JP7735977B2 - Vehicle storage device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle storage device such as a console box mounted on a vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle storage device (double-door storage device) that includes a box body mounted on a vehicle and a lid. The box body has a rectangular upper opening. The upper opening has a first side extending in the left-right direction and a second side extending in the front-rear direction.

The lid rotates around a pair of axes extending along the first side (left-right direction) at the four corners of the top opening, each of which extends along the second side (front-to-back direction). This rotation of the lid opens and closes the top opening.

The vehicle storage device is also provided with an auxiliary mechanism that assists the lid in rotating toward the side that opens the upper opening. The auxiliary mechanism includes a biasing member that biases the lid upward via a pressing member.

In the above-mentioned conventional vehicle storage device, when opening the upper opening closed by the lid, the lid is pushed up from the box body by an auxiliary mechanism. By grasping the portion of the lid that protrudes from the box body, the lid can be easily rotated around the axis. This rotation allows the upper opening to be opened and closed, resulting in good operability of the lid.

JP 2019-38600 A

However, with the above-mentioned conventional vehicle storage device, the biasing force of the biasing member acts on the lid only in the initial stage of the lid's opening movement. This makes it difficult to rotate the lid to a position that fully opens the top opening. As such, conventional vehicle storage devices leave room for improvement in terms of usability.

Various aspects of a vehicle storage device for solving the above problems will be described.
[Aspect 1] A vehicle storage device comprising: a box body mounted on a vehicle and having a rectangular upper opening formed therein with a first side and a second side perpendicular to each other; and a lid that opens and closes the upper opening by rotating about a pair of axes on one side in a direction along the first side, among axes that extend at four corners of the upper opening in a direction along the second side, wherein when one of the box body and the lid is a first member and the other is a second member, each axis comprises a shim provided rotatably with respect to the first member, and a slide shaft provided slidably in a direction along the second side while its rotation is restricted with respect to the second member, and a pair of the slide shafts that face each other along the second side are provided on both sides in the direction along the first side of the second member and are rotatable with respect to the corresponding shim. a switching mechanism for switching the state of the shaft between a connected state in which the shaft is connected so that rotation can be transmitted, and a disconnected state in which the connection is released and the transmission of the rotation is blocked, and at least one side of the first member in a direction along the second edge is provided with an assisting mechanism for assisting the lid in rotating around the shaft on the other side toward a side that opens the upper opening when the shaft is switched to the disconnected state by the switching mechanism on one side in the direction along the first edge, and the assisting mechanism includes a connecting mechanism part that connects the pair of shims so that they can be interlocked, and a biasing member that is provided on a path through which force is transmitted between the two shims via the connecting mechanism part and biases the two shims in the direction in which they rotate when the lid opens the upper opening.

With the above configuration, when the lid closes the top opening and the two switching mechanisms connect the shafts at the four corners of the top opening, the lid becomes connected to the box body through the shafts at the four corners. Rotation of the lid around one pair of shafts in the direction along the first side is restricted. The lid is maintained in a state that closes the top opening.

At this time, the biasing member of the auxiliary mechanism stores a biasing force that rotates both shims in the same direction as when the lid opens the top opening.
When the state of each of the pair of shafts is switched from the connected state to the disconnected state by the switching mechanism on one side in the direction along the first side, the connection between the shims and the slide shafts on those shafts is released, and the transmission of rotation is interrupted. This interruption allows the rotation of each shim.

Therefore, in the auxiliary mechanism, the biasing member releases the biasing force that it had stored. This biasing force acts on both shims, causing each shim to rotate in the direction that the lid rotates when opening the top opening.

On the pair of shafts that have not been switched to the disconnected state by the switching mechanism, each slide shaft is connected to a shim, and the rotation of the shim is transmitted to the slide shaft. As a result, the lid rotates around the shaft that is connected by the switching mechanism toward the side that opens the top opening.

In this way, the assist mechanism rotates the shim to assist in rotating the lid in the direction that opens the top opening. This makes it possible to rotate the lid to a greater angle and into an upright position than with conventional vehicle storage devices, which push the lid upward using the biasing force of a biasing member. This makes it easier to load and unload items into and from the box body through the top opening.

When the lid in the upright position is rotated around the connected shaft toward the side that closes the top opening, the shim rotates. This rotation is transmitted via the connecting mechanism to the shim on the side to which the slide shaft is not connected. The latter shim rotates in conjunction (synchronization) with the former shim. The direction of rotation of both shims is the direction in which both shims rotate when the lid closes the top opening. This rotation is also transmitted to the biasing member. Therefore, as the rotation occurs, the biasing member stores a biasing force that rotates both shims.

When the lid is rotated to a position that closes the top opening, both shims return to the rotational phase they were in when the lid closed the top opening as described above. Therefore, the pair of shafts on the disconnected side can be connected to the shim by sliding the slide shaft. When the slide shaft is connected to the shim, the lid returns to a state where it is connected to the box body via the shafts at the four corners. The lid is maintained in a state that closes the top opening.

[Aspect 2] The vehicle storage device described in [Aspect 1], wherein the connecting mechanism includes a shaft extending in a direction along the first side and rotatably supported on the first member, a pair of first rotation transmission parts provided at both ends of the shaft so as to be integrally rotatable, and a second rotation transmission part provided for each shim so as to be integrally rotatable, and each second rotation transmission part is engaged with the corresponding first rotation transmission part so as to be able to transmit rotation.

With the above configuration, the shaft is rotatable around an axis extending along the first side. In contrast, each shim is rotatable around an axis extending along the second side. Because the first and second sides are perpendicular to each other, the axis of the former and the axis of the latter are perpendicular to each other. However, rotation is transmitted between the first rotation transmission part provided at the end of the shaft and the second rotation transmission part provided on each shim and engaged with the first rotation transmission part, changing direction. Therefore, the rotation of the shaft is transmitted to both shims via the first rotation transmission part and the second rotation transmission part. Furthermore, the rotation of the shim is transmitted to the shaft via the second rotation transmission part and the first rotation transmission part.

