JP7572917B2 - Storage Box - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a storage box.

Storage boxes that are installed inside a vehicle or other moving object are known. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a storage box (console box) that is provided between the driver's seat and the passenger seat of a vehicle.

The storage box described in Patent Document 1 has two armrests on the top surface of the box body. Of these two armrests, one (the armrest on the driver's seat side) has a sliding function that allows it to slide along the front-to-rear direction of the storage box and a swiveling function that allows it to swivel around an axis in the up-down direction of the storage box. The other armrest (the armrest on the passenger's seat side) is attached to the storage box via a hinge so as to cover an opening formed on the passenger's seat side of the top surface of the storage box, and although it does not have the sliding and swiveling functions described above, it does have an opening and closing function that allows it to open and close the storage box.

In addition, the storage box described in Patent Document 2 has a box body provided with multiple storage compartments adjacent to each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a lid (hereinafter referred to as an armrest-type lid) that covers the upper openings of these multiple storage compartments and can be used as an armrest. This armrest-type lid has a sliding function that allows it to slide along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and an opening/closing function that rotates around an axis in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle to open and close the storage box.

JP 2015-147494 A JP 2018-118653 A

However, in the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1, the storage box cannot be opened and closed using the driver's side armrest that has the sliding and rotating functions described above. For this reason, a passenger side armrest with the above-mentioned opening and closing functions must be provided on the storage box separately from the driver's side armrest as a lid that allows the storage box to be opened and closed.

In addition, in the conventional technology described in Patent Document 2, although it is possible for the armrest-shaped lid for opening and closing the storage box to slide in the front-to-rear direction of the storage box, the armrest-shaped lid cannot be rotated around an axis in the up-down direction of the storage box. For this reason, the armrest-shaped lid is less user-friendly than a rotatable armrest.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a storage box that can combine the sliding and rotating functions of the armrest with the opening and closing functions of the lid in an integrated armrest structure.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the storage box of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a box body having a storage space that opens upward; an inner lid supported inside the box body so as to be freely inserted and removed and that opens and closes the opening of the storage space; a movable base part having an opening and closing hinge that allows rotation in an opening and closing direction that opens and closes the opening of the storage space and slidably connected to the inner lid part; a slide mechanism that is connected to the movable base part via the opening and closing hinge and is attached to the box body so as to be slidable in the same sliding direction as the movable base part; and an armrest part that is connected to the movable base part so as to be rotatable around an axis in the vertical direction of the box body.

The storage box according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the sliding mechanism includes a fixed part fixed to the box body and a sliding guide part that slides relative to the fixed part and regulates the sliding direction of the sliding mechanism, and the opening/closing hinge is fixed to the sliding guide part.

The storage box according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes an inner lid locking mechanism that locks the inner lid so that the opening of the storage space is closed, and an unlocking mechanism that unlocks the inner lid.

The storage box according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, it is provided with an unlocking prevention mechanism that prevents the unlocking mechanism from unlocking the inner lid when the movable base slides relative to the inner lid.

The storage box according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, it is provided with a slide lock mechanism that locks the sliding of the sliding mechanism when the inner lid part opens the opening of the storage space, and unlocks the sliding of the sliding mechanism when the inner lid part closes the opening of the storage space.

The storage box according to the present invention is characterized in that it is provided with an inner lid slide lock mechanism that locks the relative sliding of the inner lid with respect to the movable base when the movable base rotates in a direction that opens the opening of the storage space.

The present invention has the effect of realizing a storage box that combines the sliding and rotating functions of the armrest with the opening and closing functions of the lid in an integrated armrest structure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view of the storage box shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the storage box shown in FIG. 2 taken along line AA. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of a box body of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of a box body of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of the inner cover part of the movable armrest in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the storage space of the box body is closed by the inner lid portion of the movable armrest. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the inner lid portion in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of a movable base part of a movable armrest in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the movable base portion shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the movable base portion taken along line BB of FIG. FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sliding operation of a movable base portion in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the inner lid portion is locked from sliding relative to the movable base portion. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of the armrest portion of the movable armrest in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the armrest portion taken along line CC shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of an opening operation portion of a storage box in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the opening portion shown in FIG. 16 taken along line DD. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a series of operations for unlocking the inner lid portion by the opening operation portion. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a mechanism for preventing unlocking of a movable armrest in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which unlocking of the inner lid portion is prevented by the unlocking prevention mechanism. FIG. 21 is a side view showing one configuration example of a slide mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. 22 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the opposite side of the slide mechanism shown in FIG. 21. FIG. 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the slide mechanism shown in FIG. 21 taken along line EE. FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a slide lock mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the slide lock mechanism in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the opening and closing operation of the movable armrest in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the sliding and rotating movements of the movable armrest in the embodiment of the present invention.

Below, a preferred embodiment of the storage box according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and that the dimensional relationships and ratios of each element may differ from the actual ones. The drawings may also include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios. In addition, the same components are given the same reference numerals in each drawing.

(Storage box configuration)
First, the configuration of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the storage box shown in Fig. 1 as seen from above. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the cross section of the storage box shown in Fig. 2 taken along line A-A.

The storage box 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a device that is installed between the seats of a moving body, such as a console box in an automobile, and has both a storage function for storing items in a removable manner and an armrest function for a user seated in the moving body to rest their arm on.

In detail, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the storage box 1 comprises a box body 10 having a storage space for items, and movable armrests 20A, 20B that can open and close the storage space of the box body 10. The storage box 1 also comprises an opening operation unit 60 for opening the movable armrests 20A, 20B, and slide mechanisms 80A, 80B for sliding the movable armrests 20A, 20B, respectively. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, the storage box 1 comprises a slide lock mechanism 90A for locking the sliding of one of the two movable armrests 20A, 20B, the movable armrest 20A. Although not shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the storage box 1 comprises a slide lock mechanism for locking the sliding of the other movable armrest 20B in addition to the slide lock mechanism 90A.

Such a storage box 1 is provided, for example, between two seats arranged side by side in the left-right direction (between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, etc.) in the interior of a moving body (not shown). As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, two movable armrests 20A, 20B are arranged side by side in the left-right direction D2 so as to be symmetrical with each other on the upper part of the box body 10 of the storage box 1. These movable armrests 20A, 20B function as opening and closing covers for opening and closing the box body 10. Furthermore, one of these movable armrests, 20A, is located on the right side of the storage box 1 in the left-right direction D2, and functions as an armrest for a user seated in a seat located on the right side of the storage box 1. The other movable armrest 20B is located on the left side of the storage box 1 in the left-right direction D2, and functions as an armrest for a user seated in a seat located on the left side of the storage box 1.

The moving body on which the storage box 1 is provided may be, for example, a moving body that moves on the ground, such as an automobile or train, a moving body that moves on the water, such as a ship, or a moving body that moves through the air, such as an airplane.

As shown in FIG. 3, one movable armrest 20A is composed of an inner lid portion 30, a movable base portion 40, and an armrest portion 50. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the other movable armrest 20B has a structure symmetrical to the one movable armrest 20A in the left-right direction D2, with the center being the center of the box body 10 in the left-right direction D2 (see line A-A in FIG. 2). Although not specifically shown, this movable armrest 20B is composed of an inner lid portion, a movable base portion, and an armrest portion in the same manner as the movable armrest 20A, except that it has a structure symmetrical to the one movable armrest 20A in the left-right direction D2.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the box body 10 of the storage box 1 is provided with an opening operation unit 60 and slide mechanisms 80A, 80B in addition to the movable armrests 20A, 20B. In detail, the opening operation unit 60 is provided at the front of the box body 10. One slide mechanism 80A is provided on the right inside of the box body 10, and the other slide mechanism 80B is provided on the left inside of the box body 10. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, the rear of the box body 10 is provided with a slide lock mechanism 90A corresponding to one slide mechanism 80A, and a slide lock mechanism (not shown) corresponding to the other slide mechanism 80B.

