Patent Publication Number: US-9850691-B2

Title: Lock device for opening/closing body

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a locking device for an openable/closable body that is used to lock an openable/closable body in a closed state, the openable/closable body being openably/closably mounted to an opening portion of a fixed body. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     For example, an openable/closable body such as a lid may be openably/closably mounted to an opening portion provided to a fixed body such as a glove box of an automobile, and a locking device for locking the lid in a closed state where the opening portion is closed while allowing the lid to be brought into an opened state where the opening portion is opened. 
     The following Patent Document 1 describes a locking device for an openable/closable member, as an example of a conventional locking device of this type, that includes a locking device main body mounted on the opening portion, to which an openable/closable member is openably/closably provided, and a notch that is formed to the openable/closable member so as to surround the locking device main body when the openable/closable member is closed. The locking device main body includes a housing mounted to the supporting body, a pair of lock pins, a spring that is interposed between the pair of lock pins to outwardly bias them, and a manipulation member to pull in the pair of lock pins against the spring. The manipulation member includes a pair of pushing members including cam faces that protrude from the back surface side of the manipulation member. Each of the pair of lock pins includes an inclined surface at the base end, with which each of the cam faces is brought into slidably contact. 
     When the manipulation member is pushed in while the opening portion of the supporting member is closed with the openable/closable member, the cam faces of the pair of pushing members are brought into slidably contact with the inclined surfaces of the pair of lock pins, and the pair of lock pins slide in directions of approaching each other against the biasing force of the spring. Engaging hooks at the distal ends of the lock pins are pulled in from engaging holes provided on both the sides of the notch of the openable/closable member, and thereby the openable/closable member is opened. 
     In addition, Patent Document 2 describes a side lock device including a rotor pivotally supported on the back side of a lid, a pair of rods connected to the rotor, a knob that is pushably and pullably mounted on the front side of the lid and rotates the rotor by the pushing and pulling manipulation, and a return spring to rotatably bias the rotor. The pushing and pulling manipulation of the knob rotationally moves the rotor against the return spring to pull the rods into the lid. 
     It is described in one embodiment of Patent Document 2 that the rotor includes an arc-like slit and one end of the slit in the circumferential direction includes a tapered surface while the knob has a push-in structure and includes a pusher element, having a tapered pushing surface, which protrudes from the back side. Pushing in the knob makes the pushing surface of the pusher element push the tapered surface of the rotor to rotate the rotor, and thereby the pair of rods are pulled in inwardly of the lid. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Document 1 
     
         
         JP-4173400-B
 
Patent Document 2
 
         JP-2007-100343-A 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problem that the Invention is to Solve 
     In the locking device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the lock pins are arranged to slide separately in response to the respective pushing members provided to the manipulation member. For this reason, when the openable/closable member is pushed in while the opening portion of the supporting member is opened, the distal ends of the lock pins are pressed by both the sides of the notch, and the lock pins separately slide inwardly of the locking device main body against the biasing force of the spring. Then, when the distal ends of the lock pins are disposed in the engaging holes on both the sides of the notch, the lock pins are pushed out outwardly of the locking device main body by the biasing force of the spring to separately engage the engaging holes. 
     However, because the lock pins separately slide in the above-described locking device, only one of the lock pins could engage one of the engaging holes, that is, so-called one-side engagement could occur, when the opening portion of the supporting member is being closed with the openable/closable member. 
     In addition, while the side lock device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has the configuration that the pusher element pushes the tapered surface of the rotor to rotate the rotor when the knob is pushed in, it is difficult to form the tapered surface long because the tapered surface is provided at one end of the arc-like slit in the circumferential direction. As a result, the contact length between the tapered surface and the pusher element is not secured easily, which could cause difficult rotation of the rotor. 
     Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a locking device for an openable/closable body in which one-side engagement of hook portions of a pair of link rods with a locking portion can be prevented, and the length of a cam inclined surface can be secured long to reliably rotate a rotary member by pushing in a manipulation member. 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     To archive the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides 
     a locking device for an openable/closable body that is openably/closably mounted to an opening portion of a fixed body, the locking device including: 
     locking portions provided on both sides of one of the openable/closable body and the opening portion of the fixed body; 
     a housing mounted to the other one of the openable/closable body and the fixed body; 
     a rotary member rotatably mounted to the housing; 
     a pair of link rods configured to slidably move in synchronization with rotation of the rotary member to make hook portions formed at distal ends thereof engage and disengage the locking portions; 
     a spring arranged to bias the link rods in directions that the hook portions of the link rods engage the locking portions; and 
     a manipulation member pushably mounted to the housing, 
     wherein one of the rotary member and the manipulation member includes a wall portion having a cam inclined surface, while the other one of the rotary member and the manipulation member includes a cam contact portion, so that a pushing force on the manipulation member is converted into a rotational force on the rotary member through contact between the cam contact portion and the cam inclined surface, and 
     wherein, by pushing in the manipulation member, the rotary member is rotated against a biasing force of the spring, and the pair of link rods are made to slide to positions where the hook portions of the link rods disengage the locking portions. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the cam contact portion are disposed in plurality on at least two positions at regular intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to a rotation center of the rotary member. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the wall portion has one of an ark shape and a circular cylindrical shape when seen in a rotation axis direction of the rotary member, and the cam inclined surface is formed by an end face of the wall portion which gradually becomes lower in height along the circumferential direction. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the manipulation member is pushably mounted on a front surface side of the housing, and the rotary member is rotatably mounted on a back surface side of the housing. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein one of the housing and the rotary member includes:
         a shaft portion protruding therefrom; and   a protrusion protruding from an outer circumference of a distal end portion of the shaft portion toward an outside diameter side of the shaft portion,       

     wherein the other one of the housing and the rotary member includes:
         a shaft hole into which the shaft portion is inserted; and   a groove portion that communicates with the shaft hole and allows the protrusion to pass therethrough, and       

     wherein the rotary member is retained by
         matching the protrusion to the groove portion,   inserting the shaft portion into the shaft hole,   in a state where the protrusion appears from the groove portion, rotating the rotary member in a given direction to thereby make the protrusion engage a circumference of the shaft hole.       

     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     The locking device of claim  5 , further including: 
     a coil spring provided to bias the manipulation member in a direction away from the housing, 
     wherein the shaft portion includes a supporting recess portion arranged to support one end of the coil spring. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein a cylindrical portion is provided on the one of the rotary member and the manipulation member at one of an inside diameter side and an outside diameter side of the wall portion having the cam inclined surface, so as to be monolithic therewith, and 
     wherein the cylindrical portion guides the cam contact portion when the manipulation member is pushed in to bring the cam contact portion into contact with the cam inclined surface to thereby rotate the rotary member. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the wall portion having the cam inclined surface is provided on the rotary member while the cam contact portion is provided on the manipulation member. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the rotary member is rotatably mounted between the housing and the manipulation member and inwardly of the housing. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the wall portion having the cam inclined surface is provided on the manipulation member while the cam contact portion is provided on the rotary member. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the cam contact portion has an arc-shaped distal end face that is to be brought into contact with the cam inclined surface. 
