Lid device
AssigneeNifco Inc.
InventorsYoung-gook Lee, Junpei Horikawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a lid device which is compact, and can be installed in an efficient manner. The lid device (20) releasably locks a lid (10) provided with a hinge (12) in a closed position. The lid device is provided with a push lifter (32) that alternates between an extended state and a retracted state each time the lid is pushed, a motor (46) placed next to the push lifter, a lock member (18) and a transmission mechanism (64) for transmitting the output of the motor. The push lifter and the motor are arranged such that a lengthwise direction of the push lifter and a lengthwise direction of the motor are parallel to each other.
Claims10
A lid device for pushing out a hinged lid from a closed position to an open ready position, and for releasably locking the lid in the closed position, comprising:
- the lid;
- a push lifter that alternates between an extended state for pushing the lid to the open ready position and a retracted state for permitting the lid to be placed in the closed position each time a free end of the push lifter is pushed by the lid;
- a drive unit positioned near the push lifter;
- a lock member moveable between an engage position for engaging the lid in the closed position and a release position for releasing the lid, the lock member being separate and spaced from the push lifter;
- and
- a transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force of the drive unit to the lock member to move the lock member between the engage position and the release position;
- wherein at the engage position, the lock member engages the lid by engaging an engagement piece projecting from the lid, and
- wherein the push lifter and the drive unit are arranged next to each other substantially along a periphery of the lid at the closed position such that a lengthwise direction of the push lifter and a lengthwise direction of the drive unit are parallel to each other.
A lid device for pushing out a hinged lid from a closed position to an open ready position, and for releasably locking the lid in the closed position, comprising:
- a push lifter that alternates between an extended state for pushing the lid to the open ready position and a retracted state for permitting the lid to be placed in the closed position each time a free end of the push lifter is pushed by the lid;
- a drive unit positioned near the push lifter;
- a lock member moveable between an engage position for engaging the lid in the closed position and a release position for releasing the lid;
- and
- a transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force of the drive unit to the lock member to move the lock member between the engage position and the release position;
- wherein the push lifter and the drive unit are arranged such that a lengthwise direction of the push lifter and a lengthwise direction of the drive unit are parallel to each other,
- wherein the drive unit includes an electric motor having a motor shaft extending in the lengthwise direction of the drive unit, and the transmission mechanism includes a pinion driven by the electric motor and a rack fixedly attached to the lock member and configured to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the push lifter by meshing with the pinion,
- wherein the transmission mechanism includes a speed reduction gear group consisting of a drive gear coaxially attached to the motor shaft, a driven gear disposed between the motor shaft and the push lifter and meshing with the drive gear, the driven gear having a larger number of teeth than the drive gear, and the pinion meshing with the rack, the pinion coaxially attached to the driven gear and having a smaller number of teeth than the driven gear, and
- wherein the rack is provided with rack teeth provided in a slot as internal teeth, and the pinion projects into the slot.
A lid device for pushing out a hinged lid from a closed position to an open ready position, and for releasably locking the lid in the closed position, comprising:
- a push lifter that alternates between an extended state for pushing the lid to the open ready position and a retracted state for permitting the lid to be placed in the closed position each time a free end of the push lifter is pushed by the lid;
- a drive unit positioned near the push lifter;
- a lock member moveable between an engage position for engaging the lid in the closed position and a release position for releasing the lid;
- and
- a transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force of the drive unit to the lock member to move the lock member between the engage position and the release position;
- wherein the push lifter and the drive unit are arranged such that a lengthwise direction of the push lifter and a lengthwise direction of the drive unit are parallel to each other, and wherein the drive unit includes an electric motor having a motor shaft extending in the lengthwise direction of the drive unit, and the transmission mechanism includes a worm coaxially attached to the motor shaft, a worm wheel having internal teeth and external teeth meshing with the worm and a rack fixedly attached to the lock member and configured to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the push lifter by meshing with the internal teeth of the worm wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.