Opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile

A main body of a tray is provided with, at its lower part, a button, and a fixing hook part moved up and down by the button to adjust an opening/closing a door formed on the front surface of the main body. Eventually, since a user's hand will not come into contact with the door though the button when it is operated by separating the button from the door, the opening/closing structure of the present invention is capable of eliminating an inconvenient feeling due to use of the tray and improve reliability of the items in the tray. The main body of the tray for storing these items and having a through-hole at its lower end is provided with the door. The door is opened by rotating upward by a rotary means at the front surface of the tray. The door is provided with a hooking hole formed at the position corresponding to the through-hole of the main body. A button part is installed at a lower end of the main body. In an inner part of the button part, the fixing hook part to be inserted or released into/from the hooking hole through the through-hole according to the operation of the button is installed.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Korean application No. 2003-92952, filed on Dec. 18, 2003, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile, and more specifically to an opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile provided with a button installed on the lower part of the main body of a tray, and a fixing hook for adjusting an opening/closing of the door installed on a front portion of the main body by moving the button up and down so that the door and the button are separated from each other and not in contact with a user's hand, even when using the button, thereby being more convenient due to use of the tray and improving the reliability of the tray product.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, an instrument panel of an automobile is provided with a facia board in front of the driver's seat and a glove box in front of the seat next to the driver.

In addition, formed between the driver's seat and the seat next to the driver is a center facia provided with various switches for operating an audio system and an air ventilating system etc.

Further, the center facia is provided with a tray for cigarette ashes or small items such as coins or cards. The tray can be mounted on various positions other than the center facia.

FIG. 1is a view for illustrating a prior art tray for opening a door upward. As shown inFIG. 1, a button13is installed at a door12formed at a front surface of a main body16of a tray11.

In addition, the button13is engagedly operated with the hook14, which is hooked or released at/from a hooking plate15formed at the main body16of the tray11.

Therefore, when a user pushes the button13with an inlet of the tray11closed as shown inFIG. 1, the hook14is moved and the hooking plate15is released, and the door12is rotated upward by a rotary device (not shown) to open the inlet of the tray11as shown in a right side ofFIG. 1.

On the other hand,FIG. 2is a view for illustrating a prior art tray for opening a door downward. As shown inFIG. 2, a handle23is installed at a door22formed at a front surface of a main body26of a tray21.

In addition, a lower end of the door22is hinge engaged with the main body26of the tray21, and a protrusion24protruded at a rear surface of the door22is hooked or released at/from the main body26of the tray21.

Therefore, when a user presses the door22downward by using the handle23with an inlet of the tray21closed as shown in a left side ofFIG. 2, the protrusion24is separated from the main body26of the tray21and rotated to open the inlet of the tray21as shown in a right side ofFIG. 2.

However, in the opening/closing structure of the trays, since the user directly presses the door or the handle, the user's hand comes into contact with the door on the opening the door to result in inconvenience.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile capable of preventing a user's hand from coming into contact with the door, although the door is open, when a button installed at a position other than on the door is operated, by changing the mounting position of the button which has been installed at the door for opening/closing an inlet of the tray.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile comprising a main body for storing various kinds of small items and having a through-hole at its lower end; a door for opening/closing by rotating upward a front surface of the main body by using a rotary means, and provided with a hooking hole conforming with a position of the through-hole; a button part installed at the lower end of the main body; and a fixing hook part installed at an inner part of the button part, and inserted or released in/from the hooking hole through the through-hole depending upon a snap operation of the button part.

The opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile is provided with a button installed at a lower part of the main body of the tray to eliminate any inconvenience due to the opening of the tray since the user's hand does not come to contact with the door though the button is operated when the door is opened/closed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3is a cross-sectional side view for illustrating a closed state of a door of a tray in accordance with the present invention; andFIG. 4is a cross-sectional side view for illustrating an opened state of the door of the tray in accordance with the present invention.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, a tray30for storing various types of small items in an automobile is provided with a main body31forming an inner space for storing the items, a door32for opening/closing a front inlet of the main body31, a button part41installed at a lower side of the main body31to carry out the opening/closing operation of the door32, and a fixing hook part51.

