Roof box

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a roof box capable of suppressing entrainment of traveling wind and preventing falling of components while facilitating opening / closing of a cover. [Solution] A roof box 10 is opened and closed as one side edge of a cover 14 is lifted up from a body 12. The cover 14 is formed by resin molding using a metal mold, including vacuum forming, and side edges 16a and 16b each have an integrally formed opening / closing auxiliary means 18, which is constituted by at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion formed in an undercut shape. The opening / closing auxiliary means 18 is a handle that is constituted by at least one of the concave portion and the convex portion formed in the longitudinal direction of the side edges 16a and 16b.

Description

Roof box

[0001] The present invention relates to a roof box, and more particularly to a roof box suitable for use in a vehicle that employs a structure in which the cover is opened and closed by tilting it relative to the body.

[0002] As shown in FIG. 10 , a roof box 1 having a body 2 secured to a carrier (not shown) fixed to the roof of a vehicle (not shown) and a cover 3 that can be opened and closed relative to the body 2 is known, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1. Roof boxes 1 in which the cover 3 covers the entire body 2, such as the roof box 1 disclosed in Patent Document 1, are generally designed so that the roof box 1 is opened and closed by lifting one of the front, rear, left, or right sides of the cover 3. However, because roof boxes 1 are often large, an opening / closing assist mechanism 4 is often provided on at least the side that is lifted, allowing the user to hold on to the cover 3 when lifting it. For example, as shown in FIG. 10 , a handle or other opening / closing assist mechanism 4 may be attached to one side of the cover 3. However, such a configuration requires the handle (opening / closing assist mechanism 4) to be separately formed, which increases manufacturing costs and poses a risk of the handle falling off due to vibration or wind pressure.

[0003] For this reason, the roof box 1 disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the entire opening edge of the body 2 is covered with the edge of the cover 3, and the edge is extended outward and downward to prevent wind and rain from entering the box, as shown in Figure 11. The edge of the cover 3 that covers the opening edge of the body 2 can itself function as an opening / closing assisting means 4.

[0004] With this configuration, the edge of the cover 3 itself serves as the opening / closing assisting means 4, which reduces manufacturing costs compared to when a separate handle is attached, and also eliminates the risk of it falling off.

[0005] However, if the edge of the cover 3 is widened or lengthened to improve ease of opening and closing, the gap between the body 2 and the edge of the cover 3 becomes larger, which can cause a large amount of wind to be drawn into this gap, resulting in noise and rattles while driving.

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-89329

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a roof box that can easily open and close the cover, suppresses the ingestion of wind while driving, and prevents parts from falling off.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the roof box of the present invention is a roof box that opens and closes by pulling up one side edge of the cover relative to the body, and is characterized in that the cover is formed by resin molding using a mold, including vacuum forming, and the side edge has an opening and closing assist means integrally formed thereon, which consists of at least one of a concave portion or a convex portion formed in an undercut shape.

[0009] In addition, in a roof box having the above features, the opening / closing assist means may be a handle formed of at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion formed along the length of the side edge. This feature makes it possible to reduce manufacturing costs compared to when a handle is separately formed and attached.

[0010] In addition, in the roof box having the above features, the handles can be provided in multiple positions along the height direction of the side edges, which further improves the strength of the cover.

[0011] In addition, in the roof box having the above features, the handles can be provided in multiple positions along the length of the side edges, which not only improves the strength of the cover but also increases the design freedom.

[0012] In addition, in a roof box having the above features, the opening / closing assist means can be a non-slip surface formed by a group of at least a plurality of recesses or protrusions. This feature allows for greater freedom in the shape of the opening / closing assist means, and makes it less noticeable from the outside while still maintaining its function as an opening / closing assist means.

[0013] Furthermore, in the roof box having the above features, it is preferable that the anti-slip surface is provided in a plurality of positions along the length of the side edge, which increases the degree of freedom in the position of the hand when opening and closing the cover.

[0014] A roof box having the above-described features makes it possible to easily open and close the cover, while suppressing the ingestion of wind while driving and preventing parts from falling off.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a roof box according to a basic embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view showing the A-A end face in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of a roof box according to a first modified example. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the configuration of a roof box according to a second modified example. FIG. 5 is a side view showing another pattern of the roof box according to the second modified example. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the configuration of a roof box according to a third modified example. FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view showing another pattern of the opening and closing assisting means (anti-slip) in the roof box according to the third modified example. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view showing an example in which the opening and closing assisting means (anti-slip) in the roof box according to the third modified example is a handle-shaped protrusion. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view showing the configuration of the opening and closing assisting means in the roof box according to the fourth modified example. FIG. 10 is a view showing the end face configuration of a conventional roof box in which the opening and closing assisting means (handle) is separately attached. FIG. 11 is a view showing the end face configuration of a conventional roof box in which the outer edge of the cover is extended.

