Opening and closing mechanisms for articles, toys, containers and articles

Abstract

The present invention provides an opening and closing mechanism for articles, toys, containers, and articles that can reduce the effort required when closing articles. [Solution] The opening and closing structure for an article comprises a first part, a second part, and a movable member, and can achieve a closed state and an open state depending on the relative positional relationship of the first part and the second part. The movable member is attached to the first part so as to be able to be positioned in a restricting position and a release position. When the article is in a closed state and the movable member is in the restricting position, the movement of the article from the closed state to the open state is restricted. When the article is in a closed state and the movable member is in the release position, the movement of the article from the closed state to the open state is permitted. At a first point in time when the article moves from the open state to the closed state, the first part moves the movable member from the release position to the restricting position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an opening and closing structure of an article, a toy, a container, and an article.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, opening and closing structures of various articles are known, and Patent Document 1 describes an example of an opening and closing structure used for a cosmetic compact container. In this example, an engaging portion of a container body and an engaging piece of a lid are engaged, and thereby a state where the lid is closed is maintained.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, it is conceivable to separately provide a movable part in an article using an opening and closing structure such as that of Patent Document 1 above. For such an article, it is conceivable to operate the movable part separately from the opening and closing related to the opening and closing structure. However, performing the operation of the movable article in addition to the opening and closing operation related to the opening and closing structure increases the number of operations, and it is considered that this becomes troublesome and bothersome for the user.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an opening and closing structure of an article, a toy, a container, and an article that can reduce the labor when closing the article.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The first means is an opening and closing structure of an article including a first part, a second part, and a movable member, and capable of realizing a closed state and an open state according to a relative positional relationship between the first part and the second part, The movable member is attached to the first portion so as to be able to be positioned in a restricted position and an open position. When the article is in the closed state and the movable member is in the restricted position, the movement of the article from the closed state to the open state is restricted. When the article is in the closed state and the movable member is in the open position, the article is permitted to move from the closed state to the open state. At a first point in time when the article moves from the open state to the closed state, the first part moves the movable member from the released position to the restricted position. This is an opening and closing mechanism for an item.

[0007] The second means is the first means, The first guide formed in the second portion, The movable member comprises a second guide formed on the movable member, which moves the movable member from the released position to the restricted position by the first guide at the first time point.

[0008] The third means is the second means, One of the first guide and the second guide includes a convex shape that extends toward the other and has a slope formed on its side, The other of the first guide and the second guide is formed with a slope interference portion that contacts the slope at the first time point.

[0009] The fourth means is the first means, The movable member is formed with a first engagement projection. The second portion is formed with a second engaging projection that can engage with the first engaging projection, When the movement of the article from a closed state to an open state is restricted, the second engaging projection engages with the first engaging projection.

[0010] The fifth means is the fourth means, At least one of the ends of the first engaging projection on the side of the second engaging projection and the end of the second engaging projection on the side of the first engaging projection is formed with a guiding portion that guides the other projection in the direction of the release position when it comes into contact with the other projection.

[0011] The sixth means is the third means, The movable member is formed with a first engagement projection. The second portion is formed with a second engaging projection that can engage with the first engaging projection, When the movement of the article from a closed state to an open state is restricted, the second engaging projection engages with the first engaging projection, The second engaging projection is positioned to engage with the first engaging projection before the first engaging projection when the slope interference portion contacts the slope at the first time point and the movable member moves from the release position to the restricting position.

[0012] The seventh means is the first means, The first and second parts are each composed of different materials, The first and second parts are connected via a biasing member, The biasing force in the direction from the closed state to the open state is achieved by the biasing member.

[0013] The eighth means is the first means, The opening and closing structure opens and closes by the rotation of the first part and the second part relative to each other.

[0014] The ninth means is the first means, The movable member has a protruding portion that protrudes in the opening and closing structure, When a force in a predetermined direction is applied to the protruding portion of the movable member, the movable member moves between the restricted position and the released position.

[0015] The tenth means is the first means, The release position includes two positions that are opposite to each other with respect to the restricting position, The movable member includes two protruding portions extending toward both longitudinal sides of the movable member. When a force in the longitudinal direction is applied to the protruding portion of the movable member, the movable member moves between the restricted position and the two release positions.

[0016] The eleventh means is the first means, The opening / closing structure includes a holding structure for holding the movable member in the restricted position.

[0017] The twelfth means is the first means, An object can be placed on one of the first part and the second part.

[0018] The thirteenth means is the twelfth means, A fixing member for fixing the object is attached to one of the first part and the second part.

[0019] The fourteenth means is the thirteenth means, The fixing member includes a concavo-convex portion that fixes the object by abutting against the concavo-convex shape of the object.

[0020] The fifteenth means is a toy including the first means.

[0021] The sixteenth means is a container including the first means.

[0022] The seventeenth means is the sixteenth means, One of the first part and the second part constitutes a container body, and the other constitutes a lid.

