Abstract:
A sliding drawer device is formed of a first component, and a second component slid ably held inside the first component. The first component includes left and right side walls to be spaced apart and face each other, left and right guide grooves formed in inner sides of the left and right side walls, and left and right slide grooves formed in the side walls to communicate with the respective left and right guide grooves. The left and right slide grooves extend in the back and forth directions. The second component includes left and right outer side portions placed between the left and right side walls to face the same, and a pair of left and right protrusions projecting outward from the respective outer side portions. The left and right protrusions can be inserted into the respective left and right slide grooves through the guide grooves to be slidable along the slide grooves. The distance between the end surfaces of the left and right protrusions is greater than the distance between the two inner surfaces of the left and right guide grooves. The protrusions can be easily assembled with the slide grooves without disengagement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT 
     The present invention relates to a sliding drawer device for a vehicle, such as a cup holder, a tray, a small article compartment, and so on, and particularly, protrusions of the sliding drawer device can be easily inserted into slide grooves by pressing, and furthermore can be prevented from being slipped out of the slide grooves unexpectedly. 
     In the traditional sliding drawer device for a vehicle, slide grooves and pins have been installed between a housing frame and a slider, and the pins are pressed into the slide grooves. However, in the above-mentioned traditional structure, there has been a problem that press-fitting becomes difficult when the biting of the pins against the slide grooves is too strong. On the other hand, the pins slip out of the slide grooves when the biting of the pins against slide grooves is too weak. 
     The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a sliding drawer device, wherein protrusions of the drawer device can be easily introduced into slide grooves. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a sliding drawer device as stated above, wherein the protrusions are prevented from being slipped out of the slide grooves in a condition that a second component is pulled out toward a person. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a two-step openable sliding drawer device for a vehicle having the above structure. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide a sliding drawer device as stated above, wherein rattling of the components is prevented in a condition that the second component is held inside a third component. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide a sliding drawer device as stated above, wherein in a condition that the second component is pulled out toward a person, the protrusions are prevented from being slipped out of the slide grooves due to external impacts. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A sliding drawer device for a vehicle, i.e. cup holder, in the first aspect of the invention is equipped with a first component or slider, and a second component or holder main body. The sliding drawer device for a vehicle includes not only a cup holder, but a tray, or a small article compartment. The first component is affixed to a vehicle in an embedded fashion. In particular, the slider as the first component is affixed to a car in an embedded fashion through a case. The slider itself may be embedded directly into a car body. The second component or holder body is held in the first component or slider to be slidable in the back and forth directions, and is used in the pulled-out position from the car body toward a person. 
     The first component or slider is equipped with a pair of left and right side walls, and a pair of left and right slide grooves. The pair of left and right side walls is spaced apart and faces each other. The pair of left and right slide grooves is made on the pair of left and right side walls, respectively, and extends along the sliding direction of the second component. 
     The second component or holder body is equipped with a pair of left and right outer sides and a pair of left and right protrusions. The pair of left and right outer sides is placed inside the space between the pair of left and right side walls to face each of the inner surfaces of the side walls. The pair of left and right protrusions projects outward from the left and right outer sides, respectively, and is inserted into the respective left and right slide grooves by pressing to slid along the slide grooves. 
     Each of the left and right side walls is furnished with a guide groove. The guide groove is made by cutting on the inner side of each side wall, and the facing pair of guide grooves guide each of the left and right protrusions into each of the slide grooves. 
     Each of the left and right guide grooves is located on the back side of the respective left and right slide grooves. The distance between the two facing inner surfaces of the left and right guide grooves is shorter than the distance between the two end surfaces of the left and right protrusions. 
     The invention in the second aspect has the following features in addition to the aforementioned features in the first aspect. 
     A sliding drawer device for a vehicle is equipped with a third component or case. The third component or case holds the first component or slider to be able to slide back and forth, and houses both the first component or slider and the second component or holder body. 
     The second component or holder body has several leg parts. These leg parts contact the bottom wall of the third component or case when the second component is stored inside the third component or case. 
     The invention described in the third aspect has the following features in addition to the aforementioned features of the invention in the first aspect. 
