Vehicle storage device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle storage device used, for example, as a center console of a vehicle. The present invention is directed to providing a vehicle storage device having a small number of components. The vehicle storage device comprises: a storage portion having an open surface and capable of storing items therein; a shaft portion disposed on the storage portion; a cover body swingably supported on the shaft portion and capable of opening and closing at least a portion of the opening; a coil spring biasing the cover body in an opening direction; and a stopper integrally formed with the storage portion for limiting displacement of the coil spring when the opening of the cover body reaches a predetermined opening degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle storage device for storing articles and the like for vehicle passengers. Background Art

[0002] Some vehicles are equipped with a vehicle storage device for storing passengers' belongings. For example, a vehicle storage device installed between the driver's seat and the front passenger seat of a passenger vehicle is called a console box. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-272426 discloses a console box as a related prior art.

[0003] The console box disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-272426 includes: a console box body with an open top; a frame attached to the console box body; a shaft supported by the frame; a console cover swingably supported by the shaft; and a spring urging the console cover in an opening direction.

[0004] The console cover is opened from the fully closed position to the neutral position by the urging force of the spring and is stopped by a stopper at the neutral position. In addition, the console cover can be opened from the neutral position to the fully open position by the operation of the passenger. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In a vehicle storage device such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-272426, it is preferable that the number of components be reduced from the viewpoint of ease of assembly.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle storage device having a small number of parts.

[0007] According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle storage device comprising:

[0008] A storage portion, one surface of which is open and capable of storing items therein;

[0009] a shaft portion disposed in the receiving portion;

[0010] a cover body swingably supported on the shaft portion and capable of opening and closing at least a portion of the opening; and

[0011] A coil spring applies force to the cover in the opening direction.

[0012] It is characterized in that

[0013] The vehicle storage device includes a stopper that is integrally formed with the storage portion and restricts displacement of the coil spring when the opening of the lid reaches a predetermined opening.

[0014] According to the present invention, a vehicle storage device having a small number of parts can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the vehicle storage device according to the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 2 It will Figure 1 This is an enlarged view of the main portion of the vehicle storage device.

[0017] Figure 3 It is from Figure 2 The diagram shows the vehicle storage device with the cover removed.

[0018] Figure 4 Yes Figure 1 The diagram is for explaining the function of the vehicle storage device shown.

[0019] FIG5A is a diagram illustrating the vehicle storage device in a state where the lid is opened to a predetermined opening degree.

[0020] FIG5B is a diagram showing a state in which the cover body is removed from the vehicle storage device shown in FIG5A .

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the vehicle storage device in a fully opened state.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a vehicle storage device according to a second embodiment.

[0023] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 An exploded perspective view of the vehicle storage device shown.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a side view of the vehicle storage device with the cover removed.

[0025] FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating the vehicle storage device in a lid-closed state.

[0026] FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a state in which the cover body is removed from the vehicle storage device shown in FIG. 10A .

[0027] FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating the vehicle storage device when the lid is displaced from a predetermined opening degree to a fully open position.

[0028] FIG. 11B is a diagram showing a state in which the cover body is removed from the vehicle storage device shown in FIG. 11A .

[0029] FIG12A is a perspective view of a vehicle storage device according to a third embodiment.

[0030] FIG12B is an enlarged view of a main portion of FIG12A.

[0031] FIG. 13A is a diagram illustrating the vehicle storage device with its lid in a fully opened state.

[0032] FIG13B is an enlarged view of a main portion of FIG13A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this description, left and right refer to left and right relative to the vehicle's occupants, and front and back refer to front and back relative to the vehicle's direction of travel. In the figures, Fr represents the front, Rr represents the rear, Le represents the left as viewed from the occupant's perspective, Ri represents the right as viewed from the occupant's perspective, Up represents the top, and Dn represents the bottom.

[0034] <Example 1>

[0035] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The vehicle storage device 10 (hereinafter referred to as the "storage device 10") is, for example, a center console provided between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the vehicle cabin. Hereinafter, the center console will be described as an example of the storage device 10.

[0036] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The storage device 10 includes: a storage portion 11, which can store passenger's belongings and the like (hereinafter referred to as "storage items") inside; a shaft portion 30, which is provided on the storage portion 11; a cover body 40, which is swingably supported on the shaft portion 30 and can open and close at least a portion of the opening; a coil spring 50, which urges the cover body 40 in the opening direction; a fixing plate 16, which is a plate-shaped component fixed to the storage portion 11, and a part of the coil spring 50 is fixed to the fixing plate 16; and a stopper 17, which limits the displacement of the coil spring 50 when the opening of the cover body 40 reaches a predetermined opening.

