Luggage box apparatus for vehicle
A luggage box apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The luggage box apparatus includes a main box received in a main box receiving space provided at a luggage side trim. The main box is withdrawable from the main box receiving space toward a luggage compartment, for use thereof. The main box is installed to perform linear sliding movement in a withdrawal direction and rotation with respect to the luggage side trim.
1. A luggage box apparatus for a vehicle, the luggage box apparatus comprising:
a main box received in a main box receiving space provided at a luggage side trim, the main box being withdrawable from the main box receiving space toward a luggage compartment, for use thereof, wherein the main box is installed to perform linear sliding movement in a withdrawal direction and rotation with respect to the luggage side trim;
a rail mechanism installed to connect the main box and the luggage side trim, the rail mechanism configured to guide the linear sliding movement of the main box;
a rotating mechanism installed to connect the rail mechanism and the main box, the rotating mechanism enabling the rotation of the main box; and
a locking mechanism operating to lock or unlock the rail mechanism and the rotating mechanism, wherein, when the locking mechanism operates under a condition that both the rail mechanism and the rotating mechanism are in a locked state, unlocking of the rail mechanism and unlocking of the rotating mechanism can be sequentially carried out in this order.
2. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the hidden box being withdrawable from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawal of the main box, for use thereof.
3. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rail mechanism comprises:
a fixed rail fixedly coupled to the luggage side trim;
a movable rail coupled to the fixed rail such that the movable rail is movable along the fixed rail; and
a rail bracket coupled to the movable rail and the main box, to connect the movable rail and the main box.
4. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the hidden box being withdrawable from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawal of the main box, for use thereof.
5. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a first locking hole and a second locking hole are formed at opposite ends of the fixed rail, respectively, to be open in a downward direction, and a third locking hole is formed at the movable rail, to be open in the downward direction.
6. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the hidden box being withdrawable from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawal of the main box, for use thereof.
7. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the rotating mechanism comprises:
a hinge shaft rotatably coupled to one end of the rail bracket facing the luggage compartment; and
a hinge bracket for connecting the hinge shaft and the main box.
8. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein:
plural arc-shaped grooves are formed at one end of the rail bracket while being spaced apart from one another in a rotation direction about the hinge shaft; and
the hinge bracket is provided with a ball selectively insertable into one of the arc-shaped grooves and a ball spring for elastically supporting the ball.
9. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the hidden box being withdrawable from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawal of the main box, for use thereof.
10. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises:
a handle lever elastically rotatably mounted to the main box by means of a first shaft and a first spring;
a release lever elastically movably mounted to the main box by means of a second spring while being spaced apart from the handle lever such that the release lever comes into contact with the handle lever during rotation of the handle lever, thereby enabling the release lever to operate;
a locking pin elastically movably mounted to the rail bracket by means of a third spring while having one end extendable through the movable rail, to operate such that the end is inserted into or separated from the first locking hole of the fixed rail or the second locking hole of the fixed rail;
a locking hook elastically rotatably mounted to the main box by means of a second shaft and a fourth spring such that the locking hook operates to be inserted into or separated from the third locking hole of the movable rail;
a first wire for connecting the handle lever and the locking pin; and
a second wire for connecting the release lever and the locking hook.
11. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein:
when the handle lever rotates up to a position where the handle lever comes into contact with the release lever, in a state in which the handle lever is spaced apart from the release lever without contacting the release lever, only the first wire is pulled toward the handle lever, thereby causing the locking pin to operate first; and
when the release lever comes into contact with the handle lever in accordance with continued rotation of the handle lever, thereby causing the release lever to move, the second wire is pulled toward the release lever, thereby causing the locking hook to operate.
12. The luggage box apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the hidden box being withdrawable from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawal of the main box, for use thereof.
13. A method of operating a luggage box apparatus in a main box receiving space provided at a luggage side trim of a vehicle, the luggage box apparatus comprising a rail mechanism connecting the main box and the luggage side trim, a rail locking mechanism, and a rotating mechanism installed to connecting the rail mechanism and the main box, the rotating mechanism enabling rotation of the main box, the method comprising:
withdrawing the main box from the main box receiving space toward a luggage compartment of the vehicle by guiding a linear sliding movement of the main box using the rail mechanism and rotating the main box using the rotating mechanism; and
replacing the main box in the main box receiving space, wherein the withdrawing and replacing comprise performing the linear sliding movement of the main box in a withdrawal direction and rotation with respect to the luggage side trim; and
locking both the rail locking mechanism and the rotating mechanism.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the luggage box apparatus further comprises a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the method further comprising withdrawing the hidden box from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawing the main box.
15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising unlocking the rail mechanism and then unlocking the rotating mechanism.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the luggage box apparatus further comprises a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the method further comprising withdrawing the hidden box from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawing the main box.
17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the the rail locking mechanism comprises:
a handle lever elastically rotatably mounted to the main box by a first shaft and a first spring;
a release lever elastically movably mounted to the main box by a second spring while being spaced apart from the handle lever when the main box is engaged in the main box receiving space;
a locking pin elastically movably mounted to a rail bracket of the rail mechanism by a third spring while having one end extendable through a movable rail of the rail mechanism;
a locking hook elastically rotatably mounted to the main box by a second shaft and a fourth spring such that the locking hook operates to be inserted into or separated from a locking hole of the movable rail;
a first wire connecting the handle lever and the locking pin; and
a second wire connecting the release lever and the locking hook.
18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the locking comprises:
rotating the handle lever to a position where the handle lever comes into contact with the release lever so that only the first wire is pulled toward the handle lever, thereby causing the locking pin to operate first; and
when the release lever comes into contact with the handle lever in accordance with continued rotation of the handle lever, moving the release lever so that the second wire is pulled toward the release lever, thereby causing the locking hook to operate.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the luggage box apparatus further comprises a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the method further comprising withdrawing the hidden box from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawing the main box.
20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the luggage box apparatus further comprises a hidden box installed at a side wall defining the main box receiving space, the method further comprising withdrawing the hidden box from the side wall toward the main box receiving space after withdrawing the main box.