Small article accommodating unit for vehicle

• US 5,520,313 A
• Filed: 03/15/1994
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nifco Incorporated
• Inventors: Toshihide, Kimisawa
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US08/213,081
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 224/42.42, 224/273, 224/275, 224/296, 224/280, 224/281, 224/282, 224/279, 296/37.1, 296/37.12, 296/37.15, 296/37.7, 296/37.8, 296/37.9, 296/37.10, 296/37.11, 296/37.13, 296/37.14, 296/37.16, 248/311.2, 220/331, 220/332, 220/333
• US Class Current: 224/539
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/793 for use as storage compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/102 storable or foldable in a non-use position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/926 Vehicle attached carrier for beverage container or bottle

Abstract

A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle having: a hollow box having an opened top surface; a cover for opening/closing the opened top surface of the box; a cup holder movably held in the box and holding cups or the like exemplified by cups, cans and bottles in the hollow space in the box; an urging device for urging the cover in a direction in which the cover is opened; and a locking device for locking the cover in a direction, in which the cover is closed, against urging force of the urging device, the locking device being capable of suspending the locking state when the cover has been pushed inwards from the closed position, or having: a hollow box having an opened top surface; a cover rotatively supported by the box and arranged to open/close the opened top surface of the box; a locking device which locks the cover at a closed position and which is capable of suspending the locking state when the cover has been pressed inwards from the closed position; and a limiting device for limiting the maximum position of opening of the cover, wherein a holding device for holding the cover at its maximum position of opening is formed between the box and the cover.

Claims

1. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle comprising:

a hollow box having an open top;

a cover arranged to open and close said open top thereof;

means for rotatively supporting said cover by said box including a pair of shafts including a rotation shaft attached to one of said box and said cover and a pair of intersecting guide grooves, in which said shafts are seated when said cover is closed and vertically moved while said cover is rotated, formed in the other of said box and said cover;

locking means which locks said cover in a locking state at a closed position and which is capable of suspending said locking state when said cover has been pressed inwards from said closed position;

limiting means for limiting a maximum position of opening of said cover, wherein

holding means for holding said cover at its maximum position of opening is formed between said box and said cover.

2. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1 including,

a cup holder movably held in said box and operative for holding cup-like containers within said box.

3. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 2, including means on said cover operative to hold said cup holder in said box for lateral movement with respect said cover.

4. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 3, including bearing portions on said cup holder and bearing portions on said box, each having engaging portions that engage one another when said cup holder is opened by a predetermined angular degree.

5. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising safety means for inhibiting suspension of locking state of said locking means if inertia force has acted thereon, and further wherein a card holder is disposed on the reverse side of said cover.

6. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 2, including means for moving said cup holder in said box to be suitable to accommodate various outer diameters of said cup-like containers.

7. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein a card holder is disposed on a reverse side of said cover.

8. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said box is secured to a console box of the vehicle by clips disposed on securing projection portions disposed in said front and rear walls, each of said clips is composed of a front member and a rear member having substantially V-like shape, said rear member has a securing claw formed to face said front member, and said securing projection portion has an insertion groove having an opened lower surface into which said rear member of said clip is inserted.

9. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an offset end portion is formed on a peripheral edge of said open top of said box, said end portion containing a hole, and a cushion member composed of a cylindrical head portion and a leg portion and made of material exhibiting excellent elasticity is inserted and secured in said hole in said end portion so that said cover is elastically brought into contact with said cushion member.

10. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises a tension spring for urging said cover from said closed position toward said maximum position of opening.

11. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising:

said limiting means comprises a contact portion formed in said guide groove and arranged to contact said rotation shaft at said maximum position to which said cover can be opened.

12. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises a magnet and a magnetic member attracted by said magnet with one thereof being attached to said cover and the other thereof being attached to said box at a position to create attraction between said magnet and said magnetic member at a maximum position at which said cover can be opened.

13. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the side wall of said box has a damper for lowering the speed at which said cover is opened.

14. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises an elastic member which elastically projects toward said guide groove immediately in front of said contact portion of said guide groove and which is retracted from said guide groove when said elastic member is pressed by said rotation shaft.

15. A small article accommodating unit according to claim 1 including:

urging means imparting an urging force for normally urging said cover in a direction in which said cover is open,

locking means for locking said cover in a position with respect to the top of said box, said locking means containing means to retain said cover against the urging force of said urging means, and

means operative to suspend said locking means when said cover is pushed inwardly from said closed position.

16. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 15 further comprising safety means for inhibiting suspension of a locking state of said locking means when an inertia force has acted thereon.

17. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle according to claim 14, wherein said urging means comprises coil springs, said coil springs are accommodated in caps formed into hollow shapes and disposed on the front and rear walls of said box, each of said caps has opened right and left sides, and two ends of said coil springs project outwards over said opened right and left sides so that movements of said two ends of said coil springs in the direction of the thickness of said box are limited.

18. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle, comprising:

a hollow box having an open top;

a cover for opening and closing said open top of said box;

a cup holder movably held in said box and operative for holding cup-like containers in a hollow space in said box;

urging means for urging said cover in a direction in which said cover is opened; and

locking means for locking said cover in a locking state in a direction in which said cover is closed against an urging force of said urging means, said locking means being capable of suspending said locking state when said cover has been pushed inwards from the closed position, wherein said box is adapted to be secured to a console box of the vehicle by clips disposed on securing projection portions disposed in said front and rear walls, each of said clips is composed of a front member and a rear member having a substantially V-like shape, said rear member has a securing claw formed to face said front member, and said securing projection portion has an insertion groove having an opened lower surface into which said rear member of said clip is inserted.

19. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle, comprising:

a hollow box having an open top;

a cover for opening and closing said open top of said box;

a cup holder movably held in said box and operative for holding cup-like containers in a hollow space in said box;

urging means for urging said cover in a direction in which said cover is opened; and

locking means for locking said cover in a locking state in a direction in which said cover is closed against an urging force of said urging means, said locking means being capable of suspending said locking state when said cover has been pushed inwards from the closed position, wherein an offset end portion is formed on a peripheral edge of said open top of said box, said end portion containing a hole, and a cushion member composed of a cylindrical head portion and a leg portion and made of material exhibiting excellent elasticity is inserted and secured in said hole in said end portion so that said cover is elastically brought into contact with said cushion member.

20. A small article accommodating unit for a vehicle comprising:

a hollow box having an open top;

a cover rotatively supported by said box and arranged to open and close said open top of said box;

locking means which locks said cover in a locking state at a closed position and which is capable of suspending said locking state when said cover has been pressed inwards from said closed position;

limiting means for limiting a maximum position of opening of said cover;

holding means for holding said cover at its maximum position of opening formed between said box and said cover;

a rotation shaft attached to one of said box and said cover; and

a guide groove, in-which said rotation shaft is vertically moved while being rotated, formed in the other of said box and said cover to which said rotation shaft is not attached, wherein said limiting means includes a contact portion located in said guide groove and arranged to be brought into contact with said rotation shaft at said maximum position to which said cover can be opened, and

said holding means includes an elastic member which elastically projects toward said guide groove positioned immediately in front of said contact portion of said guide groove and which is retracted from said guide groove when said elastic member is pressed by said rotation shaft.