Slide opening / closing mechanism

Abstract

To provide a slide opening / closing mechanism having safety such that, even when a part of the body is pinched between an opening and a lid, a pressing force of a predetermined value or more is not applied to the pinched part.SOLUTION: A slide opening / closing mechanism comprises a frame 12, a rack 14 having a first engagement part 14a, a lid 16 having a second engagement part 16c and moving together with the rack 14 by engaging the first engagement part 14a with the second engagement part 16c, and a stopper 18 for regulating the movement of the lid 16. The slide opening / closing mechanism is configured such that a length L1 from the first engagement part 14a to the stopper 18 and a length L2 from an end 16b2 of the lid 16 to the second engagement part 16c are equal with reference to the stop position of the rack 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sliding opening / closing mechanism, and more particularly to a holding structure for a sliding opening / closing mechanism that is suitable for preventing fingers from getting pinched. [Background technology]

[0002] There are various types of so-called opening and closing mechanisms for opening and closing the lid of a container or the like, but in narrow spaces, an opening and closing mechanism in which the lid rises and falls is often adopted, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. The opening and closing mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a glove box equipped with a locking mechanism when the lid is closed, which is operated by an electric actuator using a motor and gears, and the upper end of the lid tilts forward with the lower end of the lid as the base point.

[0003] However, when there is not enough space above or below the lid, or when it is desired to minimize changes in appearance when opening and closing, a sliding mechanism that slides the lid may be adopted. In such an opening and closing mechanism, a guide rail (frame) is used to move the lid.

[0004] When taking safety measures to prevent fingers from getting pinched when the lid moves back and forth along a guide rail, a spring (buffer mechanism 3) may be used to absorb the load (resistance force) on the lid 2, as in the sliding opening / closing mechanism 1 shown in Figure 20(A).

[0005] However, with such a buffer mechanism 3 using a spring, as shown in Figure 20(B), when an obstruction 40 such as a finger comes into contact with the lid 2, the pressure applied to the obstruction 40 increases as the spring compresses, and as shown in Figure 20(C), the obstruction 40 may become pinched between the opening 4 and the lid 2, potentially causing damage to the obstruction 40.

[0006] To prevent such pinching, it is effective to provide a contact switch 5 on the lid 2 (Fig. 21) or a sensor 6 on the lid 2 or frame (Fig. 22), but this increases the number of parts and requires complex control, resulting in higher manufacturing costs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-234742 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a sliding opening and closing mechanism that is simple in configuration yet safe, preventing pressure greater than a predetermined value from being applied to the clamped part even if part of the body is pinched between the opening and the lid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The sliding opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, which achieves the above-mentioned object, is an automatic opening / closing mechanism for a lid that covers the opening of a container, and comprises a frame arranged to match the length of the opening, a rack that reciprocates along the frame and has a first engagement portion, the lid that has a second engagement portion and moves along with the rack by engaging the first engagement portion with the second engagement portion, and a stopper that is a part other than the rack or the lid and is arranged on an extension line of the movement direction of the rack and restricts the movement of the lid, and is configured so that the distance from the first engagement portion to the stopper and the distance from the end of the lid facing the stopper to the second engagement portion are matched based on the stopping position of the rack closer to the stopper, and the engagement state between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion is released when the load in the movement direction of the lid becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, and the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion engage when they approach or coincide.

[0010] In addition, in the sliding opening / closing mechanism having the above-described characteristics, it is preferable that one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is a convex portion, and the other of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is a concave portion. With such a characteristic, it is possible to adjust the load when disengaging or re-engaging by adjusting the shape and height of the concave and convex portions.

[0011] In addition, in the sliding opening / closing mechanism having the above-mentioned characteristics, it is desirable that the convex portion is semicircular and the side wall of the concave portion has an inclined surface. By having such characteristics, the load required for disengagement can be reduced, and damage to the obstruction can be minimized.

[0012] Furthermore, in the sliding mechanism having the above-described features, the convex portion may be configured to sink when a load equal to or greater than the predetermined value is applied. With this feature, the lid does not lift up when engaging and re-engaging with the rack, and the thickness of the entire sliding mechanism can be reduced.

