Energy absorbing structure
AssigneeVisteon Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDouglas Cappabianca, Joseph Camilletti, Zhenjian Huang, Kumar Kulkarni, Mark Sheldon, Mark Turner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lower instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a compartment surround mounted within a vehicle instrument panel, a compartment mounted within the compartment surround, and an energy absorbing structure mounted between the compartment surround and a member reaction surface within the vehicle, the energy absorbing structure being aligned between the member reaction surface and the compartment surround of the lower instrument panel assembly from within the vehicle.
Claims24
A lower instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a compartment cover mounted within a vehicle instrument panel;
- a compartment mounted within the compartment surround;
- and
- an energy absorbing structure mounted between the compartment surround and a member reaction surface within the vehicle, the energy absorbing structure being aligned between the member reaction surface and the compartment surround.
A lower instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a compartment surround mounted within a vehicle instrument panel;
- a compartment mounted within the compartment surround;
- and a generally hollow energy absorbing structure mounted between the compartment surround and a member reaction surface within the vehicle;
- the energy absorbing structure being aligned between the member reaction surface and the compartment surround within the vehicle and spanning the entire width of the compartment cover;
- the energy absorbing structure having a plurality of structural ribs spaced evenly therein and oriented along the line of loading between the compartment surround and the member reaction surface and having a top surface that is contoured to match the shape of the member reaction surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.