Storage device

Abstract

To provide a storage device that can stably insert, remove, and hold items regardless of their outer diameter. [Solution] The storage device 1 comprises a storage section 5 for storing the object to be stored 2 inside, a holding member 13 having a pivot shaft portion 17 that is rotatably supported and provided to move back and forth within the storage section 5 by rotation, for holding the object to be stored 2 stored in the storage section 5, and a leaf spring 25 having a fixed end 27 and a free end 28, which applies a biasing force to the holding member 13 in the direction of advancement according to the amount of deflection of the free end 28 side relative to the fixed end 27 side, thereby applying a holding force for the object to be stored 2 to the holding member 13. The direction of movement of the free end 28 of the leaf spring 25 that biases the holding member 13 as seen from the fixed end 27 side and the direction of advancement of the holding member 13 as seen from the pivot shaft portion 17 side are opposite to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage device including a storage unit for storing an object to be stored therein.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a storage device used in a vehicle such as an automobile, for example, a cup holder for holding a beverage container as an object to be stored is known. The cup holder is provided with a tab which is a holding portion biased by a biasing means toward the inside of the storage unit, enabling it to accommodate beverage containers with various outer diameters (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, since the biasing force (reaction force) by the biasing means is proportional to the movement amount or swing angle of the tab, a strong force is required to insert and remove a beverage container with a large outer diameter into and from the storage unit. Also, in the case of a beverage container made of a soft material with a large outer diameter such as a large paper cup, for example, it is conceivable that the container will deform succumbing to the biasing force of the biasing means.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such points, and an object thereof is to provide a storage device capable of stably inserting, removing, and holding an object to be stored regardless of its outer diameter. [[ID=4I]]

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A storage device according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a storage section for storing an object to be stored inside; a holding member having a pivot shaft that is rotatably supported and provided to move back and forth within the storage section by rotation, for holding the object stored in the storage section; and a leaf spring having a fixed end and a free end, which imparts a holding force to the holding member for the object to be stored by generating a biasing force in the direction of advancement to the holding member according to the amount of deflection of the free end side relative to the fixed end side, wherein the direction of movement of the free end of the leaf spring that biases the holding member as viewed from the fixed end side and the direction of advancement of the holding member as viewed from the pivot shaft side are opposite to each other. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to stably insert, remove, and hold the stored object regardless of its outer diameter. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a part of the storage device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in its initial position without any items to be stored. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the state in which the retaining member of the storage device is pushed in. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing the holding member of the storage device described above pushed further in the retraction direction than in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing a part of the storage device shown above. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing an example of a leaf spring in a storage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a side view showing an example of a leaf spring in a storage device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a side view showing a part of the storage device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

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

[0010] In Figures 1 to 3, 1 represents a storage device. In this embodiment, the storage device 1 is exemplified by a cup holder that stores and holds items to be stored 2, such as cups or beverage containers. For example, the storage device 1 in this embodiment is a vehicle storage device that is placed in a location such as the center console of a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0011] The storage device 1 includes a storage section 5 for storing an object to be stored 2 inside. The storage section 5 has an opening 6 into which the object to be stored 2 is inserted. In this embodiment, the storage section 5 is formed in a concave shape, for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape, with the opening 6 at one end and the other end closed. In the illustrated example, it includes a storage section body 7 and a covering member 8, such as a decorative plate (garnish), attached to the storage section body 7. The storage section body 7 is a bottomed cylindrical shape integrally having a bottom 10 which is a support part and a side wall 11 rising from the bottom 10. In this embodiment, it is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with the outer surface and inner surface each formed in a cylindrical shape. Also in this embodiment, the storage section body 7 has a flange portion 12 at the tip of the side wall portion 11 into which the covering member 8 is superimposed. The covering member 8 is attached to the flange portion 12 of the storage section body 7 and is formed in a flat plate shape that forms the edge of the opening 6, so that basically only the opening 6 is exposed to the user. In this embodiment, the storage compartment 5 is described below as being positioned with the opening 6 on the upper side and the bottom 10 on the lower side, with the axial direction, which is the insertion and removal direction of the stored items 2, aligned with the vertical direction. In the figures, the direction indicated by arrow U is considered the upward direction, and the direction indicated by arrow D is considered the downward direction. However, these vertical directions are set for the purpose of clarifying the explanation and do not necessarily coincide with the direction as seen from the perspective of the vehicle occupants.