[0013] Furthermore, in the sliding opening / closing mechanism having the above-described features, the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion can be achieved by magnetic force. With this feature, it is possible to change the load required for disengagement by varying the strength of the magnetic force.

[0014] Furthermore, in a sliding opening / closing mechanism having the above-mentioned characteristics, it is preferable that a concave-convex engaging portion is provided between the rack and the lid on a cross section perpendicular to the movement direction, and a frame for guiding the opening and closing is provided only on one side of the opening / closing mechanism. By having such characteristics, the sliding opening / closing mechanism can be simplified in structure and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0015] Furthermore, in the sliding opening and closing mechanism having the above-mentioned features, the concave-convex engaging portion can be configured so that the rack has a U-shaped recess and the lid has a square-shaped protrusion that engages with the recess. By having such features, it is possible to prevent the lid from shifting in the width direction with a simple configuration. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The sliding opening and closing mechanism having the above-described characteristics has a simple configuration, yet can ensure safety by preventing pressure greater than a predetermined value from being applied to the clamped part even if part of the body is pinched between the opening and the lid. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the slide opening / closing mechanism according to the first embodiment, in which part of the frame and part of the rack are not shown for ease of explanation. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a slide opening / closing mechanism according to a first embodiment, with a part of the frame not shown for ease of explanation. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the frame shown in FIG. 2 alone. [Figure 4] 3 is a diagram showing a side view of the sliding opening and closing mechanism shown in FIG. 2 (the sliding opening and closing mechanism of the first embodiment). FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the rack is at a stop position on the opening closing side in the sliding opening / closing mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the rack is at a stop position on the opening side in the sliding opening / closing mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating disengagement and re-engagement due to an obstruction in the sliding opening / closing mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a partially exploded perspective view showing an example of a sliding opening / closing mechanism that requires a pair of frames. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partially exploded side view showing an example of a slide opening / closing mechanism that requires a pair of frames. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a view showing a cross section BB in FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a perspective view showing an example in which the shape of the lid body is changed in the sliding opening and closing mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which the height h of the support portion in FIG. 5 is increased. [Figure 14] 6 is a diagram showing an example in which the support portion in FIG. 5 is removed. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the rack is positioned at a stop position on the opening closing side of the left opening in the sliding opening / closing mechanism according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the rack is positioned at a stop position on the opening closing side of the right opening in the sliding opening / closing mechanism according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating disengagement and re-engagement between the rack and the lid when an obstruction is present in the right opening in the sliding opening / closing mechanism according to the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a slide opening / closing mechanism according to a third embodiment. [Figure 19] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the state of disengagement between the rack and the lid in the sliding opening and closing mechanism according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a conventional sliding opening / closing mechanism having a shock absorbing mechanism in the lid. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a conventional slide opening / closing mechanism having a contact switch on the lid. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a conventional sliding opening / closing mechanism having a sensor on the lid. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of a sliding opening / closing mechanism of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The sliding mechanism according to the embodiments described below covers an opening of a container or the like, and is automatically opened and closed using an actuator such as a motor. The embodiments described below are some of the preferred forms for carrying out the present invention, and even if some of the configuration is changed, they can be considered as part of the present invention as long as the effects of the invention are achieved.

[0019] [First embodiment: configuration] First, the configuration of the sliding opening and closing mechanism according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the sliding opening and closing mechanism according to the first embodiment, with part of the frame and part of the rack not shown for ease of explanation. Fig. 2 is also a partially exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the sliding opening and closing mechanism according to the first embodiment, with part of the frame not shown for ease of explanation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the frame shown in Fig. 2 alone. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a side view of the sliding opening and closing mechanism shown in Fig. 2 (the sliding opening and closing mechanism according to the first embodiment). Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a cross section taken along line AA in Fig. 4.

[0020] The sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to this embodiment includes at least a frame 12, a rack 14, a lid 16, and a stopper 18. The frame 12 is an element that constitutes a track that guides the rack 14, which will be described in detail later, and is arranged to match the length of the opening 50 of the container or the like (a length that ensures the amount of sliding of the lid 16 according to the degree of opening state). The frame 12 according to this embodiment is arranged along only one side of the opening 50 (one side if the opening 50 is rectangular). Note that the specific form of the frame 12 is not important as long as it is long enough to allow the rack 14 to move back and forth.