[0037] Reference Figure 4 The storage portion 11 is a box-shaped resin molded product with an open top. A known locking mechanism is provided at the front of the storage portion 11 for keeping the lid 40 closed.

[0038] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The rear surface portion 11a of the housing portion 11 is provided with two bearing portions 20 formed at left and right locations. The bearing portions 20 protrude rearward and support the shaft portion 30. The bearing portions 20 are integrally formed continuously from the rear surface portion 11a.

[0039] The bearing 20 includes a base 21 extending vertically and continuously from the rear surface 11a, and a bearing body 22 projecting rearward from the upper end of the base 21 and penetrated by the shaft 30. The bearing body 22 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0040] In addition, the bearing portion 20 may be formed as a separate member from the housing portion 11 .

[0041] The shaft portion 30 is composed of a rod-shaped shaft body 31 with a larger diameter at the left end (one end). A retaining member for preventing the shaft body 31 from falling out can be fitted into the right end of the shaft body 31. The shaft body 31 passes through the bearing body 22.

[0042] Reference Figure 2 The cover 40 includes left and right cover arms 41 , 41 rotatably supported by the shaft 30 , and a cover body 42 provided at the front ends of the cover arms 41 , 41 to open and close the opening of the storage portion 11 .

[0043] The cover arms 41, 41 are respectively provided to face the outer sides of the bearings 20, 20. The cover arms 41, 41 are respectively formed with spring contact portions 41a, 41a formed concavely along the biasing direction of the coil spring 50 and capable of contacting the end of the coil spring 50.

[0044] Furthermore, the cover arm portions 41 , 41 may be provided so as to face the inner sides of the bearing portions 20 , 20 , respectively.

[0045] Reference Figure 4 A locking claw 42 a that can be locked with the locking mechanism of the storage portion 11 is provided on the front portion of the cover body 42 .

[0046] Reference Figure 2 The coil spring 50 is a torsion coil spring having left and right winding portions 51, 51 disposed on the outer periphery of the shaft portion 30 and wound about the axis; a spring fixing portion 52 connecting the winding portions 51, 51 and fixing the spring fixing portion 52 to the fixing plate 16; spring arms 53, 53 extending from the ends of the winding portions 51, 51 in a substantially tangential direction; and cover body abutment portions 54, 54 extending from the distal ends of the spring arms 53, 53 toward the cover arms 41, 41 and capable of abutting against the spring abutment portions 41a, 41a.

[0047] The spring fixing portion 52 has a substantially U-shape extending forward, and a front end thereof is fixed to the fixing plate 16. The spring fixing portion 52 does not rotate.

[0048] Reference Figure 3The stopper 17 is integrally formed with the base 21 of the bearing 20. In other words, the stopper 17 can be said to be integrally formed with both the bearing 20 and the housing 11. The stopper 17 is formed so that the base 21 is recessed forward in a generally U-shaped manner on the track of the cover contact portion 54. The cover contact portion 54 is restrained from displacement by contact with the stopper 17.

[0049] The operation of the storage device 10 described above will be described.

[0050] Reference Figure 4 Regarding the storage device 10, the cover 40 is connected to the storage device 10 by means of a coil spring 50 (see Figure 2 ) from the fully closed position P1 to the predetermined opening position P2. Meanwhile, the passenger grasps the lid 40 and swings it from the predetermined opening position P2 to the fully open position P3. That is, from the predetermined opening position P2 to the fully open position P3, the urging force of the coil spring 50 does not act in the direction of opening the lid 40.

[0051] When the fully closed state of the lid body 40 is set to 0°, for example, the predetermined opening degree is 60°, and the fully opened state is 90°.

[0052] Refer to Figures 5A and 5B. When the lid 40 is at a predetermined opening, the lid abutment portion 54 abuts the stopper 17. In other words, the lid abutment portion 54 abuts the stopper 17, thereby stopping the lid 40 at the predetermined opening. Therefore, the predetermined opening can be arbitrarily set by the position of the stopper 17.

[0053] Reference Figure 6 The passenger grasps the lid 40 and rotates it from a predetermined opening (see FIG. 5A ) to a fully open state. By applying a force in the rotational direction, the lid arm 41 separates from the coil spring 50 . In other words, the lid 40 can be rotated regardless of the biasing force of the coil spring 50 .

