JPH0487850A - Secret box - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To conceal the presence of a secret box and to improve a crime prevention effect by disposing the secret box to the upper part of a globe box, and forming a part of the peripheral edge of the globe box by using the lower end part of a front panel even when the globe box is opened. CONSTITUTION:A secret box is formed such that a mount member 1 is secured to the upper part of the interior of the opening of an instrument panel 5 where a globe box 6 is arranged, and an outer case 2 is rockably supported at 15 to the flange part of the mount member 1. Through engagement of a guide rail 21 with a guide groove 31, an inner case 3 is held in a manner to be retractable in an outer case 2. A relative movement distance between the inner and outer cases 3 and 2 is regulated to a specified value through engagement between a protrusion part 32 and an oblong hole 20. A front plate 4 is rockably supported to the front of the inner case 3, and when the globe box 6 is opened, the surface of the lower end part of the front plate 4 is exposed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a secret box provided in a glove box of an automobile.

[Prior Art] In recent years, various proposals have been made to improve the comfort inside the vehicle interior, and it has been proposed to provide various types of drawers in the instrument panel.

For example, the space above the glove box is also subject to use, such as Utility Model Application No. 193951/1983 or Utility Model Application No. 62-
Each publication such as No. 185148 discloses an example in which a box is provided roughly in the space above the glove box. For example, in Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-193951, the upper part of the outer case is fixed to the upper part of the glove box, the lower part of the outer case is arranged to be swingable via a hinge mechanism, and the inner case is provided inside the lower part of the outer case. Disclosed. According to this publication, by swinging the lower part of the outer case downward and then pulling out the inner case from the lower part of the outer case, the inner case can be used as an accessory box or the like.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-193951, the inner case and the lower part of the outer case are separated by engaging the protrusion of the inner case with the claw provided on the upper part of the outer case. It is engaged and held at the top of the outer case. When in use, pull the handle that protrudes downward from the inner case to release the engagement between the protrusion and the claw, and roughly pull the handle forward to pull out the inner case. can.

However, in this accessory box, even when the inner case is stored, the handle protrudes downward and is exposed, making it obvious that it is a handle, so it does not function as a shiflet box. An object of the present invention is to provide a secret function so that the presence of the box and handle cannot be seen from the outside when stored.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The secret box of the present invention includes a mount member that is fixed to the upper part of the glove box and has a first engaging portion at the front end, and a rear end that is movable vertically on the mount member. The outer case is held, the inner case is inserted into and held in the outer case so as to be able to move in and out in the front and back direction, and the inner case is held in a swingable manner at the front end of the inner case and is engaged with the first engaging part, so that the inner case is inserted into the outer case. a front plate that forms part of the periphery of the opening of the glove box and has a second engaging portion that maintains the glove box in the glove box;
It is characterized by being more.

The most important feature of the present invention is the front plate that is swingably held at the front end of the inner case. This front plate has a second engaging part that engages with the first engaging part of the mount member, and when the front plate swings in one direction, the first engaging part and the second engaging part engage with each other, and the inner case maintains a stored state where it is held by the mount member together with the outer case. Also, when it swings to the other side, the first
The engagement part and the second engagement part are disengaged, and the inner case can be pulled out and used. That is, this front plate functions as a locking device that can be engaged and released.

The front plate also functions as a handle when pulling out the inner case. Furthermore, the front plate can be configured to any size, and forms part of the periphery of the opening of the glove box when the inner case is stored. This makes the existence of the locking device unknown, allowing the inner case to function as a secret box.

Note that it is desirable that the front plate be biased by a spring or the like so that the front plate forms a part of the opening periphery of the glove box when the glove box is stored.

[Operations and Effects of the Invention] In the secret box of the present invention, when stored, the inner case and the outer case are held by the mount member by engagement between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. In this state, when the glove box is opened, the front plate is exposed around the periphery of the opening. By making this front plate the same material or the same color as the material around the opening of the glove box, the presence of the front plate becomes unknown and it is surprising that the front plate constitutes a locking device, thereby creating a secret effect. play.

When the secret box is used next time, the engagement between the first engagement part and the second engagement part is released by swinging the front plate. This allows the outer case to swing vertically, and the outer case swings downward together with the inner case due to its own weight and the force of pulling the front plate.

In this state, by pulling the front plate and pulling out the inner case from the outer case, the inner case can be used as a box.

After use, the inner case is stored inside the outer case, and the outer case is swung upward together with the inner case. and the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion.
By engaging with the engaging portion, the inner case and the outer case are housed within the mount member, and are in a secret state where they are housed in the upper part of the glove box.

That is, according to the secret box of the present invention, the existence of the secret box is not known even when the glove box is opened. Since the glove box is unlocked and used by swinging the front plate, which can only be seen as the peripheral edge of the glove box, no one else will notice the existence of the secret box, providing peace of mind in terms of crime prevention.

Furthermore, since the front plate is separate from the inner case, it is possible to use front plates formed in the shapes of the peripheral edges of various glove boxes, and there is a high degree of freedom in the use of the inner case and the outer case.