[0021] The rack 14 is an element that reciprocates along the frame 12, and in this embodiment, has a first engagement portion 14a. The rack 14 according to this embodiment is configured to include a sliding piece 14b, guide walls 14c and 14d, and a rack gear 14e. The sliding piece 14b is an element that forms the bottom surface of the rack 14, which contacts the frame 12 and slides on the frame 12. The guide walls 14c and 14d are a pair of side walls extending from the sliding piece 14b, which contact a portion of the frame 12 and serve to regulate the movement of a slide guide 16b in the lid 16, which will be described in detail later. The rack 14 according to this embodiment has a U-shaped cross section due to the sliding piece 14b and the pair of guide walls 14c and 14d.

[0022] Furthermore, the rack gear 14e is one of the elements that realizes the reciprocating movement of the rack 14, and by engaging with a pinion gear 22 provided on an actuator 20 such as a motor, it is possible to select the sliding direction of the rack 14 according to the rotation direction of the pinion gear 22. Note that in this embodiment, a rack and pinion type is given as an example of a means for reciprocating the rack 14, but it goes without saying that other drive methods may be adopted as long as it is possible to reciprocate the rack 14 along the frame 12.

[0023] Here, the first engagement portion 14a may be any element that engages with the second engagement portion 16c provided on the lid 16, the details of which will be described later. The engagement may be achieved by physical means or by attraction using magnetic force or the like. The first engagement portion 14a according to this embodiment is a physical concave-convex engagement, and is provided with a semicircular convex portion as the first engagement portion 14a.

[0024] The lid 16 is an element that serves to cover the opening 50 of a container or the like. The lid 16 according to this embodiment has a second engagement portion 16c, which can engage with the first engagement portion 14a. The lid 16 according to this embodiment has a lid main body 16a and a slide guide 16b. The lid main body 16 is an element that covers the opening 50, and the slide guide 16b is an engagement element that is moved along with the rack 14 described above. Therefore, the lid main body 16a may be a flat plate of any shape determined according to the shape, width, length, etc. of the opening 50. Furthermore, the slide guide 16b is part of an engagement element for the U-shaped portion formed by the sliding piece 14b and the pair of guide walls 14c and 14d that constitute the rack 14. Therefore, the second engagement portion 16c is provided on the slide guide 16b. Furthermore, since the second engagement portion 16c is a portion that engages with the first engagement portion 14a described above, it is formed as a recess into which the first engagement portion 14a fits.

[0025] Here, the side walls of the recess that is the second engagement portion 16c are inclined so that the distance between the side walls becomes longer toward the opening side, and are configured to facilitate disengagement due to a load applied to the lid 16. The ends 16b1, 16b2 (see FIG. 6) of the slide guide 16b are provided with inclined surfaces configured to move toward the center of the slide guide 16b as they approach the surface facing the rack 14.

[0026] The stopper 18 is an element that serves to restrict the movement of the lid 16. Specifically, it is provided on an extension of the direction of movement of the rack 14 to restrict the movement of the lid 16. For this reason, the stopper 18 is provided in a location other than the rack 14 or the lid 16. In this embodiment, a part of the frame 12 serves as the stopper 18. Here, the positional relationship between the stopper 18, the first engagement portion 14a, and the second engagement portion 16c may be determined as follows.

[0027] That is, it is preferable to configure the stop position of the rack 14 closer to the stopper 18 so that the distance L1 from the first engagement portion 14a to the stopper 18 and the distance L2 from the end 16b2 of the lid 16 on the side facing the stopper 18 to the second engagement portion 16c are made to match (match or approximate) each other. With this configuration, after the engagement between the rack 14 and the lid 16 is released, the movement of the lid 16, which is moved by the rack 14 without being positioned, is restricted by the stopper 18, and when the rack 14 reaches the stop position on the opening side, the first engagement portion 14a and the second engagement portion 16c overlap and are re-engaged (see FIG. 7).

