JPH0222343Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a vehicle ashtray device, and more particularly to a lighting structure for a vehicle ashtray device equipped with a drive source for taking in and out an ashtray box.

[Prior Art] A vehicle ashtray device in which an ashtray box is held in a retainer fixed to a vehicle body side, for example, an instrument panel side so as to be removable therein, is well known. As a vehicle ashtray device, one equipped with a drive source (for example, a motor) for loading and unloading an ashtray box is known (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application No. 59-81397). In such an ashtray device,
It is extremely convenient to use because the drive source can be started with a single touch operation of a switch, etc., and the ashtray box can be automatically taken in and out. The knob of the operation switch for operating the drive source is usually provided on the front surface of the box.

On the other hand, a cigarette lighter is usually installed near the ashtray device, and a structure for illuminating this cigarette lighter section for nighttime use is well known.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] In an ashtray device equipped with a drive source as described above, when inserting or removing the ashtray box (or operating only in one direction), the switch knob must normally be operated. It is configured. This switch knob is usually quite small compared to the size of the front plate of the ashtray box. Therefore, the visibility of the switch knob at night may be poor, and it may be difficult to perform the above-mentioned convenient automatic operation at night. One way to solve this problem is to illuminate the switch knob, but simply adding a switch knob lighting device would result in a significant increase in the number of parts, and there is a risk that the ashtray device itself would become larger.

The present invention focuses on these problems and makes effective use of the lighting device of a commonly installed cigarette lighter, making it possible to illuminate the switch knob without significantly increasing the number of parts. While making it possible to operate the switch knob easily and reliably, it also makes effective use of the equipment installation space.
It is an object of the present invention to compactly configure the entire vehicle ashtray device including a cigarette lighter.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The vehicle ashtray device of the present invention that meets this objective has a retainer that holds an ashtray box so that it can be taken in and taken out, and that drives the ashtray box in at least one of the directions in which the ashtray box is taken in and taken out. In the vehicular ashtray device, a cigarette lighter is provided in the vehicular ashtray device such that it can be taken in and out integrally with the ashtray box, and the cigarette lighter portion and the switch knob are provided in the vehicular ashtray device. It consists of a common lighting device that can illuminate both parts.

Here, the above-mentioned driving source includes, for example, a motor,
A diaphragm actuator, a spiral spring, or the like is used to generate a driving force in one direction (for example, the pull-out direction) or both of the directions in which the ashtray box is taken in and taken out.

A light source (for example, a lamp) is used as the lighting device, and the light source illuminates the cigarette lighter section and also directly illuminates the switch knob or the area around the switch knob.

[Function] In such a device, the switch knob section is illuminated by the lighting device at night, so the position of the switch knob can be easily recognized at a glance, and even if the switch knob is small, it can be reliably located when necessary. A predetermined operation can be performed. By reliably operating the switch knob, the drive source is reliably activated, and the desired automatic box loading/unloading operation can be reliably achieved. This lighting device for the switch knob has a common lighting device with the lighting device for the cigarette lighter, so it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts for the lighting device, and the cigarette lighter is structured so that it can be taken in and out integrally with the ashtray box. Therefore, the entire ashtray device including the cigarette lighter and the above-mentioned common lighting device can be easily constructed compactly.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 show exploded perspective views of a vehicle ashtray device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, 1 indicates an outer case, and 2 indicates an inner case that is fitted into the outer case 1 and constitutes an ashtray box in which cigarette butts are substantially accommodated. A cigarette lighter 3 that can be taken in and out in the vertical direction is provided on one side of the outer case 1. This outer case 1 is held in a retainer 4 so as to be removable, and as the outer case 1 is taken in and out, the inner case 2 and the cigarette lighter 3 are taken in and out as a unit.

