Abstract:
A fixture for mounting a vehicle-mounted article on a louver of car air conditioner outlet includes an elongated body having first and second ratchet teeth, back and front sliding pieces including first and second pawl teeth resiliently engaging the first and second ratchet teeth, first and second releasing members configured to release the first and second pawl teeth and ratchet teeth from an engaged state, and first and second hooks capable of hooking louver front and back ends, respectively. The back sliding piece is slidable to the body proximal end side when the first ratchet teeth are engaged with the first pawl teeth. The front sliding piece is slidable to the body distal end side when the second ratchet teeth are engaged with the second pawl teeth.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-051459 filed on Mar. 14, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a fixture for mounting a vehicle-mounted article holder, such as a cup holder or a smartphone holder, on a louver provided in a car air conditioner outlet. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2006-182270 discloses one type of a fixture for mounting a vehicle-mounted article holder on a louver provided in a car air conditioner outlet. The disclosed fixture includes a sliding piece and an elongated body. The body of the fixture has an upper surface having a plurality of ratchet teeth formed in a lengthwise direction. The body also has a proximal end provided with a mounting portion on which a vehicle-mounted article holder is mounted and a distal end provided with a hook. 
         [0006]    The sliding piece includes a plurality of pawl teeth which is engaged with the ratchet teeth, a releasing member which releases the pawl teeth and the ratchet teeth from engagement, and a hook. 
         [0007]    The sliding piece is assembled to the body so as to be slidable to the distal end side when the pawl teeth are engaged with the ratchet teeth and so as to be disallowed to slide to the proximal end side. 
         [0008]    According to the above-described conventional fixture, the body is inserted into an air outlet of the air conditioner, and the distal end hook of the body is hooked on an inner or back end of the louver. The sliding piece is then slid to the distal end side of the body so that the hook of the sliding piece is hooked onto a front end of the louver, whereby the louver is held between the hooks of the body and the sliding piece. The mounting portion of the body protrudes from the outlet of the air conditioner into the interior of the passenger compartment when the body is mounted to the louver. As a result, a vehicle-mounted article holder can be mounted to the mounting portion. 
         [0009]    The sliding piece is slid along the ratchet teeth of the body in use of the above-described conventional fixture, whereby the distance between the hooks of the body and the slide piece can be adjusted according to the width of the louver differing from one type of vehicle to another. Consequently, the vehicle-mounted article holder can be mounted to the car air conditioner outlet. 
         [0010]    Meanwhile, a distance from an open end face of the air conditioner outlet to the louver differs from one type of vehicle to another. The louver is disposed in an inner part of the air conditioner outlet in one type of vehicle while the louver is disposed near the open end face of the air conditioner outlet in another type of vehicle. 
         [0011]    In attaching the vehicle-mounted article holder to the air conditioner outlet using the above-described type of fixture, the holder is hung on the body mounting portion protruding out of the air conditioner outlet when the body of the fixture is longer than the distance from the open end face of the outlet to the louver. As a result, an oscillating motion during running of the vehicle shakes the holder thereby to render the holder unstable. This reduces the usability of the vehicle-mounted article held by the holder. 
         [0012]    In order that the vehicle-mounted article holder may stably be mounted to the air conditioner outlet using the fixture, an end of the holder mounted to the mounting portion of the fixture is caused to abut against a lower end face of the outlet. As a result, the holder becomes difficult to shake and is accordingly rendered stable. However, the distance between the hook on the distal end of the body and the proximal end on which the mounting potion for mounting the holder needs to fit in well with the distance from a back end of the louver and the lower end face of the air conditioner outlet in order that the holder may be mounted to the air conditioner outlet so that the end of the holder is caused to abut against the lower end face of the outlet. 
         [0013]    In the above-described conventional fixture, the distance between the hook and the proximal end of the fixture body is fixed and is variably unadjustable. Accordingly, when the holder is mounted to the air conditioner outlet using the fixture, the holder is hung on the body mounting portion protruding out of the air conditioner outlet depending upon the types of vehicles, with the result that the holder shakes and is accordingly unstable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0014]    Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a fixture for mounting a vehicle-mounted article, which can stably attach the holder to the air conditioner outlet. 
