CN210822058U - Glove box for vehicle and vehicle comprising same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present application provides a glove box for a vehicle, comprising a glove box inner panel and a glove box outer panel, the glove box outer panel being engaged with an instrument panel of a vehicle instrument panel at an interface when the glove box is in a closed state, the glove box outer panel defining a hollow cavity and having an outer panel opening at the interface to the hollow cavity, an outer sealed airbag being at least partially received within the hollow cavity, an interior space of the glove box being defined by an elastic material airbag, the elastic material airbag being at least partially attached to at least one of an inner surface of the glove box inner panel, an inner surface of the glove box outer panel, and an inner surface of the instrument panel, and having an opening at the interface, the elastomeric gas bladder being configured to automatically hermetically seal the opening when the glove box is closed, such that the elastomeric gas bladder forms an inner sealing bladder, wherein an elastically deformable device is attached to at least one of an outer side surface of the glove box outer panel facing away from the interior space and/or an outer panel of the dashboard of the vehicle. The present application further provides a vehicle including a glove box.

Description

Glove box for vehicle and vehicle comprising same

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of vehicles, and in particular to a glove box for a vehicle and a vehicle including the glove box.

Background

The front side of a vehicle is generally provided with an instrument panel extending in front of both a driver's seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle, and the instrument panel is generally an assembly of an operation portion for electronic equipment such as instrument instruments, an air conditioner, and audio, an air outlet of the air conditioner, and a glove box.

The glove box is an openable and closable storage box provided directly in front of the passenger side of the vehicle. In the event of an emergency deceleration, an emergency stop, or a frontal collision during the traveling of the vehicle, the legs (mainly knees) of a passenger sitting in the passenger seat may collide with the glove box, so that it is desirable that the glove box can provide sufficient cushioning and energy absorption for the purpose of protecting the passenger.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The purpose of this application is to strengthen the buffering and energy-absorbing function of glove box to when taking place urgent speed reduction, scram or frontal collision in the vehicle driving process, alleviate the impact and the injury of glove box to vice driving side passenger's shank as far as possible.

The above object is achieved by a glove box for a vehicle described below. The glove box for a vehicle includes a glove box inner panel engaged with an instrument panel of a vehicle instrument panel at an interface when the glove box is in a closed state, and a glove box outer panel defining a hollow cavity and having an outer panel opening at the interface to the hollow cavity, an outer sealed airbag being at least partially received within the hollow cavity, wherein an inner space of the glove box for containing debris is defined by an elastic material airbag at least partially attached to at least one of an inner surface of the glove box inner panel, an inner surface of the glove box outer panel, and an inner surface of the instrument panel, and having an opening at the interface, the elastic material airbag automatically hermetically sealing the opening when the glove box is closed, so that the elastic material airbag forms an inner sealed airbag, wherein an elastically deformable device is attached on an outer side surface of the glove box inner panel facing away from the inner space and/or in an outer panel of the vehicle instrument panel.

In one embodiment, the outer sealed air bag is capable of extending out of the outer panel opening at least when being squeezed to have a first preset internal air pressure value.

In one embodiment, the outer sealed bladder partially extends out of the outer panel opening even when not compressed, and sealingly engages the instrument panel when the glove box is closed.

In one embodiment, the elastic material gas pocket is formed by a one-piece elastic material sheet or film or comprises a plurality of elastic material films or sheet portions sealingly connected to each other.

In one embodiment, the elastomeric airbag is affixed to at least a portion of an interior surface of the glove box inner panel, and/or to at least a portion of an interior surface of the glove box outer panel, and/or to at least a portion of an interior surface of the instrument panel by means of an adhesive.

In one embodiment, the elastically deformable means comprises at least one first elastically deformable means fixedly attached to an outside surface of the glove box inner panel, and at least one second elastically deformable means housed in an aperture of the instrument panel.

In one embodiment, one or both of the first and second elastically deformable devices comprises at least one of a spring, a rubber body, a sponge.

In one embodiment the glove box further comprises a glove box side panel connected to both the glove box outer panel and the glove box inner panel.

In one embodiment, the outer sealed bladder and the inner sealed bladder are made of a latex material.

In one embodiment, the glove box outer panel is made of a thin metal plate.

The application also relates to a vehicle comprising the glove box.

According to the glove box, a quadruple buffering and energy absorbing structure is provided, when the legs of a passenger on the driving side of a passenger collide with the glove box due to an accident or an emergency deceleration or sudden stop of a vehicle, the glove box can provide enough buffering and collision energy absorption for the legs of the passenger, and the possible injury to the legs of the passenger is reduced to the maximum extent. In addition, since the outer panel of the glove box is made of a material which is easily deformed, such as a metal plate, it is easily restored to its original shape after being deformed, as compared with the glove box made of a brittle plastic material, so that the probability of replacement and maintenance is reduced and the associated costs are saved.

