WO2023074625A1

WO2023074625A1 - Tonneau cover device

Info

Publication number: WO2023074625A1
Application number: PCT/JP2022/039535
Authority: WO
Inventors: 敦司下平
Original assignee: 芦森工業株式会社
Priority date: 2021-10-27
Filing date: 2022-10-24
Publication date: 2023-05-04
Also published as: JP2023064935A

Abstract

Provided is a tonneau cover device comprising: a tonneau cover that covers a cargo room of a vehicle; a rollup shaft (32) to which a base end of the tonneau cover is attached; a rollup mechanism (40) that rotatably supports both ends of the rollup shaft (32) with the rollup shaft (32) biased in the rollup direction of the tonneau cover so that the tonneau cover can be rolled up or pulled out; a holder (60) which is externally mounted on at least one end of the rollup mechanism (40) so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction thereof and which is biased toward the outward longitudinal direction of the rollup mechanism (40); and a biasing member (70) which is interposed between the inner circumferential surface of the holder (60) and the outer circumferential surface of the at least one end of the rollup mechanism (40) and which biases the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface in mutually separating directions.

Description

Tonneau cover device

The present disclosure relates to a tonneau cover device for covering the luggage compartment of a vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a winding shaft for winding a tonneau cover, an elongated case for housing the winding shaft therein, and a case provided at one end and the other end of the case so that the winding shaft can be rotated. and an outer wall portion provided on at least one of one end and the other end of the case and covering the support member, extending inward in the axial direction of the winding shaft from the assembly position a holding member that is movably held; and a holding member that is provided on the supporting member and the holding member, is arranged inside the outer wall portion, and abuts against each other at the assembling position, thereby performing the assembling of the holding member. and a tonneau cover device that prevents the take-up shaft from moving outward in the axial direction from the position.

Patent Document 1 describes, as examples of blocking portions, a side surface of an elongated hole formed in an inner cover as a support member and a hook formed in an outer cover as a holding member. In Patent Literature 1, the hook is accommodated in the long hole, and the movement of the holding member is prevented by contacting the side surface of the long hole with the hook.

Patent Document 2 discloses a support member for a winding shaft, an end cap held on at least one end of the support member so as to be movable in the axial direction of the support member, and an axial movement of the end cap relative to the support member. and a limiter for limiting the In Patent Document 2, a restriction device includes a first restriction element provided on the end cap and a second restriction element provided on the support member, the first restriction element and the second restriction element interact with each other.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-148614 DE102018209413A1

In Patent Document 1, the blocking portion prevents the holding member from moving outward in the axial direction of the winding shaft from the assembly position. In Patent Document 1, the blocking portion does not restrict the movement of the holding member in the direction orthogonal to the winding shaft.

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, when a gap is generated between the holding member and the supporting member, the holding member rattles in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the supporting member, and there is a possibility that abnormal noise may be generated due to vibration. be.

In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-200000, the restricting device merely restricts the axial movement of the end cap with respect to the supporting member, and as in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-201001, abnormal noise is generated due to vibration between the supporting member and the end cap. there's a possibility that.

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to suppress the occurrence of abnormal noise due to looseness between the winding mechanism and the holder.

In order to solve the above problems, a tonneau cover device according to an example of the present disclosure includes a tonneau cover that covers a luggage compartment of a vehicle, a winding shaft to which the base end of the tonneau cover is attached, and a tonneau cover that can be wound and pulled out. a winding mechanism that rotatably supports both ends of the winding shaft while the winding shaft is biased in the winding direction of the tonneau cover; a holder that is slidably mounted along its longitudinal direction and biased outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism; an inner peripheral surface of the holder and at least one end of the winding mechanism; and an urging member interposed between the outer peripheral surface of and urging the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface in directions away from each other.

According to the tonneau cover device of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of abnormal noise due to looseness between the winding mechanism and the holder.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a tonneau cover device is installed in a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the tonneau cover device. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the tonneau cover device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an end portion of the winding support device. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the end of the winding support device. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a biasing member. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the holder is omitted at the end of the winding support device. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 4. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the holder is attached to the end of the winding mechanism. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing the exterior state of the holder considering the weight of the winding mechanism. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing an end portion of a winding support device according to a modification.

A tonneau cover device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below.

<Application example>
An application example of the tonneau cover device will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the tonneau cover device 20 is installed in the vehicle 10. As shown in FIG.

The tonneau cover device 20 is provided in a vehicle 10 having a cargo room 11 at the rear. The luggage compartment 11 extends behind the backrest portion 14 a of the seat 14 . The seat 14 is, for example, a rear seat in the second or third row from the front. The luggage compartment 11 is located behind the backrest portion 14a on the floor 11a and between the side walls 11b. A window 11w is provided in the side wall 11b. A roof 11c is provided above the luggage compartment. The rear of the luggage compartment 11 is open, and the opening is opened and closed by the back door 12 . The back door 12 is also provided with a window.

The tonneau cover device 20 is incorporated into the luggage compartment 11 as described above. The tonneau cover device 20 is arranged at a position to cover articles placed on the floor 11a of the luggage compartment 11 from above. For example, the tonneau cover device 20 is arranged to extend horizontally above the floor 11a and below the window 11w.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, each of the side walls 11b includes a receiving recess 18 and a drawer-side receiving recess 19. The receiving recess 18 is provided at an upper rear position of the backrest portion 14a. The drawer-side receiving recess 19 is provided at a position separated rearward from the receiving recess 18 . The receiving recess 18 and the drawer-side receiving recess 19 are formed in concave shapes that are open upward and at the center in the vehicle width direction.