         [0015]    The disclosure provides a fixture for mounting a vehicle-mounted article holder, such as a cup holder or a smartphone holder, on a louver provided in a car air conditioner outlet. The fixture includes an elongated body, a back sliding piece and a front sliding piece. The body has a top surface, an underside, a right surface and a left surface. The body has first ratchet teeth formed in one of the top surface and the underside or in one of the right and the left surfaces along an elongated direction. The body has second ratchet teeth formed in the other of the top surface and the underside or in the other of the right and the left surfaces. The body further has a proximal end provided with a mounting portion. The back sliding piece includes first pawl teeth resiliently engaging the first ratchet teeth, a first releasing member configured to release the first pawl teeth and the first ratchet teeth from an engaged state, and a first hook capable of hooking a back end of the louver. The front sliding piece includes second pawl teeth resiliently engaging the second ratchet teeth, a second releasing member configured to release the second pawl teeth and the second ratchet teeth from an engaged state, and a second hook capable of hooking a front end of the louver. The back sliding piece is assembled to the body so as to be slidable to the body proximal end side and so as to be non-slidable to a body distal end side when the first ratchet teeth are engaged with the first pawl teeth. The front sliding piece is assembled to the body so as to be slidable to the body distal end side and so as to be non-slidable to the body proximal end side when the second ratchet teeth are engaged with the second pawl teeth. The first hook is hooked on the back end of the louver and the second hook is hooked on the front end of the louver. 
         [0016]    According to the above-described construction, the paired front and back sliding pieces are slidable along the body. Consequently, a distance between the hooks provided on respective sliding pieces can be adjusted according to a width of the louver. 
         [0017]    Since distances from the proximal end of the body to both sliding pieces are adjustable, respectively, the sliding pieces are slid to the body proximal end side when the louver is disposed near the open end face of the air conditioner outlet. On the other hand, when the louver is disposed near the back side of the outlet, both sliding pieces are slid to the body distal end side. Consequently, a projection of the mounting portion from the open end face of the air conditioner outlet can be rendered constant irrespective of differences in vehicle types. 
         [0018]    Accordingly, the vehicle-mounted article holder can stably be mounted to the air conditioner outlet irrespective of the differences in the vehicle types when the projection of the mounting portion is set so that an end of the holder abuts against a lower end face of the air conditioner outlet when the holder is mounted to the mounting portion. 
         [0019]    The back sliding piece is assembled to the body so as to be non-slidable to the body distal end side when the first ratchet teeth are in engagement with the first pawl teeth, and the front sliding piece is assembled to the body so as to be non-slidable to the body proximal end side when the second ratchet teeth are in engagement with the second pawl teeth. Accordingly, the distance between the hooks of both sliding pieces holding the louver therebetween has no possibility of being increased by an oscillating motion during running of the vehicle. Consequently, the body can reliably be prevented from inadvertently dropping off from the louver. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, the fixture further includes a slide block having right and left sides and an underside from which the first or the second hook droops, a flexible portion formed on the right or the left side of the slide block so as to be capable of outwardly flexing the right or the left side of the slide block, the flexible portion having an inner surface formed with the first or second pawl teeth and an outer surface formed with a knob serving as the first or second releasing member. In the fixture, the first ratchet teeth are formed in one of the right and the left surfaces of the body and the second ratchet teeth are formed in the other of the right and the left surfaces. The first pawl teeth of the slide block serving as the back sliding piece are engaged with the first ratchet teeth. The second pawl teeth of the slide block serving as the front sliding piece are engaged with the second ratchet teeth. According to this construction, the slide block can be shared between the back and front sliding pieces, reducing the number of components and accordingly the costs. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment, the body has a groove-shaped cutout perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, the body being breakable at the cutout thereby to be shortened. According to this construction, when the body is so long that the body abuts against an obstacle located in the back of the air conditioner outlet when inserted into the outlet, the body can be cut at the cutout thereby to be shortened. As a result, the body can be prevented from abutting against the obstacle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    In the accompanying drawings: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fixture for mounting a vehicle-mounted article, which can stably attach the holder to the air conditioner outlet, in accordance with one embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the fixture; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view showing a mounting manner of the fixture; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is also a diagrammatic view showing another mounting manner of the fixture; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is further a diagrammatic view showing further another mounting manner of the fixture; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is still further a diagrammatic view showing still further another mounting manner of the fixture; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the fixture in accordance with a second embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a fixture  10  for mounting a holder of a vehicle-mounted article on a louver provided in a car air conditioner outlet. The fixture  10  includes a body  11  which is a molded plastic product, a back slide block  12  and a front slide block  13 . The body  11  is formed into the shape of a bar having a generally rectangular section. The body  11  has a left side formed with first ratchet teeth  11   a  along an elongated direction and a right side formed with second ratchet teeth  11   b  along the elongated direction. The first and second ratchet teeth  11   a  and  11   b  are directed oppositely. More specifically, the first ratchet teeth  11   a  are formed so as to have inclined faces at the side of a distal end  11   c  of the body  11 , whereas the second ratchet teeth  11   b  are formed so as to have inclined faces at the side of a proximal end  11   d  of the body  11 . 
         [0031]    The distal end  11   c  of the body  11  is tapered and the proximal end  11   d  of the body  11  has a circular mounting portion  11   e  to which a holding member for mounting a vehicle-mounted article is detachably attachable. The holding member includes a cup holder or a smartphone holder. The mounting portion  11   e  is formed integrally with a shaft  11   g  convexed on a rectangular plate  11   f . The mounting portion  11   e  has a larger diameter than the shaft  11   g.    
         [0032]    The back and front slide blocks  12  and  13  have the same shape and the same dimensions. The back slide block  12  includes right and left sides  12   b  and  12   a  and an underside  12   c , and the front slide block  13  includes right and left sides  13   b  and  13   a  and an underside  13   c . Each slide block is formed so as to have a generally C-shaped section. The side  12   a  is formed with two, upper and lower slits  12   d  and  12   e , and the side  13   a  is formed with two, upper and lower slits  12   d  and  12   e . The slits  12   d  and  12   e  each extend from one end of the side  12   a  to a middle part. Flexible portions  12   f  and  13   f  are formed by both slits  12   d  and  12   e  respectively. The sides  12   a  and  13   a  are outwardly flexible by the flexible portions  12   f  and  13   f  respectively. The flexible portions  12   f  and  13   f  have inner surfaces formed with pawl teeth  12   g  and  13   g  which elastically engage the first and second ratchet teeth  11   a  and  11   b  of the body  11 , respectively. The flexible portions  12   f  and  13   f  have outer surfaces formed with releasing knobs  12   h  and  13   h  respectively. Hooks  12   k  and  13   k  droop from the undersides  12   c  and  13   c  respectively. The back slide block  12  is mounted to the body  11  so that the pawl teeth  12   g  engage the first ratchet teeth  11   a . Furthermore, the front slide block  13  is mounted to the body  11  so that the pawl teeth  13   g  engage the second ratchet teeth  11   b.    
         [0033]      FIGS. 3 to 6  show a manner of using the fixture  10  structured as described above. A hook plate  20  is mounted to the mounting portion  11   e  as shown in  FIG. 3 . A vehicle-mounted article holder (not shown) is detachably attachable to the hook plate  20 . The hook plate  20  includes a base plate  21  which has an upper part formed with an engagement groove the mounting portion  11   e  disengageably engages. The hook plate  20  is mounted to the body  11  of the fixture  10  by engaging the mounting portion  11   e  with the engagement groove. The base plate has a lower part provided with a support piece  22  which is mounted via a shaft  23  on the lower part so as to be swingable. The support piece  22  abuts against a lower end face  31  of an outlet of car air conditioner. The base plate  21  has a front face provided with a hook piece  24  which disengageably engages an engagement groove (not shown) of the vehicle-mounted article holder. 
         [0034]    The air conditioner outlet  30  shown in  FIG. 3  has three louvers  32 ,  33  and  34  provided near an open end face of the outlet  30 . In order that the fixture  10  may be mounted in the outlet  30 , the back slide block  12  located at the proximal end  11   d  side of the body  11  is fixed to a predetermined position of the body  11  according to a distance from the open end face of the outlet  30  to a back end of the louver  33 . The slide blocks  12  and  13  can be slid both to the back side and to the front side when the releasing knobs  12   h  and  13   h  are gripped by fingers so that the flexible portions  12   f  and  13   f  are flexed outward, whereby the pawl teeth  12   g  and  13   g  are disengaged from the ratchet teeth  11   a  and  11   b , respectively. The slide blocks  12  and  13  are fixed to the body  11  when the flexible portions  12   f  and  13   f  are returned to the former positions and the pawl teeth  12   g  and  13   g  are engaged with the ratchet teeth  11   a  and  11   b , respectively. 
         [0035]    The body  11  and both slide blocks  12  and  13  are inserted between the louvers  32  and  33 , and the hook  12   k  of the back slide block  12  is hooked on the back end of the louver  33 . The front slide block  13  is slid by fingers to the back side of the body  11 , and the hook  13   k  of the front slide block  13  is engaged with the front end of the louver  33 . As a result, the fixture  10  is mounted to the air conditioner outlet  30 . The fixture  10  can stably be mounted in the air conditioner outlet  30  when the louver  33  to which the fixture  10  is to be mounted is selected so that the support plate  22  abuts against the lower end face  31  of the air conditioner outlet  30  when the fixture  10  is mounted to the louver. 
