WO2024101448A1

WO2024101448A1 - Device for winding up sheet-like member

Info

Publication number: WO2024101448A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/040542
Authority: WO
Inventors: 敦司下平
Original assignee: 芦森工業株式会社
Priority date: 2022-11-10
Filing date: 2023-11-10
Publication date: 2024-05-16
Also published as: JP2024069833A

Abstract

Provided is a device for winding up a sheet-like member, the device comprising a first rotation support member (43), a slide member (60), and a coil spring (50). The coil spring (50) has a hook (54). The first rotation support member (43) and/or the slide member (60) to which an end of the coil spring (50) is attached has a hook support part (70) on which a groove (71) is formed. The groove (71) has an insertion part (76) provided with an end opening (77) into which the hook (54) can be inserted along the axial direction of the coil spring (50), and a holding part (78) that holds the hook (54). The insertion part (76) and the holding part (78) are provided at positions spaced apart from each other along the axial direction of the coil spring (50) and spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction of a coil part (51), and the portion of the groove (71) between the insertion part (76) and the holding part (78) is continuous so that the hook (54) can slide from the end opening (77) to the holding part (78).

Description

Sheet-like material winding device

This disclosure relates to a winding device for sheet-like materials.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle seat winding device in which a coil spring rotatably biases a winding shaft in the direction in which the seat is wound up. In the coil spring of this vehicle seat winding device, the leg on the end of the coil extends from the coil outward in the longitudinal direction of the coil spring. Furthermore, the leg on the end of the coil is folded back toward the center of the coil, and its tip is formed in a shape that extends to about the central axis of the coil. The legs on both sides of the coil are assembled to spring holding parts provided on the fixed shaft and the support member, respectively, so as to extend along the longitudinal direction of the coil spring. In this case, the legs are attached by inserting them into connecting holes formed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fixed shaft or support member.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-083891

In the vehicle seat retractor described in Patent Document 1, the connection holes of the fixed shaft and support member are formed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the spring holding part, so when inserting the legs into the connection holes of the spring holding part, the tips of the legs must be bent outward from the outer periphery of the spring holding part, making assembly difficult.

The present disclosure therefore aims to make it possible to easily assemble the ends of a coil spring in a winding device for a sheet-like material.

In order to solve the above problem, a winding device for a sheet-like member includes a sheet-like member, a hollow winding shaft to which one end of the sheet-like member is attached, a first rotating support member having a first support portion that supports one end of the winding shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft, and a second rotating support member having a second support portion that supports the other end of the winding shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft, a case capable of storing the sheet-like member, a slide member that is disposed inside the winding shaft and engages with the winding shaft so as not to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft and so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft, a coil portion that is disposed inside the winding shaft and is expandable and contractable along the longitudinal direction, a first attachment portion that is continuous with one end of the coil portion and attached to the first support portion, and a second attachment portion that is continuous with the other end of the coil portion and attached to a support portion formed on the slide member. and a coil spring biasing the winding shaft in the winding direction of the sheet-like member, at least one of the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion has a hook that extends inward from the coil portion in a direction intersecting the axial direction when observed along the axial direction of the coil portion, at least one of the first support portion and the support portion has a hook support portion having a groove formed therein for holding the hook, the groove having an insertion portion into which the hook can be inserted along the axial direction and a holding portion for holding the hook, the insertion portion and the holding portion are provided at positions separated from each other along the axial direction and at positions separated from each other along the circumferential direction of the coil portion, and the portion of the groove between the insertion portion and the holding portion is continuous so that the hook can slide from the insertion portion to the holding portion.

This sheet-like member winding device allows the ends of the coil spring to be easily assembled.

1 is a diagram showing a sheet-like material winding device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a tonneau cover device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a tonneau cover device. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the tonneau cover device. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3. 4 is an exploded plan view showing a first rotation support member, a slide member, and a coil spring. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the hook is assembled to the hook support portion. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the hook is assembled to the hook support portion. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the hook is assembled to the hook support portion. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the hook is assembled to the hook support portion. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the hook support portion.

The following describes a winding device for a sheet-like material according to an embodiment. The winding device is a device that winds up a sheet-like material in a vehicle.

<Application Examples>
An application example of the winding device will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the winding device is applied to a vehicle 10. In this embodiment, an example in which the winding device is a tonneau cover device 20 will be described. The tonneau cover device 20 is provided in a vehicle 10 having a luggage compartment 11 at the rear. The luggage compartment 11 extends behind a backrest portion 17 of a seat 16. The seat 16 is, for example, a rear seat in the second or third row from the front among the seats provided in the vehicle. The luggage compartment 11 is located behind the backrest portion 17 on the floor 12 and between both side walls 13. A window 13w is provided in the side wall 13. A roof 14 is provided above the luggage compartment 11. The rear of the luggage compartment 11 is open, and the opening is opened and closed by a back door 15.

The tonneau cover device 20 is incorporated into the luggage compartment 11 as described above. The tonneau cover device 20 is disposed in a position that covers from above items placed on the floor 12 of the luggage compartment 11. For example, the tonneau cover device 20 is disposed in a position above the floor 12, below the window 13w, and extends horizontally.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, each of the side walls 13 has a first recess 18 and a second recess 19. The first recess 18 is provided at an upper rear position of the backrest portion 17. The second recess 19 is provided at a position spaced rearward from the first recess 18. The first recess 18 and the second recess 19 are formed in a concave shape that opens upward and toward the center in the vehicle width direction.

