Vehicle Glove Box Retainer With Collapsible Side Wall Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle glove boxes often involuntarily open during frontal impacts due to insufficient retention mechanisms, leading to potential ejection of items inside the vehicle interior.
Innovation Solution
A glove box retainer assembly featuring a bin with a collapsible feature and an arm mechanism that engages the instrument panel upon force application, preventing the glove box from opening during impacts by using a plurality of ribs and a slot feature to direct force and facilitate the arm's deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional latch feature is used to close the glove box, then the glove box can be opened and closed during normal operation, but the glove box involuntarily opens during frontal impact events
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer assembly uses a dynamic arm feature that transitions between retracted and extended positions based on impact forces. During normal operation, the arm remains retracted allowing free glove box operation. During impact, the arm extends to engage the instrument panel, providing impact-specific retention without affecting normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the retention parameter from a static latch mechanism to a dynamic one that activates based on force magnitude. The collapsible feature detects impact threshold forces and triggers arm extension, effectively changing the retention state from low (normal operation) to high (impact condition).
2Strength
If the side wall is made rigid to maintain glove box structure, then structural integrity is maintained, but the arm feature cannot deploy during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is segmented into a rigid portion (maintaining structural integrity) and a collapsible feature portion (enabling arm deployment). This segmentation allows different regions of the side wall to serve different functions: the rigid portion provides strength while the collapsible portion facilitates impact response and arm extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The side wall transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system with collapsible and rigid zones. The collapsible feature acts as a mechanical trigger that converts impact force into arm extension, allowing the structure to adapt its rigidity based on operational conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A glove box retainer assembly for retaining a glove box in a closed position during a frontal impact event of a vehicle includes an instrument panel of the vehicle and a bin is coupled to the instrument panel. The bin includes a base coupled to a rearward wall, a forward wall, and a side wall positioned between the rearward wall and the forward wall. A plurality of ribs is coupled to the forward wall. A collapsible feature is coupled to the side wall. An arm feature is coupled to the side wall and is defined by a slot feature in the side wall that feature extends from an upper rim of the side wall toward the forward wall. The collapsible feature is configured to collapse and the arm feature is configured to protrude outward from the side wall and engage the instrument panel in response to the application of a sufficient force.