Vehicle glove box and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

A method of fabricating a vehicle glove box is disclosed which includes providing a plurality of exterior components of the vehicle glove box, the exterior components forming components of a shell; adjusting at least one property of foam for use in the vehicle glove box to control at least a first impact characteristic of the vehicle glove box; and depositing the foam into the shell.

1 . A method of fabricating a vehicle glove box, comprising: 
 providing a plurality of exterior components of said vehicle glove box, said exterior components forming components of a shell;    adjusting at least one property of foam for use in said vehicle glove box to control at least a first impact characteristic of said vehicle glove box; and    depositing said foam into said shell.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 modifying said first impact characteristic without modifying said exterior components.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 modifying said first impact characteristic by changing substantially only said at least one foam property.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 modifying at least one additional impact characteristic by changing substantially only said at least one foam property.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first impact characteristic is at least one of impact energy dissipation and impact energy transference by said vehicle glove box.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first impact characteristic is a spring constant in a direction of impact force of said vehicle glove box.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for a closed shell deposition, securing said plurality of shell components together prior to said depositing.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 for an open shell deposition, securing said plurality of shell components together after said depositing.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said adjusting comprises: 
 prior to said depositing, selecting a material property of said foam.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said adjusting comprises: 
 selecting at least one process factor for said foam.    
   
   
       11 . the method of  claim 10  wherein said selecting comprises selecting at least one of: a blowing agent for said foam, a flow rate for said foam, a pack factor of said foam, and whether or not to rotate said shell after said depositing.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said adjusting said at least one property comprises selecting at least one of: 
 a material composition, a density, a mix ratio of different constituent materials of said foam, a blowing agent for said foam, a rise direction factor, and a foam skin factor.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 during the curing of said foam in said shell, removing said shell from a foaming station at which said depositing was performed.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 using said foam to securely bond together said components of said shell without directly fastening said components of said shell to each other.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said securely bonding comprises: 
 providing materials for said shell components that bond securely to said foam.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said depositing comprises: 
 depositing foam having a first density into a first region of said shell, thereby forming a first foam member; and    depositing foam having a second density into a second region of said shell, thereby forming a second foam member.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein an interface between said first foam member and said second foam member includes at least one plane substantially parallel to a front-to-back axis of said shell.  
   
   
       18 . A vehicle glove box, comprising: 
 a shell having one or more exterior surfaces and one or more interior surfaces defining an internal cavity; and    at least two foam members disposed within said internal cavity of said shell and located offset from one another along a direction normal to a front-to-back axis of said shell.    
   
   
       19 . The vehicle glove box of  claim 18  wherein at least one foam property differs among at least two of said foam members.  
   
   
       20  The vehicle glove box of  claim 18  wherein said at least two foam members comprise: 
 a first foam member having a first spring constant; and    a second foam member having a second spring constant that is either greater than or less than said first spring constant.