With the winding support device 30 of the tonneau cover device 20 extending along the vehicle width direction, both ends of the winding support device 30 are held in a pair of first recesses 18. The tonneau cover 22 is pulled out from the winding support device 30, and both ends of the stays 28 provided at the tip of the sheet-like portion 23 of the tonneau cover 22 are held in a pair of second recesses 19. As a result, the tonneau cover 22 is pulled rearward from the winding support device 30 and is kept in a state in which it covers the luggage compartment 11 from above. The winding support device 30 can wind up the tonneau cover 22 that covers the luggage compartment 11 from above. As the tonneau cover 22 is wound up by the winding support device 30, a storage space that extends continuously vertically is formed within the luggage compartment 11.

The sheet-like material that is the object of winding by the winding support device 30 is a thin material that can be deformed so that it can be wound around the winding shaft 32 and can be expanded in a plane. In this embodiment, a part or all of the tonneau cover 22 is a sheet-like material. It is not essential that the object of winding by the winding support device 30 is the tonneau cover 22. For example, the winding support device may be a device that winds up a shade that covers a side window or rear window in a vehicle. In this case, the winding support device may be disposed along the lower edge or lateral edge of the side window, or the lower edge of the rear window. In other words, the winding device may be a device that winds up a shade.

<Overall composition>
The overall configuration of the tonneau cover device 20 will now be described. Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the tonneau cover device 20. Figure 2 shows the tonneau cover 22 in an unfolded state, and Figure 3 shows the tonneau cover 22 in a stored state. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the tonneau cover device 20. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 3.

The tonneau cover device 20 comprises 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 23 that can be unfolded into a flat surface and can be deformed for rolling up. The sheet-like portion 23 is made of a flexible sheet formed from a resin sheet, a woven cloth, or the like. This sheet-like portion 23 is the portion that corresponds to the sheet-like member that is rolled up by the roll-up support device 30.

The base end of the sheet-like portion 23 is connected to the winding support device 30. A stay 28 is fixed to the tip of the sheet-like portion 23 so as to extend along the vehicle width direction. Both ends of the stay 28 protrude outward from the sheet-like portion 23 in the vehicle width direction. Both ends of the stay 28 are fitted into and held in the second recess 19.

The tonneau cover 22 includes a plate-like portion 24 that is more rigid than the sheet-like portion 23. The plate-like portion 24 is located on the pull-out side of the stay 28. The plate-like portion 24 is realized, for example, by layering a resin plate, a metal plate, or a wooden plate on a flexible sheet.

When both ends of the stay 28 are held in the pair of second recesses 19, the sheet-like portion 23 is pulled in the front-rear direction between the winding support device 30 and the stay 28, and is thereby kept deployed in a horizontal state. The plate-like portion 24 is kept in a state extending horizontally from the stay 28 toward the rear of the vehicle 10 due to its own rigidity. The state in which both ends of the stay 28 are held in the pair of second recesses 19 and the sheet-like portion 23 is pulled out from the winding support device 30 is referred to as the "standard deployment state." The plate-like portion 24 may be omitted, and the sheet-like portion 23 is pulled out by the user grabbing the plate-like portion 24 or the stay 28 with their hands.

The winding support device 30 comprises a winding shaft 32, a case 40, a coil spring 50, and a sliding member 60. The winding shaft 32 is rotatably supported by the case 40, and is biased in the winding direction by the coil spring 50, the sliding member 60, etc.

The winding shaft 32 is a hollow, elongated member, and includes, for example, a cylindrical member made of metal or the like. The base end of the sheet-like portion 23 is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the winding shaft 32 along its longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the winding shaft 32 rotates in the direction in which the sheet-like portion 23 is wound, the sheet-like portion 23 is wound onto the winding shaft 32.

The case 40 includes a case body 41, a first rotating support member 43, and a second rotating support member 46, and is configured to be able to store the sheet-like portion 23.

The case body 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape capable of storing the winding shaft 32 and the sheet-like portion 23 wound around the winding shaft 32. The case body 41 has a sheet-like portion opening 42 formed along the longitudinal direction of the case body 41, which allows the sheet-like portion 23 to be pulled out and wound up. The case body 41 is formed, for example, from a metal such as aluminum, or from a resin.

The first rotating support member 43 is attached to one end of the case body 41. The first rotating support member 43 supports one end of the winding shaft 32 so that it can rotate relative to the case body 41. The first rotating support member 43 has a support body 44 and a first support portion 45. The support body 44 is attached to a fixed position at one end of the case body 41 so as to be fitted into the opening on one end side of the case body 41. For example, when the support body 44 is fitted into the opening on one end side of the case body 41, a screw S is screwed into the case body 41 and its tip is fitted into the fixing hole of the support body 44, so that the support body 44 is fixed to one end of the case body 41 in a non-removable state. The first support portion 45 is protruded from the surface of the support body 44 that faces the longitudinal center of the case body 41. The first support portion 45 is formed in a cylindrical shape that protrudes toward the longitudinal center of the case body 41 along the longitudinal direction of the case body 41. The first rotation support member 43 is, for example, a resin molded part.

The second rotating support member 46 is attached to the other end of the case body 41. The second rotating support member 46 supports the other end of the winding shaft 32 so that it can rotate relative to the case body 41. The second rotating support member 46 has a support body 47 and a second support portion 48. The support body 47 is attached to a certain position on the other end of the case body 41 so as to be fitted into the opening on the other end side of the case body 41. For example, when the support body 47 is fitted into the opening on the other end side of the case body 41, a screw S is screwed into the case body 41 and its tip is fitted into the fixing hole of the support body 47, so that the support body 47 is fixed to the other end of the case body 41 in a state in which it is prevented from coming out. The second support portion 48 is protruding from the surface of the support body 47 facing the longitudinal center of the case body 41. The second support portion 48 is formed in a conical shape that protrudes toward the longitudinal center of the case body 41 along the longitudinal direction of the case body 41. The second rotation support member 46 is, for example, a resin molded part.