[0054] In contrast, closing the lid 40 from the fully open state to the fully closed state is entirely performed by the occupant. By swinging the lid 40 to a predetermined opening, the lid arm 41 abuts against the lid abutment 54. From the predetermined opening to the fully closed state, the occupant swings the lid 40 against the biasing force of the coil spring 50.

[0055] Furthermore, by providing a damper in the housing portion 11 and / or the lid 40, the lid 40 can be opened and closed while damping the force of the coil spring 50. Furthermore, when the damper is used, the lid 40 can be easily maintained at any position from a predetermined opening to fully open. More specifically, a known rotary damper can be used as the damper.

[0056] Next, the effects of the storage device 10 described above will be described.

[0057] The storage device 10 has a stopper 17 integrally formed with the storage portion 11 to limit the displacement of the coil spring 50 when the lid 40 reaches a predetermined opening. Integrating the stopper 17 with the storage portion 11 reduces the number of components in the storage device 10. Furthermore, integrating the stopper 17 with the storage portion 11 simplifies the structure, saves space, and reduces weight.

[0058] Furthermore, the storage portion 11 that can store stored items is generally the largest and heaviest component in the storage device 10. By integrally forming the stopper 17 with the strong storage portion 11, displacement of the coil spring 50 can be more reliably restricted.

[0059] The stopper 17 is integrally formed with the bearing portion 20 in the storage portion 11. Thus, the stopper 17 can be formed near the rotation axis. By forming the stopper 17 near the rotation axis, the storage device 10 can be miniaturized.

[0060] <Example 2>

[0061] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] Figure 7 The storage device 10A of the second embodiment is shown. The structure of the storage device 10A is different from that of the storage device 10 of the first embodiment (see Figure 1 The common parts are marked with the same numbers and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0063] Refer to Figure 8 The storage device 10A includes: a bearing portion 60 integrally formed at the rear portion of the storage portion 11; a cover body 40A swingably supported on the shaft portion 30 supported by the bearing portions 60; a coil spring 50A for urging the cover body 40A in the opening direction; and a stopper 17A integrally formed at the bearing portion 60 for limiting the displacement of the coil spring 50A when the cover body 40A reaches a predetermined opening degree.

[0064] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9 The bearing portion 60 includes: a bearing body 61 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, penetrated by the shaft portion 30, and having the coil spring 50A provided on its outer circumference; a side wall portion 62 radially extending from the bearing body 61 and facing the inner surface (one end surface) of the coil spring 50A; an outer wall portion 63 extending from the side wall portion 62 along the bearing body 61 and surrounding the outer circumference of the coil spring 50A; and a spring receiving portion 64 formed between the outer wall portion 63 and the bearing body 61 and receiving the end of the coil spring 50A.

[0065] The shaft portion 30 includes a shaft body 31 that passes through the bearing portion 60 and a substantially C-shaped retaining portion 32 that is fixed to the distal end of the shaft body 31 to prevent the shaft body 31 from falling off the bearing portion 60 .

[0066] The side surface of the cover arm portion 41 faces the outer end surface (the other end surface) of the coil spring 50A. The cover arm portions 41, 41 may be provided so as to face the inner sides of the bearing portions 60, 60, respectively.

[0067] The coil spring 50A includes: a winding portion 51A, which is arranged on the outer periphery of the bearing body 61 and is wound around the axis; a spring fixing portion 52A, which extends from one end of the winding portion 51A and abuts against the spring receiving portion 64; a spring arm portion 53A, which extends from the other end of the winding portion 51A in a substantially tangential direction; and a cover body abutment portion 54A, which extends from the end of the spring arm portion 53A toward the cover arm portion 41 and is capable of abutting against the spring abutment portion 41a.

[0068] The spring arm portion 53A and the cover body contact portion 54A are covered by a cover body side wall portion 44A formed on the side surface outside the cover arm portion 41. In other words, the cover body 40A can be said to have a cover body side wall portion 44A that covers the spring arm portion 53A extending from the winding portion 51A and the cover body contact portion 54A extending from the spring arm portion 53A and capable of contacting the cover arm portion 41.

[0069] Stopper 17A extends from a position surrounded by outer wall 63 to the track of coil spring 50A. Stopper 17A is plate-shaped and integrally formed with bearing 60. Since bearing 60 is integrally formed with housing 11, stopper 17A can also be said to be integrally formed with housing 11.

