LID LOCK UNIT ATTACHMENT STRUCTURE

In structure for attaching, to an openable/closable lid, a lid lock unit including: a base member attached to the lid back side and having a base shaft portion extending in a predetermined direction; a knob member exposed on the lid front side, having a knob shaft portion shaft-fitted to the base shaft portion, and supported by the base member rotatably between a reference position and an opened position about the knob shaft portion; and an open/close mechanism for opening the lid by the knob member rotating from the reference position to the opened position, the base member includes a base extending portion extending in a direction crossing the predetermined direction, from a side opposed to the lid, and the lid includes a lid extending portion extending in the crossing direction from the back side of the lid and located adjacently to a predetermined-direction outer side of the base extending portion.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a lid lock unit attachment structure.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, there has been known a lid lock unit of a glovebox mounted on a vehicle, for example (for example, JP2007-100343A). This lid lock unit is a device for opening a lid of the glovebox by an operator's knob operation and moving the lid to a closed position by an operator's pushing operation to the lid. The lid lock unit includes a base member, a knob member, and an open/close mechanism.

The base member is fixed to the back side of the lid of the glovebox. The base member has a shaft body as a base shaft portion extending in a predetermined direction. The shaft body protrudes outward in the axial direction from a base part. The knob member is exposed on the front side of the lid. The knob member has a shaft hole as a knob shaft portion shaft-fitted to the base shaft portion, and is supported by the base member. A pair of the shaft bodies of the base members are provided so as to be separated from each other in the axial direction. A pair of the shaft holes of the knob members are provided so as to be separated from each other in the axial direction. Each shaft hole is located on the axially outer side of the corresponding shaft body. The shaft hole and the shaft body corresponding to each other are shaft-fitted to each other.

The open/close mechanism is a mechanism for opening the lid when the knob member is rotated from a reference position to an opened position, and locking the lid at the closed position when the opened lid is pushed by the operator after the rotating operation is canceled. Specifically, the open/close mechanism achieves opening/closing of the lid by advancing/retracting a latch rod through a rotating operation to the knob member and a pushing operation to the lid. The open/close mechanism has an energization member for generating a force to energize a latch rod toward the lid closed position side. Through the operator's rotating operation, the knob member is rotated from the reference position to the opened position against the energization force of the energization member, whereby the latch rod is pulled out from a vehicle body opening edge engaging with the latch rod and thus the lid is opened.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

As described above, the shaft body of the base member and the shaft hole of the knob member are shaft-fitted to each other. In general, rotation of the knob member is permitted within a range between the reference position and the opened position, and outside this range, the knob member is restricted by contacting with the base member. However, if the knob member is, for example, excessively rotated beyond the restriction so that a force of causing axis-misalignment between the shaft hole of the knob member and the shaft body of the base member is exerted, there is a risk that shaft fitting parts of the shaft body and the shaft hole are deformed and the knob member comes off the base member.

Regarding this phenomenon, if a lap amount between the shaft fitting parts of the shaft body and the shaft hole is increased, the knob member is prevented from coming off the base member, even when the above excessive rotating operation is performed. However, in this configuration, due to the increase of the lap amount between the shaft body and the shaft hole, the resistance of attachment of the knob member to the base member increases, so that ease of the attachment is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lid lock unit attachment structure in which a knob member is less likely to come off a base member when the knob member is rotated, without reducing ease of attachment of the knob member to the base member.

Solution to Problem

An aspect of the present invention is directed to a lid lock unit attachment structure for attaching a lid lock unit to a lid that is openable/closable, the lid lock unit comprising: a base member located and attached on a back side of the lid, and having a base shaft portion extending in a predetermined direction; a knob member exposed on a front side of the lid and having a knob shaft portion shaft-fitted to the base shaft portion, the knob member being supported by the base member rotatably between a reference position and an opened position about the knob shaft portion; and an open/close mechanism configured to open the lid through rotation of the knob member from the reference position to the opened position, wherein the base member includes a base extending portion extending in a crossing direction crossing the predetermined direction, from a side opposed to the lid, and the lid includes a lid extending portion extending in the crossing direction from the back side of the lid and located adjacently to an outer side in the predetermined direction of the base extending portion.

