Movable step device for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a strong movable step device for a vehicle having large load resistance and enduring fatigue deterioration due to long-term use.SOLUTION: The movable step device 1 includes a frame body 2 fixed to a vehicle body B, a step body 3 assembled to the frame body 2, a leg member 4, a leg holding mechanism 5, a step holding mechanism 6, and a release operation mechanism 7. The step body 3 is rotated between a rising position stored in the frame body 2 and a falling position horizontally projected from the vehicle body B. The leg member 4 is hinged to the bottom surface of the footboard 31, rotates between a falling position overlapping the step body 3 and a standing position standing upright from the falling position, and is rotationally energized to the standing position. The leg holding mechanism 5 holds the leg member 4 at the fallen position. The step holding mechanism 6 holds the step body 3 at the standing position. The release operation mechanism 7 sequentially releases the leg member 4 and the step body 3 with a time difference therebetween by the push-up operation of the release operation member 71, and automatically arranges the leg member 4 and the step body 3 at predetermined positions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a movable step device for a vehicle that is normally housed in a recessed space formed in a vehicle body and that protrudes into an outer space of the vehicle body when necessary to assist with getting on and off. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a movable step device has been known that is attached to the tailgate of a truck, and when the tailgate is opened, a step protrudes from the side of the tailgate, allowing passengers to get on and off the bed using this step (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-112105 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The conventional truck movable step described above includes a mounting body with a recess attached to the tailgate, a step pivotally supported within the recess of the mounting body, and a support pivotally supported within the recess of the mounting body and having an abutment portion that abuts against the backside of the step. However, because the support that supports the step is made of metal wire bent into a roughly U-shape and is supported at pivot points bent horizontally at both ends, the weight of the passengers themselves and their belongings is concentrated at the two pivot points, which increases the risk of fatigue and breakage of the pivot points over long-term use. Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a robust movable step device that has a large load-bearing capacity and can withstand fatigue deterioration due to long-term use, by adopting a structure in which a pair of left and right leg members with bases hinged along the left and right side edges of the bottom surface of the tread share and support the load when the step is in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In the following description, reference will be made to the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. To solve the above problem, the movable step device 1 of the present invention comprises a frame body 2 having upper, lower, left, and right frame portions 22, 23, 24, and 25 that surround a rectangular storage space 21 in a front view and are fixed to a vehicle body B; a step body 3 having a substantially rectangular footboard 31, the lower edge of which is pivotally supported on the frame body 2 at the lower end of the storage space 21 and rotatable between an upright position stored within the storage space 21 and a reclined position projecting horizontally from the storage space 21 into the space outside the vehicle body B; and a pair of left and right leg members 4 whose bases are hinged along the left and right side edges of the bottom surface of the footboard 31 that faces the front in the upright position, and which are rotatable between a reclined position overlapping the bottom surface and an upright position standing at right angles to the bottom surface and are biased to rotate to the upright position. The leg members 4 have support surfaces 42 that abut against the sides of the vehicle body B in a position that horizontally supports the step body 3 in the upright position. A leg holding mechanism 5 is attached to the bottom surface of the footboard 31. The leg holding mechanism 5 automatically engages with the leg member 4 near the end of its rotation toward the lowered position, and holds the leg member 4 in the lowered position so that it can be released. In addition, a step holding mechanism 6 is attached to the upper frame 22. The step holding mechanism 6 automatically engages with the step body 3 near the end of its rotation toward the upright position, and holds the step body 3 so that it can be released. The leg holding mechanism 5 and the step holding mechanism 6 are released sequentially with a time lag by a release operation mechanism 7, and the leg member 4 and the step body 3 are automatically placed in their respective predetermined positions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, a pair of left and right leg members whose bases are hinged along the left and right side edges of the bottom surface of the tread share and support the load when the step is in use, resulting in a robust movable step device with high load-bearing capacity that can withstand long-term use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1]1 is a front view of a vehicle movable step device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the movable step device of FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective view of the movable step device of FIG. 1 in a retracted state. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view of the movable step device of FIG. 1 with its legs raised. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a perspective view of the movable step device of FIG. 1 with the step plate in a laid-down position. [Figure 6] 2 is a side view of the movable step device of FIG. 1 with the step plate in a laid down position. [Figure 7] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the movable step device of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion VIII in FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The movable step device 1 comprises a frame body 2 fixed to a recess R of the vehicle body B, a step body 3 assembled to the frame body 2, a pair of left and right leg members 4, a leg holding mechanism 5, a step holding mechanism 6, and a release operation mechanism 7.

[0009] The frame body 2 has upper, lower, left and right frame portions 22, 23, 24, and 25 that surround a storage space 21 that is rectangular when viewed from the front.

[0010] The step body 3 is rotatable between an upright position (Figs. 1 and 3) stored within the storage space 21 and a laid-down position (Figs. 5 and 6) projecting horizontally from there into the space outside the vehicle body B. The step body 3 has a roughly rectangular footboard 31, and when in the stored state, its lower edge is pivotally supported by a shaft 32 on the left and right frame portions 24 and 25 of the frame body 2. The footboard 31 is equipped with upright pieces 33, 34, and 35 that stand upright at right angles forward from the top and left and right side edges, and a reinforcing piece 36 that stands upright in a U-shape and forward from the bottom surface (front surface) of the upright pieces, parallel to and spaced from each other.