Both ends of the winding support device 30 of the tonneau cover device 20 are held in the pair of receiving recesses 18 while the winding support device 30 of the tonneau cover device 20 extends along the vehicle width direction. The tonneau cover 22 is pulled out from the winding support device 30 , and both ends of a drawer member 28 provided at the tip of the tonneau cover 22 are held in the pair of drawer-side receiving recesses 19 . As a result, the tonneau cover 22 is drawn rearward from the take-up support device 30 and is kept in a state of covering the luggage compartment 11 from above.

<Overall composition>
The overall configuration of the tonneau cover device 20 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the tonneau cover device 20. As shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the tonneau cover device 20. As shown in FIG.

The tonneau cover device 20 includes a tonneau cover 22 and a winding support device 30 . The tonneau cover 22 is a member that covers the luggage compartment 11 . The winding support device 30 is a device that winds up the tonneau cover 22 so that it can be pulled out.

The tonneau cover 22 includes a sheet-like portion 22a that can be flattened and deformed for winding. The sheet-like portion 22a is composed of a flexible sheet formed of a resin sheet or a cloth woven with threads. This sheet-like portion 22 a is wound up by the winding support device 30 .

The base end of the sheet-like portion 22a is connected to the winding support device 30. A drawer member 28 is fixed to the leading end of the sheet-like portion 22a along the vehicle width direction. Both ends of the drawer member 28 protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the sheet-like portion 22a. Both ends of the drawer member 28 are fitted and held in the drawer-side receiving recesses 19 .

The tonneau cover 22 includes a plate-like portion 22b having higher rigidity than the sheet-like portion 22a. The plate-like portion 22b is provided on the distal end side of the drawer member 28. As shown in FIG. The plate-like portion 22b is realized, for example, by stacking a resin plate, a metal plate, or a wooden plate on a flexible sheet.

When both ends of the drawer member 28 are held in the pair of drawer-side receiving recesses 19, the sheet-like portion 22a is pulled in the front-rear direction between the winding support device 30 and the drawer member 28, and is brought into a horizontal state. are kept in an expanded state. The plate-like portion 22b is kept horizontally extending from the drawer member 28 toward the rear of the vehicle 10 by its own rigidity.

The plate-like portion 22b may be omitted.

The winding support device 30 includes a winding shaft 32 , a winding mechanism 40 , a holder 60 and a biasing member 70 .

The winding shaft 32 is an elongated member, and the base end of the drawer member 28 is attached along its longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the winding shaft 32 rotates, the drawer member 28 is wound around the winding shaft 32 . The winding shaft 32 is, for example, a cylindrical member made of metal or the like.

The winding mechanism 40 rotatably supports both ends of the winding shaft 32 in a state in which the winding shaft 32 is biased in the winding direction of the tonneau cover 22 so that the tonneau cover 22 can be wound and pulled out. there is

The holder 60 is attached to at least one end of the winding mechanism 40 so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . The holder 60 is biased outward along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism. Therefore, when a force directed toward the longitudinal center of the winding mechanism 40 is applied to the holder 60 , the holder 60 can be slid toward the longitudinal center of the winding mechanism 40 . In this state, an outward force acts on the holder 60 along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism.

By utilizing the outward biasing force of the holder 60, rattling can be suppressed when the winding support device 30 is supported by the receiving recess 18. That is, in a state in which the holder 60 is slid toward the longitudinal center of the winding mechanism 40 , both ends of the winding support device 30 are fitted into the pair of receiving recesses 18 . A holder 60 is provided at at least one end of the winding mechanism 40 , and the holder 60 is biased outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . Therefore, between the pair of receiving recesses 18 , the winding support device 30 tends to extend in its longitudinal direction, and the gap between the two longitudinally outward facing portions of the winding support device 30 and the pair of receiving recesses 18 becomes large. occurrence is suppressed. As a result, vibration of the winding support device 30, particularly vibration in the longitudinal direction of the winding support device 30, is suppressed.

In this embodiment, an example in which the holders 60 are mounted on both ends of the winding mechanism 40 will be described. Only one end of the winding mechanism 40 may be fitted with a slidable and biased holder 60 . In this case, the other end of the take-up mechanism 40 may be externally attached with the holder fixed.

The biasing member 70 is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism 40, and biases the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface in directions away from each other. It is a member that

<About the winding mechanism>
An example of the winding mechanism 40 will be described. The winding mechanism 40 includes a casing 42 , a pair of side covers 50 and a winding force member 46 .

The casing 42 is formed in a tubular shape capable of accommodating the winding shaft 32 and the tonneau cover 22 wound around the winding shaft 32 . A cover opening 43 is formed in the casing 42 along the longitudinal direction of the casing 42 to allow the tonneau cover 22 to be pulled out and wound up. In this embodiment, the casing 42 is formed in the shape of a rectangular tube with rounded corners. In other words, the casing 42 includes four wall portions 42a and four connecting portions 42b (see FIG. 5). The wall portion 42a has a flat plate shape or a curved plate shape that curves with a radius of curvature larger than that of the connecting portion 42b. The connecting portion 42b is curved at an angle (for example, a right angle) or curved with a radius of curvature smaller than that of the wall portion 42a. The casing 42 is formed by connecting the four wall portions 42a with connecting portions 42b interposed therebetween so as to form a cylinder. It is not essential that the casing 42 have the shape described above. The casing may be rectangular with sharper corners. The casing may be cylindrical, elliptical, triangular, or pentagonal.