First, the main body31may be located anywhere a suitable space is occupied, as a place requiring a depositing space except a center facia or a console box. The main body31is provided with an opened front surface and a through-hole33at its lower end.

In addition, the door32for opening/closing the opened front surface of the main body31has a structure rotated by a rotary means (not shown), but provided with a hooking hole34conforming to a through-hole33at its lower end when the door32is closed.

At this time, the rotary means for rotating the door upward preferably comprises a leaf spring having a force to rotate the door upward when an external force is not applied.

On the other hand, the main body31is provided with the button part41at its lower end, in which the fixing hook part51, for passing through the through-hole33to be inserted or released to/from the hooking hole34depending upon operation of the button44, is installed.

That is, the button part41is sufficient to be located at a position, not interfering with the door32, not causing the door to come into contact with a user's hand when the button is operated. And, the button part41is provided with a fixing plate43located at the lower part of the main body31and having a button hole42.

Further, a button44is partially inserted into the button hole42and provided with a button spring45, at its rear surface, having a recovering force against the button pressed when the button44is operated.

In addition, fixing hook part51, of which one end is inserted into the hooking hole34through the through-hole33, and moved downward by a compression of the button44with spaced apart from the rear surface of the button44, is formed.

At this time, a distance between the fixing hook part51and the button44is sufficient to adjust a clearance of the button and prevent a malfunction due to excessive contact with the button44from generating.

Further, a fixing spring46, is mounted on the lower end of the fixing hook part51to provide a recovering force when the fixing hook part51is moved downward, of which the other end is preferably fixed to an inner surface of the fixing plate43.

Preferably, a supporting plate47for maintaining the fixing hook part51and the button44in place is provided in the fixing plate43in order to prevent the fixing hook part51from moving up and down and prevent a position shift of the button due to its lateral movement from generating.

When the supporting plate47is provided, the button spring45is preferably provided with one end fixed to the supporting plate47and the other end fixed to the rear surface of the button44.

On the other hand, the fixing hook part51is provided with a protrusion52inserted into the hooking hole34through the through-hole33, and the protruding plate53downwardly extended from the protrusion52to be spaced apart from the rear surface of the button and having a fixing sparing46at its lower end.

At this time, the protruding plate53is provided with an inclined plate54forming an inclined surface, which moves the fixing hook part51downward when the button44pushes the fixing hook part51.

Hereinafter, an operation and effect of the present invention as described hereinabove will be described as follows.

FIG. 3illustrates the state that the door closing the main body31of the tray since the door32is not rotated by inserting the protrusion52of the fixing hook part51into the hooking hole34through the through-hole33.

In this state, when the user pushes the button44, the rear surface of the button44pushes the inclined plate54to move the protruding plate53engaged with the inclined plate54downward to thereby separate the protrusion52of the fixing hook part51from the hooking hole34, since the inclined plate54is slanted.

Therefore, the door32, being not interfered with any other external force, is automatically rotated upward by the force of the rotary means to open the front surface of the main body31, as shown inFIG. 4.

On the other hand, when the user eliminates a force pressed to the button44, the button44of the button part41and the fixing hook part51is moved to the position as shown inFIG. 3by the recovery force of the button44and the button spring45.

Therefore, when the user intends to close the front surface of the main body31after the use of the tray30is completed, the user's hand to rotate the door32downward.

Then, the protrusion52of the fixing hook part51is instantly moved downward by the spring, and inserted into the hooking hole34of the door32to fix the door closed.

The opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile in accordance with the present invention is provided with a button at a position not interfering with the door when opening/closing the tray to eliminate an inconvenience when opening/closing the tray and improve reliability of the tray articles, since the user's hand does not come into contact with the door though the button for opening/closing the tray when it is operated.

While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover various modification within the spirit and the scope of the appended claims.