[Aspect 3] The vehicle storage device described in [Aspect 2], wherein the biasing member is a torsion coil spring that is wound around the shaft, one end of which is secured to the first member, and the other end of which is secured to the shaft.

With the above configuration, when the lid is held in a state where the top opening is closed, the biasing member (torsion coil spring) stores a biasing force around the shaft that rotates the shaft. The direction of rotation is the same as the direction in which the shaft rotates when the lid opens the top opening.

When the switching mechanism on one side in the direction along the first side switches the state of each of the pair of shafts from a connected state to a disconnected state, the biasing member (torsion coil spring) releases the biasing force it had stored. The released biasing force is transmitted evenly to both shims via the shaft, first rotation transmission unit, and second rotation transmission unit.

Each shim rotates in the direction that the lid rotates when it opens the top opening. The lid rotates around the axis on the side that has not been switched to the disconnected state, i.e., the axis on the connected side, toward the side that opens the top opening, via the switching mechanism.

When the lid in the upright position is rotated around the axis connecting the slide shaft to the shim toward the side that closes the top opening, the shim rotates. This rotation is transmitted to the shaft via the second rotation transmission unit and the first rotation transmission unit, causing the shaft to rotate. The rotation of the shaft is transmitted to the shim on the side to which the slide shaft is not connected via the first rotation transmission unit and the second rotation transmission unit. The latter shim rotates in conjunction (synchronization) with the former shim. The direction of rotation of both shims is the direction in which both shims rotate when the lid closes the top opening.

The rotation of the shaft is transmitted to the biasing member (torsion coil spring), which stores a biasing force that rotates both shims.
[Aspect 4] Each switching mechanism includes an operating unit operable on a side of the second member in a direction along the first side, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the movement of the operating unit when operated to a pair of opposing slide shafts along the second side, thereby sliding both slide shafts from a connected position that brings both shafts into the connected state to a disconnected position that brings both shafts into the disconnected state. A vehicle storage device described in any one of [Aspect 1] to [Aspect 3].

With the above configuration, when the operating unit is operated, the movement of the operating unit is transmitted by the transmission mechanism to a pair of opposing slide shafts along the second edge. This transmission causes both slide shafts to slide from a connected position, where the shafts are connected, to a disconnected position, where the shafts are disconnected. In the disconnected position, the slide shafts are disconnected from the shim, and the transmission of rotation is interrupted.

With the vehicle storage device described above, the lid can be rotated to a position that opens the upper opening widely, improving usability.

1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a console box in which an upper opening is closed by a lid in an embodiment in which the vehicle storage device is embodied in a console box; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part (base) of a box main body in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of part A in FIG. 1 . 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the console box in which the lid has been rotated from the state shown in FIG. 1 to a side where the upper opening is opened. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing some components of the console box of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing some components of the console box of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the correspondence between a front shim, a front slide shaft, and a front slide member in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view showing a correspondence relationship between a rear shim, a rear slide shaft, and a part of a rear slide member in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial exploded perspective view showing some components of the right-side switching mechanism in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assist mechanism in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial side view of an upper portion of the console box in the embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 in Figure 11. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part B in FIG. 12. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part C in FIG. 12. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion D in FIG. 12. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 in Figure 12. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 17-17 in Figure 14. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the lid has been rotated from the state of FIG. 16 to a fully open position. 14 is a partial cross-sectional plan view corresponding to FIG. 13, showing a state in which the left operating portion is pushed in and the right operating portion is pushed out of the operating hole. FIG. 15 is a view corresponding to FIG. 14 and is a partial cross-sectional plan view of the left operating portion when being pressed in. FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a vehicle storage device is embodied in a console box will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the following description, the forward direction of the vehicle is referred to as the front, and the backward direction is referred to as the rear. Furthermore, the up-down direction refers to the up-down direction of the vehicle, and the left-right direction refers to the width direction of the vehicle, which coincides with the left-right direction when the vehicle is moving forward.

Here, to identify the position of the console box 10 in each of the front-to-back, up-down, and left-to-right directions, the center of the console box 10 in each direction is used as the reference. Of the directions, directions or sides approaching the center are referred to as "inner," "inward," "inside," etc., and directions or sides moving away from the center are referred to as "outer," "outward," "outside," etc.

Figure 1 shows a portion of the console box 10, including the lid 30 and its surrounding area. The console box 10 forms part of the center console located between the driver's seat and the passenger seat inside the vehicle.

As shown in Figure 12, the console box 10 includes a box body 11, a lid 30, four shafts 40, a pair of switching mechanisms 50, and an auxiliary mechanism 70. Next, each part of the console box 10 will be described.

<Box body 11>
As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, in this embodiment, the box body 11 is a member of the console box 10 that corresponds to the "first member" in the claims, and is mounted on a vehicle.

The box body 11 includes a base 12 , a support portion 15 , and a pair of support plate portions 25 .
2, the base 12 is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the left-right direction, which is the direction with the smaller dimension of the base 12, is defined as the "width direction" of the console box 10. The width direction coincides with the vehicle width direction (left-right direction).

A mounting section 13, which is lower than the other sections, is formed in the middle section of the base 12 in the front-to-rear direction. A space 14, which forms part of the storage section 18, is formed in the mounting section 13. The upper end of the space 14 is open.

As shown in FIG. 5, the support portion 15 has a structure that is symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction and also in the left-to-right direction. Therefore, hereinafter, the structure of one side of the support portion 15 in the front-to-rear direction will be described, and a description of the structure of the other side will be omitted. Also, the structure of one side of the support portion 15 in the left-to-right direction will be described, and a description of the structure of the other side will be omitted. These points are not limited to the support portion 15, but are similarly applicable to other components of the console box 10.