When the winding shaft 32 is disposed within the case body 41, one end of the winding shaft 32 is rotatably supported by the first rotating support member 43 at one end of the case body 41. In the same state, the other end of the winding shaft 32 is rotatably supported by the second rotating support member 46 at the other end of the case body 41. This allows the winding shaft 32 to be rotatably supported within the case body 41. Looking at the first rotating support member 43 and the second rotating support member 46, they are attached to the case body 41 so as not to rotate relative to each other, and do not rotate when the winding shaft 32 rotates.

In this embodiment, the tonneau cover device 20 includes a holder 80 and a holder biasing member 82.

The holder 80 is a member made of resin or the like, and is configured to be fitted onto the end of the case 40. More specifically, the holder 80 is a cylindrical member with one end open and the other end closed. The holder 80 is attached to the end of the case 40 so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the case 40, covering the outer peripheral surface of the end of the case 40.

A holder biasing member 82 is disposed between the outward end face of the case 40 and the closed end at the rear side inside the holder 80. The holder biasing member 82 is, for example, a coil spring. The holder 80 is biased outward in the longitudinal direction of the case 40 by the elastic force of the holder biasing member 82 as it tries to return to its original shape from a compressed state.

When the holders 80 at both ends of the winding support device 30 are supported by a pair of first recesses 18, the holder biasing members 82 are compressed. In this case, the elastic force of the holder biasing members 82 causes the outward surface of the holder 80 to press against the first recesses 18. This prevents the winding support device 30 from rattling within the first recesses 18.

The holder 80 and the holder biasing member 82 may be provided at both ends of the case 40, or only at one end, or may be omitted.

<Configuration for biasing the winding shaft in the winding direction>
1 to 5, and further referring to Fig. 6, a configuration for biasing the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction will be described. Fig. 6 is an exploded plan view showing the first rotation support member 43, the sliding member 60, and the coil spring 50.

As shown in FIG. 4, the winding shaft 32 has a hollow shaft body 33. A coil spring 50 and a slide member 60 are disposed inside the shaft body 33. A fitting groove 34 is formed inside the shaft body 33 along its entire longitudinal direction. The fitting groove 34 is provided to prevent the winding shaft 32 and the slide member 60 from rotating relative to each other.

The coil spring 50 biases the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction of the sheet-like portion 23. The coil spring 50 can expand and contract along its own axial direction, and can store force by torsionally deforming in one direction to bias in the direction of returning the torsion deformation. The coil spring 50 includes a coil portion 51, a first mounting portion 52, and a second mounting portion 53. The axial direction of the coil portion 51 is along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft 32. The coil portion 51 is disposed inside the winding shaft 32 and can expand and contract along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft 32. The first mounting portion 52 is continuous with one end of the coil portion 51. The first mounting portion 52 is attached to the first support portion 45 of the first rotating support member 43. The second mounting portion 53 is continuous with the other end of the coil portion 51. The second mounting portion 53 is attached to the support portion 63 of the slide member 60. In addition, in Figures 4 and 5, the middle part of the coil part 51 extending in the axial direction is partially omitted and shown by a virtual line, but the middle part of the coil part 51 shown by the virtual line also has a coil shape. The same is true in each of the figures from Figure 6 onwards.

As shown in FIG. 6, the slide member 60 engages with the winding shaft 32 so as to be unable to rotate relative to the winding shaft 32 and to be able to slide along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft 32. The slide member 60 rotates together with the winding shaft 32 when the winding shaft 32 rotates relative to the case body 41. The slide member 60 slides within the winding shaft 32 along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft 32 as the coil spring 50 expands and contracts. The slide member 60 is a member formed from resin or metal, and has a rotation stopper 61 and a support portion 63.

The rotation stop portion 61 is a columnar portion that can be positioned inside the winding shaft 32. The rotation stop portion 61 has rotation stop protrusions 62 formed on its outer periphery that can fit into the fitting grooves 34. The rotation stop protrusions 62 are formed on the outer periphery of the rotation stop portion 61 in the same positions as the fitting grooves 34 and in the same number as the fitting grooves 34. The rotation stop protrusions 62 are formed in the same shape as the fitting grooves 34, in this case a long, thin protrusion with a continuing triangular shape.

When each rotation stop protrusion 62 is fitted into each fitting groove 34, the slide member 60 can slide inside the winding shaft 32 while being prevented from rotating. Note that at least one rotation stop protrusion 62 and one fitting groove 34 are required. A protrusion may be formed in the shaft body along its longitudinal direction, and a fitting groove into which the protrusion fits may be formed on the slide member side.

In this embodiment, multiple (e.g., 10 to 30) engagement grooves 34 are formed at intervals along the circumferential direction of the winding shaft 32. Even when multiple engagement grooves 34 are present, in this embodiment, bearing members 36 are provided at one end and the other end of the winding shaft 32 to facilitate smooth rotation of the winding shaft 32 relative to the first support portion 45 and the second support portion 48. The bearing members 36 are cylindrical members made of resin or the like. The bearing members 36 may be omitted.

The first support portion 45 and the second support portion 48 are each rotatably inserted into the bearing member 36. In other words, the bearing member 36 is interposed between the first support portion 45 and the end opening of the winding shaft 32, and between the second support portion 48 and the end opening of the winding shaft 32. The rotation of the bearing member 36 relative to the first support portion 45 and the second support portion 48 allows the winding shaft 32 to rotate relative to the case 40.

The support portion 63 protrudes toward the first support portion 45 relative to the rotation stop portion 61. The support portion 63 is thinner than the rotation stop portion 61.

