Storage device, vehicle component and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage device which is characterized by comprising a first shell assembly, a second shell assembly and a third shell assembly, a second case assembly; the locking mechanism is arranged on the first shell assembly; the matched locking mechanism is arranged on the first shell assembly, can move between the initial position and the final position of the first shell assembly in the first direction relative to the first shell assembly, and can be locked by the locking mechanism to prevent the matched locking mechanism from moving from the initial position to the final position; the matched locking mechanism can be released by the locking mechanism to allow the matched locking mechanism to move from the initial position to the final position; the transmission mechanism is used for connecting the second shell assembly and the matched locking mechanism in a motion coupling manner, so that the matched locking mechanism can prevent the second shell assembly from entering the opening position from the closing position through the transmission mechanism when the matched locking mechanism is locked by the locking mechanism; and the matched locking mechanism can allow the second shell assembly to enter the opening position from the closing position through the transmission mechanism when released by the locking mechanism. The invention also relates to a vehicle component and to a vehicle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a storage device, a vehicle component and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] In a vehicle seat, a cup holder can be integrally provided, which can be used to accommodate an article such as a cup in an open state, i.e. a use state.

[0003] In some existing foldable cup holders, a locking mechanism is provided on a lower shell, and a locking hole is provided on an upper shell as a cooperating locking mechanism, which are used in cooperation to achieve locking and unlocking of the upper shell. However, in the open state of the cup holder, the locking hole on the upper shell is visible to the occupant, which will overall hinder the aesthetic appearance of the cup holder in the use state.

[0004] In practice, not only the functionality of the cup holder, but also the aesthetic appearance of the cup holder, especially in the use state, has gradually become an important aspect of concern to the occupant. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to provide a storage device, a vehicle component and a vehicle, which can at least solve one of the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides a storage device, characterized in that the storage device comprises:

[0007] a first shell assembly;

[0008] a second shell assembly, which is movable relative to the first shell assembly between an open position and a closed position thereof, wherein the second shell assembly is capable of forming an accommodation space with the first shell assembly for accommodating an object in the open position thereof;

[0009] a locking mechanism, which is provided on the first shell assembly;

[0010] a cooperating locking mechanism, which is provided on the first shell assembly and is movable relative to the first shell assembly in a first direction between an initial position and a final position thereof, wherein the cooperating locking mechanism is lockable by the locking mechanism to prohibit movement thereof from the initial position to the final position, and the cooperating locking mechanism is releasable by the locking mechanism to allow movement thereof from the initial position to the final position; and

[0011] - a transmission mechanism which kinematically connects the second housing assembly and the cooperating locking mechanism such that the cooperating locking mechanism can inhibit the second housing assembly from entering the open position from the closed position by the transmission mechanism when locked by the locking mechanism and can allow the second housing assembly to enter the open position from the closed position by the transmission mechanism when released by the locking mechanism.

[0012] The technical effects achievable with the storage device according to the present application include, but are not limited to: both the locking mechanism and the cooperating locking mechanism are arranged on the first housing assembly, and the transmission mechanism is connected between the cooperating locking mechanism and the second housing assembly such that they are kinematically coupled (i.e. one moves, one moves; one stops, one stops), and the locking and unlocking of the movable second housing assembly are achieved by them, thereby eliminating the need for a lock hole on the second housing assembly in the prior art, and improving the aesthetic appearance in the use state.

[0013] Advantageously, the locking mechanism comprises a lock piece which is movable in a second direction transverse to the first direction between a restraining position and a releasing position, wherein the lock piece in its restraining position can engage with the cooperating locking mechanism in the initial position to inhibit its movement to the final position, and the lock piece in its releasing position can disengage from the cooperating locking mechanism in the initial position to allow its movement to the final position.

[0014] Here, "the second direction is transverse to the first direction" means that the two directions are not parallel to each other. For example, the second direction can be perpendicular to the first direction here.

[0015] Advantageously, the locking mechanism comprises an unlocking button which, when pressed manually from its locking position to its unlocking position, can drive the lock piece from its restraining position to its releasing position.

[0016] Advantageously, the locking mechanism comprises a button base which is integrally formed with or separately connected to the unlocking button and comprises a resilient piece which is connected to the button base on one side and to the first housing assembly on the other side, wherein the resilient piece is energized when the unlocking button is pressed into its unlocking position, and the unlocking button can be returned to the locking position under the return force of the resilient piece when the unlocking button is released.

[0017] Here, the button base and the unlocking button can be integrally formed, or can be separately formed and fixedly connected to each other, for example, by a clamping connection. In addition, the automatic return of the unlocking button after completing the pressing unlocking is reliably achieved by the resilient piece. For example, the resilient piece can be constructed as an elongated steel wire which is connected to the first housing assembly at both ends after passing through the unlocking button and the button base. It is also conceivable to provide other types of resilient pieces, such as springs or elastomers, to act on the button base and the unlocking button.

[0018] Advantageously, the locking mechanism comprises a lock base fixed to the first housing assembly, the lock base having at least one transverse slot extending in the second direction, the button base having at least one inclined slot extending obliquely to the transverse slot, the lock having a transmission shaft fixed thereto, the transmission shaft passing through the transverse slot and the inclined slot, wherein the inclined slot pushes the transmission shaft when the unlocking button moves from the locking position to the unlocking position so that the lock moves from its restraining position to its releasing position under the guidance of the transverse slot, and the inclined slot reversely pushes the transmission shaft when the unlocking button moves from the unlocking position to the locking position so that the lock moves from its releasing position to its restraining position under the guidance of the transverse slot, wherein the direction in which the unlocking button moves is transverse to the transverse slot and the inclined slot.

[0019] Here, by the cooperation of the transverse slot, the inclined slot and the transmission shaft, a transmission scheme is proposed which reliably realizes the movement control of the lock by the unlocking button.

[0020] Advantageously, the button base passes through the lock base and is guided thereby when moving, and the lock passes through the button base so that the transmission shaft passes through the transverse slot and the inclined slot.

[0021] Advantageously, the lock has a restraining surface, the lock being able to block against the outer surface of the cooperating locking mechanism in the initial position with its restraining surface in its restraining position.

[0022] Here, the locking is realized by the lock blocking the outer surface of the cooperating locking mechanism, without the need to provide a lock hole on the cooperating locking mechanism.

[0023] Advantageously, the lock has a restraining surface and an inclined surface, and the cooperating locking mechanism has a tab, wherein the lock is able to block against one side of the tab of the cooperating locking mechanism in the initial position with its restraining surface in its restraining position, and the cooperating locking mechanism is able to push against the inclined surface of the lock with the other side of the tab when moving from the final position to the initial position so that the lock avoids the lock.

[0024] Here, by the cooperation of the restraining surface and the inclined surface of the lock and the tab of the cooperating locking mechanism, the locking of the lock to the cooperating locking mechanism and the non-blocking of the cooperating locking mechanism by the lock when returning to the initial position are realized in a simple structure.