     In the prevent invention there may be provided the locking device, 
     wherein the pair of link rods are pivotally mounted to the rotary member at opposite positions around the outer circumference of the rotary member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  An exploded perspective view of a locking device for an openable/closable body according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  Views of a housing that constitutes the locking device, where  FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the housing, and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the housing seen from a different direction from  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3  Views of a rotary member that constitutes the locking device, where  FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the rotary member, and  FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the rotary member seen from a different direction from  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4  Views of a manipulation member that constitutes the locking device, where  FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the manipulation member, and  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the manipulation member seen from a different direction from  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 5  An enlarged front view of relevant components of the locking device in a state where the manipulation member is removed. 
         FIG. 6  An enlarged front view of relevant components of the locking device. 
         FIG. 7  An enlarged plan view of relevant components of the locking device. 
         FIG. 8  An enlarged back view of the locking device showing the rotary member and the manipulation member. 
         FIG. 9  Views of an openable/closable body that is closed by the locking device, where  FIG. 9A  is a plan view thereof, and  FIG. 9B  is a front view thereof. 
         FIG. 10  Views of an openable/closable body that is opened by the locking device, where  FIG. 10A  is a plan view thereof, and  FIG. 10B  is a front view thereof. 
         FIG. 11  An enlarged back view of relevant components of the locking device. 
         FIG. 12  A cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 13  An explanatory view of relevant components of a locking device for an openable/closable body according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  An exploded perspective view of a locking device for an openable/closable body according to the third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  An exploded perspective view of the locking device seen from a different direction from  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  A perspective view of the locking device. 
         FIG. 17  Views of the locking device in a state where the manipulation member is yet to be pushed in, where  FIG. 17A  is a front view thereof, and  FIG. 17B  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line F-F of  FIG. 17A . 
         FIG. 18  A cross-sectional view taken along the line G-G of  FIG. 17A . 
         FIG. 19  A back view of the locking device in a state where the manipulation member is yet to be pushed in. 
         FIG. 20  A perspective view of the locking device in a state where the housing is removed. 
         FIG. 21  A perspective cross-sectional view of the locking device. 
         FIG. 22  Views of the locking device in a state where the manipulation member is pushed in, where  FIG. 22A  is a front view thereof, and  FIG. 22B  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line H-H of  FIG. 22A . 
         FIG. 23  An exploded perspective view of a locking device for an openable/closable body according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 24  A perspective view of the locking device in a state where a rotary member is mounted to the housing. 
         FIG. 25  An enlarged explanatory view of relevant components of a locking device for an openable/closable body relating to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, a description of a locking device for an openable/closable body according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be provided referring to  FIGS. 1 to 12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a locking device  10  for an openable/closable body (hereinafter, referred to as the “locking device  10 ”) according to the present embodiment is used to lock and unlock a lid  5  (the “openable/closable body” in the present invention) that is openably/closably mounted to an opening portion  2  of a glove box  1  (the “fixed body” in the present invention) provided to an instrument panel of a vehicle. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , locking portions  3  and  3  having a recess shape are provided to the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1  on both the sides on the inner surface. The lid  5  includes a panel  6  including a mounting hole  6   a  having a long hole shape and a box  7  disposed in an upper portion on the back side of the panel  6 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lid  5  is openably/closably mounted to the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1  via supporting pieces  8  provided to the lid  5  on both the sides in the lower portion. The locking device  10  is disposed in an interior space between the panel  6  and the box  7 . Rod in-and-out holes  7   a  and  7   a  are provided to the box  7  on both the sides in the width direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the locking device  10  according to the present embodiment mainly includes a housing  20  mounted to the lid  5 , a rotary member  50  rotatably mounted to the housing  20 , a pair of link rods  90  and  91  connected to the rotary member  50 , a torsion spring  95  to bias to rotate the rotary member  50  in directions such that hook portions  92  of the link rods  90  and  91  engage the locking portions  3  and  3  respectively, a manipulation member  60  pushably mounted to the housing  20  along a rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50 , a bezel  80  mounted on the front surface side of the housing  20 , and a coil spring  97  to bias the manipulation member  60  in a direction away from the housing  20 . The rotary member  50  is rotatably mounted between the housing  20  and the manipulation member  60  and inside the housing  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A , the torsion spring  95  includes a coil portion  95   a , a one end portion  95   b  extending from one end of the coil portion  95   a , and an other end portion  95   c  extending from the other end of the coil portion  95   a , which functions as the “spring” in the present invention. 
     The pair of link rods  90  and  91  have a square bar shape extending in a given length. The link rod  91  is longer than the link rod  90  in the present embodiment. The link rods  90  and  91  include hook portions  92  having a tapered outer surface at the distal ends while including fitting recess portions  93  having a recess shape at the base ends. A key lock bearing portion  94  is provided to the link rod  91  at a given position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  and  FIG. 5 , the housing  20  has a horizontally long box shape as a whole so as to conform to the mounting hole  6   a  of the lid  5 . The housing  20  has an interior surrounded by a peripheral wall  21 , being partitioned by a partition wall  23 , by which a pit portion  24  having a square frame shape and a cylinder mounting portion  25  having a cylinder shape are provided. In the pit portion  24 , the rotary member  50 , the manipulation member  60 , and the like are disposed. In the cylinder mounting portion  25 , a key cylinder  85  is disposed. 
     A shaft portion  29  having a circular cylindrical shape protrudes toward the front-surface opening side from the center in a bottom portion  27  which is formed on the dorsal side (back surface side) of the pit portion  24 . The shaft portion  29  is arranged to rotatably support the rotary member  50  while receiving and supporting one end portion of the coil spring  97  (see  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 12 ). The coil portion  95   a  of the torsion spring  95  is disposed on the outer circumference of a distal end of the shaft portion  29  (see  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 12 ). 