[0023] The eighteenth means is an article including a first member, a second member, and a movable member, The first member has a support portion that movably supports the movable member, The second member, a restricting portion that restricts the movable member from separating from the second member, It has a guide portion that guides the movement of the movable member, The aforementioned movable member is A restricted portion whose separation from the second member is restricted by the restricting portion, The guide portion has a guided portion whose movement is controlled, The support portion positions the movable member to either the first position or the second position. The limiting portion restricts the movable member from moving away from the second member when the movable member is in the first position, and removes the restriction when the movable member moves from the first position to the second position. The guide portion moves the movable member, which is located at the second position, to the first position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the opening and closing structure, toy, container, and article of the present invention, the effort required to close an article can be reduced.

[0025] Other effects are described by the embodiments and modifications shown in this specification and in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0026] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing the appearance of a toy 10 equipped with an opening and closing structure according to Embodiment 1 in the closed state. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the appearance of toy 10 in the open state (Figure 1). [Figure 3] An exploded perspective view showing the individual components of toy 10. [Figure 4] A perspective view showing the structure of the base 100. [Figure 5] A perspective view showing the configuration of the movable member 300. [Figure 6] A plan view showing the configuration of the movable member 300. [Figure 7] A perspective view of the lid 200, seen from the upper front. [Figure 8] A bottom view showing the configuration of lid 200. [Figure 9] A perspective view of the lid 200, seen from the lower rear. [Figure 10] A perspective view showing the configuration of the object fixing part 500. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating the case where the movable member 300 is in the restricted position. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating the case where the movable member 300 is in the released position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings. [Embodiment 1] <1. Toy composition> Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the external appearance of a toy 10 equipped with an opening and closing structure according to Embodiment 1. Figure 1 shows an example in the closed state, and Figure 2 shows an example in the open state. In this specification and drawings, for the sake of explanation, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and back are defined as indicated by arrows in Figure 1, but these directions do not limit the orientation of the toy 10 when it is placed or used.

[0028] The toy 10 is equipped with a bottom 100 and a lid 200 that are related to opening and closing, and the bottom 100 and the lid 200 can be opened and closed by moving (rotating in this embodiment) relative to each other. In other words, the toy 10 can achieve a closed state and an open state depending on the relative positional relationship of the bottom 100 and the lid 200. The bottom 100 and the lid 200 can be positioned relative to each other in a closed position and an open position, and when they are in the closed position the toy 10 is in a closed state, and when they are in the open position the toy 10 is in an open state.

[0029] Toy 10 is an example of an article according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the entire toy 10 constitutes the opening and closing structure of the article, but as a modification, only a part of the toy 10 (for example, only the bottom 100 and the lid 200) may constitute the opening and closing structure of the article, or other structures may be added to the toy 10 to constitute the opening and closing structure of the article.

[0030] The base 100 and the lid 200 are parts related to opening and closing, and for example, the base 100 can be said to be the first part and the lid 200 the second part. Here, the numbers "first" and "second" are not essential and are interchangeable. For example, a description of the base 100 can be interpreted as a description of one of the first part and the second part, and a description of the lid 200 can be interpreted as a description of the other of the first part and the second part.

[0031] The toy 10 further comprises a movable member 300. The toy 10 may also comprise an object fixing part 500. The object fixing part 500 is used to fix an object (not shown) to the lid 200.

[0032] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the individual components of the toy 10. The bottom 100 and the lid 200 are rotatable relative to each other via a pivot mechanism 400. The pivot mechanism 400 comprises a shaft member 410 and a biasing member 420. The biasing member 420 comprises, for example, a coil spring. The toy 10 is biased by the pivot mechanism 400 (particularly by the biasing member 420) in the direction from a closed state (Figure 1) to an open state (Figure 2).

[0033] In this embodiment, the bottom 100 and the lid 200 are each made of different materials and are connected via a biasing member 420. The biasing of the toy 10 from the closed state to the open state is achieved by this biasing member 420. Here, the bottom 100 and the lid 200 are biased relative to each other, and it can also be said that the bottom 100 is biased relative to the lid 200 in the direction from the closed position to the open position, and the lid 200 is biased relative to the bottom 100 in the direction from the closed position to the open position.

[0034] Thus, with toy 10, the opening of the bottom 100 and the lid 200 is performed automatically. However, as will be described later, the opening of the bottom 100 and the lid 200 may be restricted by the movable member 300, but in such cases, the action to release the restriction of the movable member 300 is not necessarily performed automatically.

[0035] Furthermore, the object fixing section 500 includes one or more fixing members 510 (two in this embodiment).

[0036] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the base 100. The base 100 comprises a rotational part 110, a first guide projection 120, four second guide projections 121, and a click-holding part 130. The rotational part 110 is configured to be assembled to the rotation mechanism 400, thereby allowing the base 100 to rotate in relation to the rotation mechanism 400. The first guide projection 120, the second guide projections 121, and the click-holding part 130 restrict the movement of the movable member 300, as will be described later.

