Vehicle boarding and alighting assistance device

Abstract

To realize both smooth movement of the legs of an occupant and load resistance when moving between a wheelchair and a vehicle seat and getting in a vehicle.SOLUTION: A getting-on / off assisting device for a vehicle comprises a board 10 capable of moving between a horizontal posture which is substantially horizontal at a seat side part position located on a door opening part 110 of a vehicle seat 104a and an orthogonal posture which is substantially orthogonal to a vehicle width direction in a cabin, and the device has a support part 20 which supports the board 10 from below at the seat side part position. The board 10, in a vehicle plane view in the horizontal posture, is formed to have, in a front side part, a width narrow area 10F which is narrower toward a vehicle front from behind a rear side part forward, and the support part 20 is disposed at a place corresponding to at least the width narrow area 10F in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the board 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle ingress / egress assistance device including a board that is arranged in a substantially horizontal position (in use state) on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of a seat adjacent to a door opening of the vehicle, for example. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, vehicles have been known that are equipped with a board that is used as a temporary resting platform for the occupant's buttocks, etc., when moving between a wheelchair and the vehicle seat, i.e., on the door opening side of the vehicle seat, to enable people with disabilities to drive the vehicle.

[0003] It is also known that in such vehicles, the board is provided so as to be movable between a use position where it can be used as a temporary placement stand and a storage position where it is stored when not in use (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The vehicle in Patent Document 1 has a board that is rotatably mounted on the side of the seat cushion of the vehicle seat around an axis along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. When in use, the board is horizontal so that the occupant can temporarily place their buttocks on it, and when stored, the board is upright, perpendicular to the usage state.

[0005] Incidentally, in addition to being used as a temporary rest for the occupant's buttocks when moving between the vehicle seat and the wheelchair in the above-mentioned usage state when getting on and off the vehicle, the board is also often used as a handhold rest for supporting the occupant's body with the arms.

[0006] Since loads are applied to the board as a handhold platform from various directions by the occupant's hands when getting on and off the vehicle, the support parts that support the board and the rotation mechanism located between the board and the support parts for rotating the board relative to the support parts are required to be able to withstand the loads applied from the various directions mentioned above.

[0007] However, as mentioned above, the board needs to be large enough to allow the buttocks to be temporarily placed on it, and if the support parts and rotating mechanisms are made larger in order to make them sturdy, the board will also become larger. As a result, there is a concern that the board and support parts may hinder the smooth movement of the legs when the occupant moves between the vehicle seat and the wheelchair. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-151959 Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a vehicle boarding and alighting assistance device that can achieve both smooth movement of the occupant's legs when transferring between a wheelchair and a vehicle seat, and load-bearing capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention provides a vehicle ingress / egress assistance device including a board arranged in a substantially horizontal position on the vehicle width outer side of a seat adjacent to a door opening of the vehicle, the board having a support portion that supports the board from below at a seat side position located on the vehicle width outer side of the seat, the board being formed to have a narrow region in a front portion that is narrower than a rear portion when viewed from above the vehicle in the horizontal position, The board further includes a link member for connecting the board to the vehicle body, the link member having a first connecting portion as a universal joint for connecting the link member to the board, and a second connecting portion as a universal joint for connecting the link member to the vehicle body. The support portion is provided at a location of the board corresponding to at least the narrow region in the vehicle front-rear direction. the support part is pivotally supported on the vehicle body via a support part pivot shaft part so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction between the seat side part position and a flipped-up position flipped up forward or rearward from the seat side part position, the board is supported on the support part so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the second connecting part is located closer to the flipped-up position in the vehicle front-rear direction than the support part pivot shaft part, and the link member is configured to rotate about the first connecting part and the second connecting part in conjunction with the rotation of the support part so that when the support part is located at the seat side part position, the board is in the horizontal position, and when the support part is located at the flipped-up position, the board is in an orthogonal position substantially perpendicular to the vehicle width direction in the vehicle cabin. It is something.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the support portion is provided at a location on the board that corresponds to at least the narrow region in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby ensuring support rigidity when using the narrow region of the board as a handhold area, while forming the front portion of the board as a narrow region allows the occupant's legs to move smoothly when transferring between the vehicle seat and the wheelchair.

[0012] Furthermore, as mentioned above, The support portion is located at the seat side portion position. the above The board is supported by the vehicle body so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction between the lift-up position and the vehicle body. When the support portion is located at the seat side position, the board is in the horizontal position, and when the support portion is located at the lift-up position, the board is in the horizontal position within the vehicle cabin. the above The support is supported by the support portion so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle width direction so as to be in an orthogonal position. Therefore, When not in use, the boarding / alighting assistance device can be stored without being removed from the vehicle body so as not to interfere with opening and closing of the door.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, when the support portion is located at the seat side position, the board is in the horizontal position, and when the support portion is located at the raised position, the board is in the orthogonal position within the vehicle cabin.By this, the link member rotates around the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion in conjunction with the rotation of the support portion, the board can be smoothly changed between a state in which it can be used as an entry / exit assistance device and a stored state.

[0014] In one aspect of the invention, the support portion is journalled to the vehicle body so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction between the seat side position and a raised position which is raised forward or rearward from the seat side position, and the board is supported by the support portion so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle width direction so as to assume the horizontal position when the support portion is located at the seat side position, and assume an orthogonal position which is approximately perpendicular to the vehicle width direction within the vehicle compartment when the support portion is located at the raised position.

[0015] According to the above configuration, when the boarding / exiting assistance device is not in use, it can be stored without being removed from the vehicle body so as not to interfere with opening and closing of the door.