[0025] Advantageously, the locking mechanism comprises a button ornament, the button ornament being fixed to the first housing assembly and being provided with a through hole for the unlocking button to pass through.

[0026] Here, by the button ornament, the part of the locking mechanism other than the unlocking button can be externally covered, improving the aesthetics.

[0027] Advantageously, the transmission mechanism comprises a transmission rack hingedly connected to the second housing assembly, a single-toothed gear structure rotatably connected to the first housing assembly, and a double-toothed gear structure, wherein the double-toothed gear structure meshes with its first toothed gear with the transmission rack and with its second toothed gear with the single-toothed gear structure.

[0028] Here, a special design of the transmission mechanism is proposed, which is reliable in operation and has a reduced space requirement.

[0029] Advantageously, the transmission mechanism comprises a swing arm, the transmission rack has a long slot, and the swing arm is swingably connected to the first housing assembly and is embedded in the long slot with a lateral protrusion provided thereon, wherein the swing axis of the swing arm coincides with the rotation axis of the double-toothed gear structure.

[0030] Here, the transmission rack and the double-toothed gear structure can be kept in engagement at all times by means of the swing arm, allowing the transmission rack to perform a linear plus rotational composite movement.

[0031] Advantageously, the transmission mechanism comprises a connecting rod, which is hingedly connected at one end to the single-toothed gear structure and at the other end to the engagement locking mechanism, and the connecting rod is arranged eccentrically with respect to the rotation center of the single-toothed gear structure at the hinged connection point of the single-toothed gear structure.

[0032] Advantageously, the single-toothed gear structure is designed as a sector gear or a circular gear. Here, the sector gear can save space compared to the circular gear, making the overall structure more compact.

[0033] Advantageously, the transmission mechanism comprises a crank swingably connected to the first housing assembly, a first connecting rod hingedly connected at one end to the second housing assembly and at the other end to the crank, and a second connecting rod hingedly connected at one end to the crank and at the other end to the engagement locking mechanism.

[0034] Advantageously, the engagement locking mechanism is designed as a first holding element, the final position is designed as a use position of the first holding element, and the first holding element can be used to hold an object in the accommodation space in its use position.

[0035] Here, a second function of the engagement locking mechanism is realized in addition to the locking function, i.e. the function of holding the object. Therefore, the engagement locking mechanism can be formed by the existing first holding element for holding the object, without the need to add new parts to realize the locking.

[0036] Advantageously, a second holding element is provided on the second housing assembly, which can be used to hold an object in the accommodation space in the open position of the second housing assembly.

[0037] The second holding element added to the second housing assembly is advantageous for stable holding of the article, especially when cooperating with the first holding element on the first housing assembly.

[0038] Advantageously, the second holding element is pivotably connected to the second housing assembly, and is provided with an elastic element that can always exert a force on the second holding element towards the accommodation space.

[0039] Here, the pivotable second holding element can be adapted to articles of different diameters.

[0040] Advantageously, the storage device further comprises a drive mechanism that drives one of the second housing assembly, the cooperating locking mechanism or the transmission mechanism, so that the second housing assembly can be moved from its closed position to its open position by the drive mechanism when the cooperating locking mechanism is released by the locking mechanism.

[0041] Here, the specific structure and action position of the drive mechanism are not limited, for example, it can be constructed as a torsion spring directly acting on the second housing assembly, or as other mechanical drive mechanisms or as an electric drive mechanism acting on one of the three, because the second housing assembly and the cooperating locking mechanism are coupled in motion through the transmission mechanism, and as long as one of the three is driven, the other two are also moved.

[0042] Advantageously, the second housing assembly is pivotably connected to the first housing assembly, so that the second housing assembly can be pivotally moved between its open position and its closed position relative to the first housing assembly.

[0043] Here, a flip-type storage device is formed.

[0044] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present application further proposes a vehicle component, characterized in that the vehicle component is equipped with the storage device according to the present application.

[0045] Advantageously, the vehicle component is constructed as a vehicle seat, and the first housing assembly of the storage device is fixed to an armrest of the vehicle seat.

[0046] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present application further proposes a vehicle, characterized in that the vehicle is equipped with the storage device according to the present application or the vehicle component according to the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0047] The present application will be explained in more detail below by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the embodiments described in the drawings and explained in detail below. The drawings are as follows:

[0048] Figure 1application of the storage device according to an embodiment of the application on a vehicle seat is shown schematically in perspective view;

[0049] Figure 2a and Figure 2b the storage device in closed state is shown schematically individually in perspective view from different viewing angles respectively;

[0050] Figure 3a and Figure 3b the storage device in open state is shown schematically individually in perspective view corresponding to the viewing angles of Figure 2a and Figure 2b respectively;

[0051] Figure 3c the storage device in open state and the water cup contained therein is shown schematically in partially sectioned perspective view corresponding to Figure 3a ;

[0052] Figure 4 the storage device according to the first embodiment of the application is shown schematically in exploded view;

[0053] Figure 5 the storage device in Figure 4 is shown schematically in another exploded view;

[0054] Figure 6 the position changes of the drive mechanism and the damping mechanism during the opening process of the storage device in Figure 4 are shown schematically in sequence diagram;

[0055] Figure 7a and Figure 7b the transmission mechanism of the storage device in Figure 4 is shown schematically in closed state and open state respectively;

[0056] Figure 8 the locking mechanism and the second housing assembly to which it is to be installed are shown schematically in exploded view;

[0057] Figure 9 the locking mechanism is shown schematically in assembly view;

[0058] Figure 10a and Figure 10b the button ornament is shown schematically in perspective view from different viewing angles respectively;

[0059] Figure 11 the unlocking button of the locking mechanism is shown schematically in perspective view;

[0060] Figure 12 the button base of the locking mechanism is shown schematically in perspective view;

[0061] Figure 13 the lock piece of the locking mechanism is shown schematically in perspective view.

[0062] Figure 14a and Figure 14b The locking mechanism's base is schematically shown from different perspectives in three-dimensional diagrams.

[0063] Figure 15a and Figure 15b The locking mechanism is schematically shown in a side view and a partially enlarged side view, respectively;

[0064] Figure 16 The schematic diagram shows a portion of the first housing assembly used for mounting the locking mechanism;

[0065] Figure 17a and Figure 17b The engagement and disengagement states of the locking element in the restrained and released positions are shown respectively;

[0066] Figure 18 Schematic illustration using sequence diagrams Figure 4 The process of opening the storage device in the middle;

[0067] Figure 19 An exploded view schematically illustrates a storage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] Figure 20a schematically shown Figure 18 The transmission mechanism of the storage device when it is closed;

[0069] Figure 20b schematically shown Figure 18 The transmission mechanism of the storage device in the open state; and

[0070] Figure 21 Schematic illustration using sequence diagrams Figure 18 The process of opening the storage device in the middle. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The following describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. In this specification, various systems, structures, and devices are schematically depicted in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes only, and not all features of actual systems, structures, and devices are described. For example, well-known functions or structures are not described in detail to avoid unnecessary detail that could obscure the invention. It should be understood that in any practical application, many specific implementation decisions need to be made to achieve the specific goals of the developer or user, and system-related and industry-related limitations need to be followed. These specific goals may vary depending on the practical application. Furthermore, it should be understood that while such implementation decisions are complex and time-consuming, they are routine tasks for those skilled in the art who will benefit from this invention.

