Abstract:
The present invention provides a striker with a box clip feature. The striker may be mounted to a support structure for engagement with a latch mechanism. The striker may include a body for mounting to a support structure, such as an instrument panel in a vehicle. The striker may include a latch bar capable of engaging the latch mechanism. The striker may also include a locating feature that may aid in alignment within the support structure for quick assembly. The box clip feature may include an aperture that is capable of connecting said body to the support structure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/062,591, entitled “Glove Box Striker With Box Clip Attachment Feature,” filed on Jan. 28, 2008, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is generally related to a glove box door latch mechanism for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a glove box striker with an integrated box clip feature. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A variety of latching mechanisms are known in the art and are used within the automotive industry for releasably coupling various movable components to the vehicle body. For example, latches L are used for releasably coupling doors (e.g. passenger doors, liftgate, hood, trunk, glove box, etc.) to vehicles. The latching mechanisms L are generally operable in a latched mode to secure the door to the vehicle body and in an unlatched mode where the door is freely movable relative to the vehicle body. The latching mechanisms typically include a latch L that engages a striker S when the door is in a closed position. The latch is typically secured near an edge of the door, and a striker S is typically secured to the vehicle body. 
         [0004]    It is known in the art to provide a glove box door or handle H that closes an opening, such as a glove box or storage area, in an instrument panel P of a vehicle. The glove box door is hingedly mounted to the instrument panel P to allow for pivotal movement between a closed position and an open position. In order to keep the door or handle H of the glove box in the closed position, a latching mechanism L is provided. 
         [0005]    Typically, the latching mechanism L includes a striker S to be mounted to the instrument panel P structure. As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , prior art strikers S have a latch bar L for the glove box latch to “strike” and close around. A striker bar B for latching the glove box door in a closed position is typically fixed to the instrument panel P facing the surface of the door. A hinge typically connects the door to the instrument panel P, each half of the hinge having separate connections. A claw mechanism L is also typically mounted to the glove box door. The claw mechanism traps or catches the latch bar B of the striker S when the glove box door is in the closed position. 
         [0006]    These prior art strikers S often require secondary operations as well as additional fastener components to function properly. Specifically, current glove box strikers require weld nuts WN to aid in attaching the striker S to the instrument panel P of the vehicle. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an improved glove box striker that speeds up assembly time and reduces the number of additional components and secondary operations needed, thereby reducing cost. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Operation of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a prior art glove box striker. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a prior art glove box striker. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a prior art glove box striker. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a prior art box clip. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of a glove box striker in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of the glove box striker. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  illustrates a section view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  illustrates a close up section view taken along line B-B of the box clip portion of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  illustrates another perspective view of the glove box striker. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective view of the box clip portion of the glove box striker engaged with a fastener. 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    A striker for mounting to a support structure and for engagement with a latch mechanism. The striker may include a body having a first end and a second end. The body may have an aperture for connecting the base to the support structure. The striker may include a latch bar located on the first end. The striker may also include at least one locating feature extending outwardly from the second end, wherein the locating feature may be capable of engaging a support structure. The striker may further include an attachment feature capable of engaging the support structure. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    While the invention is described herein with reference to several embodiments, it should be clear that the invention should not be limited only to the embodiments disclosed or discussed. The description of the embodiments herein is illustrative of the invention and should not limit the scope of the invention as described or claimed. 