The first mounting portion 52 is attached to the first support portion 45, so that one end of the coil spring 50 is attached to the first support portion 45 in a rotation-prevented state. The second mounting portion 53 is attached to the support portion 63, so that the other end of the coil spring 50 is attached to the slide member 60 in a rotation-prevented state. Therefore, when the coil spring 50 is disposed inside the winding shaft 32, both ends of the coil spring 50 are attached to the first support portion 45 and the support portion 63 in a rotation-prevented state. The first support portion 45 rotatably supports the winding shaft 32 without rotating relative to the case body 41. The support portion 63 rotates relative to the case body 41 without rotating relative to the winding shaft 32. Therefore, when the winding shaft 32 rotates relative to the case body 41, the coil portion 51 is twisted and deformed by the second mounting portion 53 rotating together with the winding shaft 32 relative to the case body 41 while the first mounting portion 52 is stopped from rotating together with the case body 41. This torsional deformation causes the coil portion 51 to bias the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction and expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft 32.

More specifically, a restoring force that tries to eliminate the torsional deformation is generated in the torsionally deformed coil portion 51. This restoring force acts on the slide member 60 and the winding shaft 32 as a torque around the axis of the winding shaft 32. The winding shaft 32 and the coil spring 50 are set so that the torsional deformation of the coil portion 51 increases when the winding shaft 32 rotates in the pull-out direction, so the coil portion 51 tries to rotate the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction to eliminate the torsional deformation. As a result, the torque urges the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction. The torsionally deformed coil portion 51 also changes the number of turns of the coil portion 51. When the coil portion 51 is torsionally deformed to increase the number of turns, it expands in the axial direction, and when the coil portion 51 is torsionally deformed to decrease the number of turns, it contracts in the axial direction.

Here, the state in which the sheet-like portion 23 is wound around the winding shaft 32 until the stay 28 contacts the case body 41 around the sheet-like portion opening 42 is referred to as the "storage reference state." In the storage reference state, the coil portion 51 is twisted between the winding shaft 32 and the first support portion 45, and it is preferable that the coil portion 51 biases the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction of the sheet-like portion 23 due to a restoring force that tries to eliminate the twisting deformation. In other words, it is preferable that the coil portion 51 is in a pre-twisted state so that the winding shaft 32 is biased in the winding direction when the winding shaft 32 has wound up the sheet-like portion 23.

In this embodiment, the relationship between the direction of rotation of the winding shaft 32 and the direction of torsional deformation of the coil portion 51 is set as follows. That is, when the winding shaft 32 rotates in the pull-out direction, the coil portion 51 is torsionally deformed so that the number of turns increases, and it extends in the axial direction. Also, when the winding shaft 32 rotates in the winding direction, the coil portion 51 is torsionally deformed so that the number of turns decreases, and it shortens in the axial direction. Therefore, in the standard storage state, it is preferable that the coil portion 51 is in a state in which it is torsionally deformed in advance so that the number of turns is increased compared to the natural state, so that the winding shaft 32 is biased in the winding direction.

At least one of the first mounting portion 52 and the second mounting portion 53 has a hook. At least one of the first support portion 45 and the support portion 63 (the one corresponding to the mounting portion having the hook) has a hook support portion 70. In this embodiment, both the first mounting portion 52 and the second mounting portion 53 have hooks, and both the first support portion 45 and the support portion 63 have hook support portions 70. In other words, the mounting mode using the hook and the hook support portion 70 is adopted in both the first set of the first mounting portion 52 and the first support portion 45 and the second set of the second mounting portion 53 and the second support portion 48. The mounting mode using the hook and the hook support portion 70 may be adopted only in the first set of the first set and the second set, or may be adopted only in the second set. The set in which the mounting mode using the hook and the hook support portion 70 is not adopted may be attached by inserting the hook into the fixing hole, for example.

<About the hook and hook support>
The hook and the hook support portion 70 will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 7 to 10 in addition to Figs. 1 to 6. Figs. 7 to 10 are explanatory diagrams showing the state in which the hook 54 is assembled to the hook support portion 70. Figs. 7 to 9 are perspective views along the same direction. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in Fig. 6. Figs. 7 to 10 show an example of the hook support portion 70 of the slide member 60. The hook support portion 70 of the first rotation support member 43 may have the same configuration as the hook support portion 70 of the slide member 60, as long as no contradiction occurs.

10, when observed along the axial direction of the coil portion 51, the hook 54 extends inwardly of the coil portion 51 in a direction intersecting the axial direction. The hook 54 may be continuous with the end of the coil portion 51, or may be connected to the coil portion 51 via a connecting portion extending in the axial direction from the end of the coil portion 51. In this embodiment, the hook 54 is continuous with the end of the coil portion 51. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the hook 54 extends from the end of the coil portion 51 toward the radial center of the coil portion 51. The tip of the hook 54 is closer to the center of the coil portion 51 than the outer periphery of the coil portion 51. Here, the tip of the hook 54 is located approximately at the center of the coil portion 51.

In this embodiment, the hook support portion 70 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction of the coil portion 51. A groove 71 for holding the hook 54 is formed on the outer periphery of the hook support portion 70. A bottom 72 of the groove 71 is located inside the outer periphery of the hook support portion 70, and an upper opening 73 on the opposite side of the bottom 72 of the groove 71 opens to the outer periphery of the hook support portion 70. The concave direction of the groove 71 (direction from the upper opening 73 toward the bottom 72) corresponds to the extension direction of the hook 54 relative to the coil portion 51 inside the coil portion 51. Here, the hook 54 extends from the end of the coil portion 51 toward the radial center of the coil portion 51, so the groove 71 is concave from the outer periphery of the hook support portion 70 toward the radial center.

