IP Library Granted Patent US 10,288,880
Granted Patent B2
US 10,288,880 · App. 15/791,446 · Granted May 14, 2019

Panel opening/closing device

Inventors: Kenji Nakayama (Osaka, JP); Takahiro Kuroda (Kanagawa, JP); Yutaka Masui (Kanagawa, JP); Yasushi Ejiri (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
G02B27/0149B60K37/04B60R11/0229F16C11/04F16H21/40F16H35/18B60K35/00G02B2027/0154G02B2027/0156
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,288,880
App. No.
15/791,446
Granted
May 14, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A panel opening/closing device includes: a support which supports a panel and is turnable about a first rotary shaft; a dial which is turnable about a second rotary shaft in accordance with an operation by a user; and a movable unit which undergoes horizontal movement and includes pins inserted into a groove of the dial and a groove of the support, respectively.

Claims (34)

1. A panel opening/closing device comprising:

a support which fixedly supports a panel and is turnable about a first rotary shaft;

a dial which is gear-shaped and is turnable about a second rotary shaft and is provided with a scroll-shaped groove varying in distance from the second rotary shaft;

a movable unit which undergoes linear movement along with a turning of the dial and includes a first protruding portion that is inserted in the scroll-shaped groove of the dial and a turn driving portion that turns the support along with the linear movement; and

a casing which houses the support, the dial, and the movable unit therein,

wherein the movable unit is provided with a groove along a direction of the linear movement and

the casing has a second protruding portion inserted in the groove of the movable unit.

2. The panel opening/closing device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the panel is configured to stay in either a storage state in which the panel is stored in the casing, a standing state in which the panel is standing, or an angle adjustment state in which a slope of the panel is adjustable,

the dial includes:

a first operating region where an operation of changing the storage state to the standing state is performed, and

a second operating region where an operation of changing the standing state to the angle adjustment state is performed;

the scroll-shaped groove of the dial is provided with:

a first groove region where the first protruding portion slides when the first operating region is operated, and

a second groove region where the first protruding portion slides when the second operating region is operated, the second groove region being in communication with the first groove region; and

a distance between the second rotary shaft and the first groove region is greater than a distance between the second rotary shaft and the second groove region.

3. The panel opening/closing device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the scroll-shaped groove of the dial includes a recess or a protrusion at a boundary between the first groove region and the second groove region.

4. The panel opening/closing device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second groove region is provided with a plurality of recesses.

5. The panel opening/closing device according to claim 2 ,

wherein a shape of a surface of the first operating region is different from a shape of a surface of the second operating region.

6. The panel opening/closing device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the panel is configured to stay in either a storage state in which the panel is stored in the casing, a standing state in which the panel is standing, or an angle adjustment state in which a slope of the panel is adjustable,

the support includes a spring which acts in a direction in which the support turns when the panel changes from the standing state into the storage state; and

a force of the spring is maximized between when the panel is in the standing state and when the panel is in the angle adjustment state.

7. A panel opening/closing device comprising:

a support which fixedly supports a panel and is turnable about a first rotary shaft;

a dial which is gear-shaped and is turnable about a second rotary shaft and is provided with a scroll-shaped groove varying in distance from the second rotary shaft;

a movable unit which undergoes linear movement along with a turning of the dial and includes a first protruding portion that is inserted in the scroll-shaped groove of the dial and a turn driving portion that turns the support along with the linear movement; and

a casing which houses the support, the dial, and the movable unit therein,

wherein the panel is configured to stay in either a storage state in which the panel is stored in the casing, a standing state in which the panel is standing, or an angle adjustment state in which a slope of the panel is adjustable,

the support includes a spring which acts in a direction in which the support turns when the panel changes from the standing state into the storage state; and

a force of the spring is maximized between when the panel is in the standing state and when the panel is in the angle adjustment state.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0113 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 18, 2018
From: NAKAYAMA, KENJI; KURODA, TAKAHIRO; MASUI, YUTAKA; EJIRI, YASUSHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 044660/0906 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-094817 · May 7, 2015 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2016001992 · Apr 13, 2016
Related Publication 20180045959A1 · Feb 15, 2018