         [0020]    As generally described herein, the present invention provides a glove box striker  10 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 5-10 , the glove box striker  10  may combine the function of typical prior art strikers, such as the ones shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , with the attachment capabilities of a prior art box clip, as can be seen in  FIG. 4 , into a one-piece component or one-piece stamping. This combination eliminates the need for additional fasteners, such as a weld nut or the like, as well as eliminates the need for any secondary operations, such as welding or the like, which both result in cost savings. Unlike the prior art, the striker  10  eliminates welding operations at the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), eliminates wire for the striker, and eliminates weld nuts for attachment, while also speeding up assembly time and lowering production costs. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-10 , an embodiment of a glove box striker  10  is shown. The striker  10  may include a body  12  that may serve as a mounting structure. The body  12  may include an integrally formed first body portion or end  14 , a second body portion or end  16  and a bend  18 . The bend  18  may be positioned at any appropriate location along the body  12 , but is preferably located in a generally center location of the body  12 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In addition, the bend  18  is also preferably located between the first body portion  14  and the second body portion  16 . The first body portion  14  may be located adjacent to and preferably at an angle A away from the second body portion  16 , due to the bend  18 . The angle A of the bend  18  may be of any appropriate degree, but is preferably an approximately 136-degree angle A, as best shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0022]    As an alternative, instead of being an integrally formed body piece  12 , the two body portions  14 ,  16  may be separate pieces that may be secured to one another by any appropriate means, including but not limited to welding, adhesive, mechanical fasteners, etc. and the like. 
         [0023]    With further reference to  FIGS. 5-10 , the first body portion  14  of the striker  10  may also include a latch bar  20  and a latch opening  22 . The latch bar  20  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a substantially linear shape forming a generally “C” shape in its profile, as best seen in  FIG. 7 . However, the latch bar  20  may be of any other appropriate shape or profile, such as a solid cylindrical rod shape. Preferably, the latch bar may be integrally formed to the striker  10 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , however, the latch bar  20  may be a separate piece that needs to be attached to the striker  10 . The latch bar  20  may be provided so that a catching mechanism of a glove box door may “strike” and close around the latch bar  20 . A typical catching mechanism know in the art is illustrated in the prior art  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
         [0024]    The latch opening  22  of the striker  10  may provide the “claw” of the catching mechanism room to catch and hold onto the latch bar  20 . The latch opening  22  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a generally rectangular shape. The striker  10  may further include a structural lip  24  for additional strength. This structural lip  24  may extend along the outer edges of the body  12  and along an inner edge of the latch opening  22 , as best shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0025]    With additional reference to  FIGS. 5-10 , the second body portion  16  of the striker  10  may include a box clip feature  30 . The box clip  30  may be positioned at any appropriate location on the striker  10 , but is preferably located at the approximate center of the second body portion  16  and near the bend  18  area. The box clip  30  may include a first or upper wing  36  and a second or lower wing  40 . As best shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the first wing  36  may include a first tab  38  and the second wing  40  may include a second tab  42 . 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the first wing  36  may include a first tab  38 . The first tab  38  may be integrally connected to the first wing  36  at its free end. In addition, the first tab  38  may be located at and extend from the approximate center of the free end of the first wing  36 . While the first tab  38  is connected to and extends from the free end of the first wing  36 , the first tab  38  is not connected to anything at its opposite end. This allows the free end of the first tab  38  to stop at and catch onto a structure, such as an instrument panel P or the like, as best shown in  FIG. 10 . In addition, there may be spaces located on either side of the first tab  38 , so that the spaces may be located between the first tab  38  and either side of the first wing  36  to aid the first tab  38  in catching onto a structure, as discussed above. 
         [0027]    Similarly, the second wing  40  may include a second tab  42 . The second tab  42  may be integrally connected to the second wing  40  at its free end. In addition, the second tab  42  may be located at and extend from the approximate center of the free end of the second wing  40 . While the second tab  42  is connected to and extends from the free end of the second wing  40 , the second tab  42  is not connected to anything at its opposite end. This allows the free end of the second tab  42  to stop at and catch onto a structure, such as an instrument panel P or the like, as best shown in  FIG. 10 . In addition, there may be spaces located on either side of the second tab  42 , so that the spaces may be located between the second tab  42  and either side of the second wing  40  to aid the second tab  42  in catching onto a structure, as discussed above. 
