a mechanical interlock that engages under impact loads, dynamically switching the latch system from a retractable state to a locked state to prevent submarining while maintaining ease of operation during normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member is pre-configured to engage with the latch rod under impact conditions. This preliminary anti-action mechanism is designed to activate specifically when submarining forces are applied, counteracting the natural retraction tendency of the sloped latch rod ends and preventing loss of contact during crash events.
Data Source
AI summary
An active glove box bolster system for an automotive vehicle comprises an instrument panel housing defining a door space. A glove box door comprises a longitudinally-movable latch rod having a sloped end. A striker is provided on the housing for receiving the latch rod in a pocket between a front wall and a rear wall. The front wall slidably engages the sloped end during closing of the door to retract the latch rod until it enters the pocket. The latch rod includes a first interlock element adjacent to the sloped end, and the rear wall includes a second interlock element aligned with the first interlock element. The interlock elements engage to resist movement in response to a force against the door in a direction to push the door through the door space.