[0072] The terms and phrases used herein should be understood to have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the terms and phrases refer. The meaning of "in" and "including," as well as other forms, such as "include" means including but not limited to, and should be construed as open ended, not limiting. The meaning of "or" should be understood to mean either term or both terms. The meaning of "comprise," "comprising," "including," and "containing" should be understood to be inclusive and not open-ended or exclusive.

[0073] Unless the content requires, throughout the description below, the word "comprise" and variations thereof such as "comprising", "including", "containing" will be understood to be used in an open-ended sense, that is as "including, but not limited to".

[0074] In the description of the application, it is necessary to point out that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship when the product of the application is usually placed, and are only for the convenience of describing the application and simplifying the description, and therefore cannot be understood as indicating or implying that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" and the like are only used for differentiation in description and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0075] In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "overhanging" and the like do not mean that the components must be absolutely horizontal or overhanging, but can be slightly inclined. For example, "horizontal" only means that it is more horizontal relative to "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly inclined.

[0076] In the description of the application, it is also necessary to point out that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "arrangement", "installation", "connection", "connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0077] Figure 1 A stereographic view schematically shows an application of the storage device 1 according to an embodiment of the application on a vehicle component, in particular a vehicle interior component, here a vehicle seat 2, for example a vehicle middle-row air seat 2. The vehicle seat 2 has a fixed armrest 3 at least on one side, and the storage device 1 is arranged at the front end of the fixed armrest 3.Figure 1 The image shows the storage device 1 in its closed or non-use state. Pressing the unlock button 112 on top opens the storage device 1 to accommodate item 10 (see [link]). Figure 3c The storage device 1 can be configured as a cup holder for temporarily holding and supporting cups or other small items, such as mobile phones. Alternatively, it is conceivable to configure the storage device 1 of the present invention in other vehicle components, such as installing it in the rear of the armrest box or the center console, as long as the vehicle component can provide space for installing the storage device 1.

[0078] The vehicle can be an automobile, such as a sedan or a commercial vehicle. Next, the relative positions of the parts in this invention will be described using the vehicle XYZ coordinate system, a technique commonly used in automotive engineering.

[0079] Figure 2a and Figure 2b The storage device 1 in its closed state is schematically shown separately from different perspectives in a three-dimensional view. Figure 3a and Figure 3b Each corresponding to Figure 2a and Figure 2b The perspective view schematically shows the storage device 1 in the open position. The storage device 1 generally includes a first housing assembly 5, fixed immovably to the side of the vehicle component, located below, and a second housing assembly 6, movable relative to the first housing assembly 5, located above. The storage device 1 can switch between its closed and open positions by the movement of the second housing assembly 6 relative to the first housing assembly 5 between its closed and open positions—in this case, pivoting. See, for example... Figure 1 The occupant can unlock the storage unit 1 by pressing the unlock button 112, thereby allowing the second shell assembly 6, which is in the closed position, to automatically pivot forward in the X direction to the open position, for example. Furthermore, the second shell assembly 6 of the storage unit 1 is visible, while the first shell assembly 5 is substantially invisible except for the unlock button 112 and the button trim 111. The outer surface of the second shell assembly 6 in the closed state forms part of the outer surface of the armrest 3.

[0080] Figure 3c To correspond to Figure 3a A partially sectional perspective view schematically shows the storage device 1 in the open state and the item 10 contained therein, such as a cylindrical water cup, which is held in the receiving space 9 by a first retainer 7 disposed on the first shell assembly side and a second retainer 8 disposed on the second shell assembly side to prevent it from shaking.

[0081] Figure 4 A first embodiment of the storage device 1 according to the present invention is schematically shown in an exploded view. (In conjunction with...) Figure 4The storage device 1 of this embodiment of the invention may generally include:

[0082] First housing assembly 5 for fixing to vehicle components;

[0083] A second shell assembly 6 capable of moving relative to the first shell assembly 5 between a closed position and an open position;

[0084] A locking mechanism 11 is provided on the side of the first housing assembly and is used to lock and release the second housing assembly 6 in the closed position;

[0085] Drive mechanism 12 for pivoting the second housing assembly 6, which is released by the locking mechanism 11, from its closed position to its open position;

[0086] A first retainer 7 is disposed on the side of the first housing assembly and is movable relative to the first housing assembly 5 between an initial lower position and an upper retaining position; and

[0087] The drive mechanism 13 is connected between the second housing assembly 6 and the first retainer 7, which can also function as a locking mechanism that cooperates with the locking mechanism 11.

[0088] The following is a detailed description of each component in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0089] See Figure 4 The first shell assembly 5 has a first shell body 501, which is fixed to the armrest 3 in the installed state. The first shell body 501 has a front receiving area 14, which is covered from above by the second shell assembly 6 in the closed state, and together with the second shell assembly 6 in the open state, forms a receiving space 9 for receiving items 10. Rubber studs 15 may be provided on the bottom surface inside the receiving area 14. These rubber studs 15 can support the second shell assembly 6 upward in the closed state to prevent it from continuing to pivot downward and making undesirable pressure contact with the first shell assembly 5, for example, when pressed down by an occupant. The first shell assembly 5 also has a mounting area 16 behind the receiving area 14 for mounting a first retainer 7 and a locking mechanism 11.

[0090] The second shell assembly 6 has a second shell body 601 and a front cover plate 602 and an upper cover plate 603 respectively fixed to the front and top of the second shell body 601. Alternatively, the second shell body 601, front cover plate 602, and upper cover plate 603 can be integrally formed. At least one, and here two, second retaining members 8 can be provided inside the second shell body 601. The second retaining members 8 can be configured as approximately triangular claws. A soft, elastic pad 801 can be provided on the side of the second retaining member 8 that contacts the article 10 to prevent slippage and hold the article 10. The second retaining member 8 is pivotally connected to the second shell body 601 via a pin 802, and is equipped with an elastic element, here a torsion spring 803. The torsion spring 803 is sleeved on the pin 802 and always applies a force towards the receiving space 9 to the second retaining member 8. Thus, in the use state of the storage device 1, the second retaining member 8 can adaptively pivot to fit according to the diameter of the contained article 10, thereby accommodating articles 10 of different diameters.

[0091] The second shell body 601 can be pivotally connected to the first shell body 501 via a pivot shaft 604. Here, after unlocking, the second shell assembly 6 can pivot relative to the first shell assembly 5 from the closed position to the open position under the combined action of the drive mechanism 12 and the damping mechanism.