[0037] Figures 5 and 6 show the configuration of the movable member 300. Figure 5 is a perspective view, and Figure 6 is a plan view. The movable member 300 comprises a guide hole 310, a click portion 320, two protrusions 330, and a position control unit 340. The guide hole 310 is a through hole through which the first guide projection 120 of the bottom portion 100 can pass. The click portion 320 restricts the movement of the movable member 300 in conjunction with the click holding portion 130 of the bottom portion 100. The two protrusions 330 are formed to extend toward both sides in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in this embodiment) of the movable member 300. The two protrusions 330 are also formed so that force can be applied toward the longitudinal inward direction of the movable member 300. The position control unit 340 interferes with the lid 200, as will be described later, to control the relative positional relationship between the movable member 300 and the lid 200.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, the click section 320 comprises a click projection 321, a click elastic section 322, and two click connecting sections 323. The two click connecting sections 323 connect both ends of the click elastic section 322 to the main body of the movable member 300, thereby forming a click through hole 324 between the main body and the click elastic section 322. Although the main body of the movable member 300 is not specifically assigned a reference numeral, the main body can be defined as the portion of the movable member 300 excluding the click section 320, or the portion of the movable member 300 opposite the click projection 321 with respect to the click connecting section 323.

[0039] The click projection 321 is provided to protrude outward (towards the opposite side of the main body) from the click elastic portion 322. When an inward force (towards the main body) is applied to the click projection 321, the click elastic portion 322 bends inward due to its elasticity, thereby displacing the click projection 321 inward.

[0040] The position control unit 340 includes a slope accommodating hole 341, two slope interference portions 342, and a first engagement projection 343. The first engagement projection 343 has an upper surface 343a that is convex upward and a lower surface 343b that forms a plane. Note that the lower surface 343b is not shown in Figures 5 and 6 and is therefore shown with a dashed line. The upper surface 343a is formed to be convex upward in a cross section in the front-rear direction, for example.

[0041] The upper surface 343a is formed such that when another structure comes into contact with the upper surface 343a from above and applies a downward force, the first engaging projection 343 and the other structure shift in the left-right direction, that is, the force is released to either the left or the right. Such a structure can be realized, for example, by making the upper surface 343a convex upward and not containing a straight line parallel to the left-right direction.

[0042] The slope accommodating hole 341 is a through-hole capable of accommodating the pressing slope 213 of the lid 200 (described later with reference to Figures 7-9). The two slope interference portions 342 are formed to interfere with the pressing slope 213 and receive a force that moves the movable member 300 in the left-right direction, and in particular the two slope interference portions 342 each receive forces in opposite directions. The first engaging projection 343 functions as an interference portion and interferes with the second engaging projection 212 of the lid 200 (described later with reference to Figures 7-9).

[0043] Figures 7, 8, and 9 show the configuration of the lid 200. Figure 7 is a perspective view from the upper front, Figure 8 is a bottom view, and Figure 9 is a perspective view from the lower rear.

[0044] The lid 200 comprises a position control unit 210, an object support unit 220, and a rotation unit 230. The position control unit 210 functions as an interference unit and interferes with the position control unit 340 of the movable member 300 to control the relative positional relationship between the lid 200 and the movable member 300. The object support unit 220 supports the object fixing unit 500 relative to the lid 200, thereby fixing an object (not shown). The rotation unit 230 is configured to be assembled to a rotation mechanism 400, thereby allowing the lid 200 to rotate in relation to the rotation mechanism 400.

[0045] The position control unit 210 includes a through hole 211, a second engagement projection 212, and a pressing slope 213. The through hole 211 is configured to accommodate the first engagement projection 343 of the movable member 300 and its vicinity when the toy 10 is in a closed state. The second engagement projection 212 includes an upper surface 212a that forms a plane and a lower surface 212b that is convex downwards. Note that the upper surface 212a is not shown in Figures 8 and 9 and is therefore shown with a dashed line. The lower surface 212b is formed to be convex downwards, for example, in a cross-section in the front-rear direction.

[0046] The lower surface 212b is formed such that when another structure comes into contact with the lower surface 212b from below and applies an upward force, the second engaging projection 212 and the other structure shift in the left-right direction, that is, the force is released to either the left or the right. Such a structure can be realized, for example, by making the lower surface 212b convex downwards and not containing a straight line parallel to the left-right direction.

[0047] The second engaging projection 212 functions as an interference portion and interferes with the first engaging projection 343 of the movable member 300. The pressing slope 213 interferes with the slope interference portion 342 of the movable member 300, thereby moving the movable member 300 in the left-right direction according to the position of the movable member 300. As shown in Figure 9, etc., in this embodiment, the two pressing slopes 213 are formed individually and inclined in opposite directions to each other. In addition, a non-inclined portion (including a horizontal plane) is provided between the two pressing slopes 213, but the non-inclined portion may be omitted (i.e., the two pressing slopes 213 may be provided continuously).

[0048] The object support portion 220 includes an insertion hole 221 and a holding portion 222 for fixing the object fixing portion 500. In particular, in this embodiment, since the object fixing portion 500 includes two fixing members 510, two insertion holes 221 and two holding portions 222 are provided to correspond to this.

[0049] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the object fixing section 500. The object fixing section 500 comprises at least one fixing member 510. The fixing member 510 is a member for fixing the object to the lid 200, and in this embodiment, two fixing members 510 are provided.

[0050] An object can be placed on the lid 200. In particular, in this embodiment, an object can be fixed to the lid 200 via the object fixing part 500. An object can mean any object, and examples include, but are not limited to, a doll, a sheet, a plate, a sign member, etc. Images of characters, for example, can be printed on or attached to the sheet, plate, etc.

[0051] The fixing member 510 comprises a base portion 511 and a protruding portion 512. The fixing member 510 can be made entirely of a flexible material, in which case the base portion 511 and the protruding portion 512 can move relative to each other in accordance with the deformation of the fixing member 510. The fixing member 510 is fixed to the lid 200 via the base portion 511. For example, the fixing member 510 can be fixed to the lid 200 by inserting the insertion portion 511a of the base portion 511 into the insertion hole 221 of the lid 200 and then engaging the held portion 511b of the base portion 511 with the holding portion 222.

[0052] The protrusions 512 contact the object's uneven shape to secure it to the fixing member 510 or to the lid 200. For this purpose, the protrusions 512 are preferably formed in a comb shape, as shown in Figure 10. When placing an object on the lid 200, first lift the protrusions 512 of each of the two fixing members 510 and open them upward or outward. While holding the protrusions 512 in this position, place the object on the center of the top surface of the lid 200. Then, when the protrusions 512 are released, the flexibility of the fixing member 510 causes the protrusions 512 to press the object downward or inward, thereby securing the object.

[0053] The position of the movable member 300 will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The movable member 300 is mounted to at least one of the bottom 100 and the lid 200 (particularly to the bottom 100 in this embodiment) so that it can be positioned in a restricting position and an open position. Figure 11 shows an example of the restricting position, and Figure 12 shows an example of the open position. The restricting position means a position in which, for example, the movement of the toy 10 from a closed state to an open state is restricted, and the open position means a position in which, for example, such movement is permitted.

[0054] The protruding portion 330 protrudes from the toy 10. In particular, in this embodiment, the protruding portion 330 protrudes from the toy 10 in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, in the restricted position (Figure 11), the protruding portion 330a protrudes to the right side of the toy 10, and the protruding portion 330b protrudes to the left side. Also, in this embodiment, in the released position (Figure 12), the protruding portion 330 protrudes from one side of the toy 10 (in the example of Figure 12, the protruding portion 330b protrudes to the left side). Note that in this embodiment, the protruding portion 330a does not protrude to the right side of the toy 10 in the released position (Figure 12), but it is possible to configure it to protrude.

[0055] The movable member 300 moves between a restricted position and a released position by moving (sliding in this embodiment) relative to the bottom 100. In particular, the second guide projection 121 aligns the orientation of the movable member 300 in the left-right direction, and the first guide projection 120 restricts the sliding range of the guide hole 310 as it slides, causing the movable member 300 to slide relative to the bottom 100.

[0056] Note that the release position in Figure 12 is the position after the movable member 300 has moved to the left from the restricted position (Figure 11), but the position after it has moved to the right from the restricted position is also a release position. In other words, the release position includes two positions that are opposite each other with respect to the restricted position. Since the two release positions can be the same except that they are symmetrical to each other, only the release position shown in Figure 12 will be described below.

[0057] When the toy 10 is in the closed position (Figure 1) and the movable member 300 is in the restricted position (Figure 11), the upper surface 212a of the second engaging projection 212 of the lid 200 and the lower surface 343b of the first engaging projection 343 of the movable member 300 come into contact and engage, so the toy 10 remains closed and does not open. In other words, the movement of the toy 10 from the closed position to the open position is restricted.

[0058] Thus, the movable member 300 has a first engaging projection 343, and the lid 200 has a second engaging projection 212 (second engaging projection) that can engage with the first engaging projection 343. When the movement of the toy 10 from the closed state to the open state is restricted, the second engaging projection 212 engages with the first engaging projection 343.

[0059] On the other hand, when the toy 10 is in the closed position (Figure 1) and the movable member 300 is in the open position (Figure 12), the upper surface 212a of the second engaging projection 212 of the lid 200 and the lower surface 343b of the first engaging projection 343 of the movable member 300 are misaligned and do not engage. Therefore, the toy 10 is allowed to move from the closed position to the open position. In this case, the toy 10 opens, i.e., moves to the open position, due to the action of the biasing member 420.

[0060] In the restricted position (Figure 11), the click projection 321 is positioned between the two projections of the click holding portion 130. In this state, unless a strong external force is applied, the click projection 321 is held and fixed by the click holding portion 130, and the movable member 300 does not move. In this way, the click projection 321 and the click holding portion 130 function as a holding structure that holds the movable member 300 in the restricted position.

[0061] The movable member 300 is configured to move between a restricted position and a released position when a force is applied to the protrusion 330 in a predetermined direction. In some cases, a strong force may be applied to the movable member 300 in the left-right direction when it is in the restricted position. For example, this occurs when an impact is applied to one side of the protrusion 330 (for example, protrusion 330a) in the left-right direction (to the left with respect to protrusion 330a). In such a case, the click projection 321 interferes with the click holding part 130, is displaced by the elasticity of the click elastic part 322 and pushed inward, moving over the click holding part 130. In this way, the movable member 300 moves to the released position shown in Figure 12.

[0062] Thus, in this embodiment, the position (or range of position) in which the click projection 321 is held by the click holding portion 130 is an example of a restricted position, and the position (or range of position) in which the click projection 321 is not held by the click holding portion 130 is an example of a released position.

[0063] In the release position (Figure 12), the click projection 321 is located outside the two projections of the click retaining part 130. In this state, unless a strong force is applied from the outside, the click projection 321 interferes with the click retaining part 130, restricting its range of movement and preventing it from reaching the restricted position.

[0064] A strong force may be applied to the movable member 300 in the lateral direction when it is in the released position. For example, this occurs when a force is applied to one side of the protrusion 330 (for example, the side protruding from the toy 10; in the example of Figure 12, protrusion 330b) in the lateral direction (for example, to the right) by a finger or the like. In such a case, the click projection 321 interferes with the click holding part 130, and is displaced by the elasticity of the click elastic part 322, being pushed inward and moving over the click holding part 130. In this way, the movable member 300 moves to the restricted position shown in Figure 11.

[0065] In this way, when a force is applied to the protruding portion 330 of the movable member 300 in a predetermined direction (for example, the longitudinal direction or the left-right direction), the movable member 300 moves between a restricted position and a released position (two in this embodiment).

[0066] <2. Examples of toy use> The following describes an example of a game using toy 10 and explains how to use toy 10.

[0067] <2-1. Preparing the toys> First, two or more users (players) each prepare their own toy 10. Each player may also fix their preferred object to the lid 200 using the object fixing part 500. For example, using a doll representing a monster as an object enhances the realism of the game.

[0068] Conventional technologies use magnets to fix objects, but such configurations carry the risk of improper handling of the magnets. In this embodiment, as described above, the object is fixed by the uneven surface 512 contacting the uneven shape of the object, thus eliminating the need for magnets and thus resolving this risk.

[0069] <2-2. Transition to Closed State> Each user moves their toy 10 to the closed position if it is in the open position. For example, they hold the bottom 100 and the lid 200 with different hands and move them in the closing direction against the biasing force of the biasing member 420.

[0070] In this case, if the movable member 300 is in the open position, as described below, at a specific point in time (first point in time) when the toy 10 moves from the open state to the closed state, the toy 10 moves the movable member 300 from the open position to the restricted position. This is achieved by the interference between the position control unit 210 of the lid 200 (Figures 8 and 9, etc.) and the position control unit 340 of the movable member 300 (Figures 5 and 6, etc.).

[0071] Here, the position control unit 210 functions as a guide (first guide) formed on the lid 200. The position control unit 340 is formed on the movable member 300 and functions as a guide (second guide) that moves the movable member 300 from the open position to the restricted position at a first time point. Furthermore, one of the position control unit 210 and the position control unit 340 (position control unit 210 in this embodiment) includes a convex shape that extends toward the other (position control unit 340 in this embodiment) and has a pressing slope 213 (slope) formed on its side. Furthermore, the other of the position control unit 210 and the position control unit 340 (position control unit 340 in this embodiment) has a slope interference portion 342 formed thereon that abuts against the pressing slope 213 at a first time point.

[0072] The toy 10 is configured such that when the movable member 300 is in the released position (which in this embodiment is a position biased to either the left or right), the slope housing hole 341 of the position control unit 340 of the movable member 300 cannot accommodate the entire pressing slope 213 of the position control unit 210 of the lid 200. Therefore, in this case, either the pressing slope 213 or the slope interference part 342 interferes, and the movable member 300 receives a force that moves it toward the restricted position. If this force overcomes the resistance force due to the contact between the click projection 321 and the click holding part 130 (Figures 11 and 12, etc.), the click projection 321 moves over the click holding part 130 and the movable member 300 reaches the restricted position.

[0073] As described above, once the movable member 300 reaches the restricted position, even if the force applied to the toy 10 disappears, the upper surface 212a of the second engaging projection 212 of the lid 200 and the lower surface 343b of the first engaging projection 343 of the movable member 300 come into contact and engage, so the toy 10 remains closed and does not open. In this way, simply by the user closing the toy 10, the toy 10 automatically moves the movable member 300 to the restricted position, so the user does not need to actively operate the movable member 300 to maintain the closed state. Thus, the toy 10 can reduce the effort required when closing an item.

[0074] Furthermore, when the user moves the toy 10 to the closed state, if the movable member 300 is in the restricted position, then, as described below, at a specific point in time (second point in time) when the toy 10 moves from the open state to the closed state, the upper surface 343a of the first engaging projection 343 of the position control unit 340 of the movable member 300 interferes with the lower surface 212b of the second engaging projection 212 of the position control unit 210 of the lid 200. Here, the second point in time is a point in time before the first point in time described above.

[0075] The upper surface 343a of the first engaging projection 343 is convex upward, and the lower surface 212b of the second engaging projection 212 is convex downward. Therefore, when they interfere with each other, they receive a force in the left-right direction and move in the left-right direction relative to each other. Here, the left-right direction is different from the relative rotation direction of the bottom 100 and the lid 200, and in this embodiment in particular, it is a direction perpendicular to the rotation direction.

[0076] In this way, the second engaging projection 212 is positioned to engage with the first engaging projection 343 before the first engaging projection 343 when the slope interference portion 342 contacts the pressing slope 213 at the first time point and the movable member 300 moves from the open position to the restricted position. That is, when the toy 10 moves from the open state to the closed state, at a second time point prior to the first time point, the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 interfere with each other, causing the lid 200 and the movable member 300 to move relative to each other in a direction different from the rotational direction. As a result, the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 can be swapped in the vertical direction.

[0077] Thus, the upper surface 343a of the first engaging projection 343 and the lower surface 212b of the second engaging projection 212 function as guide portions. Note that only one of these may function as a guide portion. That is, at least one of the ends of the first engaging projection 343 on the side of the second engaging projection 212 and the end of the second engaging projection 212 on the side of the first engaging projection 343 has a guide portion formed thereon that guides the other towards the release position when it comes into contact with the other.

[0078] This lateral movement can be achieved by any mechanism. For example, the rotating mechanism 400 may be designed with some play around it so that the lid 200 (at least the portion including the second engaging projection 212) can move slightly lateral relative to the bottom 100.

[0079] Alternatively, the movable member 300 can be designed to move from a restricted position to a released position. For example, the left-right force generated by the contact between the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 can be configured to overcome the holding force of the click portion 320 and the click holding portion 130.

[0080] In this embodiment, both the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 are formed symmetrically. At this second point in time, whether they move to the left or right depends sensitively on the precise left-right position of the movable member 300. However, by forming the convex surfaces (upper surface 343a and lower surface 212b) of these projections to be sufficiently smooth, the movable member 300 can be moved smoothly.

[0081] In this way, as the movable member 300 moves until the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 no longer interfere with each other, the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 pass each other, and the toy 10 moves further toward the closed position. If the movable member 300 had moved to the open position at the second time point, then at the subsequent first time point, the movable member 300 returns to the restricted position.

[0082] <2-3. Games> Each player (user) slides their closed toy 10, for example, on a table, to collide it with their opponent's toy 10. At this time, they aim to make contact between their toy 10 and the opponent's toy 10, except for the protruding part 330. If they successfully make contact at the intended position with sufficient speed, an impact is applied to the opponent's toy 10's protruding part 330, causing the opponent's toy 10's movable member 300 to move from the restricted position to the released position. Consequently, the biasing member 420 automatically causes the opponent's toy 10 to move to the open position.

[0083] In this way, if either player's toy 10 opens, that player is considered to have lost the game. Here, the object attached to the lid 200 of the opened toy 10 rotates together with the lid 200 and appears to fall from the bottom 100, thus enhancing the sense of realism in the game.

[0084] In this way, each player takes turns colliding their toy 10 with their opponent's toy 10, and the last player remaining without being defeated wins.

[0085] <3.Summary> As explained above, according to the toy 10 of this embodiment, the protruding part 330 automatically transitions from a closed state to an open state when an impact is applied to it. Therefore, when playing with the toy 10, the determination of wins and losses can be made clear, and the sense of realism can be enhanced.

[0086] Furthermore, since this automatic state transition is achieved with a small number of parts, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0087] <4. Variation> In the above-described embodiment 1, the following modifications are possible.

[0088] In Embodiment 1, the entire toy 10 was described as constituting an opening and closing structure for an article. However, it is also possible to interpret that only a part of the toy 10 (for example, only the bottom 100, lid 200, movable member 300, and rotating mechanism 400) constitutes the opening and closing structure, and the other parts (for example, the object fixing part 500) are additional components attached to the opening and closing structure. Parts that do not constitute the opening and closing structure (for example, the object fixing part 500) may be omitted. Furthermore, the toy may further include additional structures not described in Embodiment 1.

