Rotation biasing device

Abstract

Provided is a rotation biasing device that makes it possible to improve the ease of mounting a torsion coil spring to a spring mount. This rotating biasing device 10 has a spring mount 20 and a torsion coil spring 50 mounted to the spring mount 20. The torsion coil spring 50 has a coil section 53 obtained by winding a wire 51, a first arm section 55 extending from the coil section 53 and locked to the spring mount 20, and a second arm section 57 extending from the coil section 53 and locked to an attachment member. The spring mount 20 has a base section 21, a coil support section 35 disposed on the outside of the coil section 53 and serving to support the coil section 53, and a claw 45 that enters an interval in the wire of the coil section 53 and holds the torsion coil spring 50 to the spring mount 20 so as not to become detached therefrom.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotational biasing device that imparts a rotational biasing force to a spring mounting body attached to an attachment member by a torsion coil spring.

Background Art

[0002] For example, an opening / closing body such as a lid is attached to an opening formed in a fixed body such as a glove box of an automobile so as to be openable / closable. Such an opening / closing body may be capable of being locked in an open / closed state via a pair of locking members.

[0003] At this time, a rotational biasing device having a spring mounting body to which a torsion coil spring is attached is sometimes used in order to slidably install a pair of locking members on the opening / closing body and synchronously slide these pair of locking members. The pair of locking members have their base ends connected to the spring mounting body, and the tip ends are biased in a direction to engage with a pair of locking portions provided in the opening by the rotational biasing force of the torsion coil spring.

[0004] As a structure provided with the above-described rotational biasing device, for example, Patent Document 1 below describes a locking device for an opening / closing body having a locking portion provided in an opening of a fixed body or an opening / closing body, a locking member slidably disposed in the opening / closing body or the fixed body and engaging / disengaging with the locking portion, a rotating member rotatably attached to the opening / closing body or the fixed body via a rotating member attachment portion, and a torsion spring that biases the locking member in a direction to engage with the locking portion. The torsion spring has a winding portion and a pair of arm portions extending from the winding portion.

[0005] Furthermore, the rotating member comprises a main body, a rotating shaft protruding from its back side, a substantially cylindrical spring support portion protruding from the front side of the main body and covering the winding portion of the torsion spring, and a spring engaging claw formed on the spring support portion. The spring engaging claw is formed to be flexibly deformable via a slit and consists of an elastic piece with a fixed end facing one end of the spring support portion (towards the main body) and a free end facing the other end of the spring support portion (towards the side away from the main body), and a claw portion protruding from the outside of the other end of the elastic piece.

[0006] Then, with the winding portion of the torsion spring positioned outside the spring support portion of the rotating member, the torsion spring is pushed against the rotating member in a direction that brings one end of the winding portion closer to the main body of the rotating member. As a result, the claw portion of the spring engaging claw enters into the winding portion, sequentially moves over the wire material of the winding portion, and the claw portion disengages from the other end opening of the winding portion and engages with the other end, thereby attaching the torsion spring to the rotating member (see Figures 10 and 11 of Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] WO2020 / 080342 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] In the case of the locking device described in Patent Document 1, when attaching the torsion spring to the rotating member, the claw portion of the spring engagement claw is engaged with the other end of the torsion spring, so the ease of attaching the torsion spring to the rotating member was not good.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a rotational biasing device that can improve the ease of mounting a torsion coil spring to a spring mount. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above objective, the present invention comprises a spring mount that is rotatably attached to a member to be mounted, and a torsion coil spring that is attached to the spring mount and provides a rotational biasing force, wherein the torsion coil spring has a coil portion formed by winding a wire, a first arm portion extending from the coil portion and locked to the spring mount, and a second arm portion extending from the coil portion and locked to the member to be mounted, wherein the spring mount has a base portion, a coil support portion protruding from the base portion and positioned on the outside or inside of the coil portion to support the coil portion, and a claw portion that fits between the wires of the coil portion and holds the torsion coil spring in place on the spring mount. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the claw portion provided on the spring mount engages between the wires of the coil portion, thereby securing the torsion coil spring to the spring mount in a retaining position, thus improving the ease of mounting the torsion coil spring to the spring mount. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of the rotational biasing device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view of a locking device for an opening / closing body, in which the same rotation biasing device is applied. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged perspective view of a spring mount constituting a rotational biasing device according to the present invention, viewed from a different direction than that shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the spring mounting assembly. [Figure 5] This is a rear view of the spring mounting assembly. [Figure 6] This is a side view of the spring mounting assembly. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram for attaching a torsion coil spring to the same spring mounting assembly. [Figure 8] This is a magnified perspective view of the main part of the spring mounting assembly with a torsion coil spring attached. [Figure 9] It is a plan view of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 7. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 7. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory view when the opening / closing body is closed by a lock device to which the rotational biasing device according to the present invention is applied. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory view when the opening / closing body is opened by the same lock device. [Figure 14] Another embodiment of the rotational biasing device according to the present invention is shown, and it is a perspective view of a spring mounting body that constitutes the rotational biasing device. [Figure 15] It is a plan view of the same spring mounting body. [Figure 16] It is a cross-sectional view of the same spring mounting body.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] (An Embodiment of the Rotational Biasing Device) Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, an embodiment of the rotational biasing device according to the present invention will be described.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotational biasing device 10 of this embodiment includes a spring mounting body 20 that is rotatably mounted on a mounting member, and a torsion coil spring 50 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "spring 50") that is mounted on the spring mounting body 20 and applies a rotational biasing force in a predetermined direction (see the arrows R in FIGS. 9 and 12).

[0015] In the case of this embodiment, the opening / closing body 4 shown in FIG. 2 constitutes the "mounting member" in the present invention. More specifically, the spring mounting body 20 is rotatably mounted on a spring mounting body mounting portion 60 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "mounting portion 60") provided on the inner member 6 that constitutes the opening / closing body 4 (see FIG. 8).

[0016] Furthermore, the spring 50 in this embodiment has a coil portion 53 formed by winding a wire 51, a first arm portion 55 extending from the coil portion 53 and being locked to the spring mounting body 20, and a second arm portion 57 extending from the coil portion 53 and being locked to the mounting member, thus forming a so-called torsion spring.