[0070] Refer to Figures 10A and 10B. Figures 10A and 10B show the storage device 10A in the closed state. When the cover 40A is fully closed, the coil spring 50A is separated from the stopper 17A. When the locking claw 42a (see FIG. 10B ) provided on the cover 40A is released from this state, Figure 4 ) is removed from the locking mechanism, the cover arm portion 41 is rotated by the urging force of the coil spring 50A, and the cover body 40A rotates in the opening direction.

[0071] Refer to Figures 11A and 11B. When the cover 40A rotates to a predetermined opening angle P2, the coil spring 50A contacts the stopper 17A, stopping the rotation of the cover 40A (see the cover 40A indicated by the two-dot chain line in Figure 11A). Both the spring arm 53A and the cover contact portion 54A contact the stopper 17A.

[0072] The occupant can grasp the lid 40A and rotate it from the predetermined opening degree P2 to the fully open position P3. At this time, the coil spring 50A remains in contact with the stopper 17A. That is, the lid arm 41 rotates from the predetermined opening degree P2 to the fully open position P3 while being separated from the coil spring 50A.

[0073] Conversely, closing the lid 40A from the fully open position P3 to the fully closed position P1 is entirely performed by the occupant. By swinging the lid 40A to the predetermined opening P2, the lid arm 41 abuts against the lid abutment 54A. The occupant overcomes the biasing force of the coil spring 50A and swings the lid 40A from the predetermined opening P2 to the fully closed position P1.

[0074] The storage device 10A described above also achieves the effects defined by the present invention.

[0075] Reference Figure 8 Furthermore, coil spring 50A is disposed between bearing 60 and cover arm 41. This ensures space between bearings 60 (or, when cover arm 41 is positioned inward, between cover arm 41). Other components can be placed in the freed-up space, allowing for efficient and flexible use of the interior space.

[0076] Furthermore, the outer periphery of coil spring 50A is surrounded by bearing portion 60 and cover arm portion 41. This prevents problems caused by dust being bitten into coil spring 50A. Furthermore, the storage device 10A improves its appearance. Covering spring arm portion 53A and cover contact portion 54A with cover side wall portion 44A further enhances these effects, making this a more preferred option.

[0077] <Example 3>

[0078] Hereinafter, Example 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0079] FIG12A shows a storage device 10B according to Example 3. The structure of the storage device 10B is different from that of the storage device 10 according to Example 1 and / or Example 2 (see Figure 1 The common parts are marked with the same numbers and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0080] See also FIG12B . Storage device 10B includes a bearing portion 70 integrally formed at the rear portion of storage section 11. A slit 75 is formed in bearing portion 70 along the path of coil spring 50. The end of slit 75 serves as a stopper 17B that restricts displacement of coil spring 50 when lid 40 reaches a predetermined opening.

[0081] Refer to Figures 13A and 13B. When the fully closed lid 40 is unlocked, the coil spring 50 rotates along the slit 75. This causes the lid 40 to rotate, opening the top of the storage portion 11. When the lid 40 reaches a predetermined opening, the coil spring 50 reaches the end of the slit 75. The coil spring 50 abuts against the stopper 17B formed at the end of the slit 75, thereby limiting the displacement of the coil spring 50.

[0082] The storage device 10B described above can also achieve the effects defined by the present invention.

[0083] Furthermore, a slit 75 is formed in the bearing portion 70 along the track of the coil spring 50. The end of the slit 75 serves as the stopper 17B. Since the stopper 17B is formed by the slit 75, the storage device 10B can be made compact.

[0084] Furthermore, the storage device has been described using the center console as an example, but can also be applied to a glove box, etc. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments as long as the functions and effects of the present invention can be achieved.

Claims

1. A vehicle storage device comprising: A storage portion, one surface of which is open and capable of storing items therein; a shaft portion disposed in the receiving portion; a cover body swingably supported on the shaft portion and capable of opening and closing at least a portion of the opening; a coil spring, which applies force to the cover in an opening direction; a stopper integrally formed in the housing portion and configured to limit displacement of the coil spring when the opening of the cover reaches a predetermined opening; a bearing portion integrally formed with the housing portion and supporting the shaft portion; and The cover arm portion is supported by the shaft portion and is a part of the cover body. The coil spring is provided between the bearing portion and the cover arm portion. The bearing portion includes: a bearing body formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, through which the shaft portion passes, and on the outer periphery of which the coil spring is provided; a side wall portion radially rising from the bearing body and facing one end surface of the coil spring; and an outer wall portion extending from the side wall portion along the bearing body and surrounding the outer periphery of the coil spring. The cover arm portion faces the other end surface of the coil spring. The stopper extends from a position surrounded by the outer wall portion to a track of the coil spring.

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