US 12,252,007 B2
Lid opening/closing device
Kenichiro Kaneko, Kiyosu (JP); and Kazuki Fujisawa, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., Aichi-pref. (JP)
Filed by TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., Kiyosu (JP)
Filed on Oct. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/495,286.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-176796 (JP), filed on Nov. 2, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0140194 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. B60K 15/05 (2006.01)
CPC B60K 15/05 (2013.01) [B60K 2015/0523 (2013.01); B60K 2015/053 (2013.01); B60K 2015/0538 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lid opening/closing device comprising:
a lid configured to be opened/closed with respect to a base member between a closed position and an opened position;
an actuator configured to generate first power for at least opening the lid;
an external force operation mechanism configured to operate so as to convert an external force caused by a manual operation into second power for opening the lid; and
a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit the first power and the second power to the lid, wherein
the power transmission mechanism includes
a first shaft placed on one side in an axial direction with respect to the actuator and configured to be rotatable by the first power generated by the actuator and to be rotatable by the second power generated by the operation of the external force operation mechanism, and
a second shaft connected to the first shaft, connected to the lid, and configured to rotate to open/close the lid as the first shaft rotates,
the external force operation mechanism includes a rotation member placed on the same axis as the first shaft and configured to be rotatable about the axis,
the power transmission mechanism includes an engagement switching portion configured to disengage the first shaft and the rotation member from each other when the second power is not generated, and to bring the first shaft and the rotation member into engagement with each other such that the second power is transmitted to the second shaft via the first shaft and the second shaft rotates, when the second power is generated, and
the rotation member is integrally incorporated into the power transmission mechanism, and is placed on a side, which is the same as a side on which the first shaft is placed, with respect to the actuator, wherein
the engagement switching portion includes
an engagement portion provided to the rotation member, and
a to-be-engaged portion provided to the first shaft and capable of being engaged with the engagement portion, and
the engagement portion and the to-be-engaged portion are not engaged with each other when the second power is not generated, and are engaged with each other when the second power is generated.