[0017] In the following explanation, when the spring 50 is attached to the spring mount 20, the axial end of the coil portion 53 that is close to the base portion 21 of the spring mount 20 (see Figure 1) will be referred to as "end portion 53a," and the axial end of the coil portion 53 that is spaced away from the base portion 21 will be referred to as "other end portion 53b." Furthermore, the axial direction of the coil portion 53 refers to the direction along the axis C1 of the coil portion 53 (see Figures 7 and 11).

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the coil portion 53 has a portion (loosely wound portion) in which adjacent wires 51, 51 in the axial direction are wound with a gap 59 between them. In this embodiment, the coil portion 53 is formed from the loosely wound portion from one end 53a to the other end 53b in the axial direction, and there is no tightly wound portion without a gap 59 between the wires 51, 51.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the rotational biasing device 10 of this embodiment is applied to a locking device for an opening / closing body, such as a glove box, which is attached to an opening / closing body 4 so as to be openable and closable in an opening 2 of a fixed body 1 such as the instrument panel of a vehicle.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 12, the locking device of this embodiment mainly consists of a pair of locking parts 3, 3 provided in the opening 2 of the fixed body 1, a pair of locking members 70, 70 arranged on the opening / closing body 4 and engaging with and disengaging from the pair of locking parts 3, 3, the spring mounting body 20 which is rotatably mounted on the opening / closing body 4 which forms the mounting member, and to which the base ends 71, 71 of the pair of locking members 70, 70 are connected and to interlock the sliding movement of the pair of locking members 70, 70, the spring 50 which is mounted on the spring mounting body 20 and biases the tip ends 72, 72 of the pair of locking members 70, 70 in the direction of engaging with the pair of locking parts 3, 3 (direction of arrow E in Figure 12), and an operating member 80 which slides the pair of locking members 70, 70.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, hole-shaped locking portions 3, 3 are provided on both inner surfaces in the width direction of the opening 2 of the fixed body 1.

[0022] Furthermore, the opening / closing body 4 in this embodiment is composed of an outer member 5 positioned on the side facing the vehicle interior and an inner member 6 positioned on the back side thereof. On one side in the width direction of the outer member 5, above it, there is a horizontally elongated rectangular recessed housing recess 7. The operating member 80 is housed in this housing recess 7. In addition, a long, slotted mounting hole 8 is formed in the bottom 7a of the housing recess 7, and the operating member 80 is attached to this mounting hole.

[0023] The terms "front side" or "surface side" above refer to the side or surface located in the direction in which the opening / closing mechanism opens, relative to the opening of a fixed body such as a vehicle. Furthermore, if the fixed body is installed in a vehicle, the side facing the interior space of the vehicle may also be considered the "front side" or "surface side." Additionally, the terms "back side" or "rear side" refer to the side or surface opposite to the aforementioned "front side" or "surface side," that is, the side or surface located in the direction in which the opening / closing mechanism closes.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "front side," "surface side," "back side," and "rear side" used above have the same meaning not only for the mounting holes but also for other components described in detail below (such as the spring mount 20 and the mounting part 60).

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the inner member 6 is box-shaped with an open top. Furthermore, on the upper part of the surface (front side) of the inner member 6, which is positioned opposite the outer member 5, there is a horizontally elongated recessed lock placement recess 6a for slidably arranging the pair of lock members 70, 70. Lock insertion holes 6b, 6b are formed on both longitudinal sides of this lock placement recess 6a.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 12, the pair of locking members 70, 70 in this embodiment have the same shape, with the base end 71 being bent in a crank shape and extending linearly toward the tip, so that the tip 72 engages with and disengages from the locking part 3 (see Figures 12 and 13).

[0027] Each locking member 70 is provided with a rectangular frame-shaped portion 73 on the tip 72 side. Furthermore, each locking member 70 has a connecting recess 74 formed at its base end 71 for connecting to the spring mount 20 (see Figure 1).

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the operating member 80 in this embodiment consists of a main body 81 fixed to the opening / closing body 4 and an operating body 83 rotatably mounted on the main body 81.

[0029] The operating body 83 has its base end pivotally supported by the main body 81, and its tip rotates so as to move closer to and further away from the bottom 7a of the housing recess 7. In addition, an operating lever (not shown) protrudes from the back side of the operating body 83 and is inserted and positioned within the frame-shaped portion 73 of one of the locking members 70.

[0030] Furthermore, a mounting portion 60 is provided on the surface side of the bottom of the locking recess 6a for rotatably attaching the spring mount 20.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the mounting portion 60 has a roughly box-like shape with one side open, similar to a doghouse, consisting of a peripheral wall 61 that is roughly U-shaped and erected from the bottom surface of the lock placement recess 6a of the inner member 6, and a ceiling wall 63 that is positioned on the leading end side in the direction of erection of the peripheral wall 61. In addition, a circular hole-shaped shaft support hole 64 is formed in the ceiling wall 63.

[0032] Furthermore, a spring locking wall 65 is erected adjacent to the mounting portion 60. A narrow, groove-shaped locking groove 66 is formed in this spring locking wall 65. The second arm portion 57 of the spring 50 is inserted into and locked into this locking groove 66.

[0033] Next, the spring mounting assembly 20 will be described in detail.

[0034] In this embodiment, the spring mount 20 has a base portion 21, a coil support portion 35 that protrudes from the base portion 21 and is positioned outside the coil portion 53 to support the coil portion 53, and a claw portion 45 that fits between the wires of the coil portion 53 (in this case, the gap 59 between axially adjacent wires 51, 51) to prevent the spring 50 from coming off the spring mount 20 and to hold it in place.

[0035] Note that the outside of the coil portion 53 refers to the outer side of the coil portion 53 in the radial direction (it can also be said to be radially outward). On the other hand, the inside of the coil portion 53 refers to the inner side of the coil portion 53 in the radial direction (it can also be said to be radially inward). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the direction in which the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mount 20 in order to attach the spring 50 to the spring mount 20 is defined as the "spring pushing direction F".