[0016] In one aspect of the present invention, an assist grip provided on the inner wall in the vehicle width direction of the door that opens and closes the door opening is positioned in a position close to the horizontal attitude side in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle relative to the board in the orthogonal attitude when the door opening is closed.

[0017] According to the above configuration, when the support part located in the lifted position rotates toward the seat side position, the board in the orthogonal position abuts against the assist grip, thereby preventing the support part from rotating against the will toward the seat side position.

[0018] In particular, when the board is in the orthogonal position, if the narrow region is located at the bottom of the board and the wide region is located at the top of the board, the center of gravity of the board in the orthogonal position tends to be high. By restricting the support portion from rotating toward the seat side position by the assist grip as described above, the board does not become unstable even if the center of gravity of the board becomes high, and the board can be reliably maintained in the orthogonal position.

[0019] In one aspect of the invention, a biasing means is provided between the support portion and the vehicle body for biasing the support portion from the seat side position to the flip-up position, and a damper is provided for controlling the displacement speed from the flip-up position to the seat side position.

[0020] According to the above configuration, the support portion can be kept in the lifted position so that the support portion, which is in the lifted position, does not fall unintentionally toward the seat side position due to sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle.

[0021] In particular, when the board is in the orthogonal position, if the narrow region is located at the lower part of the board and the wide region is located at the upper part of the board, the center of gravity of the board in the orthogonal position becomes high, which tends to make the board unstable during vehicle travel. In response to this, by providing a biasing means and a damper between the support part and the vehicle body as described above, the board can be kept in the orthogonal position.

[0022] In one aspect of the present invention, the support portion is provided such that substantially the entire support portion in the vehicle fore-aft direction is provided at a portion of the board in the vehicle fore-aft direction that corresponds to the narrow region.

[0023] According to the above configuration, when the vehicle boarding and alighting assistance device is stored, the height of the support part located behind the board in the orthogonal position can be made compact so as not to become too high, thereby ensuring space around the legs of the occupant seated in the seat.

[0024] In one aspect of the present invention, the front end of the support portion is provided up to a position corresponding to the front end of the board.

[0025] According to the above configuration, the narrow region serves as a hand-reaching area and is subjected to loads from various directions, but by providing the support portion up to a position corresponding to the front end of the board, the support portion can firmly support the narrow region against such loads.

[0026] In other words, since the support part does not protrude further forward than the front end of the board, when the occupant transfers between the vehicle seat and the wheelchair, the backs of the occupant's knees can move smoothly without interfering with the support part when moving their legs (the so-called leg-out and leg-in movements).

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, the board is formed in the rear portion with a wide region that is wider than the narrow region when viewed from above the vehicle in the horizontal position, the narrow region being formed to be approximately the same size as a circular region having a diameter of approximately 80 mm, and the wide region being formed in a shape that covers a rectangular region that is approximately 220 mm long in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and approximately 110 mm long in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0028] According to the above configuration, by forming the narrow area of ​​the board to the above size, as described above, when an occupant (e.g., a person with a lower limb disability) transfers between a wheelchair and a vehicle seat via the board, a necessary and sufficient area for the occupant's hands can be secured, and the occupant's legs, such as the backs of their knees, can be smoothly performed to take their legs out and put them in without their legs interfering with the board.

[0029] On the other hand, by forming the wide area of ​​the board to the above size, as described above, a size is ensured that the occupant's buttocks (the area between the pair of ischial bones and the surrounding area) can be temporarily placed when the occupant transfers between the wheelchair and the vehicle seat via the board, and when the board is in an upright position, it can be stored compactly without interfering with surrounding doors, etc. Effect of the Invention

[0030] According to the above configuration, it is possible to achieve both smooth movement of the occupant's legs when transferring between the wheelchair and the vehicle seat and load-bearing capacity. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the boarding / exiting assistance device of the embodiment in a used state and its surroundings, as viewed from the rear of the vehicle and from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the boarding / exiting assistance device of the present embodiment in a stored state and its surroundings, as viewed from the rear and from the outside in the vehicle width direction, and showing a state in the middle of moving from a usage state to a stored state; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a right side view showing the boarding / disembarking assistance device and its surroundings according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the boarding / alighting assistance device and its surroundings according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the boarding / exiting assistance device according to the embodiment, viewed from the outside and below in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the boarding / exiting assistance device according to the embodiment, viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from above. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are side views showing a state in which the boarding / disembarking assistance device of the present embodiment is in use, in a stored state, and in a state during movement between the states. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are front views showing a state in which the boarding and alighting assistance device of the present embodiment is in use, in a stored state, and in a state in the middle of moving between the states. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the boarding / exiting assistance device of the present embodiment in a stored state and its surroundings, as viewed from the vehicle interior side with the side door closed; [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams each showing a schematic partial cross section of an inertia force absorbing mechanism and its surroundings when the boarding / disembarking assistance device is in a stored state (a) and in a used state (b) as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 11] Enlarged view of the main part of Figure 7 [Figure 12] Enlarged view of the main part of Figure 8 [Figure 13] 12A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the boarding / disembarking assistance device of the present embodiment in a used state, in a mid-movement state, and in a stored state, taken along line SA in FIG. 11 . [Figure 14] Enlarged view of view A' in FIG. 11 (a1), enlarged view of view A (a2), enlarged view of view A' in the middle of movement (b1), enlarged view of view B (b2), enlarged view of view A' in the stored state (c1), and enlarged view of view C (c2) [Figure 15] Plan views of the driver's seat and surrounding area explaining the leg-out movement when the occupant is large (a) and small (b) [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a modification of the support portion corresponding to the main portion of FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. A vehicle equipped with the boarding / exiting assistance device of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs.