Drawings

The above and other features and advantages of the present application will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a glove box for a vehicle according to the present application.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a glove box 100 for a vehicle according to the present application. The glove box 100 is generally located just forward and downward of the passenger on the passenger side, and mainly includes a glove box outer panel 10 and a glove box inner panel 20. Optionally, the glove box 100 further includes a glove box side panel (not shown) connected to the outer glove box panel 10 and the inner glove box panel 20, and the glove box side panel may have a fan-shaped flat plate structure or a curved plate structure like a "V" or "z". A pivot 25 defining a pivot axis X of the glove box 100 connects the outer glove box panel 10 and the inner glove box panel 20 together to form the glove box 100 of a generally V-shaped configuration.

The glove box 100 may be a one-piece glove box as shown in fig. 1, wherein the outer glove box panel 10, the inner glove box panel 20 and the pivot 25, and optionally the glove box side panels, are of unitary construction. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this is not required and that the glove box 100 may be a modular structure assembled from multiple pieces for other considerations or purposes.

Fig. 1 shows a closed state of the glove box 100. The glove box outer panel 10 includes a lower portion connected to the pivot portion 25 and an opposite upper portion, and is engaged at the upper portion with a convex engaging portion 62 of an instrument panel 60 constituting a vehicle instrument panel, the convex engaging portion 62 having a sufficiently smooth arcuate surface. The glove box inner panel 20 is then in a substantially upright position, whereby the glove box outer panel 10, the glove box inner panel 20, and the instrument panel 60 of the vehicle instrument panel (and optionally the glove box side panel) form a glove box interior space G for containing debris. An actuating portion (not shown) of the glove box is provided on an outer surface of the glove box outer panel 10 or an upper portion of the glove box outer panel 10 so that a passenger can easily manually actuate the glove box to rotate clockwise about the pivot axis X, move the glove box 100 to an opened state of the glove box (not shown in the drawings), or rotate the glove box 100 in the opposite direction to a closed state shown in the drawings when the glove box 100 is in the opened state. A locking device for locking the glove box 100 in the closed state thereof may be further provided at an interface where the outer panel 10 of the glove box is engaged with the male engagement portion 62 of the instrument panel 60, and may be any locking device widely known in the art.

The glove box inner space G for containing the sundries is defined by a bag 40 having an opening 42, and the bag 40 is formed by an elastic material sheet or film attached to the inner surface 11 of the glove box outer panel 10 facing the inner space G, the inner surface 21 of the glove box inner panel 20 facing the inner space G, and the inner surface 61 of the instrument panel 60 facing the inner space G. The air bag 40 may be formed from a unitary piece or film of elastomeric material or include multiple pieces or film portions that are sealingly joined.

The sheet or film of elastomeric material forming the air bag 40 may be affixed to at least one up to all of the inner surfaces 11, 21 and 61, and optionally also to the inner surfaces (not shown) of the side panels facing the interior space G. The elastomeric sheet or film forming the air bag 40 may be partially or entirely affixed to the respective surfaces, such as the inner surface 11 and the inner surface 21. The elastomeric sheet or film forming the air pocket 40 may be partially attached to the inner surface 61 or the inner surface of the side panels to prevent tearing or damage during repeated opening and closing of the glove box 100. The attachment of the piece or film of elastomeric material forming the air pocket 40 to the respective surface may be achieved by adhesive bonding or any other feasible means, or by the adsorption of the material itself to a sheet of metallic material.

The opening 42 of the bag 40 is provided at the interface of the glove box outer panel 10 and the convex joint 62 of the instrument panel 60, and is hermetically sealed by the joining of the glove box outer panel 10 and the convex joint 62 when the glove box 100 is closed. That is, when the glove box 100 is closed, the airbag 40 is always in an airtight sealed state, and an inner sealed airbag is formed without being filled with sundries. The air bag 40 may be made of, for example, latex or the like.

According to the present application, the glove box outer panel 10 may be made of a material that is easily deformable. For example, in the integrated glove box of the present application, the glove box 100 is integrally made of a readily deformable metal material, such as a thin metal plate.

The glove box outer panel 10 is formed with a hollow cavity 12 at an inside thereof, and an outer panel opening 14 to the hollow cavity 12 is formed at a top of the glove box outer panel 10. The outer sealed bladder 30 can be placed within the hollow cavity 12 via the outer panel opening 14. The outer sealed bladder 30 may be configured to be entirely within the hollow cavity 12 of the glove box outer panel 10 and extend out of the outer panel opening 14 when compressed to a first predetermined internal air pressure value. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1, the outer sealed bladder 30 may be configured to be mostly received within the hollow cavity 12 and partially protrude out of the outer panel opening 14. When the glove box 100 is in the illustrated closed state, the portion of the outer seal bag 30 protruding out of the outer panel opening 14 is sealingly engaged with the male engagement portion 62 of the instrument panel 60.

The outer sealed bladder 30 may be made of the same or different elastomeric material as the air bladder 40, and may be, for example, a conventional balloon. Alternatively, the outer sealed balloon 30 may be attached or partially attached to the surface defining the hollow cavity 12 for purposes of securing therein.