In this configuration, after the base member is attached to the back side of the lid, deformation of the base member to extend in the predetermined direction is restricted by the base extending portion contacting with the lid extending portion, and after the contact, the resistance against the force of deforming the base member to extend in the predetermined direction is increased. Thus, deformation of the shaft fitting parts of the knob shaft portion and the base shaft portion is restricted owing to the above deformation restriction of the base member. Therefore, the knob member is less likely to come off the base member even when the knob member is excessively rotated. In this case, the lap amount between the knob shaft portion and the base shaft portion at the shaft fitting parts need not be increased. Thus, without reduction in ease of attachment of the knob member to the base member, the knob member is less likely to come off the base member when the knob member is rotated.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, specific embodiments of a lid lock unit attachment structure according to the present invention will be described.

An attachment structure for a lid lock unit1according to an embodiment is applied to a glovebox10of a vehicle. The glovebox10is, for example, a storage container mounted to an interior member (not shown) such as an instrument panel in front of a front passenger seat in a vehicle compartment, and is opened/closed with respect to the interior member.

The glovebox10is openably/closably stored in an opening (not shown) provided in the interior member. The glovebox10includes a storage portion11and a lid12, as shown inFIG. 1. The storage portion11is a case-shaped part for storing items such as a book and a booklet, and is located on the deep side in the opening of the interior member when the glovebox10is closed. The lid12is a plate-shaped part located on the front side of the storage portion11, and when the glovebox10is closed, the front surface of the lid12is exposed to the inside of the vehicle compartment and becomes flush with the interior member.

The base member20is a member fixed to the lid12of the glovebox10. The base member20is formed in a substantially quadrangular plate shape. The base member20is located and attached on the back side opposite to the front surface of the lid12. The base member20includes a plate portion21, horizontal portions22, and base shaft portions23.

The plate portion21is a plate-shaped part extending in parallel to the back surface of the lid12. The plate portion21is formed in a substantially quadrangular shape. The plate portion21has a through hole21aat the center. The through hole21ais a hole through which a part of a lock mechanism for locking the knob member30and the lid12at a closed position, and the like, pass.

The horizontal portions22are plate-shaped parts protruding from the plate portion21in a direction (hereinafter, referred to as X direction, as appropriate) to approach the lid back surface in the horizontal direction. The horizontal portions22are provided at upper and lower two locations of the plate portion21, and extend in a direction (hereinafter, referred to as Y direction, as appropriate) along the upper side line and the lower side line of the plate portion21. Flange portions22aare provided at ends of the horizontal portions22. The flange portions22aextend from the bodies of the horizontal portions22toward the outer sides away from the bodies in the up-down direction (hereinafter, referred to as Z direction, as appropriate). The upper and lower two horizontal portions22are respectively provided with cylindrical support portions22b. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction described above are directions crossing each other, specifically, directions perpendicular to each other.

The base shaft portions23are shaft holes extending in the up-down direction (i.e., Z direction) and having a circular sectional shape. The base shaft portions23are formed at the support portions22b. The base shaft portions23are provided at upper and lower two locations. The upper base shaft portion23is provided at the support portion22bof the upper horizontal portion22, and opens at the lower surface of this support portion22b. The lower base shaft portion23is provided at the support portion22bof the lower horizontal portion22, and opens at the upper surface of this support portion22b. A space is formed between the upper and lower two support portions22b. The upper and lower two base shaft portions23are provided coaxially with each other with the space interposed therebetween.

The knob member30is an operation portion for opening the lid12and therefore the glovebox10by an operator inserting a finger between the knob member30and the front surface of the lid12and pulling one end side (right side inFIG. 1andFIG. 2) of the knob member30to the near side. The knob member30is formed in a plate shape. The knob member30is located at a lid opening12aprovided in the lid12, and is exposed on the front side of the lid12. The knob member30may be configured to hold a cylinder key of the aforementioned lock mechanism. The knob member30has a plate portion31, shaft support portions32, knob shaft portions33, and an arm contact portion34.