[0033] In addition, in the figure, arrow F indicates the forward direction of the vehicle, arrow R indicates the right direction of the vehicle, arrow L indicates the left direction of the vehicle, arrow U indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, arrow OUT indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and arrow IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the vehicle of this embodiment is equipped with a floor panel 100 (see Figure 4) on the underside of the passenger compartment that forms the floor (floor surface) of the passenger compartment, a floor tunnel 101 (see Figure 4) that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle above the central position of the floor panel 100 in the vehicle width direction, a side sill 102 that extends along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on the side of the floor panel 100, and a plurality of floor cross members (not shown) that connect the floor tunnel 101 and the side sill 102 in the vehicle width direction.

[0035] At the front of the vehicle compartment, front seats are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction (only the driver's seat 104 is shown). In a right-hand drive vehicle as in this embodiment, the front seats consist of the driver's seat 104 arranged on the right side of the floor tunnel 101, and a passenger seat (not shown) arranged on the left side of the floor tunnel 101. That is, the driver's seat 104 and the passenger's seat are configured as separate seats each having a seat cushion 104a, a seat back 104b, and a headrest 104c.

[0036] In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the side of the vehicle in this embodiment has a door opening 110 surrounded by a roof side rail 105, a rear pillar 106, a side sill 102, a hinge pillar 108 at the front of the vehicle, and a front pillar 109.

[0037] Although not shown, the roof side rail 105, the rear pillar 106, the side sill 102, the hinge pillar 108 and the front pillar 109 are vehicle body frame members each having a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the extension direction.

[0038] The door opening 110 is an entrance where passengers get in and out, and is provided with a side door 112 (see FIG. 9) that is attached to a hinge pillar 108 (not shown) on the front side of the vehicle via a pair of upper and lower door hinges (not shown) so as to be able to open and close. The vehicle of this embodiment is a two-door type vehicle with one side door 112 (only the right side of the vehicle is shown) provided on each of the left and right sides of the vehicle body. In addition, the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 described later may be applied not only to two-door type vehicles such as the vehicle of this embodiment, but also to four-door type vehicles, such as vehicles with so-called pillarless double doors and vehicles with sliding doors.

[0039] In addition, the vehicle of this embodiment does not have a center pillar on the side of the vehicle body to divide the door opening 110 into front and rear sections, but a reinforcing member (a so-called door-integrated center pillar) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle is built into the side door 112 (not shown).

[0040] As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 of this embodiment is mounted on the vehicle widthwise outer side of the driver's seat 104 adjacent to the door opening 110 on the right side of the vehicle in the above-mentioned vehicle.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 is a device that assists an occupant with a disability in moving between the driver's seat 104 and a wheelchair outside the vehicle by temporarily placing the occupant's buttocks, etc., on it when the occupant moves between the driver's seat 104 and the wheelchair outside the vehicle when the occupant gets on or off the vehicle.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the boarding / disembarking assistance device 1 includes a board 10, a support portion 20, a base 30, and an interlocking mechanism 50. The board 10 includes a support portion 20, a base 30, and an interlocking mechanism 50. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 is provided with a board pivot shaft portion 15 that rotatably supports the board 10 relative to the support portion 20, and a support portion pivot shaft portion 25 that rotatably supports the support portion 20 relative to the vehicle body.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the board 10 is configured to be positioned so that it is in a substantially horizontal position (P1) (hereinafter referred to as the "horizontal position (P1)") when the support portion 20 is located at a position (P1) outside the vehicle width direction of the driver's seat 104 (hereinafter referred to as the "seat side position (P1)").

[0044] The board 10 is formed in a plate shape that is large and strong enough to allow the rider's buttocks to be temporarily placed on it in the horizontal position (P1) and for the rider's hands to be placed on it to support the rider's upper body with the arms. 1, 4, and 6, the board 10 is formed to have a narrow region 10F in the front part and a wide region 10R in the rear part, which is wider than the narrow region 10F, in a plan view of the vehicle in a horizontal position (P1). The narrow region 10F is formed to have a necessary and sufficient size as a handhold area for an occupant (e.g., a person with a lower limb disability) to place his / her hands on and support his / her body when transferring between the seats of a wheelchair (not shown) and the driver's seat 104 via the board 10.

[0045] The wide region 10R is formed to have a size that allows the occupant's buttocks (the area between the pair of right and left ischia and the surrounding area) to be temporarily placed (supported).

[0046] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the narrow region 10F is formed slightly larger than a virtual circular region CR having a diameter of approximately 80 mm so as to include the virtual circular region CR, and the wide region 10R is formed in a shape that covers a virtual rectangular region SR (also referred to as the "temporary buttocks rest region") SR having a length of approximately 220 mm in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction and a length of approximately 110 mm in the vehicle width direction so as to include the virtual rectangular region SR.

[0047] In other words, as shown in the figure, when the board 10 is viewed from above in a horizontal position (P1), the vehicle width direction inner edge 10a is formed in a substantially straight line across the narrow region 10F and the wide region 10R in a direction substantially coinciding with the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, while the vehicle width direction outer edge 10b is formed in an inclined shape that is gradually positioned outward in the vehicle width direction from the front to the rear.

[0048] Furthermore, when viewed from above the vehicle in the horizontal position (P1), the board 10 has a leading edge 10c formed in a curved shape that protrudes forward of the vehicle widthwise between the vehicle width inner edge 10a and the vehicle width outer edge 10b, and a trailing edge 10d of the board 10 formed in a curved shape that protrudes rearward of the vehicle widthwise between the vehicle width inner edge 10a and the vehicle width outer edge 10b.

