Locking device and storage device

Abstract

To provide a locking device which is capable of providing a stable operational feeling, and a storage device equipped with the same.SOLUTION: A locking device 1 includes a compression spring 35 that biases an operating unit 11, which is rotatably provided and causes a locking mechanism 10 to unlock when rotated in one direction from a predetermined position, in a direction returning to the predetermined position, and a holder 36 that is inserted into the compression spring 35 and holds the compression spring 35. The operating unit 11 has a receiving portion 50 that abuts against a contact portion 39 of the holder 36 on the side facing an opposing member 33. At least the area of the abutment portion 39 that can come into contact with the receiving portion 50 is shaped to follow a spherical surface. The sliding contact between the receiving portion 50 and the abutment portion 39 causes the operating unit 11 to rotate in conjunction with movement of the holder 36 toward and away from the opposing member 33 and the expansion and contraction of the compression spring 35.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a locking device capable of locking a second member to a first member, and a storage device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in storage devices such as glove boxes mounted on vehicles such as automobiles, a locking device is used that locks a second member, a lid, to a first member, a main body, so that the lid can be opened and closed. Such locking devices generally have a knob as an operating part, and the locked state can be released by turning the knob to open the lid. A compression spring is built into the knob so that the knob returns to a fixed position when the knob is released. This compression spring is, for example, directly disposed on the rear surface of the knob, using a positioning pin erected on the rear surface as a guide (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-173287 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described configuration, the positioning pin tilts in response to the rotation of the knob, so the compression spring is compressed more on the rotation base side than on the operated side of the knob, resulting in variations in the operating feel, and the simple arrangement can cause the spring to shift or distort, leaving room for improvement in order to maintain a stable operating feel.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and has as its object to provide a locking device that provides a stable operational feel, and a storage device equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A locking device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a locking mechanism capable of locking a second member relative to a first member, an operating unit that is rotatably arranged and that unlocks the locking mechanism by rotating it in one direction from a predetermined position, a compression spring that urges the operating unit in a direction returning to the predetermined position, and a holder that is inserted into the compression spring and holds the compression spring, the holder having an insertion portion at one end that is inserted into an opposing member that faces the operating unit and an abutment portion at the other end that abuts against the operating unit, the operating unit having a receiving portion that abuts against the abutment portion on the side facing the opposing member, the abutment portion having a shape that follows a spherical surface at least in the area that can come into contact with the receiving portion, and the sliding contact between the receiving portion and the abutment portion links the rotation of the operating unit with the movement of the holder back and forth relative to the opposing member and the expansion and contraction of the compression spring. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, a stable operational feel can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are end views showing a part of a locking device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which an operating part is in a predetermined position, and FIG. 1B shows a state in which the operating part is in a position where it has been rotated to the maximum extent. [Figure 2] 4A and 4B are enlarged end views showing the receiving portion of the locking device, in which FIG. 4A shows a state in which the operating portion is in a predetermined position, and FIG. 4B shows a state in which the operating portion has rotated. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a receiving portion of the locking device. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a holder of the locking device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an end view showing a part of the locking device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the locking device. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a storage device equipped with the same locking device. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the same storage device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 9 and 10, reference numeral 1 denotes a locking device. The locking device 1 is capable of locking a second member to a first member and unlocking the second member. For example, the first member and the second member may be used in any opening / closing device or storage device. In the illustrated example, the locking device 1 is used in a storage device 2. The storage device 2 may be, for example, a glove box for a vehicle. The storage device 2 includes a main body 4, which is a first member having an opening 3, and a lid member 5, which is a second member that opens and closes the opening 3 of the main body 4. The locking device 1 is disposed in either the main body 4 or the lid member 5. In this embodiment, the locking device 1 is disposed in the lid member 5. The lid member 5 includes multiple members, for example, an inner member 5a and an outer member 5b, and the locking device 1 is disposed mainly in the space between the inner member 5a and the outer member 5b in the lid member 5. The locking device 1 locks the lid member 5 to the main body 4 while closing the opening 3, and when unlocked, the lid member 5 can open the opening 3.