A cover opening 43 is formed in one of the four wall portions 42a. In this embodiment, a cover opening 43 is formed at a position deviated from the widthwise center of the wall portion 42a toward one side portion. With the winding support device 30 supported by the receiving recess 18, the cover opening 43 may be positioned near the upper side of the wall portion 42a. Since the cover opening 43 exists between one connecting portion 42b and one wall portion 42a, the three wall portions 42a and one narrow wall portion 42a are connected to the three connecting portions 42b. It may be grasped that the cover opening 43 exists between one narrow wall portion 42a and the adjacent wall portion 42a.

Such a casing 42 is made of, for example, metal such as aluminum or resin.

The side cover 50 is a member that closes the end opening of the casing 42 and rotatably supports the winding shaft 32 . In this embodiment, the side cover 50 includes a cover body 52 and a rotation support projection 56. As shown in FIG. The side cover 50 is, for example, a mold-molded component made of resin.

The cover main body 52 is attached at a fixed position at the end of the casing 42 so as to be fitted into the end opening of the casing 42 . The rotation support protrusion 56 protrudes from the surface of the cover body 52 facing the longitudinal center of the casing 42 . The rotation support protrusion 56 is formed in a cylindrical shape that protrudes toward the longitudinal center of the casing 42 along the longitudinal direction of the casing 42 .

The rotation support projections 56 of the pair of side covers 50 provided at both ends of the casing 42 are inserted into openings on both ends of the winding shaft 32 , thereby rotatably supporting the winding shaft 32 within the casing 42 . be. In this embodiment, the end members 33 are inserted into both ends of the winding shaft 32 in a state where the rotation thereof is stopped. The end member 33 is a cylindrical member made of resin or the like. The rotation support protrusion 56 is rotatably inserted into the end member 33 . That is, the end member 33 is interposed between the rotation support protrusion 56 and the end opening of the winding shaft 32 . Rotation of the end member 33 with respect to the rotation support protrusion 56 allows the winding shaft 32 to rotate with respect to the side cover 50 .

The winding force member 46 biases the winding shaft 32 against the side cover 50 in the direction in which the tonneau cover 22 is wound. In this embodiment, the winding force member 46 is a coil spring. The winding force member 46 is arranged in the winding shaft 32 along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft 32 . One end of the winding force member 46 is fixed to one of the rotation support protrusions 56 so as to prevent rotation. The other end portion of the winding force member 46 is fixed to the inner peripheral portion of the winding shaft through the shaft inner fixing portion 47 in a non-rotating state. A rubber tube 48 is wrapped around the winding force member 46 . By interposing the rubber tube 48 between the winding force member 46 and the winding shaft 32 , rattling noise due to contact between the winding shaft 32 and the winding force member 46 is suppressed. It should be noted that the winding force member is not necessarily a coil spring, and may be a spiral spring or the like.

In the initial state, the tonneau cover 22 is wound around the winding shaft 32 until the drawer member 28 contacts the casing 42 around the cover opening 43 . In this state, the winding force member 46 is twisted between the winding shaft 32 and the one side cover 50, and the restoring force that tries to eliminate the twist causes the winding force member 46 to be twisted by the winding shaft. 32 is urged in the winding direction of the tonneau cover 22 .

When the tonneau cover 22 is pulled out from the initial state, the winding biasing member 46 is further twisted, and a force that biases the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction is stored in the winding biasing member 46 . When the drawer member 28 is held in the drawer-side receiving recess 19 , the tonneau cover 22 is held in a pulled state between the winding support device 30 and the drawer member 28 .

When the holding force of the drawer member 28 by the drawer-side receiving recess 19 is released, the winding shaft 32 is rotated in the winding direction by the biasing force of the winding force member 46 , and the tonneau cover 22 is wound around the winding shaft 32 . .

<End Configuration of Winding Support Device>
The configuration of the end portion of the winding support device 30 will be described more specifically. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an end portion of the winding support device 30. FIG. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the end of the take-up support device 30. FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the biasing member 70. FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the holder 60 is omitted at the end of the take-up support device 30. FIG. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 4. FIG.

The end of the casing 42 opens outward in the longitudinal direction of the casing 42 . Locking holes 42ah are formed in a pair of

wall portions

42a, 42a located on both sides of the cover opening 43 of the casing 42. As shown in FIG. The first locking protrusion 73a of the biasing member 70 can be fitted into the locking hole 42ah.

The cover main body 52 of the side cover 50 is formed in a plate shape that closes the opening of the casing 42 . In this embodiment, the cover main body 52 is formed in a plate shape having an outer peripheral surface shape corresponding to the inner peripheral surface shape of the opening of the casing 42 . An elongated projection 52a protrudes along the outer periphery of the cover body 52. As shown in FIG. The protrusion 52a partially protrudes from the edge of the cover main body 52 on one side in the thickness direction. Then, the cover main body 52 is attached to the opening of the casing 42 with the outer peripheral surface of the cover main body 52 contacting the inner peripheral surface of the opening of the casing 42 and the protrusion 52a contacting the outward edge of the opening of the casing 42. be done.

In the above state, the rotation support protrusion 56 protrudes from the cover main body 52 into the casing 42 and rotatably supports one end of the winding shaft 32 via the end member 33 .