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base portion 21 has a locking portion 28 into which the first arm portion 55 of the spring 50 is locked. Moreover, in this embodiment, when the spring 50 is pushed against the spring mount 20 in a direction in which one axial end 53a of the coil portion 53 approaches the base portion 21, the claw portion 45 enters between the wires of the coil portion 53 (the gap 59 between axially adjacent wires 51, 51), thereby preventing the spring 50 from coming off and holding it in place in the spring mount 20.

[0037] In this invention, the phrase "the claw portion enters between the wires of the coil portion" means not only when the coil portion 53 has a loosely wound portion and there is a gap 59 between adjacent wires 51 in the axial direction of the coil portion 53, as in this embodiment, and the claw portion 45 enters into the gap 59 (see Figure 11), but also when the claw portion is pushed from the radially outward or radially inward of the coil portion into the space between wires that are closely arranged in the axial direction in the tightly wound portion of the coil portion (i.e., there is no gap between adjacent wires in the axial direction).

[0038] To describe the shape and structure of the spring mount 20 in more detail, the base portion 21 that constitutes the spring mount 20 has a roughly rhombic shape that is elongated in one direction, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0039] A roughly cylindrical rotating shaft 23 protrudes from the central part in the extension direction (also known as the longitudinal direction) of the back side of the base portion 21 (the side facing the bottom surface of the locking recess 6a). The spring mount 20 is rotatably supported on the mounting portion 60 by inserting this rotating shaft 23 into the shaft support hole 64 of the mounting portion 60 (see Figure 10). In the following description, the rotation center of the spring mount 20 will be referred to as the "rotation center C2". The axis of the rotating shaft 23 coincides with the rotation center C2 of the spring mount 20.

[0040] Furthermore, approximately U-shaped slits 24, 24 are formed at locations facing the radial direction of the rotation axis 23, and a pair of elastic engaging pieces 25, 25 are provided to be able to bend and deform through these slits 24, 24. In addition, as shown in Figure 11, an engaging projection 26 is provided on each elastic engaging piece 25, extending outward from the rotation axis.

[0041] When the rotating shaft 23 is inserted into the shaft support hole 64 of the mounting portion 60, as shown in Figure 11, the engaging protrusions 26, 26 of the pair of elastic engaging pieces 25, 25 are positioned opposite each other on the back periphery of the shaft support hole 64. As a result, the rotational movement of the rotating shaft 23 inserted into the shaft support hole 64 is maintained, and the engaging protrusions 26 can engage with the back periphery of the shaft support hole 64, thereby preventing the rotating shaft 23 from coming out of the shaft support hole 64 and holding it in place.

[0042] Furthermore, spherical lock member connecting portions 27, 27 are provided protruding from the back side of the base portion 21 and from both ends in the extension direction. Each lock member connecting portion 27 is inserted into and fitted into a connecting recess 74 formed on the base end portion 71 of each lock member 70 (see Figure 10), so that the base ends 71, 71 of the pair of lock members 70, 70 are rotatably connected to both ends of the base portion 21 in the extension direction (see Figure 8).

[0043] Furthermore, locking portions 28, 28, which are roughly in the shape of strips, are provided on the front side of both ends of the base portion 21 in the extending direction. As shown in Figure 6, locking projections 29 are provided on the back side of each locking portion 28.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, flexible elastic contact pieces 31 are formed between the rotating shaft 23 and the locking member connecting portion 27 of the base portion 21 via a substantially U-shaped slit 30. Each elastic contact piece 31 has its fixed end facing one end of the base portion 21 in the extension direction, and its free end facing the center of the base portion 21 in the extension direction.

[0045] Furthermore, with the rotating shaft 23 held in place by the shaft support hole 64, the free ends of each elastic contact piece 31 come into contact with the surface of the ceiling wall 63 of the mounting portion 60, thereby suppressing rattling and tilting of the spring mount 20 when it rotates relative to the shaft support hole 64 of the mounting portion 60.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, multiple sliding contact protrusions 32 are provided on the back side of the base portion 21, extending radially from the axis of the rotating shaft 23 (the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20).

[0047] These sliding contact protrusions 32 contact the surface of the ceiling wall 63 of the mounting portion 60 when the spring mount 20 is rotatably mounted on the mounting portion 60. When the spring mount 20 rotates, each sliding contact protrusion 36 slides against the surface of the ceiling wall 63, reducing the contact area between the back side of the base portion 21 and the surface of the ceiling wall 63, making it easier to rotate the spring mount 20.

[0048] Furthermore, a substantially cylindrical coil insertion portion 33 is provided protruding from the front side of the base portion 21, specifically from the central portion in the extension direction. This coil insertion portion 33 extends coaxially with the rotation axis 23. That is, the axis of the coil insertion portion 33 coincides with the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20. Moreover, as shown in Figures 8 to 11, this coil insertion portion 33 is positioned inside the coil portion 53 when the spring 50 is mounted on the spring mounting body 20.

[0049] This coil insertion section 33 serves the following purpose:

[0050] In other words, if an unexpected external force acts on the coil portion 53 from the radially outward direction, the coil insertion portion 33 will come into contact with the inner circumference of the coil portion 53. As a result, displacement of the coil portion 53 from the center of the base portion 21 in the extension direction is suppressed, and the coil portion 53 can be stably positioned in the center of the base portion 21 in the extension direction. The coil insertion portion 33 is also used to align the coil portion 53 when attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20.

[0051] In this embodiment, the coil support portion 35 has a shape that extends along the axial direction of the coil portion 53. Furthermore, the coil support portion 35 is located in the central part of the extension direction of the base portion 21 and has a pair of wall portions 37, 37 that project from both side edges in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the base portion 21) in a direction that is separated from the surface of the base portion 21.

[0052] Each wall portion 37 is shaped to match the shape of the widthwise edges of the central part of the base portion 21, which is horizontally elongated and roughly rhombic in shape and extends in one direction. As shown in Figure 4, when viewed from the planar direction (the direction along the axis of rotation axis 23 and coil insertion portion 33), each wall portion 37 is curved in an arc and extends in the direction of extension of the base portion 21. It can also be said that each wall portion 37 is curved outwardly and extends in the direction of extension of the base portion 21 when viewed from the planar direction.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, each wall portion 37 has a gently curved inner surface (the surface facing the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20) and an outer surface (the surface opposite to the inner surface), and the thickness of the central part in the extension direction is formed to be slightly thinner than the thickness of the sides in the extension direction.