5 indicates a door attached to the front part of the outer case 1. A lens receiver 6 is attached to the door 5, and a lens 7 serving as a switch knob is assembled to the lens receiver 6 so as to protrude from a hole 5a formed in the door 5 toward the surface side. A printed circuit board 8 is arranged behind the lens receiver 6,
The printed circuit board 8 is attached to the back side of the door 5 with screws 9. A switch 10 for starting a motor, which will be described later, is provided on the printed circuit board 8. The lens holder 6 has elasticity, and the lens 7
When pressed, it engages with the switch 10 and can operate the switch 10. Therefore, by operating the lens 7, activation of the motor as a drive source can be controlled. The printed circuit board 8 is provided with a lamp 11 as a lighting device capable of illuminating the lens 7 from inside. In this embodiment, a lens 12 as a light guide is provided between the lamp 11 and the cigarette lighter 3. The lens 12 has a reflective surface 1
2a is formed so that light from the lamp 11 can be guided to the cigarette lighter 3 side. Therefore, the lamp 11 illuminates the lens 7 as a switch knob, and also illuminates the lens 1.
The switch knob and the cigarette lighter can illuminate the cigarette lighter 3 (or its surroundings) from inside the outer case 1 through the switch knob 2, serving as a common illumination light source for the switch knob and the cigarette lighter.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an electrode section for the cigarette lighter 3, and the electrode section 13 is attached to the bottom side of the outer case 1 with an electrode holding plate 14 and screws 15. The switch 10 is connected to a motor 17 as a reversibly rotatable drive source via a printed circuit board 16, and is also connected to a terminal box 18 that is connected to a power source (not shown).
It is connected to the electrode section 13 via a connecting terminal 19. The printed circuit board 16 is attached to the outer case 1 with screws 20.
A limit switch 21 is attached to which can turn on and off the electrical connection to the motor 17.

The motor 17 as a drive source is connected to the outer case 1.
It is attached to the inner part of the cigarette lighter 3 installation part with screws 22, and is attached to the back side of the outer case 1 from below, so that its shaft part protrudes above the upper surface of the outer case 1. A worm gear 23 is provided in this shaft portion.

24 indicates a drive shaft rotationally driven by the motor 17. Both ends of the drive shaft 24 are formed into square rods, and spur gears 2 are attached to both ends.
5 and 26 are fitted, so that the drive shaft 24 and the spur gears 25 and 26 rotate together.
The shaft portions 25a, 26a of the spur gears 25, 26 are rotatably fitted into the bearing portions 27a, 27b of the outer case 1, so that the drive shaft 24 and the spur gears 25, 26 are rotatably supported by the outer case 1. ing. The drive shaft 24 has a hole 2
A pin 29 is fitted to the driven plate 30 fitted to the drive shaft 24.
The driven plate 30 and the drive shaft 24 are designed to be able to rotate together. A friction plate 31 is provided opposite to the driven plate 30.
1 is fixed by appropriate means to the side surface of a helical gear 32 fitted to the drive shaft 24 so as to be relatively rotatable. This helical gear 32 is connected to the worm gear 23 attached to the aforementioned motor shaft part.
is engaged with. Friction plate 31 and driven plate 3
0, if the transmission drive torque from the helical gear 32 is above a certain level, they will be able to slide and rotate relative to each other, and if it is below a certain level, they will be able to rotate together due to the frictional force between them. It's summery. That is, a so-called torque limiter mechanism is configured. Setting of this sliding torque is performed by a spring 33, and the spring 33 is
It is attached in a compressed state with an E ring 35 between washers 34a and 34b.

Guide rails 36 and 37 are provided on both inner surfaces of the retainer 4 to guide the outer case 1 in the loading and unloading direction.
is provided. The guide rails 36 and 37 are
The vertical cross-sectional shape is formed into an abbreviated character shape, and racks 38 and 39 are provided on the upper inner surface of the character shape, respectively. The racks 38 and 39 are adapted to mesh with spur gears 25 and 26, respectively. The guide rails 36 and 37 are each provided with an appropriate number of hooks 40 at appropriate locations, and each hook 40 is fitted into a hole 41 formed on the corresponding retainer 4 side and hooked thereon. Then, the detent portion 42 provided at the inner end of the guide rails 36, 37 is locked to the inner end of the retainer 4, so that each guide rail 36, 37
is fixed to the retainer 4.

A striker 4 is installed at the bottom of the guide rail 36.
3 and 44 are provided in a protruding manner, and the striker 43 can strike the limit switch 21 when the limit switch 21 is pulled out together with the outer case 1, and by this operation can issue a pull-out end signal. When the limit switch 21 is moved in the push-in direction, the limit switch 21 is struck, and the push-in end signal can be generated by this operation. At the lower front part of the guide rail 37,
A stopper 45 is provided, and the stopper 45
and a stopper 46 provided on the side of the outer case 1.
The outer case 1 is engaged with the outer case 1 at its drawing end, and further movement of the outer case 1 is stopped.

A hole 47 is formed in the upper wall of the retainer 4, and a cigarette lighter pressing piece 49 having a convex portion 48 on the lower surface side is attached to the hole 47.
The convex portion 48 of the cigarette lighter pressing piece 49 is connected to an arcuate handle portion 50 provided at the upper part of the cigarette lighter 3.
The outer case 1 can be engaged with the top surface of the outer case 1.
At the same time, when the cigarette lighter 3 is moved in the pulling direction, the convex portion 48 engages with the upper surface of the handle portion 50 and pushes the cigarette lighter 3 downward, so that the cigarette lighter 3 can be automatically ignited.
Further, on the upper wall of the retainer 4, a case 51 has a built-in lamp (not shown) for illuminating the inside of the ashtray box.
are fixed by spot welding with a lens 52 in between. Reference numeral 53 denotes a guide member for guiding the protector, which will be described later, and is fixed to the lower surface of the upper wall of the retainer 4 by caulking with a rivet 54.

