Console box

Abstract

A console box (10) comprises: a resin main box body (11) having an upper opening; a lid (20) having a resin main lid body (21) that opens and closes the upper opening; and a connecting structure (50) that connects the lid (20) to the main box body (11) so as to be able to rotate. The connecting structure (50) has a bearing section (30) and a shaft section (41) rotatably supported by the bearing section (30). Either one of the bearing section (30) and the shaft section (41) is integrally formed with the main box body (11), and the other is integrally formed with the main lid body (21).

Description

Console box

[0001] This disclosure relates to a console box.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a storage device for a vehicle. This storage device includes a resin storage part, a lid, a metal bracket having a pair of support parts, a shaft member, and a coil spring. The storage part is configured to open upward and be able to store items inside. The lid has a lid main body that can open and close above the storage part and a pair of lid arm parts. The bracket is fixed to the rear surface part of the storage part. The pair of lid arm parts are rotatably supported by the pair of support parts via the shaft member and the coil spring.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-150361

[0004] By the way, in such a console box, the bracket and the shaft member are provided as separate members from the storage part and the lid. For this reason, there is a problem that the assembly process of the console box becomes complicated.

[0005] The console box according to one aspect of this disclosure includes a resin box main body having an upper opening, a lid having a resin lid main body that opens and closes the upper opening, and a connecting structure that rotatably connects the lid to the box main body. When the direction in which the rotation axis of the lid extends is taken as the axial direction, the connecting structure has a bearing part and a shaft part that extends in the axial direction and is rotatably supported by the bearing part. Either one of the bearing part and the shaft part is integrally formed with the box main body, and the other is integrally formed with the lid main body.

[0006] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a console box according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the console box of Figure 1 disassembled. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the box body of Figure 2, focusing on the bearing portion. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lid body of Figure 2, focusing on the arm portion. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the process of attaching the lid to the box body, and is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state just before the shaft portion is inserted into the notched recess. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the process of attaching the lid to the box body, and is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state in which the elastic deformation portion has been elastically deformed. Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the process of attaching the lid to the box body, and is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state in which the shaft portion is supported in the support recess. Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the console box when the lid is in the closed position. Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the console box when the lid is in the fully open position.

[0007] An embodiment of the console box will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. In this embodiment, the present disclosure is embodied as a console box 10 located between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the vehicle interior.

[0008] <Basic Configuration of the Console Box> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the console box 10 comprises a box body 11 having an upper opening 12 that opens on one side (the upper side in the vertical direction in Figures 1 and 2) in the height direction (hereinafter referred to as the height direction H) of the console box 10. The console box 10 also comprises a lid 20 that opens and closes the upper opening 12, and a connecting structure 50 that rotatably connects the lid body 21 of the lid 20 to the box body 11. The connecting structure 50 comprises a pair of arm portions 40 having a pair of shaft portions 41 that lie on a common axis C and form the pivot axis of the lid 20, and a pair of bearing portions 30 that rotatably support each of the pair of shaft portions 41. In this embodiment, the pair of arm portions 40 are integrally molded with the lid body 21 from a resin material. Any hard resin can be used as the resin material that forms the lid body 21, but examples include acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin (ABS resin). Furthermore, the pair of bearing portions 30 are integrally molded with the box body 11 using a resin material. Any hard resin can be used as the resin material for forming the box body 11, but polypropylene (PP) is an example. In particular, it is preferable to use PP containing talc (TSOP: Toyota Super Olefin Polymer).

[0009] In this embodiment, one side in the height direction H coincides with the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle when it is positioned on a horizontal plane. Therefore, in the following description, one side in the height direction H will be referred to as "up" or "upper side," and the other side in the height direction H will be referred to as "down" or "lower side." Also, in this embodiment, the width direction of the box body 11 coincides with the axial direction extending along the axis C. Therefore, in the following description, the axial direction will be referred to as the width direction W. Furthermore, the box body 11 is positioned such that the width direction W and the length direction of the box body 11 (hereinafter referred to as the length direction L), which is perpendicular to both the height direction H and the width direction W, coincide with the vehicle width direction and the front-rear direction, respectively. Therefore, in the following description, the side in the length direction L corresponding to the front in the front-rear direction may simply be referred to as "front" or "front side," and the side corresponding to the rear in the front-rear direction may simply be referred to as "rear" or "rear side." Furthermore, the side of the console box 10 that is away from the center in the length direction L and the width direction W will be simply described as the "outside," and the side that is closer to the center will be simply described as the "inside." Also, the circumferential and radial directions of the shaft portion 41 will be simply described as the circumferential direction and radial direction.