     Pin movement holes  31  and  32  are provided on the outer circumference of the shaft portion  29  protruding from the bottom portion  27 . The pin movement holes  31  and  32  extend in an arc shape along the rotation direction of the rotary member  50 . The pin movement holes  31  and  32  are provided at opposite positions in a circumferential direction with a shaft center C1 of the shaft portion  29  as a center (see  FIG. 5 ). One end portions  31   a  and  32   a  in the circumferential direction of the respective pin movement holes  31  and  32 , which are rotationally symmetrical around the shaft center C1 of the shaft portion  29 , are diametrically enlarged than the other portions. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a tongue-shaped return-restriction piece  33  is provided to the one end portion  31   a  in the circumferential direction of the pin movement hole  31  so as to extend from the inner peripheral surface on the side of the partition wall  23  toward the inner cavity of the pin movement hole  31 . A step-like spring locking portion  35 , to which the other end portion  95   c  of the torsion spring  95  locks, is provided to the pin movement hole  32  on the inner periphery on the side of the partition wall  23  (see  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 5 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , slide holes  37  and  37  are provided on both the sides of the pit portion  24  in the width direction so as to be aligned with the shaft portion  29 . Guide holes  39  are provided to the four corners of the pit portion  24 , and guide grooves  39   a  are provided to some of the guide holes  39 . As shown in  FIG. 2A , slits  22   a  and  23   a  are respectively provided to one side portion  22  and the partition wall  23  of the peripheral wall  21  of the housing  20  so as to communicate with the slide holes  37  and  37 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , plural mounting pieces  21   a  extend outward from the outer circumference of the peripheral wall  21  of the housing  20 . The housing  20  is mounted to the lid  5  via these mounting pieces  21   a . Plural engaging hooks  21   b  protrude from the outer circumference of the peripheral wall  21 , for mounting the bezel  80 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bezel  80  mounted on the front surface side of the housing  20  has a horizontally long plate shape. The bezel includes a cylinder mounting hole  82 , a manipulation member mounting hole  81 , and plural engaging pieces  83  provided on the outer circumference. The bezel  80  is mounted on the front surface side of the housing  20  by engaging the engaging pieces  83  with the engaging hooks  21   b  of the housing  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 11 , the key cylinder  85  is disposed at the cylinder mounting portion  25  of the housing  20 . By inserting a key (not illustrated) into a key hole  85   a  of the key cylinder  85  to rotate, a key lock protrusion  87  protruding from the back surface of the key cylinder  85  rotationally moves to a position matching the key lock bearing portion  94  of the link rod  91  to prevent the link rod  91  from being pulled in (see  FIG. 11 ). 
     Next, a description of the rotary member  50  rotatably mounted to the above-described housing  20  will be provided with reference to  FIGS. 3A and 3B  and  FIG. 5 . 
     The rotary member  50  includes a rotary body  51  having a circular cylindrical shape. By inserting the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  into the rotary body  51 , the rotary member  50  is rotatably supported by the housing  20 . A rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50  coincides with the shaft center C1 of the shaft portion  29  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     Extending portions  52  and  52  extend from opposite positions on the outer circumference of the rotary body  51  toward the outside diameter side. Pins  53  and  53  are formed on one end faces of the extending portions  52 . The pins  53  and  53  are arranged at symmetrical positions with respect to the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50 . The pins  53  and  53  protrude in parallel with the rotation axis of the rotary member  50 . In other words, the pins  53  and  53  protrude in the rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50 . The rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50  corresponds to a center of rotation of the rotary member  50  (hereinafter, referred to simply as the “rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50 ”). In the pins  53 , distal end portions  53   a  and base end portions  53   b  are larger in diameter than the middle portions. The distal end portions  53   a  detachably fit into the fitting recess portions  93  at the base ends of the link rods  90  and  91  while the base end portions  53   b  are disposed in the pin movement holes  31  and  32  of the housing  20 . The distal end portions  53   a  and the base end portions  53   b  are provided to suppress rattling during rotation of the rotary member  50 . Thus, the rotary member  50  is allowed to smoothly rotate. 
     Cam protrusions  55  and  55  are formed on the other end faces of the extending portions  52 . The cam protrusions  55  and  55  are arranged at symmetrical positions with respect to the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50 , and protrude toward the front surface side along the rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50 . To be specific, the rotary member  50  according to the present embodiment includes the two cam protrusions  55  and  55  at regular intervals in the circumferential direction about the rotation center C2. While the number of the cam protrusions  55  is not limited specifically, and it may be one, it is preferable to provide two or more cam protrusions  55  at regular intervals in the circumferential direction about the rotation center C2. The cam protrusions  55  function as the “cam contact portion” in the present invention. 
     The distal end face  55   a  of each cam protrusion  55  has an arc shape, and a grease groove  57  to store grease is formed on the outer circumference of the distal end portion including the distal end face  55   a . Return-restriction protrusions  56  protrude from the outer surfaces at the base ends of the cam protrusions  55 . The return-restriction protrusions  56  restrict the pins  53  and  53  from returning to the one end portions  31   a  and  32   a  of the respective pin movement holes  31  and  32  by engaging the return-restriction piece  33  of the housing  20  (see  FIG. 5 ). At the base ends of the cam protrusion  55 , spring locking grooves  58  and  58  to which the one end portion  95   b  of the torsion spring  95  locks are provided on both the sides of the return-restriction protrusions  56 . 
     In a state where the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  appears from the opening distal end of the rotary body  51 , the torsion spring  95  is mounted by disposing the coil portion  95   a  so as to abut on the circumference on one end face of the rotary body  51  and on the outer circumference of the distal end of the shaft portion  29  (see  FIG. 3A ), and by making the one end portion  95   b  lock to the given spring locking groove  58  of the cam protrusion  55  while making the other end portion  95   c  lock to the spring locking portion  35  of the housing  20  (see  FIG. 5 ). The rotary member  50  is biased to be rotated by the torsion spring  95  in a given direction: the direction indicated with the arrow A1 in  FIG. 5A  in this embodiment. 
     Fitting the distal end portions  53   a  and  53   a  of the pins  53  of the rotary member  50  into the fitting recess portions  93  and  93  at the base ends of the link rods  90  and  91  allows the base ends of the pair of link rods  90  and  91  to be pivotally mounted to the rotary member  50  at opposite positions on the outer circumference of the rotary member  50  (see  FIG. 9B ,  FIG. 10B  and  FIG. 11 ). In the pair of link rods  90  and  91 , the hook portions  92  and  92  are biased via the rotary member  50  biased to be rotated in the arrow A1 direction shown in  FIG. 5  so as to move away from each other in the directions of engaging the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1 . 
     While the link rods  90  and  91  are indirectly biased to slide by biasing to rotate the rotary member  50  with the use of the torsion spring  95  in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, a configuration such that one or both of the link rods  90  and  91  are directly biased to slide in the directions that the hook portions  92  engage the locking portions  3  with the use of a tension spring, a coil spring, or the like, or a configuration such that the rotary member  50  is biased to be rotated with the use of a tension spring, a coil spring, or the like is possible. In such a case, the tension spring, the coil spring, or the like functions as the “spring” in the present invention. 
     Next, a description of the manipulation member  60  pushably mounted to the above-described housing  20  will be provided with reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . 
     The manipulation member  60  includes a pressing portion  61  having a horizontally long plate shape so as to conform to the pit portion  24  of the housing  20 . A protrusion  63  for spring supporting arranged to support the other end of the coil spring  97  protrudes from the center on the back side of the pressing portion  61 . 