A protector 55 is provided inside the inner case 2, and the protector 55 has holes 56a, 56
It is rotatably supported by a shaft 57 fitted in b. A torsion spring 58 is provided around the shaft 57, and the torsion spring 58 urges the protector 55 upward. The inner case 2 has a protrusion 59 provided at its rear end that is hooked into a hole 60 of the outer case 1, and is engaged with a leaf spring 61 provided on the front inner surface of the outer case 1. It is fixed inside the outer case 1. A hole 62 provided at the bottom of the outer case 1 is a hole for taking out the inner case 2, and the inner case 2 can be easily removed by inserting a finger into the hole 62 from below and pushing up the inner case 2. It is starting to be removed.

The operation of the embodiment device configured as described above will be explained.

First, regarding the operation, Figures 3 and 4
The ashtray box is inserted and removed as shown in the figure.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the outer case 1 is housed in the retainer 4, and the cigarette lighter 3 is also housed in the retainer 4.
It is stored inside. From this state, lens 7
When the (switch knob) is pressed, the switch 10 is turned on, the circuit is closed, the motor 17 is rotated, and the worm gear 23 attached to the motor shaft rotates the helical gear 32. The rotational force of the helical gear 32 is generated by the friction plate 31, the driven plate 30,
transmitted to the drive shaft 24 via the pin 29;
Drive shaft 24 is rotated. Drive shaft 2
4 rotates, the spur gears 25, 2 at both ends rotate.
6 rotates counterclockwise in FIG.
8 and 39, the drive shaft 2
4, that is, the outer case 1 is moved forward (to the right in FIG. 3).

As the movement of the outer case 1 progresses, the convex portion 48 of the cigarette lighter pressing piece 49 eventually comes into sliding contact with the upper surface of the handle portion 50 of the cigarette lighter 3 to push down the cigarette lighter 3, and the cigarette lighter 3 is automatically ignited.

As the outer case 1 continues to move further in the drawing direction, the outer case 1 eventually reaches its drawing end as shown in FIG. 4 (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4). At this pull-out end, the limit switch 21 hits the striker 43, and the contact activates the limit switch 21 to open the circuit, stopping power supply to the motor 17 and stopping the outer case 1. At this time, stopper 45,4
6 prevents the outer case 1 from overrunning.

When the lens 7 (switch knob) is pressed again in this pulled-out position, the switch 10 is turned on, and the motor 17 is now rotated in the reverse direction. Therefore, the outer case 1 is automatically pushed in through the meshing of the spur gears 25, 26 and the racks 38, 39 described above. At the pushing end (the position shown in FIG. 3), the limit switch 21 hits the striker 44, and the contact activates the limit switch 21 to open the circuit, stopping the power supply to the motor 17 and stopping the outer case 1. Ru. Overrun of the outer case 1 is prevented by the contact between the door 5 and the front end of the retainer 4.

As described above, in the device of this embodiment, the inner case 2 and the cigarette lighter 3 are integrally inserted and removed, and the motor 17 as a drive source is used in both the insertion and removal directions.
driving force is used to achieve automatic loading and unloading operations.

The operation control of the motor 17 as a drive source is as follows:
This is done by operating the lens 7 (switch knob). The lens 7 is illuminated from inside by the light from the lamp 11 as shown by the arrow in FIG.
It is easily visible even at night and can be operated reliably by the visibility. Therefore, the motor 17 is reliably started, and the predetermined box movement as described above is reliably performed.

And lens 12 with one common lamp 11
By making it possible to illuminate the cigarette lighter 3 (or its surroundings) through the light, the structure is simplified even though it illuminates both, and the number of parts is also reduced. Furthermore, since the cigarette lighter 3 is put in and taken out integrally with the inner case 2, and the illumination for these is performed by one common lighting device, the ashtray device as a whole including the cigarette lighter and the lighting device is compact. configuration is achieved and equipment installation space is utilized to the maximum extent possible.

Furthermore, if the printed circuit board 8 to which the lamp 11 and switch 10 are attached is housed between the door 5 (front plate) and the box body side as in this embodiment, the space between them can be effectively utilized.

