Adjustment mechanism for adjusting torque of torsion spring, torsion spring assembly, storage apparatus, and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the torque of a torsion spring, a torsion spring assembly, a storage apparatus, and a vehicle. The adjustment mechanism comprises: an axial element which comprises a shaft portion and a flange portion; an adjustment disc sleeved on the shaft portion, the adjustment disc comprising an engagement surface, wherein a first support leg of the torsion spring is capable of engaging with the engagement surface, the engagement surface comprises a plurality of engagement portions, and when the first support leg of the torsion spring engages with a different engagement portion, the angle of the first support leg relative to a second support leg is different; and an elastic thrust element which presses the adjustment disc against the flange portion of the axial element from a distal side of the adjustment disc. The axial element is provided with a limiting element, and the adjustment disc is provided with a mating limiting element. The limiting element and the mating limiting element are capable of engaging with each other under the action of an axial thrust force of the elastic thrust element, so as to prevent rotation of the adjustment disc. Moreover, the limiting element and the mating limiting element are capable of resisting the axial thrust force of the elastic thrust element under the action of an external force to disengage from each other, so as to allow rotation of the adjustment disc.

Description

Adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the torque of torsion springs, torsion spring assemblies, storage devices, and vehicles. Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the technical field of automotive interior components. More particularly, this disclosure relates to an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the torque of a torsion spring, a torsion spring assembly including the adjustment mechanism, a storage device including at least one torsion spring assembly, and a vehicle including at least one storage device. Background Technology

[0002] Some interior trim pieces or storage devices in a vehicle (such as armrest boxes, ticket boxes, cup holders, or other types of interior trim pieces or storage devices) require a torsion spring to open. In some cases, the torque of the torsion spring needs to be adjusted so that the torsion spring can open the interior trim piece or storage device in a predetermined manner (e.g., predetermined torque, predetermined speed, predetermined opening time, etc.).

[0003] Specifically, some vehicle armrest boxes include two opposing armrest components, each opened by its own torsion spring. Ideally, the two armrest components should open synchronously (i.e., within the same timeframe) using their respective torsion springs. However, many factors can affect the synchronicity of the opening of the two armrest components, including: manufacturing tolerances in the dimensions and / or torque of the torsion springs for the first and second armrest components; manufacturing tolerances in the dimensions and / or torque of the damping elements for the first and second armrest components; manufacturing tolerances in the dimensions, weight, and / or coaxiality of the two armrest components and their fittings; or other factors. Therefore, to achieve synchronicity in the opening of the two armrest components, it may be necessary to adjust the torque of the torsion spring of at least one of the armrest components.

[0004] Various adjustment mechanisms exist in the prior art for adjusting the torque of torsion springs. However, these mechanisms have some drawbacks. For example, some mechanisms are complex in structure, potentially requiring a large installation space, or have poor adjustment accuracy; some mechanisms include an adjustment disc fixed by fastening elements (such as screws), requiring the fastening elements to be removed to release the adjustment disc before adjustment, and then the fastening elements to be reused to fix the adjustment disc after adjustment. Therefore, these mechanisms involve many adjustment steps and are time-consuming, preventing real-time direct adjustment; some mechanisms are also encapsulated inside, for example, an armrest box, requiring the corresponding encapsulation inside the armrest box to be removed before adjustment, further increasing the difficulty and time required for adjustment.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to improve the existing adjustment mechanism used to adjust the torque of torsion springs.

[0006] It should be noted that the subject matter claimed herein is not limited to the fields described above, not limited to merely addressing any of the shortcomings mentioned above, and not limited to embodiments used or operated only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is provided merely to illustrate an exemplary technical field in which some of the embodiments described herein can be practiced. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In a first aspect of this disclosure, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the torque of a torsion spring is provided. The torsion spring includes a first leg and a second leg. The adjusting mechanism includes: a fixedly disposed shaft element, the shaft element including a shaft portion and a flange portion extending radially outward from a proximal end of the shaft portion, the flange portion including a proximal flange surface and a distal flange surface opposing each other; an adjusting disk sleeved on the shaft portion of the shaft element and rotatable coaxially about the shaft portion of the shaft element, the adjusting disk including a proximal disk surface and a distal disk surface opposing each other, and an overlapping surface located between the proximal disk surface and the distal disk surface, the first leg of the torsion spring being rotatable on the overlapping surface, wherein the overlapping surface includes a plurality of overlapping portions, each of the plurality of overlapping portions having a different radial distance from the center of the adjusting disk than the other overlapping portions of the plurality of overlapping portions to the center of the adjusting disk, such that when the first leg of the torsion spring rotats on different overlapping portions of the overlapping surface, the torque of the torsion spring is adjusted accordingly. The first leg has a different angle relative to the second leg; and an elastic thrust element configured to apply an axial thrust toward the proximal side of the adjusting disk from the distal side to the adjusting disk to abut the adjusting disk against the flange portion of the shaft element; wherein, a plurality of limiting elements are provided on the distal flange surface of the flange portion of the shaft element, and a plurality of mating limiting elements are provided on the proximal disk surface of the adjusting disk; when the adjusting mechanism adjusts the torque of the torsion spring to the desired torque, the plurality of limiting elements and the plurality of mating limiting elements can engage under the axial thrust of the elastic thrust element to prevent the adjusting disk from rotating around the shaft portion of the shaft element, and the plurality of limiting elements and the plurality of mating limiting elements can disengage under the axial thrust of the elastic thrust element to allow the adjusting disk to rotate around the shaft portion of the shaft element.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the limiting element is configured as one of a protrusion and a recess capable of receiving the protrusion, the mating limiting element is configured as the other of the protrusion and the recess, and the protrusion and the recess have substantially matching shapes.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the protrusion includes a first inclined portion with a smaller tilt angle and a second inclined portion with a larger tilt angle, such that when the adjustment disk is rotated in a first rotation direction, the protrusion can slide out of the recess along the first inclined portion and disengage from the recess, while when the adjustment disk is rotated in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, the protrusion cannot slide out of the recess.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the protrusion includes a first inclined portion and a second inclined portion that are mirror images of each other.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the protrusion is hemispherical, cylindrical, or tooth-shaped.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the proximal side of the adjustment disc includes a plurality of lugs spaced apart from each other and extending radially outward.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, a mark is provided on the proximal surface of each lug for indicating the magnitude of the torque of the torsion spring.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the shaft portion of the shaft element is cylindrical, such that the shaft portion can be fitted onto a fixed post, and wherein the adjusting mechanism includes a fastening element that secures the shaft element to the fixed post from the proximal end of the shaft element.