[0054] Furthermore, the pair of wall portions 37, 37 are positioned opposite each other across the coil insertion portion 33, such that the center of their extension direction aligns with the axis of the coil insertion portion 33 (the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20). It can also be said that the pair of wall portions 37, 37 are positioned opposite each other across the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20.

[0055] As shown in Figures 8, 9, and 11, the pair of wall portions 37, 37 constituting the coil support portion 35 are positioned outside the coil portion 53 with the spring 50 attached to the spring mounting body 20. At this time, since the inner surface of each wall portion 37 has a gently curved shape as described above, as shown in Figure 9, the inner surface of the central part in the extension direction of each wall portion 37 and the part near it are positioned to follow the outer circumference of the coil portion 53.

[0056] Furthermore, it can be said that the pair of wall sections 37, 37 positioned on the outside of the coil section 53 extend (are erected) along the axial direction of the coil section 53.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the inner dimensions of the pair of opposing wall portions 37, 37, that is, the inner dimension L1 between the inner surfaces at the center of the extension direction of the pair of wall portions 37, 37 (the position passing through the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20), are formed to match or be larger than the outer diameter D of the coil portion 53 (see Figure 7).

[0058] As a result, when the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mount 20 in order to attach the spring 50 to the spring mount 20, the inner surfaces of the pair of wall portions 37, 37 are less likely to interfere with the outer circumference of the coil portion 53, or do not interfere at all, or even if there is some interference, it is hardly affected.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a flexible elastic piece 41 is formed in the center of each wall portion 37 in the extending direction by a roughly U-shaped slit.

[0060] Specifically, a pair of first slits 39, 39 are formed in the center of each wall portion 37 in the direction of extension, extending parallel to each other along its axial direction. Furthermore, the ends of the pair of first slits 39, 39 on the base portion 21 side are connected to each other by a second slit 40 that extends along the direction of extension of the wall portion 37 so as to be perpendicular to the pair of first slits 39, 39, forming a roughly U-shaped slit.

[0061] Furthermore, each wall portion 37 has an elastic piece 41 formed on its inside through the pair of first slits 39, 39 and the second slit 40 described above.

[0062] Each elastic piece 41 has a fixed end 42 positioned on the opposite side of the wall 37 from the base 21 (positioned on the end of the wall 37 that is spaced away from the base 21), and a free end 43 positioned on the side of the wall 37 that is close to the base 21 (positioned on the end of the wall 37 that is close to the base 21).

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 11, claw portions 45 are provided projecting toward the rotation center C2 of the spring mount 20 from the inner surface of the free end 43 of each elastic piece 41, which is offset toward the base portion 21.

[0064] Furthermore, the thickness of the tip 46 of each claw portion 45 in the protruding direction (length along the extension direction of the coil support portion 35) is formed to be smaller than the size of the gap 59 between the wires 51, 51 of the coil portion 53 (length along the axial direction of the coil portion 53). This allows at least the tip 46 of each claw portion 45 to fit into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53.

[0065] Furthermore, as shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 11, each claw portion 45 has a tapered locking surface 47 on the other end side, which gradually decreases in protrusion from the very tip of the tip portion 46 (the end face that protrudes the most from the inner surface of the elastic piece 41) toward the fixed end 42 side of the elastic piece 41.

[0066] The locking surface 47 on the other end side described above can be locked to the outer circumference of the wire 51 located on the other end 53b side (the wire 51 located below the plane of the paper in Figure 11 relative to the gap 59) when the claw portion 45 is inserted into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53.

[0067] Furthermore, the tapered locking surface 47 at the other end facilitates the insertion of the claw portion 45 into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53, and also serves to increase the amount of contact (engagement) with the outer circumference of the wire 51.

[0068] Furthermore, the locking surface 47 on the other end side also plays a role in allowing the claw portion 45 to engage with the outer circumference of the wire 51 located on the other end 53b side, even when the claw portion 45 is positioned between closely arranged wires in the tightly wound portion of the coil, while also facilitating the claw portion 45 to enter between the wires and increasing the amount of contact with the outer circumference of the wire 51.

[0069] Furthermore, each claw portion 45 is provided with a one-end side locking surface 48 on the opposite side of the other-end side locking surface 47. This one-end side locking surface 48 can lock onto the outer circumference of the wire 51 located on the one-end 53a side (the wire 51 located above the plane of the paper in Figure 11 relative to the gap 59) when the claw portion 45 enters the gap 59 of the coil portion 53. The above one-end side locking surface 48 also allows the claw portion 45 to lock onto the outer circumference of the wire 51 located on the one-end 53a side even when the claw portion 45 enters between closely arranged wires in the tightly wound portion of the coil portion.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the distance L2 between the very ends of the pair of claw portions 45, 45 of the pair of wall portions 37, 37 that are positioned opposite each other with the coil insertion portion 33 in between, is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter D of the coil portion 53 (see Figure 7). As a result, when the spring 50 is attached to the spring mount 20 and the claw portions 45 are inserted into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53, the claw portions 45 are made to reliably overlap (wrap with) the wire 51 in the radial direction (see enlarged view of Figure 11).

[0071] Then, when attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20, the following procedure is performed. Note that when the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mount 20 so that one end 53a of the coil portion 53 contacts the surface of the base portion 21, and further pushing of the spring 50 is restricted, this state is defined as the state in which the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mount 20 to its maximum extent in the spring pushing direction F (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "maximum spring pushing state").

[0072] First, the coil portion 53 is positioned between the coil insertion portion 33 of the spring mounting body 20 and the pair of wall portions 37, 37 that constitute the coil support portion 35 (see Figures 7 and 11).

[0073] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 7 and 11, the spring 50 is pushed in the spring mounting body 20 along the spring pushing direction F so that one end 53a of the coil portion 53 is close to the surface of the base portion 21.