The plate portion31is a plate-shaped part extending in parallel to the front surface of the lid12. The plate portion31is an operation portion to be touched by a hand or a finger at the time of an operation by the operator. The shaft support portions32are parts protruding from the plate portion31in the direction (i.e., X direction) to approach the lid front surface in the horizontal direction. The shaft support portions32are provided at upper and lower two locations of the plate portion31. Each shaft support portion32may be a part of a cylindrical side wall in which the cylinder key is stored.

The knob shaft portions33are columnar shaft bodies extending in the up-down direction (i.e., Z direction). The knob shaft portions33are formed at the shaft support portions32. The knob shaft portions33are provided at upper and lower two locations. The upper knob shaft portion33is provided at the upper shaft support portion32and protrudes upward from this shaft support portion32. The lower knob shaft portion33is provided at the lower shaft support portion32, and protrudes downward from this shaft support portion32. The knob member30is partially fittable to the space between the upper and lower two support portions22bof the base member20so as to be sandwiched between both support portions22b. The knob shaft portions33of the knob member30are shaft-fitted to the base shaft portions23of the base member20.

When the above shaft-fitting has been made, the knob member30is supported rotatably about the knob shaft portions33(about a rotation center O1shown inFIG. 4) with respect to the base member20. The knob member30is rotatable between a reference position where the plate portion31is parallel to the front surface of the lid12, and an opened position where the plate portion31is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the front surface of the lid12.

The arm contact portion34is a part contacting with a later-described arm member of the open/close mechanism40to transmit rotation of the knob member30to the arm member. The arm contact portion34is provided on the back surface of the plate portion31, and is located on the opposite side across the rotation center O1from a part to be touched when the operator operates (specifically, pulls) the knob member30. The arm contact portion34extends from the plate portion31of the knob member30in the direction (i.e., X direction) to approach the front surface of the lid12in the horizontal direction. A distal end34aof the arm contact portion34is bent from the body of the arm contact portion34so as to be parallel to the plate portion31.

The knob member30is rotatable about the knob shaft portions33from the reference position to the opened position where the lid12is opened. Rotation of the knob member30is permitted within a range between the reference position and the above opened position, and outside this range, rotation of the knob member30is restricted by contact between a predetermined part of the knob member30and a predetermined part of the base member20.

The open/close mechanism40is a mechanism for opening the lid12when the knob member30is rotated from the reference position to the opened position, and locking the lid12at the closed position when the opened lid12is pushed by the operator after the rotating operation is canceled. The open/close mechanism40includes an arm member41and an energization member42.

The arm member41is a member swingable with respect to the base member20. The arm member41is located on the back side of the base member20. The arm member41has a cylindrical shaft portion41a. The shaft portion41ais provided at the center in the arm longitudinal direction. The shaft portion41ais inserted into a shaft portion provided on the back surface of the base member20. The arm member41is swingably supported by the base member20at the center in the arm longitudinal direction.

Ends of latch rods (not shown) extending in a rod shape are respectively connected to an upper end and a lower end across the shaft portion41aof the arm member41. This pair of latch rods are members for opening/closing the lid12and therefore the glovebox10. The other ends of the latch rods are each engageable/disengageable with/from an opening edge of the interior member. The arm member41is swingable between a lock position that allows the lid12to be retained in a locked state and a lock release position where the locked state of the lid12is released, while the pair of latch rods synchronously advance/retract relative to the interior member from the lid12.

Swing of the arm member41is permitted within a range between the lock position and the lock release position, and outside this range, swing of the arm member41may be restricted by contact between a predetermined part of the arm member41and a predetermined part of the base member20. Instead of or in addition to the restriction of swing of the arm member41beyond the lock position by contact of the arm member41itself, swing of the arm member41beyond the lock position may be restricted by the latch rods contacting with the interior member side and being prevented from further advancing during swing of the arm member41.