[0092] Figure 5 The storage device 1 is shown in another exploded view, where its drive mechanism 12 and damping mechanism are visible. The pivoting of the second housing assembly 6 from the closed position to the open position is achieved by driving the drive mechanism 12. The drive mechanism 12 can be configured as a torsion spring, with two torsion springs arranged opposite each other on both sides. Each torsion spring acts on the second housing assembly 6 with its second end and on the first housing assembly 5 with its opposite first end. In the closed position of the second housing assembly 6, the torsion springs are charged, allowing the second housing assembly 6 to pivot from the closed position to the open position under the return force of the torsion springs after being released by the locking mechanism 11. A damping mechanism is provided to ensure that this pivoting movement is performed at a uniform speed. Specifically, an arc-shaped rack 17 of the damping mechanism can be provided on the second housing assembly 6, and a corresponding damping gear 18 of the damping mechanism meshing with the rack 17 can be provided on the first housing assembly 5.

[0093] Figure 6 The positional changes of the drive mechanism 12 and the damping mechanism during the opening of the storage device 1 are illustrated in a sequence diagram. Figure 6 The left figure shows in cross-section that, with the storage device 1 closed, the second end of the torsion spring passes through the internal profile of the second housing assembly 6, and the damping gear 18 meshes with the upper end of the rack 17. Figure 6The middle view, in a cross-sectional view from another position, shows that in the middle open state of the storage device 1, the second end of the torsion spring has driven the second housing assembly 6 to pivot forward by an angle, and the damping gear 18 is engaged with the rack 17 in the middle position. Figure 6 The right-hand figure, in a cross-sectional view corresponding to the middle figure, shows the second end of the torsion spring driving the second housing assembly 6 forward by approximately 90 degrees in the open state of the storage device 1, with the damping gear 18 engaged at the lower end of the rack 17. During this opening process, the torsion spring provides the driving force with its return force. It is conceivable that when it is necessary to close the storage device 1, the second housing assembly 6 can be manually pivoted in the opposite direction to bring it into the closed state, while the torsion spring is charged. In other embodiments, the drive mechanism 12 may be omitted, and the second housing assembly 6 may be manually pivoted forward to open after the locking mechanism 11 has been released.

[0094] See Figure 4 The first retainer 7, located on the side of the first housing assembly, can be configured as a retaining bracket. The first retainer 7 has an arcuate retaining portion 701 for contacting the article 10 and a main body portion 702 for mounting on the mounting area 16 of the first housing body 501. The retaining portion 701 is located above and radially inward of the first retainer 7, while the main body portion 702 is located below and radially outward. The first retainer 7 may have a guide structure, such as a guide groove 703, on its main body portion 702, and a cooperating guide structure, such as a guide rib (not shown), may be provided on the mounting area 16 of the first housing body 501 to cooperate with the guide structure, such that the first retainer 7 can slide vertically and horizontally relative to the first housing body 501 between its initial position below and its final position above, which is, in this case, its use position, i.e., sliding parallel to the longitudinal axis of the receiving space 9, or the object 10 within it. Thus, the first retainer 7 has moved upward in its use position to a height suitable for holding the item 10, for example, to the same height as the second retainer 8 in the open position of the second shell assembly 6, thereby clamping the item 10 together with the second retainer 8.

[0095] See Figure 7b The first retaining member 7 has a tab 705 of a certain thickness on the upper side of its main body 702, and a recess 706 is provided on the upper surface of the tab 705. The locking member 114 of the locking mechanism 11 can be stopped downward in the recess 706 in the constrained position. A vertically extending clearance groove 20 is also provided below the tab 705. The front and rear depth of the clearance groove 20 can be designed so that the released first retaining member 7 will not interfere with the locking member 114 when it returns to the constrained position during movement.

[0096] The aforementioned movement of the first retainer 7 between its initial position and its used position can be associated with, or kinematically coupled to, the movement of the second housing assembly 6 between its closed position and its open position, such that when the second housing assembly 6 is in its closed position, the first retainer 7 is in its initial position, and when the second housing assembly 6 is in its open position, the first retainer 7 is in its used position for holding the contained item 10. For this purpose, the second housing assembly 6 and the first retainer 7 are driven together by a transmission mechanism 13.

[0097] Figure 7a and Figure 7b The transmission mechanism 13 of the storage device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown in the closed state and the open state. See also Figure 4 , Figure 7a and Figure 7b The transmission mechanism 13 includes a transmission rack 131, which has a generally L-shaped extending connecting portion 1311 and a straight extending transmission portion 1312. These two portions can be integrally formed or separately constructed and fixedly connected. The transmission rack 131 is hinged to the second housing assembly 6, specifically its front cover plate 602, via a pin 1313 through its connecting portion 1311, so that the transmission rack 131 can be moved when the first housing assembly 5 pivots. The transmission portion 1312 has strip-shaped teeth 1314 and a laterally open elongated groove 1315 extending parallel to them. Here, the laterally open direction of the elongated groove 1315 is perpendicular to the upward meshing direction of the teeth 1314.

[0098] The transmission mechanism 13 includes a double-gear structure 132, which has two gears 1321 and 1322, namely an outer first gear 1321 and an inner second gear 1322, which are fixed opposite to each other on the same gear shaft, so that they can rotate synchronously and coaxially. The double-gear structure 132 is rotatably connected to the first housing assembly 5, such as the side wall of its first housing body 501, by means of a pin 1323, in such a way that the first end of the pin 1323 is fixed to the first housing assembly 5, and the second end of the pin 132 passes through the double-gear structure 132 in a suspended manner, so that the double-gear structure 132 can rotate around the pin 1323, but cannot move relative to the first housing assembly 5.

[0099] See Figure 7aIn the lower right figure, the outer first gear 1321 is always engaged with the transmission rack 131, so that the transmission rack 131 can always drive the double gear structure 132 to rotate around the pin 1323 when it moves. For this purpose, the transmission mechanism 13 also includes a swing arm 133 disposed on the double gear structure 132 and the transmission rack 131. The swing arm 133 is disposed outside the first gear 1321, that is, between the first gear 1321 and the first housing assembly 5. The upper first end of the swing arm 133 is passed through the pin 1323, so that the swing arm 133 can swing around the pin 1323. The lower free second end of the swing arm 133 has a lateral protrusion 1331, which can be embedded in the elongated groove 1315 and simultaneously guided to slide within the elongated groove 1315 when the first gear 1321 rolls on the transmission rack 131. Thus, the rocker arm 133 ensures that the transmission rack 131 and the first gear 1321 are always engaged and do not disengage.

[0100] See Figure 4 and Figure 7a In the upper right figure, the transmission mechanism 13 includes a single gear structure 134, which can be configured as a sector gear. The single gear structure 134 is rotatably connected to the first housing assembly 5, for example, the mounting area 16 of its second housing body 601, via a pin 1341. The pin 1341 is fixed to the first housing assembly 5 at its outer first end and suspends through the center of the single gear structure 134, which is the center of the sector gear, at its second end, allowing the single gear structure 134 to rotate around the pin 1341. The single gear structure 134 can mesh with the second gear 1322 inside the double gear structure 132 with its arc-shaped tooth row, so that when the double gear structure 132 rotates, it can drive the single gear structure 134 to rotate around the pin 1341, or drive the sector gear to oscillate around the pin 1341. The single gear structure 134 has laterally protruding protrusions 1342 on its two side walls near the gear row, and these protrusions 1342 are not coaxial with the center or pivot center of the single gear structure 134.