The lower part of the support part 15 is formed by a rectangular frame part 16. The space part 17 surrounded by the frame part 16, together with the space part 14 (see Figure 2) of the base part 12, constitutes a storage part 18 for storing small items and other objects. The upper edge of this storage part 18, or more specifically, the upper edge of the inner surface of the frame part 16, constitutes an upper opening 19 of the storage part 18. The upper opening 19 has a rectangular shape, which is one form of a rectangular shape, in a plan view. The upper opening 19 has a pair of first sides 21 (only one of which is shown in Figure 5) that face each other in the front-to-rear direction and extend parallel to the left-to-right direction, and a pair of second sides 22 that face each other in the left-to-right direction and extend parallel to the front-to-rear direction. The first side 21 and the second side 22 are perpendicular to each other.

Support walls 23 protrude upward from the front and rear of the frame 16. Both support walls 23 form the upper part of the support 15. Cylindrical bearings 24 are provided on both left-right sides of each support wall 23. Although not shown, the support 15 is attached to the base 12 while placed on the mounting portion 13 (see Figure 2).

A pair of support plates 25 are positioned above the mounting portion 13, sandwiching both support walls 23 from the outside in the front-to-rear direction. Each support plate 25 is attached to the adjacent support wall 23. Cylindrical bearings 26 are provided on both left-to-right sides of each support plate 25.

<Lid 30>
As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, in this embodiment, the lid 30 is a member of the console box 10 that corresponds to the "second member" in the claims.

As shown in Figure 12, the lid 30 opens and closes the upper opening 19 by rotating between a closed position and a fully open position around a pair of shafts 40 selected in the left-right direction from among the shafts 40 that extend in the front-to-rear direction at the four corners of the upper opening 19.

In the closed position, the lid 30 is horizontal, as shown in Figures 1 and 16, and closes the upper opening 19 (see Figures 4 and 5). In the fully open position, the lid 30 is upright, as shown in Figures 4 and 18, and leaves the upper opening 19 wide open.

In the following, the lid 30 will be described in a state where the upper opening 19 is closed.
5 and 16, the lid 30 has a shape and size that allows it to close the upper opening 19 from above. The thickness direction of the lid 30 is the up-down direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 11, the lid 30 includes a half body 31 located on one side (lower) in the thickness direction, and a half body 36 located on the other side (upper) and connected to the half body 31.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, when the lid 30 closes the upper opening 19, both front-to-rear wall portions 32 of the half-split body 31 are adjacent to the inside of the support wall portion 23 in the front-to-rear direction. Cylindrical bearing portions 33 are provided on both the left and right sides of each wall portion 32.

A cutout 35 with an open upper end is formed in the front of each of the left and right wall sections 34 of the half-split body 31. A cutout 38 with an open lower end is also formed in the front of each of the left and right wall sections 37 of the half-split body 36. When the half-split body 36 is joined to the half-split body 31, a rectangular operation hole 39 is formed by the cutouts 35, 38, as shown in Figures 1 and 11.

<Axis 40>
As shown in Fig. 12, each shaft 40 includes a shim 41 and a slide shaft 45. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the shim 41 for each shaft 40 includes a cylindrical or columnar shim body 42 extending in the front-rear direction and an arm portion 43 extending radially outward from the shim body 42. A portion of the shim body 42 for each shaft 40 is rotatably housed in the bearing portions 24, 26 (see Figs. 13 to 15). An engaging protrusion 44 is formed on the inner surface of each shim body 42 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the engaging protrusions 44 are formed at two locations that sandwich the axis of the shim 41, but this is not limited to this.

The arm portion 43 of each shim 41 rotates integrally with the shim body 42. When the lid 30 rotates to the fully open position (see Figure 18), each arm portion 43 comes into contact with a stopper (not shown) formed on the box body 11, thereby preventing the lid 30 from rotating further in the direction that would open the upper opening 19.

A portion of the slide shaft 45 for each shaft 40 is housed so that it can slide forward and backward while its rotation is restricted relative to the bearings 24 and 33; in other words, it can appear and disappear from the wall 32 (see Figures 13 to 15 and 17).

An engagement recess 46 is formed on the outer surface of each slide shaft 45 in the front-to-rear direction, corresponding to the engagement protrusion 44 of the shim 41. The engagement recesses 46 are formed in two locations on either side of the axis of the slide shaft 45, but this is not limited to this. The engagement recess 46 is shaped to fit into the engagement protrusion 44. As shown in Figures 12 to 15, each slide shaft 45 slides outward in the front-to-rear direction and protrudes from the wall portion 32. The engagement recess 46 fits into the corresponding engagement protrusion 44, connecting the slide shaft 45 to the shim 41. Rotation can be transmitted between the slide shaft 45 and the shim 41. This state of the shaft 40 is referred to as the "connected state."

In response to this, as shown in Figure 20, each slide shaft 45 slides inward in the front-to-rear direction, causing the engagement recess 46 to disengage (disengage) from the corresponding engagement protrusion 44, thereby releasing the above-mentioned connection. The transmission of rotation between the slide shaft 45 and the shim 41 is interrupted. This state of the shaft 40 is referred to as the "disconnected state."

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, an inclined surface 47 is formed on the outer surface of each slide shaft 45 in the front-to-rear direction, below the engagement recess 46. The inclined surface 47 of each slide shaft 45 is inclined with respect to the vertical plane so that it is positioned lower toward the inside in the front-to-rear direction (see Figure 17).

<Switching mechanism 50>
6 and 12, the switching mechanisms 50 are provided on both sides in the left-right direction of the lid 30. Each switching mechanism 50 is a mechanism that switches the state of each shaft 40 between the connected state and the disconnected state.

Each switching mechanism 50 includes an operating unit 51, a transmission mechanism 53, and a return mechanism 62. The operating unit 51 (see Figure 11) for each switching mechanism 50 is operable on both left-right sides of the lid 30. Each operating unit 51 is arranged in the operating hole 39 so as to be movable left-right.