The arm member41has a knob contact portion41b. The knob contact portion41bis a part with which the arm contact portion34of the knob member30contacts. The knob contact portion41bprotrudes from the back surface of the body of the arm member41so that the distal end34aof the arm contact portion34of the knob member30is caught thereon.

The energization member42is a coil spring that generates an energization force of swinging the arm member41to the lock position thereby engaging the latch rods with the interior member and rotating the knob member30to the reference position. The energization member42is placed such that the shaft portion41aof the arm member41is inserted therein. The energization member42has one end engaged with the base member20and another end engaged with the arm member41.

Next, operation of the lid lock unit1will be described.

In the lid lock unit1, in a state in which the knob member is not rotated from the reference position to the opened position, the knob member30is retained at the closed position and the arm member41is retained at the lock position, by the energization force of the energization member42, and the latch rods are advanced from the glovebox10to the interior member side so as to be engaged with the interior member. In this case, the glovebox10is closed.

In the above state in which the glovebox10is closed, if the knob member30is rotated toward the opened position, the arm contact portion34of the knob member30contacts with the knob contact portion41bof the arm member41, whereby the arm member41swings from the lock position toward the lock release position against the energization force of the energization member42. Then, when the arm member41has swung to the lock release position, the latch rods retract to the glovebox10side so that the engagement with the interior member side is released and thus the glovebox10is opened.

After the glovebox10is opened as described above, if the operation of rotating the knob member30to the opened position is canceled, the arm member41swings toward the lock position by the energization force of the energization member42. In this case, the latch rods advance outward from the glovebox10, to come into a state of being engageable with the interior member side.

Then, if the glovebox10is pushed from an opened state to a closed state by the operator, during this operation, immediately before the latch rods are engaged with the interior member side, the latch rods are pressed from the interior member side to the retraction side at positions where the latch rods protrude outward from the glovebox10, so that the latch rods slightly retract to the glovebox10side against the energization force of the energization member42. As a result of this retraction, the arm member41swings from the lock position toward the lock release position. Then, when the force of pressing the latch rods from the interior member side to the retraction side is no longer exerted, the arm member41swings toward the lock position by the energization force of the energization member42, and the latch rods advance to the interior member side again. In this case, the latch rods are engaged with the interior member side and thus the glovebox10is closed.

Next, a specific part of the lid lock unit1will be described.

In the above lid lock unit1, the knob shaft portions33of the knob member30are shaft-fitted to the base shaft portions23of the base member20, whereby the knob member30is rotatably supported by the base member20. Rotation of the knob member30is permitted within a range between the reference position and the opened position, and outside this range, rotation of the knob member30is restricted by contact with the base member20. The base member20is located and attached on the back side of the lid12of the glovebox10.

The base member20has base extending portions25as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 6. The base extending portions25are parts extending from the side opposed to the lid12on the base member20toward the lid back surface, in the X direction crossing the Z direction which is the up-down direction. The base extending portions25are provided at upper and lower two locations, and are respectively provided at outer ends of the flange portions22aof the upper and lower two horizontal portions22. The base extending portions25extend in a line shape along the back surface of the lid12so as to be opposed to the back surface of the lid12.

Hereinafter, the base extending portion25provided at the upper horizontal portion22is referred to as first base extending portion25a, and the base extending portion25provided at the lower horizontal portion22is referred to as second base extending portion25b. The first base extending portion25aand the second base extending portion25bare paired and separated from each other in the Z direction.

The base member20is elastically deformable in the Z direction. Specifically, the base member20is elastically deformable so that a Z-direction separation distance B between the first base extending portion25aand the second base extending portion25bis variable. The above Z-direction separation distance B can be shorter than a natural length B0when an external force is not exerted on the base member20.

