Opening and closing type interior device

• US 6,295,883 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kejima Press Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsukada, Masashi, Oji, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US09/417,780
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 74/891.8, 74/891.9, 744/09, 744/115, 188/83, 188/290, 296/37.12, 361/681, 361/682
• US Class Current: 74/89.18
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/67 Foldable or movable displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18816 Curvilinear rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19623 Backlash take-up
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19637 with brake means for gearing

Abstract

An opening and closing type interior device includes a fixed member, a movable member which is capable of being opened and closed and is movable relative to the fixed member, an actuator including a driving source and a gear mechanism, and a damper coupled to one of the movable member and the fixed member. The opening and closing type interior device includes, for example, a display device for an automobile.

Claims

1. An opening and closing type interior device comprising:

a fixed member;

a movable member capable of being opened and closed, said movable member being movable relative to said fixed member;

an actuator for driving said movable member to be opened and closed, said actuator including a driving source for driving said movable member and at least one gear mechanism for transmitting a driving force from said driving source to said movable member; and

a damper coupled to one of said movable member and said fixed member,

wherein said movable member includes a rotational axis, said movable member being rotatable about said rotational axis relative to said fixed member to a fully-opened and fully-closed position,

said movable member and any member rotatable together with said movable member constituting a movable assembly having a center of gravity,

said center of gravity of said movable assembly being located to one side of a vertical line passing through said rotational axis when said movable member is located at said fully-opened position and being located to the other side of the vertical line passing through said rotational axis when said movable member is located at said fully-closed position, said center of gravity crossing the vertical line passing through said rotational axis when said movable member is opened and closed,

wherein said device is a display device for an automobile.

2. An opening and closing type interior device according to claim 1, wherein a magnitude of a load generated by said damper is determined so that a summation of a load imposed on said actuator by a moment caused about said rotational axis due to a weight of said movable assembly acting on said center of gravity of said movable assembly and a damper load, imposed on said actuator by said damper may not be reversed between positive and negative while said movable member is rotated between said fully-opened position and said fully-closed position.

3. An opening and closing type interior device according to claim 1, wherein said damper is a hydraulic damper.

4. An opening and closing type interior device according to claim 1, wherein said damper is a frictional damper.

5. An opening and closing type interior device according to claim 1, wherein said damper includes a casing and a cap having a space defined between said casing and said cap filled with oil, a fin portion inserted into the space filled with oil, and a rotational shaft connected to said fin portion and protruding from said casing and said cap.

6. An opening and closing type interior device according to claim 1, further comprising a internal arcuate gear extending in an arc, wherein said damper includes a rotational shaft and a gear fixed to said rotational shaft, said gear of said damper engaging said arcuate gear, one of said damper and said arcuate gear being fixed to said movable member and the other of said damper and said arcuate gear being fixed to said fixed member.

7. An opening and closing type interior device according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is supported by one of said movable member and said fixed member and includes a geared motor having a driving side gear and a driven side gear, said actuator having an output shaft to which a gear is fixed, an internal arcuate gear engaging said gear of said output shaft, said at least one gear mechanism including a first gear mechanism of said driving side gear and said driven side gear of said geared motor and a second gear mechanism of said gear of said output shaft and said internal arcuate gear, wherein said arcuate gear is fixed to the other of said movable member and said fixed member.

8. A device comprising:

a fixed member;

a movable assembly pivotally connected to said fixed member and configured to allow pivotal movement relative to said fixed member between a closed position and an open position, said closed and open positions defining a range of movement of said movable assembly therebetween;

an actuator operatively coupled between said fixed member and said movable assembly to selectively apply a driving force on said movable member to affect pivotal movement thereof between said closed and open positions;

a damper operatively coupled between said fixed member and said movable assembly;

wherein for a first portion of said range of movement, the driving force is applied to said movable assembly so as to oppose a weight of said movable assembly and affect pivotal movement thereof;

wherein for a second portion of said range of movement the driving force is applied to said movable assembly so as to oppose a damping force of said damper and affect pivotal movement of said movable assembly.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said movable assembly includes a display device;

said display device being configured and positioned relative to said movable assembly such that in said closed position said display device faces generally downwardly relative to said fixed member and in said open position said display device faces generally outwardly relative to said fixed member.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said device is disposed in an automobile.