The operating unit 51 of each switching mechanism 50 is connected by a plate-shaped transmission member 52 extending in the left-right direction. The transmission member 52 is a component that constitutes part of the transmission mechanism unit 53. The transmission member 52 is also used as a component common to both switching mechanisms 50.

When one operating unit 51 is pushed inward in the left-right direction (push operation), the transmission member 52 transmits this movement to the other operating unit 51, causing it to move outward in the left-right direction.

The transmission mechanism portion 53 of each switching mechanism 50 has the following functions.
The movement of the operating unit 51 is transmitted to a pair of sliding shafts 45 that face each other in the front-to-rear direction, and the sliding shafts 45 are moved between a connected position where the shafts 40 are connected and a disconnected position where the shafts 40 are disconnected.

The pair of slide shafts 45 facing each other in the front-rear direction are positioned at the same position either in the coupled position or in the uncoupled position.
In order to realize the above function, the transmission mechanism 53 includes, in addition to the transmission member 52, a pair of pins 54, a front slide member 55, a rear slide member 56, and a biasing member 61.

As shown in Figures 9 and 13 to 15, the pair of pins 54 protrude upward from positions on the transmission member 52 that are on the inside of the operating unit 51 in the left-right direction and are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction.

The front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 both extend in the front-to-rear direction. The front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 are connected to the corresponding slide shaft 45 at their respective outer ends in the front-to-rear direction (see Figure 17). The front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 are overlapped on the transmission member 52 at their respective inner ends in the front-to-rear direction.

A cam hole 57 is formed at the inner end of each of the front and rear slide members 55 and 56 in the front-to-rear direction. Both cam holes 57 are symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction. Each cam hole 57 has a reference surface 58 and an inclined surface 59 on its inner wall surface in the front-to-rear direction. The reference surface 58 of each cam hole 57 is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. The inclined surface 59 of each cam hole 57 is adjacent to the reference surface 58 on the inner side in the left-to-right direction. The inclined surface 59 of each cam hole 57 is inclined with respect to the reference surface 58 so that the more inward in the left-to-right direction the inclined surface 59 is positioned on the outer side in the front-to-rear direction. The pin 54 described above is inserted into each cam hole 57 (see Figure 17).

The biasing member 61 is composed of a spring such as a coil spring, and is positioned in a compressed state between the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56. This biasing member 61 constantly applies a biasing force that acts outward in the front-to-rear direction on the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56. This biasing force is received when at least one of the reference surface 58 and the inclined surface 59 comes into contact with the pin 54. Note that a type of spring other than a coil spring may be used as the biasing member 61, or a biasing member other than a spring may be used. This also applies to the biasing member 68 of the return mechanism 62, which will be described later.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, when neither the left nor the right operating unit 51 is pressed, the pin 54 of both the left and right switching mechanisms 50 is set to contact the boundary between the inclined surface 59 and the reference surface 58. In this case, the shaft 40 of both the left and the right switching mechanisms 50 is in a coupled state.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 14 and 20, the relationship between whether or not the operating portion 51 is pressed and the contact position of the pin 54 with the inner wall surface of the cam hole 57 is set to satisfy the following conditions.

As shown in FIG. 20, when one of the left and right operating portions 51 is pressed, the pin 54 comes into contact with the inclined surface 59 in the switching mechanism 50 on the side that has been pressed.
As shown in FIG. 19 , in the switching mechanism 50 on the side where the operating portion 51 is pushed out of the operating hole 39 due to the pushing operation, the pin 54 comes into contact with the reference surface 58 .

As a result of the above settings, the shaft 40 is in a disconnected state in the switching mechanism 50 (see Figure 20) on the side where the operation unit 51 is pushed out. The shaft 40 is maintained in a connected state in the switching mechanism 50 (see Figure 19) on the side where the operation unit 51 is pushed out.

As shown in Figures 6 and 12, the switching mechanism 50 further includes a return mechanism 62 that returns the depressed operating unit 51 to its original state before the operation. The return mechanism 62 includes a notch 63, a receiving portion 65, a pressing member 66, and a biasing member 68.

The cutout 63 is formed in the rear of the transmission member 52, in the center in the left-right direction. The cutout 63 is triangular in shape with an open rear, and has a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined in the front-to-rear direction so that the distance between them in the left-to-right direction becomes narrower toward the front.

The receiving portion 65 is provided in the lid 30 at a location behind the transmission member 52 .
The pressing member 66 is disposed between the notch 63 and the receiving portion 65. An inclined surface is formed in the front portion of the pressing member 66, inclined relative to the front-to-rear direction so that the width of the pressing member 66 becomes narrower toward the front in correspondence with the inclined surface of the notch 63.

The biasing member 68 is a spring such as a coil spring, and is positioned in a compressed state between the pressing member 66 and the receiving portion 65. The biasing member 68 constantly biases the pressing member 66 forward.

The return mechanism 62 having the above-described configuration has the following functions.
When either the left or right operating portion 51 is pressed, an operating load is generated.
When the pushing force is no longer applied to the pushed-in operating portion 51, the transmission member 52 (the notch portion 63) returns to the center in the left-right direction.

When neither the left nor the right operating portion 51 is pressed, the transmission member 52 is held in the center in the left-right direction.
<Auxiliary mechanism 70>
12 , the assist mechanism 70 is a mechanism that assists the lid 30 in rotating around the shaft 40 on one side toward the side that opens the upper opening 19 when the switching mechanism 50 on one side switches the shaft 40 on one side to the disconnected state in the left-right direction. The assist mechanism 70 is provided on at least one side of the box body 11 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the assist mechanism 70 is provided on the front side of the support portion 15.