     Locking pieces  65  and  65  extend from center portions on both the sides in the width direction of the back side of the pressing portion  61 . Each locking piece  65  includes a locking hook  65   a  provided flexible via a U-shaped slit. The manipulation member  60  is retained in and held by the housing  20  by slidably inserting the locking pieces  65  and  65  into the slide holes  37  and  37  of the housing  20 , and locking the locking hooks  65   a  of the locking pieces  65  and  65  to one end of the slit  22   a  of the one side portion  22  of the housing  20  and one end of the slit  23   a  of the partition wall  23  (see  FIG. 12 ). 
     Guide pieces  67  extend from the four corners on the back side of the pressing portion  61 . Guide ribs  67   a  extending in the shaft direction protrude from the outer peripheries of some given guide pieces  67 . The guide pieces  67  are inserted into the guide holes  39  of the housing  20  while the guide ribs  67   a  enter into the guide grooves  39   a  of the guide holes  39 , and thereby the sliding movement of the manipulation member  60  is guided (see  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8 ). 
     In the present embodiment, a pair of wall portions  70  and  70  including cam inclined surfaces  71  brought into contact with the cam protrusions  55  of the rotary member  50  erect from the back side of the pressing portion  61  along a direction such that the manipulation member  60  is pushed into the housing  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the pair of wall portions  70  and  70  according to the present embodiment are disposed at regular intervals in the circumferential direction around the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50  with having an arc shape along the rotation direction of the cam protrusions  55  and  55  when seen in the rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50 . To be specific, a center C3 of the pair of arc-shaped wall portions  70  and  70  coincides with the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50  and the shaft center C1 of the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 11 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 7 , the pair of wall portions  70  and  70  include cam inclined surfaces  71  and  71  that are arranged to be brought into contact with the cam protrusions  55  and  55  of the rotary member  50  to convert a pushing force of the manipulation member  60  into a rotational force of the rotary member  50 . To be specific, each arc-shaped wall portion  70  has an end face that is cut so as to gradually become lower in height along the circumferential direction and to be oblique along the circumferential direction, which turns out forming the cam inclined surfaces  71 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 8 , in the pair of wall portions  70  and  70 , one end portions  71   a  and  71   a  in the circumferential direction that protrude highest in the cam inclined surfaces  71 , and the other end portions  71   b  and  71   b  in the circumferential direction that are lowest in the cam inclined surfaces  71  are disposed symmetrically with respect to the center C3 of the manipulation member  60 . 
     Column portions  73  are provided connected to the wall portions  70  on the outer peripheries on the sides of the one end portions  71   a  of the cam inclined surfaces  71 . The upper end portions of the column portions  73  have the shape of protruding higher than the one end portions  71   a  that are highest in the cam inclined surfaces  71 . The column portions  73  are in contact with the cam protrusions  55  and  55  in a state where the manipulation member  60  is not pushed into the housing  20 , and function to limit the rotation of the rotary member  50  (see  FIG. 7 ). As shown in  FIG. 4B  and  FIG. 8 , grease grooves  75  to store grease are provided on the cam inclined surfaces  71  in the ranges from the one end portions  71   a  to the other end portions  71   b  in the circumferential direction. 
     The manipulation member  60  is mounted to the housing  20  via the coil spring  97  so as to be pushable into the housing  20 . At this time, the one end portion of the coil spring  97  is inserted into and supported by the inner circumference of the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  while the other end portion is supported by the protrusion  63  for spring supporting of the manipulation member  60 , and in general, the coil spring  97  biases the manipulation member  60  in the direction away from the front surface of the housing  20  (see  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 12 ). At this time, the manipulation member  60  is retained while locking hooks  65   a  of the locking pieces  65  and  65  lock to the slits  22   a  and  23   a  of the housing  20  as described above. 
     In the above-described state, the manipulation member  60  is held at a position such that the arc-shaped distal end faces  55   a  and  55   a  of the cam protrusions  55  and  55  of the rotary member  50  are in contact with the one end portions  71   a  and  71   a  in the circumferential direction of the cam inclined surfaces  71  and  71  of the wall portions  70  and  70  of the manipulation member  60  (see  FIG. 7  and  FIGS. 9A and 9B ). 
     When the manipulation member  60  is pushed into the housing  20  against the biasing force of the coil spring  97  from the above-described state, the cam protrusions  55  and  55  are pressed by the cam inclined surfaces  71  and  71  of the wall portions  70  and  70  to move from the one end portions  71   a  of the cam inclined surfaces  71  toward the other end portions  71   b  to rotate the rotary member  50  in the arrow A2 direction (see  FIG. 9B ) against the rotational biasing force of the torsion spring  95 . Thus, the hook portions  92  and  92  of the pair of link rods  90  and  91  slide to the positions of not engaging the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1  (see  FIGS. 10A and 10B ). 
     The pair of arc-shaped wall portions  70  and  70  are provided so as to correspond to the cam protrusions  55  and  55  of the rotary member  50  in the present embodiment; however, any number of arc-shaped wall portions  70  can be provided so as to correspond to the number of the cam protrusions  55 . A wall portion having a circular cylindrical shape when seen from the rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50  may be provided, and a given number of cam inclined surfaces  71  may be provided on the end face of the wall portion. Wall portions may be provided in a concentric fashion, and cam inclined surfaces may be provided on the end faces of the wall portions. 
     Next, a description of operation and effect of the locking device  10  including the above-described constructional members will be provided. 
     For example, the locking device  10  is assembled as follows. To be specific, the pins  53  and  53  of the rotary member  50  are inserted into the one end portions  31   a  and  32   a  in the circumferential direction of the pin movement holes  31  and  32  of the housing  20  while the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  is inserted into the rotary body  51 . Then, the rotary member  50  is rotated via the shaft portion  29  until the return-restriction protrusion  56  of the rotary member  50  climbs over the return-restriction piece  33  of the housing  20 . Thus, the rotary member  50  can be rotatably mounted to the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  so that the pins  53  and  53  of the rotary member  50  do not return to come off the one end portions  31   a  and  32   a  in the circumferential direction of the pin movement holes  31  and  32  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     In a state where the shaft portion  29  appears from the rotary body  51 , the torsion spring  95  is mounted by disposing the coil portion  95   a  of the torsion spring  95  on the outer circumference of the shaft portion  29 , making the one end portion  95   b  lock to the given spring locking groove  58  of the cam protrusion  55 , and making the other end portion  95   c  lock to the spring locking portion  35  of the housing  20  in this state. 
     Then, the locking pieces  65  and  65  and the guide pieces  67  of the manipulation member  60  are matched to the slide holes  37  and  37  and the guide holes  39  of the housing  20  in a state where the one end portion of the coil spring  97  is inserted into the inner circumference of the shaft portion  29  while the other end portion is supported by the protrusion  63  for spring supporting of the manipulation member  60 , and the manipulation member  60  is pushed into the housing  20 . As a result, the locking hooks  65   a  of the locking pieces  65  and  65  lock to the one ends of the slit  22   a  and  23   a  of the housing  20  in a state where the manipulation member  60  is biased by the coil spring  97  in the direction away from the front surface of the housing  20 , and thus the manipulation member  60  is mounted to the housing  20  so as to be pushable into the housing  20  (see  FIG. 12 ). 