[0089] Articles equipped with an opening and closing mechanism are not limited to toys. As a variation, the article may be a container, and the container may be equipped with an opening and closing mechanism for the article. In such a container, for example, a member corresponding to the bottom 100 may constitute the container body, and a member corresponding to the lid 200 may constitute the lid of the container. The container may be, for example, a cosmetic container, but is not limited to this. In this configuration, the container can be opened with a single touch by pushing in the movable member 300, and when the container is closed, the movable member 300 automatically moves to the restricted position, making it easy to open and close the container.

[0090] Furthermore, in the container, the movable member may function as a storage structure. For example, a storage section (for example, a recess, but not limited to this) may be provided in the movable member, and the contents to be stored (cosmetics, other pharmaceuticals, liquids, powders, materials, articles, etc.) may be placed in the storage section. The shape of the storage section is arbitrary, but for example, it is possible to store the contents even if the shape of the movable member 300 according to Embodiment 1 is used as is.

[0091] Furthermore, the container may be provided with additional internal container members. For example, an additional internal container member can be provided that is placed on top of the movable member 300 and slides independently of the movable member 300 within the same range as the movable member 300. The internal container member may be provided with a click mechanism that operates similarly to the click mechanism 320 of the movable member. Alternatively, the internal container member may be provided with a storage section (for example, a recess, but not limited to this) and the contents can be placed in the storage section. In this case, it is preferable to configure the container so that after the container is opened by pushing the movable member 300 to one side (for example, to the left), the internal container member can be slid arbitrarily in the same direction (left) or the opposite direction (right). In this way, the movable member 300 and the internal container member can each be used as storage structures, and various types of contents can be stored individually. The internal container member can also be used as an intermediate lid for the movable member 300 as a storage structure.

[0092] Furthermore, if additional internal storage members are provided, a position control unit similar to the position control unit 340 on the movable member 300 can also be provided for the internal storage container. In this case, both the movable member 300 and the internal storage container can be returned to their predetermined positions simply by closing the lid 200, reducing the effort required for closing. In this case, it is not necessary to provide an engaging projection for the position control unit of the internal storage container (the first engaging projection 343 on the movable member 300 alone is sufficient to restrict the opening of the container).

[0093] In Embodiment 1, two release positions are defined, which are opposite each other with respect to the restricting position. In a modified example, there may be only one release position (or a position that is on only one side with respect to the restricting position).

[0094] In Embodiment 1, the bottom 100 and the lid 200 are configured as separate components, but they may also be configured as different parts of a single component. For example, a flexible portion may be formed near the center of a single component, and the bottom and lid may be moved relative to each other by bending this portion.

[0095] The opening and closing structure of Embodiment 1 opens and closes by the relative rotation of the bottom 100 and the lid 200. Such a structure allows for a simplified configuration of the parts involved in opening and closing. As a modification, opening and closing can also be performed using other motions or movements in addition to or instead of rotation. For example, the opening and closing structure may open and close by the parallel movement of the bottom 100 and the lid 200 relative to each other.

[0096] The shapes of the first engaging projection 343 and the second engaging projection 212 are not limited to those shown in Embodiment 1, nor do they have to be symmetrical. Any shape is acceptable as long as they receive a force that causes them to shift in the left-right direction when they come into contact from above or below. For example, at least one of the upper surface 343a of the first engaging projection 343 and the lower surface 212b of the second engaging projection 212 may be formed as a plane that is inclined in the left-right direction. Regardless of whether it is a plane or not, an inclination in the left-right direction is preferable.

[0097] In Embodiment 1, the movable member 300 is attached to the bottom 100, but it can also be attached to the lid 200 instead of, or in addition to, the bottom 100. In that case, for example, a structure similar to the first guide projection 120 and the second guide projection 121 of the bottom 100 may be formed on the lid, or a structure similar to the position control unit of the lid 200 may be formed on the bottom.

[0098] <5. Others> The toy 10 according to the above-described embodiment 1 can be interpreted as an article having the following configuration.

[0099] The toy 10 comprises a base 100 which is a first component, a lid 200 which is a second component, and a movable member 300. The base 100 has a support portion that movably supports the movable member 300. The support portion includes, for example, a first guide projection 120 and a second guide projection 121. The support portion may also include the upper surface of the base 100 in the region (indication region) defined by the second guide projection 121.

[0100] The lid 200 has a position control portion 210 (particularly the second engagement protrusion 212), which is a limiting portion that restricts the movable member 300 from separating from the lid 200. Further, the lid 200 has a position control portion 210 (particularly the pressing slope 213), which is a guiding portion that guides the movement of the movable member 300.

[0101] The movable member 300 has a position control portion 340 (particularly the first engagement protrusion 343), which is a restricted portion whose separation from the lid 200 is restricted by the position control portion 210 (particularly the second engagement protrusion 212). Further, the movable member 300 has a position control portion 340 (particularly the slope interference portion 342), which is a guided portion whose movement is controlled by the position control portion 210 (particularly the pressing slope 213) of the lid 200.