The side cover 50 has an urging member support protrusion 53 that supports one end of the longitudinal urging member 69 on the outward portion of the cover body 52 . In the present embodiment, the biasing member support protrusion 53 is formed in an annular shape into which one end of the longitudinal biasing member 69 can be fitted. The biasing member support protrusion 53 may be a protrusion that can be fitted into one end of the longitudinal biasing member 69 .

The holder 60 is a member made of resin or the like, and is configured to be attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40 . More specifically, the holder 60 is a cylindrical member with one end open and the other end closed, and has a peripheral wall portion 62 and an outer closing portion 64 . The holder 60 is attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40 while covering the outer peripheral surface of the end of the winding mechanism 40 .

The peripheral wall portion 62 is formed in a tubular shape capable of covering the outer circumference of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 . In this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 62 is formed in a shape having four wall portions 62a and four connecting portions 62b corresponding to the four wall portions 42a and the four connecting portions 42b of the casing 42. A cylindrical peripheral wall portion 62 along the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the casing 42 is formed by connecting the four wall portions 62a so as to form a cylinder with the connecting portion 62b interposed therebetween.

A slit 62S extending from the opening edge of the holder 60 to the front of the outer closing portion 64 is formed in one of the four wall portions 62a. With the holder 60 attached to the end of the casing 42 , the slit 62</b>S is positioned outside the cover opening 43 . In the region where the casing 42 and the holder 60 overlap, the tonneau cover 22 is pulled out through the cover opening 43 and the slit 62S.

An urging member support projection 65 is projected from the inward portion of the outer blocking portion 64 . The biasing member support protrusion 65 is a portion that supports the other end of the longitudinal biasing member 69 . In the present embodiment, the biasing member supporting convex portion 65 is formed in a convex shape that can be fitted into the other end portion of the longitudinal biasing member 69 . The biasing member support protrusion 65 may be formed in an annular shape into which one end of the longitudinal biasing member 69 can be fitted.

The longitudinal biasing member 69 is a member that biases the holder 60 outward along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . In this embodiment, the longitudinal biasing member 69 is a coil spring. One end of the longitudinal biasing member 69 is fitted in the biasing member supporting protrusion 53 and the other end is fitted to the biasing member supporting protrusion 65 of the holder 60. is arranged between the side cover 50 and the holder 60 . The holder 60 is urged outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 by the force of the longitudinal urging member 69 extending from the compressed state to return to its original shape.

A locking groove 66 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 . Locking groove 66 will be described in more detail later in relation to biasing member 70 .

The holder 60 is a member attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40 so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . Therefore, it is conceivable that a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the end of the winding mechanism 40 and the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 to facilitate movement of the holder 60 . Therefore, it is conceivable that the holder 60 moves relative to the winding mechanism 40 in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 depending on the size of the gap.

Here, the longitudinal biasing member 69 is a member that biases the winding mechanism 40 and the holder 60 in the direction in which the winding mechanism 40 and the holder 60 are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . It can be difficult to restrain movement of the holder 60 in the cross direction.

The biasing member 70 is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40, and biases the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface thereof in directions away from each other. , the movement of the holder 60 is suppressed in the direction crossing the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 .

The biasing member 70 includes a base portion 72 , a first spring portion 76 and a second spring portion 78 . The biasing member 70 may be, for example, a member integrally formed of metal, or a member molded of resin. When the biasing member 70 is made of metal, the biasing member 70 may be formed by pressing a metal plate. In this case, the metal plate is preferably made of spring steel.

The base portion 72 is formed in a shape that surrounds at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 . In the present embodiment, the base portion 72 is formed in a U-shape, here, to surround a part of the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40, avoiding the cover opening 43. As shown in FIG.

More specifically, the base portion 72 includes three

wall portions

72a, 72b, 72c and two connecting

portions

72d, 72e. A connecting portion 72d exists between the

wall portions

72a and 72b, and a connecting portion 72e exists between the

wall portions

72b and 72c. The wall portion 72a and the wall portion 72b are connected by a connecting portion 72d so as to extend in directions intersecting each other. The wall portion 72b and the wall portion 72c are connected by a connecting portion 72e so as to extend in directions intersecting each other. The wall portion 72a and the wall portion 72c extend in parallel with a space therebetween on one main surface side of the wall portion 72b. The wall portion 72a and the wall portion 72c are open on the side opposite to the wall portion 72b.

With the biasing member 70 attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40, the

walls

72a and 72c contact the outer peripheral surfaces of the walls 42a on both sides of the cover opening 43 of the casing 42, and the walls 72b It contacts the outer peripheral surface of the wall portion 42 a of the casing 42 on the side opposite to the cover opening 43 . Thus, the base portion 72 covers the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 excluding the wall portion 42a in which the cover opening 43 is formed.

It is assumed that the wall portion 72a is positioned on the upper side and the wall portion 72c is positioned on the lower side while the winding support device 30 is supported by the receiving recess 18 .

In the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40, the

walls

72a and 72c are longer than the wall 72b. In the present embodiment, the

walls

72a and 72c protrude outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 from the outer edge of the winding mechanism 40 in the longitudinal direction of the wall 72b.