The groove 71 has an insertion portion 76 and a retaining portion 78. The insertion portion 76 is provided with an end opening 77. The end opening 77 is an opening into which the hook 54 can be inserted along the axial direction. In other words, the groove 71 extends to the tip surface of the hook support portion 70, and the end opening 77 is formed on the tip surface. The retaining portion 78 is a portion that retains the hook 54. When assembled as the tonneau cover device 20, the hook 54 is basically located in the retaining portion 78. The insertion portion 76 and the retaining portion 78 are provided at positions separated from each other along the axial direction and at positions separated from each other along the circumferential direction of the coil portion 51. The portion of the groove 71 between the insertion portion 76 and the retaining portion 78 is continuous so that the hook 54 can slide from the end opening 77 to the retaining portion 78.

In this embodiment, the groove 71 includes a first groove 74 and a second groove 75. The first groove 74 extends parallel to the axial direction from the end opening 77. The second groove 75 extends circumferentially from the end of the first groove 74 opposite the end opening 77 to the retaining portion 78. As shown in FIG. 7, the hook 54 moves in the direction of the arrow A1 along the axial direction of the coil portion 51 and is inserted from the end opening 77 into the first groove 74. The hook 54 inserted into the first groove 74 moves in the direction of the arrow A1 and slides along the first groove 74. As a result, the hook 54 reaches the end of the first groove 74 opposite the end opening 77. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the hook 54 moves in the direction of the arrow A2 along the circumferential direction of the coil portion 51 and is inserted into the second groove 75 and slides along the second groove 75. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the hook 54 reaches the end of the second groove 75 opposite the first groove 74 and is held by the holding portion 78.

As shown in FIG. 10, the hook 54 curves from the end of the coil portion 51 toward the radial center of the coil portion 51. The tip of the hook 54 extends along the radial direction of the coil portion 51. The base end of the hook 54 curves from a state extending in the tangential direction of the coil portion 51 to a state extending in the radial direction. In accordance with the curvature of the base end of the hook 54, the height dimension from the bottom 72 of the groove 71 of one side wall 74a of the first groove 74 is lower than the height dimension of the other side wall 74b.

As shown by the solid lines in FIG. 10, when the hook 54 is positioned in the first groove 74, the second groove 75 is formed on the side of the first groove 74 where the curved portion of the base end of the hook 54 is positioned. In this state, the coil spring 50 rotates in the direction of arrow A2, causing the hook 54 to slide along the second groove 75 and be held by the holding portion 78. As shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 10, when the hook 54 is held by the holding portion 78, the terminal wall portion 75a located at the terminal end of the second groove 75 is sandwiched between the hook 54 and the coil portion 51.

When the hook 54 connected to the end of the coil portion 51 is positioned in the holding portion 78, the portion of the hook support portion 70 closer to the insertion portion 76 than the holding portion 78 is positioned inside the coil portion 51. In this embodiment, when the hook 54 inserted into the groove 71 from the end opening 77 slides along the groove 71 toward the holding portion 78 in the direction of arrow A1, the hook support portion 70 is inserted into the coil portion 51 from the tip. In other words, the portion of the hook support portion 70 in the first groove 74 through which the hook 54 has passed is inserted into the coil portion 51.

As described above, the coil portion 51 generates a restoring force along the circumferential direction to bias the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction. The restoring force of the coil portion 51 biases the hook 54 in the circumferential direction from the insertion portion 76 toward the holding portion 78. In this embodiment, in the storage reference state, the deployment reference state, and any state between them, the coil spring 50 biases the winding shaft 32 in the winding direction, and the coil portion 51 is in a state of twisted deformation so that the number of turns increases. Therefore, the coil portion 51 tries to restore in a direction that decreases the number of turns. The direction of the arrow A2 in Figure 10 is the direction in which the number of turns of the coil portion 51 decreases when the coil portion 51 is twisted in the direction of the arrow A2. In the storage reference state, the deployment reference state, and any state between them, the coil portion 51 is in a state of twisted deformation in the opposite direction to the direction of the arrow A2. Therefore, a torque in the direction of arrow A2 is generated in the hook 54 due to the restoring force of the coil portion 51, and this torque urges the hook 54 toward the terminal wall portion 75a of the second groove 75. Therefore, while the hook 54 is positioned in the retaining portion 78, it is prevented from sliding along the second groove 75 toward the first groove 74.

As shown in FIG. 6, the second groove 75 of the first support portion 45 and the second groove 75 of the support portion 63 are set in opposite directions to each other with respect to the first groove 74. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the second groove 75 of the first support portion 45 extends from the first groove 74 to the upper side of the paper, and the second groove 75 of the hook support portion 70 of the support portion 63 extends from the first groove 74 to the lower side of the paper. As a result, the hooks 54 on both sides of the coil portion 51 are biased in the circumferential direction in the opposite direction to the direction of coming out of the retaining portion 78 by the restoring force of the coil portion 51. In addition, by rotating the first rotating support member 43 and the slide member 60 relative to each other in opposite directions with the hooks 54 on both ends of the coil spring 50 held in the second groove 75 of the first support portion 45 and the second groove 75 of the support portion 63, respectively, the coil portion 51 can be easily given a twisting deformation in the storage reference state. To explain this using Figure 10, when the slide member 60 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow A2 while the hook 54 is in the imaginary line state in Figure 10, a torque in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow A2 is applied from the end wall portion 75a to the hook 54, and this torque can impart a twisting deformation to the coil portion 51 in the standard storage state.