[0049] 3, 5, and 6, the support portion 20 is provided at a location corresponding to at least the narrow region 10F in the vehicle front-rear direction of the board 10. As a result, the support portion 20 is configured to support at least the narrow region 10F in the vehicle front-rear direction of the board 10 from directly below. In this example, the support portion 20 is provided in a location corresponding to the area of ​​the board 10 that spans between the narrow region 10F and the wide region 10R.

[0050] The support part 20 is configured to support the board 10 in the horizontal position (P1) in a cantilever manner from at least the inner edge 10a side in the vehicle width direction via the board pivot shaft part 15. The board pivot shaft part 15 is disposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle directly below the inner edge 10a side in the vehicle width direction of the board 10 in the horizontal position (P1).

[0051] 5 and 6, the front end 20f of the support portion 20 is provided up to a position corresponding to the front end 10af of the inner edge 10a in the vehicle width direction of the board 10 (narrow region 10F). As a result, at least the narrow region 10F of the board 10 is supported by the support portion 20 over substantially the entire narrow region 10F in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0052] As shown in Figures 2, 6 and 7, the support part 20 is disposed above the base 30 and is supported so as to be rotatable in a side view of the vehicle, i.e., rotatable about an axis (26) extending in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the support portion 20 includes a frame-shaped member 21 formed in a frame shape (closed ring) when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and includes an upper edge portion 21a extending approximately horizontally in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle at the seat side position (P1), a lower edge portion 21b extending approximately parallel to the upper edge portion 21a in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle at a position spaced downward from the upper edge portion 21a, a front edge portion 21c connecting the front ends of the upper edge portion 21a and the lower edge portion 21b in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and a rear edge portion 21d connecting the rear ends of the upper edge portion 21a and the lower edge portion 21b in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0054] In this example, the upper side 21a is formed longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than the lower side 21b, and the rear side 21d is formed to be inclined so that the upper part is located further rearward. As a result, the frame-shaped member 21 is formed in a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle (see Figs. 3 and 7).

[0055] 2, 5, and 7, the support portion 20 is integrally formed with a support protrusion 29 that protrudes substantially horizontally from the rear position to the outside in the vehicle width direction at a position slightly rearward of the vehicle front-rear direction center position of the upper side portion 21a. The support protrusion 29 supports the board 10 from below by abutting its upper surface against the underside of the board 10 in the horizontal position (P1). In other words, when the board 10 is in the horizontal position (P1), the board 10 is supported from below by the support protrusion 29 and the board pivot shaft portion 15 of the support portion 20.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 2, 5 to 7, the above-mentioned support part rotation shaft part 25 is provided between the support part 20 and the base 30. As shown in Fig. 2, 6, 10(a)(b), and 11, the support part rotation shaft part 25 is composed of a shaft 26 extending substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction, a support part lower shaft support part 22 provided on the support part 20 side and supported by the base 30 via the shaft 26, and a base side shaft support part 33 provided on the base 30 side and supported by the support part 20 via the shaft 26. The support part lower shaft support part 22 is provided at the front lower end of the support part 20 (corner part between the front side part 21c and the lower side part 21b), and the base side shaft support part 33 is provided at the front part of the base 30.

[0057] 7, the support part 20 is supported by the support part rotation shaft part 25 so as to be rotatable about a shaft (26) extending in the vehicle width direction relative to the base 30. In this example, when the support part 20 rotates from the seat side position (P1) to a position (P2) flipped up forward (hereinafter referred to as the "flip-up position (P2)"), the support part 20 rotates approximately 90 degrees clockwise relative to the vehicle body (base 30) as viewed from the right side of the vehicle. In short, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the support portion 20 is pivotally supported on the base 30 via the shaft 26 between the seat side position (P1) and the lifted-up position (P2).

[0058] 5 to 7, the board rotating shaft 15 is provided between the board 10 and the support part 20. The board rotating shaft 15 is composed of a shaft 16 that extends substantially parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction (i.e., the upper side part 21a) when the board 10 is in the horizontal position (P1), a board side shaft support part 17 that is provided on the inner edge 10a (see FIG. 4) side of the board 10 in the vehicle width direction and is supported by the support part 20 via the shaft 16, and a support part upper shaft support part 23 that is provided on the upper side part 21a of the support part 20 and is supported by the board 10 via the shaft 16.

[0059] The board 10 is supported by a board rotation shaft portion 15 so as to be rotatable about a shaft (16) extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle relative to the support portion 20.

[0060] In short, as shown in FIG. 7, when the support part 20 is located at the seat side position (P1), the board 10 is in the above-mentioned horizontal position (P1), and when the support part 20 is located at the lifted position (P2), the board 10 is pivotally supported by the support part 20 via the shaft 16 so as to be in a position approximately perpendicular to the vehicle width direction (hereinafter referred to as the "orthogonal position (P2)").

[0061] In this example, the orthogonal position (P2) is a position in which the board 10 is rotated approximately 90 degrees around the board pivot shaft portion 15 extending along the inner edge 10a of the board 10 in the vehicle width direction so as to stand up from the horizontal position (P1) relative to the support portion 20.

[0062] The boarding and alighting assistance device 1 of this embodiment is in a use state P1 (usable state) when the support part 20 is located at the seat side position (P1) and the board 10 is in a horizontal position (P1). When the support part 20 is located at the lifted position (P2) and the board 10 is in an orthogonal position (P2), the device is in a stored state P2 (see FIG. 7).

