Vehicle console structure

Abstract

To prevent an article in a console box from colliding with electronic equipment while preventing the electronic equipment and an insert inserted into the electronic equipment from being visually recognized.SOLUTION: The vehicular console structure 1 has a console body part 2 and an electronic apparatus 3 arranged in the console body part 2. The console body 2 is provided with a storage space 5 for storing an article 40. The console body part 2 has a 61a 61 having an inner surface side 61a defining the storage space 5 on one side of the vehicular front side and the vehicular rear side, and an upper inner surface side 61b being an upper part of the inner surface side 61a is arranged at a position offset to one side with respect to a lower inner surface side 61c being a lower part of the inner surface side wall. The electronic equipment 3 is arranged on one side of the upper part of the wall 61 with an insertion port 8 into which an insertion object is inserted facing the side of the storage space 5, and the upper part of the wall 61 has an opening part 6b for making the insertion port 8 face the storage space 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a console structure for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, an ETC on-board unit that is installed inside a vehicle and used in an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection, registered trademark) system is known. If the ETC card reader of the on-board ETC unit is placed in a position that is visible from outside the vehicle, there is a risk that the ETC card inserted in the ETC card reader may be stolen. Patent Document 1 describes that the ETC card reader is installed in a console box between the driver's seat and passenger seat, thereby preventing the ETC card reader and ETC card from being visible from outside the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-299399 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Items stored in the console box may move back and forth when the vehicle starts or stops. Therefore, if an electronic device such as an ETC card reader is installed in the console box, there is a risk that the item inside the console box may hit the electronic device and cause it to malfunction.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a console structure for a vehicle that can prevent electronic devices and the objects inserted into them from being visible, while preventing items in the console box from hitting the electronic devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a console structure for a vehicle, comprising a console body disposed in a vehicle cabin and an electronic device disposed in the console body. The console body has a storage space for storing items, the console body having a wall on one of the front and rear sides of the vehicle, the wall having an inner surface defining the storage space, the upper inner surface of the wall being offset toward the one side from the lower inner surface of the wall being offset toward the one side. The electronic device has a receptacle into which an item is inserted, the receptacle facing the storage space, and the upper wall has an opening through which the receptacle faces the storage space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the electronic device and any plug-ins inserted therein from being seen, while preventing items in the console box from hitting the electronic device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a console box having a console structure for a vehicle according to the present invention and its surroundings; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rear part of the console box of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of area A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a storage box alone arranged in a rear portion of the console box. [Figure 5] 10 is a perspective view showing the insertion surface of an electronic device placed in an opening on the inner front surface of the storage box. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a console structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the direction of the arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the direction of the arrow U indicates the upward direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The arrow L indicates the left side in the width direction of the vehicle when the vehicle is viewed from the rear to the front. In the following description, "front" and "rear" correspond to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, respectively, and "up" and "down" correspond to the up and down in the vertical direction of the vehicle, respectively. "Left" and "right" correspond to the left and right in the width direction of the vehicle when viewed from the rear to the front of the vehicle.

[0010] 1 is a perspective view of the front portion of a vehicle cabin. A vehicle console structure 1 of this embodiment is applied to a console box 20 disposed in the vehicle cabin. The console box 20 is a center console disposed in the front of the vehicle cabin between a driver's seat (not shown) and a passenger seat (not shown), and is provided on a floor panel that constitutes a vehicle floor section 30. The console box 20 has a predetermined width and extends upward from the floor section 30 of the vehicle and in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0011] The vehicle console structure 1 has a console main body 2 of a console box 20 and electronic equipment 3 (see FIG. 2 described later) arranged inside the console main body 2. The console main body 2 has a lower box 21, an upper box 22 arranged above the front part of the lower box 21, and an armrest 23 arranged above the rear part of the lower box 21.

[0012] The lower box 21 has a pair of side walls 21a arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and a rear wall 21b connecting the rear ends of the pair of side walls 21a. Each side wall 21a extends upward from the floor portion 30 and also extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The rear wall 21b extends upward from the floor portion 30 along the rear ends of the pair of side walls 21a to the upper ends of the side walls 21a.

[0013] The upper box 22 extends in the vehicle width direction between the pair of side walls 21a and also in the vehicle front-rear direction, so that the upper side of the space between the front portions of the pair of side walls 21a is covered by the upper box 22. On the top surface of the upper box 22, a tray 22a, a cup holder 22b for placing a cup or the like, and a vehicle operating unit 22c such as a shift selector are arranged.

[0014] The armrest 23 has a generally rectangular shape extending horizontally in the vehicle longitudinal direction and includes a resilient cushion. The rear end of the armrest 23 is connected to the rear end of the lower box 21 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the vehicle width direction. As will be described later, the armrest 23 also functions as a lid that opens and closes the storage space 5 in the rear of the lower box 21.

[0015] A storage area 4 capable of storing items is provided inside the front portion of the lower box 21. The storage area 4 is sandwiched in the vehicle width direction between the front portions of a pair of side walls 21a, and its upper side is closed by the upper box 22. The storage area 4 is open to the outside of the console main body 2 through openings 24 formed in both the left and right side portions of the console main body 2. A user can access the storage area 4 through the openings 24 to put in and take out items such as luggage.

[0016] 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the rear part of the console box 20 taken along a plane that passes through a button 9 (described later) of the electronic device 3 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The console main body 2 is provided with a storage space 5 for storing items 40. Specifically, a storage box 6 that forms the storage space 5 is disposed inside the rear part of the console main body 2, and the electronic device 3 is disposed outside the storage space 5. The storage box 6 and the electronic device 3 are surrounded by a pair of side walls 21 a, a rear wall 21 b, an armrest 23, etc. When the armrest 23 is disposed substantially horizontally, the storage box 6, the storage space 5, and the electronic device 3 are not visible from outside the console box 20.

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the storage box 6 as seen from the rear. The storage box 6 is a substantially rectangular box in a plan view seen from above the vehicle, and is open at the upper side of the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the storage box 6 has a front wall 61, a rear wall 62, a left wall 63, a right wall 64, and a bottom wall 65, which are located at the front, rear, left side, right side, and lower sides, respectively. An opening 6a is formed at the upper end of the storage box 6, surrounded by the upper ends of the walls 61, 62, 63, and 64. The storage space 5 is an internal space of the storage box 6 surrounded by inner surfaces 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a, and 65a of the walls 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65, and is open at the upper side of the vehicle through the opening 6a.

[0018] As described above, the console main body 2 has the armrest 23 as a lid that opens and closes the upper side of the storage space 5. Figures 1 and 2 show a state in which the armrest 23 is positioned substantially horizontally and the opening 6a on the upper side of the storage space 5 is closed. A user can open the opening 6a by rotating the armrest 23 around the rotation axis toward the upper side of the vehicle, and store an item 40 such as a plastic bottle or small item through the opening 6a into the storage space 5.

[0019] 2, the console main body 2 has a front wall 61 with an inner surface 61a that defines the storage space 5 at the front of the vehicle. An upper inner surface 61b, which is an upper portion of the inner surface 61a, is positioned offset toward the front of the vehicle relative to a lower inner surface 61c, which is a lower portion of the inner surface 61a. The upper inner surface 61b and the lower inner surface 61c are flat surfaces that are parallel to each other.

[0020] 3, as a structure for providing an offset in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the upper inner surface 61b and the lower inner surface 61c, the inner surface 61a has a step portion 66 that extends in the vehicle width direction along the boundary between the upper inner surface 61b and the lower inner surface 61c and across substantially the entire width of the inner surface 61a. In the step portion 66, the inner surface 61a is formed in a stepped shape in a side view seen from one side in the vehicle width direction, and has a connection surface 61d that connects the lower end of the upper inner surface 61b and the upper end of the lower inner surface 61c in the vehicle longitudinal direction and extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] The electronic device 3 is an on-board device used in a toll collection system that automatically collects tolls for toll roads. For example, the electronic device 3 is an ETC device that allows a card to be inserted into or removed from a slot 8 (described later). The electronic device 3 has an antenna unit (not shown) that wirelessly communicates with a roadside unit installed at a toll booth on the toll road, and transmits and receives data necessary for toll payment to and from the roadside unit.

[0022] 2 and 5, the electronic device 3 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case body 7, a socket 8 and a button 9 provided in the case body 7, and a card holder 10 arranged inside the case body 7. The socket 8 is a slot extending in the vehicle width direction, into which an IC card (insertion, not shown) such as an ETC card can be inserted. The IC card inserted through the socket 8 is held in the card holder 10.

[0023] The slot 8 and button 9 are provided on a slot surface 7a, which is one side surface of the case body 7. The button 9 is a push button for operating the electronic device 3, and protrudes from the slot surface 7a into the storage space 5. For example, the button 9 is an eject button for removing an IC card, and pressing the button 9 causes the IC card to be ejected from the slot 8.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the electronic device 3 is disposed on the front side of the vehicle at the upper portion of the front wall 61 with the insertion surface 7a (receptacle 8) facing the storage space 5. The upper portion of the front wall 61 has an opening 6b that penetrates the front wall 61 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and allows the insertion port 8 and button 9 of the insertion surface 7a to face the storage space 5. The insertion surface 7a is disposed at a position recessed toward the front of the vehicle from the lower inner surface 61c. In this embodiment, the opening 6b has substantially the same shape and dimensions as the insertion surface 7a. The end of the electronic device 3 on the insertion surface 7a side is inserted into the opening 6b, and the insertion surface 7a is disposed substantially parallel to the upper inner surface 61b at a position that protrudes slightly toward the storage space 5 relative to the upper inner surface 61b. The insertion surface 7a may be disposed on the same plane as the upper inner surface 61b, or may be disposed at a position recessed toward the front of the vehicle from the upper inner surface 61b.

[0025] According to the vehicle console structure 1 configured in this manner, the electronic device 3 is disposed inside the console main body 2, and the socket 8 faces the storage space 5 through the opening 6b of the inner surface 61a. This makes it possible to prevent the electronic device 3 and the IC card inserted in the socket 8 from being seen from outside the vehicle. In particular, in the normal state in which the armrest 23 is positioned substantially horizontally, the armrest 23 covering the upper side of the storage space 5 makes the storage space 5 invisible from outside the console box 20, thereby reliably preventing the electronic device 3 and the IC card from being seen from outside.

[0026] Furthermore, when the vehicle starts or stops, the item 40 may move forward or backward within the storage space 5. According to this embodiment, the upper inner surface 61b of the inner surface 61a of the front wall 61 at the front of the vehicle is positioned offset toward the front of the vehicle relative to the lower inner surface 61c of the inner surface 61a of the front wall 61, and the electronic device 3 is positioned at the front of the vehicle on the upper part of the front wall 61 with the insertion surface 7a (insertion port 8) facing toward the storage space 5. Furthermore, the upper part of the front wall 61 has an opening 6b that allows the insertion surface 7a (insertion port 8) to face the storage space 5. This allows the insertion surface 7a, on which the insertion port 8 is provided, to be positioned above the lower inner surface 61c and recessed forward from the lower inner surface 61c. This positioning of the insertion surface 7a reliably prevents a short item 40 from bumping into the electronic device 3 or pressing the button 9. 2, in the case of a tall article 40, the lower inner surface 61c limits the forward tilt or movement of the article 40, thereby reliably preventing the tall article 40 from bumping into the electronic device 3 or pressing the button 9. Furthermore, if the electronic device 3 is an ETC device, the end of the inserted card may protrude from the slot 8 into the storage space 5. This also prevents the article 40 from coming into contact with such a protruding end of the card.

[0027] Furthermore, because the insertion surface 7a is located on the upper inner surface 61b of the inner surface 61a, operability such as inserting an IC card into the insertion slot 8 and pressing the button 9 can be ensured even when an item 40 is stored in the storage space 5. Furthermore, because the insertion surface 7a is located on the front inner surface 61a, which is easy for a driver or passenger to operate, the passenger can easily insert an IC card into the insertion slot 8 and press the button 9. Furthermore, by configuring the insertion slot 8 to face the storage space 5 from the opening 6a, the electronic device 3 can be easily removed from the storage box 6. Furthermore, even when it is difficult to see inside the storage space 5, the user can recognize the step between the edge of the opening 6a and the insertion surface 7a or the boundary therebetween by touching the inner surface 61a, and thereby easily recognize the positions of the opening 6a and the insertion surface 7a.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , the storage space 5 is divided into a first storage space 51 and a second storage space 52 that are aligned in the vehicle front-rear direction and have different depths in the vehicle up-down direction. Specifically, the bottom wall 65 has a two-tiered structure in which a front portion 65b and a rear portion 65c are positioned at different heights in the vehicle up-down direction. The front portion 65b and the rear portion 65c are each horizontally positioned, with the front portion 65b located lower than the rear portion 65c. Therefore, the depth of the first storage space 51 is greater than the depth of the second storage space 52. The bottom wall 65 has a first vertical wall portion 65d that extends upward from the rear end of the front portion 65b to the same or approximately the same height as the rear portion 65c. The inner surface 61a of the front wall 61 defines the front side of the first storage space 51, and the inner surface of the first vertical wall portion 65d defines the rear side of the first storage space 51.

[0029] The deep first storage space 51 is suitable for storing tall items 40, such as lidded plastic bottles of 600 ml or less. The shallow second storage space 52 is suitable for storing short items 40. By providing multiple storage spaces 51, 52 of different depths in this way, the usability of the storage space 5 can be improved.

[0030] A second vertical wall portion 65e may be provided at the front end of the rear portion 65c, extending from the inner surface of the rear portion 65c toward the upper side of the vehicle. The second vertical wall portion 65e functions as a stopper that prevents the item 40 in the second storage space 52 from moving toward the first storage space 51. This prevents the item 40 in the second storage space 52 from moving toward the front of the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped, etc.

[0031] 2, the tip (rearmost end) of the button 9 is located further forward of the lower inner surface 61c in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Specifically, the tip of the button 9 is located further forward of an imaginary extension plane P formed by extending the lower inner surface 61c upward from the vehicle. This configuration more reliably prevents the button 9 from being pressed by a tall object 40 moving forward.

[0032] In this embodiment, the inner surface 61a (upper inner surface 61b and lower inner surface 61c) of the front wall 61 is inclined toward the front of the vehicle as it moves from the bottom to the top of the vehicle. The inclination angle of the inner surface 61a with respect to the vertical direction of the vehicle is, for example, approximately 5°. The insertion surface 7a is also inclined along the inclined inner surface 61a. With this configuration, it is possible to more easily store items 40 from above into the first storage space 51. Furthermore, because the insertion surface 7a faces diagonally upward, the user can more easily insert an IC card into the insertion slot 8 and press the button 9.

[0033] Like the inner surface 61a of the front wall 61, the inner surfaces 62a, 63a, 64a of the other walls 62, 63, 64 are preferably inclined. Specifically, the inner surface 62a of the rear wall 62 is inclined rearward from bottom to top, the inner surface 63a of the left wall 63 is inclined leftward from bottom to top, and the inner surface 64a of the right wall 64 is inclined rightward from bottom to top. This makes it easier to store items 40 into the storage space 5 from above.

[0034] 3, connection portion 61e between connection surface 61d and lower inner surface 61c is formed as a rounded curved surface, smoothly connecting connection surface 61d and lower inner surface 61c. Connection portion 61f between connection surface 61d and upper inner surface 61b may also be formed as a rounded curved surface, smoothly connecting connection surface 61d and upper inner surface 61b. With this configuration, when storing items 40 in first storage space 51, items 40 in contact with connection surface 61d can be smoothly guided downward along connection portion 61e, preventing items 40 from getting caught on connection surface 61d.

[0035] 3, the button 9 also preferably has a generally rounded outer shape, and the pressing surface at the tip of the button 9 has, for example, a substantially dome shape or a substantially semi-elliptical spherical shape. This configuration can prevent the article 40 from getting caught on the button 9 when it is stored in the first storage space 51.

[0036] When the insertion surface 7a protrudes further into the storage space 5 than the upper inner surface 61b, it is preferable that the corners 7b on the periphery of the insertion surface 7a are also formed into rounded curved surfaces. This makes it possible to prevent the article 40 from getting caught on the edge of the electronic device 3 when it is stored in the first storage space 51.

[0037] In the above-described embodiment, the "one of the front side and the rear side of the vehicle" according to the present invention refers to the front side of the vehicle, but the "one of the front side and the rear side of the vehicle" may also refer to the rear side of the vehicle. That is, in this embodiment, the electronic device 3 can be disposed on the rear side of the storage space 5 instead of the front side of the vehicle. As described above, the console main body 2 has a rear wall 62 having an inner surface 62a that defines the storage space 5 on the rear side of the vehicle. The upper inner surface, which is the upper part of the inner surface 62a of the rear wall 62, is positioned offset toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the lower inner surface, which is the lower part of the inner surface 62a of the rear wall 62. The electronic device 3 is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle at the upper part of the rear wall 62 with the socket 8 facing the storage space 5 (in other words, toward the front side of the vehicle, or further, toward the other of the front side and the rear side of the vehicle). The upper part of the rear wall 62 has an opening that allows the socket 8 to face the storage space 5. In addition, the deep first storage space 51 is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle, and the shallow second storage space 52 is disposed on the front side of the vehicle. The inner surface 62a of the rear wall 62 defines the first storage space 51 at the rear of the vehicle. Even with this configuration, it is possible to prevent the electronic device 3 and the IC card from being seen, and it is possible to reliably prevent the article 40 moving in the forward / backward direction from hitting the electronic device 3.

[0038] The description of the present embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the invention described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0039] For example, in this embodiment, the vehicle console structure 1 is applied to the rear of the center console as the console box 20, but is not limited thereto and may be applied to other parts of the center console, or to a console box disposed in other locations in the vehicle cabin, such as behind a rear seat. The electronic device 3 may be disposed not only on one of the front and rear sides of the storage space 5 but also on both sides, and in this case, openings 6b are provided on the inner surfaces 61a, 62a on both the front and rear sides.

[0040] In this embodiment, the opening 6b has substantially the same shape and dimensions as the insertion surface 7a, but is not limited thereto and may have other shapes and dimensions. For example, the opening 6b may have dimensions smaller than the insertion surface 7a, and the insertion surface 7a may be disposed in contact with the outer surface of the front wall 61 on the vehicle front side. In this case, the opening 6b is designed in size and shape so that the insertion port 8 and the button 9 are disposed in the opening 6b and face the storage space 5 when the upper inner surface 61b is viewed from the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0041] The specific form of the storage space 5 can be changed as appropriate depending on the design of the console box to which the vehicle console structure 1 is applied. For example, the storage space 5 may be open on the front, rear, left, or right side. The storage space 5 may be divided into three or more storage spaces, or may not be divided at all.

[0042] In this embodiment, the electronic device 3 is not limited to an on-board device for a toll collection system, but may be any other electronic device into which an insert is removably inserted. For example, the insert may be a recording medium such as a memory card, and the electronic device 3 may be a recorder that records data acquired by an on-board camera on the recording medium. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1. Vehicle console structure 2 Console main body 20 Console box 21 Lower box 21a side wall 21b Back wall 22 Upper Box 22a Tray 22b Cup holder 22c Vehicle operation unit 23 Armrest (lid) 24 Opening 3 Electronic equipment 4. Loading area 5. Storage space 51 First storage space 52 Second storage space 6 storage boxes 6a aperture 6b opening 61 Front wall 62 Back wall 63 Left Wall 64 Right wall 65 Bottom wall 61a, 62a, 63a, 64a, 65a Inner surface 61b Upper inner surface 61c Lower inner surface 61d Connection surface 61e,61f connection part 65b front 65c rear 65d 1st vertical wall section 65e Second vertical wall 66 Step 7 Case body 7a Insertion surface 8 outlets 9 Buttons 10 Card Holder 30 Floor section 40 Goods

Claims

1. A console structure for a vehicle, comprising: a console body portion disposed in a vehicle compartment; and an electronic device disposed in the console body portion, The console body is provided with a storage space for storing items, the console main body has a wall having an inner surface that defines the storage space on one of the vehicle front side and the vehicle rear side, an upper inner surface, which is an upper portion of the inner surface of the wall, is disposed at a position offset to the one side with respect to a lower inner surface, which is a lower portion of the inner surface of the wall; the electronic device has a socket into which a plug is inserted, and is disposed on the one side of the upper portion of the wall with the socket facing the storage space; a top portion of the wall having an opening through which the insertion port faces the storage space;

2. 2. The console structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is an ETC device in which the card serving as the insert can be inserted into and removed from the insertion port.

3. the electronic device has a button that protrudes into the storage space, 2. The console structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the button is located on the one side of the lower inner surface in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

4. The storage space is open on the upper side of the vehicle, the console main body has a lid that opens and closes the upper side of the storage space, 4. The console structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the upper inner surface and the lower inner surface are inclined toward the one side from the lower side of the vehicle toward the upper side of the vehicle.

5. the inner surface of the wall has a connection surface that connects a lower end of the upper inner surface and an upper end of the lower inner surface in the vehicle front-rear direction and extends in the vehicle width direction, 5. The console structure for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a connecting portion between the connecting surface and the lower inner surface is formed into a rounded curved surface.

6. 4. The console structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the button has a generally rounded outer shape.

7. The storage space is divided into a first storage space and a second storage space aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the first storage space has a depth greater than a depth of the second storage space, 2. The console structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the wall defines the first storage space.

Images