In a state in which the movement of the stay 28 is restricted, such as in the stored reference state or the deployed reference state, the biasing force in the winding direction is supported by the stay 28, and the rotation of the winding shaft 32 and the slide member 60 is restricted. At this time, even if the hook 54 receives torque in the direction of arrow A2 and pushes the end wall portion 75a of the slide member 60 in the direction of arrow A2, the end wall portion 75a supports this and the slide member 60 does not rotate. By releasing the restriction on the movement of the stay 28, the restriction on the rotation of the winding shaft 32 and the slide member 60 is also released. At this time, the hook 54 receives torque in the direction of arrow A2 and pushes the end wall portion 75a of the slide member 60, causing the slide member 60 and the winding shaft 32 to rotate in the winding direction.

The holding portion 78 has an engagement protrusion 79. The engagement protrusion 79 engages with the hook 54 in the circumferential direction to maintain the holding state of the hook 54. The engagement protrusion 79 protrudes from the side wall of the second groove 75 toward the second groove 75. The width dimension of the second groove 75 at the portion where the engagement protrusion 79 is provided is smaller than the width dimension of the second groove 75 before and after it and the diameter of the hook 54. When the hook 54 slides along the second groove 75, it comes into contact with the engagement protrusion 79. At this time, at least one of the hook 54 and the hook support portion 70 is elastically deformed, so that the hook 54 can pass through the engagement protrusion 79 and fit into the holding portion 78. After the hook 54 passes through the engagement protrusion 79, the elastically deformed portion is restored. As a result, when the hook 54 that fits into the holding portion 78 tries to slide the second groove 75 toward the first groove 74, the sliding is restricted by contact with the engagement protrusion 79. As a result, the hook 54 is maintained in the holding portion 78.

The engagement protrusion 79 is provided away from the end wall portion 75a of the second groove 75. Here, the engagement protrusion 79 is provided so as to protrude into the second groove 75 from the end of the portion forming the side wall 74a of the first groove 74. The space on the end wall portion 75a side of the engagement protrusion 79 is the accommodation space for the hook 54 in the retaining portion 78. The accommodation space may be smaller than the hook 54, or the hook 54 may be press-fitted into the accommodation space. In this case, the frictional force between the hook 54 and the retaining portion 78 is increased, making the hook 54 less likely to rattle within the accommodation space and less likely to come out of the upper opening 73 of the groove 71.

The portion of the engagement protrusion 79 on the first groove 74 side in the circumferential direction is formed as an inclined surface. This inclined surface is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the coil portion 51. By providing the inclined surface, the width dimension of the second groove 75 in the portion where the engagement protrusion 79 is provided gradually increases from the first groove 74 side toward the second groove 75 side. This inclined surface serves as a guide surface that can guide the hook 54 toward the holding portion 78.

The coil spring 50 is covered with a rubber tube 66. The rubber tube 66 is disposed between the coil spring 50 and the winding shaft 32, thereby suppressing the generation of rattling noise caused by contact between the coil spring 50 and the winding shaft 32. The rubber tube 66 may be arranged to rotate together with the winding shaft 32 and the sliding member 60, or may be arranged together with the first rotation support member 43 so as to be non-rotatable relative to the winding shaft 32.

6, in the support part 63, between the hook support part 70 and the rotation stop part 61, a connecting part having a diameter larger than that of the hook support part 70 and a diameter smaller than that of the rotation stop part 61 is provided. The connecting part has a continuous part with a constant diameter. The diameter of the connecting part may be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the coil spring 50. The end of the rubber tube 66 may be covered on the connecting part. Similarly, in the first support part 45, between the hook support part 70 and the main body of the first support part 45 (the part covered by the bearing member 36), a connecting part having a diameter larger than that of the hook support part 70 and a diameter smaller than that of the main body of the first support part 45 is provided. The connecting part of the first support part 45 gradually expands in diameter from the hook support part 70 toward the main body of the first support part 45. The part of the connecting part of the first support part 45 on the main body side of the first support part 45 has a larger diameter than the connecting part of the support part 63.

<Effects, etc.>
With the tonneau cover device 20 configured as described above, the hook 54 of the coil spring 50 is inserted axially into the groove 71 of the hook support part 70 from the end opening 77 of the insertion part 76, and then slid along the groove 71 to the retaining part 78, thereby being assembled to the hook support part 70. This makes it possible to omit the task of bending the hook 54 outward from the hook support part 70, and the end of the coil spring 50 can be easily assembled.

The hook 54 is also biased in the circumferential direction from the insertion portion 76 toward the holding portion 78 by the restoring force of the coil portion 51. This prevents the hook 54 from moving along the groove 71 from the holding portion 78 toward the insertion portion 76 by using the restoring force for biasing the winding shaft 32, making it easier to keep the position of the hook 54 constant in the holding portion 78.

Furthermore, the holding portion 78 has an engagement protrusion 79 that circumferentially engages with the hook 54 to maintain the holding state of the hook 54. As a result, the engagement protrusion 79 prevents the hook 54 from moving along the groove 71 from the holding portion 78 toward the insertion portion 76, and the position of the hook 54 in the holding portion 78 is easily maintained constant. Since the engagement protrusion 79 circumferentially engages with the hook 54, the coil spring 50 having the hook 54 and the first support portion 45 or support portion 63 having the engagement protrusion 79 can be engaged by relative rotation. Therefore, even when the engagement protrusion 79 is provided, the end of the coil spring 50 can be easily assembled. Furthermore, the worker can easily grasp the completion of assembly of the end of the coil spring 50 by getting the feeling that the hook 54 has passed the engagement protrusion 79.