[0011] In the following, the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-down directions are defined based on the direction in which the storage device 2 is viewed from the user's side, with the direction of the arrow FR in the figure, which is the user's side, being the front side or near side, and the opposite direction, the direction of the arrow RR, being the rear side or back side, with the directions of the arrows L and R in the figure being the left-to-right directions and the directions of the arrows U and D being the up-to-down directions.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the locking device 1 includes a locking mechanism 10 and an operating unit 11 that operates the locking mechanism 10.

[0013] The locking mechanism 10 has a rod 12 which is a locking member, and an advancing / retracting mechanism 13 for advancing and retracting the rod 12.

[0014] Rod 12 is an elongated member also called a lock portion, a pin, or a latch portion. Rod 12 is a sliding member that can advance and retreat (slide) in a predetermined direction, and locks the first member and the second member by inserting and withdrawing one end (tip end) into and from a lock receiving portion, which is a receiving portion such as a hole provided in the other of the first member and the second member, in this embodiment, the first member (main body portion 4 (shown in FIG. 10)) as it advances and retreats. In this embodiment, rod 12 can advance and retreat in its longitudinal direction. That is, in this embodiment, the predetermined direction is the longitudinal direction of rod 12, which is the left-right direction in the illustrated example.

[0015] In this embodiment, the rods 12 are set as a pair. One rod 12a and the other rod 12b are positioned side by side in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the left-right direction. In the illustrated example, the left-side rod 12a is longer than the right-side rod 12b, but the length relationship between the first and second rods 12a and 12b may be set as desired. Furthermore, the first rod 12a has a crank-like bent shape at the middle portion in the longitudinal direction. However, this is not limiting and any shape is acceptable as long as it is basically long and can be moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, for clarity of explanation, unless otherwise specified, either or both of the first and second rods 12a and 12b may be simply referred to as rod 12.

[0016] The advancing / retreating mechanism 13 that advances and retreats the rod 12 may have any configuration. When one rod 12a and the other rod 12b are provided as in the present embodiment, the advancing / retreating mechanism 13 may be configured to move the one rod 12a and the other rod 12b in opposite directions so that the advancement and retreat of the one rod 12a and the other rod 12b are linked.

[0017] In this embodiment, the advancing / retreating mechanism 13 includes a base 15. The base 15 is also called a base portion, a body portion, a lock base, etc., and is attached integrally to either the first member or the second member, which in this embodiment is the second member (the cover member 5). For example, the base 15 is supported by being sandwiched between the inner member 5a and the outer member 5b of the cover member 5 in the front-rear direction. In the illustrated example, the base 15 is formed as a separate member from either the first member or the second member, but this is not limiting and the base 15 may be formed integrally with the first member or the second member.

[0018] In this embodiment, the advancing / retreating mechanism 13 also includes an interlocking member 16 for interlocking the rods 12a and 12b. The interlocking member 16 is a rotating body also called a rotor. The interlocking member 16 interlocks the rods 12 to move in opposite directions by rotating. The interlocking member 16 is attached to the base 15 together with the rods 12. The interlocking member 16 is rotatably supported on a support shaft formed on the base 15. In this embodiment, the support shaft protrudes, for example, from the rear of the base 15, on the side of the base 15 facing the inner member 5a in the illustrated example, and the interlocking member 16 is rotatable left and right around the support shaft. In other words, the interlocking member 16 is located rearward relative to the base 15.

[0019] The interlocking member 16 has a supported portion 20 supported by a support shaft, and a pair of arm portions 21 extending radially from the supported portion 20.

[0020] In the illustrated example, the supported part 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a support shaft is inserted from the front side to the rear side. The pair of arms 21 extend on opposite sides of the center of the supported part 20, i.e., the rotation center of the interlocking member 16. In other words, the pair of arms 21 are located on one side and the other side of the rotation center of the interlocking member 16. The other end (base end) of the rod 12 is connected to each arm 21. In this embodiment, the arms 21 are located above and below the supported part 20. When connected to the arms 21, the rod 12 is located at the rear of the base 15.

[0021] Preferably, interlocking member 16 is biased in the rotational direction by biasing means 22 to apply a preload. Biasing means 22 is an elastic member such as a coil spring or a torsion spring, and is held by a support shaft on the front side of interlocking member 16, i.e., between interlocking member 16 and base body 15, with one end fixed to base body 15 and the other end fixed to interlocking member 16 or rod 12. In this embodiment, the other end of biasing means 22 is engaged with a retaining portion 23 formed on the base end of one of rods 12a. The biasing direction of interlocking member 16 by biasing means 22 is a direction in which interlocking member 16 is maintained in the locked state by locking device 1.

[0022] In this embodiment, a torque application member 24 is attached to rod 12. Torque application member 24 is formed of a flexible member, preferably a soft member such as a soft resin. In the example shown, torque application member 24 is attached to the front of the other rod 12b, and is in sliding contact with base 15 facing the other rod 12b as rod 12 is moved forward and backward by advancement and retreat mechanism 13, thereby generating sliding resistance, i.e., sliding torque, as rod 12 is moved forward and backward.

[0023] The operating unit 11 and the rod 12 are operated by a user, such as a vehicle occupant, to release the lock. The operating unit 11 is also called a handle member, an operating handle, or a knob. The operating unit 11 is movably provided on the base 15 and is exposed from either the first member or the second member to which the locking device 1 is attached, in this embodiment, the second member (cover member 5). The operating unit 11 is a member that moves relative to the base 15 in response to a user's operation to retract the rod 12 from the lock receiving portion and release (unlock) the lock set by the locking device 1. The pair of rods 12 are integrally linked by the linking member 16, so that the operating unit 11 can retract the rod 12 in the unlocking direction by applying an external force to either the rod 12 or the linking member 16.

[0024] A pressure applying portion 26 protrudes from the rear portion of the operating unit 11, i.e., from the side facing the base body 15, and this pressure applying portion 26 is inserted from the front to the rear into a hole 27 formed in the base body 15, and faces a pressure receiving portion 28 of the other rod 12b in the left-right direction at the rear position of the base body 15. That is, in this embodiment, the other rod 12b is a rod that is operated by receiving an external force directly from the operating unit 11, and the one rod 12a is a driven rod that is operated indirectly by operation of the operating unit 11 via the interlocking member 16. The pressure receiving portion 28 protrudes, for example, from the lower portion of the other rod 12b.

[0025] In this embodiment, operating unit 11 is supported by support portion 29 formed on the front portion of base body 15 and is rotatable in the left-right direction. That is, support portion 29 sets the rotation axis of operating unit 11. In the example shown, operating unit 11 is rotatably supported on the right side of base body 15, and is rotated in one direction (rightward in this embodiment) from a predetermined non-use position where it does not protrude from cover member 5 to protrude from cover member 5, whereby pressure portion 26 presses pressure-receiving portion 28 of the other rod 12b to the left, thereby activating lock mechanism 10 of locking device 1 and enabling the lock to be released.

[0026] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the operating unit 11 has a handle portion 30, which is an operated portion operated by a user, formed at one end (the left end in this embodiment). The handle portion 30 is located away from the rotation axis of the operating unit 11. Furthermore, the operating unit 11 has a restricting portion 31, which restricts the rotation range of the operating unit 11, formed at the other end, i.e., the opposite side of the handle portion 30 relative to the rotation axis in the left-right direction, which is the direction in which the operating unit 11 rotates (the right end in this embodiment). The restricting portion 31 is located at the rear, i.e., the back side of the operating unit 11. The restricting portion 31 restricts the maximum rotation position of the operating unit 11 by abutting against a restricting portion 32. The restricting portion 32 may be formed on any member facing the operating unit 11, but in this embodiment, it is formed on an opposing member 33 facing the rear of the operating unit 11. In the illustrated example, the restricting portion 31 and the restricting portion 32 are each formed, for example, in a planar shape.

[0027] The operating unit 11 is biased in a direction returning to a predetermined position via a compression spring 35. The compression spring 35 is a coil spring formed by winding a wire into a thin cylindrical coil. The compression spring 35 is held by a holder 36, which is a locating member, and is disposed between the operating unit 11 and the opposing member 33. In this embodiment, the opposing member 33 is formed integrally with the base 15, but is not limited to this and may be any member disposed opposite the operating unit 11, and may be formed integrally with, for example, the inner member 5a (shown in FIG. 9 ).