     The engaging pieces  83  of the bezel  80  are made to engage the engaging hooks  21   b  of the housing  20  in this state, and thereby the bezel  80  is mounted to the housing  20 . Then, the housing  20  is mounted to the mounting hole  6   a  of the lid  5  via the mounting pieces  21   a  while the distal end portions  53   a  and  53   a  of the pins  53  of the rotary member  50  are made to fit into the fitting recess portions  93  and  93  of the link rods  90  and  91 . Thus, the pair of link rods  90  and  91  are pivotally mounted to the rotary member  50  at the opposite positions on the outer circumference of the rotary member  50 , and the hook portions  92  and  92  are slidably supported by the rod in-and-out holes  7   a  of the lid  5 . In this state, the rotary member  50  is biased to be rotated in the arrow A1 direction (see  FIG. 5 ) by the torsion spring  95 , and thereby the pair of link rods  90  and  91  are biased in the directions of engaging the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1  such that the hook portions  92  and  92  move away from each other (see  FIG. 9A ). 
     Then, when the lid  5  is pushed in to close the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1 , the tapered surfaces of the hook portions  92  of the link rods  90  and  91  are pressed by the inner surfaces on both the sides of the opening portion  2 , and the link rods  90  and  91  are pulled in inwardly of the lid against the rotational biasing force of the torsion spring  95 . When the hook portions  92  reach the recess locking portions  3  and  3  of the opening portion  2 , the rotary member  50  is biased to be rotated by the torsion spring  95  to push out again the link rods  90  and  91  outwardly of the lid, and the hook portions  92  and  92  engage the locking portions  3  and  3 . Thus, the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1  can be locked in a closed state with the lid  5  (see  FIGS. 9A and 9B ). 
     At this time, the pair of link rods  90  and  91  slidably move in synchronization with the rotation of the rotary member  50  in response thereto in this locking device  10 , so that so-called one-side engagement that only one hook portion  92  of either one of the pair of link rods  90  and  91  engages one of the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1  can be made less likely to occur. As a result, the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1  can be stably locked in a closed state with the lid  5 . 
     Inserting a key (not illustrated) into the key hole  86  of the key cylinder  85  to rotate, and rotationally moving the key lock protrusion  87  protruding from the back side of the key cylinder  85  to the position matching the key lock bearing portion  94  of the link rod  91  in this state as indicated with the imaginary line in  FIG. 11  can prevent the link rod  91  from being pulled in inwardly of the lid. Thus, the locked state of the opening portion  2  by the lid  5  can be maintained. 
     In opening the lid  5  from the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1 , the manipulation member  60  is pushed into the housing  20  against the biasing force of the coil spring  97 . Then, the cam protrusions  55  and  55  of the rotary member  50  are pressed by the cam inclined surfaces  71  and  71  of the wall portions  70  and  70  of the manipulation member  60 , and move from the one end portions  71   a , which are higher in the circumferential direction, to the other end portions  71   b , which are lower, with sliding in contact on the cam inclined surfaces  71  as indicated with the arrows A3 in  FIG. 7 . The rotary member  50  rotates in the arrow A2 direction (see  FIG. 9B ) against the rotational biasing force of the torsion spring  95  via the shaft portion  29  of the housing  20  to slide the hook portions  92  and  92  of the pair of link rods  90  and  91  to the positions of not engaging the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1  (see  FIGS. 10A and 100B ). As a result, the lid  5  is moved from the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1 , which allows the opening portion  2  to be opened. 
     Then, because the wall portions  70  including the cam inclined surfaces  71  are provided to one of the rotary member  50  and the manipulation member  60  in this locking device  10  (to the manipulation member  60  in the present embodiment), the cam inclined surfaces  71  can be made relatively longer compared with the case of the side lock device disclosed in Patent Document 2 where the tapered surface is provided to one end of the arc-shaped slit of the rotor. Thus, the slidable contact distance of the cam protrusions  55  on the cam inclined surfaces  71  can be secured long, so that pushing the manipulation member  60  into the housing  20  can smoothly rotate the rotary member  50  at a relatively large angle. 
     Because the pair of cam protrusions  55  and  55  are provided to the rotary member  50  at regular intervals in the circumferential direction about the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50  and the pair of wall portions  70  and  70  are provided to the manipulation member  60  at regular intervals in the circumferential direction about the center C3 coinciding with the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50  in the present embodiment, that is, at least two cam protrusions  55  and at least two wall portions  70  including the cam inclined surfaces  71  are provided at regular intervals in the circumferential direction about the rotation center C2 of the rotary member  50 , the pushing force of the manipulation member  60  exerts the effect evenly in the circumferential direction of the rotary member  50 , and can be smoothly converted into the rotational force of the rotary member  50 . 
     Further in the present embodiment, because the wall portions  70  including the cam inclined surfaces  71  have an ark shape when seen in the rotation axis direction of the rotary member  50 , the cam protrusions  55  can be moved along the shape of the wall portions  70 , which can prevent the cam protrusions  55  from going off the cam inclined surfaces  71 . Because the cam inclined surfaces  71  provided on the end faces of the arc-shaped wall portions  70  have the shape of gradually becoming lower in height along the circumferential direction, this relatively compact shape can maintain the contact state between the cam protrusions  55  and the cam inclined surfaces  71  even if the rotary member  50  is rotated. 
     The wall portions  70  including the cam inclined surfaces  71  are provided to the manipulation member  60  while the cam protrusions  55  are provided to the rotary member  50  in the present embodiment. Providing the cam protrusions  55  to the rotary member  50  like this allows the rotary member  50  to be easily reduced in weight and size. Thus, the housing  20  to which the rotary member  50  is mounted can be reduced in size while the rotary member  50  can be rotated smoothly. 
     Because the cam protrusions  55  include the arc-shaped distal end faces  55   a  arranged to be brought into contact with the cam inclined surfaces  71  of the wall portions  70  in the present embodiment, the contact areas of the cam protrusions  55  with the cam inclined surfaces  71  can be reduced so that slip can be improved to reduce friction resistance of the cam protrusions  55 , which allows the pushing force of the manipulation member  60  to be smoothly converted into the rotational force of the rotary member  50 . The shape of the cam protrusions  55  can be thinned, which can reduce the rotary member  50  in size. 
     Because the base ends of the pair of link rods  90  and  91  are pivotally mounted to the rotary member  50  at the opposite positions on the outer circumference of the rotary member  50  in the present embodiment, backlash between gears such as a rack and pinion is not produced. Thus, the pair of link rods  90  and  91  can be smoothly slid without rattling, and have a relatively simple configuration. 