[0028] [Actions and Effects] Next, the opening and closing operation of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. Note that Figures 6 to 8 are all diagrams that schematically show the side configuration of the sliding mechanism according to this embodiment as viewed from the frame side.

[0029] First, the state in Fig. 6 is the state in which the lid 16 is closed and the rack 14 is in the stop position on the opening-closed side. Next, the state in Fig. 7 is the state in which the lid 16 is open and the rack 14 is in the stop position on the opening-open side.

[0030] In the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 that performs such an opening / closing operation, when transitioning from a state in which the lid 16 is open as shown in Fig. 7 to a state in which the lid 16 is closed as shown in Fig. 6, if an obstruction 40 such as a finger is present in the opening / closing path of the lid 16 as shown in Fig. 8(A), the lid 16 will come into contact with the obstruction 40 as shown in Fig. 8(B). If the closing operation by the rack 14 proceeds with the obstruction 40 in contact with the lid 16, the load on the engaging portion (between the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c) increases, and the second engaging portion 16c overcomes the first engaging portion 14a, thereby releasing the engagement between the two.

[0031] When the engagement between the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c is released, the lid 16 is left in a position where it contacts the obstruction 40, and only the rack 14 moves to the stop position on the opening-closing side, as shown in Figure 8(C). Therefore, no load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the obstruction 40, such as a finger. Therefore, even if the obstruction 40 is a finger, injury caused by being caught between the lid 16 and the frame 12 can be prevented.

[0032] The lid 16, which has the second engagement portion 16c disengaged from the first engagement portion 14a by the obstruction 40, is moved in accordance with the movement of the rack 14 while the second engagement portion 16c is disengaged, as shown in Fig. 8(D). Note that Fig. 8(D) shows the rack 14 moving from a stop position on the opening-closing side to a stop position on the opening-opening side.

[0033] When the end 16b2 of the lid 16 comes into contact with the stopper 18 as the lid 16 moves together with the rack 14, the movement of the lid 16 is restricted, and only the rack 14 moves to the stop position on the opening side, as shown in Fig. 8(E). As described above, the distance L1 from the first engagement portion 14a to the stopper 18 is the same as the distance L2 from the end 16b2 to the second engagement portion 16c. Therefore, when the rack 14 comes to the stop position on the opening side, the lid 16 climbs over the first engagement portion 14a, and the first engagement portion 14a and the second engagement portion 16c re-engage, as shown in Fig. 8(F).

[0034] As described above, the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to this embodiment makes it possible to stop the opening / closing operation of the lid 16 without applying a large load to the obstructing object 40, such as a finger. Therefore, even if a part of the body is pinched between the opening 50 and the lid 16, safety can be ensured by preventing a pressure greater than a predetermined value from being applied to the pinched part. Furthermore, with the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 of this type, a large load is not applied to the obstructing object 40 due to changes in pressure, even depending on the contact position between the lid 16 and the obstructing object 40. Therefore, a pressure greater than a predetermined value is not applied whether the contact position between the lid 16 and the obstructing object 40 is closer to the opening-closing side or the opening-opening side.

[0035] Furthermore, the lid 16 that has been disengaged from the rack 14 can be automatically returned (re-engaged) as the rack 14 moves. 9 and 10, a conventional sliding opening / closing mechanism requires a pair of frames 12, 12a aligned along the sliding direction of the lid 16. This is because it is necessary to prevent the lid 16, which performs the sliding motion, from wobbling in the width direction. For this reason, conventional sliding opening / closing mechanisms require high precision in the arrangement distance D between the pair of frames 12, 12a as shown in FIG. 11, and also require a large installation space.

[0036] In contrast, in the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to this embodiment, the cross section of the rack 14 is U-shaped, and the lid 16 is configured with a lid body 16a and a slide guide 16b, with the slide guide 16b engaging with the U-shaped portion of the rack 14. As a result, even if the rack 14 moves, the lid 16 will not shift in the width direction. This eliminates the need for a pair of frames (frame 12a in FIGS. 9 and 11) that form a pair with the lid 16 in the width direction, and as shown in FIG. 12, it is possible to reduce the overall dimensions of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 and improve the degree of freedom in the shape.