[0074] As a result, the coil insertion section 33 is inserted inside the coil section 53, and the pair of wall sections 37, 37 of the coil support section 35 are positioned outside the coil section 53. The coil section 53 is then pushed in, guided by the pair of wall sections 37, 37, and one end 53a of the coil section 53 approaches the surface of the base section 21. At this time, the claw section 45 provided on the coil support section 35 does not catch on the wire 51 of the coil section 53.

[0075] Then, just before one end 53a of the coil portion 53 contacts the surface of the base portion 21 (just before the maximum spring compression state), the one end 53a of the coil portion 53 contacts the tapered locking surface 47 on the other end of the claw portion 45. As a result, the locking surface 47 on the other end of the claw portion 45 is pressed against the one end 53a of the coil portion 53, causing the elastic piece 41 to bend and deform outward.

[0076] Subsequently, when the spring 50 is pushed against the spring mount 20 and one end 53a of the coil portion 53 contacts the surface of the base portion 21, further pushing of the spring 50 is restricted (resulting in the maximum spring compression state), and the claw portion 45 moves over the first turn of wire 51 from the end 53a of the coil portion 53 and enters between the wires of the coil portion 53. Here, the elastic piece 41 elastically returns to the gap 59 between the wires 51, 51 that is closest to the end 53a of the coil portion 53 (this is the gap 59 closest to the end 53a, and can also be called the first gap 59 from the end 53a), and the claw portion 45 enters the gap 59 (see the enlarged view of part of Figure 11).

[0077] Then, the claw portion 45 that has entered the gap 59 engages with the outer circumference of the second turn of wire 51 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53 at the other end side locking surface 47, and engages with the outer circumference of the first turn of wire 51 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53 at the one end side locking surface 48. As a result, the spring 50 is mounted on the spring mount 20 in a state where it is held in place and not easily dislodged.

[0078] As described above, in the rotation biasing device 10 of this embodiment, when the spring 50 is pressed against the spring mounting body 20, the claw portion 45 does not catch on the wire 51 of the coil portion 53 from the beginning of pressing the spring 50 until just before the maximum spring compression state is reached. The claw portion 45 only moves over the wire 51 when it is about to reach the maximum spring compression state, and then, when the maximum spring compression state is reached, the claw portion 45 enters the gap 59 between the first turn wire 51 and the second turn wire 51 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53.

[0079] In the maximum spring compression state described above, the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20 and the axis C1 of the coil portion 53 coincide or nearly coincide (see Figure 9).

[0080] Furthermore, in the maximum spring-compressed state described above, it is preferable that the claw portion 45 enters the gap 59 in a portion of the coil portion 53 that is less than or equal to half the total number of turns of the wire 51 winding around the coil portion 53, starting from the axial end 53a of the coil portion 53 that is close to the base portion 21, and it is even more preferable that it enters the gap 59 in a portion of the wire 51 that is less than or equal to one-third of the total number of turns of the wire 51.

[0081] In this embodiment, as shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 11, the claw portion 45 is configured to enter the gap 59 between the first turn of wire 51 and the second turn of wire 51 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53 toward the other end 53b, with a gap of 1 / 2 or less of the total number of turns 5 of wire 51 that winds around the coil portion 53.

[0082] The first arm portion 55 of the spring 50 is positioned on the back side of one of the locking portions 28 and catches on the locking projection 29, thereby locking the first arm portion 55 to the locking portion 28. In addition, the second arm portion 57 of the spring 50 is inserted into and locked in the locking groove 66 of the spring locking wall 65, so that the rotational biasing force of the spring 50 acts on the spring mounting body 20.

[0083] As a result, as shown in the direction of arrow R in Figure 12, the spring mount 20 is rotationally biased, and the tips 72, 72 of the pair of locking members 70, 70 are biased in the direction of engaging with the pair of locking parts 3, 3 (in the direction of arrow E in Figure 12). The tips 72, 72 of the pair of locking members 70, 70 are inserted through the lock insertion holes 6b, 6b provided in the lock placement recess 6a.

[0084] Furthermore, when the operating body 83 is rotated relative to the main body 81 constituting the operating member 80 in a direction such that its tip moves away from the bottom 7a of the housing recess 7, the operating lever of the operating member 80 presses against the inner surface of the frame-shaped portion 73 of one of the locking members 70. This allows the tips 72, 72 of the pair of locking members 70, 70 to be slid via the spring mount 20 in a direction that does not engage with the pair of locking portions 3, 3 of the fixed body 1 (see Figure 13).

[0085] (modified version) The shape, structure, and layout of the spring mount, torsion coil spring, and their respective components that constitute the rotational biasing device in the present invention, as well as the locking part, locking member, operating member, and their respective components that constitute the locking device for an opening and closing body using the rotational biasing device, are not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0086] Furthermore, although the rotational biasing device in this embodiment is used as a locking device for an opening / closing body, it may also be used, for example, in the hinge structure of an opening / closing member that opens and closes via a hinge, or in a braking device that is attached between a pair of members that move closer to or further away from each other and applies braking force when the pair of members move closer or further away. Its application location and use are not particularly limited.

[0087] Furthermore, when the rotational biasing device is used as a locking device for an opening / closing body, as described above, it is applied to a structure in which, for example, a box-shaped glove box is rotatably attached to the opening of an instrument panel (in this case, the instrument panel is the "fixed body" and the glove box is the "opening / closing body"), but it may also be applied to a structure in which a lid is rotatably attached to the opening of an instrument panel (in this case, the instrument panel is the "fixed body" and the lid is the "opening / closing body"), and can be widely used for various opening / closing bodies that open and close the opening of a fixed body.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mounting hole 8 is formed in the opening / closing body 4 and the locking member 70 is slidably positioned on the opening / closing body 4. However, the mounting hole may be formed in the fixed body and the locking member may be slidably positioned on the fixed body side.

[0089] Furthermore, although the locking portion 3 in this embodiment is perforated, the locking portion does not have to be perforated; it may be concave, protruding, frame-shaped, etc. Moreover, the locking portion may be provided on the opening / closing body rather than the opening of the fixed body.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, rotating the operating member 80 slides one locking member 70, which in turn slides the other locking member 70 via the spring mount 20. However, the device may also be configured such that rotating the operating member directly rotates the spring mount, thereby sliding the pair of locking members.

