Sliding Glove Box Assembly for Deep Storage and Easy Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glove boxes in vehicles face challenges in increasing storage capacity and easy closure, particularly when accommodating large or heavy objects, due to dead spaces formed in the dashboard area.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle glove box assembly featuring a cover, housing, rotating member, and elastic member, where the rotating member includes first and second rotation links and a guide hole, allowing the housing to rotate and slide to open or close, and an elastic member to facilitate easy operation with reduced force requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the housing is made deeper to increase storage capacity, then the storage volume is improved, but the rear upper corner of the housing collides with the inner upper surface of the dashboard when rotated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the opening direction from vertical rotation to horizontal sliding movement. The housing moves along the x-axis (forward direction) instead of rotating around the y-axis, allowing deeper housing design without collision with the dashboard upper surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sliding mechanism with movable guide holes that allow the housing to dynamically adjust its position during opening/closing operations. The guide holes move along the rotating member, enabling smooth sliding motion that adapts to the housing's movement.
2Volume of moving object
If the housing is made deeper to increase storage capacity, then the storage volume is improved, but a dead space is formed in the upward side of the housing
Solution Approach 1:
By changing from vertical rotation to horizontal sliding, the patent eliminates the need for complex rotation mechanisms and reduces structural complexity while maintaining increased storage capacity through deeper housing design.
3Volume of moving object
If driving necessities are accommodated in the housing so that heights are greater than the housing height, then the storage capacity is improved, but the necessities are jammed in the entrance region during withdrawal
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal sliding mechanism allows objects to be withdrawn in the forward direction (x-axis) rather than requiring vertical extraction. This eliminates jamming issues at the entrance region and enables easy removal of tall objects that exceed the housing height.
4Volume of moving object
If many objects or heavy objects are accommodated in the housing, then the storage capacity is improved, but excessive force must be applied by the user to close the glove box
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member (spring) provides self-service by automatically generating the force needed to close the housing. When the user opens the glove box, the spring is compressed and stores energy; when released, this energy automatically pushes the housing closed without requiring additional user force.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member acts as a counterweight mechanism, providing an opposing force that balances the weight and resistance of heavy objects in the housing. The spring force compensates for the effort needed to overcome the mass of stored objects during closure.
5Volume of moving object
If a sliding mechanism is used to allow deep housing design, then the storage volume is improved, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating member serves multiple functions: it provides the sliding guide for the housing, acts as the moving connection between cover and housing, and incorporates the elastic member for automatic closure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall mechanism despite the sliding design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly increases storage capacity by utilizing the dead space in the dashboard and allows for easy closure of the glove box, even when containing multiple or heavy objects, by using an elastic member to assist in the rotational and sliding mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member having a first end coupled to the rotating member and a second end coupled to the cover
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes a cover which is accommodated in a dashboard near to a passenger seat and which is open in a forward direction, a housing which is accommodated in the cover and selectively opened or closed through a front surface of the cover, a rotating member which is disposed between the cover and the housing and forms a rotation orbit so that the housing is opened or closed through the cover, and an elastic member having a first end coupled to the rotating member and a second end coupled to the cover.