     Because the rotary member  50  is rotatably mounted between the housing  20  and the manipulation member  60  and inside the housing  20  in the present embodiment, the rotary member  50  can be prevented from being exposed to the outside of the housing  20  and protected from external stress or the like. 
     A locking device for an openable/closable body according to the second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The same reference numerals are provided to the components that are substantially same as those in the above-described embodiment, and explanations of those components are omitted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , a locking device  10   a  for an openable/closable body according to the present embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the “locking device  10   a ”) is different from the above-described embodiment in the positions where the locking portions are provided and the positions where the other members are disposed. To be specific, the locking device  10   a  has a configuration that recess locking portions  3   a  and  3   a  are provided to the lid  5 , which functions as the “openable/closable body” in the present invention, on both the sides in the width direction while the housing  20  is mounted to the glove box, which functions as the “fixed body” in the present invention. 
     A pair of link rods  90   a  and  91   a  pivotally mounted to the rotary member  50  that is rotatably mounted to the housing  20  have shapes of being bent at given positions into the letter L, and the distal end portions of the link rods  90   a  and  91   a  are bent so as to be folded back toward the inside of the lid to form the hook portions  92  and  92 . The pair of link rods  90   a  and  91   a  are biased via the rotary member  50  biased to be rotated by the torsion spring  95  in directions of engaging the locking portions  3   a  and  3   a  of a lid  5   a , that is, directions such that the hook portions  92  and  92  approach each other (see the arrows A4). 
     When the manipulation member  60  is pushed into the housing  20  while the opening portion of the glove box is closed with the lid  5 , the rotary member  50  is rotated against the rotational biasing force of the torsion spring  95  by the mutual effects of the cam protrusions  55  and the cam inclined surfaces  71  in a manner similar to the above-described embodiment, which slides the hook portions  92  and  92  of the pair of link rods  90   a  and  91   a  to the positions of not engaging the locking portions  3   a  and  3   a  of the glove box  1  to open the lid  5   a.    
     A locking device for an openable/closable body according to the third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 14  to  FIGS. 22A and 22B . The same reference numerals are provided to the components that are substantially same as those in the above-described embodiment, and explanations of those components are omitted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 , a locking device  10   b  for an openable/closable body according to the present embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the “locking device  10   b ”) is different from the above-described embodiment in the positions where the manipulation member and the rotary member are disposed and in the wall portions including the cam inclined surfaces and in a member where the cam contact portions are disposed. 
     To be specific, the locking device  10   b  has a configuration such that a manipulation member  60   b  is pushably mounted to a housing  20   b  on the front surface side while a rotary member  50   b  is pushably mounted to the housing  20   b  on the back surface side, and wall portions  72  including cam inclined surfaces  71  are provided to the rotary member  50   b  while the cam contact portions  125  are provided to the manipulation member  60   b.    
     In the present invention, the “front surface of the housing” means the surface corresponding to the front side of the openable/closable body or the fixed body to which the housing is mounted, and the “back surface of the housing” means the surface corresponding to the back side of openable/closable body or the fixed body. 
     The housing  20   b  according to the present embodiment has a square frame shape including no portion for key cylinder disposition and includes the guide holes  39  and  39  on both the sides on the inner circumference, into which the locking pieces  65  and  65  of the manipulation member  60   b  are slidably inserted. A shaft portion  101  protrudes from the center on the back surface side of the bottom portion  28  of the housing  20   b . Differently-shaped protrusions  102  and  103  protrude from the opposite positions on the outer circumference of the distal end portion of the shaft portion  101  toward the outside diameter side of the shaft portion  101 . Here, the protrusion  102  protrudes longer than the protrusion  103  (see  FIG. 19 ). A supporting recess portion  105  having a given depth is provided on the front side of the shaft portion  101 . The supporting recess portion  105  includes a protrusion  105   a  for spring supporting that protrudes from the bottom face (see  FIG. 18 ), and is arranged to house the coil spring  97  biasing the manipulation member  60   b  and support one end of the coil spring  97 . 
     A frame-shaped wall  107  erects from the circumference on the back side of the bottom portion  28 , and the coil portion  95   a  of the torsion spring  95  is supported in contact with the inner circumferential face of the frame-shaped wall  107  (see  FIG. 17B  and  FIG. 18 ). As shown in  FIG. 15 , on the frame-shaped wall  107 , a spring locking portion  107   a  to which the other end portion  95   c  of the torsion spring  95  locks is provided at a given position in the circumferential direction, and a return-restriction portion  107   b  to restrict the rotary member  50  from returning after it has been mounted is provided at another position. 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 , a recess portion  109  to receive to rotatably support the distal end of the rotary member  50   b  is disposed on the back surface side of the bottom portion  28  of the housing  20   b  and on the inner circumference of the frame-shaped wall  107 . Slide holes  111  and  111  to slide and guide the column-shaped cam contact portions  125  and  125  of the manipulation member  60   b  are provided to the bottom portion  28  of the housing  20   b  on both the sides of the shaft portion  101  (see  FIG. 14  and  FIGS. 17A and 17B ). 
     Rod guide protrusions  112  and  112  protruding from the back surface side of the peripheral wall  21  of the housing  20   b  (see  FIG. 15 ) are inserted into slide holes  98  and  98  of the link rods  90  and  91  and slide and guide the link rods  90  and  91  (see  FIG. 19 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 ,  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 20 , the pair of wall portions  72  and  72  including the cam inclined surfaces  71 , which are approximately same as the wall portions  70  of the manipulation member  60  according to the above-described embodiment, are provided to the rotary member  50   b  mounted on the back surface side of the housing  20   b  so as to erect from the front surface side of the rotary body  51 . A cylindrical portion  113  protrudes from the inside diameter side of the wall portions  72 , so as to be monolithic therewith. 
     A shaft hole  115  into which the shaft portion  101  of the housing  20   b  is inserted is provided to the rotary body  51  and the cylindrical portion  113 . Groove portions  116  and  117  through which the protrusions  102  and  103  on the outer circumference of the distal end portion of the shaft portion  101  pass are provided at opposite positions in the circumferential direction so as to communicate with the shaft hole  115 . The groove portion  116  is longer than the groove portion  117 . The groove portion  116  functions as a portion through which the protrusion  102  passes while the groove portion  117  functions as a portion through which the protrusion  103  passes, which decide the direction in which the rotary member  50   b  is mounted. 
     Arc-shaped friction reduction ribs  119  and  119  protrude from the back surface side of the rotary body  51  on the circumference of the shaft hole  115  (see  FIG. 20 ). A tongue-shaped return-restriction piece  121  protrudes from a lateral side of one of the extending portions  52  of the rotary body  51 . A spring locking protrusion  123  to lock to one end portion  95   b  of the torsion spring  95  protrudes from the front surface of the same extending portion  52  (see  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 20 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 ,  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 20 , the manipulation member  60   b  disposed on the front surface side of the housing  20   b  includes the column-shaped cam contact portions  125  and  125  on the back surface side of the pressing portion  611  on both the sides of the protrusion  63  for spring supporting, the cam contact portions  125  being brought into contact with the cam inclined surfaces  71  of the wall portions  72  of the rotary member  50   b.    