         [0036]    In an air conditioner outlet  40  shown in  FIG. 4 , the louvers  42 ,  43  and  44  are provided inner relative to the air conditioner outlet  40  than relative to the air conditioner outlet  30 . When the fixture  10  is mounted to the air conditioner outlet  40 , the back slide block  12  is located at the distal end side of the body  11 . The back slide block  12  is fixed to a predetermined position of the body  11  according to a distance from the open end face of the outlet  40  to the back end of the louver  43 . The body  11  and both slide blocks  12  and  13  are inserted between the louvers  42  and  43 , and the hook  12   k  of the back slide block  12  hooked on the back end of the louver  43 . The front slide block  13  is slid by fingers to the back side of the body  11 , whereby the hook  13   k  is engaged with the front end of the louver  43 . As a result, the fixture  10  is mounted in the air conditioner outlet  40 . 
         [0037]    An air conditioner outlet  50  shown in  FIG. 5  has a lower end face  51  protruding further forward than an upper end face. When the fixture  10  is mounted in this air conditioner outlet  50 , the back slide block  12  is fixed to the body  11  while the fixture  10  is adjusted to a distance between the louvers  53 ,  54  and  55  and the lower end face  51  of the outlet  50 . 
         [0038]    An air conditioner outlet  60  shown in  FIG. 6  also has a lower end face  61  protruding further forward than an upper end face  62 . Furthermore, two  64  and  65  of three louvers  63 ,  64  and  65  are exposed outside the open end face. When the fixture  10  is mounted in the outlet  60 , too, the back slide block  12  is fixed to the body  11  while the fixture  10  is adjusted to a distance between the louver  64  and the lower end face  61  of the outlet  60 . 
         [0039]    According to the fixture  10  of the first embodiment, the paired front and back slide blocks  13  and  12  are slidable along the body  11 . Consequently, the distance between the hooks  13   k  and  12   k  provided on respective slide blocks  13  and  12  can be adjusted according to the width of the louver  33 ,  43 ,  54  or  64 . 
         [0040]    Since distances from the proximal end  11   d  of the body  11  to both slide blocks  12  and  13  are adjustable, respectively, the slide blocks  12  and  13  are slid to the body proximal end  11   d  side when the louver  32  is disposed near the open end face of the air conditioner outlet  30 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . On the other hand, when the louver  43  is disposed near the back side of the outlet  40 , both slide blocks  12  and  13  are slid to the body distal end  11   c  side, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Consequently, a projection of the mounting portion  11   e  from the open end face of the air conditioner outlet  30  or  40  can be rendered constant irrespective of differences in vehicle types. 
         [0041]    Accordingly, the vehicle-mounted article holder can stably be mounted to the air conditioner outlet  30  or  40  irrespective of the differences in the vehicle types when the projection of the mounting portion  11   e  is set so that the support plate  22  abuts against the lower end face  31  or  41  of the air conditioner outlet  30  or  40  when the vehicle-mounted holder is mounted to the mounting portion  11   e.    
         [0042]    The back slide block  12  is assembled to the body  11  so as to be non-slidable to the body distal end  11   c  side when the first ratchet teeth  11   a  are in engagement with the pawl teeth  12   g , and the front slide block  13  is assembled to the body  11  so as to be non-slidable to the body proximal end  11   d  side when the second ratchet teeth  11   b  are in engagement with the pawl teeth  13   g . Accordingly, the distance between the hooks  12   k  and  13   k  of both slide blocks  12  and  13  holding the louver  33 ,  43 ,  54  or  64  therebetween has no possibility of being increased by an oscillating motion during running of the vehicle. Consequently, the body  11  can reliably be prevented from inadvertently dropping off from the louver  33 ,  43 ,  54  or  64 . 
         [0043]    Since the back and front slide blocks  12  and  13  have the same shape and the same dimensions, a single type of slide block can be shared between the back and front slide blocks  12  and  13 , with the result that the number of components and accordingly the costs can be reduced. 
         [0044]      FIG. 7  shows a fixture  10 A for mounting a holder of a vehicle-mounted article on a louver provided in a car air conditioner outlet. The body  11  of the fixture  10 A has a groove-shaped cutout  11   h  perpendicular to the lengthwise direction. The body  11  is breakable at the cutout  11   h  thereby to be shortened. The fixture  10 A of the second embodiment is identical with the fixture  10  in the other respects. Identical or similar parts in the second embodiment are labeled by the same reference symbols as those in the first embodiment, and the description of these parts will be eliminated. 
         [0045]    According to the above-described construction, when the body  11  is so long that the body  11  abuts against an obstacle located in the back of the air conditioner outlet  30 ,  40 ,  50  or  60  when inserted into the outlet  30 ,  40 ,  50  or  60 , the body  11  can be cut at the cutout  11   h  thereby to be shortened. As a result, the body  11  can be prevented from abutting against the obstacle. 
         [0046]    The foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative of the present disclosure and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various changes and modifications will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. All such changes and modifications are seen to fall within the scope of the appended claims.