Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-07
2004-02-17
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C224S313000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692067
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The invention relates, to an assist grip attached to a compartment of an automobile and held by a passenger.
Examples of conventional assist grips are shown in
FIGS. 16
to
17
(B). In both cases, Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 7-291006 is referred to.
In an assist grip
312
as shown in
FIG. 16
, a grip main portion (not shown) to be held by a passenger is engaged with a first attaching base portion
314
. The first attaching base portion
314
includes a hook portion
316
, and a hanger can be hung on a hanging portion
318
of the hook portion
316
.
However, since the hook portion
316
is integrally projected from the first attaching base portion
314
, even when the hook portion
316
is not used, it protrudes into a compartment, stands to cause a trouble, or inadvertently contacts other things. Also, the hook portion
316
protrudes from the first attaching base portion
314
, which does not make the outer appearance look better.
On the contrary, in an assist grip
332
as shown in FIGS.
17
(A) and
17
(B), a hook portion
336
is assembled to a first attaching base portion
334
, and a hanging portion
338
of the hook portion
336
is collapsibly assembled with respect to a box-like portion
340
. Therefore, in case a hanger is hung on the hanging portion
338
, as shown in FIG.
17
(B), the hanging portion
338
is turned, and when the hanger is not hung thereon, as shown in FIG.
17
(A), the hanging portion
338
is raised. Thus, the hanging portion
338
does not protrude into the compartment. Also, in the state wherein the hanging portion
338
is raised, a side surface of the hanging portion
338
and a side surface of the box-like portion
340
contact each other, and the hanging portion
338
is engaged therewith by the frictional resistance between the side surfaces.
However, in case the friction between the side surfaces of the hanging portion
338
and the box-like portion
340
is small, the hanging portion
338
may be moved or wobbled while the automobile is running. In order to prevent the wobbling, it is considered that the friction is increased. However, when the friction is increased, the resistance when the hanging portion
338
is turned or raised is also increased, which results in poor operability.
Moreover, in the assist grip
332
, also, the hanging portion
338
always protrudes from the first attaching base portion
334
, which does not make its outer appearance look better as in the assist grip
312
shown in FIG.
16
.
In order to solve the above defects, the present invention has been made and an object of the present invention is to provide an assist grip which does not stand or become an obstacle when it is not used, and has a good appearance and operability.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, an assist grip includes an attaching device for holding a grip main portion which a passenger holds and to be attached to a car body; a hanging member provided to be movable between a using position projected from the attaching device and a non-using position retreated from the using position with respect to the attaching device; and a fixing device for fixing the hanging member at the non-using position with respect to the attaching device.
In the assist grip, the grip main portion is attached to a car body through the attaching device so that a passenger can grip the grip main portion.
The hanging member is attached to the attaching device to be movable between the using position and the non-using position. Since a member to be hung can be hung on the hanging member at the using position, the member to be hung, for example, a hanger can be hung thereon.
The hanging member is retreated toward the attaching device at the non-using position to thereby not project from the attaching device, or if projected, the projecting quantity is very small. Thus, the hanging member does not become an obstacle at the non-using time, and has a good appearance.
Also, the hanging member is fixed to the attaching device at the non-using position by a fixing device to thereby prevent the hanging member from being inadvertently wobbled. Also, since the friction as used in the prior art is not used to fix the hanging member to the attaching device, large resistance due to the friction does not act when the hanging member is moved between the using position and the non-using position. Thus, good operability can be obtained.
When fixing by the fixing device is released, the hanging member can be moved from the non-using position to the using position.
In the first aspect of the invention, while a specific structure when the hanging member is moved between the using position and the non-using position is not specially limited, for example, as in the second aspect of the invention, the hanging member may slide with respect to the attaching device so that the hanging member can be moved between the using position and the non-using position; or, as in the third aspect of the invention, the hanging member may be rotated with respect to the attaching device so that the hanging member can be moved between the using position and the non-using position.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the fixing device allows the hanging member to be fixed to the attaching device or allows the hanging member to be released therefrom through the movement of the hanging member toward the non-using position.
Thus, fixing of the hanging member and releasing thereof can be carried out through the fixing device by only moving the hanging member toward the non-using position thus obtaining good operability.
As the fixing device, for example, a cam mechanism having a hart cam may be employed. Through the mechanism, since the hanging member is moved between the using position and the non-using position by a push-push operation, the operability can be further improved.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, a housing for receiving the hanging member to be movable therein is integrally attached to the attaching member.
As described above, since the housing is provided, the hanging member is guided by the housing to smoothly move.
Also, since the housing is integrally formed with the attaching device, the number of parts is not increased.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4720028 (1988-01-01), Takemura et al.
patent: 4981323 (1991-01-01), Dowd et al.
patent: D327865 (1992-07-01), Falcoff et al.
patent: 5366127 (1994-11-01), Heinz
patent: 5507423 (1996-04-01), Fischer et al.
patent: 6076233 (2000-06-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 6095469 (2000-08-01), Von Alman
patent: 6397435 (2002-06-01), Gosselet
patent: 6422524 (2002-07-01), Spagnuolo et al.
patent: 6447055 (2002-09-01), Mainville et al.
patent: 2003/0141423 (2003-07-01), Gordon
patent: 7-291006 (1995-11-01), None
Inari Takahiko
Ohtsuka Ryuji
Dayoan D. Glenn
Gutman H.
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Nifco Inc.
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