Patent Publication Number: US-2007123086-A1

Title: Storage body

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a storage body such as a glove box provided in an instrument panel of a vehicle of an automobile, etc., for example.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Various glove boxes provided in an instrument panel of a vehicle of an automobile, etc. have been known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2003-13,647 discloses a glove box using a so-called bolt rod to engage a cover body at a close position.  
      In the glove box disclosed in the publication, a pair of engaging holes is provided in instrument panels facing both side surfaces of the cover body. And, the glove box disclosed in the publication comprises a pair of rods having hook portions which enter into/exit from each engaging hole at their tip ends thereof respectively, an urging member urging each rod in a direction that the each hook portion enters into each engaging hole, an operating member for operating so as to unlock a locking mechanism, and a linking member transmitting an operation force for the operating member to each rod and moving each rod in a direction that each hook portion exits from each engaging hole while resisting an urging force of the urging member.  
      According to this glove box disclosed in the publication, by operating the operating member, its operating force is transmitted to the rods by way of the linking member. Thus, by exerting the operating force which resists the urging force of the urging member, the rods move such that the hook portions of the rods exit from the engaging holes, and the locking mechanism can be unlocked easily.  
      However, in this glove box disclosed in the publication, all of the rods, the urging member, and the linking member are stored in the cover body. Thus, the hook portions, which are provided at the tip ends of the rods and enter into/exit from the engaging holes, are exposed in the side surfaces of the cover body. Therefore, when the cover body is opened, it did not have a good appearance since the hook portions can be seen unavoidably. In addition, there arises a problem that the degree of freedom in its function and in its design deteriorates because the thickness of the cover body becomes inevitably thick.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been developed and completed in view of such circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a storage body in which storing rods, etc. in a cover body is stopped to achieve the improvement in decorativeness and the degree of freedom in function and in design.  
      A storage body according to the present invention can achieve the aforementioned object, and comprises:  
      a main body having an opening portion;  
      a cover body supported by the main body in such a manner that the opening portion can be opened and closed, and having a pair of engaging holes; and  
      a locking mechanism for engaging the cover body with the main body at a position where the opening portion is closed, wherein:  
      the locking mechanism is composed of 
          a pair of rods having hook portions entering into/exiting from each of the engaging holes on their tip ends respectively,     an urging member urging each of the rods in a direction that each of the hook portions enters into each of the engaging holes,     an operating member for operating so as to unlock the locking mechanism, and     a linking member transmitting an operation force for the operating member to each of the rods and moving each of the rods in a direction that each of the hook portions exits from each of the engaging holes while resisting the urging force of the urging member;        

      each of the rods, the urging member, and the linking member are provided on a side of the main body.  
      In this storage body, by operating the operating member, its operating force is transmitted to the rods by way of the linking member. Thus, by exerting the operating force which resists the urging force of the urging member onto the operating member, the rods move such that the hook portions of the rods exit from the engaging holes of the cover body. Accordingly, the locking mechanism can be unlocked easily.  
      And, these rods, urging member, and linking member are provided on the side of the main body, not in the cover body. Thus, the hook portions, which are provided at the tip ends of the rods and enter into/exit from the engaging holes, are not exposed in side surfaces of the cover body when the cover body is opened, and the decorativeness accordingly improves. Moreover, because the cover body does not get thick, the degree of freedom in function and in design improves.  
      In the storage body according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein:  
      the cover body has a pair of leg portions extending to a vicinity of a rear surface of the main body;  
      each of the engaging holes is provided in each of the leg portions; and  
      each of the rods is provided in the rear surface of the main body.  
      In this storage body, the engaging holes are provided in the leg portions of the cover body extending to the vicinity of the rear surface of the main body, and the rods, which have the hook portions entering into/exiting from the engaging holes, are disposed in the rear surface of the main body. Accordingly, the improvement in the decorativeness and the degree of freedom in function and in design can be achieved surely.  