A first locking projection 73a is formed on the edge of the wall portion 72b side of the

wall portions

72a and 72c. The first locking projection 73 a is a plate-shaped projection along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 and protrudes toward the inner peripheral side of the base portion 72 . A second locking projection 73b is formed on the outer edge of the winding mechanism 40 in the longitudinal direction of the

walls

72a and 72c. The second locking projection 73b is a plate-shaped projection extending in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40, and protrudes toward the inner peripheral side of the base portion 72. As shown in FIG.

With the base portion 72 attached to the end portion of the winding mechanism 40, the first locking projection 73a locks into the locking hole 42ah. This prevents the base portion 72 from coming off from the winding mechanism 40 . The second locking projection 73b contacts the cover body 52 that closes the opening of the casing 42 from the outside of the winding mechanism 40 in the longitudinal direction. The contact of the second locking projection 73b with the cover main body 52 and the contact of the wall portion 72b with the wall portion 42a of the casing 42 cause the inclination of the base portion 72 about the first locking projection 73a. is regulated. As a result, the base portion 72 is attached to the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 at a fixed position while being restricted from changing its posture.

A first spring portion 76 is formed on the

wall portions

72a and 72c, and a second spring portion 78 is formed on the wall portion 72b.

More specifically, a rectangular concave portion that opens toward the middle side in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 is formed in the middle portion in the width direction of the

wall portions

72a and 72c. The first spring portion 76 is an elongated plate-like portion, and the base end on one side in the longitudinal direction of the first spring portion 76 continues to the back side edge of the recess. Since the base portion 72 is attached to the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 , the base end of the first spring portion 76 is supported at a fixed position on the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 .

The first spring portion 76 is formed in a shape that separates from the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 as it goes from the base end toward the center in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . More specifically, the first spring portion 76 is formed in a plate shape that is inclined away from the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 as it goes from the base end toward the center in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . Such a first spring portion 76 may be formed, for example, by cutting and raising a portion of the plate portion that constitutes the

wall portions

72a and 72c.

Similarly to the above, a rectangular concave portion that opens toward the middle side in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 is formed in the middle portion in the width direction of the wall portion 72b. In the same manner as described above, the base end of the second spring portion 78, which is an elongated plate-shaped portion, continues to the rear edge of the recess. The concave portion formed in the wall portion 72b and the second spring portion 78 have the same configuration as the concave portions formed in the

wall portions

72a and 72c and the first spring portion 76, except that they have different lengths. It is not essential that the first spring portion 76 and the second spring portion 78 have a rectangular plate shape. For example, the longitudinal intermediate portion of the first spring portion 76 or the second spring portion 78 may be curved.

The inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 includes a step forming surface 67 having a contact surface 67a and a projecting surface 67b (see FIG. 8). The abutment surface 67a is a surface that is located between the back of the holder 60 and the opening and faces the back side of the holder 60 . The projecting surface 67b is a surface that extends toward the opening side of the holder 60 from the contact surface 67a and projects toward the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 from the surface 67c that extends further to the back than the contact surface 67a.

In this embodiment, a locking groove 66 extending along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 is formed in the inner peripheral portion of the holder 60 . The locking groove 66 is recessed from the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 via a step. The width of the locking groove 66 is equal to or greater than the width of the first spring portion 76 . For this reason, part of the first spring portion 76 (here, the tip) enters the locking groove 66 and contacts the bottom side surface 67c of the locking groove 66, while extending in the extending direction of the locking groove 66. can move along.

A surface of the locking groove 66 that is located on the opening side of the holder 60 and faces the inner side of the holder 60 is the contact surface 67a. The contact surface 67a is located on the opening side of the holder 60 with respect to the surface 67c. Therefore, the first spring portion 76 that moves while contacting the surface 67 c contacts the contact surface 67 a while moving toward the opening of the holder 60 . Then, the first spring portion 76 is restricted from moving toward the opening side of the holder 60 with respect to the contact surface 67a.

The locking groove 66 may be a groove reaching the far side of the holder 60 . It is not essential that the contact surface 67a is configured as part of the side surface surrounding the locking groove 66. As shown in FIG. Even if the portion near the opening of the inner peripheral portion of the holder 60 is formed thicker than the portion on the far side, and the contact surface 67a facing the far side of the holder 60 is formed by the step forming the thick portion. good.

In this embodiment, the locking groove 66 and the contact surface 67a are not formed in the portion of the inner peripheral portion of the holder 60 that faces the second spring portion 78 (see FIG. 9). That is, the portion of the inner peripheral portion of the holder 60 that faces the second spring portion 78 is a plane or gently curved surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the wall portion 42 a of the casing 42 . A locking groove 66 or a contact surface 67a may also be formed in a portion of the inner peripheral portion of the holder 60 that faces the second spring portion 78 in the same manner as described above.

With the holder 60 attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40, the tip of the first spring portion 76 is placed in the locking groove 66 (see FIG. 8). The tip of the first spring portion 76 is movable along the extending direction of the locking groove 66 while being in contact with the surface 67c. When no external force is applied, the longitudinal biasing member 69 biases the holder 60 outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 . The tip of the first spring portion 76 contacts the abutment surface 67a to restrict the outward movement of the holder 60 along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40. is designed to prevent the holder 60 from coming off. The contact surface 67a may have a shape that forms a level difference that allows the first spring portion 76 to be locked, and the contact surface 67a, the projecting surface 67b, and the surface 67c may not be formed with high accuracy.

It should be noted that it is not essential for the first spring portion 76 to prevent the holder 60 from coming off. For example, apart from the first spring portion 76 , a fitting structure of a retaining groove and a protrusion may be provided between the winding mechanism 40 and the holder 60 . In this case, the contact surface 67a may be omitted.