     A sliding drawer device for a vehicle, i.e. tray, is equipped with a first component or housing unit, and a second component or tray body. Here, the tray is illustrated as the sliding drawer device for a vehicle, but a cup holder and a small article compartment could also be applicable as a sliding drawer device. The first component or housing unit is affixed to a car or vehicle in an embedded fashion. The second component or tray body is held in the first component or housing unit to be slidable back and forth, and is used in the pull-out position from the car body toward a person. 
     The first component or housing unit is equipped with a pair of left and right inner sides, i.e. inner sides of left and right side walls, and a pair of left and right protrusions. The pair of left and right inner sides of the left and right side walls is spaced apart on the left and right, and faces each other. The pair of left and right protrusions faces each other and projects inward from the left and right inner sides. 
     The second component or tray body is equipped with a pair of left and right outer sides, i.e. outer sides of left and right side walls, and slide grooves. The pair of left and right outer sides is placed inside the space between the pair of left and right inner sides, i.e. inner side of the left and right side walls, of the first component or housing unit. The slide grooves are made by cutting inwards on the left and right outer sides, i.e. outer sides of the left and right side walls, to extend along the sliding direction of the second component or tray body, and receive the left and right protrusions inserted by pressing. Here, totally two slide grooves are actually made on the left and right side walls, but one slide groove and one opening on the left and right outer sides of the second component or tray body will also work properly. 
     The second component or tray body is equipped with guide grooves on the left and right outer sides, i.e. outer sides of left and right side walls. The guide grooves are made by cutting inwards on the left and right outer sides, i.e. outer sides of the left and right side walls in order to guide each of the left and right protrusions into each of the slide grooves. 
     Each of the left and right guide grooves is located in the front part of the slide grooves. The distance between the two opposing inner surfaces of the left and right guide grooves is longer than the distance between the end surfaces of the left and right protrusions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a disassembled condition of a slider and a holder body; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a cup holder; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled cup holder; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cup holder in a closed position; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the cup holder in a pull-out position corresponding to FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the cup holder in a half-pull-out position corresponding to FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 8 is another sectional view corresponding to FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial top plan view of the slider and holder body; 
     FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of the assembled slider and holder body corresponding to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a tray in a disassembled condition showing another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the disassembled tray; 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of the disassembled tray; 
     FIG. 14 is a sectional view of an assembled tray corresponding to FIG. 11; and 
     FIG. 15 is a side view of the assembled tray corresponding to FIG.  13 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG.  1  through FIG. 10 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.  11  through FIG. 15 show a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a slider and a holder body in a disassembled condition; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cup holder in a disassembled condition; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled cup holder; FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cup holder in a closed position; FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the cup holder in a pull-out position corresponding to FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the cup holder in a half-pull-out position corresponding to FIG. 4; FIG. 8 is another sectional view corresponding to FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a partial top plan view of the slider and the holder body; and FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of the slider and holder body in the assembled condition corresponding to FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a tray in a disassembled condition; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the disassembled tray; FIG. 13 is a side view of the disassembled tray; FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the assembled tray corresponding to FIG. 11; and FIG. 15 is a side view of the assembled tray corresponding to FIG.  13 . 
     Numeral  10  in FIG.  2  and FIG. 3 illustrates a sliding-type cup holder. The cup holder  10  is installed in the interior of a car, not illustrated. Here, the cup holder  10  is illustrated as the sliding drawer device for the car, but it may be applied to a tray or a small article compartment. The cup holder  10  is mainly formed of a case  20 , a slider  30  and a holder body  40 , as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The case  20  is of a hollow box type with an open front  21  as shown in FIG. 2, and is affixed to a car interior in an embedded fashion which is not illustrated here. The case  20  has proper elasticity and stiffness, and is formed integrally by a thermoplastic resin, such as ABS resin. 
     The top wall of the case  20  is equipped with guide walls  22  and rail grooves  24  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG.  5 . 
     The guide walls  22  as shown in FIG. 5 protrude downward from the top wall of the case  20  separately on the left and right. The left and right guide walls  22  have guide ribs  23 , which protrude inward from the ends of the guide walls to face each other, and extend along the sliding direction of the slider  30  at the lower parts. 