[0015] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the outer surface of the fixing post includes at least one rib and the cylindrical shaft portion of the shaft element includes at least one slot for receiving the at least one rib.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the inner surface of the cylindrical shaft portion of the shaft element includes at least one radially inwardly extending protrusion, and the outer surface of the fixing post includes at least one recess for receiving the at least one protrusion.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic thrust element is selected from an axially extendable helical spring or an axially extendable sheet.

[0018] In a second aspect of this disclosure, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the torque of a torsion spring is provided. The torsion spring includes a first leg and a second leg. The adjusting mechanism includes: a fixedly disposed shaft element, the shaft element including a shaft portion and a flange portion extending radially outward from a distal end of the shaft portion, the flange portion including proximal flange surfaces and a distal flange surface opposing each other; an adjusting disk sleeved on the shaft portion of the shaft element and rotatable coaxially about the shaft portion of the shaft element, the adjusting disk including proximal disk surfaces and a distal disk surface opposing each other, and an overlapping surface located between the proximal disk surface and the distal disk surface, the first leg of the torsion spring being capable of overlapping the overlapping surface, wherein the overlapping surface includes a plurality of overlapping portions, the radial distance from each of the plurality of overlapping portions to the center of the adjusting disk being equal to the radial distance from the other overlapping portions to the center of the adjusting disk. The radial distances of the centers are different, such that when the first leg of the torsion spring overlaps different portions of the overlapping surface, the angle of the first leg relative to the second leg is different; and a fastening element configured to fasten the adjusting disc to the shaft portion of the shaft element from the proximal side of the adjusting disc; wherein the adjusting disc further includes a sleeve portion extending distally from the distal disc surface, the sleeve portion being provided with a plurality of radially outwardly extending ribs, and the proximal flange surface of the flange portion of the shaft element being provided with a plurality of grooves for receiving the plurality of ribs, wherein when the adjusting mechanism adjusts the torque of the torsion spring to the desired torque, the plurality of ribs are received in the plurality of grooves to prevent the adjusting disc from rotating about the shaft portion of the shaft element.

[0019] In a third aspect of this disclosure, a torsion spring assembly is provided, comprising: a torsion spring including a first leg and a second leg; and an adjustment mechanism according to this disclosure; wherein the first leg of the torsion spring is configured to overlap the overlapping surface of an adjustment disc of the adjustment mechanism, and the second leg of the torsion spring is configured to press against a driven member.

[0020] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a storage device is provided, comprising: a container having an opening for taking in or removing an object; at least one cover for covering the opening, wherein the container or the at least one cover is configured to move between a closed position in which the opening of the container is covered and an open position in which the opening of the container is open; and at least one torsion spring assembly according to this disclosure, wherein the torsion spring assembly is configured to drive the container or the at least one cover to the open position.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the storage device is configured as at least one of an armrest box, a ticket box, a cup holder, and a drawer.

[0022] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the storage device further includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the container and the at least one cover relative to each other in the closed position and the locking mechanism can be unlocked. After the locking mechanism is unlocked, the torsion spring assembly can drive the container or the at least one cover to the open position.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the storage device is configured as an armrest box, the armrest box including a generally rectangular container and a first cover and a second cover disposed above the opening of the container and facing each other left and right, wherein the storage device includes two torsion spring assemblies disposed at the ends of the armrest box and respectively used to drive the first cover and the second cover.

[0024] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the storage device further includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the first cover and the second cover relative to the container in the closed position and the locking mechanism can be unlocked. After the locking mechanism is unlocked, the two torsion spring assemblies can drive the first cover and the second cover to the open position, respectively.

[0025] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the armrest box includes a side opening that allows access to the adjustment disc of the adjustment mechanism of each torsion spring assembly through the side opening without disassembling the armrest box, so as to adjust the torque of the torsion spring of each torsion spring assembly.

[0026] In a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes at least one storage device according to this disclosure.

[0027] It should be noted that aspects of this disclosure described with respect to one embodiment or clause may be included in other different embodiments or clauses, although no specific description is given of said other different embodiments or clauses. In other words, all embodiments or clauses and / or features of any embodiment or clause may be combined in any manner and / or combination, as long as they do not contradict each other. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Several aspects of this disclosure will be better understood after reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which includes an armrest box;

[0030] Figure 2a is a perspective view of an armrest box according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the two armrest components of the armrest box are in the closed position;

[0031] Figure 2b is a perspective view of the armrest box of Figure 2a, in which the two armrest components of the armrest box are in the open position;

[0032] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a torsion spring assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which includes a torsion spring and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the torque of the torsion spring.

[0033] Figure 4 is an exploded view of an adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 5a is a partial perspective view of a torsion spring assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when mounted on the end of an armrest box;

[0035] Figure 5b is a partial top view of the torsion spring assembly of Figure 5a;

[0036] Figure 5c is a partial front view of the torsion spring assembly of Figure 5a;

[0037] Figure 5d is a sectional view taken along line A5-A5 shown in Figure 5b;

[0038] Figure 5e is a sectional view taken along line B5-B5 shown in Figure 5b;

[0039] Figure 5f is a sectional view taken along line C5-C5 shown in Figure 5c;

[0040] Figure 6a is a perspective view of the shaft element of an adjusting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 6b is a perspective view of the shaft element in Figure 6a from another angle;

[0042] Figure 6c is a front view of the shaft element in Figure 6a;

[0043] Figure 7a is a partial top view of the shaft element of the adjusting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when it is mounted on a support element;

[0044] Figure 7b is a sectional view taken along line A7-A7 shown in Figure 7a;

[0045] Figure 8a is a perspective view of the adjustment disc of an adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] Figure 8b is a front view of the adjustment dial in Figure 8a;

[0047] Figure 8c is a top view of the adjustment dial in Figure 8a;

[0048] Figure 8d is a sectional view taken along line A8-A8 shown in Figure 8c;

[0049] Figure 9a is a partial front view of a torsion spring assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when its torsion spring is in a first state;

[0050] Figure 9b is a partial cross-sectional view of the torsion spring assembly of Figure 9a, showing the first leg of the torsion spring overlapping the first overlapping portion of the overlapping surface of the adjusting disc.

[0051] Figure 10a is a partial front view of a torsion spring assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when its torsion spring is in a second state;

[0052] Figure 10b is a partial cross-sectional view of the torsion spring assembly of Figure 10a, showing the first leg of the torsion spring overlapping the second overlapping portion of the overlapping surface of the adjustment disc.

[0053] Figure 11a is a cross-sectional view of the adjustment mechanism according to the present disclosure, showing one of the transition positions of the adjustment disc of the adjustment mechanism during adjustment from the first state shown in Figure 9a to the second state shown in Figure 10a.

[0054] Figure 11b is a cross-sectional view of the adjustment mechanism according to the present disclosure, showing the position of the adjustment disc of the adjustment mechanism when it is adjusted to the second state shown in Figure 10a;

[0055] Figure 12 schematically shows the change in the angle of the first leg of the torsion spring after it is adjusted from the first state shown in Figure 9a to the second state shown in Figure 10a;

[0056] Figures 13 and 14 schematically illustrate, from different angles, the operation of adjusting the torque of the torsion spring using an adjusting tool when the torsion spring assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed at the end of the armrest box;

[0057] Figures 15a to 15c respectively illustrate a limiting element of a shaft element, a cooperating limiting element of an adjusting disc, and the cooperation between them according to a different embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0058] Figures 16a to 16c respectively illustrate the limiting element of the shaft element, the cooperating limiting element of the adjusting disc, and the cooperation between them according to another different embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] Figures 17a to 17c respectively illustrate a limiting element of a shaft element, a cooperating limiting element of an adjusting disc, and the cooperation between them according to yet another different embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0060] Figures 18a to 18c respectively illustrate a limiting element of a shaft element, a cooperating limiting element of an adjusting disc, and the cooperation therebetween, according to yet another different embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0061] Figure 19a is a perspective view of an adjustment mechanism according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0062] Figure 19b is a top view of the adjustment mechanism in Figure 19a;

[0063] Figure 19c is a sectional view taken along line A19-A19 shown in Figure 19b;

[0064] Figure 19d is a sectional view taken along line B19-B19 shown in Figure 19b;

[0065] Figure 20 is a perspective view of a ticket box equipped with a torsion spring assembly according to the present disclosure;

[0066] Figure 21 is a perspective view of a flip-up cup holder with a torsion spring assembly according to the present disclosure installed;

[0067] Figure 22 is a perspective view of another flip-type cup holder equipped with a torsion spring assembly according to this disclosure; and

[0068] Figure 23 is a perspective view of a drawer equipped with a torsion spring assembly according to the present disclosure.

[0069] It should be understood that the same reference numerals denote the same elements in all the accompanying drawings. For clarity, the dimensions of some features may be altered and they may not be drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0070] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide further additional embodiments.

[0071] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. All terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or structures may not be described in detail.

[0072] Unless otherwise specified, the singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “containing” used in this specification indicate the presence of the claimed feature but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term “and / or” used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0073] When a component is described in the specification as being "on", "attached" to, "connected" to, "joined" to, or "in contact" with another component, the component may be directly located on, attached to, connected to, joined to, or in contact with the other component, or there may be an intermediate component present.

[0074] In this specification, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for ease of explanation only and are not intended to be limiting. Any technical feature represented by "first," "second," "third," etc., is interchangeable.

[0075] In the specification, spatial relation terms such as "above," "below," "front," "back," "top," and "bottom" describe the relationship between one feature and another in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that spatial relation terms include not only the orientation shown in the drawings but also the different orientations of the device during use or operation. For example, when the device in the drawings is inverted, a feature previously described as "below" other features can now be described as "above" other features. The device can also be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), in which case the relative spatial relationships will be interpreted accordingly.

[0076] In the specification, the term "proximal" is used to refer to the side of the adjusting mechanism and its components that is closer to the operator when the adjusting mechanism according to the present disclosure is facing the operator, while the term "distal" is used to refer to the side opposite to "proximal" (i.e., the side further away from the operator).

[0077] Referring to FIG1, a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The vehicle 1 is provided with one or more interior trim pieces or storage devices, such as the armrest box 2 next to the front seat of the vehicle shown in FIG1, or other storage devices (ticket box, cup holder, drawer glove box, etc.).

[0078] As shown in Figures 2a and 2b, in some embodiments, the armrest box 2 may include a container 20 for storing objects. The container 20 has an opening for easy access to objects. The container 20 may be substantially rectangular. The armrest box 2 may include a first armrest component 21 and a second armrest component 22 disposed above the opening of the container 20 and facing each other horizontally. In addition to other functions (such as resting and supporting the arm of the driver or passenger), the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 also together cover the opening of the container 20. Therefore, the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 may also be referred to as the "first cover" and the "second cover," respectively.

[0079] The first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 are movable between a closed position where the opening of the container 20 is covered (as shown in FIG. 2a) and an open position where the opening of the container 20 is open (as shown in FIG. 2b). In some embodiments, the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 can pivot between the closed position and the open position by pivoting about a first pivot and a second pivot respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the armrest box 2.