[0101] See Figure 4 and Figure 7aAs shown in the upper right figure, the transmission mechanism 13 also includes a connecting rod 135. The connecting rod 135 is pivotally connected at its lower first end to two protrusions 1342 of the single gear structure 134, so that the single gear structure 134 can drive the first end of the connecting rod 135 to move when it rotates. The connecting rod 135 is pivotally connected at its opposite second end to the first retainer 7 via a rotating shaft 707, so that the connecting rod 135 can drive the first retainer 7 to move when it moves. For this purpose, the first retainer 7 may have a circular through hole in its main body 702 for the rotating shaft 707 to pass through. The circular through hole can be located at an unpenetrated elongated groove 704, which can be used to reduce the wall thickness of the first retainer 7 to avoid shrinkage during the plastic molding process.

[0102] Thus, through the transmission mechanism 13, when the second housing assembly 6 moves between its closed and open positions, it can drive the first retainer 7 to move between its initial and used positions. Specifically, when the second housing assembly 6 pivots relative to the first housing assembly 5, it drives the transmission rack 131 to move, which in turn drives the double gear structure 132 to rotate, which in turn drives the single gear structure 134 to rotate, which in turn drives the connecting rod 135 to move, which in turn drives the first retainer 7 to move linearly, either linearly upward or linearly downward.

[0103] The linear motion of the first retainer 7 is achieved by the swingability of the connecting rod 135. Compared with the motion of the first retainer 7 driven by a part that moves directly along the direction of motion of the first retainer 7, the embodiment of the present invention has the advantages of compact structure and space saving.

[0104] When the storage device 1 is not in use, in order to prevent the second housing assembly 6, which is in the closed position, from undesirably pivoting to its open position, for example based on the return force of the drive mechanism 12 configured as a torsion spring, the second housing assembly 6 can be locked in its closed position by means of the locking mechanism 11. For example, in this case, the first retaining member 7 is stopped in its initial position by the locking mechanism 11 to prevent it from moving to the use position, in this case, lifting. This will be described in detail below.

[0105] Figures 8 to 16 The components and working principle of the locking mechanism 11 are schematically shown in different views. Among them, Figure 8 The locking mechanism 11 and the second housing assembly 6 on which it is to be installed are shown in an exploded view. Figure 9 The locking mechanism 11 is schematically shown in the assembly drawing; Figure 10a and Figure 10b The button ornament 111 is schematically shown in three-dimensional diagrams from different perspectives; Figure 11 The unlocking button 112 of the locking mechanism 11 is shown schematically in a three-dimensional view; Figure 12The button base 113 of the locking mechanism 11 is shown schematically in a perspective view; Figure 13 The locking element 114 of the locking mechanism 11 is shown schematically in a perspective view; Figure 14a and Figure 14b The locking base 115 of the locking mechanism 11 is schematically shown from different perspectives in the three-dimensional view. Figure 15a and Figure 15b The locking mechanism 11 is schematically shown in a side view and a partially enlarged side view, respectively; Figure 16 The first shell assembly 5 is schematically shown.

[0106] See Figure 16 The diagram schematically illustrates, with a perspective view on the left and a partial enlarged perspective view on the right, the partial structure of the first housing assembly 5 for mounting the locking mechanism 11. The second housing body 601 of the second housing assembly 6 has two opposing protrusions 161 in its mounting area 16, and a mounting space 21 for the locking mechanism 11 can be formed between the two protrusions 161 behind the first retainer 7. See also... Figure 10a and Figure 10b A button trim 111 is provided for the unlock button 112 of the locking mechanism 11. Like the unlock button 112, the button trim 111 is visible to the occupant and is fixed above the second housing body 601. It is engaged with the second housing body 601 by two snap-fit ​​protrusions 1111 on its lower side, specifically in the slots 1611 of two opposing protrusions 161. The button trim 111 extends over the mounting space 21 from above and has a centrally located through-hole 1112 through which the unlock button 112 passes from below. Thus, the button trim 111 can downwardly conceal the components of the locking mechanism 11 other than the unlock button 112, preventing them from being visible to the occupant and affecting aesthetics. The button trim 111 may also have a downward-facing flange 1113 at the upper edge of its through-hole 1112, which further prevents the occupant from seeing other components of the locking mechanism 11 below through the through-hole 1112, for example, when pressed. Furthermore, see especially... Figure 2b In the closed state of the storage device 1, the button trim 111 is substantially flush with the second shell assembly 6 above and has substantially the same Y-direction width.

[0107] See Figure 11 and Figure 12The locking mechanism 11 includes an unlocking button 112 and a generally rectangular button base 113 fixedly connected to each other. The unlocking button 112 may have platform portions 1121 on both sides, which, when not pressed, abut against the inner side 1114 of the button trim 111, thus limiting the unlocking button 112 upwards by the button trim 111. The unlocking button 112 has opposing snap-fit ​​protrusions 1122 on its lower side on both the left and right sides, which can be inserted into corresponding slots 1132 on the upper frame 1131 of the button base 113 to achieve a snap-fit ​​connection between the unlocking button 112 and the button base 113. The unlocking button 112 can also be positioned by positioning protrusions 1133 on the upper frame 1131 of the button base 113.

[0108] The unlock button 112 may have a downwardly extending unlock protrusion 1123 centered on its lower side. The unlock protrusion 1123 has a downwardly open slot 1124, which can extend into the upper frame 1131 of the button base 113.

[0109] The button base 113 may have a transverse through hole 1134 on the lateral side of its upper frame 1131. The upper frame 1131 may be shell-shaped, so that two opposing transverse through holes 1134 can be provided in the two opposing side shell walls. Here, for example, a slender elastic member 116 configured as a steel wire can pass through the transverse through hole 1134 and the slot 1124 of the unlocking protrusion 1123 of the unlocking button 112, and then its two ends are respectively connected to the two protrusions 161, specifically their two slots 1612 (see Figure 16 When the unlock button 112 is pressed down, the unlock protrusion 1123 can squeeze the elastic element 116 downward, causing it to bend elastically. After being released, the unlock button 112 can return to its original position based on the restoring force of the elastic element 116. This allows the unlock button 112 to move between the locked position when it is not pressed and the unlocked position when it is pressed down. Here, the cross-sectional height of the transverse through hole 1134 can be greater than the diameter of the elastic element 116, so that when the unlock protrusion 1123 in the middle pushes the elastic element 116 downward, the transverse through holes 1134 on both sides can avoid the elastic element 116.

