Patent ID: 8616607

Claim:
An instrument panel assembly for an automotive vehicle, said instrument panel assembly comprising: an instrument cluster; an instrument panel having an exterior surface, said instrument panel includes a dash portion and a hood portion extending outwardly from said dash portion, said hood portion positioned above said instrument cluster; a cutout portion formed above said instrument cluster at a junction between said hood portion and said dash portion, said cutout portion having a base recessed from said exterior surface of said instrument panel, said cutout portion having an inner wall extending between said base and said exterior surface, a hood side portion of said inner wall adjacent said hood portion having a generally curved shape, said inner wall only partially bounding said base to define an open face positioned on a side of said base opposite said hood side portion; and a component attached to said dash portion of said instrument panel, said component including an engagement portion having a generally arcuate outer surface which corresponds to said curved shape of said hood side portion of said inner wall, said arcuate outer surface of said engagement portion is at least partially received within said cutout portion to provide continuous contact between said outer surface of said engagement portion and an inner surface of said inner wall of said hood side portion of said cutout portion.