     A pair of left and right rail grooves  24  as shown in FIG. 5 is located between the left and right guide walls  22 , and extends along the sliding direction of the slider  30 . Each rail groove  24  has a convex shape with an open bottom as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     Each of the left and right rail grooves  24  has a downward-protruding elastic piece  25  on its front end as shown in FIG.  8 . The rail grooves  24  and the elastic pieces  25  are formed integrally to have proper elasticity and stiffness by a thermoplastic resin, such as POM, and are attached to the case  20  later. 
     The bottom wall of the case  20  as shown in FIG. 6 has square windows  26  passing through vertically. The back wall of the case  20  as shown in FIG. 6 has a latch  50  on its center. 
     The slider  30  has a box shape with an open bottom, and a width to be fitted between the left and right guide walls  22  of the case  20  as shown in FIG.  5 . The slider  30  with proper elasticity and stiffness is formed integrally by a thermoplastic resin, such as ABS resin. 
     The top wall of the slider  30  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 5 has a pair of left and right rails  31 , which fit in the rail grooves  24  at the case  20 . Each rail  31  protrudes with a convex sectional shape. The left and right rails  31  slide along the left and right rail grooves  24  to prevent rattling of the slider  30 . 
     Each of the left and right rails  31  has two concave dents  32 ,  33  on the front and back areas of the rail for receiving the elastic piece  25  of the case  20  therein as shown in FIG.  2 . The position where the front dent  32  engages the elastic piece  25  corresponds to the closed position of the slider  30 . When the slider  30  is pushed in the case, a click is produced at its closed position. The position where the back dent  33  engages the elastic piece  25  corresponds to the maximum pull-out position of the slider  30  as shown in FIG. 8, where a click is produced when the slider  30  is pulled out from the case. 
     The slider  30  also has a rail groove  34  extending along the sliding direction of the holder body  40  on the lower surface of the top wall as shown in FIG.  5 . The rail groove  34  has a concave sectional shape with an open bottom as shown in FIG.  5 . The rail groove  34  also has a downward-protruding elastic piece  35  on its front area as shown in FIG.  6 . The rail groove  34  and the elastic piece  35  are formed to have proper elasticity and stiffness by a thermoplastic resin, such as POM, and are attached to the groove  34  in the slider  30 . 
     Each of the left and right side walls  60  of the slider  30  as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 8 has an elliptical slide groove  61  extending along the sliding direction of the holder body  40  with a lateral opening. Each of the left and right side walls  60  as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 9 has a guide groove  62  with a concave sectional shape cut out at the inner side of the side wall. The left and right guide grooves  62  are located on the back side of the slide grooves  61  as shown in FIG.  9 . Each of the left and right guide grooves  62  has an open top and a bottom communicating with the slide groove  61  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Furthermore, the left and right side walls  60  have a pair of left and right pawls  36  protruding downward from the bottom surfaces of the back ends as shown in FIG.  6 . The left and right pawls  36  determine the forward end position of the slider  30  by catching the front edges of the windows  26  of the case  20 . Guide grooves  37  with a C-like concave sectional shape are formed between the pawl  36  and the side wall  60 , respectively, as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG.  5 . 
     The slider  30  has a square see-through hole  38  in the center of its back wall, through which the latch  50  can pass as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     The holder body  40  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 6 has a main body  70 , a cup holding unit  80 , and a lid  90 . 
     The main body  70  is rectangular and of a box type as shown in FIG. 2, and has its width almost equal to the distance between the left and right side walls  60  of the slider  30 . The main body  70  has a rail  71  which fits in the rail groove  34  of the slider  30  in the center of its top surface as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG.  5 . The rail  71  protrudes with a convex sectional shape. The rail  71  slides along the rail groove  34  to thereby prevent rattling of the main body  70 . 
     There are two concave dents  72 ,  73 , in which the elastic piece  35  of the slider  30  fits, on the front and back of the rail  71  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG.  6 . The position of the elastic piece  35  fitting in the front of the dent  72  corresponds to the closed position of the holder body  40  as shown in FIG.  4 . When the holder body  40  is pushed into the case, a click is produced at its closed position. The position of the elastic piece  35  fitting in the back dent  73  corresponds to the maximum pull-out position of the holder body  40  as shown in FIG. 6, where a click is produced when the holder body  40  is pulled out. 