[0010] The following will describe in detail the components of the console box 10, using the state in which the lid 20 is attached to the box body 11 as a reference. Figures 5 to 7 show the rightmost of the pair of bearing parts 30 and pair of arm parts 40 shown in Figure 1, viewed from the inside in the width direction W.

[0011] <Box Body> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the box body 11 comprises a box-shaped storage section 13 and a pair of bearing sections 30. Inside the storage section 13, there is a storage space through the upper opening 12 in which articles and other items are stored. The pair of bearing sections 30 protrude from the rear end of the storage section 13. The pair of bearing sections 30 as a whole are plate-shaped extending along a virtual plane perpendicular to the width direction W, and are spaced apart from each other in the width direction W. Each bearing section 30 has a bearing upper section 31 located inside the arm section 40 (described later) in the width direction W, and a bearing lower section 36 located below the arm section 40.

[0012] (Upper part of bearing) As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the upper part of the bearing 31 is provided with a notched recess 32 and an elastically deformable portion 34. The notched recess 32 is formed by cutting out from the radial end face 30a of the bearing portion 30. In this embodiment, the notched recess 32 penetrates the bearing portion 30 in the width direction W and opens upward at the end face 30a. The notched recess 32 has a bottom surface 32a and a pair of side surfaces 32b and 32c that rise from both ends of the bottom surface 32a in the length direction L. The pair of side surfaces 32b and 32c are aligned with each other in the circumferential direction. A support recess 33 is recessed in the bottom surface 32a of the notched recess 32. The support recess 33 has a circular arc cross-section with a concave surface 33a that extends in the circumferential direction. The concave surface 33a abuts the shaft portion 41 from below and, in cooperation with the tip surface 34b (described later), rotatably supports the shaft portion 41. One circumferential end of the concave surface 33a is connected to the rear side surface 32c of the pair of side surfaces 32b and 32c.

[0013] As shown in Figure 7, the elastically deformable portion 34 protrudes rearward from the front side 32b of the pair of side surfaces 32b and 32c, and bends midway in its extension direction, extending toward the shaft portion 41. The tip end 34a of the elastically deformable portion 34, located towards the tip of the bent portion, is positioned with a gap S1 between it and the side surface 32b. This allows the elastically deformable portion 34 to elastically deform toward the side surface 32c in the circumferential direction (see Figure 6). The tip surface 34b of the tip end 34a is a concave surface that extends along the outer circumferential surface 41a of the shaft portion 41. The tip surface 34b is located on the opposite side of the shaft portion 41 from the concave surface 33a. In this embodiment, the tip surface 34b faces the outer circumferential surface 41a with a small gap between them in the radial direction.

[0014] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, when the shaft portion 41 is inserted into the notched recess 32, the elastic deformation portion 34 restricts the movement of the shaft portion 41 radially toward the side away from the concave surface 33a by bringing its protruding end 34a into contact with the shaft portion 41. On the other hand, the elastic deformation portion 34 is configured to release the above restriction on the movement of the shaft portion 41 by its own elastic deformation.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the upper part of the bearing 31 has a bearing body 31a including a notched recess 32, a support recess 33, and an elastically deformable portion 34, and a general portion 31b that is thinner than the bearing body 31a. The bearing body 31a has a plurality of weight-reducing portions 35a formed from the outside in the width direction W, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 35b erected between the plurality of weight-reducing portions 35a. The general portion 31b is thinned outwards in the width direction W.

[0016] (Lower part of bearing) As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the upper surface 36a of the lower part of the bearing 36 is a concave surface extending in the circumferential direction, and is provided with a gap S2 outside the outer circumferential surface 40b of the arm portion 40 in the radial direction (see Figure 8).

[0017] Here, the side that opens the lid 20 from the closed position in the circumferential direction is simply referred to as the "opening side," and the side that closes the lid 20 from the fully open position in the circumferential direction is simply referred to as the "closing side." A restricting projection 37 is formed on the opening side of the upper surface 36a, projecting radially inward. A stepped portion 38 is formed on the circumferential closing side of the upper surface 36a, forming a step radially outward.

[0018] As shown in Figure 3, the lower part 36 of the bearing has a plurality of weight-reducing sections 39a formed by removing material from the outside in the width direction W, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 39b erected between the plurality of weight-reducing sections 39a.

[0019] <Lid> As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the lid 20 comprises a lid body 21 and a lid outer 23. The lid body 21 comprises a flat plate-shaped lid inner 22 extending in both the length direction L and the width direction W, and a pair of arm portions 40 protruding from the lower surface 22b of the lid inner 22. The upper surface 22a of the lid inner 22 is covered by a lid outer 23 which functions as an armrest, for example. The lid outer 23 is joined to the lid inner 22 by engaging a plurality of claw portions 22c formed on the upper surface 22a of the lid inner 22 with locking holes (not shown) formed on the lower surface of the lid outer 23. In this embodiment, the lid outer 23 is made of a resin material such as ABS resin.

[0020] (Arm section) As shown in Figures 2 and 4, a pair of arm sections 40 are provided protruding from the lower surface 22b of the lid inner 22. The pair of arm sections 40 as a whole are plate-shaped extending along a virtual plane perpendicular to the width direction W, and are spaced apart from each other in the width direction W. Each arm section 40 is provided with a shaft section 41 and an engaging projection 42. The shaft section 41 protrudes from the inner surface 40a of the arm section 40. The shaft section 41 is cylindrical. A locking projection 41b is formed at the protruding end of the shaft section 41, protruding from the outer circumferential surface 41a (see Figure 4). The locking projection 41b is locked to the edge of the notched recess 32, more specifically to the inner edge 33b of the support recess 33 in the width direction W (see Figure 7).

[0021] As shown in Figures 4 and 8, the engaging projection 42 protrudes radially outward from the outer circumferential surface 40b of the arm portion 40. The engaging projection 42 is positioned to be aligned with (overlap with) the regulating projection 37 in the circumferential direction. A leaf spring 60 is provided inside the engaging projection 42. The leaf spring 60 is arranged such that its intermediate portion 61 protrudes radially outward from the engaging projection 42.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, the arm portion 40 has a plurality of weight-reducing sections 43a formed from the outside in the width direction W, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 43b erected between the plurality of weight-reducing sections 43a. Note that in Figures 8 and 9, the plurality of reinforcing ribs 43b are omitted from the illustration for the sake of explanation.

[0023] <Regarding the assembly of the lid to the box body> The procedure for assembling the lid 20 to the box body 11 will be explained below with reference to Figures 5 to 7. In order to assemble the lid 20 to the box body 11, first insert the shaft portion 41 of the arm portion 40 into the notched recess 32 from the position shown in Figure 5.

[0024] As shown in Figure 6, during the insertion process of the shaft portion 41, the shaft portion 41 and the elastically deformable portion 34 engage, causing the elastically deformable portion 34 to elastically deform toward the side surface 32c in the circumferential direction. This allows the shaft portion 41 to be inserted toward the support recess 33 of the notched recess 32.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, the elastic deformation of the elastic deformation portion 34 is released as the shaft portion 41 is inserted into the support recess 33. At this time, the tip surface 34b of the elastic deformation portion 34 is located on the opposite side of the shaft portion 41 from the concave surface 33a, and is facing the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft portion 41 with a slight gap in the radial direction. As a result, the shaft portion 41 is rotatably supported by the concave surface 33a and the tip surface 34b, that is, the lid 20 is rotatably assembled to the box body 11.

[0026] <Regarding the restriction of lid rotation> The restriction of rotation of the lid 20 in the console box 10 of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

[0027] As shown in Figure 8, when the lid 20 is in the closed position that closes the upper opening 12, the intermediate portion 61 of the leaf spring 60, which is positioned within the engaging projection 42, is in contact with the stepped portion 38 from the closed side. When the lid 20 is rotated from the closed position to the open side in order to open the upper opening 12, the intermediate portion 61 and the stepped portion 38 engage, causing the leaf spring 60 to elastically deform radially inward, and the intermediate portion 61 to be housed inside the engaging projection 42. Subsequently, when the lid 20 is rotated further to the open side, the open-side end face 42a of the engaging projection 42 comes into contact with the restricting projection 37. As a result, the lid 20 is restricted from rotating further to the open side from the fully open position, which fully opens the upper opening 12 as shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment, the console box 10 has its upper surface 36a constantly pressed against the intermediate portion 61 by the biasing force of a leaf spring 60 directed radially outward while the lid 20 rotates between the closed and fully open positions. This allows the lid 20 to maintain its position at any position between the closed and fully open positions.

[0028] <Operation of this embodiment> A pair of bearing portions 30 are integrally molded with the box body 11, and a pair of shaft portions 41 are integrally molded with the lid body 21. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the pair of bearing portions 30 and the pair of shaft portions 41 as separate components from the box body 11 and the lid body 21. As a result, the number of parts is reduced compared to conventional console boxes in which the bearing portions 30 and the shaft portions 41 are provided as separate components from the box body 11 and the lid body 21. Consequently, the process of assembling the bearing portions 30 and the shaft portions 41 to the box body 11 or the lid 20, respectively, is eliminated.