[0016] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: The following embodiments are preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention, and even if some of the configurations are changed, they can be considered as part of the present invention as long as the effects of the changes are maintained.

[0017] [Basic embodiment: configuration] First, the configuration of the basic embodiment of the roof box of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a side view of the roof box according to the embodiment, and Figure 2 is a view showing the A-A end face in Figure 1.

[0018] The roof box 10 according to this embodiment comprises a body 12 and a cover 14. The body 12 is typically secured to a carrier (not shown) attached to the roof of a vehicle (not shown) during use, and serves as a container for transported items. While the body 12 may take a variety of shapes and is not limited to these, it typically has a long side aligned with the longitudinal direction (direction of travel) of the vehicle, forming a rectangular shape in a plan view. The body 12 is a container with an opening at the top, and a folded portion 12b is provided at the edge 12a of the opening, as shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. 2, to improve strength.

[0019] The cover 14 is an element that functions as a lid that covers the opening edge 12a of the body 12. The outer edge of the cover 14 is configured to cover the entire periphery of the opening edge 12a of the body 12. As shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 2, an edge 20 of the cover 14 is configured so that the gap between it and the folded-back portion 12b of the body 12 is narrow.

[0020] The cover 14 configured in this manner is provided with a hinge (not shown) on one of the front, rear, left, or right sides that connects the body 12 and the cover 14, and is configured so that the roof box 10 can be opened by pulling up the side opposite the side on which the hinge is provided (side 16a or side 16b in Figure 2).

[0021] The cover 14 configured as described above is formed by resin molding using a mold, including vacuum forming, and has an opening / closing assist mechanism 18 formed on the side edge that forms the lift-up position (side edge 16b in the following example). As shown in the partially enlarged view of Figure 2, the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 according to this embodiment is a handle formed by a convex portion formed in a so-called undercut shape on the side edge 16b. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 is formed line-symmetrically with respect to the cover 14, but it is sufficient that it is provided at least on the side edge 16b on the lift-up side.

[0022] In this embodiment, the handle, which is the opening / closing assisting means 18, is positioned above the opening edge 12a of the body 12 when the roof box 10 is closed. This makes it possible to keep the gap between the body 12 and the edge 20 of the cover 14 small, thereby suppressing wind from being drawn in while driving. This also helps to reduce noise and rattles while driving.

[0023] Furthermore, the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 according to this embodiment is configured to have a length that occupies a relatively large proportion of the longitudinal length of the cover 14. This configuration allows for stable application of force during opening and closing, even when the cover 14 is long. Furthermore, in covers 14 molded from resin using a mold, including vacuum forming, the convex portions along the longitudinal direction contribute to strengthening the cover 14 and preventing longitudinal bending and twisting. Therefore, the longer the opening / closing assist mechanism 18, the greater the strength of the cover 14. Furthermore, if a handle is separately attached as the opening / closing assist mechanism 18, a mold or the like must be prepared separately from the cover 14, and the larger the handle, the higher the manufacturing cost. In contrast, by integrally forming the handle as the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 with the cover 14, as in the case of the cover 14 according to this embodiment, manufacturing costs can be reduced. Furthermore, by integrally forming the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 with the cover 14, there is no risk of the handle falling off the cover 14.

[0024] [Effects] With the roof box 10 having these features, the user can place their hand on the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 and use it as a handle to pull up (push up) the cover 14. This facilitates opening and closing the cover 14. Furthermore, the cover 14 can be kept in good contact with the opening edge 12a of the body 12 (more specifically, the folded-over portion 12b of the opening edge 12a). This prevents wind from being drawn between the body 12 and the edge 20, thereby reducing noise and rattle during driving. Furthermore, by integrally forming the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 with the cover 14, it is possible to prevent the cover 14 from falling off. Furthermore, compared to forming a handle as a separate opening / closing assist mechanism 18, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0025] Generally, when large containers such as the roof box 10 are made from resin using a mold, including vacuum forming, emphasis is placed on reducing the manufacturing costs of individual parts (such as the cover 14), so no thought is given to incorporating an undercut into a part of the part. Therefore, the roof box 10 according to this embodiment can be said to have been realized only after a change of thinking, namely, by integrating the cover 14 and the handle (opening / closing assist means 18) into a single part, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs.