     The main body  70  has a pair of left and right protrusions  75  projecting outward from the left and right outer sides  74  as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG.  9 . The height h of each protrusion  75  is equal to or smaller than the height H of the slide groove  61  of the slider  30  as shown in FIG.  1 . Here, the height h is set to be almost equal to the height H. The length  1  of each protrusion is equal to or shorter than the length L of the guide groove  62  of the slider  30  as shown in FIG.  9 . Here, the length  1  is set to be almost equal to the length L. 
     The distance w between both end surfaces of the left and right protrusions  75  is longer than the distance W between the inner facing surfaces of the left and right guide grooves  62  of the slider  30  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     When the left and right protrusions  75  are placed and pressed into the left and right guide grooves  62  of the slider  30 , the left and right side walls  60  of the slider  30  are slightly deformed outwardly, and the distance W between the facing left and right guide grooves  62  is expanded. Then, the left and right protrusions can fit in the left and right guide grooves  62 , respectively. When the left and right protrusions are further pressed into the slider  30 , the left and right protrusions  75  fit in the left and right slide grooves  61 , respectively, as shown in FIG.  10 . Once the left and right protrusions  75  fit in the left and right slide grooves  61 , the left and right side walls  60  of the slider  30  recover their original dimensions due to the elastic restoring force of the resin. Therefore, the left and right protrusions  75  can not be pulled out from the left and right slide grooves  61 . 
     Also, the left and right protrusions  75  hang in or overlap with the left and right slide grooves  61 , and the difference between the distance w from the left to right protrusions  75  and the distance W from the left to right guide grooves  62  becomes the hanging margin as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     The main body  70  has a strike  76  for holding the latch  50  on its back side as shown in FIG.  4  and FIG.  9 . The strike  76  passing through the hole  38  of the slider  30  as shown in FIG. 4 is connected to the latch  50  by being held at both left and right sides, and this is the closed position of the holder body  40  and the slider  30 . If the holder body  40  is pulled out strongly, the strike is disconnected from the latch  50 , and the holder body  40  and the slider  30  can be moved as shown in FIG.  7 . 
     The cup holding units  80  are located at both the left and right sides of the main body  70  as shown in FIG.  2 . The cup holding unit  80  and the main body  70  are formed integrally by a thermoplastic resin, such as ABS, with proper stiffness. 
     The cup holding units  80  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 3 have the two cup holes  81  for inserting cans, plastic bottles, and paper or plastic cups. Each of the left and right cup holes  81  has stoppers  100 ,  101  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG.  5 . Each of the stoppers  100 ,  101  is made of a very elastic material, for example, urethane foam. The stoppers  100 ,  101  prevent a cup in the cup holding unit  80  from rattling. The cup holding units  80  have several, for example, totally four leg parts  82 ,  83  on its bottom surface as shown in FIG.  4  and FIG.  5 . The leg parts  82 ,  83  contact the bottom wall of the case  20  when the holder body  40  is in the closed position and prevent the holder body  40  from rattling in the case  20 . 
     The lid  90  is larger than the opening  21  of the case  20  as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 4, and has proper stiffness. The lid  90  is formed integrally of a thermoplastic resin, such as PP. The lid  90  is affixed to the front surface of the holder body  40  by a screw  110  as shown in FIG.  4 . The lid  90  covers the opening  21  of the case  20  when the holder body  40  is in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG.  11  through FIG. 15 illustrate the sliding drawer-type tray  200  as a second embodiment of the sliding drawer device for a car. The tray  200  is installed in a car interior, not illustrated. Here, the tray  200  is illustrated as the sliding drawer device for the car, but the sliding drawer device may be applied to the cup holder  10  shown in FIG.  1  through FIG. 10 or a small article compartment, not illustrated here. 
     The tray  200  is mainly formed of a housing unit  200 , a tray body  220  and a lid  230 , as shown in FIG.  11  through FIG.  15 . 
     The housing unit  210  has a C-like sectional shape with an open bottom as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG. 12, and is embedded into a car interior, not illustrated. The housing unit  210  has proper elasticity and stiffness, and is formed integrally of, for example, a thermoplastic resin. The housing unit  210  is equipped with a pair of lift and right side walls  211 , and a top wall  212 , as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . 
     A pair of the left and right side walls  211  is separated on the left and right, and face each other as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . The left and right side walls  211  have left and right protrusions  213 , which project and face each other to create an L-like sectional shape on the bottom end of the side walls as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . The top wall  212  is connected to the top ends of the left and right side walls  211 . 