Hereinafter, the upper lid extending portion13is referred to as first lid extending portion13a, and the lower lid extending portion13is referred to as second lid extending portion13b. The first lid extending portion13aand the second lid extending portion13bare paired and separated from each other in the Z direction. A Z-direction separation distance L between the first lid extending portion13aand the second lid extending portion13bis a predetermined fixed value, and is set to be smaller than the natural length B0of the Z-direction separation distance B between the first base extending portion25aand the second base extending portion25bdescribed above.

The first lid extending portion13ais located adjacently to the outer side in the Z direction (specifically, upper side) of the first base extending portion25a. The second lid extending portion13bis located adjacently to the outer side in the Z direction (specifically, lower side) of the second base extending portion25b. That is, the base member20is attached to the lid12so that the first base extending portion25aand the second base extending portion25bare accommodated between the first lid extending portion13aand the second lid extending portion13b.

The above attachment of the base member20to the lid12is performed in a state in which the base member20is elastically deformed by an external force so that the above Z-direction separation distance B becomes smaller than the natural length B0. When the attachment is completed and the external force to the base member20is canceled, by the elastic force of the base member20, the outer surface in the Z direction (specifically, upper surface) of the first base extending portion25acontacts with the inner surface in the Z direction (specifically, lower surface) of the first lid extending portion13a, and the outer surface in the Z direction (specifically, lower surface) of the second base extending portion25bcontacts with the inner surface in the Z direction (specifically, upper surface) of the second lid extending portion13b.

Each lid extending portion13is formed in a forked shape so as to sandwich the base extending portion25of the base member20in the Z direction. That is, the first lid extending portion13ahas a pair of extending piece portions14a,14b, and a retention groove14c. In addition, the second lid extending portion13bhas a pair of extending piece portions15a,15b, and a retention groove15c.

The extending piece portions14a,14bof the first lid extending portion13aextend in the X direction from the back side of the lid12. The extending piece portions14a,14bare separated from each other to the upper and lower sides with the retention groove14cinterposed therebetween, so as to store the first base extending portion25atherebetween. The retention groove14cis a groove into which the first base extending portion25ais inserted and fitted. The extending piece portions14a,14band the retention groove14cextend in a line shape in the Y direction along the back surface of the lid12.

The extending piece portions15a,15bof the second lid extending portion13bextend in the X direction from the back side of the lid12. The extending piece portions15a,15bare separated from each other to the upper and lower sides with the retention groove15cinterposed therebetween, so as to store the second base extending portion25btherebetween. The retention groove15cis a groove into which the second base extending portion25bis inserted and fitted. The extending piece portions15a,15band the retention groove15cextend in a line shape in the Y direction along the back surface of the lid12.

In a state in which the base member20is attached to the lid12, the upper surface of the first base extending portion25acontacts with the lower surface of the upper extending piece portion14aof the extending piece portions14a,14bof the first lid extending portion13a, and the lower surface of the second base extending portion25bcontacts with the upper surface of the lower extending piece portion15aof the extending piece portions15a,15bof the second lid extending portion13b.

The above Z-direction separation distance L between the first lid extending portion13aand the second lid extending portion13bis, specifically, a Z-direction separation distance between the lower surface of the upper extending piece portion14aof the first lid extending portion13aand the upper surface of the lower extending piece portion15aof the second lid extending portion13b. In addition, the above Z-direction separation distance B between the first base extending portion25aand the second base extending portion25bis, specifically, a Z-direction separation distance between the upper surface of the first base extending portion25aand the lower surface of the second base extending portion25b.

The attachment of the base member20to the lid12may be achieved by sliding the base member20along the back surface of the lid12in the Y direction parallel to the back surface in a state in which the first base extending portion25aof the base member20is inserted into the retention groove14cbetween the pair of the extending piece portions14a,14bof the first lid extending portion13aand the second base extending portion25bis inserted into the retention groove15cbetween the pair of extending piece portions15a,15bof the second lid extending portion13b. This configuration enables attachment of the base member20to the lid12to be easily performed.