[0012] A retaining member 13 is rotatably arranged in the storage section 5. The retaining member 13, also called a tab, is for holding the stored object 2 stored in the storage section 5. Multiple retaining members 13 are provided, preferably three or more. In this embodiment, the retaining members 13 are equally or substantially equally distributed in the circumferential direction with respect to the central axis of the storage section 5. Since each retaining member 13 has basically the same configuration, only one of them is shown in this embodiment for clarity of explanation.

[0013] The retaining member 13 is positioned facing the insertion / removal opening 15 formed in the side wall portion 11 of the main body portion 7 of the storage portion 5, and is capable of moving forward and backward into the interior of the storage portion 5 through the insertion / removal opening 15 by rotation. The retaining member 13 has a pivot shaft portion 17, which is rotatably supported by a support portion 18 formed in the storage portion 5. In the figure, the direction of advancement of the retaining member 13 is counterclockwise when viewed from the pivot shaft portion 17. In the illustrated example, the retaining member 13 has a plate-shaped retaining member body portion 20. The retaining member body portion 20 is formed in a triangular shape (isosceles triangle shape) when viewed in the thickness direction, with a cylindrical pivot shaft portion 17 extending in the thickness direction positioned at one of the acute-angled bottom corners, and an obtuse-angled apex portion which is a protruding portion 21 that can move forward and backward into the storage portion 5 through the insertion / removal opening 15. In this embodiment, the insertion / removal opening 15 is formed in the vertical direction as a longitudinal slit, and the pivot shaft portion 17 is supported by a support portion 18 located near the lower edge of the insertion / removal opening 15. Note that the shape of the holding member body portion 20 is not limited to a triangular shape, but may be any shape that can suitably hold the object to be held 2.

[0014] In this embodiment, the upper edge portion connected to the protruding portion 21 of the holding member body portion 20 functions as a conversion portion 22 that converts the downward external force caused by contact with the outer surface of the object to be stored 2 when the object to be stored 2 is inserted into an external force in the retraction direction of the holding member 13.

[0015] Preferably, the retaining member 13 has a stopper portion 23 formed thereon. The stopper portion 23 contacts the edge of the insertion / removal opening 15, thereby restricting the position in which the protruding portion 21 of the retaining member 13 protrudes into the interior of the storage portion 5. The stopper portion 23 is formed to protrude in the thickness direction from the main body portion 20 of the retaining member.

[0016] The retaining member 13 is biased inward into the storage section 5 by a biasing member, a leaf spring 25. The retaining force of the retaining member 13 on the stored object 2 is set according to the biasing force of the leaf spring 25. In this embodiment, the leaf spring 25 is a thin leaf spring formed into a flat plate shape by press molding or the like. For example, the leaf spring 25 is formed in an elongated shape, and in the illustrated example, the leaf spring 25 has a constant or approximately constant width dimension. The leaf spring 25 has a fixed end 27 on one end in the longitudinal direction and a free end 28 on the other end in the longitudinal direction, with the fixed end 27 being held by a fixed part 30 formed in the storage section 5, and the free end 28 in contact with the back side of the retaining member 13. In other words, the leaf spring 25 is cantilevered.

[0017] In this embodiment, the fixing portion 30 that holds the fixed end 27 of the leaf spring 25 is located near the upper edge of the insertion / removal opening 15 and is set on the flange portion 12 of the storage portion main body 7. The free end 28 of the leaf spring 25 extends downward from the fixed end 27 and is located near the pivot shaft portion 17 of the retaining member 13. The free end 28 side of the leaf spring 25 is in contact with a receiving portion 32 formed on the retaining member 13. The receiving portion 32 protrudes in a position opposite to the direction in which the retaining member 13 advances into the storage portion 5. In other words, in the retaining member main body 20, the receiving portion 32 is located on the opposite side from the protruding portion 21. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 32 is located closer to the pivot shaft portion 17 side relative to the protruding portion 21 and is located between the protruding portion 21 and the pivot shaft portion 17 in the vertical direction.