In the device of this embodiment, a torque limiter mechanism is provided in the drive shaft 24, so that in the event of an abnormality, such as when cigarette butts have accumulated so much in the inner case 2 that it is no longer possible to insert or remove them with normal force, the friction Plate 31 and driven plate 30
This prevents excessive torque from being applied to various parts of the drive transmission mechanism, the motor 17, etc. due to slipping between the two.
In the event of an abnormality as described above, the motor 17 will run idly while the outer case 1 remains stopped due to the operation of the torque limiter mechanism, but by providing an appropriate timer etc. in the circuit, the idling state can be easily overcome. will be stopped.

Second Embodiment Next, FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a diaphragm actuator 71 is used as the drive source. The actuator 71 is connected to the outer case 7 as in the first embodiment.
It is provided in the inner part of the cigarette lighter 73 installation part of No. 2. A rod 74 of the actuator 71 is engaged with a long hole 77 of a link plate 76 via a pin 75. The link plate 76 is swingably supported on the upper part of the outer case 72 about a fulcrum 78 . An elongated hole 79 is also provided on the other end side of the link plate 76, and the elongated hole 79 engages with a pin 81 fixed to the retainer 80 side. The diaphragm actuator 71 is operated using, for example, negative pressure in the intake system of an engine mounted on a vehicle (for example, negative pressure stored in a vacuum tank). The actuator 71 is selected to be a single-acting type to move the outer case 72 in the drawing direction, or a double-acting type that can operate in both directions. The actuator 71 is turned on and off by the outer case 7.
Switch knob 83 provided on the front door 82 of No. 2
It has come to be operated by. and,
This switch knob 83 is illuminated by a lamp 84 provided inside the front door 82. In this way, even if the stroke type actuator 71 is used as a driving source, it is possible to automatically move the ashtray box in and out, and the switch knob 83
The lighting makes operation easier and more reliable at night.

As shown in the first and second embodiments, the drive source is not limited to a motor, but various types can be used, and as long as a common lighting device that can illuminate the cigarette lighter section and the switch knob section is provided, the present invention can be used. This effect can be obtained. For example, it is possible to use an actuator using a spiral spring as a drive source, and to illuminate a switch knob that operates the actuator.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the drive source is installed on the outer case side, but a structure in which it is installed on the retainer side is also possible. For example, in the device shown in FIG. 1, a cutout is made at the back of the cigarette lighter installation part of the outer case, a drive source is provided at the retainer position corresponding to the cutout, and the drive source is fixed to the retainer side. A configuration is possible in which the driving force from the outer case is transmitted to the outer case side.

[Effects of the invention] As explained above, when using the vehicle ashtray device of the present invention, the cigarette lighter can be taken in and out integrally with the ashtray box, and the switch knob for operating the drive source is connected to the lighting device that is common to the cigarette lighter section lighting. This makes it possible to illuminate the switch knob while suppressing the increase in the number of parts and achieving a compact configuration as a whole, making it possible to easily see the switch knob even at night and ensure reliable operation. By realizing this, it is possible to achieve the effect that the automatic moving operation of the target ashtray box can be carried out reliably.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle ashtray device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an outer case storage of the device shown in Fig. 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the outer case of the device shown in FIG. 1 in a pulled out state, and FIG. be. 1, 72... Outer case, 2... Inner case as ashtray box, 3, 73... Cigar lighter, 4, 80... Retainer, 5, 82... Door, 6... Lens holder, 7... Lens ( Knob),
10... Switch, 11, 84... Lamp as a lighting device, 12... Lens, 13... Cigarette lighter electrode section, 17... Motor as a driving source,
21... Limit switch, 23... Worm gear, 24... Drive shaft, 25, 26... Spur gear, 29... Pin, 30... Driven plate,
31... Friction plate, 32... Helical gear, 33...
Spring, 36, 37...Guide rail, 3
8, 39... Rack, 43, 44... Striker, 45, 46... Stopper, 48... Protrusion, 4
9...Cigar lighter pressing piece, 50...Handle part, 5
5... Protector, 61... Leaf spring, 62... Hole for taking out the inner case, 71... Diaphragm type actuator as a driving source, 76... Link plate, 77, 79... Long hole, 78... Fulcrum, 83
...Switch Nobu.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A drive source that causes the retainer to hold the ashtray box so that it can be taken in and taken out, and that drives the ashtray box in at least one of the directions in which the ashtray box is taken in and taken out;
and a vehicle ashtray device including a switch knob for operating the drive source, in the vehicle ashtray device;
An ashtray device for a vehicle, characterized in that a cigarette lighter is provided integrally with the ashtray box so that it can be taken in and out, and a common lighting device that can illuminate both the cigarette lighter part and the switch knob part is provided.