As shown in Figures 3 and 10, part of the auxiliary mechanism 70 is formed by the front support plate 25 described above. Cylindrical bearings 27 extending in the left-right direction are formed on both sides of the support plate 25 in the left-right direction, in two locations on the inside of the bearings 26. The bearings 27 are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

A locking projection 28 that projects outward in the front-rear direction is formed on the support plate 25 between the left and right bearing portions 27 and below the bearing portions 27 .
In addition to the support plate portion 25 , the auxiliary mechanism 70 also includes a connecting mechanism portion 71 and a biasing member 76 .

The connecting mechanism 71 is used to interlock a pair of shims 41 on the same side in the front-to-rear direction (in this case, the front side). The connecting mechanism 71 includes a shaft 72, a pair of first rotation transmission parts 74, and a pair of second rotation transmission parts 75.

The shaft 72 extends in the left-right direction, is inserted into the bearings 27 on both sides in the left-right direction, and is supported by both bearings 27. The shaft 72 is rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction. A locking pin 73 is formed on the shaft 72 at a location between the bearings 27. The locking pin 73 protrudes radially outward from the shaft 72.

The pair of first rotation transmission parts 74 are each formed by a bevel gear. Each first rotation transmission part 74 is mounted on the end of the shaft 72 so as to be able to rotate integrally therewith. The pair of second rotation transmission parts 75 are each formed by a bevel gear. Each second rotation transmission part 75 is mounted on the outer end (in this case, the front end) of the corresponding shim 41 so as to be able to rotate integrally therewith. Each second rotation transmission part 75 and the corresponding first rotation transmission part 74 are engaged so as to be able to transmit rotation.

As described above, the shaft 72 is rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. In contrast, each shim 41 is rotatable about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. These two axes are perpendicular to each other. However, rotation is transmitted in different directions between the first rotation transmission unit 74 provided at the end of the shaft 72 and the second rotation transmission unit 75 provided on each shim 41 and engaged with the first rotation transmission unit 74. Therefore, the rotation of the shaft 72 is transmitted to both shims 41 via the first rotation transmission unit 74 and the second rotation transmission unit 75. The rotation of the shim 41 is transmitted to the shaft 72 via the second rotation transmission unit 75 and the first rotation transmission unit 74.

The biasing member 76 is provided in the path along which force is transmitted between the two shims 41 via the connecting mechanism 71, and biases the two shims 41 in the direction in which they rotate when the lid 30 opens the upper opening 19. In this embodiment, a torsion coil spring is used as the biasing member 76. The biasing member 76 is attached in a state in which it is wound around the shaft 72. One end 76a of the biasing member 76 is engaged with the locking protrusion 28. The other end 76b of the biasing member 76 is engaged with the locking pin 73.

The engagement of the biasing member 76 with the support plate portion 25 and the biasing member 76 with the shaft 72 is designed to satisfy the following condition: the biasing force that biases the shims 41 in the direction in which they rotate when the lid 30 opens the upper opening 19 also acts on the shims 41 when the lid 30 is in the fully open position (Figures 4 and 18).

As shown in Figures 5 and 15, a mechanism 80 similar to the auxiliary mechanism 70 is provided on the rear side of the support portion 15. More specifically, the mechanism 80 is similar to the auxiliary mechanism 70 except that the biasing member 76 and the locking projection 28 are omitted. Therefore, among the components of the mechanism 80, those that correspond to the components of the auxiliary mechanism 70 are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as above will be described.
<When no pushing operation is performed on the operating portion 51 of the lid 30 in the closed position>
As shown in Figures 12 to 15, when the lid 30 closes the upper opening 19 (see Figure 16) and no pressing operation is performed on either the left or right operating unit 51, the return mechanism unit 62 (see Figure 12) holds the transmission member 52 in the center in the left-right direction.

At this time, each pin 54 contacts the inner wall surface of each cam hole 57 in the front-to-rear direction at the boundary between the reference surface 58 and the inclined surface 59 of the cam hole 57. The slide shafts 45 of each shaft 40 at the four corners of the upper opening 19 are connected to the corresponding shims 41. The lid 30 is connected to the box body 11 through the shafts 40 at the four corners. Rotation of each shaft 40 is restricted. Rotation of the lid 30 around one pair of shafts 40 on one side in the left-to-right direction is restricted. The lid 30 is maintained in a state that closes the upper opening 19. At this time, in the return mechanism 62 (see Figure 12), the pressing member 66 engages with both inclined surfaces of the cutout portion 63. This engagement restricts left-to-right rattle of the transmission member 52.

At this time, the biasing member 76 of the auxiliary mechanism 70 stores a biasing force that rotates both shims 41 around the shaft 72. The direction of rotation is the direction in which both shims 41 rotate when the lid 30 opens the upper opening 19. The directions of rotation are opposite for both shims 41.

<When one of the operation units 51 is pressed>
12 and 20 , when one side in the left-right direction, for example the left operating unit 51, is pressed in against the biasing force of the biasing member 68 of the return mechanism 62, the transmission member 52 moves to the right. As this movement occurs, the engagement point between the pressing member 66 and the notch 63 changes, and the pressing member 66 moves rearward while compressing the biasing member 68. The pressing member 66 comes into contact with one of the inclined surfaces of the notch 63.

Furthermore, as the transmission member 52 moves as described above, each pin 54 moves to the right. In the left-side switching mechanism 50, the rightward force of each pin 54 is transmitted to the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 via the inclined surfaces 59. As described above, each inclined surface 59 is inclined with respect to the reference surface 58 so that the more inward in the left-right direction it is positioned, the more outward in the front-to-rear direction it is. As a result, a force acting inward in the front-to-rear direction acts on the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56.

Due to this force, the front slide member 55 and rear slide member 56 of the left-side switching mechanism 50 move closer to each other against the biasing force of the biasing member 61. As a result, the front and rear slide shafts 45 move inward in the front-to-rear direction. The engagement recesses 46 of each slide shaft 45 disengage (release) from the engagement protrusions 44 of the corresponding shims 41. The front and rear slide shafts 45 are disconnected from the shims 41. In other words, the state of each of the pair of shafts 40 on the left side in the left-right direction is switched from a connected state to a disconnected state. The transmission of rotation between the shims 41 and slide shafts 45 of the pair of shafts 40 is interrupted. Each of the pair of shims 41 on the left side is now able to rotate.