[0080] The armrest box 2 may include a locking mechanism 23. The locking mechanism 23 can lock the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 relative to the container 20 in the closed position, thereby locking the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 in the closed position. The locking mechanism 23 can be unlocked. When the locking mechanism is unlocked, the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 can move from the closed position to the open position. The locking mechanism 23 can be any suitable locking mechanism, which will not be described in detail herein.

[0081] The movement of the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 from the closed position to the open position can be achieved by two torsion springs 24. The two torsion springs 24 can be respectively fitted onto two supports 28 located at different positions, and are used to drive the first armrest component 21 and the second armrest component 22 to pivot about their respective pivots to move to the open position. When installed on the armrest box 2, the two torsion springs 24 are preset with a predetermined torque. Each torsion spring 24 may include a first leg 241 and a second leg 242. After the torque of the torsion spring 24 is set, the first leg 241 of the torsion spring can be set to be fixed, while the second leg 242 of the torsion spring can press against the first armrest component 21 or the second armrest component 22 to drive the first armrest component 21 or the second armrest component 22 to pivot.

[0082] As mentioned earlier, for an armrest box 2 containing two armrest components, it is desirable that these two armrest components open synchronously by their respective torsion springs. However, due to the various factors mentioned above, when two torsion springs 24 with predetermined torques are installed on the armrest box 2, they may open the two armrest components asynchronously. Therefore, it may be necessary to adjust the torque of at least one of the two torsion springs 24 to achieve synchronous opening of the two armrest components.

[0083] The torque of each torsion spring 24 can be achieved by an adjustment mechanism according to the present disclosure. Each torsion spring and its corresponding adjustment mechanism can constitute a torsion spring assembly according to the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3. The torsion spring assembly can be installed at the end of the armrest box 2, as shown in FIG2a and FIG2b, so that adjustment can be easily performed without disassembling the armrest box 2.

[0084] Referring to Figures 4 to 14, an adjustment mechanism 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will first be described.

[0085] The adjustment mechanism 30 may include a shaft element 31, an adjustment disk 32, and an elastic thrust element 33.

[0086] As shown more clearly in Figures 4, 6a, and 6b, the shaft element 31 may include a shaft portion 311 and a flange portion 312 extending radially outward from the proximal end of the shaft portion 311. The flange portion 312 may include a proximal flange surface 313 and a distal flange surface 314 opposite to each other.

[0087] In use (e.g., when installed on the armrest box 2, as shown in Figures 5a to 5f), the shaft element 31 can be positioned stationary. In some embodiments, the shaft element 31 can be secured to a support element of the armrest box 2 using a fastening element 34. For this purpose, as shown more clearly in Figure 6b, the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 can be configured as a cylinder. The support element of the armrest box 2 may include a retaining post 25, on which the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 can be fitted (as shown in Figures 5e and 7b). The fastening element 34 can engage the retaining post 25 from the proximal end of the shaft element 31 (i.e., from the proximal side of the flange portion 312 of the shaft element 31), thereby securing the shaft element 31 to the retaining post 25 (as shown in Figure 5e). The fastening element can be configured as a screw. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. The fastening element can also be a pin, a snap-fit ​​element, a rivet, or other type of fastening element.

[0088] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6b, 7a, and 7b, when the fastening element is configured as a screw, the outer surface of the retaining post 25 may include at least one rib 251 (shown as three ribs 251 in Figure 7b) to prevent possible rotation of the shaft element 31; correspondingly, the cylindrical shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 may include at least one slot 316 (shown as three slots 316 in Figures 6b and 7b) for receiving the at least one rib 251. The cooperation of the rib 251 and the slot 316 advantageously prevents rotation of the shaft element 31. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the inner surface of the cylindrical shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 may include at least one radially inwardly extending protrusion (e.g., a protruding post, a protruding hemisphere, a protruding rib, etc.), while the outer surface of the fixing post 25 may include at least one recess (e.g., a groove) for receiving the at least one protrusion, thereby advantageously preventing rotation of the shaft element 31 by the cooperation of the protrusion of the shaft element 31 and the recess of the fixing post 25.

[0089] In other embodiments, the shaft element 31 may also have different fixing methods. For example, the distal portion of the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 may be provided with a threaded section, which can be used to directly screw the shaft element 31 into the support element of the armrest box 2. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to use the fastening element 34 to fasten the shaft element 31.

[0090] As shown more clearly in Figures 4, 8a to 8d, the adjusting disc 32 may include a proximal disc surface 321 and a distal disc surface 322 opposite to each other, and an overlapping surface 324 located between the proximal disc surface 321 and the distal disc surface 322. The first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 may overlap the overlapping surface 324 (see Figures 9b and 10b). The overlapping surface 324 may include multiple overlapping portions (shown as six overlapping portions 324-1 to 324-6 in Figure 8d). The radial distance from each of the multiple overlapping portions to the center O of the adjusting disc 32 is different from the radial distance from the other overlapping portions to the center O of the adjusting disc 32, such that when the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 overlaps the different overlapping portions of the overlapping surface 324, the angle of the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 relative to the second leg 242 is different (see Figure 12), thereby adjusting the torque of the torsion spring 24.

[0091] The adjusting disc 32 may include a central hole 325. In use, the adjusting disc 32 can be coaxially fitted onto the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 and is configured to rotate coaxially around the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31. The rotation of the adjusting disc 32 causes the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 to engage with different overlapping portions of the overlapping surface 324 of the adjusting disc 32 (see Figures 9b and 10b), thereby changing or adjusting the torsion of the torsion spring 24. Compared with some prior art adjusting discs that utilize the principle of eccentric wheels, the arrangement of the adjusting disc 32 rotating coaxially around the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 according to this disclosure not only allows the adjusting mechanism according to this disclosure to have a smaller volume and therefore a smaller footprint, but also allows the adjusting mechanism according to this disclosure to have higher adjustment accuracy (the coaxially arranged adjusting disc 32 and shaft element 31 are easier to process and assemble, resulting in smaller processing and assembly errors).