[0091] Furthermore, although the opening / closing body 4 in this embodiment is composed of an outer member 5 and an inner member 6, the opening / closing body may also be composed of a single plate.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base portion 21 of the spring mount 20 has a horizontally elongated, roughly diamond shape, but the base portion may also be circular, elliptical, oval, rectangular, or the like.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first arm portion 55 of the spring 50 is configured to lock onto one of the locking portions 28 provided on the base portion 21. However, for example, a slit-shaped locking groove may be formed at a predetermined location on the coil support portion of the spring mount, and the first arm portion of the torsion coil spring may be inserted into and locked into this locking groove. It is sufficient that the first arm portion can be locked onto any part of the spring mount.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the coil support portion 35 consists of a pair of wall portions 37, 37 arranged on the outside of the coil portion 53, but the coil support portion may also be arranged on the inside of the coil portion 53 (this will be explained in other embodiments).

[0095] Furthermore, although the coil support portion 35 in this embodiment consists of a pair of wall portions 37, 37, the coil support portion may be cylindrical and positioned outside the coil portion 53, for example.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of wall portions 37, 37 are arranged opposite each other with respect to the rotation center C2 of the spring mount 20. However, the wall portions may also be, for example, three or more arranged on the outside of the rotation center of the spring mount at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the elastic piece 41 is formed via a U-shaped slit consisting of a pair of first slits 39, 39 and a second slit 40. However, the elastic piece may also be formed to be flexibly deformable by, for example, only the pair of first slits (such as slits extending from just before one axial end of the wall to just before the other axial end).

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the claw portion 45 protrudes from the free end 43 of the elastic piece 41, and when the spring 50 is in its maximum spring-compressed state, the claw portion 45 fits into the gap 59 (the first gap 59 from the end 53a) between the first turn wire 51 and the second turn wire 51 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53. However, the claw portion may, for example, protrude from the middle of the extension direction of the elastic piece. In this case, the claw portion will fit into the predetermined gap of the coil portion before the torsion coil spring reaches its maximum spring-compressed state.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the claw portion 45 is positioned to enter the first gap 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53. However, the claw portion 45 may also enter the second, third, fourth, or other gaps 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53, and the claw portion 45 may enter any gap 59 in the coil portion 53.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, elastic pieces 41 are provided by forming slits 39 and 40 in the wall portion 37, and claw portions 45 are provided protruding from the elastic pieces 41. However, for example, the coil support portion itself may be made into a thin-walled or narrow upright piece that can be bent and deformed, and the claw portions may be provided directly on the upright piece.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the coil support portion 35, which is provided with the claw portion 45, will bend and deform. However, the coil support portion may be a rigid body that does not bend or deform. In this case, when the torsion coil spring is pressed against the spring mounting body, the coil portion deforms appropriately, and the claw portion fits into the gap.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the coil portion 53 is formed from a loosely wound portion wound with a gap 59 between it and the other end 53b in the axial direction (all loosely wound portions). However, the coil portion may also have, for example, a tightly wound portion with no gaps between adjacent wires in the axial direction, or it may be entirely a tightly wound portion (in this case, as explained in paragraph 0037, the claw portion fits between the wires in the tightly wound portion of the coil portion).

[0103] Incidentally, "the claw portion inserting itself between the wires of the coil portion" includes, as mentioned above, cases where the claw portion inserts itself between the wires of the tightly wound portion of the coil portion by being pushed in from the radially outward or radially inward direction. In this case, the elastic restoring force of the elastic piece that has deformed radially outward or radially inward must be greater than the adhesive force between the closely arranged wires of the tightly wound portion of the coil portion. This allows the claw portion to insert itself between the closely arranged wires of the tightly wound portion of the coil portion.

[0104] (Effects and Benefits) Next, the effects of the rotational biasing device 10, which has the above configuration, will be explained.

[0105] In this locking device for an opening / closing body using the rotation biasing device 10, when the opening / closing body 4 is open from the opening 2 of the fixed body 1, the opening / closing body 4 is closed, and the tips 72, 72 of the pair of locking members 70, 70 engage with the locking parts 3, 3 of the fixed body 1, thereby locking the opening / closing body 4 in the closed position (see Figure 12).

[0106] From this state, by operating the operating member 80 to rotate the operating body 83 relative to the main body 81 in a direction away from the main body 81 and the bottom 7a of the housing recess 7, as shown in Figure 13, the tip 72 of one locking member 70 is pulled in a direction that does not engage with the locking part 3 against the rotational biasing force of the spring mounting body 20 (see arrow R in Figure 12), and in conjunction with this, the tip 72 of the other locking member 70 is pulled in a direction that does not engage with the locking part 3 via the spring mounting body 20. As a result, the lock of the opening / closing body 4 in the closed state is released, and the opening / closing body 4 can be opened from the opening 2 of the fixed body 1.

[0107] Furthermore, the following effects are achieved with this rotational biasing device 10.

[0108] In other words, in order to attach the spring 50 to the spring mount 20, when the spring 50 is pushed in relative to the spring mount 20 along the spring pushing direction F so that one end 53a of the coil portion 53 is close to the surface of the base portion 21, the claw portion 45 does not catch on the wire 51 of the coil portion 53 from the beginning of pushing in the spring 50 until just before it reaches its maximum pushing state, and the spring 50 is pushed in smoothly.

[0109] Then, as the spring approaches its maximum compression state, the claw portion 45 overcomes the wire 51 for the first time, and then, when the spring reaches its maximum compression state, the claw portion 45 enters between the wires of the coil portion 53 (in this case, the gap 59 between axially adjacent wires 51, 51), and the spring 50 is attached to the spring mount 20 in a retaining position (see Figure 11).

[0110] In other words, in this rotational biasing device 10, unlike the locking device for opening and closing bodies in Patent Document 1, there is no need for mounting work such as moving the claw portion over from one end to the other end of the coil portion and locking it at the other end. Instead, with a simple operation of just pushing the spring 50 onto the spring mounting body 20, the claw portion 45 fits into a predetermined gap 59 in the coil portion 53, and the spring 50 is mounted on the spring mounting body 20 in a way that prevents it from coming off. This reduces the number of turns (windings) of the wire 51 in the coil portion 53 that the claw portion 45 has to move over (in this case, the claw portion 45 only needs to move over one turn of the wire 51), thus improving the ease of mounting the spring 50 onto the spring mounting body 20.