As a result, in the auxiliary mechanism 70, the biasing member 76 releases the stored biasing force. This released biasing force rotates the shaft 72, and the rotation is transmitted to each shim 41 via the first rotation transmission unit 74 and the second rotation transmission unit 75. Each shim 41 attempts to rotate in the direction in which the lid 30 rotates when opening the upper opening 19.

As shown in Figure 19, in the right-side switching mechanism 50, the contact points of each pin 54 with the inner wall surface of the cam hole 57 change in the front-to-rear direction. However, this change occurs at the reference plane 58. No inward force in the front-to-rear direction acts on the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56. In the pair of right-side shafts 40, each slide shaft 45 is connected to a shim 41. Therefore, the lid 30 attempts to rotate around the pair of right-side shafts 40 in a direction that opens the upper opening 19. In the mechanism 80, the rotation of the right-side shaft 40 is transmitted to the left-side shim 41 via the connecting mechanism 71.

When the lid 30 begins to rotate, the pushing operation on the left operating unit 51 is stopped. In other words, the force being applied to the operating unit 51 is reduced. Then, although not shown, in the return mechanism 62, the contact point between the pressing member 66, which is biased forward by the biasing member 68, and the notch 63 changes. The forward movement of the pressing member 66 is transmitted to the transmission member 52 via the inclined surface, returning the notch 63, and therefore the transmission member 52, to the center in the left-right direction. As a result, both the left and right operating units 51 are returned to the positions they were in before the left operating unit 51 was pressed (see Figure 12).

In other words, each pin 54 returns to the position it was in before the operating portion 51 was pushed in. The contact point of the pin 54 with the inner wall surface of the cam hole 57 changes. The force with which each pin 54 presses the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 inward in the front-to-rear direction via the inclined surface 59 weakens. As a result, the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 move outward in the front-to-rear direction due to the biasing force of the biasing member 61. As a result, the outer portions in the front-to-rear direction of the pair of left slide shafts 45 protrude outward in the same direction from the front and rear wall portions 32 of the lid 30.

When the pair of left-side shafts 40 are switched to the disconnected state by the left-side switching mechanism 50, the slide shaft 45 is no longer connected to the shim 41, blocking the transmission of rotation, allowing only the shim 41 to rotate.

The arm portion 43 of each shim 41 rotates integrally with the shim body 42 as the lid 30 rotates. When each arm portion 43 comes into contact with a stopper (not shown) on the box body 11, the shim 41 is restricted from rotating any further. The same applies to the right-side slide shaft 45 connected to the shim 41. As shown in Figure 18, the rotation around the pair of connected shafts 40 on the right side stops when the lid 30 reaches the fully open position.

At this time, the biasing force of the biasing member 76 is applied to the shim 41 via the shaft 72, the first rotation transmission part 74, and the second rotation transmission part 75. As a result, the lid 30 is maintained in an upright position.

As described above, the auxiliary mechanism 70 rotates the shim 41, thereby rotating the lid 30 in a direction that opens the upper opening 19. Therefore, it is possible to rotate the lid 30 by a larger angle than with conventional vehicle storage devices, which push the lid upward using a biasing member.

In addition, since the left and right operating portions 51 are connected by a common transmission member 52, in this embodiment, both operating portions 51 cannot be pressed and operated at the same time.
<When switching the lid 30 from the fully open position to the closed position>
When an occupant applies force to, for example, the upper end (left end) of the lid 30 in the upright state shown in Figure 18, the lid 30 is rotated around the right-side shaft 40 toward the side that closes the upper opening 19. At this time, the front and rear shims 41 rotate.

19 and 20, the rotation of the shim 41 is transmitted to the shaft 72 via the connecting mechanism 71, more specifically, via the right-side second rotation transmission part 75 and the right-side first rotation transmission part 74, causing the shaft 72 to rotate. The rotation of the shaft 72 is transmitted to the left-side shim 41, to which the slide shaft 45 is not connected, via the left-side first rotation transmission part 74 and the left-side second rotation transmission part 75. The latter (left-side) shim 41 rotates in conjunction with (synchronization with) the former (right-side) shim 41. The rotation directions of both shims 41 are opposite directions, which are the directions in which both shims 41 rotate when the lid 30 closes the upper opening 19. The rotation of the shaft 72 is also transmitted to the biasing member 76. Therefore, as the rotation occurs, the biasing member 76 accumulates a biasing force that rotates both shims 41. This biasing force also generates an operating load when rotating the lid 30. The rear mechanism 80 also operates in the same way as the auxiliary mechanism 70.

As the lid 30 rotates, the angle of inclination of the lid 30 becomes gentler. The pair of left-side slide shafts 45, which are not connected to the shim 41, approach the support wall 23 of the box body 11. Just before the lid 30 closes the upper opening 19, the inclined surface 47 of each slide shaft 45 contacts the upper end of the corresponding support wall 23. As described above, the inclined surface 47 is inclined with respect to the vertical plane so that it is positioned lower toward the center in the front-to-rear direction (see Figures 7, 8, and 17). Therefore, if the lid 30 continues to rotate toward the side that closes the upper opening 19 after the contact, the contact position of the inclined surface 47 with the support wall 23 changes. As a result of this change, a force acting inward in the front-to-rear direction acts on each of the front and rear slide shafts 45. The front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 move inward in the front-to-rear direction against the biasing force of the biasing member 61.