For convenience of explanation, the storage box 1 is set to a front-rear direction D1, a left-right direction D2, and a top-bottom direction D3, as shown in, for example, Figures 1 to 3, but these directions do not limit the present invention. The front-rear direction D1, left-right direction D2, and top-bottom direction D3 of the storage box 1 are the same as the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and top-bottom direction of the moving body on which the storage box 1 is installed. The front-rear direction D1, left-right direction D2, and top-bottom direction D3 are the same for each component of the storage box 1. In the front-rear direction D1, the positive side is the front side, and the negative side is the rear side. In the left-right direction D2, the positive side is the right side, and the negative side is the left side. In the top-bottom direction D3, the positive side is the top side, and the negative side is the bottom side.

The following provides a detailed explanation of each component of the storage box 1, including the box body 10, movable armrests 20A and 20B, opening operation unit 60, slide mechanisms 80A and 80B, and slide lock mechanism 90A.

(Box body)
The configuration of the box body 10 of the storage box 1 will be described in detail. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the box body of the storage box according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the box body of the storage box according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The box body 10 is a box-shaped structure with a bottom that performs the storage function of the storage box 1. In detail, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the box body 10 has a storage space 11 that opens upward. The storage space 11 is a space for storing items so that they can be taken in and out, and as shown in Fig. 5, it is formed by the bottom surface 11a of the box body 10, inner wall surfaces 11b and 11c that face the front-rear direction D1, and inner wall surfaces 11d and 11e that face the left-right direction D2.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the box body 10 has inner lid support parts 12a and 12b on both inner upper sides in the front-rear direction D1. The inner lid support parts 12a and 12b support the lower ends of the movable armrests 20A and 20B (for example, the lower end of the inner lid part 30 shown in Fig. 3). The front inner lid support part 12a is formed in a continuous plane along the upper end of the front inner wall surface 11b and the lower end of the upper inner wall surface 14a. The rear inner lid support part 12b is formed in a continuous plane along the upper end of the rear inner wall surface 11c and the lower end of the upper inner wall surface 14b. The upper inner wall surfaces 14a and 14b of the box body 10 are surfaces that face each other in the front-rear direction D1 above the inner wall surfaces 11b and 11c as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, through holes 13a and 13b are formed in the rear inner lid support part 12b of the box body 10. The through holes 13a and 13b are for slide lock mechanisms (e.g., slide lock mechanism 90A shown in Figure 3) that lock the sliding of the movable armrests 20A and 20B in the front-rear direction D1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper front portion of the box body 10 has insertion holes 15a and 15c penetrating the upper front inner wall surface 14a, and the upper rear portion of the box body 10 has insertion holes 15b and 15d penetrating the upper rear inner wall surface 14b. Of these insertion holes 15a to 15d, the front right insertion hole 15a and the rear right insertion hole 15b are a pair of insertion holes for locking or unlocking the opening and closing of the right movable armrest 20A, and are formed to align with each other in the front-to-rear direction D1. The front left insertion hole 15c and the rear left insertion hole 15d are a pair of insertion holes for locking or unlocking the opening and closing of the left movable armrest 20B, and are formed to align with each other in the front-to-rear direction D1.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the box body 10 has slide lanes 16a and 16b on both inner sides in the left-right direction D2. Of these slide lanes 16a and 16b, the right slide lane 16a is a lane along which the right slide mechanism 80A (see Figs. 1 and 3) slides in the front-rear direction D1. This slide lane 16a is formed so as to protrude to the right from the right inner wall surface 11d of the box body 10. The box body 10 also has an entrance 17a and a rear through hole 18a corresponding to the right slide lane 16a. The entrance 17a is a through hole through which the right slide mechanism 80A enters and exits when sliding. The rear through hole 18a is a through hole through which a hook portion (described later) for locking the slide of the right slide mechanism 80A enters and exits.

On the other hand, the left slide lane 16b is a lane along which the left slide mechanism 80B (see FIG. 1) slides in the front-rear direction D1. This slide lane 16b is formed so as to protrude further to the left than the left inner wall surface 11e of the box body 10. The box body 10 also has an entrance/exit 17b and a rear through-hole 18b corresponding to the left slide lane 16b. The entrance/exit 17b is a through-hole through which the left slide mechanism 80B enters and exits when sliding. The rear through-hole 18b is a through-hole through which a hook portion (described later) for locking the sliding of the left slide mechanism 80B enters and exits.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, an attachment part 19 is provided on the upper front outer side of the box body 10. The attachment part 19 is for attaching the opening operation part 60 shown in Figures 1 to 3 to the box body 10.

(movable armrest)
The configuration of the movable armrests 20A and 20B will be described in detail. In the embodiment of the present invention, the movable armrests 20A and 20B (see FIGS. 1 to 3) are configured similarly except that they are symmetrical to each other as described above. Therefore, below, the inner cover portion 30, movable base portion 40 and armrest portion 50 constituting the right-side movable armrest 20A will be described in detail as a representative of these movable armrests 20A and 20B.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of the inner lid of a movable armrest in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the storage space of the box body is closed by the inner lid of the movable armrest. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the inner lid 30 of the movable armrest 20A is supported inside the box body 10 so as to be freely inserted and removed, and opens and closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10.

6, the inner lid part 30 is composed of an inner lid body 31 and a cover part 32. The inner lid body 31 is formed, for example, so that each part on both sides in the front-rear direction D1 has a shape that protrudes downward over the entire left-right direction D2. As shown in FIG. 7, such an inner lid body 31 is supported by the inner lid support parts 12a and 12b of the box body 10 in a closed state in which the inner lid part 30 closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10. At this time, the front lower end surface 31a of the inner lid body 31 is supported by the front inner lid support part 12a, and the rear lower end surface 31b of the inner lid body 31 is supported by the rear inner lid support part 12b. In addition, in the above-mentioned closed state, the inner lid body 31 is sandwiched in the front-rear direction D1 between the front upper inner wall surface 14a and the rear upper inner wall surface 14b of the box body 10. In the closed state, the inner lid portion 30 is prevented from sliding in the front-to-rear direction D1 due to contact between the inner lid body 31 and the upper inner wall surfaces 14a, 14b. On the other hand, when the inner lid body 31 is removed from the inner lid support portions 12a, 12b of the box body 10, the inner lid portion 30 opens the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10.

The inner lid body 31 also incorporates various components related to sliding the movable armrest 20A in the front-rear direction D1 or opening and closing the storage space 11 of the box body 10. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the inner lid part in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the inner lid part 30 incorporates, for example, an attachment part 33 and an inner lid lock mechanism 35 in the inner lid body 31. The attachment part 33 is for attaching a member for slidably connecting the inner lid part 30 to the movable base part 40 described below.

The inner lid locking mechanism 35 locks the inner lid 30 in a state in which the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10 is closed. In detail, as shown in FIG. 8, the inner lid locking mechanism 35 includes a first locking member 36, a second locking member 37, a pinion gear 38, and a spring 39.

8, the first locking member 36 has a first rod portion 36a and a first rack portion 36b, and is attached to the inside of the inner lid body 31 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction D1. The first rod portion 36a is provided so as to extend from the front end of the first locking member 36 to the front side in the front-rear direction D1, and protrudes from the inner lid body 31 through a through hole (not shown) formed in the front end of the inner lid body 31 (see FIG. 6). The first rod portion 36a is inserted into the insertion hole 15a of the box body 10 so as to be able to be inserted and removed. The first rack portion 36b is provided so as to extend from the rear end of the first locking member 36 to the rear side in the front-rear direction D1. The first rack portion 36b is engaged with the pinion gear 38 to form a rack and pinion mechanism.

