Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-157129, filed on Nov. 12, 2014, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a structure of a side lid that is mainly used for a freight vehicle, and more particularly, to a structure of a side lid for a vehicle, in which an upper handle and two upper hinge assemblies are mounted at an upper portion of the side lid, and a lower handle and two lower hinge assemblies are mounted at a lower portion of the side lid, such that the side lid may be selectively opened upward or downward. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In general, in the case of a freight vehicle such as a large-sized truck, an engine room is installed at a front side, and a cab, which defines an external appearance of a vehicle while closing the engine room and in which a driver may be seated, is mounted over the engine room. 
         [0004]    In general, unlike a passenger vehicle, there is no separate trunk space in a large-sized truck, and an accommodating space for storing tools, which are used to inspect or repair the vehicle, contaminated articles, which are not suitable to be stored in the interior of the vehicle, miscellaneous articles, and the like is formed at the rear of a front door. 
         [0005]    In order to prevent the articles accommodated in the accommodating space from getting out of the accommodating space while the vehicle travels and protect the articles accommodated in the accommodating space, a side lid is openably mounted at the accommodating space. 
         [0006]    The side lid is opened or closed while being rotated by a hinge assembly, and widely classified into a forward open type side lid and an upward open type side lid based on a direction in which the side lid is opened. 
         [0007]    In the case of the forward open type side lid, a hinge assembly is disposed at a left side or a right side of the side lid, such that the side lid is opened from the right side to the left side or from the left side to the right side. In the case of the upward open type side lid, a hinge assembly is disposed at an upper side of the side lid, such that the side lid is opened from a lower side to the upper side. 
         [0008]    The forward open type side lid has an advantage in that a structure thereof is simple, but has a drawback in that the driver is inconvenienced when the driver intends to pick up articles in the driver seat in a state in which the side lid is opened because the side lid obstructs a traffic line of the driver. 
         [0009]    The upward open type side lid has an advantage in that the upward open type side lid prevents rainwater from falling into the accommodating space on a rainy day and prevents the articles in the accommodating space from getting wet, but has a drawback in that a structure thereof is complicated. 
         [0010]    In the case of the side lid in the related art, there is a problem in that there is no structure that may be used as a shelf regardless of the type of side lid, and as a result, a user is inconvenienced when the user holds articles with both hands or when the user intends to arrange the articles in the accommodating space after placing articles on the shelf. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide a structure of a side lid for a vehicle, by which a user may selectively open the side lid upward or downward, thereby allowing the user to conveniently use the side lid on a rainy day, and allowing the user to conveniently perform work after placing a light article on the side lid. 
         [0012]    The present disclosure has also been made in an effort to provide a structure of a side lid for a vehicle, by which the user may perform work after completely removing the side lid when operating an upper handle and a lower handle simultaneously or sequentially, thereby allowing the user to conveniently perform work. 
         [0013]    Technical problems to be achieved in the present inventive concept are not limited to the aforementioned technical problems, and any other not-mentioned technical problems will be obviously understood from the description below by those skilled in the technical field to which the present inventive concept pertains. 
         [0014]    An exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept provides a structure of a side lid for an accommodating space formed in a vehicle body comprising an upper hinge assembly disposed at an upper portion of the side lid, and connected by a cable to an upper handle; and a lower hinge assembly disposed at a lower portion of the side lid, and connected by a cable to a lower handle, wherein the side lid may be configured to be opened upward by the lower handle and downward by the upper handle. 
         [0015]    At least one of the upper hinge assembly and the lower hinge assembly may include a female portion coupled to the side lid and comprising a shaft having a first end connected to the cable, the shaft being slidably accommodated in the female portion; and a male portion coupled to the vehicle body and having a through hole portion formed to accommodate the shaft. 
         [0016]    A first inclined surface having an inclination angle may be formed at a second end of the shaft, and a second inclined surface having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first inclined surface may be formed at an end of the male portion. 
         [0017]    The handle may include a handle portion rotatably connected, by a handle pin, to a first side of a fixing portion coupled to the side lid; and a lever portion coupled to a second side of the fixing portion by a lever pin so as to be rotated when the handle portion is rotated, and having an end connected to the cable. 
         [0018]    A recess, having a shape corresponding to a shape of the lever portion, may be formed at one side of an extension portion that extends from the handle portion. 
         [0019]    According to the present inventive concept, which has the aforementioned configurations, the user may open the side lid upward by operating the lower hinge assemblies connected with the lower handle or open the side lid downward by operating the upper hinge assemblies connected with the upper handle, thereby appropriately determining a direction in which the side lid is opened, depending on the circumstances. 
         [0020]    Specifically, the user may open the side lid upward on a rainy day, thereby preventing articles in the accommodating space from getting wet with rain, and the user may open the side lid downward when the user holds articles with both hands or when the user intends to arrange the articles in the accommodating space after placing a light article on the side lid, thereby using the side lid as a shelf. 
         [0021]    According to the present inventive concept, when the user operates both of the upper handle and the lower handle at the same time or when the user operates one of the upper handle and the lower handle and then operates the other, the side lid may be completely removed from the vehicle body, such that a traffic line of the user may not be obstructed by the side lid when the user performs work. 