[0092] After the adjusting disc 32 adjusts the torque of the torsion spring 24 to the desired torque by rotation, it is desirable to hold the adjusting disc 32 in the position corresponding to the desired torque and prevent further rotation. To this end, the distal flange surface 314 of the flange portion 312 of the shaft element 31 can be provided with multiple limiting elements 315 (as shown in Figures 6b and 6c); correspondingly, the proximal disc surface 321 of the adjusting disc 32 can be provided with multiple engaging limiting elements 326 that cooperate with the multiple limiting elements 315 (as shown in Figures 8a and 8b). After the adjusting disc 32 adjusts the torque of the torsion spring 24 to the desired torque by rotation, the multiple limiting elements 315 can engage with the multiple engaging limiting elements 326 (as shown in Figures 5d and 5f) to prevent the adjusting disc 32 from rotating further around the shaft portion 312 of the shaft element 31, thereby holding the adjusting disc 32 in the position corresponding to the desired torque. When further adjustment is required, the plurality of limiting elements 315 and the plurality of cooperating limiting elements 326 can be disengaged under the action of external force to allow the adjusting disk 32 to be rotated further.

[0093] In embodiments according to this disclosure, engagement of the plurality of limiting elements 315 with the plurality of mating limiting elements 326 can be automatically achieved by an elastic thrust element 33. The elastic thrust element 33 is configured to apply an axial thrust toward the proximal side of the adjusting disk 32 from the distal side of the adjusting disk 32 to abut the adjusting disk 32 against the flange portion 312 of the shaft element 31, and more specifically, against the distal flange surface 314 of the flange portion 312 of the shaft element 31. Thus, when the adjusting disc 32 of the adjusting mechanism adjusts the torque of the torsion spring 24 to the desired torque, the plurality of limiting elements 315 and the plurality of cooperating limiting elements 326 can engage under the axial thrust of the elastic thrust element 33 to prevent the adjusting disc 32 from rotating further around the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31. Furthermore, the plurality of limiting elements 315 and the plurality of cooperating limiting elements 326 can disengage under the action of external force against the axial thrust of the elastic thrust element 33, thereby allowing the adjusting disc 32 to rotate around the shaft portion 311 of the shaft element 31 to perform the next adjustment.

[0094] In the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 14, the elastic thrust element 33 is configured as an axially extendable helical spring. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. The elastic thrust element 33 may also have different configurations; for example, it may be configured as an axially extendable sheet.

[0095] In embodiments according to this disclosure, the number and position of the plurality of limiting elements 315 and the plurality of mating limiting elements 326 can correspond to the number and position of the plurality of overlapping portions of the overlapping surface 324, thereby dividing the adjusting disc 32 of the adjusting mechanism 30 into a plurality of adjusting positions (in the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 12, the adjusting disc 32 has 6 adjusting positions; of course, the adjusting disc 32 can also have other numbers of adjusting positions, such as 4, 5, 8 or more). With the aid of the elastic thrust element 33, when the adjusting disc 32 rotates to an adjusting position, the plurality of limiting elements 315 automatically engage and limit the position with the plurality of mating limiting elements 326, thereby simplifying the operation (for example, it does not require fixing the adjusting disc with screws as in the prior art to implement the limiting). Furthermore, when it is necessary to rotate the adjustment disc 32 to the next position, or when it is necessary to rotate the adjustment disc 32 again after a period of time for adjustment, an external force can be applied directly to the adjustment disc 32 to disengage the plurality of limiting elements 315 from the plurality of cooperating limiting elements 326, thereby allowing the adjustment disc 32 to be rotated (unlike in the prior art, it is not necessary to first unscrew the screws to release the adjustment disc before it can be rotated). Therefore, compared with the prior art, the adjustment mechanism of this disclosure achieves easier adjustment.

[0096] In the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 14, the plurality of limiting elements 315 of the shaft element 31 are configured as protrusions, and the plurality of mating limiting elements 326 of the adjusting disk 32 are configured as a plurality of recesses capable of receiving the protrusions. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto; the plurality of mating limiting elements 326 of the adjusting disk 32 may also be configured as protrusions, and the plurality of limiting elements 315 of the shaft element 31 may be configured as a plurality of recesses capable of receiving the protrusions.

[0097] In the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 14, the protrusion may include a first inclined portion 3151 with a smaller tilt angle and a second inclined portion 3152 with a larger tilt angle, such that the protrusion has an asymmetrical structure (see Figure 5f). The recess may have a shape that substantially matches the protrusion (see Figure 5f). Such a protrusion allows the protrusion to slide out of the recess along the first inclined portion 3151 (as shown in Figure 11a) and disengage from the recess when the adjustment disk 32 is rotated in a first rotational direction (e.g., clockwise), while when the adjustment disk 32 is rotated in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the protrusion cannot slide out of the recess due to the obstruction of the second inclined portion 3152.

[0098] This asymmetrical structure of the protrusion is advantageous. For example, as shown in Figures 5a and 5c, in some cases, when the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 is tilted and overlapped on the overlapping surface 324, the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 may apply a torque to the adjusting disc 32, causing it to tend to rotate in a rotational direction (e.g., counterclockwise). The second inclined portion 3152, with a larger tilt angle, can prevent the adjusting disc 32 from accidentally rotating back to its previous position along this rotational direction.