8, the second locking member 37 has a second rod portion 37a and a second rack portion 37b, and is attached to the inside of the inner lid body 31 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction D1. The second rod portion 37a is provided so as to extend from the rear end of the second locking member 37 to the rear side in the front-rear direction D1, and protrudes from the inner lid body 31 through a through hole (not shown) formed at the rear end of the inner lid body 31. The second rod portion 37a is inserted into the insertion hole 15b of the box body 10 so as to be able to be inserted and removed. The second rack portion 37b is provided so as to extend from the front end of the second locking member 37 to the front side in the front-rear direction D1. The second rack portion 37b is engaged with the pinion gear 38 to form a rack and pinion mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 8, the pinion gear 38 is disposed inside the inner lid body 31 so as to mesh with both the first rack portion 36b of the first locking member 36 and the second rack portion 37b of the second locking member 37, and is attached so as to be freely rotatable around an axis in the vertical direction D3. The spring 39 biases the second locking member 37 in a direction away from the first locking member 36 (to the rear in the front-rear direction D1 in this embodiment). For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the front end of the spring 39 is joined to the second rack portion 37b, and the rear end of the spring 39 is joined to the inner lid body 31. The spring 39 is always in a state of being stretched longer than its natural length, and expands and contracts as the second locking member 37 slides in the front-rear direction D1.

The inner lid locking mechanism 35 having the above-mentioned configuration locks the inner lid 30 in a state in which the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10 is closed by inserting the first rod portion 36a into the front insertion hole 15a of the box body 10 and the second rod portion 37a into the rear insertion hole 15b of the box body 10. The locked state of the inner lid 30 by this inner lid locking mechanism 35 can be released by removing the first rod portion 36a and the second rod portion 37a from the respective insertion holes 15a, 15b of the box body 10.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a cover portion 32 is attached to the inner lid body 31. The cover portion 32 is a member that covers the upper opening of the inner lid body 31, which incorporates various components as described above. For example, the cover portion 32 covers and conceals the inner lid locking mechanism 35 described above inside the inner lid body 31. As shown in Fig. 6, the cover portion 32 is formed with an opening that exposes the mounting portion 33 to the upper side, and a through hole 34 for a mechanism that locks the operation of the inner lid locking mechanism 35 (for example, the lock release prevention mechanism 70 described below).

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a movable base part of a movable armrest in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the movable base part shown in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional diagram showing an example of the configuration of the movable base part shown in Figure 10, taken along line B-B. As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the movable base part 40 of the movable armrest 20A has a housing 41, a cover part 42, a rotating hinge 43, a joining member 44, an opening/closing hinge 46, and a slide lock part 49, and is slidably connected to the inner lid part 30 described above.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, a rotating hinge 43, a joint member 44, an opening/closing hinge 46, and a slide lock section 49 are attached to the housing 41. For example, the rotating hinge 43 and the slide lock section 49 are attached to the rear side of the housing 41. The joint member 44 is attached to a guide hole 45 formed in the housing 41. The opening/closing hinge 46 is attached to the right end side of the housing 41. In addition, as shown in Fig. 9, the cover section 42 is fixed to the top of the housing 41 so as to cover the area of the housing 41 excluding the rotating hinge 43 and the opening/closing hinge 46.

The rotating hinge 43 connects the movable base part 40 and the armrest part 50 described below so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction D3. As shown in FIG. 9, the rotating hinge 43 is fixed to the housing 41 so that the hinge part that is joined to the armrest part 50 is exposed above the cover part 42. Details of the connection structure between the movable base part 40 and the armrest part 50 described below by the rotating hinge 43 will be described later.

The joint member 44 is a member for slidably connecting the movable base part 40 and the inner lid part 30 described above. In detail, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the joint member 44 is slidably engaged with a guide hole 45 formed in the bottom part of the housing 41, and is joined by a screw 44a to the mounting part 33 of the inner lid part 30 located below the movable base part 40. The joint member 44 and the mounting part 33 are joined via the guide hole 45, so that the movable base part 40 is slidably connected to the inner lid part 30. At this time, the joint member 44 is in a fixed state relative to the inner lid part 30. The movable base part 40 slides relative to the inner lid part 30 by sliding the joint member 44 in the fixed state and the guide hole 45 relative to each other. The sliding of the movable base part 40 in the front-rear direction D1 corresponds to the sliding of the movable armrest 20A including the movable base part 40 in the front-rear direction D1.

The guide hole 45 allows the movable base part 40 to slide relative to the inner lid part 30, and regulates the sliding direction and sliding position of the movable base part 40. In detail, as shown in FIG. 10, the guide hole 45 is formed in the bottom of the housing 41 so as to be an elongated through hole that is elongated in the sliding direction of the movable base part 40 (in this embodiment, the front-rear direction D1). The edge of the guide hole 45 is formed in a protrusion shape that can engage with the joining member 44, as shown in FIG. 11. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, the guide hole 45 has a first end 45a and a second end 45b in the front-rear direction D1. The first end 45a is the front end of the guide hole 45 in the front-rear direction D1. The second end 45b is the rear end of the guide hole 45 in the front-rear direction D1. As the movable base portion 40 slides, the guide hole 45 can slide relative to the joining member 44 until the joining member 44 abuts against either the first end 45a or the second end 45b.

The guide hole 45 restricts the sliding direction of the movable base part 40 to the front-rear direction D1 (the longitudinal direction of the guide hole 45), which is the relative sliding direction between the joining member 44 and the guide hole 45. In addition, the sliding position of the movable base part 40 is restricted to a position between the first end 45a and the second end 45b of the guide hole 45.

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the sliding movement of the movable base part in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 12, when the joint member 44 abuts against the first end 45a of the guide hole 45, the movable base part 40 is in a state where it cannot slide rearward in the front-rear direction D1 (state S1). The sliding position of the movable base part 40 in state S1 is the limit position when the movable base part 40 slides rearward in the front-rear direction D1. In an embodiment of the present invention, this limit position becomes the initial position for the sliding movement of the movable base part 40.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the movable base portion 40 can slide forward or backward in the front-to-rear direction D1 while sliding the guide hole 45 relative to the joining member 44.

For example, when the movable base part 40 slides forward, the guide hole 45 moves forward in the front-rear direction D1 while sliding relative to the joining member 44. This forward sliding of the movable base part 40 can continue until the second end 45b of the guide hole 45 abuts against the joining member 44. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12, when the second end 45b of the guide hole 45 abuts against the joining member 44, the forward sliding of the movable base part 40 is stopped by the abutment of the second end 45b with the joining member 44. In this case, the movable base part 40 is in a state where it cannot slide any further forward in the front-rear direction D1 (state S2). The sliding position of the movable base part 40 in this state S2 is the limit position when the movable base part 40 slides forward in the front-rear direction D1.

When the movable base part 40 slides backward, the guide hole 45 moves backward in the front-rear direction D1 while sliding relative to the joining member 44. This backward sliding of the movable base part 40 can continue until the first end 45a of the guide hole 45 abuts the joining member 44. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12, when the first end 45a of the guide hole 45 abuts the joining member 44, the backward sliding of the movable base part 40 is stopped by the abutment of the first end 45a with the joining member 44. In this case, the movable base part 40 is in a state where it cannot slide any further backward in the front-rear direction D1 (state S1). The movable base part 40 in state S1 can slide again until it reaches state S2.

As described above, the movable base unit 40 may slide forward from state S1 to state S2, or may slide backward before reaching state S2. Similarly, the movable base unit 40 may slide backward from state S2 to state S1, or may slide forward before reaching state S1.