As shown in Figures 16 and 20, when the lid 30 is rotated to a position that closes the top opening 19, each shim 41 returns to the rotation phase when the lid 30 closes the top opening 19 as described above. The engagement protrusion 44 of each shim 41 and the engagement recess 46 of the corresponding slide shaft 45 face each other in the front-to-rear direction. The slide shaft 45, biased by the biasing member 61, then slides outward in the front-to-rear direction. This sliding causes the engagement recess 46 of the slide shaft 45 to engage (fit) with the engagement protrusion 44 of the shim 41, as shown in Figure 14. As shown in Figure 15, the engagement recess 46 of the rear shaft 40 also engages (fits) with the engagement protrusion 44. Each slide shaft 45 is connected to the corresponding shim 41. As shown in Figure 12, the lid 30 is connected to the box body 11 via the shafts 40 at its four corners. The lid 30 is maintained in a state in which it closes the top opening 19.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.
(1) In this embodiment, the assisting mechanism 70 that assists the rotation of the lid 30 includes a connecting mechanism 71 that connects a pair of left and right shims 41 so that they can be interlocked, and a biasing member 76 that is provided on a path through which force is transmitted between the shims 41 via the connecting mechanism 71. The biasing member 76 biases the shims 41 in the direction in which they rotate when the lid 30 opens the upper opening 19.

As a result, unlike conventional vehicle storage devices in which the biasing force of the biasing member acts on the lid via the pressing member only in the initial stage of the lid opening operation, in this embodiment, the biasing force can be applied to the lid 30 until later than the initial stage of the opening operation.

In this embodiment, the lid 30 can be rotated from the closed position to the fully open position, placing it in an upright position. As a result, it is easier to put items in and take them out of the storage section 18 through the top opening 19.

Furthermore, with conventional vehicle storage devices, if the occupant wants to open the upper opening even wider after the lid has been pushed up, they must grasp the lid and rotate it in the direction that will open the upper opening.

However, in this embodiment, the lid 30 is rotated widely by the assist mechanism 70 alone, widening the upper opening 19. Therefore, unlike conventional vehicle storage devices, the occupant does not need to operate the lid 30 to rotate it in a direction that opens the upper opening 19. This improves the operability of the lid 30.

As described above, the console box 10 (vehicle storage device) of this embodiment is easier to use than conventional vehicle storage devices.
(2) In relation to (1) above, in this embodiment, when the lid 30 is in the closed position, the biasing member 76 biases both the left and right shims 41 in the direction in which the shims 41 rotate when the lid 30 opens the upper opening 19. Therefore, regardless of whether the lid 30 is rotated around the left or right shaft 40, the rotation of the lid 30 can be assisted, and the effect of (1) above can be obtained.

(3) As shown in Figures 13 and 14, this embodiment employs a configuration in which the connecting mechanism 71 includes a shaft 72, first rotation transmission units 74 at both ends of the shaft 72, and a second rotation transmission unit 75 for each shim 41. Therefore, although the axis of the shaft 72 and the axis of both shims 41 are perpendicular to each other, the rotation of the shaft 72 can be transmitted to both shims 41 via the first rotation transmission unit 74 and the second rotation transmission unit 75. Furthermore, the rotation of the shim 41 can be transmitted to the shaft 72 via the second rotation transmission unit 75 and the first rotation transmission unit 74.

(4) As shown in FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the biasing member 76 is a torsion coil spring wound around the shaft 72 and attached between the left and right bearing portions 27. Therefore, when the lid 30 opens the upper opening 19, the biasing force that biases the shims 41 in the direction in which they rotate can be transmitted evenly to the shims 41 via the shaft 72, the first rotation transmission portion 74, and the second rotation transmission portion 75.

(5) As shown in FIG. 9 , in this embodiment, each switching mechanism 50 uses an operating unit 51 and a transmission mechanism 53. The movement of the operating unit 51 is transmitted by the transmission mechanism 53 to a pair of front and rear slide shafts 45, causing the slide shafts 45 to slide between the coupled position and the uncoupled position.

Therefore, by pressing the operating part 51, the pair of front and rear sliding shafts 45 can be slid from the connected position to the disconnected position. The pair of front and rear shafts 40 can be switched from a connected state to a disconnected state.

(6) In this embodiment, the biasing member 76 is attached to the shaft 72 so that the biasing force of the biasing member 76 acts on the shim 41 even when the lid 30 is in the fully open position shown in Figure 18.

As a result, the lid 30 in the fully open position can be restricted from rotating in a direction that would close the top opening 19. Furthermore, when the lid 30 is in the fully open position, contact with the stopper of the arm portion 43 restricts the lid 30 from rotating in a direction that would open the top opening 19. Both of these restrictions prevent the lid 30 from wobbling in the rotation direction.

Furthermore, even if an external force is applied from the left or right to the lid 30 when it is in the fully open position and standing upright, for the same reason as above, the lid 30 can be prevented from rotating (falling over) in the direction that would close the upper opening 19.

Furthermore, when rotating the lid 30 from the fully open position shown in FIG. 18 to the closed position shown in FIG. 16, the lid 30 is rotated by pushing or grasping it against the biasing force of the biasing member 76. The biasing force of the biasing member 76 creates a load (operating load) when rotating the lid 30 toward the side that closes the upper opening 19, improving operability.

Furthermore, when the lid 30 is rotated toward the side that closes the upper opening 19, it is expected that the effect of suppressing the lid 30 from rotating too forcefully and the generation of operating noise associated with that rotation can be suppressed.

(7) In this embodiment, a mechanism 80 similar to the auxiliary mechanism 70 described above is provided on the rear side of the box body 11. This stabilizes the operation of the transmission mechanism 53 for each switching mechanism 50. The state of the shaft 40 can be appropriately switched between the connected state and the disconnected state even on the rear side of the box body 11. The opening and closing operation of the lid 30 centered on the shaft 40 can be performed smoothly.

The above embodiment can also be implemented as a modified example with the following changes. The above embodiment and the following modified example can be implemented in combination with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs.

