Gap hider for an interior vehicle panel assembly

An interior panel assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an instrument panel having a center instrument panel wall and first and second lateral instrument panel walls extending substantially perpendicular from the center instrument panel wall, the first and second lateral instrument panel walls each having a lower edge surface;
• a console having a center console wall and first and second lateral console walls extending substantially perpendicular from the center console wall, the first and second lateral console walls each having an upper edge surface, wherein the upper edge surfaces of the console face the lower edge surfaces of the instrument panel and define a space having a height defined by the lower edge surface and the upper edge surface;
• and
• a projection having a first section extending along the space defined by the first lateral instrument panel wall and the first lateral console wall, and a second section extending along the space defined by the second lateral instrument panel wall and the second lateral console wall, the first and second sections of the projection positioned on a side of the instrument panel and console opposite a passenger compartment and configured be a backdrop to the space wherein the center console wall comprises a tray panel located between the first and second lateral console walls, the tray panel having a rib extending opposite a passenger compartment into the gap and being positioned perpendicular to and between the first section and the second section of the projection.

An interior panel assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an instrument panel having an exterior surface facing a passenger compartment of the vehicle, an interior surface and a lower edge surface between the interior and exterior surfaces;
• a console having an exterior surface facing a passenger compartment of the vehicle, an interior surface and an upper edge surface between the interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the upper edge surface of the console faces the lower edge surface of the instrument panel to define a gap having a height between the lower edge surface of the instrument panel and the upper edge surface of the console;
• and
• a projection extending from the interior surface of the console proximate the upper edge surface, the projection extending across the height of the gap so that a distal end of the projection is proximate the interior surface of the instrument panel proximate the lower edge surface, the projection comprising first and second sections substantially parallel to each other and a third section extending between and perpendicular to the first and second sections, the third section spaced apart from both the first and second sections.