[0111] In this embodiment, as described above, the claw portion 45 is positioned to fit into the first gap 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53. However, for example, when the claw portion 45 fits into the first gap 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53, it does not reach the maximum spring compression state, and there may be room to further compress the spring 50 against the spring mounting body 20. In this case, the claw portion 45 may be configured to fit into, for example, the second, third, fourth, or other gaps 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53.

[0112] In the above case, after the claw portion 45 enters the first gap 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53, if the spring 50 is pushed further, the claw portion 45 will come out of the first gap 59, accompanied by the bending deformation of the elastic piece 41 and the deformation of the coil portion 53, and will move over the second turn of the wire 51, entering the second gap 59 from one end 53a of the coil portion 53.

[0113] Subsequently, by further pushing the spring 50, the claw portion 45 sequentially moves over the wire 51, accompanied by the bending deformation of the elastic piece 41 and the deformation of the coil portion 53, and enters sequentially into the gaps 59, such as the third, fourth, and fifth gaps from one end 53a of the coil portion 53. Then, the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mounting body 20 by a predetermined amount, and the claw portion 45 enters into the gap 59 at the predetermined position, thereby securing the spring 50 to the spring mounting body 20 in a way that prevents it from coming loose.

[0114] Furthermore, in the above case as well, when the spring 50 is pushed onto the spring mounting body 20 along the spring pushing direction F, the claw portion 45 can be pushed in smoothly without getting caught on the wire 51 until it enters the first gap 59 of the coil portion 53. Also, once the claw portion 45 enters the gap 59 at the predetermined position, the number of wires 51 of the coil portion 53 that the claw portion 45 must overcome (number of turns) can be reduced, thereby improving the workability of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mounting body 20.

[0115] Furthermore, when the spring 50 is attached to the spring mount 20 and the claw portion 45 is inserted into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53, the claw portion 45 is ensured to overlap the wire 51 by a certain amount in the radial direction (see Figure 11).

[0116] Therefore, for example, even if the axis C1 of the coil portion 53 is misaligned with respect to the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20, causing the coil portion 53 to be misaligned, the claw portion 45 will be more likely to catch on the wire 51, making it less likely for the coil portion 53 to come off the coil support portion 35.

[0117] Furthermore, since the claw portion 45 fits between the wires of the coil portion 53, the radial movement of the coil portion 53 is suppressed by the claw portion 45, and the coil support portion 35 is positioned outside the coil portion 53 and supports the coil portion 53, so that the coil portion 53 does not become eccentric or tilted with respect to the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20 (the axis C1 of the coil portion 53 does not become misaligned or tilted with respect to the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20).

[0118] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the coil support portion 35 has a shape that extends along the axial direction of the coil portion 53, and a flexible elastic piece 41 is formed on the coil support portion 35 via a pair of first slits 39, 39 that extend in the axial direction, and a claw portion 45 is provided on the elastic piece 41 at a location offset toward the base portion 21 (see Figure 3).

[0119] According to the above embodiment, since the claw portion 45 is provided on the elastic piece 41 that is formed to be flexible and deformable on the coil support portion 35, at a location offset toward the base portion 21, when the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mount 20 along the spring pushing direction F in order to attach the spring 50 to the spring mount 20, the claw portion 45 will be located toward the tip of the spring pushing direction F.

[0120] Therefore, since one end 53a of the coil portion 53 does not come into contact with the claw portion 45 during the spring insertion process, the spring 50 can be inserted smoothly, further improving the ease of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mounting body 20.

[0121] Furthermore, since the spring 50 can be attached to the spring mounting body 20 with one end 53a of the coil portion 53 close to the base portion 21, the axial length (axial height) of the coil support portion 35 can be kept low, making the spring mounting body 20 compact in the axial direction.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pair of first slits 39, 39 are connected to each other on the base portion 21 side by a second slit 40, and an elastic piece 41 is formed via the pair of first slits 39, 39 and the second slit 40. The fixed end 42 of the elastic piece 41 is located on the opposite side of the coil support portion 35 from the base portion 21, and the free end 43 is located on the base portion 21 side of the coil support portion 35, and the claw portion 45 is provided on the free end 43 side of the elastic piece 41 (see Figures 3 and 11).

[0123] According to the above embodiment, the free end 43 of the elastic piece 41 is positioned on the base portion 21 side of the coil support portion 35, and the claw portion 45 is provided on the free end 43 side of the elastic piece 41. Therefore, when the spring 50 is pushed onto the spring mount 20 in the spring pushing direction F in order to attach the spring 50 to the spring mount 20, the claw portion 45 can more easily overcome the wire 51 of the coil portion 53 (in this case, the claw portion 45 can more easily overcome the wire 51 of the first turn from one end 53a of the coil portion 53), further improving the workability of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20.

[0124] Furthermore, since the claw portion 45 is provided on the free end 43 side of the elastic piece 41, where a large amount of deflection deformation can be secured, the claw portion 45 can more easily overcome the wire 51 when attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20, thereby further improving the ease of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20.

[0125] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 11, the claw portion 45 is configured to enter into a gap 59 in a portion of the coil portion 53 that is less than or equal to half the total number of turns of the wire material 51 around the coil portion 53, from one axial end 53a of the coil portion 53 that is close to the base portion 21.

[0126] According to the above embodiment, when the spring 50 is pushed onto the spring mount 20 in the spring pushing direction F, the number of wires 51 of the coil portion 53 that the claw portion 45 has to overcome can be reduced, thereby improving the workability of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20.

[0127] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the coil support portion 35 has a plurality of wall portions 37 arranged on the outside of the coil portion 53, and claw portions 45 are provided on the inner surface of the wall portions 37 (see Figures 4 and 11).

[0128] According to the above embodiment, when the spring 50 is pushed onto the spring mount 20 in the spring pushing direction F, the coil portion 53 is guided by the multiple walls 37 of the coil support portion 35, which are located on the outside of the coil portion 53, as the spring 50 is pushed in.