         [0022]    The present inventive concept may open and close the side lid by using the hinge assemblies and the handles that have comparatively simple structures, thereby reducing production costs and the number of work processes, and improving marketability of the vehicle by resolving at once dissatisfaction of the user who uses the side lid. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a part of a vehicle in which a side lid according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept is installed. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an assembled hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a disassembled hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a male portion of the hinge assembly spaced apart from a female portion of the hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0027]      FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the male portion of the hinge assembly enters the female portion of the hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4C  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the male portion of the hinge assembly completely engaged with the female portion of the hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an assembled handle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the disassembled handle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating a part of the handle illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is a usage state view schematically illustrating the handle connected with the hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Hereinafter, the present inventive concept will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the technical field to which the present inventive concept pertains may easily carry out the present inventive concept. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present inventive concept. 
         [0034]    A part irrelevant to the description will be omitted to clearly describe the present inventive concept, and the same or similar constituent elements will be designated by the same reference numerals throughout the specification. 
         [0035]    Terms or words used in the specification and the claims should not be interpreted as a general and dictionary meaning and should be interpreted as a meaning and a concept which conform to the technical spirit of the present inventive concept based on a principle that an inventor can appropriately define a concept of a term in order to describe his/her own inventive concept by the best method. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a part of a vehicle in which a side lid according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept is installed,  FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance in which a handle assembly  300  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept is assembled, and  FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the disassembled handle assembly  300  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , an accommodating space (not illustrated) is formed in a lateral side portion of a vehicle body  110  so as to accommodate an article, and the accommodating space is opened or closed by a side lid  100 . 
         [0038]    Two upper hinge assemblies  200  are coupled to both sides (a left side and a right side) of an upper portion of the side lid  100 , and the upper hinge assemblies  200  are connected with an upper handle  300 , which is coupled to a center of the upper portion of the side lid  100 , by means of cables  600  that are indicated by alternate long and short dash lines in the drawing. 
         [0039]    Two lower hinge assemblies  400  are coupled to both sides of a lower portion of the side lid  100 , and the lower hinge assemblies  400  are connected with a lower handle  500 , which is coupled to a center of the lower portion of the side lid  100 , by means of the cables  600 . 
         [0040]    When a user operates the upper hinge assemblies  200  by manipulating the upper handle  300 , the upper portion of the side lid  100  is opened downward while being spaced apart from the vehicle body  110 , and when the user operates the lower hinge assemblies  400  by manipulating the lower handle  500 , the lower portion of the side lid  100  is opened upward while being spaced apart from the vehicle body  110 . 
         [0041]    When the user operates both the upper hinge assemblies  200  and the lower hinge assemblies  400  by manipulating the upper handle  300  and the lower handle  500  simultaneously or sequentially, the side lid  100  may be completely removed from the vehicle body  110 . 
         [0042]    In this case, the upper hinge assemblies  200  and the lower hinge assemblies  400  are symmetrically disposed on the side lid  100  so as to face each other, the upper handle  300  and the lower handle  500  may be installed outside the side lid  100 , and the upper hinge assemblies  200  and the lower hinge assemblies  400  may be installed inside the side lid  100 . 
         [0043]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept, the upper hinge assembly  200  and the lower hinge assembly  400  are formed in the same shape, the upper handle  300  and the lower handle  500  are formed in the same shape, and configurations of the hinge assemblies and the handles, which will be described below, are applied to other hinge assemblies and other handles in an identical or similar manner. 
         [0044]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the hinge assembly  200  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept may include a female portion  210  which is coupled to the side lid  100  and in which a shaft  220  having one end connected with the cable  600  is slidably accommodated, and a male portion  230  which is coupled to the vehicle body  110  and has a through hole portion  231  that is formed so that the shaft  220  penetrates the through hole portion  231 . 
         [0045]    When the shaft  220  accommodated in the female portion  210  is penetratively coupled to the through hole portion  231  formed on the male portion  230 , the side lid  100  is fixed to the vehicle body  110  and closes the accommodating space, and when the shaft  220  is spaced apart from the through hole portion  231 , the side lid  100  is spaced apart from the vehicle body  110  and opens the accommodating space. 
         [0046]    Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the female portion  210  has entry portions  211  that are formed so that the through hole portion  231  formed on the male portion  230  may enter and exit the entry portions  211 , and a support portion  212  that is formed to support a spring  222  that provides elastic force to the shaft  220 . 
         [0047]    The shaft  220  has a protruding portion  221  which is in contact with the entry portion  211  and restricts movement of the shaft, and the spring  222  is installed between the protruding portion  221  formed on the shaft  220  and the support portion  212  formed on the female portion  210  and provides elastic restoring force to the shaft  220 . 
         [0048]    A bracket  224  to which the cable  600  is connected is coupled, by means of a bracket pin  225 , to one end (left end in the illustrated exemplary embodiment) of the shaft  220 , and when the cable  600  is pulled or released, the shaft  220  is moved leftward or rightward on the female portion  210 . 