[0063] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, when the board 10 is in a horizontal position (P1) (when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is in use state P1), at least the outer portion of the wide region 10R in the vehicle width direction protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction to a point that overlaps with the position of the side door 112 (see Figure 9) when it is closed, in other words, to a point that overlaps with the side sill 102 in the vehicle width direction.

[0064] Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 9, when the ingress / egress assistance device 1 is in the stored state P2, it is located on the inner side (door trim 113) of the side door 112 in the vehicle width direction when closed, and on the outer side of the foot space of the driver's seat 104 (the space in front of and below the dashboard (also called the "instrument panel") 111), i.e., near the inner side of the side door 112 in the vehicle width direction when closed (see Figure 9).

[0065] Therefore, the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 in the stored state P2 does not interfere with the side door 112 when the side door 112 is closed, and moreover, a space for the feet of an occupant seated in the driver's seat 104 can be secured.

[0066] Incidentally, as shown in Fig. 9, when the board 10 is in the orthogonal position (P2), it is in an upright position in which the wide region 10R is located above the narrow region 10F. At this time, the support portion 20 in the lifted position (P2) is in a forward-leaning position in which the upper side portion 21a extends substantially vertically and is located at the front end of the support portion 20. That is, as shown in Figs. 2, 7, and 9, the board 10 in the upright position is located substantially entirely forward of the front end (upper side portion 21a) of the support portion 20, and the upper portion of the board 10 in the orthogonal position (P2) protrudes upward from the upper end (rear side portion 21d) of the support portion 20. As shown in FIG. 9, near the rear of the upper part of the board 10 in this orthogonal posture (P2), when the side door 112 is closed, protruding portions 114 such as an assist grip 114a and an arm rest 114b are positioned. The protruding portions 114 protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from a door trim 113 that forms the inner surface of the side door 112 in the vehicle width direction.

[0067] As a result, when the board 10 in an upright position tries to move against its will toward the rear of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving or starting, the upper part of the board 10 comes into contact with the assist grip 114a provided on the side door 112 or the front part of the armrest 114b when the door is closed, thereby preventing the board 10 from moving toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0068] As shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, the support portion 20 is provided integrally with the frame-shaped member 21 and has a gripping portion 24 that is gripped when the occupant rotates from the flip-up position (P2) to the seat side position (P1) toward the rear of the vehicle when getting in and out of the vehicle.

[0069] The gripping portion 24 is located outside the rotation range of the board 10 relative to the support portion 20 between the horizontal position (P1) and the orthogonal position (P2), and is provided at a position rearward of the rear end of the board 10 in the orthogonal position (P2).

[0070] Here, when the support portion 20 is in the lifted position (P2), the rear edge portion 21d is located at the upper portion of the support portion 20. For this reason, the grip portion 24 in this example extends substantially horizontally from a midway portion (middle portion) in the longitudinal direction of the rear edge portion 21d of the support portion 20 to the outside in the vehicle width direction so that the grip portion 24 can be easily gripped by an occupant seated in the driver's seat 104 (see FIG. 9).

[0071] 2, the base 30 is disposed between the side sill 102 on the right side of the vehicle and the driver's seat 104, and is provided with a base portion 31 having a horizontally formed upper surface capable of supporting the entire lower side portion 21b of the support portion 20 from below, and a vehicle body attachment portion 32 extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the lower portion of the base portion 31 and fastened and fixed to the vehicle body, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. The base portion 31 is formed so as to rise upward in a stepped manner relative to the vehicle body attachment portion 32.

[0072] 4, a pair of left and right seat rails 115 supporting the driver's seat 104 so that it can slide in the front-rear direction are disposed above the floor panel 100 with a space in the vehicle width direction that is sufficient to support the driver's seat 104. Although not shown, the pair of left and right seat rails 115 extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and their front ends are supported by a front seat bracket and their rear ends are supported by a rear seat bracket. More specifically, the pair of left and right seat rails 115 are fastened to the corresponding seat brackets at the front and rear portions on the left and right sides using fastening members (bolts and nuts) (not shown).

[0073] The front and rear seat brackets are respectively erected on a front floor cross member and a rear floor cross member (not shown) that extend in the vehicle width direction so as to connect a side sill 102 (see FIG. 4) on the right side of the vehicle and a floor tunnel 101 (see the same figure). Both of these front and rear floor cross members are vehicle body frame members joined from above to the floor panel 100 so as to form a closed cross section extending in the vehicle width direction between them.

[0074] When fastening the seat rail 115 on the right side of the vehicle (outside in the vehicle width direction) of the pair of left and right seat rails 115 to the front and rear seat brackets corresponding to the seat rail 115, the vehicle body mounting portion 32 (see Figs. 5 and 6) of the base 30 is fastened together with the seat rail 115 on the right side of the vehicle. In other words, the vehicle body mounting portion 32 is fastened together with the seat rail 115 on the right side of the vehicle to the vehicle body.

[0075] In addition, the base portion 31 of the base 30 is also attached to a vehicle body frame member such as a side sill 102 by a fastening member (not shown).

[0076] 5 and 6, the base 30 is provided with an inertial force cushioning mechanism 40 below the upper surface of the seat portion 31. The inertial force cushioning mechanism 40 will be described later.

[0077] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, 5 and 6, the interlocking mechanism 50 is provided between the board 10 and the base portion 31 (vehicle body), and is configured so that, in conjunction with the rotation of the support portion 20 about the axis (26) of the support portion pivot shaft portion 25 from the seat side position (P1) to the lift-up position (P2), the board 10 rotates inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the support portion 20 about the axis (16) of the board pivot shaft portion 15, from the horizontal position (P1) to the orthogonal position (P2), as shown in Figures 2, 7 and 8.