As shown in fig. 1, a first elastically deformable device 70 is attached to an outer side surface 23 of the glove box inner panel 20 facing away from the inner space G, and a second elastically deformable device 80 is provided in the instrument panel 60. Alternatively, only one of the first and second elastically deformable devices 70, 80 may be provided. The first and second elastically deformable devices 70, 80 may be provided as at least one, such as one or more, elastic members as shown, including, but not limited to, springs, rubber blocks, sponges, and the like as shown. The number of the elastic pieces can be set according to requirements. The attachment of the first elastically deformable device 70 to the inner glove box panel 20 of metal material may be achieved by welding or any other form known to the person skilled in the art; the second resiliently deformable device 80 may be received in an aperture 63 formed in the instrument panel 60 as shown. The first and second elastically deformable devices 70 and 80 may be elastically deformed when the internal air pressure of the air bag 40 reaches a second preset value.

According to the glove box 100 of the present application, when an accident occurs to the vehicle and the legs of the passenger on the secondary driving side collide with the glove box outer panel 10, the thin-wall outer panel structure including the hollow cavity 12 is easily deformed and bent toward the outer sealed airbag 30, providing a first buffer for the legs of the passenger, which is a first energy absorption structure of the glove box 100. As the outer panel 10 is deformed, the outer sealed airbag 30 is compressed, the internal air pressure is increased, and the portion extruded or squeezed out from the outer panel opening 14 becomes large, which provides a second re-cushioning to the legs of the passenger, whereby the outer sealed airbag 30 constitutes a second energy absorbing structure of the glove box 100. The more the portion of the outer sealed airbag 30 is extruded from the outer panel opening 14, the more the sealing performance of the inner sealed airbag constituted by the airbag 40 is secured, but as the deformation of the outer panel 10 increases, the inner sealed airbag is also extruded and the internal pressure increases, which provides a third triple cushion for the legs of the occupant, whereby the inner sealed airbag constitutes a third energy absorbing structure of the glove box 100. The inner panel 20 of the glove box 100 is deformed when the internal air pressure of the inner sealed airbag reaches a second preset internal air pressure value, the deformation of the inner panel 20 causes one or both of the elastically deformable devices 70 and 80 attached thereto to be deformed, providing a fourth cushion for the legs of the occupant, whereby the springs attached to the glove box inner panel 10 and the instrument panel 60 constitute a fourth energy absorbing structure of the glove box 100.

In this manner, the glove box 100 provides four-fold cushioning and energy absorption when the passenger's legs impact the glove box 100, minimizing the potential injury to the passenger's legs. In addition, since the glove box 100 is made of a material that is easily deformable, such as a metal plate member, it is easily restored to a substantially original shape after being deformed, and is not broken as easily as a glove box made of a plastic material, thereby reducing the probability of replacement and maintenance and thus saving the associated costs.

The preferred embodiments of the present application are described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and substitutions can be made to the embodiments disclosed in the present application without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims, and that such modifications and substitutions are to be considered as falling within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims (11)

1. A glove box for a vehicle, comprising a glove box inner panel and a glove box outer panel, the glove box outer panel being engaged with an instrument panel of a vehicle instrument panel at an interface when the glove box is in a closed state, the glove box outer panel defining a hollow cavity and having an outer panel opening to the hollow cavity at the interface, an outer sealed airbag being at least partially received within the hollow cavity,

wherein an inner space of the glove box for containing sundries is defined by an elastic material airbag which is at least partially attached to at least one of an inner surface of the glove box inner panel, an inner surface of the glove box outer panel and an inner surface of the instrument panel and has an opening at the interface, the elastic material airbag automatically hermetically seals the opening when the glove box is closed, so that the elastic material airbag forms an inner sealing airbag,

wherein an elastically deformable device is attached on an outer side surface of the glove box inner panel facing away from the inner space and/or in an outer panel of the vehicle instrument panel.

2. The glove box for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer sealed airbag is capable of protruding out of the outer panel opening at least when being pressed to have a first preset internal air pressure value.

3. The glove box for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the outer seal airbag partially protrudes out of the outer panel opening even when not compressed, and hermetically sealingly engages the instrument panel when the glove box is closed.

4. Glove box for vehicles according to claim 1, characterised in that the elastomeric gas bag is formed by a one-piece elastomeric material sheet or film or comprises a plurality of elastomeric material film or sheet portions sealingly connected to each other.

5. The glove box for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the elastic material airbag is attached by adhesion to at least a portion of an inner surface of the glove box inner panel, and/or at least a portion of an inner surface of the glove box outer panel, and/or at least a portion of an inner surface of the instrument panel.

6. The glove box for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the elastically deformable means includes at least one first elastically deformable means fixedly attached to an outer side surface of the glove box inner panel, and at least one second elastically deformable means housed in a hole of the instrument panel.

7. The glove box for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein one or both of the first and second elastically deformable devices includes at least one of a spring, a rubber body, a sponge.

8. The glove box for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a glove box side panel connected to both of an outer panel and an inner panel of the glove box.

9. The glove box for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the outer seal bladder and the inner seal bladder are made of a latex material.

10. The glove box for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the glove box outer panel is made of a thin metal sheet.

11. A vehicle characterized by comprising a glove box for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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