Patent ID: 8251399

Claim:
An energy absorption system comprising: an instrument panel reinforcement extending from a passenger side to a driver side of a vehicle; a bracket secured to the instrument panel reinforcement comprising a body that extends downward from the instrument panel reinforcement; a distal strike that is offset downward from the instrument panel reinforcement and coupled to the body of the bracket, the distal strike comprising a catch engagement surface that is convex; an instrument panel assembly coupled to the instrument panel reinforcement, the instrument panel assembly comprising a glove box having a passenger facing surface and a top surface that is offset downward from the instrument panel reinforcement; and a catch disposed on the top surface of the glove box, the catch comprising a strike engagement surface that is concave, wherein when an impact force is applied to the passenger facing surface of the glove box, the glove box travels along a lower leg intrusion locus from an unengaged position to an engaged position, and wherein the catch engagement surface of the distal strike and the strike engagement surface of the catch are aligned along the lower leg intrusion locus and spaced a distance apart along the lower leg intrusion locus such that the catch only partially surrounds the strike, when the glove box is in the unengaged position, and the strike engagement surface of the catch engages the catch engagement surface of the distal strike to absorb at least a portion of the impact force, when the glove box is in the engaged position.