     Each of the cam contact portions  125  includes a longitudinal rib  126  having a long and thin plate shape and a pair of lateral ribs  127 , and  127  consecutively connected to the longitudinal rib  126  so as to expand in slanting directions from both the sides of the longitudinal rib  126 , and has an approximately U shape when the manipulation member  60   b  is seen from the back surface side. Distal-end outer peripheral surfaces  127   a  of the lateral ribs  127  (see  FIG. 20 ) have a round arc shape, and are brought into slidably contact with the cam inclined surfaces  71  of the wall portions  72  of the rotary member  50   b.    
     Next, a description of operation and effect of the locking device  10   b  according to the present embodiment will be provided. 
     For example, the locking device  10   b  is assembled as follows. To be specific, the coil spring  97  is housed in the supporting recess portion  105  of the housing  20   b , and one end of the coil spring  97  is supported by the protrusion  105   a  for spring supporting while the other end is supported by the protrusion  63  for spring supporting of the manipulation member  60   b . The manipulation member  60   b  is pushed into the housing  20   b  in this state, and the cam contact portions  125  and the locking pieces  65  of the manipulation member  60   b  are respectively inserted into the slide holes  111  and the guide holes  39  of the housing  20   b  while the locking hooks  65   a  and  65   a  are made to lock to one ends of the slits  22   a  and  22   a  of the housing  20   b . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 17A ,  FIG. 18  and  FIG. 21 , the manipulation member  60   b  can be pushably mounted to the housing  20   b  in a state where the manipulation member  60   b  is biased in a direction away from the housing  20   b  by the coil spring  97 . 
     Then, the coil portion  95   a  of the torsion spring  95  is disposed inside of the frame-shaped wall  107  of the housing  20   b  to be supported in contact with the inner circumferential face of the frame-shaped wall  107  while the other end portion  95   c  is made to lock to the spring locking portion  107   a  of the housing  20   b  (see  FIG. 15 ). 
     Next, the protrusions  102  and  103  of the shaft portion  101  are matched to the groove portions  116  and  117  of the rotary member  50   b , and the shaft portion  101  is inserted into the shaft hole  115  of the rotary member  50   b  until the protrusions  102  and  103  appear from the back side of the groove portions  116  and  117 . The distal end portion of the rotary member  50   b  is inserted into the recess portion  109  of the housing  20   b . The one end portion  95   b  of the torsion spring  95  is made to lock to the spring locking protrusion  123  of the rotary member  50   b  to rotate the rotary member  50   b  in a given direction (here, the arrow A3 direction in  FIG. 15 ) in this state. In  FIG. 15 , the rotary member  50   b  is illustrated as if it is in the state of being mounted to the housing  20   b  for the sake of convenience. 
     Then, while making the one end portion  95   b  of the torsion spring  95  caught by the spring locking protrusion  123 , the rotary member  50   b  is rotated against the biasing force of the torsion spring  95 . By rotating the rotary member  50   b  until the return-restriction piece  121  locks to the return-restriction portion  107   b  of the frame-shaped wall  107  (see  FIG. 15 ), the protrusions  102  and  103  of the shaft portion  101  engage the friction reduction ribs  119  and  119  on the circumference on the back side of the shaft hole  115  of the rotary member  50   b . Thus, the rotary member  50   b  can be mounted to the back surface side of the housing  20   b  while retained. 
     As described above, because the simple work of rotating the rotary member  50   b  in the given direction after letting the protrusions  102  and  103  out of the groove portions  116  and  117 , and making the protrusions  102  and  103  engage the back surface side of the housing  20   b  allows the rotary member  50   b  to be rotatably mounted to the housing  20   b  while retained in the present embodiment, the workability in mounting the rotary member  50   b  to the housing  20   b  can be improved. 
     As shown in  FIG. 17A  and  FIG. 21 , in the present embodiment, because the protrusions  102  and  103  of the shaft portion  101  are arranged to engage the arc-shaped friction reduction ribs  119  and  119  protruding from the circumference of the shaft hole  115  on the back side surface of the rotary member  51 , friction resistance produced in rotating the rotary member  50   b  can be reduced. 
     In the above-described state, the rotary member  50   b  is biased to be rotated in the arrow A1 direction (see  FIG. 19 ) by the torsion spring  95 , and thereby the pair of link rods  90  and  91  are biased in the directions of engaging the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1  such that the hook portions  92  and  92  move away from each other (see  FIGS. 9A and 9B ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 17B ,  FIG. 18  and  FIG. 21 , in the present embodiment, because the one end of the coil spring  97  is housed in and supported by the supporting recess portion  105  of the shaft portion  101 , the locking device  10   b  can be thinned while the length of the coil spring  97  can be secured. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 22A and 22B , in the locking device  10   b , when the manipulation member  60   b  is pushed into the housing  20  against the biasing force of the coil spring  97 , the cam inclined surfaces  71  and  71  of the wall portions  72  of the rotary member  50   b  are pressed by the cam contact portions  125  and  125  of the manipulation member  60   b , and while the distal-end outer peripheral surfaces  127   a  of the lateral ribs  127  of the cam contact portions  125  (see  FIG. 20 ) slide in contact on the cam inclined surfaces  71 , the rotary member  50   b  is rotated against the rotational biasing force of the torsion spring  95 . Then, when the hook portions  92  and  92  of the pair of link rods  90  and  91  slide to the positions of not being engaged with the locking portions  3  and  3  of the glove box  1 , the lid  5  can be opened from the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1 . 
     At this time, because the cylindrical portion  113  are disposed on the rotary member  50   b  at the inside diameter side of the wall portions  72  having the cam inclined surfaces  71  and  71  so as to be monolithic therewith, and the cylindrical portion  113  guides the cam contact portions  125  when the manipulation member  60   b  is pushed in and the cam contact portions  125  moves sliding in contact on the cam inclined surfaces  71  in the present embodiment, smooth rotation of the rotary member can be achieved (see  FIG. 17B  and  FIG. 20 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 17B ,  FIG. 18  and  FIG. 21 , because the coil portion  95   a  of the torsion spring  95  is supported in contact with the inner circumferential face of the frame-shaped wall  107  erecting from the back surface of the housing  20   b  while not being in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of both the wall portions  72  and  72  of the rotary member  50   b , a spring force (rotational biasing force) and a frictional force produced by the coil portion  95   a  can be prevented from acting on the rotary member  50   b  when the rotary member  50   b  is being rotated, which allows smooth rotation of the rotary member  50   b.    