Furthermore, the engagement protrusion 79 can restrict the hook 54 from moving along the groove 71 from the holding portion 78 toward the insertion portion 76 even when no restoring force is generated in the coil spring 50. As a result, when assembling the tonneau cover device 20, the coil spring 50, the slide member 60, and the first rotation support member 43 can be easily handled as a unit even when no restoring force is generated in the coil spring 50, and the assembly work of the tonneau cover device 20 becomes easier. Specifically, in the assembly work of the tonneau cover device 20, the slide member 60 and the coil spring 50 are inserted into the winding shaft 32 from the end opening 77 of the winding shaft 32 with the hook 54 of the second mounting portion 53 assembled to the holding portion 78 of the slide member 60. At this time, in order to insert the slide member 60 into the winding shaft 32 when a restoring force is generated in the coil spring 50, it is necessary to work in a twisted state of the coil spring 50, which is troublesome. On the other hand, when the slide member 60 is inserted into the winding shaft 32 with no restoring force being generated in the coil spring 50, it is difficult to use the restoring force to restrict the movement of the hook 54 along the groove 71 from the holding portion 78 toward the insertion portion 76. Even in such a case, the engagement protrusion 79 can restrict the movement of the hook 54 along the groove 71 from the holding portion 78 toward the insertion portion 76, making it easier to insert the slide member 60 and the coil spring 50 into the winding shaft 32.

The groove 71 also includes a first groove 74 extending parallel to the axial direction of the coil spring 50 from the end opening 77, and a second groove 75 extending circumferentially from the end of the first groove 74 opposite the end opening 77 to the retaining portion 78. As a result, the hook 54 of the coil spring 50 is inserted axially from the end opening 77 of the insertion portion 76, and is assembled by sliding further in the axial direction of the coil spring 50 along the first groove 74, and then sliding circumferentially along the second groove 75. At this time, the wall of the second groove 75 can firmly receive the force applied in the axial direction from the hook 54 to the hook support portion 70 when the coil spring 50 expands and contracts in the axial direction, making it difficult for the hook 54 to come off the retaining portion 78.

In addition, the hook 54 is continuous with the end of the coil portion 51, and the portion of the hook support portion 70 closer to the insertion portion 76 than the holding portion 78 is located inside the coil portion 51. As a result, when the hook 54 slides along the groove 71 and when it is held by the holding portion 78, if the hook 54 tries to come out of the upper opening 73 of the groove 71, the tip side portion of the hook support portion 70 interferes with the coil portion 51, preventing the hook 54 from coming out.

Here, when assembling by deforming the leg tip of the coil spring so as to bend it radially outward as in Patent Document 1, it is easier to deform the leg tip so as to bend it radially outward if there is an axially extending connecting portion between the end of the coil portion and the leg tip. In contrast, when assembling by sliding the hook 54 along the groove 71 from the end opening 77 of the insertion portion 76 as in the present disclosure, by connecting the hook 54 to the end of the coil portion 51, even if the hook 54 tries to come out of the upper opening 73 of the groove 71 when sliding along the groove 71, the tip of the hook support portion 70 interferes with the coil portion 51, suppressing the coming out and making it easier to slide. Furthermore, when an engagement protrusion 79 is provided in the second groove 75, the hook 54 receives a force from the engagement protrusion 79 when it passes over the engagement protrusion 79. Even in this case, since there is no axially extending connecting portion between the hook 54 and the coil portion 51, the mounting portion including the hook 54 is less likely to be deformed in an unintended direction by the force received from the engagement protrusion 79.

Furthermore, in the case of the configuration in which the end of the coil spring 50 is assembled by inserting the leg of the coil spring into the connecting hole as in the above Patent Document 1, if there is a gap between the leg and the connecting hole, there is a risk that the leg will rise in the direction of coming out of the connecting hole during operation of the coil spring 50. If the leg comes out of the connecting hole, the leg may come into contact with the inner surface of the winding shaft 32, causing an abnormal noise. In order to prevent such a situation, if the size of the leg and the connecting hole are designed so that there is no gap between the leg and the connecting hole and they strongly interfere with each other, it becomes necessary to strongly push the leg into the connecting hole with pliers or the like, making the assembly work difficult. In contrast, in the present disclosure, the part of the hook support part 70 that is closer to the insertion part than the holding part 78 is located inside the coil part 51, so that the hook 54 is prevented from coming out of the upper opening 73 of the groove 71. Therefore, the work of pushing the hook 54 into the hole with pliers or the like can be omitted, and the assembly work of the end of the coil spring 50 becomes easier.

<Additional Notes>
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the hook support portion 70. As shown in FIG.

Though the groove 71 of the hook support portion 70 has been described as having a first groove 74 and a second groove 75, this is not a required configuration. As in the example shown in FIG. 11, the groove 171 of the hook support portion 170 may be formed to extend spirally around the outer periphery of the hook support portion 170. In this case, the worker can move the hook 54 from the insertion portion 76 to the holding portion 78 by inserting the hook support portion 170 into the coil portion 51 along the axial direction while rotating it about the axis. In other words, the worker can move the hook 54 from the insertion portion 76 to the holding portion 78 by rotating the coil spring 50 and the hook support portion 170 relative to each other spirally in the direction of arrow A3 in FIG. 11.

The configurations described in the above embodiment and each modified example can be combined as appropriate as long as they do not contradict each other.