[0099] Furthermore, due to the presence of the first inclined portion 3151 with a small tilt angle, when it is necessary to disengage the protrusion and the recess to rotate the adjusting disk 32, an external force or torque that rotates the adjusting disk 32 can be directly applied to the adjusting disk 32. A component of this external force or torque can cause the protrusion to slide out of the recess along the first inclined portion 3151 and disengage from the recess. If the first inclined portion 3151 were not present, before rotating the adjusting disk 32, a first external force perpendicular to the proximal surface of the adjusting disk 32 must first be applied to push the adjusting disk 32 distally to cause the protrusion to slide out of the recess, and then a second external force or torque must be applied to rotate the adjusting disk 32. However, such an operation is not only complex but also difficult to implement in some cases. Therefore, providing the first inclined portion 3151 with a small tilt angle is particularly advantageous when the adjustment space is limited. For example, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, in some cases, when the adjustment mechanism 30 according to this disclosure is installed in the armrest box 2, the adjustment disc 32 of the adjustment mechanism 30 may only be exposed in a very small side opening 26 of the armrest box 2. The side opening 26 only allows a force to be applied to the adjustment disc 32 from the side with a finger or tool 27 to rotate the adjustment disc 32. Therefore, the presence of the first inclined portion 3151 with a small tilt angle makes it possible to rotate the adjustment disc 32 directly through the side opening 26 without disassembling the armrest box 2.

[0100] In some embodiments, as shown more clearly in Figures 8a and 8b, the proximal side of the adjustment disc 32 may include a plurality of lugs 327 spaced apart from each other and extending radially outward. The adjustment disc 32 can be rotated by pressing or pushing the lugs 327 with a finger or tool (as shown in Figures 13 and 14), further facilitating the rotational operation of the adjustment disc 32. In some embodiments, a mark 328 may be provided on the proximal surface of each lug 327 to indicate the torque magnitude of the torsion spring 24. The mark 328 can visually indicate to the operator which torque setting the torsion spring 24 is at.

[0101] Figures 9a to 11b illustrate the process of adjusting the torque of the torsion spring 24 using the adjusting mechanism 30 according to the present disclosure. In Figures 9a and 9b, the torsion spring 24 is in a first state (or the first position of the adjusting disc 32) and the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 is engaged with one of the engagement portions of the engagement surface 324 of the adjusting disc 32. An external force or torque is applied to the adjusting disc 32 with a finger or tool to rotate the adjusting disc 32. During the rotation of the adjusting disc 32, as shown in Figure 11a, the external force or torque generates a distal thrust by means of the first inclined portion 3151 of the protrusion of the shaft element 31. This distal thrust resists the proximal axial thrust applied by the elastic thrust element 33, causing the adjusting disc 32 to move axially distally while rotating, thereby causing the protrusion of the shaft element 31 to slide out of the recess of the adjusting disc 32 along the first inclined portion 3151. When the adjustment disc 32 is rotated to the second state or its second position (as shown in Figure 10a), the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 engages with another different engagement portion of the engagement surface 324 of the adjustment disc 32 (as shown in Figure 10b), and the protrusion of the shaft element 31 re-engages with the recess of the adjustment disc 32 under the action of the elastic thrust element 33 (as shown in Figure 11b). When the adjustment disc 32 is rotated from the first state to the second state, as shown in Figure 12, the position of the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 in the first state is different from the position described in the second state, resulting in a change of angle d. This change of angle d causes a change in the torque of the torsion spring 24. The adjustment disc 32 can be rotated further to other states or other positions until the torsion spring 24 is adjusted to the desired torque.

[0102] Figures 15a to 18c illustrate other embodiments of the limiting element 315 of the shaft element 31 and the mating limiting element 326 of the adjusting disk 32 according to the present disclosure. In these embodiments, the limiting element 315 is still selected from one of a protrusion and a recess that can receive the protrusion, while the mating limiting element 326 is selected from one of a protrusion and a recess that can receive the protrusion. Unlike the previous embodiments, in the embodiments shown in Figures 15a to 15c, the protrusion is configured to include a first inclined portion and a second inclined portion having substantially the same small tilt angle. The first inclined portion and the second inclined portion are mirror images of each other (i.e., symmetrically arranged). The recess has a shape that substantially matches the protrusion. Similar to the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 14, in this embodiment, only an external force or torque is needed to rotate the adjusting disk 32 to allow the protrusion to slide out of the recess and disengage from it. Unlike the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 14, in this embodiment, the protrusion can slide out of the recess and disengage from it regardless of whether the adjusting disk 32 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. In this embodiment, to prevent accidental rotation of the adjusting disk 32, the roughness of the contact surfaces of the protrusion and the recess can be increased to increase the force required for the protrusion to slide out of the recess.

[0103] In the embodiments shown in Figures 16a to 16c, the protrusion is configured as a hemispherical shape. The recess has a shape that substantially matches the protrusion. Similarly, in this embodiment, only an external force or torque is needed to rotate the adjusting disk 32 to allow the protrusion to slide out of the recess and disengage from it; and in this embodiment, the protrusion can slide out of the recess and disengage from it regardless of whether the adjusting disk 32 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. In this embodiment, to prevent accidental rotation of the adjusting disk 32, the force required to allow the protrusion to slide out of the recess can be increased by means such as increasing the roughness of the contact surfaces of the protrusion and the recess.

[0104] In the embodiments shown in Figures 17a and 17c, the protrusions are configured in a toothed shape. The toothed protrusions can extend radially along the circumference. The recesses have a shape that substantially matches the protrusions. Compared to the protrusion shapes shown previously, the toothed protrusions are more elongated, thus allowing for a greater number of toothed protrusions to be provided within the same radius. This enables the adjustment mechanism to perform more precise adjustments. However, in this embodiment, directly applying an external force or torque to rotate the adjustment disc 32 is insufficient to cause the toothed protrusions to slide out of the recesses. Therefore, it is necessary to first apply a first external force perpendicular to the proximal surface of the adjustment disc 32 to push the adjustment disc 32 distally to cause the protrusions to slide out of the recesses, and then apply a second external force or torque to rotate the adjustment disc 32.

[0105] In the embodiments shown in Figures 18a to 18c, the protrusion is configured as a column (e.g., a cylinder, a square prism, a pentagonal prism, etc.). The recess has a shape that substantially matches the protrusion. In this embodiment, the recess can be configured as a cutout capable of accommodating the columnar protrusion. Similarly, in this embodiment, it is difficult to make the columnar protrusion slide out of the recess by directly applying an external force or torque to rotate the adjusting disk 32. Therefore, it is necessary to first apply a first external force perpendicular to the proximal disk surface of the adjusting disk 32 to push the adjusting disk 32 distally to make the protrusion slide out of the recess, and then apply a second external force or torque to rotate the adjusting disk 32.

[0106] Figures 19a and 19d illustrate an adjustment mechanism 40 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The adjustment mechanism 40 may include a fixedly disposed shaft element 41 and an adjustment disc 42 sleeved on the shaft element 41 and capable of coaxial rotation about the shaft element 41. Unlike the shaft element 31, the shaft element 41 may include a shaft portion 411 and a flange portion 412 extending radially outward from the distal end of the shaft portion 411. The flange portion 412 may include a proximal flange portion 413 and a distal flange portion 414 opposite to each other. The shaft element 31 may be fixed to a support element of a storage device (e.g., armrest box 2) via the flange portion 412. In some embodiments, the shaft element 41 may even be integrally formed on the storage device with the flange portion 412 facing the storage device.

[0107] The adjusting disc 42 can be fitted onto the shaft portion 411 of the shaft element 41 and can rotate coaxially about the shaft portion 411. The adjusting disc 42 may include a proximal disc surface 421 and a distal disc surface 422 opposite to each other, and an overlapping surface 423 located between the proximal disc surface 421 and the distal disc surface 422. The first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 can overlap the overlapping surface 423. Similar to the previous embodiment, the overlapping surface 423 may include a plurality of overlapping portions, each of which has a different radial distance from the center of the adjusting disc 42 than the other overlapping portions, such that when the first leg 241 of the torsion spring 24 overlaps the different overlapping portions of the overlapping surface 423, the angle of the first leg 241 relative to the second leg 242 is different, thereby adjusting the torque of the torsion spring 24.

[0108] Unlike the adjusting disc 32, the adjusting disc 42 also includes a sleeve portion 424 extending distally from the distal disc surface 422. The sleeve portion 424 may be provided with a plurality of radially outwardly extending ribs 425. Correspondingly, the proximal flange surface 413 of the flange portion 412 of the shaft element 41 is provided with a plurality of grooves 414 for receiving the plurality of ribs 425. When the adjusting mechanism 40 adjusts the torque of the torsion spring 24 to the desired torque, the plurality of ribs 425 are received in the plurality of grooves 414 to prevent the adjusting disc 42 from rotating about the shaft portion 411 of the shaft element 41.

[0109] In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 40 further includes a fastening element 43. The fastening element 43 is configured to fasten the adjustment disc 42 to the shaft portion 411 of the shaft element 41 from the proximal side of the adjustment disc 42. In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 40 does not include a resilient thrust element. The adjustment mechanism 40 of this embodiment can have a more compact structure and occupy a small volume, and is therefore particularly suitable for devices with limited installation space.

[0110] Figures 20 to 23 illustrate the application of the adjustment mechanism according to this disclosure, or a torsion spring assembly including the adjustment mechanism, in other storage devices.

[0111] Figure 20 illustrates a ticket holder 50. The ticket holder 50 includes a container 51 for holding tickets, the container 51 having an opening 52 for retrieving and placing tickets. The ticket holder 50 also includes a cover 53 for covering the opening 52. The container 51 or the cover 53 is configured to move between a closed position where the opening of the container is covered and an open position where the opening of the container is open. The ticket holder 50 includes at least one torsion spring assembly comprising an adjustment mechanism 30 or 40 according to the present disclosure for driving the container 51 or the cover 53 to the open position. The ticket holder 50 may also include a locking mechanism configured to lock the container 51 and the cover 53 relative to each other in the closed position, and the locking mechanism can be unlocked, after which the torsion spring assembly can drive the container 51 or the cover 53 to the open position.

[0112] Figure 21 shows a flip-up cup holder 60, Figure 22 shows another flip-up cup holder 70 (push-push flip-up cup holder), and Figure 23 shows a drawer or drawer-type storage device 80, all of which are equipped with a torsion spring assembly including an adjustment mechanism 30 or 40 according to the present disclosure. These cup holders and drawers include some common features similar to the ticket box 50 shown in Figure 20. For example, these cup holders and drawers all include: a container having an opening for taking out or placing an object; at least one cover for covering the opening, wherein the container or the at least one cover is configured to move between a closed position in which the opening of the container is covered and an open position in which the opening of the container is open; and a torsion spring assembly according to the present disclosure, wherein the torsion spring assembly is configured to drive the container or the at least one cover to the open position. In some embodiments, these cup holders and drawers further include a locking mechanism configured to lock the container and the at least one cover relative to each other in the closed position, and the locking mechanism can be unlocked, wherein, after the locking mechanism is unlocked, the torsion spring assembly can drive the container or the at least one cover to the open position; and so on. For the sake of simplicity, these cup holders and drawers will not be described in detail.

[0113] Exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. All changes and modifications are included within the scope of protection of this disclosure as defined by the claims. This disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and equivalents of those claims are also included.

Claims

1. An adjusting mechanism for adjusting the torque of a torsion spring, the torsion spring comprising a first leg and a second leg, the adjusting mechanism comprising: A fixedly mounted shaft element, the shaft element comprising a shaft portion and a flange portion extending radially outward from a proximal end of the shaft portion, the flange portion comprising a proximal flange surface and a distal flange surface opposing each other; An adjusting disc, fitted onto the shaft portion of the shaft element and capable of coaxial rotation about the shaft portion, includes a proximal disc surface and a distal disc surface opposite to each other, and an overlapping surface located between the proximal and distal disc surfaces. A first leg of the torsion spring is capable of overlapping the overlapping surface, wherein the overlapping surface includes a plurality of overlapping portions, each of the plurality of overlapping portions having a different radial distance from the center of the adjusting disc than the other overlapping portions, such that when the first leg of the torsion spring overlaps different overlapping portions of the overlapping surface, the angle of the first leg relative to the second leg is different; and An elastic thrust element is configured to apply an axial thrust toward the proximal side of the adjusting disk from the distal side to the adjusting disk, so as to abut the adjusting disk against the flange portion of the shaft element. The distal flange surface of the flange portion of the shaft element is provided with a plurality of limiting elements, and the proximal disc surface of the adjusting disc is provided with a plurality of mating limiting elements. When the adjusting mechanism adjusts the torque of the torsion spring to the desired torque, the plurality of limiting elements and the plurality of mating limiting elements can engage under the axial thrust of the elastic thrust element to prevent the adjusting disc from rotating around the shaft portion of the shaft element. Furthermore, the plurality of limiting elements and the plurality of mating limiting elements can disengage under the action of external force against the axial thrust of the elastic thrust element, thereby allowing the adjusting disc to rotate around the shaft portion of the shaft element.

