TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for securing a glove box lid in a closed position in the event of a frontal impact that releases the glove box lid latch.

BACKGROUND

The impact force of certain motor vehicle collisions may cause the glove box lid latch to fail, allowing the glove box lid to open and the contents therein to be thrown around the interior of the motor vehicle. For example, a frontal impact of sufficient force may cause the dash panel of the motor vehicle to intrude into the passenger compartment pushing a component of the motor vehicle, such as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) case into the lower rail: that is, a steel structure and important component for glove box integrity as that rail supports the glove box lid hinges. This may lead to glove box lid latch failure.

This document relates to a new and improved apparatus and method for securing a glove box lid in a closed position even in the event of a frontal impact that results in glove box lid latch failure.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes and benefits as described herein, a new and improved apparatus is provided for securing a glove box lid closed in the event of an impact to the motor vehicle even if that impact causes failure of the glove box lid latch. That apparatus comprises a stop carried on the glove box lid and a lever. The lever includes an abutment, a catch and a fulcrum. The lever is displaceable about the fulcrum between (a) a rest position, wherein the catch is maintained outside the path of the stop as the glove box lid is opened and closed, and (b) a deployed position wherein the catch engages the stop preventing the glove box lid from opening.

The catch may be provided at a first end of the lever. The abutment may be provided at a second end of the lever. The fulcrum may be provided beside the abutment at the second end of the lever. In one of the many possible embodiments of the apparatus, the fulcrum may be a weld connecting the lever to a motor vehicle support such as the lower rail of the motor vehicle.

The apparatus may further include an HVAC case that engages the abutment in the event of a motor vehicle frontal impact. This engagement causes the lever to pivot about the fulcrum and displaces the lever from the rest position to the deployed position.

The lever may further include an S-curve whereby the catch is offset from the abutment. That S-curve may be positioned between the fulcrum and the catch. Further, the fulcrum and the abutment may be aligned along a first line while the fulcrum and the catch may be aligned along a second line. That first line may form an included angle with the second line of between about 75 and 90 degrees. In one particularly useful embodiment, the first line forms an included angle with the second line of about 90 degrees.

In accordance with an additional aspect, a method is provided of securing a glove box lid in a closed position in the event of an impact to a motor vehicle. That method comprises the steps of: (a) connecting a lever to a motor vehicle support with a fulcrum, (b) displacing the lever from a rest position to a deployed position in response to the impact and (c) engaging a stop of the glove box lid with a catch on the lever when the lever is in the deployed position thereby securing the glove box lid in a closed position.

The method may be further described as including the step of engaging an abutment of the lever with an HVAC case of the motor vehicle as the HVAC case is displaced rearwardly in response to the impact. The method may also include the step of pivoting the lever about the fulcrum and thereby displacing the lever from the rest position to the deployed position.

In addition, the method may include the additional step of providing the lever with an S-Curve. Still further, the method may include the step of offsetting the catch from the abutment.

In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the apparatus and method. As it should be realized, the apparatus and method are capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the apparatus and method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