[0029] <Effects of this embodiment> (1) The console box 10 comprises a resin box body 11 having an upper opening 12, a lid 20 having a resin lid body 21 that opens and closes the upper opening 12, and a connecting structure 50 that rotatably connects the lid 20 to the box body 11. The connecting structure 50 has a pair of bearing portions 30 that are spaced apart from each other in the width direction W, and a pair of shaft portions 41 that extend in the width direction W and are rotatably supported on each of the pair of bearing portions 30. The pair of bearing portions 30 are integrally molded with the box body 11. The pair of shaft portions 41 are integrally molded with the lid body 21.

[0030] This configuration provides the above-described effects. Therefore, the assembly process for the console box 10 can be reduced. (2) The bearing portion 30 is provided with a notched recess 32 cut out from the radial end face 30a of the bearing portion 30. The notched recess 32 has a bottom surface 32a and a pair of side surfaces 32b and 32c that rise from the bottom surface 32a and are arranged in the circumferential direction. The side surface 32b is provided with an elastically deformable portion 34 that protrudes from the side surface 32b and extends toward the shaft portion 41, and elastically deforms so as to move away from the side surface 32c in the circumferential direction. The elastically deformable portion 34 is configured such that, when the shaft portion 41 is inserted into the notched recess 32, the tip end 34a abuts against the shaft portion 41, thereby restricting the movement of the shaft portion 41 toward the side away from the concave surface 33a on the bottom surface 32a in the radial direction, while releasing the above restriction on the movement of the shaft portion 41 by the tip end 34a through its own elastic deformation.

[0031] With this configuration, when the shaft portion 41 is inserted into the notched recess 32, the tip 34a of the elastically deformable portion 34 abuts against the outer circumferential surface 41a of the shaft portion 41, thereby restricting the shaft portion 41 from moving radially away from the concave surface 33a of the support recess 33. This prevents the shaft portion 41 from coming out of the notched recess 32 in the radial direction. Consequently, the detachment of the lid 20 from the box body 11 is suppressed.

[0032] Furthermore, with the above configuration, by elastically deforming the elastic deformation portion 34 so that it moves away from the side surface 32c in the circumferential direction, the restriction on the movement of the shaft portion 41 by the aforementioned protruding end 34a is released. As a result, the shaft portion 41 is pulled out radially from the notched recess 32. Therefore, the lid 20 can be easily detached from the box body 11 simply by elastically deforming the elastic deformation portion 34.

[0033] (3) The bearing portion 30 is provided with a support recess 33 recessed in the bottom surface 32a. The support recess 33 has a concave surface 33a that extends in the circumferential direction and rotatably supports the shaft portion 41. With this configuration, the shaft portion 41 is rotatably supported by the concave surface 33a of the support recess 33. As a result, rattling of the shaft portion 41 within the notched recess 32 as the lid 20 rotates is suppressed. Therefore, the rotation of the lid 20 can be performed stably.

[0034] (4) The shaft portion 41 has a locking projection 41b that engages with the edge 33b of the support recess 33 in the width direction W. With this configuration, the locking projection 41b of the shaft portion 41 engages with the edge 33b of the support recess 33 in the width direction W, thereby preventing the shaft portion 41 from coming out of the notched recess 32 in the width direction W. Therefore, the detachment of the lid 20 from the box body 11 can be further suppressed.

[0035] (5) The bearing portion 30 is plate-shaped and extends along a virtual plane perpendicular to the width direction W. The bearing portion 30 has a plurality of weight-reducing portions 35a, 39a formed by removing material from one side in the width direction W, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 35b, 39b erected between the plurality of weight-reducing portions 35a and between the weight-reducing portions 39a.

[0036] With this configuration, the bearing portion 30 is made lighter by the multiple weight-reducing sections 35a and 39a, while the rigidity and strength of the bearing portion 30 are ensured by the multiple reinforcing ribs 35b and 39b. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both weight reduction and improved rigidity and strength of the bearing portion 30.

[0037] <Examples of Modifications> The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The above embodiment and the following examples of modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.

[0038] - The leaf spring 60 may be omitted. - At least one of the multiple reinforcing ribs 35b, 39b may be omitted. In this case, the multiple weight-reducing sections 35a, 39a may also be omitted in accordance with the above modification.

[0039] - Multiple reinforcing ribs 43b may be omitted. In this case, multiple weight-reducing portions 43a may also be omitted. - The locking projection 41b from the shaft portion 41 may be omitted.