[0078] Furthermore, the interlocking mechanism 50 is configured so that, in conjunction with the rotation of the support part 20 around the axis (26) of the support part pivot shaft part 25 from the lift-up position (P2) to the seat side position (P1), the board 10 rotates outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the support part 20 around the axis (16) of the board pivot shaft part 15, from the perpendicular position (P2) to the horizontal position (P1).

[0079] As shown in detail in Figures 5, 7 and 8, the interlocking mechanism 50 includes a link member 51 connecting the board 10 and the upper surface of the base portion 31, a first universal joint 52 provided at a connection portion 52A (hereinafter referred to as the "first connection portion 52A") between the link member 51 and the board 10, and a second universal joint 53 provided at a connection portion 53A (hereinafter referred to as the "second connection portion 53A") between the link member 51 and the upper surface of the base portion 31.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 5, the link member 51 is integrally formed with a straight portion 51a connected in a straight line, a first shaft portion 51c protruding from one axial end of the straight portion 51a via a bent portion 51b bent at approximately a right angle, and a second shaft portion 51e protruding from the other axial end side of the straight portion 51a via a bent portion 51d bent at approximately a right angle, and has sufficient rigidity to prevent bending or deforming beyond the range required for functionality.

[0081] Moreover, the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 is formed to be longer than the distance between the board 10 in the horizontal position (P1) and the upper surface of the base portion 31 in the vertical direction of the vehicle (see FIG. 7).

[0082] 5, 11, and 12, the first connecting portion 52A has a first universal joint 52 and a first shaft portion 51c held freely movable by the first universal joint 52. The first connecting portion 52A is provided at a front position (approximately the center position of the narrow region 10F) in a plan view of the underside of the board 10 in the horizontal position (P1) (see FIG. 5).

[0083] 5, 11, and 12, the second connecting portion 53A has a second universal joint 53 and a second shaft portion 51e held by the second universal joint 53 so as to be freely movable. The second connecting portion 53A is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 31, spaced apart from the support portion rotation shaft portion 25 toward the front of the vehicle and outward in the vehicle width direction (see FIGS. 11 and 12). The second connecting portion 53A is provided forward of the front end of the board 10 in a horizontal position (see FIG. 11).

[0084] In this example, when the board 10 is in a horizontal position (P1), the first connecting portion 52A is located rearward of the second connecting portion 53A (see FIG. 11), and is located laterally outward of the board pivot shaft 15 that extends along the vehicle front-rear direction (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, the first connecting portion 52A is located laterally outward and rearward of the support portion pivot shaft 25 (see FIGS. 11 and 12). In this example, both the first universal joint 52 and the second universal joint 53 employ ball joints.

[0085] In addition, the second connection portion 53A and the support portion pivot shaft portion 25 are arranged at approximately the same height on the upper surface of the base portion 31 of the base 30 so that the distance between them in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is shorter than the length of the straight portion 51a of the link member 51.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, when the support portion 20 is in the raised position (P2), the first connection portion 52A is configured to be located forward of the position X16 of the shaft 16 of the support portion upper shaft support portion 23 (see in particular the relationship between the first connection portion 52A and the position X16 of the shaft 16 of the support portion upper shaft support portion 23 in the stored state P2 shown by the virtual line in FIG. 7).

[0087] When the boarding and disembarking assistance device 1 is in the use state P1 (the board 10 is in a horizontal position (P1)), as shown in FIG. 11, the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 is in a position in which the upper portion is positioned toward the rear of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, that is, in a rearward tilted position.

[0088] As the boarding / disembarking assistance device 1 changes from the use state P1 to the storage state P2 (the board 10 is in an upright position), the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 rotates so that the upper portion gradually changes position toward the front of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle (see FIG. 1).

[0089] When the boarding / disembarking assistance device 1 is in the stored state P2, the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 is in a position in which the upper portion is positioned closer to the front of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle, that is, in a forward-inclined position (see FIG. 1).

[0090] Furthermore, as the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 rotates so that the upper portion is gradually displaced toward the front of the vehicle in side view of the vehicle, the upper portion of the straight portion 51a also rotates so that the upper portion of the straight portion 51a is displaced from the outer side to the inner side in the vehicle width direction in front view of the vehicle, as shown in Figures 8 and 12. As a result, when the getting on and off assistance device 1 is in the stored state P2, the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 is inclined so that the upper portion is positioned inward in the vehicle width direction (see the same figures).

[0091] Furthermore, when the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 is displaced between the usage state P1 and the storage state P2, the link member 51 sways (rocks) three-dimensionally while the first shaft portion 51c is held by the first universal joint 52 at the first connection portion 52A, and the second shaft portion 51e is held by the second universal joint 53 at the second connection portion 53A, thereby enabling the above-mentioned displacement (rocking) not only in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle but also in the width direction of the vehicle at the upper portion of the straight portion 51a.

[0092] For example, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is in the use state P1, the first coupling portion 52A is held by the first universal joint 52 in a position where the tip portion (free end portion) of the first shaft portion 51c is swung so as to face slightly inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the rear of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 14(a1)(a2). On the other hand, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is in the use state P1, the second coupling portion 53A is held by the second universal joint 53 in a position where the tip portion (free end portion) of the second shaft portion 51e is swung so as to face slightly downward and backward in the vehicle width direction relative to the outer side, as shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13(a).

[0093] Furthermore, for example, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is in a predetermined moving state P3 between the use state P1 and the storage state P2, the first coupling portion 52A is held by the first universal joint 52 in a position in which the tip of the first shaft portion 51c faces slightly upward relative to the rear of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 14(b1)(b2). On the other hand, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is in the predetermined moving state P3, the second coupling portion 53A is held by the second universal joint 53 in a position in which the tip of the second shaft portion 51e faces in a direction substantially coinciding with the outer side in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13(b).