[0026] [Variation 1] Next, a first variation of the roof box 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the first variation is characterized in that the handle serving as the opening / closing assisting means 18 is curved.

[0027] In the basic embodiment, the opening / closing assist means 18 is formed linearly in the longitudinal direction, whereas in the example shown in Figure 3, the opening / closing assist means 18 has a thin thickness (height of the side edge 16b) and a curved shape. Even with this configuration, the same effects as the roof box 10 according to the basic embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, since the shape can be formed to match the shape of the cover 14, the overall design of the roof box 10 can be improved. Furthermore, by curving the opening / closing assist means 18, ribs can be formed in multiple directions, further improving the strength of the cover 14.

[0028] [Variation 2] Next, a second variation of the roof box 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. This variation is characterized in that the handle serving as the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 is divided into multiple parts along the longitudinal direction of the cover 14. Even with this configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effects as the roof box 10 according to the basic embodiment, and also to improve the design. In the example shown in Figure 4, the opening / closing assist mechanism 18 is divided into three parts along the longitudinal direction of the cover 14: at both ends (front and rear) and in the center.

[0029] Note that the number and arrangement of the handles serving as the opening / closing auxiliary means 18 divided along the longitudinal direction of the cover are not critical. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the opening / closing auxiliary means 18 may be divided into two, and provided only on both ends of the cover 14. Also, in the basic form and variants 1 and 2 described above, the handles serving as the opening / closing auxiliary means 18 are all described as being convex. However, as long as it is possible to facilitate opening and closing of the cover 14, the handles serving as the opening / closing auxiliary means 18 may be formed concavely with respect to the side edge 16b (16a).

[0030] Next, a third modification of the roof box 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 6. In this modification, the opening / closing assisting means 18 is a so-called anti-slip device. This is because if it is possible to prevent slippage between the cover 14 and the hand when the hand is placed on the side edge 16b (16a) of the cover 14, it will be possible to open and close the cover 14 more easily.

[0031] Specifically, it is sufficient to arrange a plurality of small protrusions in a cluster on the side of the cover 14 to form an undercut shape. Even with this configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effects as the roof box 10 according to the basic embodiment, such as facilitating the opening and closing of the cover 14, suppressing the ingestion of wind while driving, and preventing parts from falling off. In the example shown in Figure 6, the anti-slip positions serving as the opening and closing assistance means 18 are configured to be provided at two locations on both ends of the cover 14 in the longitudinal direction, but the positions and number thereof are not limited.

[0032] In the example shown in Fig. 6, the protrusions constituting the anti-slip feature serving as the opening / closing assisting means 18 are described as being circular in plan view, but this shape is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, various shapes, such as a cross (X-shape) in plan view, can be considered part of the present invention. Furthermore, rather than simply using protrusions, the anti-slip feature (opening / closing assisting means 18) can be formed by arranging multiple handle-shaped convex portions extending along the longitudinal direction in a line in the height direction of the side edge 16b (16a) of the cover 14, as shown in Fig. 8.

[0033] [Variant 4] Furthermore, when multiple handle-shaped protrusions are arranged in a line in the height direction of the side edge 16a (16b) of the cover 14 as the opening / closing auxiliary means 18, the width of the end (in the example shown in Figure 9, the end located on the forward side in the direction of travel of the vehicle) may be narrowed to form a streamlined shape in a planar view, as shown in Figure 9, so that in addition to serving as the opening / closing auxiliary means 18, it is possible to have the effect of improving aerodynamic characteristics.

[0034] 10: Roof box, 12: Body, 12a: Opening edge, 12b: Folded portion, 14: Cover, 16a, 16b: Side edges, 18: Opening / closing assist means, 20: Edge.

Claims

1. A roof box that opens and closes by lifting one side of the cover relative to the body, wherein the cover is formed by resin molding using a mold, including vacuum forming, and the side is integrally formed with an opening / closing assisting means consisting of at least one of an undercut-shaped concave portion or a convex portion.

2. A roof box as described in claim 1, characterized in that the opening and closing assistance means is a handle consisting of at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion formed along the longitudinal direction of the side edge.

3. A roof box according to claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of said handles are provided along the height direction of said side edge.

4. A roof box as described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a plurality of the handles are provided along the longitudinal direction of the side edge.

5. A roof box as described in claim 1, characterized in that the opening / closing assisting means is an anti-slip surface formed by assembling at least one of a plurality of concave portions or convex portions.

6. A roof box as described in claim 5, characterized in that the anti-slip device is provided in multiple locations along the longitudinal direction of the side edge.

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