In the above lid lock unit1, attachment of the base member20to the back side of the lid12is performed such that the lid extending portions13of the lid12are located adjacently to the outer sides in the Z direction of the base extending portions25of the base member20. In this attachment structure, after the attachment, deformation of the base member20to extend in the Z direction is restricted by the upper and lower two base extending portions25a,25brespectively contacting with the upper extending piece portion14aof the first lid extending portion13aand the lower extending piece portion15aof the second lid extending portion13b, and after the contact, the resistance against the force of deforming the base member20to extend in the Z direction is increased.

Therefore, even when the knob member30is, for example, excessively rotated about the rotation center O1extending in the Z direction and a force of causing axis-misalignment between the knob shaft portions33of the knob member30and the base shaft portions23of the base member20is exerted so that the shaft fitting parts of the knob shaft portion33and the base shaft portion23are deformed, the deformation of the shaft fitting parts is restricted owing to the deformation restriction of the base member20described above, whereby the deformation of the shaft fitting parts is suppressed. Thus, even when a force of causing axis-misalignment between the knob shaft portions33of the knob member30and the base shaft portions23of the base member20is exerted by the rotation of the knob member30, the knob member30is less likely to come off the base member20.

In particular, the above attachment of the base member20to the back side of the lid12is performed such that the lid extending portions13of the lid12are located in contact with the outer sides in the Z direction of the base extending portions25of the base member20. Therefore, after the attachment, the base member20is prevented from being deformed to extend in the Z direction, and the resistance against the force of deforming the base member20in the Z direction is further increased. Thus, even when the knob member30is excessively rotated, the deformation margin of the knob member30is restricted to be minimized, whereby reliability of preventing the knob member30from coming off the base member20is improved.

In this regard, in order that the knob member30is less likely to come off the base member20when the knob member30is rotated, the lap amount between the shaft fitting parts of the knob shaft portions33of the knob member30and the base shaft portions23of the base member20need not be increased. Therefore, in attachment of the knob member30to the base member20, increase of the attachment resistance due to increase of the lap amount is not caused and thus ease of attachment is ensured.

As described above, with the attachment structure for the lid lock unit1of the present embodiment, the knob member30is less likely to come off the base member20when the knob member30is rotated, while ease of attachment of the knob member30to the base member20is not reduced.

Each lid extending portion13of the lid12is formed in a forked shape so as to sandwich the base extending portion25of the base member20in the Z direction. With this structure, after the base member20is attached to the back side of the lid12, deformation of the base member20to contract in the Z direction is restricted by the upper and lower two base extending portions25a,25brespectively contacting with the lower extending piece portion14bof the first lid extending portion13aand the upper extending piece portion15bof the second lid extending portion13b, and after the contact, the resistance against the force of deforming the base member20to contract in the Z direction is increased. Thus, after the above attachment, the base member20is prevented from becoming likely to come off the lid12due to vehicle vibration or the like.

In the above embodiment, the Z-direction separation distance L between the first lid extending portion13aand the second lid extending portion13bof the lid12is set to be smaller than the natural length B0of the Z-direction separation distance B between the first base extending portion25aand the second base extending portion25bof the base member20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the Z-direction separation distance L may be equal to or greater than the natural length B0. The Z-direction separation distance L has only to be set to such a distance that, when the knob member30is excessively rotated, the base extending portions25of the base member20contact with the lid extending portions13of the lid12, whereby the knob member30is prevented from coming off the base member20.

In the above embodiment, each lid extending portion13of the lid12is formed in a forked shape so as to sandwich the base extending portion25of the base member20in the Z direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and each base extending portion25of the base member20may be formed in a forked shape so as to sandwich the lid extending portion13of the lid12in the Z direction.

In the above embodiment, each lid extending portion13is formed in a forked shape so as to sandwich the base extending portion25of the base member20in the Z direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As shown inFIG. 8, the first lid extending portion13aand the second lid extending portion13bmay be respectively formed so as to have only parts that are adjacent to the outer sides in the Z direction of the base extending portions25of the base member20.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various changes may be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.