On the other hand, the opening/closing hinge 46 allows rotation in the opening/closing direction to open and close the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10. In detail, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the opening/closing hinge 46 includes an opening/closing shaft 47 and a torsion spring 48, and is attached to a recessed portion formed on the right end side of the housing 41 of the movable base unit 40. The opening/closing shaft 47 is supported by the housing 41 so that the direction around the shaft (see the arrows on both sides in Fig. 9) is the opening/closing direction. At this time, the axial direction (longitudinal direction) of the opening/closing shaft 47 is, for example, the same direction as the front-rear direction D1. The torsion spring 48 generates a biasing force in the direction of opening the opening of the storage space 11 (hereinafter referred to as the opening direction) among the above opening/closing directions, and is inserted into the opening/closing shaft 47 as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. For example, one end of the torsion spring 48 is joined to the opening/closing hinge 46. The other end of the torsion spring 48 is joined or abuts against the housing 41 of the movable base part 40. The opening/closing hinge 46 constantly applies the biasing force of the torsion spring 48 to the movable base part 40.

Here, the movable base part 40 is slidably joined to the inner lid part 30 described above, and is rotatably joined to the armrest part 50 described later. When the inner lid part 30 is in a free state with respect to the box body 10 (a state in which it is not locked by the inner lid lock mechanism 35), the opening and closing hinge 46 rotates the movable base part 40 together with the inner lid part 30 and the armrest part 50 in the opening direction by the biasing force of the torsion spring 48. Also, when an external force (e.g., a pressing force by a user) that resists the biasing force of the torsion spring 48 is applied to the movable armrest 20A, the opening and closing hinge 46 rotates the movable base part 40 together with the inner lid part 30 and the armrest part 50 in the closing direction, which is the opposite direction to the closing direction among the above opening and closing directions. Such rotation of the movable base part 40 in the opening and closing direction corresponds to an opening and closing operation in which the movable armrest 20A equipped with the movable base part 40 etc. opens and closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10.

The slide lock portion 49 is an example of an inner lid slide lock mechanism that locks the relative sliding of the inner lid portion 30 with respect to the movable base portion 40. In detail, as shown in FIG. 10, the slide lock portion 49 is arranged so as to be located rearward in the front-rear direction D1 from the lower end portion of the inner lid portion 30 when the movable base portion 40 is in the initial position of the sliding operation (see state S1 in FIG. 12). The slide lock portion 49 is configured to be biased toward the inner lid portion 30 by a spring (not shown), and is attached so as to be capable of being protruded and retracted through an opening formed in the bottom of the housing 41 of the movable base portion 40.

13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a state in which the relative sliding of the inner lid part with respect to the movable base part is locked. As shown in FIG. 13, when the movable base part 40 rotates in the opening direction together with the inner lid part 30 and the armrest part 50, the slide lock part 49 protrudes from the bottom of the housing 41 of the movable base part 40. This opening direction is the direction in which the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10 is opened among the directions in which the movable base part 40 rotates by the opening/closing hinge 46 (opening/closing directions). The slide lock part 49 in such a protruding state abuts against the rear end part of the inner lid part 30, thereby preventing the inner lid part 30 from sliding backward. Here, when the slide lock part 49 abuts against the rear end part of the inner lid part 30, the forward sliding of the inner lid part 30 is prevented by the abutment of the joint member 44 of the movable base part 40 and the first end part 45a of the guide hole 45 shown in FIG. 10. Therefore, the slide lock portion 49 in the protruding state can lock the inner lid portion 30 from sliding relative to the movable base portion 40 by abutting against the rear end portion of the inner lid portion 30.

On the other hand, when the inner lid portion 30 closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10, the slide lock portion 49 comes into contact with the upper end of the box body 10 and is recessed inside the housing 41 of the movable base portion 40. In this case, the slide lock portion 49 releases the sliding lock of the inner lid portion 30 described above.

Figure 14 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of an armrest section of a movable armrest in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 illustrates a state in which the armrest section 50 rotates relative to the movable base section 40. Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the armrest section shown in Figure 14, taken along line CC. The armrest section 50 is a component that performs the armrest function of the movable armrest 20A, and as shown in Figures 14 and 15, is connected to the movable base section 40 so as to be rotatable around an axis in the vertical direction D3 of the box body 10. The rotation of the armrest section 50 is achieved by the armrest section 50 rotating around the axis of rotation of the rotating hinge 43.

In detail, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the armrest portion 50 is composed of an armrest main body 51 and a base portion 52. The armrest main body 51 is formed in a shape that allows the user to easily place their elbows, for example, with a flat upper end surface and curved (rounded) edges. A preferable material for the armrest main body 51 is a resin such as polyurethane. As shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the armrest main body 51 is fixed to the upper end of the base portion 52.

The base portion 52 is a component that is rotatably connected to the movable base portion 40, which is located on the opposite side to the armrest body 51 (lower side in the vertical direction D3 in Figures 14 and 15), by the above-mentioned rotating hinge 43 (see Figure 9).

In detail, as shown in FIG. 15, the rotating hinge 43 is composed of a rotating part 43a, a fixed part 43b, and a rotating shaft 43c. The rotating part 43a is a hinge part provided on one end side (upper side in FIG. 15) of the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 43c, and can rotate around the rotating shaft 43c as the central axis of rotation. The fixed part 43b is a hinge part that does not rotate in the rotating hinge 43 and is provided on the other end side (lower side in FIG. 15) of the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 43c. The rotating shaft 43c is the central axis of rotation in the rotating hinge 43, and is formed, for example, in a cylindrical or columnar shape. The rotating shaft 43c may be fixed to the rotating part 43a and slidably contacted with the fixed part 43b, or may be slidably contacted with the rotating part 43a and fixed to the fixed part 43b.

The rotating hinge 43 having the above configuration joins the housing 41 of the movable base part 40 and the base part 52 of the armrest part 50 so that the central axis direction of the rotating shaft 43c is the same as the up-down direction D3, for example, as shown in FIG. 15. That is, as shown in FIG. 15, the rotating part 43a is joined to the base part 52 of the armrest part 50 by a screw 43e. The fixed part 43b is joined to the housing 41 of the movable base part 40 by a screw 43f. The upper end of the rotating shaft 43c is fitted into a recess in the base part 52 of the armrest part 50. The lower end of the rotating shaft 43c is fitted into a recess in the housing 41 of the movable base part 40.

The armrest portion 50 joined to the movable base portion 40 by such a rotating hinge 43 can rotate around an axis in the up-down direction D3 of the box body 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the armrest portion 50 can rotate from a state in which it is aligned with the movable base portion 40 in the front-rear direction D1 (state S3) to a state inclined relative to the movable base portion 40 (state S4). Of course, the armrest portion 50 can also rotate from state S4 shown in FIG. 14 to state S3. In an embodiment of the present invention, the rotation position of the armrest portion 50 in state S3 above becomes the initial position for the rotation operation of the armrest portion 50.

As shown in FIG. 15, the rotating hinge 43 is provided with a wave washer 43d between the rotating part 43a and the fixed part 43b on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 43c. The wave washer 43d applies a rotational resistance force to the rotating part 43a. By applying this rotational resistance force, the wave washer 43d can suppress the armrest part 50 from unintentionally rotating due to its own weight or the like. In addition, the movable base part 40 or the armrest part 50 described above may be provided with a rotation lock mechanism (not shown) that locks the rotation of the armrest part 50 when the movable base part 40 rotates in the opening direction together with the inner lid part 30 and the armrest part 50 (see FIG. 13).