      Note that, when the rods are disposed in the rear surface of the main body, it is preferred that parts of the linking member and the urging member are also disposed in the rear surface of the main body, and the remaining parts thereof are disposed in side surfaces of the main body. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of its advantages will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed specification, all of which forms part of the disclosure.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view for schematically illustrating a storage body according to an example of the present invention with parts of components abbreviated as seen diagonally from above on a side of a rear surface when the cover body is in a closed state.  
       FIG. 2  is a plan view for schematically illustrating the storage body according to the example of the present invention as seen from above when cover body is in the closed state.  
       FIG. 3  is a plan view for schematically illustrating the storage body according to the example of the present invention as seen from above right after the locking mechanism is unlocked.  
       FIG. 4  is a plan view for schematically illustrating the storage body according to the example of the present invention as seen from above when the cover body is in an opened state. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Having generally described the present invention, a further understanding can be obtained by reference to the specific preferred embodiment which is provided herein for the purpose of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.  
     EXAMPLE  
      In the example, a storage body according to the present invention is adopted as a glove box provided in an instrument panel of a vehicle body of an automobile, etc.  
      As schematically shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , the storage body according to the example comprises a main body  1  having an opening portion  11 , a cover body  2  supported by the main body  1  in such a manner that it can open and close the opening portion  11 , and a locking mechanism  3  for engaging the cover body  2  with the main body  1  at a position where the opening portion  11  is closed.  
      The cover body  2  has a pivotally supporting portion  21  on both sides of a bottom end, and the pivotally supporting portion  21  is pivotally supported in the bottom end adjacent to the opening portion  11  of the main body  1 . Thus, the cover body  2  swings about the pivotally supporting portion  21  so as to open and close the opening portion  11 .  
      Also, the cover body  2  has a pair of leg portions  22 A,  22 B both extending obliquely upward from both sides of a bottom end portion to the vicinity of a rear surface  12  of the main body  1 . And, each leg portion  22 A,  22 B is provided with engaging holes  23 A,  23 B respectively.  
      The locking mechanism  3  is composed of a pair of rods  5 A,  5 B, a first urging member  6 , an operating member  7 , and a linking member  8 . The pair of rods  5 A,  5 B have hook portions  4 A,  4 B, which enter into/exit from each of engaging holes  23 A,  23 B, on their tip ends respectively. The first urging member  6  urges each rod  5 A,  5 B in the direction that the each hook portion  4 A,  4 B enters into each engaging hole  23 A,  23 B respectively. The operating member  7  operates so as to unlock the locking mechanism  3 . The linking member  8  transmits an operating force for the operating member  7  to each rod  5 A,  5 B and moves each rod  5 A,  5 B in the direction that each hook portion  4 A,  4 B exits from each engaging hole  23 A,  23 B while resisting the urging force of the first urging member  6 .  
      At the tip end of the hook portions  4 A,  4 B, inclined surfaces  41 A,  41 B, which respectively incline away from side surfaces  13 A,  13 B of the main body  1  from the opening portion  11  toward the rear surface  12  of the main body  1 , are provided.  
      The rods  5 A,  5 B extend horizontally in an upper portion of the rear surface  12  of the main body  1 , and each tip end portion thereof is held slidably in a holding portion  52  which is fastened by bolts, etc. in the rear surface  12  of the main body  1 . In addition, rack portions  51 A,  51 B are provided in tip end facing surfaces wherein the tip ends of the rods  5 A,  5 B face each other. Also, a shaft portion  53  is build in the center of the top surface of the holding portion  52 , and this shaft portion  53  pivotally supports a pinion  54 , which meshes with rack portions  51 A,  51 B, rotatably. Thus, by the mesh of the pinion  54  with the rack portions  51 A,  51 B, it is arranged such that when one of the rod  5 A reciprocates, the other one of the rod  5 B interlocks so as also to reciprocate. More specifically, when one of the rod  5 A moves from left toward right of  FIG. 2 , the pinion  54  rotates counterclockwise of  FIG. 2 , and the other one of the rod  5 B interlocks with the rod  5 A so as to move from right toward left of  FIG. 2  accordingly. On the contrary, when one of the rod  5 A moves from right toward left of  FIG. 2 , the pinion  54  rotates clockwise of  FIG. 2 , and the other one of the rod  5 B interlocks with the rod  5 A so as to move from left toward right of  FIG. 2  accordingly. That is, both rods  5 A,  5 B are arranged such that they interlock so as to move in the direction that they come close with each other or they come apart away from each other by meshing the rack portions  51 A,  51 B thereof with the pinion  54 .  