[0110] See Figures 13 to 14b The locking mechanism 11 also includes, for example, a lock base 115 fixed in the mounting space 21 by a snap-fit ​​mechanism, and a lock 114 housed within the lock base 115 and horizontally movable relative to it. The lock 114 has a block-shaped body portion 1141 and a wedge-shaped locking portion 1142, wherein the inclined surface 1143 of the wedge-shaped locking portion 1142 is oriented obliquely forward and upward, while the opposing horizontal constraint surface 1145 is oriented downward away from the unlock button 112.

[0111] The lock base 115 has a vertical receiving cavity 1151. The button base 113 can be inserted into the vertical receiving cavity 1151 of the lock base 115 with its two opposing side frames 1135 and bottom frame 1136 and can move up and down relative to the lock base 115. The lock 114 is above the bottom frame 1136 to restrict the upward movement of the button base 113. The button base 113 may have vertically extending guide structures, here configured as ribs 1137, on its two side frames 1135, and the lock base 115 may have a mating guide structure, here configured as a guide groove 1152, in the vertical receiving cavity 1151 to realize the sliding guidance of the button base 113 within the lock base 115.

[0112] The locking base 115 has a transverse receiving cavity 1153 that intersects perpendicularly with the vertical receiving cavity 1151. The main body 1141 of the locking member 114 can move horizontally or back-and-forth within the transverse receiving cavity 1153, thereby causing the locking part 1142 to move horizontally or back-and-forth, thus realizing horizontal movement of the locking member 114 between its restrained position and released position. The locking part 1142 of the locking member 114 can extend forward from the opening 1154 at the front of the locking base 115 to above the main body 702 of the first retainer 7, thereby preventing the first retainer 7 from moving upward by blocking it downward to lock the second housing assembly 6 (see...). Figure 17a The locking portion 1142 of the locking member 114 can retract rearward from the opening 1154 in front of the locking member base 115 to release the upward movement of the first retainer 7, thereby releasing the second housing assembly 6 (see...). Figure 17b ).

[0113] See Figures 12 to 15b To achieve the association, or motion coupling, between the vertical movement of the unlock button 112 between its locked and unlocked positions and the horizontal movement of the lock member 114 between its restrained and released positions, a double-groove structure and a drive shaft 117 that cooperates with it are provided. Specifically, the double-groove structure includes at least one horizontal groove 1155 on the lock member base 115, and at least one rearwardly and upwardly inclined groove 1138 on the button base 113. The inclined groove 1138 extends laterally to, but not perpendicularly to, the horizontal groove 115. The drive shaft 117 is fixed to the lock member 114 through a hole 1144 in the main body 1141 and passes through both the inclined groove 1138 and the horizontal groove 1155. In this embodiment, two opposing inclined grooves 1138 are provided on the two side frames 1135 of the button base 113, and two opposing transverse grooves 1155 are provided on both sides of the lock base 115 in the Y direction. A single drive shaft 117 passes through both inclined grooves 1138 and two transverse grooves 1155 while passing through the lock 114.

[0114] Therefore, during the process of pressing down on the unlock button 112 to move from its locked position to the unlocked position, the button base 113 moves downward relative to the lock base 115 along the vertical receiving cavity 1151 of the lock base 115 (at this time, the elastic element 116 bends downward to generate a return force). As a result, the inclined groove 1138 pushes the drive shaft 117 backward and downward with its inclined upper groove edge, causing the drive shaft 117 to move backward along the transverse groove 1155. The drive shaft 117 drives the lock 114 to move backward from its restrained position to the released position. When the unlock button 112 is released, the button base 113 moves back from its unlock position to the locked position based on the return force of the elastic element 116. The button base 113 moves upward relative to the lock base 115 along the vertical receiving cavity 1151 of the lock base 115. The inclined groove 1138 pushes the drive shaft 117 forward and upward with its inclined lower groove edge, so that the drive shaft 117 moves forward along the transverse groove 1155. The drive shaft 117 drives the lock 114 to return forward from its release position to the restrained position.

[0115] Figure 17a and Figure 17b The states of the locking element 114 in the constrained and released positions are shown respectively. Figure 17a The left figure shows a cross-sectional view of a storage device 1 with a locking element 114 in a constrained position. Figure 17a The right figure shows an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the engagement of the locking member 114 and the first retainer 7 in the constrained position. Here, the second housing assembly 6 is in its closed position, the first retainer 7 is in its initial position below it, and the locking member 114 of the locking mechanism 11, in the constrained position, blocks the first retainer 7 from upward movement by the constraining surface 1145 below the locking portion 1142 at its front. This prevents the first retainer 7 from moving upwards. The first retainer 7 then locks the second housing assembly 6 in the closed position via the transmission mechanism 13, overcoming the driving force of the drive mechanism 12 (here, a torsion spring), thus achieving locking of the second housing assembly 6 in the closed position. The drive shaft 117 is also visible at the foremost position of the transverse groove 1155 and the lowest position of the inclined groove 1138.

[0116] Figure 17b The left figure shows a cross-sectional view of the storage device 1 with a locking element 114 in the released position. Figure 17bThe right-hand figure shows a magnified partial cross-sectional view of the locking member 114 disengaging from the first retainer 7 in the released position. Here, it can be seen that the second housing assembly 6 is still in its closed position, and the first retainer 7 is still in its initial position below it. However, by pressing the unlock button 112 downwards with an external force F, the locking member 114 of the locking mechanism 11 has moved backwards to the released position and no longer obstructs the main body 702 of the first retainer 7, thus allowing the first retainer 7 to move upwards, thereby unlocking the second housing assembly 6. After unlocking, the second housing assembly 6 can pivot from the closed position to the open position under the driving force of the drive mechanism 12, and simultaneously, the second housing assembly 6 can drive the first retainer 7 from its initial position to its final position via the transmission mechanism 13. It can also be seen here that the drive shaft 117 has moved to the uppermost position of the inclined groove 1138.

[0117] Therefore, as mentioned above, the first retaining member 7, in addition to serving to hold the item 10 in its operating position, can also cooperate with the locking mechanism in its initial position to lock the second housing assembly 6. This achieves increased functionality while maintaining the original number of parts; that is, a new locking function is additionally integrated into the first retaining member 7, which already has the necessary item holding function.

[0118] However, it is conceivable that providing a dedicated locking mechanism for the locking mechanism 11 would not have the function of holding the item 10; that is, the final position of the locking mechanism would no longer be the position used for holding the item. For example, this locking mechanism could be implemented by retaining only the main body 702 of the first holding member 7 and removing its holding part 701. The item holding function could then be achieved through a separate holding member.

[0119] Figure 18 The opening process of the storage device 1 is illustrated in a sequence diagram. The sequence diagram shows the closed state, the intermediate state during the opening process, and the open state of the storage device 1. Each state is shown in two cross-sectional views at different positions to better show the state of each part of the transmission mechanism 13.