[0011] The pair of leg members 4 are roughly shaped like right-angled isosceles triangles, and are hinged at one equilateral portion 41 to the bottom surfaces of both left and right edges of the step body 3 with spring-loaded hinges 8, and are rotatable between a collapsed position (Figs. 1 and 3) in which they overlap the bottom surfaces, and an upright position (Fig. 4) in which they stand upright at a right angle from the collapsed position, and are biased to rotate to the upright position. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when the step body 3 is collapsed, the support surface of the other equilateral portion 42 of the leg member 4 abuts against the surface of the vehicle body B, supporting the load applied to the step body 3.

[0012] As clearly shown in Figure 7, the leg holding mechanism 5 holds the leg member 4 in the collapsed position and is attached to the bottom surface of the foot plate 31. The leg holding mechanism 5 is equipped with a latch bolt 52 supported via a support frame 51 on the bottom surface of the foot plate 31, and after the cam slope slides against the leg member 4 as it rotates to the collapsed position and is pushed up to the upper unlocked position, the mechanism is automatically returned to the lower locked position by a spring 53 in the collapsed position and engages with the leg member 4.

[0013] 7 and 8, the step holding mechanism 6 includes a spring member 61 attached to the underside of the upper frame portion 22. The spring member 61 is made of a leaf spring bent into a roughly V-shape and includes pressure portions 61a on both the left and right sides and an engagement portion 61b in the center. When the step body 3 rotates to the upright position, the engagement portion 61b slides over the upper upright piece 33 of the step body 3 and is compressed to the unlocked position, after which the engagement portion 61b automatically engages with the engagement opening 33a in the upright position.

[0014] As clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8, the release operation mechanism 7 includes a release operation member 71, a connecting member 72, and a pressing member 73. The release operation member 71 is connected to the upper end of the latch bolt 52 and is provided so that the latch bolt 52 can be pulled up to the unlocked position against the biasing force. The pressing member 73 is connected to the release operation member 71 via the connecting member 72. When the release operation member 71 is pulled up, the pressing member 73 protrudes from the through-hole 33b of the step body 3 toward the spring member 61, thereby pushing up the pressing portion 61a of the spring member 61 and compressing the entire spring member 61 to the unlocked position. As a result, the engaging portion 61b disengages from the engaging opening 33a, and the step body 3 is released.

[0015] The lifting stroke of the release operating member 71 required to compress the spring member 61 in the locked position to the unlocked position is set to be larger than the lifting stroke of the release operating member 71 required to lift the latch bolt 52 in the locked position to the unlocked position, so that the leg holding mechanism 5 is released before the step holding mechanism 6 is released. Therefore, the step body 3 will not collapse before the leg member 4 is raised.

[0016] As described above, the load applied when the step is in use is shared and supported by a pair of left and right leg members 4 whose bases are hinged along the left and right side edges of the bottom surface of the tread 31, resulting in a robust movable step device with high load-bearing capacity that can withstand long-term use. [Explanation of symbols]

[0017] 1. Movable step device 2 frame 21 Tread 22 Upper frame 24 Left frame 25 Right frame 3 Step Body 31 Tread 32 axes 33 Upright piece 33a Engagement opening 33b Through hole 24 Left standing piece 35 Right standing piece 4 Leg members 41 equilateral 42 equilateral 5 Leg retention mechanism 51 Support Frame 52 Latch bolt 53 Spring 6-step retention mechanism 61 Spring member 61a Pressing part 61b Engagement part 7 Release operation mechanism 71 Release operation member 72 Connecting member 73 Pressing member B body R recess

Claims

1. a frame body having upper, lower, left, and right frame portions that surround a rectangular storage space in a front view, and that is fixed to a vehicle body; a step body having a substantially rectangular tread, a lower edge of which is pivotally supported by the frame body at a lower end of the storage space, and which is rotatable between an upright position where it is stored within the storage space and a laid-down position where it protrudes horizontally from the storage space into a space outside the vehicle body; a pair of left and right leg members whose bases are hinged along the left and right side edges of the bottom surface of the footboard that faces forward in the upright position, and which are rotatable between a laid-down position where they overlap the bottom surface and an upright position where they stand perpendicular to the bottom surface, and which are biased to rotate to the upright position; a leg holding mechanism attached to the bottom surface of the footboard, which automatically engages with the leg member near the end of the leg member's rotation toward the lowered position, thereby holding the leg member in the lowered position in a releasable manner; a step holding mechanism attached to the upper frame portion, which automatically engages with the step body near the end of the step body's rotation toward the upright position and holds the step body in a releasable manner; a release operation mechanism for sequentially releasing the leg holding mechanism and the step holding mechanism with a time lag; 10. A movable step device for a vehicle, wherein the leg member has a support surface that abuts against a side surface of the vehicle body at a position that supports the step body horizontally in an upright position.

2. the leg holding mechanism includes a latch bolt supported on the bottom surface of the foot plate so as to slide against the leg member that is rotating to a lowered position, be pushed up to an upper unlocked position, and then automatically return to a lower locked position in the lowered position to engage with the leg member; The step holding mechanism includes a spring member attached to the underside of the upper frame portion so as to slide against the upper edge of the step body when it rotates to the upright position, and then be compressed to the unlocked position, and then automatically engage with the step body when it is in the upright position; The release mechanism includes a release member connected to an upper end of the latch bolt so as to be able to pull up the latch bolt to the unlocked position against the biasing force, and a pressing member connected to the release member so as to protrude from the step body toward the spring member when the release member is pulled up, thereby compressing the spring member to the unlocked position.

2. A movable step device for a vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein the lifting stroke of the release operating member required to compress the spring member from the locked position to the unlocked position is set to be larger than the lifting stroke of the release operating member required to lift the latch bolt from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby allowing the leg holding mechanism to be released before the step holding mechanism is released.

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