[0094] Furthermore, for example, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is in the stored state P2, the first coupling portion 52A is held by the first universal joint 52 in a position where the tip of the first shaft portion 51c is swung so as to face slightly forward of the vehicle relative to the upper part of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 14(c1)(c2). On the other hand, the second coupling portion 53A is held by the second universal joint 53 in a position where the tip of the second shaft portion 51e is swung so as to face slightly upward and forward of the vehicle relative to the outer side in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13(c).

[0095] As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 10(a) and (b), the inertial force relaxation mechanism 40 includes a swing arm 41, a tension spring 42, a compression spring 43, and a damper 44.

[0096] As shown in Figures 6 and 10(a) and (b), the oscillating arm 41 is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 31, to the side of the support portion pivot shaft portion 25 (in this example, on the inside in the vehicle width direction), and extends downward below the upper surface of the base portion 31.

[0097] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 12, the shaft 26 provided on the support part rotating shaft part 25 described above is extended toward the side having the swing arm 41 (inward in the vehicle width direction in this example) with respect to the support part lower shaft support part 22 and the base side shaft support part 33. And, as shown in Fig. 10(a)(b) and Fig. 12, the extension part 26a of the shaft 26 provided on the support part rotating shaft part 25 is fitted into a through hole 401ah provided in the upper end part 41a of the swing arm 41 so that the swing arm 41 cannot be displaced around the shaft (26) relative to the extension part 26a.

[0098] As a result, the upper end 41a of the swing arm 41 is coaxial with the rotation of the support part 20 relative to the vehicle body via the shaft (26) provided on the support part rotation shaft part 25, and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the support part 20 relative to the vehicle body.

[0099] Specifically, the lower end 41b (swing end) of the swivel arm 41 rotates toward the rear of the vehicle as the support part 20 rotates forward (i.e., to the lifted position (P2)) around the support part pivot shaft 25 (see Figure 10(a)), and also rotates toward the front of the vehicle as the support part 20 rotates rearward (i.e., to the seat side position (P1)) around the support part pivot shaft 25.

[0100] 10(a) and 10(b), the tension spring 42 is a coil spring disposed rearward of the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 so that its central axis is substantially aligned with the vehicle front-rear direction, with its front end engaged with the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 via a shaft 48 extending in the vehicle width direction, and its rear end fixed to the base portion 31. The tension spring 42 has a natural length when the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41, which swings in the vehicle front-rear direction, is located at the rear end of its swing range R41 (as shown in FIG. 10(a)). As shown in FIG. 10(b), the tension spring 42 is pulled toward the front of the vehicle as the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 rotates forward from the rear end of the swing range R41, and is urged toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0101] The damper 44 includes a cylinder 45 fixed to the base portion 31 and a piston 46 that can protrude or retract relative to the cylinder 45. The damper 44 is disposed forward of the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 so that the central axis of the damper 44 substantially coincides with the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0102] Furthermore, a movable member 47 that slides together with the piston 46 is integrally provided at the tip (rear end) of the piston 46. As shown in FIG. 10(a), the piston 46 protrudes into the cylinder 45, causing the movable member 47 to slide toward the rear of the vehicle, and as shown in FIG. 10(b), the piston 46 retracts into the cylinder 45, causing the movable member 47 to slide toward the front of the vehicle.

[0103] That is, when the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 rotates from the rear end of its swing range R41 toward the front of the vehicle, it presses the movable member 47 toward the front of the vehicle (see FIG. 10(b)). This causes the piston 46 of the damper 44 to slide in the direction of retreating into the cylinder 45, and as a result, a braking force toward the rear of the vehicle is applied to the damper 44.

[0104] The compression spring 43 is a coil spring stretched between the front end of the movable member 47 and the outer circumferential rear end of the cylinder 45 so that its central axis is coaxial with that of the piston 46. The compression spring 43 has a natural length when the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 is located at the rear end of its swing range R41, and is compressed toward the front of the vehicle as the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 rotates forward from the rear end of the swing range R41, thereby urging the spring toward the rear of the vehicle. The movable member 47 described above slides in the front-rear direction of the vehicle together with the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 due to the forward pressure from the lower end 41b of the swing arm 41 and the rearward restoring force (urging force) of the compression spring 43 in a compressed state.

[0105] With the above-described configuration, when the support part 20, which is in the raised position (P2), attempts to rotate rearward (toward the seat side position (P1), i.e., the state shown in Figures 10(a) to (b)) around the support part pivot shaft 25, the lower end 41b of the pivot arm 41 is displaced forward from the rear end position of the pivot range R41, so that the biasing force of the tension spring 42 and the compression spring 43 toward the rear of the vehicle and the braking force of the damper 44 toward the rear of the vehicle can be applied.

[0106] As a result, the inertia force reduction mechanism 40 can stably maintain the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 (support part 20) in the stored state P2 (jumped-up position (P2)) so that it is not unintentionally displaced rearward around the support part pivot shaft part 25 due to the effects of sudden vehicle acceleration, etc.

[0107] Furthermore, when the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 moves from the stored state P2 to the usage state P1, the inertia force reduction mechanism 40 utilizes the biasing force of the tension spring 42 and the compression spring 43 toward the rear of the vehicle and the braking force of the damper 44 toward the rear of the vehicle, thereby making it possible to soften the operating sensation felt by the occupant when moving the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 from the stored state P2 to the usage state P1.