[0120] Figure 18 The left figure shows the closed state of the storage device 1. Here, the second housing assembly 6 is in its closed position, the first retainer 7 is in its initial position below it, and the locking mechanism 11's locking member 114, in its restrained position, is stopped in the recess 706 on the tab 705 of the main body 702 of the first retainer 7, thereby preventing the first retainer 7 from moving upwards and locking the second housing assembly 6 in the closed position. Figure 18The upper left figure shows the initial state of the transmission rack 131 and the first gear 1321 on the outer side of the double gear structure 132 in the transmission mechanism 13, with the first gear 1321 located at the rear end of the transmission rack 131; from Figure 18 The lower left figure shows the initial state of the single gear structure 134 and the second gear 1322 inside the double gear structure 132 of the transmission mechanism 13 in meshing, with the second gear 1322 located at the top of the single gear structure 134.

[0121] from Figure 18 Starting from the closed state shown in the left figure, pressing the unlock button 112 can move the lock 114 from the constrained position to the released position, allowing the drive mechanism 12 to drive the second housing assembly 6 to pivot forward. At the same time, the second housing assembly 6 drives the first retainer 7 to move from the initial position to the use position via the transmission mechanism 13.

[0122] Figure 18 The intermediate diagram shows the storage device 1 in an intermediate state during the opening process. Here, it can be seen that the second shell assembly 6 has pivoted forward, for example, about 45 degrees, to partially open; the first retaining member 7 has moved upward from its initial position to its use position under the influence of the second shell assembly 6; and the locking member 114 of the locking mechanism 11 has automatically returned forward to its restrained position based on the release of the unlocking button 112, extending forward into the clearance groove 20 located behind the main body 702 without interfering with the first retaining member 7. Figure 18 As seen in the upper middle diagram, the transmission rack 131 of the transmission mechanism 13 moves until the first gear 1321 on the outer side of the double gear structure 132 rotates counterclockwise; from... Figure 18 As can be seen in the middle of the lower figure, the second gear 1322 on the inner side of the counterclockwise rotation of the double gear structure 132 is located in the middle of the single gear structure 134 when it drives the single gear structure 134 to rotate clockwise by an angle. At the same time, the single gear structure 134 drives the first retaining member 7 to move upward to the use position by a distance through the connecting rod 135.

[0123] Figure 18 The right figure shows the storage device 1 in the open state. Here, it can be seen that the second housing assembly 6 has pivoted forward, for example, approximately 90 degrees, to be fully open. The first retaining member 7 has moved upward from its initial position to the usable position under the action of the second housing assembly 6, and the locking member 114 of the locking mechanism 11 remains in the restrained position and within the clearance groove 20 without interfering with the first retaining member 7. Figure 18 As shown in the upper right figure, the transmission rack 131 of the transmission mechanism 13 continues to drive the first gear 1321 on the outer side of the double gear structure 132 to rotate counterclockwise until the first gear 1321 is at its foremost position; from Figure 18As can be seen in the lower right figure, the second gear 1322 on the inner side of the counterclockwise rotation of the double gear structure 132 is at the bottom of the single gear structure 134 when it continues to drive the single gear structure 134 to rotate clockwise to the maximum angle. At the same time, the single gear structure 134 drives the first retaining member 7 to move upward to the use position through the connecting rod 135.

[0124] It is conceivable that when it is necessary to close the storage device 1, one only needs to manually pivot the second shell assembly 6 from the open position to the closed position, that is... Figure 18 The reverse process of the sequence diagram shown will not be repeated here. It is important to note that during the closing process, the second housing assembly 6 drives the first retaining member 7 downwards via the transmission mechanism 13. The tab 705 on the first retaining member 7 also moves towards the locking member 114, which is still in the constrained position in the clearance groove 20 below it, until the lower edge of the tab 705 contacts the inclined surface 1143 above the locking portion 1142 of the locking member 114. Then, by pushing the inclined surface 1143, the locking member 114 retracts into the release position, causing the tab 705 to move downwards past the locking member 114. The locking member 114 then moves forward to its constrained position based on the return force of the elastic member 116. At this point, the second housing assembly 6 also enters the closed position, and the locking member 114 again blocks the tab 705, locking the second housing assembly 6 in the closed position. This achieves automatic locking of the locking mechanism 11 after the second housing assembly 6 is closed.

[0125] Figures 19 to 21 A second embodiment of the storage device 1 according to the present invention is schematically shown. In this embodiment, Figure 19 A second embodiment of the storage device 1 according to the present invention is shown schematically in an exploded view; Figure 20a The transmission mechanism 130 of the storage device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown in the closed state, wherein the left figure shows the connection between the transmission mechanism 130 and the front cover plate 602 and the first retainer 7, and the upper right figure and the lower right figure show the transmission mechanism 130 separately in a top view and a perspective view, respectively. Figure 20b The transmission mechanism 130 of the storage device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically in the open state.

[0126] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the transmission mechanism 130. The other components and working principle of the storage device 1 can be found in the description of the first embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0127] See Figure 19 , Figure 20a and Figure 20bIn the second embodiment, the transmission mechanism 130 may be configured as a crank-connecting rod mechanism, which includes a crank 1301 pivotally connected to the first housing assembly 5, a first connecting rod 1302 hinged between the second housing assembly 6 and the crank 1301, and a second connecting rod 1303 hinged between the crank 1301 and the first retainer 7.

[0128] The crank 1301 has a first rear hinge, a second front hinge, and a third intermediate hinge. The crank 1301 is pivotally connected to the first housing body 501 of the first housing assembly 5 via a first pin 1306 via its first hinge. The crank 1301 is pivotally hinged to one end of the first connecting rod 1302 via a second pin 1305 via its second hinge, and the first connecting rod 1302 is pivotally hinged to the second housing assembly 6, specifically its front cover 602, via a pin 1308 via its other end. The crank 1301 is pivotally hinged to one end of the second connecting rod 1303 via a third pin 1304 via its third hinge, and the second connecting rod 1303 is pivotally hinged to the first retainer 7 via its other end.

[0129] Thus, through the transmission mechanism 130, when the second housing assembly 6 moves between its closed and open positions, it can drive the first retaining member 7 to move between its initial and used positions. Specifically, when the second housing assembly 6 pivots relative to the first housing assembly 5, it drives the first connecting rod 1302 to move, which in turn drives the crank 1301 to pivot around the first pin 1306. The crank 1301 then drives the second connecting rod 1303 to move, which in turn drives the first retaining member 7 to move linearly, either linearly upward or linearly downward. When the first retaining member 7 is linearly upward, the middle third hinge portion of the crank 1301 moves toward the line connecting the second connecting rod 1303 and the hinge portion of the first retaining member 7 with the first hinge portion behind the crank 1301. When the first retaining member 7 is linearly downward, the middle third hinge portion of the crank 1301 moves away from the line connecting the two ends.

[0130] The linear motion of the first retainer 7 is achieved by the swingability of the second link 1303. Compared with the movement of the first retainer 7 by a part that moves directly along the direction of movement of the first retainer 7, the embodiment of the present invention has the advantages of compact structure and space saving.

[0131] Figure 21 The opening process of the storage device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically in a sequence diagram. The sequence diagram shows the closed state, the intermediate state during the opening process, and the open state of the storage device 1, with each state shown in cross-sectional view to better show the state of the transmission mechanism 130.