[0018] Therefore, in the present embodiment, with respect to the contact portion P between the holding member 13 and the leaf spring 25, the rotation shaft portion 17 of the holding member 13 is located on the lower side and the fixed end 27 of the leaf spring 25 is located on the upper side, and these positions are on opposite sides in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the moving direction as viewed from the fixed end 27 side of the free end 28 of the leaf spring 25 that biases the holding member 13 is in the clockwise direction.

[0019] Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the leaf spring 25 is located in a range where it does not overlap with the holding member main body portion 20 of the holding member 13 in the plate thickness direction as viewed from the advancing direction of the holding member 13. That is, the holding member main body portion 20 and the leaf spring 25 are displaced from each other in the plate thickness direction of the holding member main body portion 20. That is, the receiving portion 32 is formed to protrude in the plate thickness direction with respect to the holding member main body portion 20, and the leaf spring 25 is arranged to contact the receiving portion 32 within the width of the receiving portion 32. Therefore, the holding member 13 is configured such that the holding member main body portion 20 does not interfere with the leaf spring 25 at any rotated position and does not contact the leaf spring 25 at positions other than the receiving portion 32.

[0020] Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a state where the stored object 2 is not stored in the storage portion 5. In the state shown in FIG. 1, the leaf spring 25 is slightly bent from the natural state and the free end 28 side contacts the receiving portion 32 of the holding member 13, and the stopper portion 23 of the holding member 13 contacts the edge of the insertion / removal opening 15, and the protruding portion 21 is at the position where it has advanced maximally inward of the storage portion 5.

[0022] In this embodiment, the direction of movement of the free end 28 of the leaf spring 25 that biases the holding member 13, as viewed from the fixed end 27 side, is clockwise in the figure, and the direction of advancement of the holding member 13, as viewed from the pivot shaft portion 17 side, is counterclockwise in the figure. Since these directions are opposite to each other, as shown in Figure 1, in response to the insertion of the object to be stored 2 into the storage portion 5, the holding member 13 is pushed into the insertion / removal opening 15 by contact between the outer shape of the object to be stored 2 and the conversion portion 22, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. As the holding member 13 rotates clockwise around the pivot shaft portion 17, the amount of deflection δ of the leaf spring 25 increases, and the contact portion P between the receiving portion 32, which moves along the contact portion radius r, and the leaf spring 25 gradually shifts toward the free end 28 side of the leaf spring 25, and the contact angle θ between the receiving portion 32 and the leaf spring 25 with respect to the advancement direction of the holding member 13 approaches perpendicularity. Therefore, in the leaf spring 25, which is a cantilevered thin leaf spring, the biasing force applied to the retaining member 13 is proportional to the amount of deflection δ at the contact point P of the free end 28 with respect to the fixed end 27, that is, the amount of deflection δ at the contact point P from the natural state, and inversely proportional to the cube of the distance L from the fixed end 27 to the contact point P. As a result, the increase in the amount of deflection δ and the increase in the distance L cancel each other out, and as the contact angle θ increases, the component of the biasing force of the leaf spring 25 in the direction of the advance of the retaining member 13 (the component in the left direction in the figure) becomes relatively smaller. Thus, the increase in the holding force by the retaining member 13 is gradually suppressed in response to an increase in the rotation angle of the retaining member 13.

[0023] Therefore, regardless of the rotation angle of the holding member 13, that is, the size of the outer diameter of the object to be stored 2, the object to be stored 2 can be stably inserted, removed, and held. Even if the object to be stored 2 has a large outer diameter, it can be easily inserted and removed without using much force, and even if the object to be stored 2 is made of a soft material, it can be held without being crushed.