(Opening operation part)
The configuration of the opening operation unit 60 of the storage box 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing one configuration example of the opening operation unit of the storage box in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one configuration example of the opening operation unit shown in FIG. 16 along the line D-D. The opening operation unit 60 performs an opening operation for the movable armrests 20A and 20B to open the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10, and functions as an unlocking mechanism that unlocks the inner lid part 30 by the inner lid locking mechanism 35 described above. In detail, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the opening operation unit 60 includes pressing rods 61a and 61b, an interlocking unit 62, an operation button 63, and a housing 64. The opening operation unit 60 is attached to the mounting unit 19 (see FIG. 4) of the box body 10, and is provided in the front part of the box body 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

The pressing rods 61a and 61b are rods that act on the inner lid locking mechanisms (for example, the inner lid locking mechanism 35 shown in FIG. 8) of the movable armrests 20A and 20B, and are configured to extend rearward in the front-rear direction D1 from the rear end of the housing 64 as shown in FIG. 16. In detail, the pressing rods 61a and 61b are inserted into the insertion holes 15a and 15c (see FIG. 4) of the box body 10, respectively. As shown in FIG. 17, one pressing rod 61a is inserted into the insertion hole 15a of the box body 10 and contacts the first rod portion 36a of the inner lid locking mechanism 35 in the inner lid portion 30 in the front-rear direction D1 opposite to each other. When the operation button 63 is pressed down, the pressing rod 61a presses the first rod portion 36a in the insertion hole 15a rearward in the front-rear direction D1. Similarly, the other pressing rod 61b, although not shown, is inserted through the insertion hole 15c of the box body 10 and contacts the first rod portion of the inner lid lock mechanism in the inner lid portion of the movable armrest 20B in the front-rear direction D1. When the operation button 63 is pressed down, this pressing rod 61b presses the first rod portion in the insertion hole 15c backward in the front-rear direction D1.

The interlocking part 62 moves the pressing rods 61a and 61b in the front-rear direction D1 in conjunction with the operation of the operation button 63. In detail, the interlocking part 62 is integrally formed with the pressing rods 61a and 61b spaced apart in the left-right direction D2 as shown in FIG. 16, and is disposed inside the housing 64. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the interlocking part 62 is integrally provided with the pressing rod 61a at the rear end in the front-rear direction D1. Also, as shown in FIG. 17, the front part of the interlocking part 62 is in slidable contact with the lower end of the operation button 63. The interlocking part 62 slides rearward in the front-rear direction D1 in conjunction with the depression of the operation button 63, and moves the pressing rods 61a and 61b rearward in the front-rear direction D1. In addition, the interlocking portion 62 slides forward in the front-rear direction D1 in response to the forward movement of the pressure rods 61a and 61b due to an external force, and returns to a state in which the front portion of the interlocking portion 62 abuts against the lower end of the operation button 63 (the state shown in FIG. 17).

As shown in FIG. 17, the operation button 63 is provided on the housing 64 so as to be movable in the up-down direction D3. The operation button 63 also has a spring 63a, and is always biased upward by the biasing force of the spring 63a. When such an operation button 63 is pressed down by a user, the spring 63a contracts and moves downward in the up-down direction D3, causing the interlocking part 62 to slide rearward in the front-rear direction D1 together with the pressing rods 61a and 61b. The operation button 63 then rises due to the biasing force of the spring 63a, returning to the state before it was pressed down (the state shown in FIG. 17).

Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a series of operations for unlocking the inner lid part by the opening operation part. As described above, the inner lid locking mechanism 35 locks the inner lid part 30 in a state in which the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10 is closed by inserting the first rod part 36a and the second rod part 37a into the insertion holes 15a, 15b of the box body 10, respectively (see Figure 8). When the user presses down the operation button 63, the opening operation part 60 releases the lock of the inner lid part 30 (the inner lid part of the movable armrest 20A) by the inner lid locking mechanism 35.

In detail, as shown in FIG. 18, the opening operation unit 60 moves the pressing rod 61a toward the inner lid locking mechanism 35 (in the direction of the solid arrow in FIG. 18) in response to pressing down the operation button 63. The pressing rod 61a presses the first rod portion 36a in the insertion hole 15a of the box body 10 toward the inside of the inner lid portion 30, thereby pushing the first rod portion 36a out of the insertion hole 15a. As the first rod portion 36a is pushed out of the insertion hole 15a, the first locking member 36 moves together with the first rod portion 36a and the first rack portion 36b in a direction approaching the second locking member 37 (in the direction of the solid arrow in FIG. 18). At this time, the first rack portion 36b moves in the same direction as the pinion gear 38 while engaging with it. As a result, the pinion gear 38 rotates in a first rotation direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 18) corresponding to the movement direction of the first rack portion 36b. The pinion gear 38 also meshes with the second rack portion 37b, and while rotating in the first rotation direction, moves the second rack portion 37b in a direction approaching the first locking member 36 (in the direction of the solid arrow in FIG. 18). At this time, the spring 39 expands with the movement of the second rack portion 37b. The second locking member 37 moves together with the second rod portion 37a and the second rack portion 37b in a direction approaching the first locking member 36 (in the direction of the solid arrow in FIG. 18). Accordingly, the second rod portion 37a moves in a direction toward the inside of the inner lid portion 30 and is pulled out from the insertion hole 15b of the box body 10.

As described above, the opening operation unit 60 extends the first rod portion 36a and the second rod portion 37a of the inner lid locking mechanism 35 from the insertion holes 15a, 15b of the box body 10, thereby unlocking the inner lid portion 30 by the inner lid locking mechanism 35. By unlocking the inner lid portion 30, the opening operation unit 60 can perform an opening operation of the movable armrest 20A, which opens the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10.

On the other hand, the inner lid lock mechanism 35 operates in the opposite direction to the case of unlocking the inner lid part 30 after the inner lid part 30 is unlocked as described above. That is, as shown in FIG. 18, the second lock member 37 moves in a direction away from the first lock member 36 (in the direction of the dashed arrow in FIG. 18) due to the biasing force of the spring 39 in the extended state. At this time, the second rod part 37a protrudes to the outside of the inner lid part 30. The second rack part 37b moves in a direction away from the first lock member 36 while meshing with the pinion gear 38, thereby rotating the pinion gear 38 in a second rotation direction (clockwise direction in FIG. 18) corresponding to the moving direction of the second rack part 37b. The first rack part 36b moves in a direction away from the second lock member 37 (in the direction of the solid arrow in FIG. 18) with the rotation of the pinion gear 38. The first locking member 36 moves together with the first rod portion 36a and the first rack portion 36b in a direction away from the second locking member 37, causing the first rod portion 36a to protrude outside the inner lid portion 30.

In addition, when the inner lid portion 30 closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10, the inner lid locking mechanism 35 operates in the same manner as in the case of unlocking the inner lid portion 30 described above due to the external force applied from the box body 10 to the first rod portion 36a and the second rod portion 37a (see the solid arrow in FIG. 18). Then, as shown in FIG. 18, when the first rod portion 36a faces the insertion hole 15a of the box body 10 and the second rod portion 37a faces the insertion hole 15b of the box body 10, the inner lid locking mechanism 35 operates in the same manner as in the case after the inner lid portion 30 is unlocked (see the dashed arrow in FIG. 18). At this time, the first rod portion 36a and the second rod portion 37a enter the insertion holes 15a and 15b, respectively, due to the biasing force of the spring 39. As a result, the inner lid locking mechanism 35 again locks the inner lid 30, and the first rod 36a pushes the pressure rod 61a in the insertion hole 15a back toward the opening operation part 60.

Although not specifically shown, the opening operation unit 60 acts on the inner lid locking mechanism of the movable armrest 20B in the same manner as the inner lid locking mechanism 35 of the movable armrest 20A described above, except that the pressing rod 61b is used. The inner lid locking mechanism of the movable armrest 20B is configured in the same manner as the inner lid locking mechanism 35 of the movable armrest 20A described above, except that the inner lid locking mechanism of the movable armrest 20B has a structure that is symmetrical to the inner lid locking mechanism 35 of the movable armrest 20A described above.

(Unlock prevention mechanism)
The storage box 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with an unlocking prevention mechanism in each of the movable armrests 20A, 20B. This unlocking prevention mechanism prevents the unlocking mechanism from unlocking the inner lid when the movable base slides relative to the inner lid. The configurations of the unlocking prevention mechanisms of the movable armrests 20A, 20B are the same except that they are symmetrical. Below, the configuration of the unlocking prevention mechanism of the movable armrest 20A will be described in detail as a representative of these.

Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing one configuration example of the unlocking prevention mechanism of the movable armrest in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 20 is a schematic diagram showing one example of a state in which unlocking of the inner lid part is prevented by the unlocking prevention mechanism. This unlocking prevention mechanism 70 prevents the unlocking of the inner lid part 30 by the above-mentioned opening operation part 60 (an example of an unlocking mechanism) when the movable base part 40 of the movable armrest 20A slides relative to the inner lid part 30. In detail, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, the unlocking prevention mechanism 70 is composed of a prevention part 71, a protruding and recessing part 72, and a spring 73, and is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract into the inner lid part 30.

As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the blocking portion 71 is configured to extend from the recessed portion 72 in a direction blocking the movement path of the second locking member 37 of the inner lid locking mechanism 35. When the recessed portion 72 is recessed inside the inner lid portion 30, the blocking portion 71 blocks the movement path of the second locking member 37, thereby blocking the operation of the inner lid locking mechanism 35. When the recessed portion 72 protrudes from the inner lid portion 30 toward the movable base portion 40, the blocking portion 71 retreats from the movement path of the second locking member 37, thereby allowing the operation of the inner lid locking mechanism 35.

As shown in FIG. 19, the protruding and recessing portion 72 is attached to the bottom of the inner lid body 31 via a spring 73, and is configured to be able to protrude and recess through the through hole 34 formed in the cover portion 32 of the inner lid portion 30. For example, when the movable base portion 40 is in the initial position of the sliding operation, the protruding and recessing portion 72 protrudes from the inner lid portion 30 through the through hole 34 due to the biasing force of the spring 73 (state S5). Here, as shown in FIG. 19, a recess 41a recessed toward the inside of the movable base portion 40 is formed on the bottom of the housing 41 of the movable base portion 40. When the movable base portion 40 is in the initial position of the sliding operation, the recess 41a faces the through hole 34 of the inner lid portion 30. The protruding and recessing portion 72 in the state protruding from the inner lid portion 30 is in this recess 41a as shown in FIG. 19. In addition, the upper surface of the protruding and recessing portion 72 is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the front side to the rear side of the recess 41a as shown in FIG. 19. This allows the protruding and recessing portion 72 to smoothly protrude and recess between the through hole 34 of the inner lid portion 30 and the recess 41a of the movable base portion 40 without impeding the sliding of the movable base portion 40.

As shown in FIG. 19, when the movable base 40 slides relative to the inner lid 30, the recessed portion 72 slides against the edge of the recess 41a and the upper surface of the recessed portion 72, and descends against the biasing force of the spring 73. The recessed portion 72 is then pressed down by the housing 41 of the movable base 40 and sinks into the through hole 34 of the inner lid 30 (state S6). The recessed portion 72 switches between the protruding state (state S5) and the sunken state (state S6) according to the sliding state of the movable base 40 relative to the inner lid 30.

As shown in FIG. 19, the spring 73 is provided between the bottom of the inner lid body 31 and the lower end of the recessed portion 72. The spring 73 is always in a contracted state from its natural length, and applies a biasing force to the recessed portion 72 in a direction from the inner lid portion 30 side toward the movable base portion 40 side.

In the state S5 described above, the unlocking prevention mechanism 70 having the above-mentioned configuration causes the protruding and recessing portion 72 to protrude from the inner lid portion 30 and the blocking portion 71 to retreat from the movement path of the second locking member 37. As a result, the unlocking prevention mechanism 70 enables the inner lid locking mechanism 35 to operate and allows the opening operation unit 60 to unlock the inner lid portion 30. On the other hand, in the state S6 described above, the unlocking prevention mechanism 70 causes the protruding and recessing portion 72 to sink into the inner lid portion 30 and blocks the movement path of the second locking member 37 with the blocking portion 71, as shown in FIG. 20. As a result, the unlocking prevention mechanism 70 disables the inner lid locking mechanism 35 and prevents the opening operation unit 60 from unlocking the inner lid portion 30.

(Slide mechanism)
The configuration of the slide mechanisms 80A and 80B will be described in detail. In the embodiment of the present invention, the slide mechanisms 80A and 80B (see FIG. 1) are mechanisms for enabling the movable armrests 20A and 20B to slide relatively to the box body 10 while ensuring the opening and closing functions of the movable armrests 20A and 20B. These slide mechanisms 80A and 80B are arranged in the box body 10 with structures symmetrical to each other in the left-right direction D2, and the configurations of these slide mechanisms 80A and 80B are the same except that they are symmetrical to each other. Below, the configuration of the slide mechanism 80A will be described in detail as a representative of these.

Figure 21 is a side view showing an example of a configuration of a slide mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 22 is a side view showing an example of a configuration of the opposite side of the slide mechanism shown in Figure 21. Figure 23 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of the slide mechanism shown in Figure 21 along line E-E. The slide mechanism 80A is connected to the movable base part 40 via the opening and closing hinge 46 (see Figure 9) of the movable base part 40 described above, and is attached to the box body 10 so as to be slidable in the same sliding direction as the movable base part 40. As shown in Figures 21 to 23, such a slide mechanism 80A includes a fixed part 81, a slide guide part 82, and a hook part 85.

The fixing part 81 is composed of a carriage or the like that can slide along a rail, and is fixed to the box body 10. In detail, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, the fixing part 81 is slidably attached to the slide rail 83 of the slide guide part 82, and is fixed to the right inner wall surface of the box body 10 by screw fastening or the like. The right inner wall surface to which this fixing part 81 is fixed is the inner wall surface above the right slide lane 16a (see Figure 4) among the inner wall surfaces of the box body 10. The slide mechanism 80A is attached to the box body 10 so as to be positioned above the right slide lane 16a by fixing this fixing part 81 to the box body 10.

The slide guide portion 82 slides relative to the fixed portion 81 and regulates the sliding direction of the slide mechanism 80A. In detail, as shown in Figures 21 to 23, the slide guide portion 82 is composed of a slide rail 83 and a slide cover 84.

As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the slide rail 83 is a rail on which the fixed part 81 described above is slidably mounted, and slides relative to the fixed part 81 when it is fixed to the box body 10. The sliding direction of this slide rail 83 relative to the fixed part 81 is the longitudinal direction of the slide rail 83. The slide rail 83 is arranged so that its longitudinal direction is the same as the sliding direction (front-rear direction D1) of the movable base part 40, and is fixed to the slide cover 84 by screws or the like.

The slide cover 84 covers the above-mentioned fixed portion 81, the slide rail 83, and the opening/closing hinge 46 from the storage space 11 side of the box body 10. In detail, as shown in FIGS. 21 to 23, the slide cover 84 is disposed on the right side of the slide rail 83 in the left-right direction D2, and is joined and fixed to the slide rail 83 by screwing or the like. As a result, the slide cover 84 covers the slide rail 83 together with the above-mentioned fixed portion 81 from the right side of the left-right direction D2 (i.e., the storage space 11 side of the box body 10). The slide cover 84 is also disposed on the right side of the left-right direction D2 with respect to the opening/closing hinge 46. In this embodiment, the opening/closing hinge 46 is joined and fixed to the slide rail 83 by screwing or the like, as shown in FIG. 23. The slide cover 84 covers the opening/closing hinge 46 from the right side of the left-right direction D2, and is indirectly joined and fixed to the opening/closing hinge 46 via the slide rail 83. The slide cover 84 may be directly joined and fixed to the opening/closing hinge 46 without using the slide rail 83. The opening/closing hinge 46 is fixed to the slide guide portion 82 as described above.