<Matters regarding the upper opening 19>
The shape of the upper opening 19 may be changed from a rectangular shape to a square shape.
In the above embodiment, the second side 22 of the upper opening 19 may be set to be shorter than the first side 21. In other words, the shape of the upper opening 19 may be changed to a rectangle that is longer in the left-right direction than in the front-rear direction.

<Matters regarding shaft 40>
Unlike the above embodiment, the engaging protrusion 44 may be provided on the slide shaft 45 and the engaging recess 46 may be provided on the shim 41 .

At least one of the shape, size, position, and number of the engaging protrusions 44 and the engaging recesses 46 may be changed.
<Switching mechanism 50>
The shapes of the front slide member 55 and the rear slide member 56 of the transmission mechanism 53 may be changed to shapes different from those in the above embodiment.

- The transmission member 52 may be divided into two in the left-right direction. In this case, instead of the notch portion 63, receiving portion 65, pressing member 66, and biasing member 68, the return mechanism 62 may use a biasing member that biases each transmission member 52 outward in the left-right direction.

The operating unit 51 is not limited to being operated by pushing it inward in the left-right direction, but may be a lever-type unit that is tiltable. In this case, the operating unit 51 may be provided on the box body 11 instead of the lid 30. A conversion mechanism is provided between the operating unit 51 and the slide shaft 45. When a force is applied to tilt the operating unit 51, this force is converted into a force that moves the slide shaft 45 inward in the front-to-rear direction.

<Matters related to the auxiliary mechanism 70>
The biasing member 76 may be provided at a location other than the shaft 72, provided that the biasing member 76 is a path for transmitting force between the left and right shims 41 via the connecting mechanism 71. For example, the biasing member 76 may be provided on one of the shims 41, or on each of the shims 41.

- As the connecting mechanism 71, instead of the shaft 72 and the first rotation transmission part 74, a circular transmission belt such as a transmission belt or chain may be used. In the case of a transmission belt, a pulley may be used as the second rotation transmission part 75 for each shim 41. In the case of a chain, a sprocket (gear) may be used as the second rotation transmission part 75 for each shim 41.

Furthermore, a gear mechanism formed by a combination of multiple gears may be used as the connecting mechanism portion 71 .
In the above embodiment, the auxiliary mechanism 70 may be provided on the rear side of the box body 11 in addition to or instead of the front side in the front-rear direction. In the above embodiment, the auxiliary mechanism 70 can be established by adding the locking protrusion 28 and the biasing member 76 to the mechanism 80.

A spring of a type other than a torsion coil spring may be used as the biasing member 76. Also, a biasing member other than a spring may be used.
<Other matters>
Contrary to the above embodiment, the lid 30 may be the first member and the box body 11 may be the second member. In this case, the shim 41 of the shaft 40 is provided on the lid 30, and the slide shaft 45 is provided on the box body 11. The auxiliary mechanism 70 is provided on the lid 30.

- The vehicle storage device is not limited to the console box 10, but can be widely applied to any vehicle storage device that includes a box body 11 formed with a storage section 18 having an upper opening 19, and a lid 30 that opens and closes the upper opening 19 by rotating around an axis 40.

10...Console box (vehicle storage device)
11...Box body (first member)
19: Upper opening; 21: First side; 22: Second side; 30: Lid (second member)
40: Shaft 41: Shim 45: Slide shaft 50: Switching mechanism 51: Operation section 53: Transmission mechanism section 70: Auxiliary mechanism 71: Linking mechanism section 72: Shaft 74: First rotation transmission section 75: Second rotation transmission section 76: Urging member 76a, 76b: End sections

Claims (4)

A vehicle storage device comprising: a box body mounted on a vehicle and having a rectangular upper opening formed therein, the box body having a first side and a second side perpendicular to each other; and a lid that opens and closes the upper opening by rotating about a pair of axes on one side in a direction along the first side among axes that extend in a direction along the second side at four corners of the upper opening,
When one of the box body and the lid is a first member and the other is a second member, each shaft comprises a shim rotatably provided with respect to the first member, and a slide shaft slidably provided in a direction along the second side in a state where rotation is restricted with respect to the second member,
On both sides of the second member in a direction along the first side, a switching mechanism is provided that switches the state of the pair of slide shafts facing each other along the second side between a connected state in which the pair of slide shafts are connected to the corresponding shims so as to be able to transmit rotation to the corresponding shims, and a disconnected state in which the connection is released and the transmission of the rotation is interrupted,
an assisting mechanism is provided on at least one side of the first member in a direction along the second side, which assists the lid in rotating around the shaft on the other side toward a side that opens the upper opening when the shaft is switched to the disconnected state by the switching mechanism on one side in the direction along the first side;
The auxiliary mechanism is a vehicle storage device that includes a connecting mechanism that connects the pair of shims in a manner that allows them to be interlocked, and a biasing member that is provided in a path through which force is transmitted between the two shims via the connecting mechanism and that biases the two shims in the direction in which they rotate when the lid opens the upper opening. The connecting mechanism includes:
a shaft extending in a direction along the first side and supported rotatably relative to the first member;
a pair of first rotation transmission parts provided at both ends of the shaft so as to be integrally rotatable;
a second rotation transmission unit provided for each shim so as to be integrally rotatable,
The vehicle accommodation device according to claim 1 , wherein each second rotation transmission portion and the corresponding first rotation transmission portion are engaged to be able to transmit rotation. A vehicle storage device as described in claim 2, wherein the biasing member comprises a torsion coil spring that is wound around the shaft, one end of which is secured to the first member, and the other end of which is secured to the shaft. Each switching mechanism is
an operating portion operable on a side portion of the second member in a direction along the first side;
a transmission mechanism that transmits the movement of the operating unit, when operated, to the pair of sliding shafts facing each other along the second side, and slides both sliding shafts from a connected position where both shafts are in the connected state to a disconnected position where both shafts are in the disconnected state. The vehicle storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: