Lid opening / closing device

Abstract

To provide a lid opening / closing device whose structure is made simpler than the conventional ones.SOLUTION: A lid opening / closing device 100 includes a base, a lid that rotates about a central axis O between a closed position and an open position, a movable member 9 that moves relative to the base, and an elastic member that applies a biasing force in a direction that moves a first support portion 4c away from a second support portion 9c. Using an imaginary line L1 that passes through the central axis O and the first support portion 4c as a reference, when a region through which the first support portion 4c moves as the lid moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first region A1 and an opposite region is defined as a second region A2, movement of the movable member 9 from a state in which the second support portion 9c is located in the first region A1 to a state in which the second support portion 9c is located in the second region A2 causes the lid to rotate from the closed position to the open position, and movement of the movable member 9 from a state in which the second support portion 9c is located in the second region A2 to a state in which the second support portion 9c is located in the first region A1 causes the lid to rotate from the open position to the closed position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lid opening and closing device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there is known a lid opening and closing device for opening and closing a lid that closes the opening of a vehicle recess in which a fuel filler port or a power filler port is provided. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of such a lid opening and closing device, which uses a slider that converts the rotational motion of a motor into linear motion to move the lid in an open or closed direction. Patent Document 2 also discloses a device that uses a moving body that moves linearly due to the rotation of a motor to operate the lid in an open or closed direction. Furthermore, the device in Patent Document 2 also includes a switch that detects when the moving body reaches a predetermined position to detect whether the lid has moved to the open or closed position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7357022 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-62485 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, conventional lid opening / closing devices use the driving force of a motor to operate the lid in an open or closed direction. However, in such devices, measures are required to prevent damage to the lid when a situation arises that prevents the lid from opening or closing (such as when an object comes into contact with the opening lid, when an object gets caught between the closing lid and the vehicle, or when the area around the lid freezes). These measures include providing a protection circuit that automatically stops the motor when the motor is overloaded and a control circuit that reverses the motor's rotation. Furthermore, a configuration is required to smoothly restart the automatically stopped motor. Furthermore, a switch such as that shown in Patent Document 2 is also required to detect when the lid has moved to the open or closed position. As such, conventional lid opening / closing devices require various components that are necessary depending on the actual usage situation, resulting in a complex structure.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a lid opening and closing device having a simpler structure than conventional devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A lid opening and closing device according to the present invention includes a base having an opening, a shaft portion that rotates relative to the base, and an arm that extends radially outward from the shaft portion, the lid rotating about a central axis of the shaft portion between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening, a movable member that moves relative to the base, and an elastic member that has one end supported by a first support portion provided on the arm and the other end supported by a second support portion provided on the movable member and that applies a biasing force in a direction that moves the first support portion away from the second support portion, If, using a virtual line passing through the first support portion as a reference, the area through which the first support portion moves when the lid moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first area, and the area on the opposite side is defined as a second area, when the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the first area to a state in which it is located in the second area, the lid rotates from the closed position to the open position, and when the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the second area to a state in which it is located in the first area, the lid rotates from the open position to the closed position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the lid opening and closing device of the present invention, the lid can be moved to the open position or the closed position by moving the movable member based on the positional relationship of the second support part with respect to the first region and the second region. Furthermore, because the lid operates by the biasing force of the elastic member, even if a situation arises that prevents the lid from opening or closing, the lid will not be damaged. Therefore, a protection circuit or the like as in the conventional device is not required, and the structure is simplified. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a lid opening and closing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a lid body has been moved to a closed position. [Figure 2] 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the arrow A. FIG. [Figure 3]2 is an exploded perspective view of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the arrow B. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is an exploded side view of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the arrow C. [Figure 5A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a partial enlarged view of part D in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the second arm has rotated in the CW direction from the state illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a view showing a state in which the lid body has moved to an open position after the state shown in FIG. 6. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the second arm has rotated in the CCW direction from the state shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9A] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a modified example of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. 1 (an example in which the compressive elastic member is replaced with a tensile elastic member), showing a state in which the lid body has moved to a closed position. [Figure 9B] 9B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the second arm has rotated in the CCW direction from the state illustrated in FIG. 9A. FIG. [Figure 9C] 9C is a diagram showing a state in which the lid body has moved to an open position after the state shown in FIG. 9B. [Figure 9D] FIG. 9D is a diagram illustrating a state in which the second arm has rotated in the CW direction from the state illustrated in FIG. 9C. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a lid opening and closing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the lid body has been moved to a closed position. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. [Figure 12] 11 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. 10 as viewed from the arrow E. FIG. [Figure 13] 11 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the lid opening and closing device shown in FIG. 10 as viewed from the arrow F. FIG. [Figure 14] 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the second arm has rotated in the CW direction from the state shown in FIG. 11 and the unlocking protrusion has come into contact with the locking claw portion. FIG. [Figure 15] 15 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the second arm has further rotated in the CW direction from the state shown in FIG. 14, and the engagement between the first arm and the locking claw portion has been released. FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is a view showing a state in which the lid body has moved to an open position after the state shown in FIG. 15. FIG. [Figure 17] 10 is a view showing a state in which the second arm is rotated in the CCW direction when the lid main body is moved to the open position in the lid opening and closing device of the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 18] 18 is a diagram illustrating a state in which, after the state shown in FIG. 17, the first arm is rotated in the CW direction and the locking member is rotated in the CW direction. FIG. [Figure 19] 10 is a view showing a state in which the emergency cable is pulled and the engagement between the first arm and the locking member is released, in the lid opening and closing device of the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 20A] 20 is a diagram showing a state in which the emergency cable is further pulled from the state shown in FIG. 19 and the locking member side contact portion comes into contact with the arm side contact portion. FIG. [Figure 20B] FIG. 20B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 20A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A lid opening and closing device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the drawings are schematic, and the thickness and width of each part, the ratio of each part to each other, and the like may differ from those actually implemented. Furthermore, for convenience, the following description will be given in the orientation shown in the accompanying drawings, but this does not limit the orientation of the lid opening and closing device according to the present invention.

[0010] 1 to 8 are diagrams showing a lid opening and closing device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration of the lid opening and closing device 100 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5B. Here, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the lid opening and closing device 100, Figs. 2 to 4 are diagrams showing the components that make up the lid opening and closing device 100 in an exploded state, Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the lid opening and closing device 100 (with some components omitted), and Fig. 5B is a partial enlarged view of Fig. 5A.

[0011] The lid opening / closing device 100 includes a base body 1, a lid body 2, a case 3, a shaft member 4, a motor 5, a worm gear 6, a first gear 7, a second gear 8, a moving member 9, a compressible elastic member 10, a damper 11, a cover 12, a knock pin 13, and a screw 14. The base body 1, the case 3, and the cover 12 are members that make up the "base" in this specification, etc., and the lid body 2 and the shaft member 4 are members that make up the "lid" in this specification, etc. The shaft member 4 corresponds to the "shaft portion" in this specification, etc., and the compressible elastic member 10 corresponds to the "elastic member" in this specification, etc.

[0012] The base body 1 is a member that is attached to, for example, the side of a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5A, the base body 1 of this embodiment has a cylindrical portion 1a and a rectangular shell-shaped extension portion 1b that extends laterally from the cylindrical portion 1a. Through holes through which the shaft member 4 is inserted are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the extension portion 1b. When the base body 1 is attached to the vehicle, a fuel filler port and a power filler port provided on the vehicle are located inside the opening 1c provided in the cylindrical portion 1a.

[0013] The lid main body 2 includes a cover portion 2a that closes the opening 1c in the state shown in Figures 1 and 5A. A lid arm portion 2b that is U-shaped in a plan view is provided on the back surface of the cover portion 2a, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, a circular insertion hole 2c through which the shaft member 4 is inserted, penetrating the lid arm portion 2b in the vertical direction, and a positioning recess 2d that extends radially outward from the insertion hole 2c are provided at the tip of the lid arm portion 2b.

[0014] The case 3 is a member to which the motor 5 and other components are attached, as shown in Figures 2 to 4. The case 3 can be attached to the base body 1 as a unit with the motor 5 and other components attached, as shown in Figure 5A. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the case 3 has a shaft hole 3a that passes through the case 3 in the vertical direction and into which the shaft member 4 and other components are inserted. When the case 3 is attached to the base body 1, the shaft hole 3a communicates with the through hole of the base body 1 described above.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the shaft member 4 includes a cylindrical shaft body 4a. In this embodiment, a central axis O of the shaft body 4a extends in the vertical direction. A first arm 4b extending radially outward is provided at the upper end of the shaft body 4a. The first arm 4b corresponds to the "arm" in this specification. A through-hole penetrating the first arm 4b in the vertical direction is provided at the tip of the first arm 4b. Hereinafter, this through-hole will be referred to as a first support portion 4c. Furthermore, a shaft member gear portion 4d is provided at the upper end of the shaft body 4a. The gear portion 4d is a sector gear having spur gear teeth that are fan-shaped in a plan view. A positioning protrusion 4e protruding radially outward is provided at an intermediate portion of the shaft body 4a in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the shaft body 4a, the first arm 4b, and the shaft member gear portion 4d are integrally joined to form a single member. However, for example, a member including the first arm 4b and the shaft member gear portion 4d may be attached to the shaft body 4a by screws or the like.

[0016] The motor 5 is, for example, a DC motor, and is electrically connected to a drive circuit (not shown). A worm gear 6 is attached to the drive shaft of the motor 5. When current is supplied from the drive circuit, the motor 5 is driven and the worm gear 6 rotates. When the direction of the current supplied to the motor 5 changes, the worm gear 6 rotates in the opposite direction.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 4, the first gear 7 and the second gear 8 are both double gears in which a spur gear with a smaller number of teeth and a spur gear with a larger number of teeth are joined together on the same axis. Note that the second gear 8 may be omitted, for example, when the torque obtained by the motor 5 is large or when the weight of the lid main body 2 is light.

[0018] The moving member 9 includes a cylindrical tubular portion 9a. The outer diameter of the tubular portion 9a is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the shaft hole 3a of the case 3, and the inner diameter of the tubular portion 9a is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft main body portion 4a. A second arm 9b extending radially outward is provided at the upper end of the tubular portion 9a. A protrusion is provided at the tip of the second arm 9b, with a small-diameter cylindrical lower portion and a large-diameter disk-shaped upper portion. This protrusion will be referred to as the second support portion 9c below. A moving member gear portion 9d is provided at the vertical middle of the tubular portion 9a. The teeth of the moving member gear portion 9d are shaped like a spur gear and are provided as a sector gear that is fan-shaped in a plan view.

[0019] 2 and 3, the compressible elastic member 10 is a torsion spring in this embodiment. In this embodiment, one arm 10a of the compressible elastic member 10 is bent in an L-shape, and the other arm 10b is curved in a U-shape. When assembled into the lid opening and closing device 100, the one arm 10a of the compressible elastic member 10 is rotatably supported by the first support portion 4c of the shaft member 4, and the other arm 10b is rotatably supported by the second support portion 9c of the moving member 9. In a state where the compressible elastic member 10 is supported by the first support portion 4c and the second support portion 9c, it applies a biasing force in a direction in which the first support portion 4c moves away from the second support portion 9c.

[0020] As will be described later, the damper 11 applies resistance to the rotation of the lid main body 2 and has the function of appropriately slowing down the speed at which the lid main body 2 opens and closes. The damper 11 of this embodiment is a so-called rotary damper, and is provided at its upper part with a damper gear portion 11a in the shape of a spur gear.

[0021] The cover 12 is a member attached to the case 3, which has the motor 5, first gear 7, and second gear 8 attached thereto, so as to cover the motor 5, etc. The cover 12 of this embodiment is positioned relative to the case 3 using knock pins 13, and is fixed to the case 3 using screws 14.

[0022] These components can be assembled, for example, by the following procedure. First, the motor 5 with the worm gear 6 attached, the first gear 7, the second gear 8, and the moving member 9 are attached to the case 3 with the knock pin 13 attached. At this time, the spur gear portion with the larger number of teeth of the first gear 7 shown in FIG. 4 is meshed with the worm gear 6, the spur gear portion with the smaller number of teeth of the first gear 7 is meshed with the spur gear portion with the larger number of teeth of the second gear 8, and the spur gear portion with the smaller number of teeth of the second gear 8 is meshed with the moving member gear portion 9d. The moving member 9 is attached to the case 3 by inserting the cylindrical portion 9a into the shaft hole 3a. This allows the moving member 9 to be rotatably supported relative to the case 3. Next, the cover 12 is attached to the case 3 using the screw 14. In this state, the first gear 7 and the second gear 8 are rotatably supported by the case 3 and the cover 12. Next, the damper 11 is attached to the case 3 using the screw 14. Furthermore, the shaft member 4 is attached to the moving member 9 by inserting the shaft main body portion 4a into the cylindrical portion 9a and making the shaft member gear portion 4d mesh with the damper gear portion 11a. In this state, the shaft member 4 is rotatable around the central axis O relative to the cylindrical portion 9a. Furthermore, one arm portion 10a is inserted into the first support portion 4c, which is a through hole, and the other arm portion 10b is hooked onto the second support portion 9c, which is a protrusion, thereby attaching the compressible elastic member 10 to the shaft member 4 and the moving member 9.

[0023] The unitized case 3 with the motor 5 and other components attached is attached to the base body 1 with the lid body 2 disposed inside, as shown in Fig. 5A, by inserting the shaft body 4a into the through-hole provided in the base body 1, for example, with a screw. At this time, as shown in Fig. 5B, the shaft body 4a is inserted into the insertion hole 2c so that the positioning protrusion 4e of the shaft member 4 fits into the positioning recess 2d of the lid body 2. Because the positioning protrusion 4e fits into the positioning recess 2d, the lid body 2 is prevented from rotating relative to the shaft member 4.

[0024] It should be noted that the above-described assembly procedure is merely an example, and the assembly order can be changed as appropriate as long as assembly is possible. For example, in the above-described procedure, the unitized case 3 etc. also includes the movable member 9 and the compressible elastic member 10, and this unitized case 3 etc. is attached to the base body 1. However, for example, the unitized case 3 etc. may be formed excluding the movable member 9 and the compressible elastic member 10, and after this is attached to the base body 1, the movable member 9 and the compressible elastic member 10 may be attached.

[0025] In the lid opening / closing device 100 assembled in this manner, when current is supplied to drive the motor 5, the worm gear 6, the first gear 7, and the second gear 8 rotate in a predetermined direction. Furthermore, when a reverse current is supplied to the motor 5, the worm gear 6, the first gear 7, and the second gear 8 rotate in the reverse direction. Here, the moving-member gear portion 9d of the moving member 9 meshes with the second gear 8. Therefore, depending on the direction of the current supplied to the motor 5, the moving member 9 rotates clockwise (hereinafter referred to as the CW direction) or counterclockwise (hereinafter referred to as the CCW direction) in a plan view around the central axis O, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 . The range within which the moving member 9 can rotate is restricted by a stopper or the like provided on the case 3. When the moving member 9 of this embodiment rotates in the CCW direction, the second arm 9b can rotate to the position shown in FIG. 1 . When the moving member 9 rotates in the CW direction, the second arm 9b can rotate to the position shown in FIG. 7 . Furthermore, the driving force supplied from the motor 5 to rotate the movable member 9 is reduced by the worm gear 6 and the two-stage gears, first gear 7 and second gear 8, and the torque is increased before being supplied to the movable member 9. In other words, even when no current is supplied to the motor 5, the position of the movable member 9 is maintained.

[0026] The lid body 2 rotates in the CW or CCW direction around the central axis O relative to the base body 1. The lid body 2 of this embodiment rotates between a closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5A where the opening 1c is closed, and an open position shown in FIG. 7 where the opening 1c is opened. In other words, the lid body 2 of this embodiment can rotate in the CCW direction around the central axis O from the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5A to the open position shown in FIG. 7, and can also rotate in the CW direction around the central axis O from the open position to the closed position. Furthermore, since the lid body 2 is prevented from rotating with respect to the shaft member 4, when the lid body 2 has rotated to the closed position, the first arm 4b of the shaft member 4 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, and when the lid body 2 has rotated to the open position, the first arm 4b of the shaft member 4 is in the position shown in FIG. 7.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the compressible elastic member 10 is supported by a first support portion 4c provided on the first arm 4b and a second support portion 9c provided on the second arm 9b, and in either state, a biasing force is applied in a direction in which the first support portion 4c moves away from the second support portion 9c.

[0028] Next, the operation of the lid opening / closing device 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6 to 8. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the lid main body 2 is in the closed position, and the second arm 9b is in the position shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a first imaginary line L1 passing through the central axis O and the first support portion 4c is used as a reference. If the region through which the first support portion 4c moves when the lid main body 2 moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first region A1, and the region on the opposite side is defined as a second region A2, the second support portion 9c is located in the first region A1 in FIG. 1. The first imaginary line L1 corresponds to the "imaginary line" in this specification. In this state, the first arm 4b is biased in the CW direction by the compressible elastic member 10, and the position of the lid main body 2 is maintained in a state in which the opening 1c is closed.

[0029] 1 to the open position, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the second arm 9b in the clockwise direction, so that the second support portion 9c is positioned in the second region A2, as shown in FIG. 6. Here, the compressible elastic member 10 applies a biasing force to the second support portion 9c in a direction that moves the first support portion 4c away from the second support portion 9c, so that the first arm 4b including the first support portion 4c rotates in the counterclockwise direction. In other words, the lid main body 2 rotates in the counterclockwise direction together with the shaft member 4, so that the lid main body 2 can be rotated to the open position, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0030] To rotate the lid main body 2 from the state shown in Fig. 7 to the closed position, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the second arm 9b in the CCW direction, so that the second support portion 9c is positioned in the first area A1, as shown in Fig. 8. As described above, the compressible elastic member 10 applies a biasing force to the second support portion 9c in a direction that moves the first support portion 4c away from the second support portion 9c, so the first arm 4b including the first support portion 4c rotates in the CW direction. In other words, the lid main body 2 rotates in the CW direction together with the shaft member 4, so that the lid main body 2 can be rotated to the open position as shown in Fig. 1.

[0031] As described above, according to the lid opening / closing device 100 of this embodiment, the lid body 2 can be opened and closed by the biasing force of the compressible elastic member 10 by moving the second support portion 9c of the moving member 9. That is, even if an object touches the lid body 2 or an object is caught between the lid body 2 and the base body 1, the biasing force of the compressible elastic member 10 acts on the lid body 2 without applying excessive force, preventing damage to the lid body 2 or the like. Furthermore, by moving the object touching the lid body 2 or removing the caught object, the lid body 2 automatically rotates to the intended position due to the biasing force of the compressible elastic member 10, eliminating the need for a separate component for resetting the motor, as in the past. Furthermore, when the lid body 2 moves to the open or closed position, the position of the lid body 2 is maintained by the biasing force of the compressible elastic member 10, preventing the lid body 2 from being inadvertently opened or closed in the closed position.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shaft member gear portion 4d of the shaft member 4 is engaged with the damper gear portion 11a of the damper 11. That is, when the lid main body 2 performs an opening or closing operation, the damper 11 applies a resistance force to the rotation of the lid main body 2, thereby appropriately slowing down the speed at which the lid main body 2 rotates, allowing the lid main body 2 to operate with quality. Furthermore, the motor 5 does not directly drive the shaft member 4, and therefore the resistance force of the damper 11 applied to the shaft member 4 does not act on the motor 5, and therefore no load is placed on the motor 5.

[0033] Furthermore, with the lid opening / closing device 100 of this embodiment, for example, if the power stored in the vehicle battery is insufficient and the motor 5 does not operate, it is also possible to move the lid body 2 in the closed position in the open direction. For example, by inserting a pointed tool between the base body 1 and the lid body 2 and applying force to the back side of the lid body 2, the lid body 2 in the closed position can be moved in the open direction to open the opening 1c of the base body 1.

[0034] The lid opening and closing device according to the present invention can also be configured as a lid opening and closing device 100A shown in Figures 9A to 9D. The lid opening and closing device 100A is basically configured similarly to the lid opening and closing device 100 described above, but the angle of the second arm 9b relative to the central axis O is different from that of the lid opening and closing device 100. Here, Figures 9A to 9D schematically show the configuration around the second arm 9b in the lid opening and closing device 100A. Note that Figure 9A shows a state in which the lid main body 2 has moved to the closed position as shown in Figure 1, and Figure 9C shows a state in which the lid main body 2 has moved to the open position as shown in Figure 7.

[0035] The lid opening / closing device 100A further differs from the lid opening / closing device 100 in that it includes a tensile elastic member 15 instead of the above-described compressible elastic member 10. In this embodiment, the tensile elastic member 15 is a torsion spring as shown in FIG. 9A , and is supported by the first support portion 4c and the second support portion 9c. When supported by the first support portion 4c and the second support portion 9c, the tensile elastic member 15 applies a biasing force in a direction in which the first support portion 4c approaches the second support portion 9c. The orientation of the second arm 9b in the lid opening / closing device 100A differs from that of the above-described lid opening / closing device 100, as will be described in detail below.

[0036] When the lid main body 2 is moved to the closed position as shown in Fig. 9A, the second arm 9b is in the position shown in the figure. That is, when the lid main body 2 is moved to the closed position as shown in Fig. 9A, the second support portion 9c is located in the second region A2. In this state, the first arm 4b is biased in the CW direction by the tensile elastic member 15, so the position of the lid main body 2 is maintained in a state in which the opening 1c is closed.

[0037] To rotate the lid main body 2 from the state shown in Fig. 9A to the open position, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the second arm 9b in the CCW direction, so that the second support portion 9c is positioned in the first region A1, as shown in Fig. 9B. Here, the tensile elastic member 15 applies a biasing force to the second support portion 9c in a direction that moves the first support portion 4c toward the second support portion 9c. Therefore, the first arm 4b including the first support portion 4c rotates in the CCW direction, allowing the lid main body 2 to rotate to the open position shown in Fig. 9C.

[0038] To rotate the lid main body 2 from the closed position shown in Fig. 9C to the closed position shown in Fig. 9A, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the second arm 9b in the CW direction, so that the second support portion 9c is positioned in the second region A2, as shown in Fig. 9D. As described above, the tensile elastic member 15 applies a biasing force to the second support portion 9c in a direction that moves the first support portion 4c toward the second support portion 9c, so that the first arm 4b including the first support portion 4c rotates in the CW direction, thereby rotating the lid main body 2 to the closed position shown in Fig. 9A.

[0039] In this way, also in the lid opening and closing device 100A of this embodiment, the lid main body 2 can be opened and closed by the biasing force of the tensile elastic member 15 by moving the second support portion 9c of the moving member 9.

[0040] Next, a lid opening / closing device 100B according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 20B. First, the configuration of the lid opening / closing device 100B will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13. Here, FIG. 10 is a plan view of the lid opening / closing device 100B, FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 10, FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the lid opening / closing device 100B shown in FIG. 10, viewed from the arrow E, and FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the lid opening / closing device 100B shown in FIG. 10, viewed from the arrow F. In FIGS. 12 and 13, the cover 12 is shown with imaginary lines to show the configuration inside the case 3. In addition, in FIGS. 10 to 20B, the shaft member gear portion 4d provided on the shaft member 4 is omitted.

[0041] The lid opening / closing device 100B includes the various components included in the lid opening / closing device 100 described above. The shaft member 4 included in the lid opening / closing device 100B differs from that of the lid opening / closing device 100 in the shape of the tip of the first arm 4b. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11 , the left side portion of the tip of the first arm 4b (the end farther from the central axis O) is perpendicular in plan view. The right side portion of the tip of the first arm 4b is generally inclined toward the base as it extends to the right, and a stepped protrusion is provided in the middle of this inclined portion. Here, this stepped protrusion is referred to as the arm-side protrusion 4f, and the portion located to the right of the arm-side protrusion 4f is referred to as the arm-side contact portion 4g. The moving member 9 included in the lid opening / closing device 100B includes a notch 9e in the middle of the second arm 9b in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 11 . A cylindrical protrusion is provided in the second arm 9b between the second support portion 9c and the notch 9e. Hereinafter, this projection will be referred to as an unlocking projection 9f. The cover 12 provided in the lid opening and closing device 100B has a cable holding portion 12a configured by a pair of opposing projections.

[0042] The lid opening and closing device 100B further includes a locking member 16, a second elastic member 17, and an emergency cable .

[0043] The locking member 16 has a cylindrical locking member shaft 16a that penetrates the cover 12 and is rotatably held by the case 3. The locking member shaft 16a is provided with a third arm 16b that extends radially outward from a position on the surface side of the cover 12. The tip of the third arm 16b is provided with a protrusion that has a small-diameter cylindrical lower portion and a large-diameter disk-like upper portion. This protrusion will be referred to as the locking member engaging portion 16c hereinafter. The locking member shaft 16a also has a locking claw 16d that extends radially outward from a position above the third arm 16b, has a tip that is bent at a right angle, and is L-shaped in plan view. As shown in FIG. 11 , the locking claw 16d has a locking member first protrusion 16e, which is rectangular in plan view, on the side where the first arm 4b is located near the portion where it connects to the locking member shaft 16a. The locking member second protrusion 16f has a triangular in plan view on the side opposite the side where the first arm 4b is located. The locking member first protrusion 16e corresponds to the “locking member-side protrusion” in this specification. The third arm 16b and the locking claw 16d are integrally formed with the locking member shaft 16a. When the locking member shaft 16a rotates, the third arm 16b and the locking claw 16d also rotate. The second arm 9b of the moving member 9 is positioned between the third arm 16b and the locking claw 16d in the vertical direction. Therefore, even when the second arm 9b rotates as shown in FIG. 14 , the second arm 9b does not interfere with the third arm 16b and the locking claw 16d. Furthermore, since the second arm 9b is provided with the notch 9e, even when the second arm 9b rotates as shown in FIG. 14, the second arm 9b does not interfere with the locking member shaft 16a.

[0044] The second elastic member 17 is a member that applies a biasing force to the locking member 16 in a direction in which the locking claw portion 16d approaches the first arm 4b. In this embodiment, the second elastic member 17 is a torsion spring attached to the inside of the case 3. In this embodiment, the locking member 16 is biased by the second elastic member 17 so as to rotate in the CCW direction around the locking member shaft portion 16a.

[0045] The emergency cable 18 includes a string-like cable main body 18a and a cable tip end 18b provided at the tip side of the cable main body 18a. As shown in FIG. 11, the cable main body 18a is held by the cover 12 by being sandwiched between a pair of protrusions that constitute the cable holding portion 12a. The cable tip end 18b is an elongated hole as shown, and a locking member engaging portion 16c is inserted into the hole. In the state shown in FIG. 11 (a state in which the second arm 9b has rotated in the CCW direction as described below), the locking member engaging portion 16c is located at the tip side of the cable tip end 18b.

[0046] Here, the operation of the lid opening and closing device 100B will be described with reference to FIGS. 10, 11, and 13 to 18. When the lid main body 2 of the lid opening and closing device 100B is in the closed position, the second arm 9b is in the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. That is, in FIG. 11, the second support portion 9c is located in the first area A1. In this state, the first arm 4b is biased in the CW direction by the compressible elastic member 10, so the position of the lid main body 2 is maintained in a state in which the opening 1c is closed. The locking claw portion 16d of the locking member 16 is engaged with the left portion of the tip end of the first arm 4b. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 11, the rotation of the shaft member 4 including the first arm 4b in the CCW direction is prevented by the locking claw portion 16d, so the lid main body 2, which is prevented from rotating in the CCW direction relative to the shaft member 4, also cannot rotate in the CCW direction.

[0047] To rotate the lid main body 2 from the state shown in FIG. 11 to the open position, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the second arm 9b in the clockwise direction. In this embodiment, as the second arm 9b rotates in the clockwise direction, the unlocking protrusion 9f engages with the locking member second protrusion 16f, as shown in FIG. 14. Therefore, as the second arm 9b further rotates in the clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 15, the locking member 16 rotates in the clockwise direction around the locking member shaft 16a, automatically releasing the engagement between the first arm 4b and the locking claw 16d. Even when the locking member 16 rotates from the state shown in FIG. 14 to the state shown in FIG. 15, the locking member engaging portion 16c moves inside the elongated cable tip 18b. That is, during the normal operation of driving the motor 5 to open or close the lid main body 2, the cable main body 18a basically does not move relative to the cable holding portion 12a, so no large load is applied to the motor 5.

[0048] In the state shown in Fig. 15, the second support portion 9c is located in the second region A2. Furthermore, the engagement between the first arm 4b and the locking claw portion 16d is released. Therefore, due to the biasing force of the compressible elastic member 10 in the direction in which the first support portion 4c moves away from the second support portion 9c, the first arm 4b including the first support portion 4c rotates in the CCW direction to the state shown in Fig. 16. In other words, the lid main body 2 rotates in the CCW direction together with the shaft member 4, and the lid main body 2 can be rotated to the open position.

[0049] To rotate the lid main body 2 from the open position to the closed position, the motor 5 is driven to rotate the second arm 9b, which is positioned as shown in FIG. 16, in the CCW direction, so that the second support portion 9c is positioned in the first region A1, as shown in FIG. 17. When the second arm 9b rotates in the CCW direction, the engagement between the unlocking protrusion 9f and the locking member second protrusion 16f is released. Therefore, the locking member 16, biased by the second elastic member 17, rotates in the CCW direction around the locking member shaft 16a and reaches the position shown in FIG. 17. Here, the compressible elastic member 10 applies a biasing force to the second support portion 9c in a direction that moves the first support portion 4c away from the second support portion 9c, causing the first arm 4b, which includes the first support portion 4c, to rotate in the CW direction. As described above, the right side of the tip of the first arm 4b is generally tilted toward the base as it moves rightward. Furthermore, when the first arm 4b rotates in the CW direction, this right side contacts the locking claw 16d in the position shown in FIG. 17. Therefore, the locking member 16 rotates in the CW direction around the locking member shaft 16a (see FIG. 18), and the first arm 4b continues to rotate in the CW direction. Then, when the lid main body 2 rotates to the closed position as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 and the first arm 4b reaches the illustrated position, the locking member 16 rotates in the CCW direction around the locking member shaft 16a due to the biasing force of the second elastic member 17, allowing the locking claw 16d to engage with the first arm 4b.

[0050] In this way, in the lid opening / closing device 100B, the locking claw 16d is engaged with the first arm 4b when the lid main body 2 is moved to the closed position, so the lid main body 2 can be locked in the closed position. On the other hand, if, for example, the electric power stored in the vehicle battery is insufficient and the motor 5 does not operate, the lid main body 2 can be unlocked from the closed position by pulling the emergency cable 18. This point will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 11 and 19 to 20B.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the lid main body 2 is in the closed position, and the locking claw 16d is engaged with the first arm 4b. When the emergency cable 18 is pulled from this state, the locking member engaging portion 16c inserted into the cable tip 18b is also pulled. As a result, the locking member 16 rotates in the clockwise direction about the locking member shaft 16a, as shown in FIG. 19, and the locking claw 16d can be disengaged from the first arm 4b. Furthermore, when the locking member 16 rotates in the clockwise direction, the locking member first protrusion 16e engages with the arm-side protrusion 4f, as shown in FIG. 19. Therefore, if the emergency cable 18 is continued to be pulled and the locking member 16 further rotates in the clockwise direction, the locking member first protrusion 16e presses the arm-side protrusion 4f, causing the first arm 4b to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. As a result, the lid main body 2, which is in the closed position, can be rotated in the open direction, as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B. That is, a finger or the like can be inserted between the base body 1 and the lid body 2, and a force can be applied to the rear side of the lid body 2 to rotate the lid body 2 in the opening direction.

[0052] When the lid main body 2 is rotated to the open position by a finger or the like, the first arm 4b and the second arm 9b are in the state shown in FIG. 17. Therefore, when the finger or the like is released from the lid main body 2 that has moved to the open position, the first arm 4b rotates in the clockwise direction due to the biasing force of the compressible elastic member 10, and the lid main body 2 moves to the closed position. When the lid main body 2 is rotated to the open position by a finger or the like, the locking member 16 rotates in the counterclockwise direction around the locking member shaft portion 16a by the second elastic member 17, and the emergency cable 18 returns to the state before being pulled, as shown in FIG. 17. Therefore, when the lid main body 2 moves to the closed position, the first arm 4b rotates in the clockwise direction around the central axis O while rotating the locking member 16 in the clockwise direction, as described with reference to FIG. 18, and moves to the state shown in FIG. 11, where it engages with the locking claw portion 16d. In this way, the lid opening / closing device 100B of this embodiment can automatically return the emergency cable 18 to the state it was in before it was pulled, even when the emergency cable 18 is pulled and the lid main body 2 is manually moved to the open position, by removing a finger or the like from the lid main body 2.