         [0028]    Due to the formation of the first and second wings  36 ,  40  and the formation of the first and second tabs  38 ,  40 , there may be a first wing opening  44  and a second wing opening  46  located on either side of the box clip feature  30  respectively. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the first wing opening  44  may be located between the first wing  36  and the structural lip  24 , and the second wing opening  46  may be located between the second wing  40  and the structural lip  24  of the opposite side of the striker  10 . In addition, the first wing opening  44  and the second wing opening  46  may be of any appropriate shape and seize, but are preferably of a generally rectangular shape, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0029]    As best shown in  FIG. 8 , the box clip  30  may further include a raised boss  32  and a fastener opening  34 . The raised boss  32  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a generally cylindrical shape, as shown in  FIG. 8 . The fastener opening  34  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a generally circular shape. The faster opening  34  is also preferably located at the top of the raised box  32 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . The raised boss  32  and the fastener opening  34  are preferably located at the approximate center of the box clip feature  30  on the second body portion  16  of the striker  10 . As may be best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , when the box clip  30  is not engaged with a fastener F, the first and second wings  36 ,  40  of the box clip feature  30  are generally folded one on top of the other and the tabs  38 ,  42  are not engaged with the instrument panel P. 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIG. 10 , the box clip feature  30  of the striker  10  may pass through an opening in the frame of an instrument panel P. A fastener F may be passed or extended through the fastener opening  34  of the box clip feature  30  of the striker  10 . As the fastener F is passed or threaded through the fastener opening  34  the wings  36 ,  40  of the box clip feature  30  may expand as the fastener F is threaded into the box clip  30 , in order to mount and secure the striker  10  to a surrounding structure. The surrounding structure may be, for example, an instrument panel P of an automobile body or the like. The fastener F may be of any appropriate type or means, but is preferably a screw, bolt, or the like. For example, as the fastener F is threaded into the fastener opening  34  of the box clip  30 , the fastener F may push and correspondingly spread out the first and second wings  36 ,  40  so that the first and second wing tabs  38 ,  42  may catch on to the frame of the instrument panel P, or the like, and thus dramatically increases retention, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0031]    With reference to  FIGS. 5-9 , and as an alternative embodiment, the second body portion  16  of the glove box striker  10  may also preferably have one or more locating features. These locating features may include a locating knob  50  and a locating tab  52 . The locating knob  50  may be positioned at any appropriate location on the striker  10 , but is preferably located on the second body portion  16  and toward the end of the second body portion  16 , as shown in  FIGS. 5-7  and  9 . In addition, the locating knob  50  is preferably located towards one side of the striker  10  as well. The locating knob  50  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a generally cylindrical and cone like shape extending away from the surface of the striker  10 . 
         [0032]    With further reference to  FIGS. 5-9 , the locating tab  52  may be positioned at any appropriate location on the striker  10 , but is also preferably located on the second body portion  16  and toward the end of the second body portion  16 , as shown in  FIGS. 5-7  and  9 . In addition, the locating tab  52  is preferably located towards the opposite side of the striker  10  away from the locating knob  50 . The locating tab  52  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a generally rectangular shape that extending away from the surface of the striker  10 . Preferably, the locating tab  52  extends in a similar direction away from the surface of the striker  10  as the locating knob  50 , but one will appreciate that the locating knob  50  and locating tab  52  may extend in either direction away from the striker  10 . 
         [0033]    Additionally, there is a tab opening  54  located adjacent to the locating tab  52 . The tab opening  54  may be of any appropriate size or shape, but is preferably of a correspondingly similar size and shape to the locating tab  52 . As another alternative, the locating features  50 ,  52  may be utilized as an additional mounting structure or surface through which fasteners may be passed or extended to mount and secure the striker  10  to a body. 
         [0034]    The utilization of the locating knob  50  and locating tab  52  may further reduce the amount of handling and eliminate the need for additional welding operations, thus resulting in further cost savings. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that these locating features  50 ,  52  may be of any other appropriate shape or appropriate means and that there may be only one or one or more locating features on the striker  10 . 
         [0035]    The embodiments of the invention have been described above and, obviously, modifications and alternations will occur to others upon reading and understanding this specification. The claims as follows are intended to include all modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalent thereof.