      The first urging member  6  is composed of a coil spring. One of the opposite ends thereof is fastened to a first projection tab  61  provided in the rod  5 A, and the other one of the opposite ends thereof is fastened to a second projection tab  62  provided in the rear surface  12  of the main body  1 . Note that, when the cover body  2  is in a closed state as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first urging member  6  is in a natural state so that no urging force is accumulated in the first urging member  6 .  
      The operating member  7  is provided in the instrument panel, not shown, at the left side position of the main body  1  as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
      The linking member  8  is composed of a link rod  81  connected to a rear surface of the operating member  7  and extending along the left side surface  13 A of the main body  1  from the opening portion  11  of the main body  1  to the rear surface  12 , and a inclined linking portion  82  provided in the vicinity of the hook portion  4 A of one of the rod  5 A. The link rod  81  is always urged in the direction from the rear surface  12  of the main body  1  toward the opening portion  11  by a second urging member  83  composed of a coil spring. In addition, a sliding inclined surface  84 , which face an inclined surface of the inclined linking portion  82 , is provided at the tip end of the link rod  81 . Accordingly, the inclined surface of this inclined linking portion  82  and the sliding inclined surface  84  slide with each other. Thus, it is arranged such that the movement of the link rod  81  in the depth direction of the main body  1  (the up/down direction of  FIG. 2 ) and the movement of the rod  5 A in the width direction of the main body  1  (the left/right direction of  FIG. 2 ) convert with each other.  
      Note that, each of the rack  51 A,  51 B and the pinion  54  are also components of the linking member  8  which transmits an operating force for the operating member  7  to each rod  5 A,  5 B and moves each rod  5 A,  5 B in the direction that each hook portion  4 A,  4 B exits from each engaging hole  23 A,  23 B while resisting the urging force of the first urging member  6 .  
      The storage body according to the present example operates as hereinafter described.  
      In the closed state of the cover body  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 , the hook portions  4 A,  4 B of each rod  5 A,  5 B respectively enter into the engaging holes  23 A,  23 B of each leg portion  22 A,  22 B of the cover body  2  so as to engage with engaging holes  23 A,  23 B, such that the locking mechanism  3  is locked.  
      From this closed state, when an operator pushes the operating member  7 , the operating force is transmitted to the rods SA,  5 B by way of the linking member  8 . That is, when the operating member  7  is pushed, the link rod  81  moves to the side of the rear surface  12  of the main body  1  against the urging force of the second urging member  83 . Consequently, the sliding inclined surface  84  of the link rod  81  and the inclined surface of the inclined linking portion  82  slide with each other, so that the movement of the link rod  81  to the side of the rear surface  12  is converted with the movement of one of the rod  5 A to the right direction of  FIG. 2 . Thus, the pinion  54  meshes with the rack  51 A,  51 B, so that the rod  5 A and the rod  5 B move in the direction that they come close with each other. As a result, the hook portions  4 A,  4 B of the rods  5 A,  5 B respectively exit from engaging holes  23 A,  23 B of each leg portion  22 A,  22 B of the cover body  2 , such that the locking mechanism  3  is unlocked (See  FIG. 3 ).  