     Having a round arc shape, the distal-end outer peripheral surfaces  127   a  of the lateral ribs  127  of the cam contact portions  125  of the manipulation member  60   b  can move sliding in contact on the cam inclined surfaces  71  of the rotary member  50   b , which allows smoother rotational movement of the rotary member  50   b.    
     In the locking device  10   b , because the rotary member  50   b  is rotatably mounted to the back surface side of the housing  20   b , the rotary member  50   b  can be prevented from interfering with the peripheral wall  21  of the housing  20   b  while the outside diameter of the rotary member  50   b  can be increased. As a result, the radius gyration of the connecting portion between the rotary member  50   b  and the link rods  90  and  91  can be increased to increase the sliding amount of the link rods  90  and  91  with respect to the rotational angle of the rotary member  50   b . Thus, even if the push-in amount of the manipulation member  60   b  is reduced, the stroke amount of the link rods  90  and  91  can be secured, so that the entire locking device  10   b  can be thinned. 
     Because no cam contact portions are provided to the rotary member  50   b  but the cam contact portions  125  are provided to the manipulation member  60   b  in the present embodiment, it is essential only to provide the relatively small slide holes  111  to slide the cam contact portions  125  back and forth to the wall portion (the bottom portion  28 ) on the back surface side of the housing  20   b , and thereby, the stiffness of the wall portion on the back surface side of the housing  20   b  can be increased (if cam contact portions are provided to the rotary member, it is necessary to provide relatively large holes to rotatably receive the cam contact portions to the wall portion on the back surface side of the housing). 
     A locking device for an openable/closable body according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 23  and  FIG. 24 . The same reference numerals are provided to the components that are substantially same as those in the above-described embodiment, and explanations of those components are omitted. 
     The locking device  10   c  for an openable/closable body according to the present embodiment (hereinafter, referred to as the “locking device  10   c ”) is the same in essential structure as the above-described third embodiment, but different from the third embodiment in that the shaft portion  101  is disposed on the side of a rotary member  50   c  while the shaft hole  115  for shaft portion insertion is provided to a housing  20   c.    
     To be specific, the shaft portion  101  erects from the center on the front surface side of the rotary body  51  inside of the wall portions  72  and  72  and the cylindrical portion  113  of the rotary member  50   c . Protrusions  102  and  102  having the same shape protrude from the opposite positions on the outer circumference of the distal end of the shaft portion  101 . 
     The shaft hole  115  into which the shaft portion  101  is inserted is provided between the slide holes  111  and  111  in the center of the bottom portion  28  of the housing  20   c . Groove portions  116  and  116  through which the protrusions  102  and  102  of the shaft portion  101  pass are provided on both the sides of the shaft hole  115  so as to communicate with the slide holes  111 . Arc-shaped supporting walls  129  and  129  protrude from the circumference on the back side of the shaft hole  115  and the groove portions  116  and  116 , and are arranged to rotationally support the shaft portion  101  inserted into the shaft hole  115 . 
     The protrusions  102  and  102  of the shaft portion  101  are matched to the groove portions  116  and  116  of the housing  20   c , and the shaft portion  101  is inserted into the shaft hole  115  of the housing  20   c  to let the protrusions  102  and  102  out of the front side of the groove portions  116  and  116 . Then, the rotary member  50   c  is rotated in a given direction, and thereby the rotary member  50   c  can be rotatably mounted to the back surface side of the housing  20   c  while being retained (see  FIG. 24 ). 
     It is also possible to provide a pair of protrusions having different shapes that protrude from the outer circumference of the distal end of the shaft portion  101  (for example, one protrusion is narrow in width) like the above-described third embodiment, and a pair of groove portions disposed on both the sides of the shaft hole  115  that correspond to the protrusions, and thereby the mounting direction can be decided. 
     A locking device for an openable/closable body relating to the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 25 . The same reference numerals are provided to the components that are substantially same as those in the above-described embodiment, and explanations of those components are omitted. 
     A locking device  10   d  for an openable/closable body (hereinafter, referred to as the “locking device  10   d ”) includes a rotary member  50   a  having a two-step gear shape that includes a small-diameter gear  59   a  and a large-diameter gear  59   b , and the rotary member  50   a  is rotatably supported by the fixed body or the openable/closable body. A pair of link rods  90   b  and  91   b  including rack grooves  93   b  at the base ends are arranged to slidably move in synchronization with the rotational movement of the rotary member  50   a  while the rack grooves  93   b  and  93   b  are brought into engagement with the large-diameter gear  59   b  of the rotary member  50   a . A spur gear  70   b  is provided to the inner surface of a U-shaped wall portion  70   a  extending from the back side of the manipulation member  60   a . The small-diameter gear  59   a  of the rotary member  50   a  is disposed inside the wall portion  70   a , and the manipulation member  60   a  is pushably mounted to a housing (not illustrated). One of the link rods  90   b  and  91   b  is biased by a spring (not illustrated) to slide in the direction that the hook portion engages the locking portion. 
     When the manipulation member  60   a  is pushed into the housing (not illustrated), the spur gear  70   b  inside the wall portion  70   a  is brought into engagement with the small-diameter gear  59   a  of the rotary member  50   a  to rotate the rotary member  50   a . Thus, the pair of link rods  90   b  and  91   b  that are in engagement with the large-diameter gear  59   b  of the rotary member  50   a  via the rack grooves  93   b  slide in the directions that the hook portions are not engaged with the locking portions against the biasing force of the spring (not illustrated). 
     In the above-described embodiments, the locking devices are applied to the configurations that the lid  5  is openably/closably mounted to the opening portion  2  of the glove box  1 ; however, the present invention is not limited to these configurations. For example, the locking devices may be applied to a configuration that a glove box is mounted rotationally movable to an opening portion of an instrument panel (the instrument panel functions as the “fixed body”, and the glove box functions the “openable/closable body”), a configuration that a lid is openably/closably mounted to an opening portion of an instrument panel (the instrument panel functions as the “fixed body”, and the lid functions as the “openable/closable body”), or the like. The locking devices can be applied to a variety of openable/closable bodies arranged to open and close opening portions of fixed bodies. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS 
     
         
           1  Glove box (fixed body) 
           2  Opening portion 
           3 ,  3   a  Locking portion 
           5 ,  5   a  Lid (openable/closable body) 
           6  Panel 
           10 ,  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c  Locking device 
           20 ,  20   b ,  20   c  Housing 
           50 ,  50   b ,  50   c  Rotary member 
           55  Cam protrusion 
           55   a  Distal end face 
           60 ,  60   b  Manipulation member 
           70 ,  72  Wall portion 
           80  Bezel 
           85  Key cylinder 
           90 ,  91  Link rod 
           92  Hook portion 
           93  Fitting recess portion 
           95  Torsion spring 
           97  Coil spring 
           101  Shaft portion 
           102 ,  103  Protrusion 
           115  Shaft hole 
           116 ,  117  Groove portion 
           125  Cam contact portion