         [0049]    A through hole  232 , which has a diameter that is equal to or relatively and slightly greater than a diameter of the shaft  220 , is formed in the through hole portion  231  formed on the male portion  230 , and when the male portion  230  enters the female portion  210 , the shaft  220  is inserted into the through hole  232 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration in which the male portion is spaced apart from the female portion,  FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration in which the male portion enters the female portion, and  FIG. 4C  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration in which the male portion is completely engaged with the female portion. 
         [0051]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4A , before the male portion  230  enters the female portion  210 , the shaft  220  is moved toward the right side by elastic force of the spring  222 , such that the protruding portion  221  is maintained to be in contact with the entry portion  211  of the female portion  210 . 
         [0052]    In this case, a first inclined surface  223  having a predetermined inclination angle is formed at the other end (right end in the illustrated exemplary embodiment) of the shaft  220 , and a second inclined surface  233 , which has a shape corresponding to the shape of the first inclined surface  223  of the shaft  220 , is formed at an end (lower end in the illustrated exemplary embodiment) of the through hole portion  231  formed on the male portion  230 . 
         [0053]    When the male portion  230  is spaced apart from the female portion  210 , the first inclined surface  223  formed on the shaft  220  is disposed between the entry portions  211  of the female portion  210 , and the second inclined surface  233  formed on the male portion  230  may be positioned above the first inclined surface  223 . 
         [0054]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4B , when the male portion  230  enters the female portion  210 , the first inclined surface  223  of the shaft and the second inclined surface  233  of the through hole portion come into contact with each other, and the shaft  220  is slowly moved toward the left side while overcoming the elastic force of the spring  222 . 
         [0055]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4C , when the male portion  230  completely enters the female portion  210 , the shaft  220  is moved toward the right side again by elastic force of the spring  222 , and the end of the shaft  220  is inserted into the through hole  232  formed in the through hole portion  231 , such that the vehicle body  110  and the side lid  100  are coupled to each other. 
         [0056]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an assembled handle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept,  FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the disassembled handle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept,  FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating a part of the handle illustrated in  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 8  is a usage state view schematically illustrating the handle connected with the hinge assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept. 
         [0057]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the handle  300  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present inventive concept includes a handle portion  310  which is rotatably connected to one side of a fixing portion  320  coupled to the side lid  100  by means of a handle pin  314 , and a lever portion  330  which is coupled to the other side of the fixing portion  320  by means of a lever pin  331 , and rotated along with rotation of the handle portion  310 , and has one end connected with the cable  600 . 
         [0058]    Specifically, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the handle portion  310  includes a grip portion  311  which is formed so that the user may hold the grip portion  311  with the hand and may manipulate the grip portion  311 , and an extension portion  312  which extends from the grip portion and is connected to the cable  600 . 
         [0059]    Two holes are formed in the grip portion  311 , and the grip portion  311  is coupled to the fixing portion  320  by means of the handle pin  314 . A first torsion spring  315  is coupled to the handle pin  314  and provides elastic restoring force to the handle portion  310 . 
         [0060]    As seen in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a center of the lever portion  330  is formed to be bent, and a second torsion spring  332  is coupled to the lever pin  331  coupled to the fixing portion  320  and provides elastic restoring force to the lever portion  330 . 
         [0061]    A recess  313 , which has a shape corresponding to the shape of the lever portion  330 , is formed to be depressed at one side of the extension portion  312  that extends from the handle portion  310 , and the lever portion  330  is rotated while being caught by the recess  313 . 
         [0062]    Specifically, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , the handle  300  is connected, by means of the cables  600 , with the two hinge assemblies  200  that are disposed to face each other, and the cables  600  are connected to the handle portion  310  and the lever portion  330  of the handle  300 , respectively. 
         [0063]    When the user holds the handle portion  310  and pulls the handle  300  in a direction of a lower arrow illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the entire handle portion  310  is rotated about the handle pin, and the extension portion  312  is operated to be rotated in a direction of a right arrow, such that the hinge assembly  200 , which is disposed at the left side in  FIG. 8 , is operated. 
         [0064]    At the same time, as the handle portion  310  is rotated, the lever portion  330  is caught by the handle portion and then rotated in a direction of a left arrow illustrated in  FIG. 8 , such that the hinge assembly  200 , which is disposed at the right side in  FIG. 8 , is operated. 
         [0065]    Accordingly, when the user manipulates the upper handle  300  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the upper hinge assemblies  200 , which are connected with the upper handle  300 , are operated, such that the side lid  100  is opened downward, and when the user manipulates the lower handle  500 , the lower hinge assemblies  400 , which are connected with the lower handle  500 , are operated, such that the side lid  100  is opened upward, and whereby depending on the circumstances, the user may appropriately determine a direction in which the side lid is opened. 
         [0066]    The aforementioned present inventive concept is not limited to the aforementioned exemplary embodiment and the accompanying drawings, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the technical field to which the present inventive concept pertains that various substitutions, modifications, and changes may be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present inventive concept.

Technology Category: 7