Further, in a state in which the holder 60 is attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40, the first spring portion 76 is compressed between the outer peripheral surface of the end of the winding mechanism 40 and the surface 67c of the holder 60. (See FIG. 8). The inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 are biased away from each other by the force of the first spring portion 76 to return to its original shape.

In this embodiment, the

wall portions

72a and 72c are provided at positions sandwiching the end portion of the winding mechanism 40, and the first spring portion 76 is provided on each of the

wall portions

72a and 72c. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 are biased away from each other at two positions sandwiching the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 (here, upper and lower positions). be. Therefore, the holder 60 is less likely to rattle with respect to the winding mechanism 40 in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40, particularly in the vertical direction.

Further, in the present embodiment, the second spring portion 78 faces the second spring portion 78 of the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 and the inner peripheral portion of the holder 60 on the side opposite to the cover opening 43 . It is in a state of being compressed between the part where it does (see FIG. 9). The inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and the outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 are biased away from each other by the force of the second spring portion 78 to return to its original shape, and the winding mechanism 40 is closed. is pushed toward the opening 43 side. For this reason, the holder 60 is less likely to rattle in the drawer winding direction of the tonneau cover 22 among the directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 .

The number of

spring portions

76 and 78 included in the biasing member 70 is arbitrary, and the biasing member 70 may have one spring portion or may have a plurality of spring portions. . For example, the biasing member may have only one first spring portion or only one second spring portion 78 . In this embodiment, the first spring portion 76 is provided vertically, thereby preventing vertical vibration. In addition, the holder 60 is prevented from coming off with a force that is as uniform as possible in the upper and lower directions. The second spring portion 78 effectively suppresses rattling when the tonneau cover 22 is pulled out and wound up.

The operation when attaching the holder 60 to the end of the winding mechanism 40 will be described.

FIG. 10 shows a state in which the holder 60 is being mounted on the end of the winding mechanism 40 . 10 shows the initial state where the end of the winding mechanism 40 is inserted into the opening of the holder 60, and the lower side of FIG. 10 shows the end of the winding mechanism 40 further inserted into the holder 60. State is indicated.

Here, let D be the dimension between the bottom surfaces 67c of the locking grooves 66 facing each other. Further, E is the dimension between the surfaces of the casing 42 on which the two first spring portions 76 are provided, F1 and F2 are the projecting dimensions of the first spring portions 76 with respect to the surface, and the maximum of the two first spring portions 76 is Let G be the dimension between the protruding portions. Note that the dimensions F1, F2, and G are in a state before the holder 60 is exteriorized, and the first spring portion 76 is in a natural projecting state. The dimension G is the dimension E plus the dimensions F1 and F2. With the holder 60 attached to the end of the winding mechanism 40, the first spring portion 76 is set so that the dimension G is greater than or equal to the dimension D so that the two first spring portions 76 can contact the surface 67c of the locking groove 66. It is preferable that the projection dimensions F1 and F2 of the spring portion 76 are set.

As the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 is inserted into the holder 60, the outward surface of the first spring portion 76 comes into contact with the projecting surface 67b. The outward surface of the first spring portion 76 is inclined in a direction away from the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 toward the longitudinal intermediate portion of the winding mechanism 40 . Therefore, as the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 is inserted into the holder 60, the projecting surface 67b slides on the outward surface of the first spring portion 76 and moves toward the tip side of the first spring portion 76. It moves and presses the first spring portion 76 toward the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 . As a result, the dimension between the maximum projecting portions of the two first spring portions 76 is reduced, allowing the two first spring portions 76 to enter the holder 60 .

When the first spring portion 76 moves beyond the projecting surface 67b to the far side of the holder 60 and toward the locking groove 66, the first spring portion 76 attempts to return to its original shape (see FIG. 8). As a result, the tip of the first spring portion 76 comes into contact with the surface 67 c of the locking groove 66 . The tip of the second spring portion 78 similarly contacts the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 (see FIG. 9). As a result, the first spring portion 76 and the second spring portion 78 are interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 and the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 . From this state, when the holder 60 tries to move to the outside of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 by the biasing force of the longitudinal direction biasing member 69, the tip of the first spring portion 76 comes into contact with the contact surface 67a, is stopped.

The first spring portion 76 is easily elastically deformed when the outward inclined surface of the first spring portion 76 contacts the opening of the holder 60 . Therefore, the configuration for locking the first spring portion 76 to the holder 60 can be easily achieved without the work of deforming the holder 60 or the winding mechanism 40 or pressing the holder 60 strongly against the holder 60 .

FIG. 11 shows the exterior state of the holder 60 considering the weight of the winding mechanism 40. FIG. The upper side of FIG. 11 shows the state before the winding support device 30 is supported by the receiving recess 18, and the lower side of FIG. A state in which the take-up mechanism 40 has moved to the middle portion in the longitudinal direction is shown.

Before the winding support device 30 is supported by the receiving recess 18 , the winding mechanism 40 is biased downward with respect to the holder 60 due to the weight of the winding mechanism 40 . Therefore, the dimension H1 between the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 and the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 at the portion where the upper first spring portion 76 is provided is larger than the dimension H2 between the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 and the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 at the portion.

Even when the winding support device 30 is supported by the receiving recess 18 , the winding mechanism 40 is positioned downwardly relative to the holder 60 due to the weight of the winding mechanism 40 .

In either state, the upper first spring portion 76 protrudes more than the lower first spring portion 76 because the upper gap dimension H1 is larger than the lower gap dimension H2. is assumed to contact the bottom side surface 67c of the locking groove 66. It is preferable that the state in which the upper first spring portion 76 contacts the bottom side surface 67c of the locking groove 66 and the contact surface 67a to prevent slippage is established more reliably. For this purpose, it is preferable to make the projection dimension F1 of the first spring portion 76 on the upper side larger than the projection dimension F2 of the first spring portion 76 on the lower side. Further, for example, the projection dimension F1 of the upper first spring portion 76 may be set to be equal to or larger than the sum of the gaps between the upper and lower sides of the winding mechanism 40 (the value obtained by subtracting the dimension E from the dimension D).

<Effects, etc.>
According to the tonneau cover device 20 configured as described above, the biasing member 70 is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism 40, and the inner peripheral surfaces thereof and the outer peripheral surface are biased away from each other. Therefore, the holder 60 is less likely to rattle in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the biasing member 70 . Since the holder 60 is biased outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40, the holder 60 is less likely to rattle in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 40 as well. This suppresses the occurrence of abnormal noise due to rattling between the winding mechanism 40 and the holder 60 .

The biasing member 70 also includes a first spring portion 76 or a second spring portion 78 as a spring portion having a base end supported at a fixed position on the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism 40 . Therefore, the biasing member 70 having the first spring portion 76 and the second spring portion 78 can be attached to the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism 40 . As a result, the biasing member 70 can be attached to the winding mechanism 40 more easily than when the biasing member is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 . Further, when the holder 60 is attached to at least one end of the winding mechanism 40, the first spring portion 76 and the second spring portion 78 are pushed by the holder 60, and the first spring portion 76 and the second spring portion 78 are pushed. , can be deformed so as to approach the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 . When the holder 60 has been completely sheathed, the first spring portion 76 and the second spring portion 78 deformed to approach the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 are restored to their original shapes. The outer peripheral surface can be biased away from the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 . This effectively suppresses the generation of abnormal noise due to rattling between the winding mechanism 40 and the holder 60 .

Further, since the holder 60 has the contact surface 67a and the projecting surface 67b, when the holder 60 is attached to at least one end of the winding mechanism 40, the first spring portion 76 contacts the projecting surface 67b. , the first spring portion 76 can be deformed so as to approach the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 40 . When the tip of the first spring portion 76 exceeds the projecting surface 67b and is positioned on the far side of the holder 60, the first spring portion 76 attempts to restore its original shape. Before the first spring portion 76 completely restores its original shape, the tip of the first spring portion 76 is brought into contact with the contact surface 67a. The distal end of the first spring portion 76 contacts the contact surface 67 a from the inner side of the holder 60 , thereby preventing the holder 60 from coming off from at least one end of the winding mechanism 40 . In addition, when the tip of the first spring portion 76 contacts the surface 67c of the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 that extends further to the rear side than the contact surface 67a, a force is generated between the winding mechanism 40 and the holder 60. The generation of abnormal noise due to rattling is suppressed.

Also, the biasing member 70 is provided at at least one end of the winding mechanism 40 so as to avoid the cover opening 43 . Therefore, the biasing member 70 does not block the end of the cover opening 43 at the end of the winding mechanism 40 . Therefore, the entire cover opening 43 can be used as an opening for withdrawing and winding the tonneau cover 22 , and the area where the tonneau cover 22 spreads relative to the length of the tonneau cover device 20 can be increased.

<Modification>
The biasing member is not limited to being attached to the outer surface of the end portion of the winding mechanism 40 as described above, and may be attached to the inner peripheral surface of the holder 60 and at least one end portion of the winding mechanism 40 in various aspects. may be interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the

For example, as shown in FIG. 12 , a positioning recess 161 is formed in the inner peripheral surface of a holder 160 corresponding to the holder 60 , and a biasing member 170 corresponding to the biasing member 70 is fitted in the positioning recess 161 . 160 may be mounted on the inner peripheral side. In this case, the base portion 172 of the biasing member 170 may be movable between the opening side and the inner side of the holder 160 while being fitted in the positioning recess 161 .

The spring portion 178 of the biasing member 170 may extend away from the inner peripheral surface of the holder 160 from the base portion 172 toward the inner side of the holder 160 . An outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 140 corresponding to the winding mechanism 40 may be formed with a locking recess 141 to which the tip of the spring portion 178 is locked.

According to this modified example, the biasing member 170 is fitted in the positioning recess 161, and the holder 160 moves along the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism 140 within a range where it can move between the opening side and the inner side of the holder 160. be able to. The biasing member 170 abuts against the stepped portion on the opening side of the positioning recess 161 and the tip of the spring portion 178 is locked to the locking recess 141, thereby preventing the holder 160 from coming off. In either state, the spring portion 178 is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the holder 160 and the outer peripheral surface of the winding mechanism 140, and urges the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface thereof away from each other. be able to. As a result, rattling of the holder 160 is suppressed as in the above-described embodiment.

It should be noted that each configuration described in the above embodiment and each modified example can be appropriately combined as long as they do not contradict each other.

The specification and drawings disclose the following aspects.