The hook portion 85 is for enabling the sliding of the slide mechanism 80A to be locked. In detail, as shown in Figs. 21 to 23, the hook portion 85 is formed in an L-shape with the rear end bent downward, and is attached to the rear end of the slide cover 84. The hook portion 85 extends rearward in the front-to-rear direction D1 from the rear end of the slide cover 84, and can enter and exit the box body 10 through the rear through-hole 18a of the box body 10 as the slide mechanism 80A slides.

The slide mechanism 80A having the above-mentioned configuration is connected to the above-mentioned movable base part 40 by joining and fixing the slide guide part 82 and the opening and closing hinge 46. The slide mechanism 80A is slidably attached to the box body 10 by joining and fixing the box body 10 to the fixed part 81 and by a slide rail 83 that is slidable relative to the fixed part 81. The sliding direction of the slide mechanism 80A is restricted to the front-rear direction D1, the same as that of the movable base part 40, by the slide rail 83. The slide mechanism 80A can slide in the front-rear direction D1 together with the opening and closing hinge 46 along the slide lane 16a (see FIG. 4) on the right side of the box body 10. Although not shown in particular, the left slide mechanism 80B can slide in the front-rear direction D1 along the slide lane 16b (see FIG. 4) on the left side of the box body 10.

(Slide lock mechanism)
The storage box 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a slide lock mechanism 90A that locks the right movable armrest 20A from sliding in the open state, and a slide lock mechanism 90B that locks the left movable armrest 20B from sliding in the open state. Fig. 24 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the slide lock mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 24 shows the slide lock mechanisms 90A and 90B as viewed from the rear side of the box body 10. For ease of explanation, in Fig. 24, the housings of the slide lock mechanisms 90A and 90B are shown by dashed lines, and the internal configuration of each housing is shown by solid lines.

As shown in FIG. 24, the slide lock mechanism 90A includes a locking portion 91, a spring 93, and a housing 94, and is provided at the right rear end of the box body 10. The locking portion 91 is formed, for example, in an L-shape and is provided inside the housing 94 via the spring 93. The locking portion 91 moves (moves up and down) in the vertical direction D3 as the spring 93 expands and contracts, thereby removably engaging with the hook portion 85 of the slide mechanism 80A. In addition, as shown in FIG. 24, the locking portion 91 has a protruding portion 92 at the upper portion. The protruding portion 92 is inserted into the through hole 13a at the rear of the box body 10, and is configured to protrude and retract from the inner lid support portion 12b of the box body 10 through the through hole 13a. For example, when the inner lid portion 30 closes the box body 10 and is supported by the inner lid support portion 12b, the protruding portion 92 is pushed into the through hole 13a by the inner lid portion 30. As a result, the locking portion 91 moves downward in the vertical direction D3. On the other hand, when the inner lid portion 30 opens the box body 10 and separates from the inner lid support portion 12b, the pressure applied by the inner lid portion 30 to the protruding and recessed portion 92 is released and the protruding and recessed portion 92 protrudes from the through hole 13a to the upper side of the inner lid support portion 12b. As a result, the locking portion 91 moves upward in the vertical direction D3.

As shown in FIG. 24, the spring 93 is provided between the bottom of the housing 94 and the lower end of the locking portion 91. The spring 93 is always in a contracted state from its natural length, and applies a biasing force to the locking portion 91 in a direction in which the recessed portion 92 protrudes from the inner lid support portion 12b (upward in the vertical direction D3).

Figure 25 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the slide lock mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 25, when the movable armrest 20A is in a closed state with the box body 10 closed (state S7), the inner lid portion 30 closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10. In this state S7, the slide lock mechanism 90A moves the lock portion 91 downward against the biasing force of the spring 93 (see Figure 24) in the housing 94, and releases the engagement between the lock portion 91 and the hook portion 85 of the slide mechanism 80A. This causes the slide lock mechanism 90A to unlock the slide of the slide mechanism 80A.

Also, as shown in FIG. 25, when the movable armrest 20A is in an open state with the box body 10 open (state S8), the inner lid portion 30 opens the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10. In this state S8, the slide lock mechanism 90A moves the lock portion 91 upward by the biasing force of the spring 93, and engages the lock portion 91 with the hook portion 85 of the slide mechanism 80A. As a result, the slide lock mechanism 90A locks the sliding of the slide mechanism 80A.

The slide lock mechanism 90A switches between a state in which the sliding of the slide mechanism 80A is locked (state S8) and a state in which the lock is released (state S7) each time the movable armrest 20A opens or closes the opening of the storage space 11 of the box body 10. The slide lock mechanism 90A locks the sliding of the slide mechanism 80A, thereby locking the sliding of the movable armrest 20A in the open state. The slide lock mechanism 90A also allows the movable armrest 20A to slide in the closed state by releasing the slide lock of the slide mechanism 80A.

As shown in FIG. 24, the slide lock mechanism 90B is configured symmetrically to the slide lock mechanism 90A described above. The configuration of this slide lock mechanism 90B is the same as that of the slide lock mechanism 90A described above, except that it is symmetrical. That is, the slide lock mechanism 90B locks the sliding of the slide mechanism 80B to lock the sliding of the movable armrest 20B in the open state, and allows the movable armrest 20B to slide in the closed state by releasing the lock.

(Opening and closing operation)
Next, the opening and closing operation of the movable armrests 20A, 20B in the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Fig. 26 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the opening and closing operation of the movable armrest in the embodiment of the present invention. In the following, opening the opening of the storage space 11 (see Fig. 4) in the box body 10 of the storage box 1 is abbreviated as "opening the box body 10", and closing the opening of the storage space 11 is abbreviated as "closing the box body 10".

As shown in FIG. 26, in the storage box 1, the right-side movable armrest 20A closes the box body 10 with the inner lid 30, thereby closing the right half of the box body 10. At this time, the inner lid 30 is locked to the box body 10, as described above. Similarly, the left-side movable armrest 20B closes the left half of the box body 10 and is locked to the box body 10. In this way, the movable armrests 20A and 20B close the box body 10 (state S11).

Note that the closing of the box body 10 here means that the opening of the storage space 11 is closed to the extent that it is not possible to put items in or take items out of the storage space 11 of the box body 10. In other words, when the box body 10 is closed, the opening of the storage space 11 does not necessarily have to be sealed.

In addition, in state S11, as shown in FIG. 26, the slide lock mechanisms 90A and 90B do not lock the slides of the movable armrests 20A and 20B, respectively. Although not specifically shown, in state S11, the rotation of the movable armrests 20A and 20B is also not locked.

In addition, the movable armrests 20A and 20B in state S11 open in response to the operation of the opening operation unit 60 (see FIG. 1) described above. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 26, in the right-side movable armrest 20A, the inner lid portion 30 is unlocked by the action of the opening operation unit 60, and in conjunction with this, the movable base portion 40 rotates in the opening direction together with the inner lid portion 30 and the armrest portion 50. At the same time, the left-side movable armrest 20B is unlocked by the opening operation unit 60 in the same manner as in the case of the movable armrest 20A, and in conjunction with this, it rotates in the opening direction symmetrical to the movable armrest 20A. As a result, the movable armrests 20A and 20B open like a double door to open the box body 10 (state S12), for example, as shown in FIG. 26.

After the above-mentioned opening operation, the movable armrests 20A and 20B can be closed independently, for example, by manual operation by the user. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 26, the right-side movable armrest 20A is rotated in the closing direction opposite to the opening direction by an external force (pressing force) applied by the user, blocking the right half of the box body 10 and returning to the above-mentioned state S11. Similarly, the left-side movable armrest 20B is rotated in the closing direction by an external force of the user, blocking the left half of the box body 10 and returning to the above-mentioned state S11. Note that the closing operation of the movable armrests 20A and 20B may be performed either first, or both may be performed simultaneously.