     The tray body  220  has a C-like sectional shape with an open bottom, and its width fitting between the left and right side walls  211  of the housing unit  210  as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . The tray body  220  has a proper stiffness, and is formed integrally of, for example, a thermoplastic resin. The tray body  220  is equipped with a pair of left and right side walls  221 , and a top wall  222 , as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . 
     A pair of the left and right side walls  221  is separated on the left and right, and face each other as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . Each of the left and right side walls  221  has a slide groove  223  around the middle height area of the side wall, into which the respective left and right protrusions  213  of the housing unit  210  fits as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . The left and right slide grooves  223  pass through the respective left and right side walls  221  laterally, and extend along the sliding direction of the tray body  220  as shown in FIG.  11  through FIG.  13 . 
     The height H of the left and right slide grooves  223  is equal to or greater than the height h of the left and right protrusions  213 , and here, the height H is set to be almost equal to the height has shown in FIG.  11 . Each of the left and right slide grooves  223  is connected to each of the guide grooves  224  which are made by cutting a C-like sectional shape into the side wall from the outer side of the left and right side walls  221  as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . The left and right guide grooves  224  are located at the front area of the slide grooves  223  as shown in FIG.  12  and FIG.  13 . Each of the left and right guide grooves  224  has an open top side, and a bottom side communicating with the slide groove  223  as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . 
     Each of the left and right guide grooves  224  has a tapered surface  225  which makes the groove depth gradually decrease from the top end of the guide groove toward the slide groove  223  as shown in FIG.  11  and FIG.  12 . The distance W between the shallowest points of the guide groove on the left and right tapered surfaces  225  is longer than the distance w between the end surfaces of the left and right protrusions  213  of the housing unit  210  as shown in FIG.  11 . Furthermore, the distance W 2  between the deepest points of the guide groove on the left and right tapered surfaces  225  is equal to or longer than the distance w between the end surfaces of the left and right protrusions  213  of the housing unit  210 , and here, the distance W 2  is set to be almost equal to the distance w as shown in FIG.  11 . 
     The width L of the left and right guide grooves  224  is equal to or wider than the width  1  of the left and right protrusions  213  of the housing unit  210 , and here the width L is set to be almost equal to the width  1  as shown in FIG.  13 . Therefore, when the left and right protrusions  213  of the housing unit  210  are inserted into the respective left and right guide grooves  224  of the tray body  220 , the left and right side walls  211  of the housing unit  210  are opened outward because the left and right protrusions  213  are pressed outward by the respective left and right tapered surfaces  225 . Once the left and right protrusions  213  of the housing unit  210  pass over the shallowest points at the lower parts of the guide grooves on the left and right tapered surfaces  225 , the left and right side walls  211  of the housing unit  210  recover their original dimensions due to the elasticity of the resin, and simultaneously the protrusions  213  fit in the slide grooves  223  without coming off. 
     The lid  230  is attached to the front of the tray body  220  integrally or as a separate piece, and is used as a handle for pulling out the tray body  220 . 
     The present invention is constructed in the aforementioned way and offers the effects mentioned below. 
     In the first aspect, since the guide grooves are formed, the protrusions can be easily pressed into the slide grooves. Also, since the guide grooves are formed on the back side of the slide grooves, the protrusions can be prevented from being slipped out of the slide grooves when the second component stays in the pull-out position. Further, since the slide groove hanging margin is formed in the area of the guide groove, the whole length of the slide grooves can be used. 
     In the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effects in the first aspect, a two-step openable sliding drawer device for a vehicle can be provided. Also, since the leg parts of the second component contact the bottom wall of the third component when the second component is enclosed within the third component, rattling of the components in their closed position is prevented. 
     In the third aspect of the invention, since the guide grooves are provided as in the first aspect, the protrusions can be easily pressed into slide grooves. Since the guide grooves are formed on the front side of slide grooves, contrary to the back side in the first aspect, the protrusions are prevented from being slipped out of the slide grooves due to external impacts, etc. when the second component is in the pull-out position. Also, since the slide groove hanging margins are formed in the areas of the guide grooves, the whole lengths of the slide grooves are used similarly to the first aspect. 
     While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.