[0102] The above-mentioned support portion positions the movable member 300 at either the restriction position, which is the first position, or the release position, which is the second position. The position control portion 210 (particularly the second engagement protrusion 212) restricts the movable member 300 from separating from the lid 200 when the movable member 300 is at the restriction position, and releases this restriction when the movable member moves from the restriction position to the release position. The position control portion 210 (particularly the pressing slope 213) moves the movable member 300 located at the release position to the restriction position.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0103] 10…Toy (Article) 100…Bottom (First Portion, Second Portion) 130…Click Retaining Portion (Retention Structure) 200…Lid (First Portion, Second Portion) 210…Position Control Portion (First Guide) 212…Second Engagement Protrusion (Limiting Portion) 212b…Lower Surface of Engagement Protrusion (Inductive Portion) 213…Pressing Slope (Slope, Guiding Portion) 300…Movable Member 321…Click Protrusion (Retention Structure)​​​​​342... Slope interference area (guided area) 343...First engaging projection (restricted portion) 343a... Upper surface of the engaging projection (guiding part) 420… Biasing member 510… Fixing member 512...Uneven part

Claims

1. An opening and closing structure for an article comprising a first part, a second part, and a movable member, wherein a closed state and an open state can be achieved depending on the relative positional relationship of the first part and the second part, The movable member is attached to the first portion so as to be able to be positioned in a restricted position and an open position. When the article is in the closed state and the movable member is in the restricted position, the movement of the article from the closed state to the open state is restricted. When the article is in the closed state and the movable member is in the open position, the article is permitted to move from the closed state to the open state. At a first point in time when the article moves from the open state to the closed state, the first part moves the movable member from the released position to the restricted position. The opening and closing mechanism of an item.

2. The first guide formed in the second portion, The movable member comprises a second guide formed on the movable member, which moves the movable member from the released position to the restricted position by the first guide at the first time point, The opening and closing structure for an article as described in claim 1.

3. One of the first guide and the second guide includes a convex shape that extends toward the other and has a slope formed on its side, The other of the first guide and the second guide is formed with a slope interference portion that contacts the slope at the first time point. The opening and closing structure for an article according to claim 2.

4. The movable member is provided with a first engagement projection. The second portion is formed with a second engaging projection that can engage with the first engaging projection, When the movement of the article from a closed state to an open state is restricted, the second engaging projection engages with the first engaging projection. The opening and closing structure for an article as described in claim 1.

5. At least one of the ends of the first engaging projection on the side of the second engaging projection and the end of the second engaging projection on the side of the first engaging projection is formed with a guiding portion that guides the other in the direction of the release position when it comes into contact with the other. The opening and closing structure for an article according to claim 4.

6. The movable member is provided with a first engagement projection. The second portion is formed with a second engaging projection that can engage with the first engaging projection, When the movement of the article from a closed state to an open state is restricted, the second engaging projection engages with the first engaging projection, The second engaging projection is positioned to engage with the first engaging projection before the first engaging projection when the slope interference portion contacts the slope and the movable member moves from the release position to the restricting position at the first time point. The opening and closing structure for an article as described in claim 3.

7. The first and second parts are each composed of different materials, The first and second parts are connected via a biasing member, The biasing force in the direction from the closed state to the open state is achieved by the biasing member. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1.

8. The opening and closing structure opens and closes by the relative rotation of the first part and the second part. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1.

9. The movable member has a protruding portion that protrudes in the opening and closing structure, When a force in a predetermined direction is applied to the protruding portion of the movable member, the movable member moves between the restricted position and the released position. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1.

10. The release position includes two positions that are opposite to each other with respect to the restricting position, The movable member comprises two protrusions extending toward both sides in the longitudinal direction of the movable member, When a longitudinal force is applied to the protruding portion of the movable member, the movable member moves between the restricted position and the two released positions. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1.

11. The opening and closing structure includes a holding structure that holds the movable member in the restricted position. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1.

12. An object can be placed on either the first part or the second part. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1.

13. A fixing member for securing the object is attached to one of the first and second parts. The opening and closing structure according to claim 12.

14. The fixing member has a protruding portion that fixes the object by contacting the object's uneven shape. The opening and closing structure according to claim 13.

15. A toy comprising the opening and closing structure described in claim 1.

16. A container having the opening and closing structure described in claim 1.

17. The container according to claim 16, wherein one of the first part and the second part constitutes the container body and the other constitutes the lid.

18. An article comprising a first member, a second member, and a movable member, The first member has a support portion that movably supports the movable member, The second member is, A limiting member that restricts the movable member from moving away from the second member, It has a guide portion that guides the movement of the movable member, The aforementioned movable member is A restricted portion whose separation from the second member is restricted by the restricting portion, The guide portion has a guided portion whose movement is controlled, The support portion positions the movable member to either the first position or the second position. The limiting portion restricts the movable member from moving away from the second member when the movable member is in the first position, and removes the restriction when the movable member moves from the first position to the second position. The guide portion moves the movable member located at the second position to the first position. Goods.

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