[0040] In this embodiment, each of the pair of arm portions 40 is shown adjacent to the outside of the pair of bearing upper portions 31. However, the console box 10 may also be configured such that each of the pair of arm portions 40 is adjacent to the inside of the pair of bearing upper portions 31. In this case, the shaft portion 41 should protrude from the outer surface of the arm portion 40.

[0041] The console box 10 is not limited to having a pair of arm portions 40 as illustrated in this embodiment. For example, the console box 10 may have one arm portion 40 protruding from the center of the lower surface 22b in the width direction W. In this case, shaft portions 41 may protrude from both sides of the arm portion 40 in the vehicle width direction, and bearing portions 30 that rotatably support each of the pair of shaft portions 41 may be arranged on both sides of the arm portion 40 in the vehicle width direction.

[0042] - The elastic deformation portion 34 is not limited to the case where the tip surface 34b faces the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft portion 41 with a slight gap in the radial direction as exemplified in the present embodiment. The elastic deformation portion 34 may be such that the tip surface 34b abuts on the outer peripheral surface 41a of the shaft portion 41 within the range allowing the rotation of the shaft portion 41.

[0043] - The support recess 33 may be omitted from the notch recess 32. In this case, the bearing portion 30 may be configured such that the shaft portion 41 is rotatably supported by the tip surface 34b of the elastic deformation portion 34, the bottom surface 32a, and the side surface 32c.

[0044] - The elastic deformation portion 34 is not limited to protruding from the side surface 32b as exemplified in the present embodiment, and may protrude from the side surface 32c. - The notch recess 32 is not limited to opening upward at the end surface 30a of the bearing portion 30 as exemplified in the present embodiment. The notch recess 32 may open in any direction as long as it opens at the end surface 30a. For example, the notch recess 32 may open to the rear side.

[0045] - The bearing portion 30 is not limited to having the notch-shaped notch recesses 32 penetrating in the width direction W as exemplified in the present embodiment. Instead of the notch recess 32, a groove portion may be provided that is recessed in the inner surface or the outer surface of the upper bearing portion 31 and rotatably supports the shaft portion 41. In this case, the elastic deformation portion 34 will be omitted.

[0046] - In the present embodiment, the console box 10 in which the pair of bearing portions 30 are integrally formed with the box body 11 and the pair of shaft portions 41 are integrally formed with the lid body 21 is exemplified. However, the console box according to the present disclosure may be such that the pair of bearing portions are integrally formed with the lid body 21 and the pair of shaft portions are integrally formed with the box body 11.

[0047] The console box according to this disclosure is not limited to having a pair of bearing portions 30 and a pair of shaft portions 41 as illustrated in this embodiment. For example, the console box may have a pair of shaft portions rotatably supported by one bearing portion, or it may have one or more bearing portions rotatably supporting one shaft portion.

Claims

1. A console box comprising: a resin box body having an upper opening; a lid having a resin lid body that opens and closes the upper opening; and a connecting structure that rotatably connects the lid to the box body, wherein, when the direction in which the pivot axis of the lid extends is the axial direction, the connecting structure has a bearing portion and a shaft portion that extends in the axial direction and is rotatably supported by the bearing portion, and either the bearing portion or the shaft portion is integrally molded with the box body, and the other is integrally molded with the lid body.

2. When the radial and circumferential directions of the shaft portion are simply defined as radial and circumferential, the bearing portion is provided with a notched recess formed by cutting out from the end face of the bearing portion in the radial direction into which the shaft portion is inserted, the notched recess has a bottom surface and a pair of side surfaces that rise from the bottom surface and are aligned in the circumferential direction, one of the pair of side surfaces is provided with an elastically deformable portion that protrudes from the one side surface and extends toward the shaft portion and elastically deforms so as to move away from the other side surface in the circumferential direction, the elastically deformable portion is configured such that, when the shaft portion is inserted into the notched recess, the tip of the elastically deformable portion abuts against the shaft portion, thereby restricting the movement of the shaft portion toward the side away from the bottom surface in the radial direction, while releasing the restriction on the movement of the shaft portion by the tip of the elastically deformable portion through its own elastic deformation, the console box according to claim 1.

3. The bearing portion is provided with a support recess recessed in the bottom surface, and the support recess has a concave surface that extends in the circumferential direction and rotatably supports the shaft portion, as described in claim 2.

4. The console box according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the shaft portion has a locking projection that engages with the edge of the notched recess in the axial direction.

5. The console box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the bearing portion is plate-shaped and extends along a virtual plane perpendicular to the axial direction, and the bearing portion has a plurality of weight-reducing portions cut out from one side in the axial direction, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs erected between the plurality of weight-reducing portions.

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