[0024] Specifically, by using the contact portion P between the retaining member 13 and the leaf spring 25 as a reference, and positioning the pivot shaft portion 17 of the retaining member 13 and the fixed end 27 of the leaf spring 25 on opposite sides, a configuration can be easily formed in which the direction of movement of the free end 28 of the leaf spring 25 that biases the retaining member 13, as viewed from the fixed end 27 side, and the direction of advancement, as viewed from the pivot shaft portion 17 side of the retaining member 13, are in opposite directions.

[0025] Furthermore, since the biasing force of the leaf spring 25 can be structurally limited to a predetermined range, variations in the holding force of the retaining member 13 caused by variations in the biasing force due to manufacturing variations of the leaf spring 25 can be reduced.

[0026] Furthermore, by adjusting the shape and reaction force characteristics of the leaf spring 25, and the contact position of the receiving portion 32 of the holding member 13 with the leaf spring 25 (for example, the amount of protrusion and shape of the receiving portion 32), the load when inserting or removing the stored object 2 can be made approximately constant.

[0027] For example, as shown in the second embodiment in Figure 5, the leaf spring 25 may be formed in a trapezoidal shape in which the width dimension gradually decreases linearly from the fixed end 27 to the free end 28. Since the biasing force of the leaf spring 25 is proportional to the width dimension (second moment of area), the desired load can be obtained by adjusting the width dimension of the leaf spring 25.

[0028] Furthermore, the leaf spring 25 is not limited to a flat shape; as shown in the third embodiment in Figure 6, a deformable portion 35 may be formed on the free end 28 side, which is curved in the thickness direction or the deflection direction. Depending on the shape of the deformable portion 35, the position of the contact portion P when the leaf spring 25 is deflected can be set, and the load when inserting or removing the stored object 2 can be adjusted.

[0029] Furthermore, in each embodiment, the pivot shaft portion 17 of the holding member 13 is on the lower side and the fixed end 27 of the leaf spring 25 is on the upper side. However, as in the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 7, the same effects can be achieved even if the pivot shaft portion 17 and support portion 18 of the holding member 13 are on the upper side and the fixed end 27 and fixed portion 30 of the leaf spring 25 are on the lower side.

[0030] Furthermore, the retaining member 13 is not limited to being positioned in the vertical direction, that is, along the insertion and removal direction of the stored object 2 to the storage section 5. For example, the pivot shaft portion 17 may be rotatably arranged along the vertical direction. In this case, the storage device 1 can be easily constructed by arranging the leaf spring 25 along the horizontal direction in the same way as the retaining member 13, and by making the insertion and removal opening 15 a slit-shaped opening that extends along the circumferential direction of the side wall portion 11 of the storage section 5.

[0031] The storage device 1 is not limited to a cup holder; it can also be used as a container or similar device capable of storing and holding various items 2 of different sizes and shapes. [Industrial applicability]

[0032] The present invention is suitably used, for example, as a cup holder for vehicles such as automobiles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1. Storage device 2 Items to be stored 5 Storage compartment 13 Retaining member 17. Rotating shaft section 25 leaf springs 27 Fixed end 28 Free end P Contact part

Claims

1. A storage compartment for storing items to be stored inside, A holding member having a pivot shaft portion that is rotatably supported, and which is provided to move back and forth within the storage portion by rotation, for holding the stored object stored in the storage portion, A leaf spring having a fixed end and a free end, which generates a biasing force in the direction of advancement on the holding member according to the amount of deflection of the free end side relative to the fixed end side, thereby providing the holding member with a holding force for the stored object, The direction of movement of the free end of the leaf spring that biases the retaining member, as viewed from the fixed end side, and the direction of advancement of the retaining member, as viewed from the pivot axis side, are opposite to each other. A storage device characterized by the following features.

2. With respect to the contact point between the retaining member and the leaf spring, the positions of the pivot axis of the retaining member and the fixed end of the leaf spring are on opposite sides of each other. The storage device according to claim 1, characterized by the features described above.

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