[Examples] Hereinafter, examples will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the secret box of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof. This shiflet box is composed of a mount member 1 made of sheet metal, an outer case 2 made of resin, an inner case 3 made of resin, and a front plate 4 held on the front surface of the inner case 2. .

The mount member 1 is bent to have a U-shaped cross section, and is composed of a plate-shaped base 10 and a pair of seventeenth flange portions 11 formed by bending at right angles from both sides of the base 10.

The base portion 10 is fixed to the upper part of the opening of the glove box 6 provided in the instrument panel 5 so that the first flange portion 11 extends downward. The glove box 6 is swingably held by a pair of seventeenth flange portions 11. The base 10 also has an opening 12 and an opening 1.
A pair of 2nd
7 flange portion 13 and a locking pawl 14 as a first engagement portion in an abbreviated shape provided on the front end side of the opening 12.

The outer case 2 is made of resin and has a substantially container shape, and has an opening at the front end surface and the bottom surface. Furthermore, a pair of guide rails 21 extending in the front-rear direction are formed on the inner surface. A long hole 20 extending in the front and back direction is formed in the ceiling surface.
The rear end is pivotally supported by a pair of second flange portions 13 of the mount member 1 by a shaft 15 so as to be freely swingable.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inner case 3 has a box shape, has a pair of protrusions 30 having through holes on the front surface, and has a guide groove 31 extending in the front-rear direction on the side surface. Further, a protrusion 32 that engages with the elongated hole 20 is provided at the rear end of the upper surface.

The front plate 4 is formed to have the same surface shape as the front surface of the instrument panel 5, and a pair of protrusions 40 having through holes are formed on the back side. This protrusion 40 is attached to the protrusion 30 on the front surface of the inner case 3 with a spring 41 and a pin 42.
The front plate 4 is pivotally supported via a pin 42, and the front plate 4 can swing around a pin 42. Further, the front plate 4 is provided with a locking hole 43 as a second engaging portion into which the locking claw 14 engages.

In the secret box of this embodiment, the mount member 1
is fixed to the upper part of the opening of the instrument panel 5 where the glove box 6 is disposed, and is pivotally supported by the outer case 2 or the second flange portion 13 of the mount member 1 so as to be swingable. The inner case 3 is held in and out of the outer case 2 by the engagement between the guide rail 21 and the kite groove 31. It is regulated to a certain distance depending on the situation. A front plate 4 is swingably supported on the front surface of the inner case 3, and when the glove box 6 is opened, the lower end surface of the front plate 4 is exposed.

Next, we will explain how to use this secret box. First, when the glove box 6 is closed, the fourth
As shown in the figure, the inner case 3 is housed in the outer case 2, and the outer case 2 is swinging upward. and spring 41
Because the front plate 4 is biased so that its upper end approaches the locking pawl 14. The locking claw 14 is connected to the locking hole 43
By engaging with the outer case 2, the outer case 2 is held on the mount member 1. In this state, when the glove box 6 is opened, the lower end surface of the front plate 4 is exposed as shown in FIG. are doing. Therefore, it is unexpected that the front plate 4 swings, and the fact that it is part of the shiftlet box is not noticed.

Next, with the glove box 6 open, open the front plate 4.
is swung in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. As a result, the locking claw 14
The engagement between the locking hole 43 and the locking hole 43 is released, and the outer case 2 becomes able to swing downward. When it swings downward, the opening of the outer case 2 is exposed, and the inner case 3 can be taken in and out. By holding the front plate 4 and pulling the inner case 3 forward, the container portion of the inner case 3 can be used.

After use, the inner case 3 is stored in the outer case 2 by pressing the front plate 4 with a finger, and then the inner case 3 and the outer case 2 are swung upward to lock the locking claws 14. By engaging with the holes 43, the outer case 2 and the inner case 3 are housed and held within the mount member 1.

That is, according to the secret box of this embodiment, even when the glove box is opened, the lower end of the front panel forms part of the peripheral edge of the glove box.
I don't know about the existence of the secret box. Also, the fact that the front panel is a locking device is surprising and goes unnoticed. Therefore, it can effectively function as a secret box.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings relate to a secret box according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing its configuration, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inner case, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the stored state, and FIG. 4 is the secret box when stored. FIG. 5 is an explanatory cross-sectional view during use, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the glove box in an open state. 1...Mount member 2...Outer case 3...
- Inner case 4...Front panel 5...Instrument panel 6...Glove box 14...Latching claw (first engagement part) 43...Latching hole (second engagement part) 21... Guide rail 31... Guide groove Patent applicant Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Fixed to the top of the glove box and with a first
a mount member having an engaging portion; an outer case whose rear end is held by the mount member so as to be swingable in the vertical direction; an inner case which is inserted and held in the outer case so as to be freely movable in and out of the front and back directions; a periphery of the opening of the glove box, the second engaging part being swingably held at the front end of the case and engaging with the first engaging part to maintain the state in which the inner case is housed in the outer case; A secret box that is characterized by a front plate that forms part of the box and a front plate that forms part of the box.