Lid locking mechanism in automobile switch panel device

Claim 1

A lid locking mechanism for an automobile switch panel device constructed of an open-top case having a pair of first bearing sections at opposite sides thereof, a switch panel disposed in said open-top case, and a lid to cover said open-top case and having a pair of second bearing sections at opposite sides thereof and each second bearing section including a hole provided therein, and further wherein a shaft means is provided at each first bearing section of said open top case for engagement with one of said holes provided on each side of said lid, said lid locking mechanism comprising: a pair of pivotal shafts, each extending from one of said shaft means into a corresponding one of said holes; a pair of clutch members, each positioned in one of said holes, such that a clutch member and a pivotal shaft face one another with complimentary engagement faces wherein each clutch member has a clutch surface on said engagement face which is complimentary to a clutch surface on said engagement face of a corresponding one of said pivotal shafts, said clutch surfaces comprising complimentary vertical walls and complimentary inclined surfaces; a biasing means for biasing each clutch member toward a corresponding pivotal shaft, such that said lid is maintained in a locked predetermined open angle by cooperative engagement of said clutch surfaces of said clutch member and pivotal shaft with one another, and such that said lid locking mechanism is unlocked when a closing force exceeding a predetermined torque is exerted onto the lid to close the lid; wherein each pivotal shaft includes at least one projecting portion extending in the direction of a corresponding clutch member, said projecting portion including said inclined surface on one side thereof and said vertical wall on a circumferentially opposite side thereof, and wherein each clutch member includes a projecting portion complementary to the projecting portion of said pivotal shaft and further includes said inclined surface and said vertical wall, such that said vertical walls from said clutch member and said pivotal shaft abut one another to prevent the opening of the lid in one direction, past said predetermined open angle, and said inclined surfaces allow movement of said lid in a direction opposite said one direction, said vertical walls in the clutch surfaces of the clutch members and pivotal shafts extending in an axial direction with respect thereto.