[0037] Furthermore, because a paired frame is not required, the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to this embodiment only requires a support 24 or the like on the side opposite the side where the rack 14 is located to support the free end of the lid 16 so that it can withstand the top pressure F applied to the lid 16, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 13 (the lid can reciprocate without the support 24, as shown in FIG. 14). This allows the width D1 between the rack 14 and the support 24 to be freely determined, as shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, the height h of the support 24 is also highly flexible, allowing the lid 16 to be tilted. This is because, as long as the rack 14 is stable, the lid 16, which engages with the rack 14 and moves with it, can function properly regardless of its position. Thus, there is no need for high precision in the positioning between the frame 12 and the support 24, and a paired frame is not required, thereby reducing costs.

[0038] [Second embodiment: configuration] Next, a sliding opening / closing mechanism according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 15 and 16. In the drawings, elements that have the same effects as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0039] The sliding opening / closing mechanism 10A according to this embodiment is a type that selectively opens and closes two openings (openings 50 and 52) using one lid 16. Therefore, the basic configuration of the mechanism remains the same, including the frame 12, rack 14, lid 16, and stopper 18.

[0040] The difference from the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment is that, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, there are now two openings (opening 50 and opening 52), so that the lid 16 can be displaced in two directions by an obstruction 40 such as a finger. For this reason, in this embodiment, in addition to the stopper 18, the frame 12 is also configured to have a stopper 26 on the end 16b1 side of the lid 16.

[0041] Here, the relationship between stopper 26 and first engagement portion 14a and second engagement portion 16c is the same as the relationship between stopper 18 and first engagement portion 14a and second engagement portion 16c. In other words, based on the state in which rack 14 is positioned at the stop position on the opening closing side of opening 50, distance L3 from stopper 26 to first engagement portion 14a and distance L4 from end 16b1 of the lid to the second engagement portion are made to match.

[0042] [Actions and Effects] With the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10A configured as described above, if an obstruction 40 such as a finger is present at opening 52 (the right side in FIG. 17A ) of the two openings 50, 52, and the rack 14 moves toward a stop position on the opening-closing side of opening 52, the end 16b2 of the lid 16 abuts against the obstruction 40, as shown in FIG. 17B . When the lid 16 abuts against the obstruction 40 and a stress equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied between the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c, the engagement between the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c is released. When the rack 14 moves further in a state in which the engagement between the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c is released, the lid 16 is left in contact with the obstruction 40, and only the rack moves to a stop position on the opening-closing side of opening 52, as shown in FIG. 17C .

[0043] Next, when the rack 14 moves toward the opening-closing position of the opening 50, as shown in Fig. 17(D), the lid 16 moves together with the rack 14 in a disengaged state, and the end 16b1 comes into contact with the stopper 26, restricting the movement. When the rack 14 moves further from this state as shown in Fig. 17(E), the lid 16 stops with the opening 50 closed, and only the rack 14 moves to a stop position on the opening-closing side of the opening 50 (see Fig. 17(F)). When the rack 14 reaches the opening-closing stop position of the opening 50, the distance L3 from the stopper 26 to the first engagement portion 14a and the distance L4 from the end 16b1 to the second engagement portion 16c match, and the first engagement portion 14a and the second engagement portion 16c are re-engaged.

[0044] Thus, with the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10A according to this embodiment, regardless of whether an obstruction 40 is present in either of the two openings 50, 52, it is possible to stop the sliding of the lid 16 without applying a load greater than a predetermined value to the obstruction 40. Furthermore, regardless of whether the sliding of the lid 16 is stopped in either of the openings 50, 52, the lid 16 and the rack 14 will automatically re-engage during one reciprocation of the rack 14. The other configurations, actions, and effects are the same as those of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0045] [Third embodiment: configuration] Next, a sliding opening / closing mechanism 10B according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 18. The sliding opening / closing mechanism 10B according to this embodiment is similar in basic form to the sliding opening / closing mechanisms 10 and 10A according to the first and second embodiments described above. Therefore, parts that have the same functions will be given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0046] The sliding opening and closing mechanisms 10, 10A according to the first and second embodiments differ from the sliding opening and closing mechanism 10B according to this embodiment in the configuration of the first engagement portion 14a. Specifically, the first engagement portion 14a in the sliding opening and closing mechanisms 10, 10A according to the first and second embodiments is a fixed convex portion, whereas the first engagement portion 14a according to this embodiment is a movable convex portion.