(Slide and pivot movements)
Next, the sliding and turning movements of the movable armrests 20A and 20B in the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. Fig. 27 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the sliding and turning movements of the movable armrests in the embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 27, when both the movable armrests 20A and 20B are in the initial positions for the sliding movement and the initial positions for the turning movement, the state of these movable armrests 20A and 20B is state S21. In this state S21, the movable armrests 20A and 20B can perform the opening and closing movement described above, or can perform at least one of the sliding movement and the turning movement without performing the opening and closing movement.

For example, in the storage box 1, as shown in FIG. 27, the movable armrest 20A in state S21 can be slid in the front-rear direction D1 by manual operation by the user (state S22). In this state S22, the armrest portion 50 of the movable armrest 20A slides in the front-rear direction D1 together with the movable base portion 40 relative to the inner lid portion 30. The inner lid portion 30 maintains a state in which the box body 10 is closed.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 27, the movable armrest 20A in state S22 can be manually rotated by the user about an axis in the vertical direction D3 in addition to the sliding described above (state S24). In state S24 from state S22, the armrest portion 50 of the movable armrest 20A rotates to the right or left relative to the movable base portion 40. The inner lid portion 30 maintains the state in which it closes the box body 10, even during the rotation of the armrest portion 50.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 27, the movable armrest 20A in state S21 can be rotated without sliding by manual operation of the user (state S23). In this state S23, the armrest portion 50 of the movable armrest 20A rotates to the right or left relative to the movable base portion 40. The movable base portion 40 does not rotate and is in the initial position of the sliding movement. The inner lid portion 30 maintains the state in which the box body 10 is closed.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 27, the movable armrest 20A in state S23 can be slid in the front-rear direction D1 in addition to the above-mentioned rotation by manual operation of the user (state S24). In state S24 from state S23, the armrest portion 50 of the movable armrest 20A slides in the front-rear direction D1 together with the movable base portion 40 relative to the inner lid portion 30. The inner lid portion 30 maintains a state in which the box body 10 is closed.

Also, as shown in FIG. 27, the movable armrest 20A can be rotated from state S24 to state S22, or can be slid from state S24 to state S23. Furthermore, the movable armrest 20A can be slid from state S22 to state S21, or can be rotated from state S23 to state S21.

Note that while FIG. 27 illustrates the sliding and rotating movements of the right-side movable armrest 20A, the left-side movable armrest 20B can also slide and rotate in the same manner as the right-side movable armrest 20A. It is also possible to slide and rotate both of these movable armrests 20A and 20B in parallel.

As described above, in the storage box according to the embodiment of the present invention, the inner lid is supported so as to be freely inserted and removed inside the box body having a storage space that opens upward, and is configured to open and close the opening of the storage space, the movable base has an opening/closing hinge that allows it to rotate in an opening/closing direction that opens and closes the opening of the storage space, and is slidably connected to the inner lid, a sliding mechanism is connected to the movable base via the opening/closing hinge and is attached to the box body so as to be slidable in the same sliding direction as the movable base, and an armrest is connected to the movable base so as to be rotatable around an axis in the vertical direction of the box body.

Therefore, the inner lid part can be rotated in the opening/closing direction together with the movable base part and the armrest part, and the movable base part can be slid together with the armrest part while the box body is kept closed by the inner lid part, and further, the armrest part can be rotated relative to the movable base part. By forming a movable armrest using the inner lid part, the movable base part, and the armrest part, the opening/closing function of the lid that opens and closes the box body, the sliding function of the armrest that slides relative to the box body, and the rotating function of the armrest that rotates relative to the box body can be integrated into an integrated armrest structure. As a result, a storage box that combines the sliding and rotating functions of the armrest with the opening and closing function of the lid can be realized in an integrated armrest structure.

In the above embodiment, the two movable armrests 20A, 20B are opened simultaneously by operating one opening operation unit 60, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the interlocking unit 62 and the operation button 63 of the opening operation unit 60 may be divided into separate push rods 61a, 61b so that the two movable armrests 20A, 20B can be opened separately. Alternatively, two opening operation units may be provided for opening the two movable armrests 20A, 20B, respectively.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a storage box 1 in which two movable armrests 20A, 20B are provided on the box body 10 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of movable armrests provided on the storage box according to the present invention may be one, or two or more (multiple).

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the movable armrests 20A and 20B are slid by manual operation, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a drive mechanism such as an actuator and gears may be provided in the box body 10, and the movable armrests 20A and 20B may be slid by the drive mechanism.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the present invention also includes configurations in which the above-mentioned components are appropriately combined. In addition, other embodiments, examples, operational techniques, etc. made by those skilled in the art based on the above-mentioned embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage box 10 Box body 11 Storage space 11a Bottom surface 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e Inner wall surface 12a, 12b Inner lid support portion 13a, 13b Through hole 14a, 14b Upper inner wall surface 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d Insertion hole 16a, 16b Slide lane 17a, 17b Entrance/exit 18a, 18b Rear through hole 19 Mounting portion 20A, 20B Movable armrest 30 Inner lid portion 31 Inner lid body 31a, 31b Lower end surface 32 Cover portion 33 Mounting portion 34 Through hole 35 Inner lid locking mechanism 36 First locking member 36a First rod portion 36b First rack portion 37 Second locking member 37a Second rod portion 37b Second rack portion 38 Pinion gear 39 Spring 40 Movable base portion 41 Housing 41a Recess 42 Cover portion 43 Rotating hinge 43a Rotating portion 43b Fixed portion 43c Rotating shaft 43d Wave washer 43e, 43f Screw 44 Joint member 44a Screw 45 Guide hole 45a First end portion 45b Second end portion 46 Opening/closing hinge 47 Opening/closing shaft 48 Torsion spring 49 Slide lock portion 50 Armrest portion 51 Armrest main body 52 Base portion 60 Opening operation portion 61a, 61b Press rod 62 Interlocking portion 63 Operation button 63a Spring 64 Housing 70 Lock release prevention mechanism 71 Prevention portion 72 Protruding and recessed portion 73 Spring 80A, 80B Slide mechanism 81 Fixed portion 82 Slide guide portion 83 Slide rail 84 Slide cover 85 Hook portion 90A, 90B Slide lock mechanism 91 Lock portion 92 Protruding portion 93 Spring 94 Housing D1 Front-rear direction D2 Left-right direction D3 Up-down direction

Claims (6)

A box body having a storage space that opens upward;
An inner lid portion that is supported inside the box body so as to be freely inserted and removed and that opens and closes an opening of the storage space;
A movable base portion having an opening/closing hinge that allows rotation in an opening/closing direction to open and close the opening of the storage space, the movable base portion being slidably connected to the inner lid portion;
a slide mechanism that is connected to the movable base portion via the opening/closing hinge and is attached to the box body so as to be slidable in the same sliding direction as the movable base portion;
an armrest portion connected to the movable base portion so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction of the box body;
A storage box comprising: The slide mechanism includes:
A fixing portion fixed to the box body;
a slide guide portion that slides relative to the fixed portion and regulates a sliding direction of the slide mechanism;
Equipped with
The opening/closing hinge is fixed to the slide guide portion.
2. The storage box according to claim 1 . an inner lid locking mechanism that locks the inner lid portion in a state in which the opening of the storage space is closed;
An unlocking mechanism for unlocking the inner lid portion;
3. The storage box according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: The storage box according to claim 3, further comprising an unlocking prevention mechanism that prevents the unlocking mechanism from unlocking the inner lid when the movable base slides relative to the inner lid. The storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is provided with a slide lock mechanism that locks the sliding of the sliding mechanism when the inner lid part opens the opening of the storage space, and unlocks the sliding of the sliding mechanism when the inner lid part closes the opening of the storage space. A storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is provided with an inner lid slide lock mechanism that locks the relative sliding of the inner lid with respect to the movable base when the movable base rotates in a direction that opens the opening of the storage space.

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