Patent ID: 7513528

Claim:
A vehicle dashboard mounted glove box exhibiting controlled deformation characteristics, comprising: a three-dimensional and volume holding bin; an inner panel secured to locations associated with said bin, said panel exhibiting an exposed face, a plurality of stiffening and supporting ribs projecting in substantially grid-shaped fashion along said exposed face and including a first sub-plurality of ribs and a second weakened sub-plurality of ribs; and an outer panel substantially matching said inner panel in overall configuration and, upon being welded to said inner panel along contact locations established between said support ribs and an inner surface of said outer panel, establishing a glove box door with an exposed face when said bin is mounted within the dashboard; said first sub-plurality of ribs extending to contact said outer panel, said second sub-plurality of ribs having recesses opening toward said outer panel and not contacting said outer panel; said recesses in said second sub-plurality support ribs causing varying deformation characteristics of said door, and proximate to respective hand and knee contact zones of an occupant impacting the door.