[0047] That is, the first engagement portion 14a in this embodiment is configured such that a spherical, semi-spherical, cylindrical, or semi-cylindrical engagement portion body 14a1 and a spring-like biasing means 14a2 are arranged in a vertical hole 14f (with a bottom plate not shown) provided in the rack 14, and the engagement portion body 14a is biased toward the second engagement portion 16c.

[0048] [Actions and Effects] With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 19(A), when the rack 14 moves to the stop position on the opening-closing side, even if the lid 16 hits the obstruction 40 as shown in FIG. 19(B), when the first engagement portion 14a and the second engagement portion 16c disengage, the engagement portion main body 14a1 sinks into the vertical hole 14f. Therefore, when the first engagement portion 14a and the second engagement portion 16c disengage and reengage, the lid 16 is not lifted by the first engagement portion 14a. This reduces the gap between the lid 16 and the frame 12, allowing the overall thickness H of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10B to be reduced. Note that after the first engagement portion 14a and the second engagement portion 16c disengage, the lid 16 is left behind at the contact position with the obstruction 40, and only the rack 14 moves to the stop position on the opening-closing side (FIG. 19(C)), similar to the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment. The other configurations, actions, and effects are the same as those of the sliding opening / closing mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0049] [Application form] In the above embodiment, the first engaging portion 14a is described as a convex portion and the second engaging portion 16c is described as a concave portion, but it goes without saying that the first engaging portion 14a may be a concave portion and the second engaging portion 16c may be a convex portion. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c are described as being vertically disposed relative to each other. However, the first engaging portion 14a and the second engaging portion 16c may also be horizontally disposed relative to each other (widthwise). [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10, 10A, 10B... Slide opening / closing mechanism, 12, 12a... Frame, 14... Rack, 14a... First engagement portion, 14a1... Engagement portion main body, 14a2... Urging means, 14b... Sliding piece, 14c... Guide wall, 14d... Guide wall, 14e... Rack gear, 14f... Vertical hole, 16... Lid, 16a... Lid main body, 16b... Slide guide, 16b1, 16b2... End, 16c... Second engagement portion, 18... Stopper, 20... Actuator, 22... Pinion gear, 24... Support portion, 26... Stopper, 40... Obstruction object, 50, 52... Opening.

Claims

1. An automatic opening and closing mechanism for a lid that covers an opening of a container, a frame arranged to fit the length of the opening; a rack that reciprocates along the frame and has a first engagement portion; The lid has a second engaging portion, and moves along with the rack by engaging the first engaging portion with the second engaging portion; a stopper that is a part other than the rack or the lid and is provided on an extension line of the moving direction of the rack to restrict the movement of the lid, The stop position of the rack near the stopper is used as a reference, and the distance from the first engagement portion to the stopper and the distance from the end of the lid facing the stopper to the second engagement portion are matched, A slide opening / closing mechanism characterized in that the engagement state between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion is released when the load in the direction of movement of the lid reaches a predetermined value or greater, and the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion engage when they are close to or coincide with each other.

2. one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is a convex portion, 2. The sliding opening / closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the other of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is a recessed portion.

3. The convex portion is semicircular, 3. The sliding opening and closing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the recessed portion has a side wall with an inclined surface.

4. 4. The sliding opening / closing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the convex portion is configured to sink when a load equal to or greater than the predetermined value is applied.

5. 2. The sliding opening / closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is achieved by magnetic force.

6. A concave-convex engagement portion is provided between the rack and the lid on a cross section perpendicular to the moving direction, 6. The sliding opening / closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing guide frame is provided only on one side of the opening / closing mechanism.

7. 7. The sliding opening / closing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the concave-convex engaging portion comprises a U-shaped recess in the rack, and an angular protrusion in the lid that engages with the recess.

Images