This specification and drawings disclose the following aspects:

The first aspect includes a sheet-like member, a hollow winding shaft to which one end of the sheet-like member is attached, a first rotating support member having a first support portion that supports one end of the winding shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft, and a second rotating support member having a second support portion that supports the other end of the winding shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft, a case capable of storing the sheet-like member, a slide member that is disposed inside the winding shaft and engages with the winding shaft so as not to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft and so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft, a coil portion that is disposed inside the winding shaft and is expandable and contractable along the longitudinal direction, a first attachment portion that is continuous with one end of the coil portion and attached to the first support portion, and a second attachment portion that is continuous with the other end of the coil portion and attached to a support portion formed on the slide member, and the winding shaft includes a case capable of storing the sheet-like member, a slide member that is disposed inside the winding shaft and engages with the winding shaft so as not to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft and to be slidable along the longitudinal direction of the winding shaft, and ... the first attachment portion that is continuous with one end of the coil portion and attached to the first support portion, and a second attachment portion that is continuous with the other end of the coil portion and attached to a support portion formed on the slide member, and the winding shaft includes a case capable of storing the sheet-like member, and a coil spring biasing the coil spring in the winding direction of the sheet-like member, at least one of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion has a hook that extends inward from the coil portion in a direction intersecting the axial direction when observed along the axial direction of the coil portion, at least one of the first support portion and the support portion has a hook support portion having a groove formed therein for holding the hook, the groove having an insertion portion into which the hook can be inserted along the axial direction and a holding portion for holding the hook, the insertion portion and the holding portion are provided at positions separated from each other along the axial direction and at positions separated from each other along the circumferential direction of the coil portion, and the portion of the groove between the insertion portion and the holding portion is continuous so that the hook can slide from the insertion portion to the holding portion.

With this winding device, the hook of the coil spring is inserted axially into the groove of the hook support part from the opening of the insertion part, and is then slid along the groove to the holding part, thereby assembling it to the hook support part. This eliminates the need to bend the hook outward from the hook support part, and allows the end of the coil spring to be easily assembled.

The second aspect is a sheet-like material winding device according to the first aspect, in which a restoring force is generated in the coil portion along the circumferential direction to urge the winding shaft in the winding direction of the sheet-like material, and the hook is urged in the circumferential direction from the insertion portion toward the holding portion by the restoring force.

As a result, the movement of the hook along the groove from the holding section towards the insertion section is suppressed by using the restoring force that biases the winding shaft, making it easier to keep the position of the hook constant in the holding section.

The third aspect is a sheet-like member winding device according to the first or second aspect, in which the holding portion has an engagement protrusion that engages with the hook in the circumferential direction to maintain the hook in a held state.

As a result, the engaging protrusion prevents the hook from moving along the groove from the holding portion towards the insertion portion, making it easier to keep the position of the hook constant in the holding portion. Because the engaging protrusion engages with the hook in the circumferential direction, the coil spring and the first support portion or the support portion can engage through relative rotation. For this reason, even when an engaging protrusion is provided, the end of the coil spring can be easily assembled. Also, the worker can easily understand when the assembly of the end of the coil spring is complete by getting the feeling that the hook has passed over the engaging protrusion.

The fourth aspect is a sheet-like member winding device according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the groove includes a first groove extending parallel to the axial direction from the insertion portion, and a second groove extending in the circumferential direction from an end of the first groove opposite the insertion portion to the holding portion.

As a result, the hook of the coil spring is inserted axially from the opening of the insertion portion, and then slid axially along the first groove, and then circumferentially along the second groove, thereby assembling the hook. At this time, when the coil spring expands and contracts axially, the force applied from the hook to the hook support portion in the axial direction can be firmly received by the wall of the second groove, making it difficult for the hook to come off from the holding portion.

The fifth aspect is a sheet-like member winding device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the hook is continuous with an end of the coil portion, and the portion of the hook support portion that is closer to the insertion portion than the holding portion is located inside the coil portion.

As a result, when the hook slides along the groove and when it is held by the holding part, if the hook tries to come out of the upper opening of the groove, the tip of the hook support part interferes with the coil part, preventing the hook from coming out.

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

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-180065, filed on November 10, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

A sheet-like member;
a hollow winding shaft to which one end of the sheet-like member is attached;
a first rotation support member having a first support portion that supports one end of the winding shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft, and a second rotation support member having a second support portion that supports the other end of the winding shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the winding shaft; and a case capable of storing the sheet-like member;
a sliding member that is disposed inside the winding shaft and engages with the winding shaft in a manner that is non-rotatable relative to the winding shaft and slidable along a longitudinal direction of the winding shaft;
a coil spring that is disposed inside the winding shaft and includes a coil section that is expandable and contractable along the longitudinal direction, a first attachment section that is continuous with one end of the coil section and attached to the first support section, and a second attachment section that is continuous with the other end of the coil section and attached to a support section formed on the slide member, and that biases the winding shaft in the winding direction of the sheet-like member;
Equipped with
At least one of the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion has a hook extending in a direction intersecting the axial direction on the inside of the coil portion when observed along the axial direction of the coil portion,
At least one of the first support portion and the support portion has a hook support portion having a groove formed therein for holding the hook,
the groove has an insertion portion into which the hook can be inserted along the axial direction and a holding portion that holds the hook,
the insertion portion and the holding portion are provided at positions spaced apart from each other along the axial direction and at positions spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the coil portion,
A winding device for a sheet-like material, wherein a portion of the groove between the insertion portion and the holding portion is such that the hook is slidably continuous from the insertion portion to the holding portion.
The sheet-like member winding device according to claim 1,
a restoring force is generated in the coil portion along the circumferential direction to bias the winding shaft in a winding direction of the sheet-like material,
The hook is biased in the circumferential direction from the insertion portion toward the holding portion by the restoring force.
The sheet-like member winding device according to claim 1 or 2,
The holding portion has an engagement protrusion that engages with the hook in the circumferential direction to maintain the hook in a held state.
The sheet-like member winding device according to claim 1 or 2,
A winding device for a sheet-like material, wherein the groove includes a first groove extending parallel to the axial direction from the insertion portion, and a second groove extending along the circumferential direction from an end of the first groove opposite the insertion portion to the holding portion.
The sheet-like member winding device according to claim 1 or 2,
the hook is continuous with an end of the coil portion,
A winding device for a sheet-like material, wherein a portion of the hook support portion closer to the insertion portion than the holding portion is positioned inside the coil portion.