[0028] The holder 36 shown in Figures 4 to 6 holds the compression spring 35 and guides the expansion and contraction of the compression spring 35. The holder 36 is formed in the shape of a long, thin rod and is inserted into the compression spring 35. The length of the holder 36 is set so that both ends extend from the compression spring 35. The holder 36 has an insertion portion 38 at one end and an abutment portion 39 at the other end. In this embodiment, the holder 36 is disposed between the operating unit 11 and the opposing member 33 along the front-to-rear direction, with the insertion portion 38 on the rear side and the abutment portion 39 on the front side. Preferably, the holder 36 is formed from a soft material.

[0029] The insertion portion 38 is divided into a plurality of flexible pieces 41 by slits 40 formed from one end of the holder 36 toward the other end, and these flexible pieces 41 are elastically deformable toward the central axis of the holder 36. In addition, a locking portion 42 is formed at the tip of the insertion portion 38 for locking the holder 36 to the opposing member 33. In this embodiment, the locking portion 42 is formed in the shape of a claw protruding in the radial direction, and is provided for each flexible piece 41.

[0030] The insertion portion 38 is inserted into a receiving hole 43 formed in the opposing member 33. The receiving hole 43 is located on the right side of the rotation axis of the operating unit 11 (the support portion 29 of the base 15) in the left-right direction, which is the direction in which the operating unit 11 rotates, opposite the handle portion 30, and is closer to the rotation axis than the restricting portion 31. That is, the compression spring 35 and the holder 36 inserted into the receiving hole 43 are positioned such that their central axes are spaced apart from the axis A of the rotation axis of the operating unit 11 but do not intersect with this axis A, and are located between this axis A and the restricting portion 31. The receiving hole 43 is formed, for example, at a position adjacent to the support portion 29, penetrating the opposing member 33 in the forward / backward direction of the holder 36, which is the front-rear direction in this embodiment. The receiving hole 43 is formed in a circular hole shape.

[0031] 1(a) and 1(b), a protrusion 44 is formed inside the receiving hole 43, protruding inward, i.e., toward the center, of the receiving hole 43. The front side of the protrusion 44, which faces the operating unit 11, constitutes a spring receiving portion 45, which is a stepped surface that receives one end of the compression spring 35, and the rear side, which is the back side of the protrusion 44, constitutes a retaining portion 46, which is a stepped surface that prevents the holder 36 from coming off the opposing member 33. The locking portion 42 of the insertion portion 38 can abut against the retaining portion 46 from the rear side, which is the back side of the opposing member 33.

[0032] The abutting portion 39 is a portion that abuts against the receiving portion 50 formed on the operating unit 11. At least the area of ​​the abutting portion 39 that abuts against the receiving portion 50 is formed to have a spherical shape. In this embodiment, the abutting portion 39 is formed in a hemispherical shape, with a hemispherical surface. However, the abutting portion 39 may be formed in a shape such that the hemispherical surface is hollowed out and the envelope surface is formed of cross-shaped ribs that conform to the hemispherical surface. That is, the abutting portion 39 may have any shape as long as the envelope surface is formed to be spherical. A spring receiving portion 52, which is a stepped surface that receives the front end, i.e., the other end, of the compression spring 35, is formed at the rear of the abutting portion 39. The compression spring 35 is sandwiched and held between the spring receiving portion 52 of the holder 36 and the spring receiving portion 45 of the opposing member 33 in the front-rear direction.

[0033] The receiving portion 50 is formed in the rear portion of the operating unit 11, which is the side facing the opposing member 33. The receiving portion 50 is a sliding contact portion with which the abutment portion 39 slides as the operating unit 11 rotates. The receiving portion 50 has a cross section that conforms to an oval shape. As shown in FIGS. 1(a), 1(b), 2(a) and 2(b), in this embodiment, the receiving portion 50 is formed as a series of surfaces that include a first curved surface portion 55 and a second curved surface portion 56 that conform to a spherical surface, and a connecting surface portion 57 that connects these portions.

[0034] The first curved surface portion 55 is a portion that comes into contact with the abutment portion 39 when the operating unit 11 is in a predetermined position. The second curved surface portion 56 is a portion that comes into contact with the abutment portion 39 when the operating unit 11 is in a position where it has been rotated to the maximum in one direction. The first curved surface portion 55 and the second curved surface portion 56 are formed along spherical surfaces of approximately the same diameter. That is, the first curved surface portion 55 and the second curved surface portion 56 are formed concavely with spherical surfaces of approximately the same curvature (radius of curvature) as their envelope surfaces. The diameter of the spherical surfaces that form the envelope surfaces of the first curved surface portion 55 and the second curved surface portion 56 is set to be slightly larger than the spherical surface that forms the envelope surface of the abutment portion 39.

[0035] The center C1 of curvature of the first curved surface portion 55 and the center C2 of curvature of the second curved surface portion 56 are offset from each other, and when the operating unit 11 is in a predetermined position, the center C1 is located so as to overlap the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36 in the left-right direction, while the center C2 is located closer to the rotation axis of the operating unit 11 with respect to the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36, on the left side in this embodiment. Furthermore, when the operating unit 11 is in a predetermined position, an imaginary line passing through the centers C1 and C2 is inclined backward at an angle θ with respect to the left-right direction. This angle θ is set to be equal to or approximately equal to the maximum rotation angle of the operating unit 11 restricted by the restricting portion 31 and the restricting receiving portion 32.

[0036] 2(a) and 2(b) is a tangent plane between the first curved surface portion 55 and the second curved surface portion 56, and forms a circular surface (frustoconical surface) that is continuous in the circumferential direction between the first curved surface portion 55 and the second curved surface portion 56. The coupling surface portion 57 has a predetermined width that is equal to or approximately equal to the distance d between the centers C1 and C2. The distance d between the centers C1 and C2 is set according to the left-right deviation between the receiving portion 50 and the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36 shown in FIG. 1(a) and other figures that occurs when the operating unit 11 is rotated to the maximum extent. The distance d is set so that the connection portion between the coupling surface portion 57 and the second curved surface portion 56 overlaps or approximately overlaps with the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36 when the operating unit 11 is in the maximum rotated position.

[0037] In this embodiment, the receiving portion 50 is made up of a plurality of rib portions 59, as shown in Fig. 3. These rib portions 59 are arranged in a cross shape, and their rear surfaces form a contact surface that comes into sliding contact with the surface of the abutment portion 39. However, the receiving portion 50 may also be formed in a cone shape, for example.

[0038] 1 to 9, in the locking device 1, one rod 12a and the other rod 12b to which a torque application member 24 is attached are connected to the arms 21, 21 of the interlocking member 16, and then the supported portion 20 of the interlocking member 16 is rotatably supported on the support shaft of the base 15 together with the biasing means 22. One end of the biasing means 22 is connected to the base 15, and the other end is connected to the holding portion 23 of one rod 12a.

[0039] Furthermore, the compression spring 35 is inserted into the holder 36 from the rear, and the compression spring 35 and holder 36 are inserted into the receiving hole 43 from the front of the opposing member 33. At this time, the compression spring 35 is supported by having one end, the rear end, in contact with the spring receiving portion 45 in the receiving hole 43 and the other end, the front end, in contact with the spring receiving portion 52 of the holder 36, so that the holder 36 is held between the opposing member 33 (base 15), and the flexible piece 41 of the holder 36 elastically bends in the central axis direction and moves rearward over the protruding portion 44. At the position where the flexible piece 41 moves rearward over the protruding portion 44, the flexible piece 41 undergoes restoration deformation, so that the locking portion 42 catches on the retaining portion 46 at the rear of the protruding portion 44, and the holder 36 is held relative to the opposing member 33 (base 15). By setting the flexible piece 41 and the locking portion 42 in this way, the holder 36 and the compression spring 35 can be attached and held together with a single touch, which improves the ease of attachment.

[0040] Then, while the operating unit 11 is brought into contact with the abutment portion 39 of the holding body 36 and the receiving portion 50, the pressure applying portion 26 is inserted into the hole portion 27 and rotatably assembled to the support portion 29 of the base body 15, and the pressure applying portion 26 is made to face the pressure receiving portion 28 of one of the rods 12a.

[0041] The locking device 1 assembled in this manner is attached to the storage device 2 (shown in Figure 10) by attaching the base 15 to the first or second member, for example, the inner member 5a of the cover member 5 in this embodiment, and covering it with the outer member 5b.

[0042] In the locking device 1, the biasing means 22 biases the first and second rods 12a and 12b in the locking mechanism 10, i.e., in the advancing direction, away from the base 15. When the cover member 5 is in the position where it closes the opening 3, the tip of the rod 12 is inserted into the lock receiving portion and is held there, locking the cover member 5 to the main body 4.

[0043] Furthermore, when releasing the lock provided by the locking device 1, the user pulls the handle 30 of the operating unit 11, which is in a predetermined position, toward themselves to rotate the operating unit 11 to the right, causing the pressure applying portion 26 of the operating unit 11 to come into contact with the pressure receiving portion 28 of the other rod 12b and press the other rod 12b to the left via the pressure receiving portion 28, causing the other rod 12b to move to the left and retract from the lock receiving portion, and the interlocking member 16, which connects the other rod 12b and the arm portion 21, is pushed in so as to rotate against the bias of the biasing means 22, causing the interlocking member 16 to rotate about the support shaft, and the one rod 12a connected to the arm portion 21 is pulled to the right as the interlocking member 16 rotates, moving to the right and retracting from the lock receiving portion. In other words, the pair of rods 12 move in opposite directions via the interlocking member 16, causing the tip of the rod 12 to be pulled out of the lock receiving portion, and the lock provided by the locking device 1 is released. In addition, as the rod 12 moves back and forth, the torque application member 24 slides against the opposing member 33, generating a sliding torque.

[0044] 1(a), the first curved surface portion 55 of the receiving portion 50 abuts perpendicularly against the abutment portion 39 of the holder 36. When the operating unit 11 begins to rotate, the connecting surface portion 57, which is the tangent plane of the first curved surface portion 55, abuts perpendicularly against the abutment surface 39 of the holder 36, and the holder 36 is pushed backward against the opposing member 33, causing the compression spring 35 held between the spring receiving portions 52 and 45 to contract and accumulate a biasing force. 1(b), when the restricting portion 31 and the restricting receiving portion 32 come into contact with each other and the operating unit 11 is rotated to the maximum extent, the connecting portion between the connecting surface portion 57 and the second curved surface portion 56 is positioned at or approximately the same position as the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36, the second curved surface portion 56 comes into contact with the contact portion 39 perpendicularly, and the compression spring 35 is in a maximally compressed state. In other words, the receiving portion 50 maintains perpendicular contact with the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36 throughout the entire rotation range while the operating unit 11 is rotating, while compensating for any left-right deviation between the receiving portion 50 and the central axes of the compression spring 35 and the holder 36 due to the rotation of the operating unit 11 using the connecting surface portion 57. Therefore, approximately 100% of the force is applied only to the rear without any deviation in the left-right direction to the retaining body 36, so that the retaining body 36 moves straight rearward along the axial direction, and the force is applied evenly to the compression spring 35 without any deviation in the left-right direction from the central axis, so that the compression spring 35 is compressed evenly without being distorted.

[0045] Furthermore, when the user releases the handle portion 30, the force released by the expansion of the compression spring 35 causes the holder 36 to retract forward from the opposing member 33 in the opposite manner to the above, and as a result, the receiving portion 50 at the rear of the operating unit 11 slides against the abutment portion 39 of the holding body 36, causing the operating unit 11 to rotate to the left.As the pressure portion 26 of the operating unit 11 retracts, the rod 12 advances due to the force of the biasing means 22, and the operating unit 11 returns to its predetermined position.

[0046] In this way, an insertion portion 38 that is inserted into the opposing member 33 is formed at the rear end, which is one end of the holding body 36 that is inserted into the compression spring 35 and urges the operating unit 11 in the direction of returning it to a predetermined position, and an abutment portion 39 that abuts against the receiving portion 50 of the operating unit 11 is formed at the front end, which is the other end that faces the operating unit 11, and at least the area of ​​the abutment portion 39 that can come into contact with the receiving portion 50 is shaped to follow a spherical surface, and the sliding contact between the receiving portion 50 and the abutment portion 39 links the rotation of the operating unit 11 with the forward and backward movement of the holding body 36 relative to the opposing member 33 and the expansion and contraction of the compression spring 35, so that misalignment or distortion of the central axis of the compression spring 35 can be suppressed and the compression spring 35 can be expanded and contracted evenly, resulting in a stable operating feel of the operating unit 11.

[0047] Furthermore, the receiving portion 50 is formed by connecting a first curved surface portion 55 formed along a spherical surface that contacts the abutment portion 39 when the operating unit 11 is in a predetermined position, and a second curved surface portion 56 formed along a spherical surface of approximately the same diameter as the first curved surface portion 55 that contacts the abutment portion 39 when the operating unit 11 is in a position rotated to the maximum in one direction, with a connecting surface portion 57 that is a tangent plane.This allows the connecting surface portion 57 to compensate for the amount of left-right movement (misalignment) between the receiving portion 50 of the operating unit 11 and the abutment portion 39 of the holding body 36 that is caused by a misalignment between the rotation axis of the operating unit 11 and the central axis of the compression spring 35 and the holding body 36, thereby suppressing the generation of low-quality noise such as creaking that is caused by distortion of the compression spring 35 due to uneven load on the compression spring 35, and also reliably reducing the operating load of the operating unit 11, resulting in a more stable operating feel.

[0048] The retaining body 36 has a locking portion 42 in the insertion portion 38 that locks onto the opposing member 33. Therefore, by inserting the retaining body 36 into the opposing member 33 (receiving hole portion 43), the retaining body 36 can be prevented from coming off the opposing member 33 via the locking portion 42, and the compression spring 35 can be easily attached to the opposing member 33 together with the retaining body 36.

[0049] In one embodiment, the operating unit 11 is configured to be operated by pulling, whereby the handle 30 is pulled toward the user to contract the compression spring 35, and then the handle 30 is released, whereby the compression spring 35 expands and the operating unit 11 returns to its designated position; in other words, the operating unit 11 is configured to be operated by pulling. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operating unit 11 may also be configured to be operated by pushing, whereby the compression spring 35 is contracted by pushing the operating unit 11, and then the pushing is released, whereby the compression spring 35 expands and the operating unit 11 returns to its designated position. [Industrial Applicability]

[0050] The present invention is suitably used in a locking device that locks a cover member of a storage device for a vehicle, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1 Locking device 2 Storage device 3 Opening 4. Main body, the first member 5. The second member, the cover member 10 Locking mechanism 11 Control section 33 Opposing member 35 compression spring 36 Holding body 38 Insertion part 39 Contact part 42 Locking part 50 Receiving part 55 First curved surface part 56 Second curved surface part 57 Connecting surface part

Claims

1. a locking mechanism capable of locking the second member relative to the first member; an operating unit that is rotatably provided and that causes the locking mechanism to be unlocked by rotating in one direction from a predetermined position; a compression spring that biases the operating portion in a direction returning the operating portion to the predetermined position; a holder that is inserted into the compression spring and holds the compression spring; the holding body has an insertion portion at one end thereof that is inserted into an opposing member that faces the operating portion, and an abutment portion at the other end thereof that abuts against the operating portion, the operating portion has a receiving portion that abuts against the abutting portion on a side facing the opposing member, the abutting portion has a shape that conforms to a spherical surface at least in a range that can come into contact with the receiving portion, The sliding contact between the receiving portion and the abutting portion links the rotation of the operating portion with the advancement and retreat of the holding body relative to the opposing member and the expansion and contraction of the compression spring. A locking device characterized by:

2. The central axis of the compression spring is located away from the rotation axis of the operating unit, The receiving part is a first curved surface portion formed along a spherical surface that comes into contact with the contact portion when the operation portion is in a predetermined position; a second curved surface portion formed along a spherical surface having substantially the same diameter as the first curved surface portion and contacting the abutment portion when the operation portion is at a position where it is rotated maximally in one direction; a connecting surface portion which is a tangent plane connecting the first curved surface portion and the second curved surface portion, 2. The locking device according to claim 1.

3. The holder has a locking portion at the insertion portion that is locked to the opposing member.

2. The locking device according to claim 1.

4. a first member having an opening, a main body portion; a cover member that is a second member that can open and close the opening; a locking device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, provided on either the main body or the lid member, for locking the lid member to the main body in a state where the opening is closed; A storage device comprising:

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