A first aspect includes a tonneau cover that covers a luggage compartment of a vehicle, a winding shaft to which the base end of the tonneau cover is attached, and the winding shaft that is attached to the tonneau cover so that the tonneau cover can be wound and pulled out. a winding mechanism that rotatably supports both ends of the winding shaft while being biased in the winding direction; interposed between a holder biased outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism, an inner peripheral surface of the holder, and an outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism; The tonneau cover device includes a biasing member that biases the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface in directions away from each other.

According to the tonneau cover device of the first aspect, the biasing member is interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the holder and the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism, and separates the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface from each other. It is biased in the direction to Therefore, the holder is less likely to rattle with respect to at least one end of the biasing member in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the biasing member. This suppresses the occurrence of abnormal noise due to rattling between the winding mechanism and the holder.

A second aspect is the tonneau cover device according to the first aspect, wherein the biasing member has a base end supported at a fixed position on the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism. The tonneau cover device includes a spring portion, and the spring portion is formed in a shape that separates from the outer peripheral surface as it goes from the base end toward the center in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism.

According to the second aspect, the biasing member includes a spring portion having a base end supported at a fixed position on the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism. Therefore, the biasing member can be configured to be attached to the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism. As a result, the biasing member can be easily attached to the winding mechanism compared to the case where the biasing member is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the holder. In addition, when the holder is attached to at least one end of the winding mechanism, the spring portion is pushed by the holder and deformed so as to approach the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism. can. In a state where the mounting of the holder on at least one end of the winding mechanism is completed, the spring portion deformed so as to approach the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism exerts a force to restore its original shape. can urge the outer peripheral surface of the holder away from the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism. This suppresses the occurrence of abnormal noise due to rattling between the winding mechanism and the holder.

A third aspect is the tonneau cover device according to the second aspect, wherein the inner peripheral surface of the holder includes a stepped surface having a contact surface and a projecting surface, and the contact surface The projecting surface is located between the back and the opening and faces the back side, and the protruding surface extends toward the opening side more than the contact surface and extends further toward the back side than the contact surface. The tonneau cover device is a surface protruding toward the outer peripheral surface.

In this case, by contacting the spring portion with the projecting surface, the spring portion can be deformed so as to approach the outer peripheral surface of at least one end of the winding mechanism. When the tip of the spring portion is positioned on the far side of the holder beyond the projecting surface, the spring portion tries to restore its original shape. The tip of the spring portion comes into contact with the abutting surface before the spring portion attempts to completely restore its original shape, thereby preventing the holder from coming off from the at least one end portion of the winding mechanism. . In addition, since the tip of the spring portion contacts the surface of the inner peripheral surface of the holder that extends further to the rear side than the contact surface, there is no rattling between the winding mechanism and the holder. Suppressed.

A fourth aspect is the tonneau cover device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the winding mechanism can accommodate the winding shaft and the tonneau cover wound on the winding shaft. The casing includes a cover opening that allows the tonneau cover to be pulled out and wound up along the longitudinal direction of the casing, and the biasing member is provided for the winding mechanism. In the tonneau cover device, the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end portion is provided so as to avoid the cover opening.

According to the fourth aspect, the biasing member does not close the end of the cover opening at the end of the winding mechanism. Therefore, the entire cover opening can be used as an opening for pulling out and winding up the tonneau cover, and the area where the tonneau cover spreads can be increased with respect to the length of the tonneau cover device.

The above description is an example in all aspects, and the present invention is not limited thereto. It is understood that numerous variations not illustrated can be envisioned without departing from the scope of the invention.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-175404 filed on October 27, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

10 Vehicle 20 Tonneau cover device 22 Tonneau cover 32

Winding shafts

40, 140 Winding mechanism 42 Casing 43

Cover openings

60, 160 Holder 66 Locking groove 67 Step forming surface

67a Contact surface

67b Protruding surface 67c Surfaces 70, 170 Biasing member 72 Base portion 76 First spring portion 78 Second spring portion 178 Spring portion

Claims

A tonneau cover that covers the luggage compartment of the vehicle,
a winding shaft to which the base end of the tonneau cover is attached;
a winding mechanism that rotatably supports both ends of the winding shaft in a state in which the winding shaft is urged in the winding direction of the tonneau cover so that the tonneau cover can be wound and pulled out;
a holder attached to at least one end of the winding mechanism so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction thereof and biased outward in the longitudinal direction of the winding mechanism;
a biasing member interposed between the inner peripheral surface of the holder and the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism, and biasing the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface in directions away from each other; ,
Tonneau cover device.
The tonneau cover device according to claim 1,
the biasing member includes a spring portion having a base end supported at a fixed position on the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism;
The tonneau cover device, wherein the spring portion is formed in a shape that separates from the outer peripheral surface toward the longitudinal center of the winding mechanism from the base end.
The tonneau cover device according to claim 2,
the inner peripheral surface of the holder includes a stepped surface having a contact surface and a projecting surface;
The contact surface is a surface positioned between the back of the holder and the opening and facing the back,
The tonneau cover device, wherein the projecting surface is a surface that extends further toward the opening than the contact surface and projects further toward the outer peripheral surface than the surface that extends toward the back side of the contact surface.
The tonneau cover device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The winding mechanism includes a cylindrical casing capable of accommodating the winding shaft and the tonneau cover wound on the winding shaft,
The casing is formed with a cover opening along the longitudinal direction of the casing that allows the tonneau cover to be pulled out and wound up,
The tonneau cover device, wherein the biasing member is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the at least one end of the winding mechanism so as to avoid the cover opening.