Opening/closing structure for a tray of an automobile

• US 7,300,087 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-seok
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTMAN, HILARY L
• Application Number:
  US10/810,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20050133553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.1, 296/24.3, 296/37.8, 296/37.9, 296/37.12
• US Class Current: 296/37.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards

Abstract

A main body of a tray is provided with, at its lower part, a button, and a fixing hook part moved up and down by the button to adjust an opening/closing a door formed on the front surface of the main body. Eventually, since a user'"'"'s hand will not come into contact with the door though the button when it is operated by separating the button from the door, the opening/closing structure of the present invention is capable of eliminating an inconvenient feeling due to use of the tray and improve reliability of the items in the tray. The main body of the tray for storing these items and having a through-hole at its lower end is provided with the door. The door is opened by rotating upward by a rotary means at the front surface of the tray. The door is provided with a hooking hole formed at the position corresponding to the through-hole of the main body. A button part is installed at a lower end of the main body. In an inner part of the button part, the fixing hook part to be inserted or released into/from the hooking hole through the through-hole according to the operation of the button is installed.

Claims

1. An opening and closing structure for a tray of an automobile comprising:

a main body for storage having a through-hole at its lower end;

a door that opens and closes by rotating upward a front surface of the main body, and provided with a hooking hole conforming to a position of the through-hole;

a button part installed at the lower end of the main body; and

a fixing hook part installed at an inner part of the button part, and inserted in and released from the hooking hole through the through-hole depending on a snap operation of the button part.

2. The opening and closing structure according to claim 1, wherein the button part comprises:

a fixing plate mounted on a lower end of the main body and having a button hole formed at its front surface;

a button partially inserted into the button hole; and

a button spring mounted on a rear surface of the button and having a recovery force when the button is operated.

3. The opening and closing structure according to claim 2, wherein the fixing hook part, installed in the fixing plate, comprises:

a protrusion inserted into the hooking hole through the through-hole;

a protruding plate extended from the protrusion and spaced apart from the rear surface of the button;

a fixing spring mounted on a lower end of the protruding plate; and

an inclined plate installed at the protruding plate and having an inclined surface that moves the fixing hook downward when the button is pressed.