2. The adjustment mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The limiting element is configured as one of a protrusion and a recess that can receive the protrusion, the mating limiting element is configured as the other of the protrusion and the recess, and the protrusion and the recess have substantially matching shapes.

3. The adjustment mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The protrusion includes a first inclined portion with a small tilt angle and a second inclined portion with a large tilt angle, such that when the adjustment disk is rotated in a first rotation direction, the protrusion can slide out of the recess along the first inclined portion and disengage from the recess, while when the adjustment disk is rotated in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, the protrusion cannot slide out of the recess.

4. The adjustment mechanism of claim 2, wherein, The protrusion includes a first inclined portion and a second inclined portion that are mirror images of each other.

5. The adjustment mechanism of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, The protrusion is hemispherical, cylindrical, or tooth-shaped.

6. The adjustment mechanism of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The proximal side of the adjustment disc includes a plurality of lugs spaced apart from each other and extending radially outward.

7. The adjustment mechanism of claim 6, wherein, Each lug has a mark on its proximal surface indicating the magnitude of the torque of the torsion spring.

8. The adjustment mechanism of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The shaft portion of the shaft element is cylindrical, allowing it to be fitted onto a fixed post, and the adjusting mechanism includes a fastening element that secures the shaft element to the fixed post from its proximal end.

9. The adjustment mechanism of claim 8, wherein, The outer surface of the fixed post includes at least one rib, and the cylindrical shaft portion of the shaft element includes at least one slot for receiving the at least one rib.

10. Adjusting mechanism according to claim 8 or 9, wherein The inner surface of the cylindrical shaft portion of the shaft element includes at least one radially inwardly extending protrusion, and the outer surface of the fixing post includes at least one recess for receiving the at least one protrusion.

11. The adjustment mechanism of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The elastic thrust element is selected from an axially extendable helical spring or an axially extendable sheet.

12. An adjusting mechanism for adjusting the torque of a torsion spring, the torsion spring comprising a first leg and a second leg, the adjusting mechanism comprising: A fixedly mounted shaft element, the shaft element comprising a shaft portion and a flange portion extending radially outward from a distal end of the shaft portion, the flange portion comprising a proximal flange surface and a distal flange surface opposing each other; An adjusting disc, fitted onto the shaft portion of the shaft element and capable of coaxial rotation about the shaft portion, includes a proximal disc surface and a distal disc surface opposite to each other, and an overlapping surface located between the proximal and distal disc surfaces. A first leg of the torsion spring is capable of overlapping the overlapping surface, wherein the overlapping surface includes a plurality of overlapping portions, each of the plurality of overlapping portions having a different radial distance from the center of the adjusting disc than the other overlapping portions, such that when the first leg of the torsion spring overlaps different overlapping portions of the overlapping surface, the angle of the first leg relative to the second leg is different; and A fastening element configured to fasten the adjusting disc to the shaft portion of the shaft element from the proximal side of the adjusting disc; The adjusting disc further includes a sleeve portion extending distally from the surface of the distal disc. The sleeve portion is provided with a plurality of radially outwardly extending ribs, and the proximal flange surface of the flange portion of the shaft element is provided with a plurality of grooves for receiving the plurality of ribs. When the adjusting mechanism adjusts the torque of the torsion spring to the desired torque, the plurality of ribs are received in the plurality of grooves to prevent the adjusting disc from rotating around the shaft portion of the shaft element.

13. A torsion spring assembly, comprising: A torsion spring, the torsion spring comprising a first leg and a second leg; as well as The adjusting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 12; The first leg of the torsion spring is configured to overlap the overlapping surface of the adjusting disc of the adjusting mechanism, while the second leg of the torsion spring is configured to press against a driven component.

14. A storage device, comprising: A container having an opening for taking in and putting out objects; At least one cover for covering the opening, wherein the container or the at least one cover is configured to move between a closed position in which the opening of the container is covered and an open position in which the opening of the container is open; and At least one torsion spring assembly according to claim 13, wherein the torsion spring assembly is configured to drive the container or the at least one cover to the open position.

15. The storage device of claim 14, wherein, The storage device is configured as at least one of armrest box, ticket box, cup holder, and drawer.

16. The storage device of claim 14 or 15, wherein, The storage device further includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the container and the at least one cover relative to each other in the closed position and the locking mechanism can be unlocked. After the locking mechanism is unlocked, the torsion spring assembly can drive the container or the at least one cover to the open position.

17. The storage device of any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein, The storage device is configured as an armrest box, which includes a generally rectangular container and a first cover and a second cover disposed above the opening of the container and facing each other. The storage device includes two torsion spring assemblies disposed at the ends of the armrest box and used to drive the first cover and the second cover, respectively.

18. The storage device of claim 17, wherein, The storage device further includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the first cover and the second cover relative to the container in the closed position and to be unlockable. After the locking mechanism is unlocked, the two torsion spring assemblies are capable of driving the first cover and the second cover to the open position, respectively.

19. The storage device of claim 18, wherein, The armrest box includes a side opening that allows access to the adjustment disc of the adjustment mechanism of each torsion spring assembly without disassembling the armrest box, so as to adjust the torque of the torsion spring of each torsion spring assembly.

20. A vehicle comprising at least one storage device according to any one of claims 14 to 19.

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