[0132] Figure 21The left figure shows the closed state of the storage device 1. Here, the second housing assembly 6 is in its closed position, the first retainer 7 is in its initial position below it, and the locking mechanism 11's locking member 114, in its restrained position, is stopped in the recess 706 on the tab 705 of the main body 702 of the first retainer 7, thereby preventing the first retainer 7 from moving upwards and locking the second housing assembly 6 in the closed position. Figure 21 The left figure shows the positional relationship of the first connecting rod 1302, crank 1301 and second connecting rod 1303 of the transmission mechanism 130, which are hinged to each other. The crank 1301 is in the foremost position and the second connecting rod 1303 is in the bottommost position.

[0133] from Figure 21 Starting from the closed state shown in the left figure, pressing the unlock button 112 can move the lock 114 from the constrained position to the released position, allowing the drive mechanism 12 to drive the second housing assembly 6 to pivot forward. At the same time, the second housing assembly 6 drives the first retainer 7 to move from the initial position to the use position via the transmission mechanism 130.

[0134] Figure 21 The intermediate diagram shows the storage device 1 in an intermediate state during the opening process. Here, it can be seen that the second shell assembly 6 has pivoted forward, for example, about 45 degrees, to partially open, and the first retaining member 7 has moved upward a distance from its initial position towards its usage position, driven by the second shell assembly 6. Figure 21 The middle view also shows that the crank 1301 of the transmission mechanism 130 has swung backward at an angle under the push of the first connecting rod 1302, and the crank 1301 simultaneously drives the first retaining member 7 to move upward a distance toward the use position through the second connecting rod 1303.

[0135] Figure 21 The right figure shows the storage device 1 in the open state. Here, it can be seen that the second housing assembly 6 has pivoted forward, for example, approximately 90 degrees, to be fully open, and the first retaining member 7 has moved upward from its initial position to the usage position under the influence of the second housing assembly 6. Figure 21 The right figure also shows that the crank 1301 of the transmission mechanism 130 has swung backward to its maximum angle under the push of the first connecting rod 1302, and the crank 1301 simultaneously drives the first retaining member 7 to move upward to the use position through the second connecting rod 1303.

[0136] It is conceivable that when it is necessary to close the storage device 1, one only needs to manually pivot the second shell assembly 6 from the open position to the closed position, that is... Figure 21 The reverse process of the sequence diagram shown will not be described in detail here.

[0137] For the storage device 1 of the present invention, the drive mechanism 12 can be flexibly configured in terms of its structure and target, as long as it does not affect the function of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive mechanism 12 is configured as a torsion spring and acts on the second housing assembly 6. However, it is also conceivable that the drive mechanism 12 is configured as an electric drive mechanism using a motor; it is also conceivable that the drive mechanism 12 does not act on the second housing assembly 6, but acts on the first retaining member 7, that is, by directly pushing the first retaining member 7 to move between the initial position and the use position, the first retaining member 7 can also drive the second housing assembly 6 to move between the closed position and the open position through the transmission mechanism 130; it is also conceivable that the drive mechanism 12 acts on a certain transmission stage of the transmission mechanism 130, and by directly driving the transmission mechanism 130 to move, the transmission mechanism 130 can also drive the second housing assembly 6 and the first retaining member 7 to move.

[0138] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely for understanding and explaining the present invention, and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make modifications based on the above embodiments, and all such modifications do not depart from the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A storage device, characterized by The storage device comprises: a first housing assembly; a second housing assembly movable relative to the first housing assembly between its open position and its closed position, wherein the second housing assembly in its open position is capable of forming a containing space with the first housing assembly for containing an object; a locking mechanism provided on the first housing assembly; a cooperating locking mechanism provided on the first housing assembly and movable relative to the first housing assembly in a first direction between its initial position and its final position, wherein the cooperating locking mechanism is lockable by the locking mechanism to prohibit its movement from the initial position to the final position and is releasable by the locking mechanism to allow its movement from the initial position to the final position; and a transmission mechanism coupling the movement of the second housing assembly and the cooperating locking mechanism such that the cooperating locking mechanism when locked by the locking mechanism is capable of prohibiting the second housing assembly from entering the open position from the closed position by the transmission mechanism and the cooperating locking mechanism when released by the locking mechanism is capable of allowing the second housing assembly to enter the open position from the closed position by the transmission mechanism.

2. The storage device of claim 1, wherein, The locking mechanism comprises a lock piece movable in a second direction transverse to the first direction between its restraining position and its releasing position, wherein the lock piece in its restraining position is capable of engaging with the cooperating locking mechanism in the initial position to prohibit its movement to the final position and the lock piece in its releasing position is capable of disengaging from the cooperating locking mechanism in the initial position to allow its movement to the final position.

3. The storage device of claim 2, wherein, The locking mechanism comprises an unlocking button capable of driving the lock piece from its restraining position to its releasing position when being manually pressed from its locking position to its unlocking position.

4. The storage device of claim 3, wherein, The locking mechanism comprises a button base integrally formed with or separately connected to the unlocking button and comprises a resilient piece connected to the button base on one side and to the first housing assembly on the other side, wherein the resilient piece is energized when the unlocking button is pressed to its unlocking position and the unlocking button is capable of returning to the locking position under the return force of the resilient piece when the unlocking button is released.

5. The storage device of claim 4, wherein, The locking mechanism comprises a lock piece base fixed to the first housing assembly, the lock piece base having at least one transverse slot extending in the second direction, the button base having at least one inclined slot extending obliquely to the transverse slot, the lock piece having a transmission shaft fixed thereto, the transmission shaft passing through the transverse slot and the inclined slot, wherein the inclined slot pushes the transmission shaft when the unlocking button is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position such that the lock piece is guided by the transverse slot to move from its restraining position to its releasing position and the inclined slot reversely pushes the transmission shaft when the unlocking button is moved from the unlocking position to the locking position such that the lock piece is guided by the transverse slot to move from its releasing position to its restraining position, wherein the direction of the movement of the unlocking button is transverse to the transverse slot and the inclined slot.

6. The storage device of claim 5, wherein, The button base passes through the lock base and is guided thereby in its movement, and the lock passes through the button base, so that the transmission shaft passes through the transverse slot and the inclined slot.

7. The storage device of claim 2, wherein The lock has a blocking face, which, in its blocking position, can abut against the outer surface of the cooperating locking mechanism in its initial position.

8. The storage device of claim 2, wherein, The lock has a blocking face and an inclined face, and the cooperating locking mechanism has a tab, wherein the lock, in its blocking position, can abut against one side of the tab of the cooperating locking mechanism in its initial position, and the cooperating locking mechanism, in its movement from the final position to the initial position, can push against the other side of the tab of the cooperating locking mechanism, which pushes the inclined face of the lock out of the way.

9. A vehicle component characterised in that, The vehicle component is equipped with a storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Vehicle, characterized in that The vehicle is equipped with a storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 or a vehicle component according to claim 9.

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