[0129] As a result, the misalignment of the axis C1 of the coil portion 53 with respect to the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20, and the tilt of the coil portion 53 are suppressed, stabilizing the posture of the coil portion 53. This ensures that the amount of the claw portion 45 that fits into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53 (the amount of insertion) is reliably secured, allowing the claw portion 45 to stably lock onto the outer circumference of the wire 51, thereby more reliably preventing the spring 50 from coming off the spring mounting body 20.

[0130] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rotational biasing device 10 is applied to the locking device of the opening / closing body, and as described in paragraph 0020, it has a locking part 3 and a locking member 70, the opening / closing body 4 is the member to be attached, the locking member 70 is connected to the vane mount 20, and the rotational biasing force of the spring 50 biases the locking member 70 in the direction of engaging with the locking part 3.

[0131] According to the above embodiment, the ease of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20 in the locking device can be improved. Furthermore, since the claw portion 45 fits between the wires of the coil portion 53, the radial movement of the coil portion 53 is suppressed by the claw portion 45, and the coil support portion 35 is positioned outside or inside the coil portion 53 (in this case, positioned outside) to support the coil portion 53, so that the coil portion 53 does not become eccentric or tilted with respect to the rotation center C2 of the spring mount 20. As a result, tilting of the locking member 70 can be suppressed, and the locking member 70 can be stably slid.

[0132] (Other embodiments of rotational biasing devices) Figures 14-16 show other embodiments of the rotational biasing device according to the present invention. Parts substantially identical to those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0133] As shown in Figure 16, the shape of the coil support portion of the rotational biasing device 10A in this embodiment differs from that of the previous embodiment.

[0134] In other words, the spring mount 20A in this embodiment is provided with a coil support portion 35A that is inserted and positioned inside the coil portion 53.

[0135] The coil support portion 35A has a substantially cylindrical wall portion 37A extending coaxially with the rotation axis 23 from the front side of the base portion 21, in the central part in the extension direction. That is, the axis of the wall portion 37A coincides with the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20A.

[0136] Furthermore, elastic pieces 41, 41 are provided at radially opposing locations on the substantially cylindrical wall portion 37A.

[0137] As shown in Figure 14, the elastic piece 41 in this embodiment is formed via a substantially U-shaped slit consisting of a pair of first slits 39, 39 and a second slit 40, similar to the previous embodiment. A claw portion 45 is provided protruding from the outside (outer surface) of the free end 43 of the elastic piece 41.

[0138] Furthermore, a plate-shaped piece 38 is provided on the inside of the wall portion 37A, which is arranged perpendicularly to the pair of elastic pieces 41, 41 and passes through the axis of the wall portion 37A (the rotation center C2 of the spring mounting body 20A). This plate-shaped piece 38 connects radially opposing points on the inner circumference of the wall portion 37A, thereby improving the rigidity of the wall portion 37A.

[0139] In this embodiment, when the spring 50 is pushed into the spring mount 20A along the spring pushing direction F in order to attach the spring 50 to the spring mount 20A, the wall portion 37A constituting the coil support portion 35A enters from one end 53a of the coil portion 53, and when the spring is pushed in to its maximum extent, the claw portion 45 enters into the gap 59 of the coil portion 53, and the spring 50 is attached to the spring mount 20A in a state where it is held in place to prevent it from coming off (see Figure 16). As a result, the ease of attaching the spring 50 to the spring mount 20A can be improved.

[0140] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modified embodiments are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention, and such embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0141] 1 Fixed body 2 openings 3. Locking mechanism 4 Opening / Closing Mechanism 10,10A Rotation biasing device 20,20A Spring Mount 21 Base section 35,35A Coil support section 37,37A wall 39. First Slit 40. Second Slit 41 Elastic piece 42 Fixed end 43 Free end 45 Claw part 50 Torsion coil springs (springs) 51 Wire rod 53 Coil section 53a One end 53b Other end 55 First Arm Section 57 Second Arm Section 59 Gap 70 Locking component 80 Operating member

Claims

1. A spring mount that is attached to the member to be mounted so as to be rotatable relative to it, The spring mounting body has a torsion coil spring that is attached to it and provides a rotational biasing force, The aforementioned torsion coil spring has a coil portion formed by winding a wire, a first arm portion extending from the coil portion and being engaged with the spring mounting body, and a second arm portion extending from the coil portion and being engaged with the mounting member. The aforementioned spring mounting body is The base part, A coil support portion is provided, which protrudes from the base portion and is positioned on the outside or inside of the coil portion to support the coil portion. A rotational biasing device characterized by having a claw portion that fits between the wires of the coil portion and holds the torsion coil spring in place in the spring mounting body.

2. The coil support portion has a shape that extends along the axial direction of the coil portion. The coil support portion has an elastic piece formed therein, which is capable of bending and deforming through a pair of first slits extending in the axial direction. The rotational biasing device according to claim 1, wherein the claw portion is provided on the elastic piece at a location offset toward the base portion.

3. The pair of first slits are connected to each other by a second slit on the base side, and the elastic piece is formed via the pair of first slits and the second slit. The rotational biasing device according to claim 2, wherein the claw portion is provided on the free end side of the elastic piece.

4. The rotational biasing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the claw portion enters between the wires in a portion of the coil portion that is less than or equal to half the total number of turns of the wire that winds the coil portion, from one end of the coil portion in the axial direction adjacent to the base portion.

5. The rotational biasing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the coil support portion has a plurality of wall portions arranged on the outside of the coil portion, and the claw portion is provided on the inner surface of the wall portion.

6. The aforementioned rotational biasing device is applied to a locking device for an opening / closing body that is movably mounted to an opening in a fixed body. The locking device for the opening / closing body comprises a locking portion provided on either the fixed body or the opening / closing body, and a locking member disposed on the other of the fixed body or the opening / closing body, which engages with and disengages from the locking portion. The fixed body or the opening / closing body constitutes the mounting member, The rotational biasing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the locking member is connected to the spring mounting body, and the rotational biasing force of the torsion coil spring biases the locking member in a direction that engages with the locking portion.

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