      When the locking mechanism  3  is unlocked, the cover body  2  rotates downwardly about the pivotally supporting portion  21  by its own weight, and the opening portion  11  of the main body  1  is released (See  FIG. 4 ). In addition, when the operator stops to push the operating member  7  after the locking mechanism  3  is unlocked, the link rod  81  moves to the side of the opening portion  11  of the main body  1  by the urging force of the second urging member  83 . Moreover, in this opened state of the cover body  2 , each leg portion  22 A,  22 B of the cover body  2  also rotates downwardly, and the hook portions  4 A,  4 B of the rods  5 A,  5 B do not interfere with each leg portion  22 A,  22 B of the cover body  2  respectively. Thus, the rod  5 A and the rod  5 B moves in the direction that they come apart away from each other by way of the mesh of the pinion  54  with the racks  51 A,  51 B by the urging force of the first urging member  6 , and they go back to the original state.  
      In addition, to return the cover body  2  from the opened state as shown in  FIG. 4  back to the closed state as shown in  FIG. 2 , the operator raises the cover body  2  to let the cover body  2  rotate upwardly about the pivotally supporting portion  21 . When the cover body  2  rotates upwardly, each leg portion  22 A,  22 B also rotates upwardly. Consequently, during the stage in which the cover body  2  returns back to the closed state, tip ends of each leg portion  22 A,  22 B contact to press the inclined surfaces  41 A,  41 B of the hook portions  4 A,  4 B of each rod  5 A,  5 B. Then, the tip ends of each leg portion  22 A,  22 B slide on each inclined surface  41 A,  41 B, so that a pressing force for moving each rod  5 A,  5 B in the direction that they come close to each other is exerted. As a result, each rod  5 A,  5 B moves in the direction that they come close to each other against the urging force of the first urging member  6 . Then, when the engaging holes  23 A,  23 B of each leg portion  22 A,  22 B reach at the positions of the hook portions  4 A,  4 B of each rod  5 A,  5 B as the operator holds to continue to let the cover body  2  rotate upwardly, the rods  5 A,  5 B move in the direction that they come apart from each other by way of the mesh of the pinion  54  with the racks  51 A,  51 B by the urging force of the first urging member  6 . As a result, the hook portions  4 A,  4 B of each rod  5 A,  5 B enter into the engaging holes  23 A,  23 B of each leg portion  22 A,  22 B, such that the locking mechanism  3  becomes locked.  
      In addition, in the storage body according to the present example, the rods  5 A,  5 B, the first urging member  6 , and the linking member  8  are provided on the side of the main body  1 , not on the side of the cover body  2 . Thus, in the opened state of the cover body  2 , the hook portions  4 A,  4 B, which are provided at the tip ends of the rods  5 A,  5 B and enter into/exit from the engaging holes  23 A,  23 B, cannot be seen, and the decorativeness improves accordingly. Moreover, because the cover body  2  does not get thick, the degree of freedom in function and in design also improves.  
      Specifically, in the storage body according to the present example, the rods  5 A,  5 B, the first urging member  6 , the inclined linking portion  82 , the racks  51 A,  51 B and the pinion  53  are all disposed in the rear surface  12  of the main body  1 , and the inclined linking portion  82 , the racks  51 A,  51 B and the pinion  53  compose a part of the linking member  8 . The link rod  81  and the second urging member  83  composing the rest of the linking member  8  are disposed in the left side surface  13 A of the main body  1 . Accordingly, the improvement in the decorativeness and the degree of freedom in the function and in the design can be achieved surely.  
      Note that, in case there is no problem in terms of design when the rods  5 A,  5 B, the first urging member  6 , the linking member  8 , and so on are disposed in a top surface or an under surface of the main body  1 , these members can be disposed in the top surface or the under surface of the main body  1 , not in the rear surface of the main body  1 .  
      Having now fully described the present invention, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as set forth herein including the appended claims.