[0053] When the emergency cable 18 is pulled to rotate the lid main body 2 in the opening direction, the arm-side contact portion 4g of the first arm 4b comes into full contact with the edge portion of the arm-side protrusion 4f facing the central axis O, as shown in FIG. 20B . In this state, the first arm 4b of this embodiment is stopped from rotating around the central axis O by frictional force generated by contact between the arm-side contact portion 4g and the edge portion of the arm-side protrusion 4f. In other words, the lid main body 2 can be maintained in the state shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B , making it easier to insert a finger or the like between the base main body 1 and the lid main body 2. In particular, the arm-side contact portion 4g and the edge portion of the arm-side protrusion 4f of this embodiment come into contact in a direction substantially perpendicular to a second imaginary line L2 passing through the central axis O and the central axis of the locking member shaft portion 16a, as shown in FIG. 20B . In other words, the first arm 4b, which can rotate around the central axis O, and the locking claw portion 16d, which can rotate around the locking member shaft portion 16a, are in a state where they are difficult to rotate in this positional relationship, so the lid main body 2 can be more stably maintained in the state shown in Figures 20A and 20B.

[0054] An embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, but the above-described embodiment may be modified as follows. For example, the moving member 9 is not limited to one that rotates around the central axis O relative to the base body 1, but may be one that rotates around a central axis different from the central axis O, or one that moves linearly relative to the base body 1. Furthermore, the compressible elastic member 10, etc. may be one other than a torsion spring (for example, a coil spring).

[0055] (Addendum) In one aspect, the present specification discloses the following technology.

[0056] (Technology 1) a base having an opening; a lid having a shaft portion that rotates relative to the base and an arm that extends radially outward from the shaft portion, the lid rotating about a central axis of the shaft portion between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; a moving member that moves relative to the base; an elastic member having one end supported by a first support portion provided on the arm and the other end supported by a second support portion provided on the moving member, and applying a biasing force in a direction in which the first support portion moves away from the second support portion, When a virtual line passing through the central axis and the first support portion is used as a reference, a region through which the first support portion moves when the lid moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first region, and a region on the opposite side is defined as a second region, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region, the lid rotates from the closed position to the open position, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region, the lid rotates from the open position to the closed position.

[0057] (Technology 2) a base having an opening; a lid having a shaft portion that rotates relative to the base and an arm that extends radially outward from the shaft portion, the lid rotating about a central axis of the shaft portion between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; a moving member that moves relative to the base; an elastic member having one end supported by a first support portion provided on the arm and the other end supported by a second support portion provided on the moving member, and applying a biasing force in a direction in which the first support portion approaches the second support portion, When a virtual line passing through the central axis and the first support portion is used as a reference, a region through which the first support portion moves when the lid moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first region, and a region on the opposite side is defined as a second region, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region, the lid rotates from the closed position to the open position, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region, the lid rotates from the open position to the closed position.

[0058] These technologies allow the lid to be opened and closed by the biasing force of the elastic member by moving the second support part of the movable member. Furthermore, even if a situation arises that prevents the lid from opening or closing, the lid will not be damaged. Therefore, protection circuits and the like that are required in the past are not required, simplifying the structure.

[0059] (Technology 3) The lid opening and closing device according to Technique 1 or 2, wherein the moving member is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about the central axis.

[0060] The moving member may be one that rotates around a central axis different from the central axis, or one that moves linearly relative to the base, but if configured as described above, the structure will be simpler.

[0061] (Technology 4) The lid opening and closing device according to Technology 1 or 2, wherein the moving member moves relative to the base by a driving force of a motor.

[0062] When switching the opening and closing direction of the lid, the moving member may be moved manually, but by using this technique, switching the opening and closing direction becomes easier.

[0063] (Technology 5) The lid opening and closing device according to Technology 1 or 2, further comprising a damper that applies resistance to rotation of the lid around the central axis.

[0064] This technique allows the lid to operate gracefully.

[0065] (Technology 6) The base includes a base body and a case attached to the base body, The lid opening and closing device according to Technology 1 or 2, wherein the case is attached to the base body with at least the moving member attached thereto.

[0066] This technology makes it possible to mount a unitized case containing components on the base body, making assembly easier.

[0067] (Technology 7) The lid opening and closing device according to Technology 1 or 2, wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring.

[0068] The elastic member can be any of a variety of materials that exert a biasing force, but if a coil spring is used, for example, there is a risk that the coil spring will buckle when the elastic member is moved, so a guide or the like is required to prevent this. On the other hand, the technology using a torsion spring as described above does not require a guide or the like, making the structure simpler.

[0069] (Technology 8) a locking member rotatably supported on the base, which engages with the arm when the lid is rotated to the closed position to prevent the lid from rotating in the opening direction; The lid opening and closing device described in Technology 1 is configured so that, when the moving member moves from a state in which the second support portion is located on the side of the imaginary line on which the lid rotates in the opening direction to a state in which the second support portion is located on the side of the imaginary line on which the lid rotates in the closing direction, the moving member comes into contact with the locking member to rotate the locking member in a direction away from the arm, thereby releasing the engagement of the locking member with the arm.

[0070] This technology allows the lid to be locked once it has been moved to the closed position so that it cannot be rotated in the open direction, and when the lid is rotated in the open direction, the lock on the lid can be automatically released.

[0071] (Technology 9) The lid opening and closing device according to technology 8, further comprising an emergency cable connected to the locking member, which when pulled rotates the locking member to release the engagement of the locking member with the arm.

[0072] This technology allows the lid to be unlocked even when it cannot be unlocked normally.

[0073] (Technology 10) The arm has an arm-side protrusion, The lid opening and closing device described in Technology 9, wherein the locking member has a locking member-side protrusion that engages with the arm-side protrusion to rotate the lid in the opening direction when the emergency cable is further pulled after the locking member has been disengaged from the arm.

[0074] This technology creates a gap between the lid and the base when the emergency cable is pulled, allowing a finger or other object to be inserted into this gap, making it easy to rotate the lid to the closed position.

[0075] (Technology 11) The lid opening and closing device according to technology 10, wherein the arm has an arm-side contact portion that contacts the locking member-side protrusion and holds the lid between the closed position and the open position by a frictional force acting between the arm and the locking member-side protrusion when the arm rotates in the opening direction by pulling the emergency cable.

[0076] This technology allows the lid to be stopped between the closed and open positions, making it easy to insert a finger or the like into the gap between the lid and the base.

[0077] (Technology 12) The lid opening and closing device according to technique 8 further comprises a second elastic member that applies a biasing force to the locking member in a direction that moves it closer to the arm.

[0078] This technology makes it possible to automatically lock the lid once it has moved in the closing direction so that it does not rotate in the opening direction.

[0079] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this specific embodiment, and unless otherwise limited in the above description, various modifications and variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. For example, the configurations of the above-described embodiment may be added or deleted as appropriate, and the configurations of one embodiment may be incorporated into other embodiments. Furthermore, the effects of the above-described embodiment are merely examples of the effects that can be obtained from the present invention. In other words, the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and additional effects may be obtained in addition to the above-described effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1: Base body (base) 1c: opening 2: Lid body (lid) 3: Case (base) 4: Shaft parts (lid, shaft) 4b: First arm (arm) 4c: First support part 4f: Arm side protrusion 4g: Arm side contact part 5: Motor 9: Moving parts 9c: Second support part 10: Compression elastic member (elastic member) 11: Damper 12: Cover (bass) 15: Tensile elastic member (elastic member) 16: Locking member 16a: Locking member shaft 16e: First protrusion of locking member (protrusion on locking member side) 17: Second elastic member 18: Emergency cable 100, 100A, 100B: Lid opening and closing device A1: First area A2:Second area L1: First virtual line (virtual line) O: Central axis

Claims

1. a base having an opening; a lid having a shaft portion that rotates relative to the base and an arm that extends radially outward from the shaft portion, the lid rotating about a central axis of the shaft portion between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; a moving member that moves relative to the base; an elastic member having one end supported by a first support portion provided on the arm and the other end supported by a second support portion provided on the moving member, and applying a biasing force in a direction in which the first support portion moves away from the second support portion, When a virtual line passing through the central axis and the first support portion is used as a reference, a region through which the first support portion moves when the lid moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first region, and a region on the opposite side is defined as a second region, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region, the lid rotates from the closed position to the open position, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region, the lid rotates from the open position to the closed position.

2. a base having an opening; a lid having a shaft portion that rotates relative to the base and an arm that extends radially outward from the shaft portion, the lid rotating about a central axis of the shaft portion between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; a moving member that moves relative to the base; an elastic member having one end supported by a first support portion provided on the arm and the other end supported by a second support portion provided on the moving member, and applying a biasing force in a direction in which the first support portion approaches the second support portion, When a virtual line passing through the central axis and the first support portion is used as a reference, a region through which the first support portion moves when the lid moves from the closed position to the open position is defined as a first region, and a region on the opposite side is defined as a second region, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region, the lid rotates from the closed position to the open position, When the movable member is moved from a state in which the second support portion is located in the first region to a state in which the second support portion is located in the second region, the lid rotates from the open position to the closed position.

3. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving member is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about the central axis.

4. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the moving member moves relative to the base by a driving force of a motor.

5. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a damper that applies a resistance force to the rotation of the lid about the central axis.

6. The base includes a base body and a case attached to the base body, The lid opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the case is attached to the base body with at least the moving member attached thereto.

7. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elastic member is a torsion spring.

8. a locking member that is rotatably supported on the base and that engages with the arm when the lid is rotated to the closed position to prevent the lid from rotating in the opening direction; 2. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein the movable member is configured to contact the locking member and rotate the locking member in a direction away from the arm, thereby releasing the engagement of the locking member with the arm, when the movable member moves from a state in which the second support portion is located on the side of the imaginary line on which the lid rotates in the opening direction to a state in which the second support portion is located on the side of the imaginary line on which the lid rotates in the closing direction.

9. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 8 , further comprising an emergency cable connected to the locking member, the emergency cable rotating the locking member when pulled to release the engagement of the locking member with the arm.

10. The arm has an arm-side protrusion, 10. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 9, wherein the locking member has a locking member-side protrusion that engages with the arm-side protrusion to rotate the lid in the opening direction when the emergency cable is further pulled after the engagement of the locking member with the arm is released.

11. 11. The lid opening / closing device according to claim 10, wherein the arm has an arm-side contact portion that contacts the locking member-side protrusion and holds the lid between the closed position and the open position by a frictional force acting between the arm and the locking member-side protrusion when the arm is rotated in the opening direction by pulling the emergency cable.

12. The lid opening and closing device according to claim 8 , further comprising a second elastic member that applies a biasing force to the locking member in a direction that moves the locking member toward the arm.

Images