[0108] For example, when the boarding / disembarking assistance device 1 moves from the stored state P2 to the usage state P1, the support part 20 is rotated rearward around the support part pivot shaft part 25 against the biasing forces of the tension spring 42 and the compression spring 43 (see thick arrows F42, F43 in Figure 10 (b)), thereby mitigating the effect of the mass (inertia) of the board 10 and the support part 20 during the above-mentioned movement of the boarding / disembarking assistance device 1.

[0109] On the other hand, when the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 moves from the use state P1 to the storage state P2, the inertia force reduction mechanism 40 can utilize the biasing force of the tension spring 42 and the compression spring 43 toward the rear of the vehicle (see thick arrows F42, F43 in Figure 10(b)) to rotate the support part 20 forward around the support part pivot shaft 25 by lifting the rear part of the support part 20.

[0110] Therefore, in this case as well, the operational feeling felt by the occupant can be made milder, as in the case where the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is moved from the stored state P2 to the use state P1 as described above. That is, the restoring forces (biasing forces) of the tension spring 42 and the compression spring 43 can assist the action of tilting the support part 20 forward (lifting the rear part of the support part 20) when the support part 20 is rotated from the seat side position (P1) to the flip-up position (P2).

[0111] Next, the operation of the interlocking mechanism 50 when the boarding / disembarking assistance device 1 of this embodiment is moved from the use state P1 to the storage state P2 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 7, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is changed from the use state P1 to the storage state P2, the support part 20 is rotated forward around the support part rotation shaft part 25, i.e., from the seat side position (P1) to the flip-up position (P2).

[0112] In conjunction with the rotation of the support portion 20, the link member 51 rotates forward about the second connecting portion 53A (see FIGS. 7 and 11).

[0113] Here, as described above, the second connection portion 53A (the rotation center of the link member 51 relative to the vehicle) and the support portion pivot shaft portion 25 (the rotation center of the support portion 20 relative to the vehicle) are set to a geometry that is shifted to both the front and rear of the vehicle so that the second connection portion 53A is positioned further forward of the support portion pivot shaft portion 25 (see Figure 11).

[0114] Therefore, the more the support part 20 is tilted forward, the more the link member 51 rotates toward the front of the vehicle in conjunction with the rotation of the support part 20, gradually pushing the board 10 upward and inward in the vehicle width direction (see Figures 7 and 8).

[0115] 7 and 11, the link member 51 is interposed between the board 10 and the vehicle body so as to be braced since the board 10 gradually tries to stand up from the inclined position in which the board is located toward the rear of the vehicle in a side view of the vehicle as the support part 20 is tilted forward. The link member 51 pushes up the board 10 so as to rotate inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the support part 20 around the board rotation shaft part 15 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 12.

[0116] Furthermore, as described above, the first shaft portion 51c of the link member 51 at the first connecting portion 52A is connected to the board 10 via the first universal joint 52, and the second shaft portion 51e of the link member 51 at the second connecting portion 53A is connected to the upper surface of the base portion 31 via the second universal joint 53 (see FIGS. 11 and 12). Therefore, the link member 51 can rotate (swing) in the vehicle width direction as the support portion 20 is tilted forward.

[0117] In other words, the link member 51 rotates so that the upper part of the straight portion 51a is displaced not only from the rear to the front of the vehicle but also from the inside to the outside in the vehicle width direction, so that the board 10 can be pushed up so as to rotate inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the support portion 20, with the board pivot portion 15 as a fulcrum, as described above (see the same figure).

[0118] In other words, the second connecting portion 53A (the rotation center of the link member 51 relative to the vehicle body) and the support portion rotation shaft portion 25 (the rotation center of the support portion 20 relative to the vehicle body) are set to a geometry that is shifted to the front and rear of the vehicle, as described above. Therefore, when the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 is moved from the use state P1 to the storage state P2, the difference in the rotation trajectory when the link member 51 and the support portion 20 each rotate relative to the vehicle body based on such a geometry can be absorbed by the link member 51 pushing up the board 10 while the upper portion of the straight portion 51a of the link member 51 gradually inclines (displaces) from the inside to the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0119] Therefore, when the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 is moving from the usage state P1 to the storage state P2, the support part 20, the board 10 and the link member 51 work together without being gouged, and rotate smoothly, as a result of which the board 10 is pushed up so as to rotate inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the support part 20.

[0120] In addition, when moving the boarding and alighting assistance device 1 from the storage state P2 to the usage state P1 (the opposite direction to that described above), the support part 20, the board 10 and the link member 51 each perform operations reverse to those performed when moving from the usage state P1 to the storage state P2 described above, so a description of these operations will be omitted.

[0121] Next, an example of a procedure for a passenger with a disability in the lower limbs to transfer between the driver's seat 104 and a wheelchair (not shown) using the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 when getting on and off the vehicle will be described.

[0122] In particular, an example of the procedure for an occupant to transfer from the driver's seat 104 to a wheelchair when getting on and off the vehicle with the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 in the stored state P2 and the side door 112 closed will be described mainly with reference to Figure 15(a). However, the occupant JM shown in Figure 15(a) is set to be a person of large build even among Japanese people, and only the torso (buttocks) and right leg of the occupant JM are shown in the figure.

[0123] The occupant, seated in the driver's seat 104, opens the side door 112 and takes the wheelchair, which has been folded or otherwise stored within the vehicle cabin and placed in a form that allows it to be ridden, and sets it alongside the driver's seat 104 across the door opening 110 on the outside of the vehicle cabin, on the outer side of the vehicle width.

[0124] Here, when the side door 112 is closed, as described above, the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 is restricted from moving rearward in the stored state P2 by the protruding portions 114 such as the assist grip 114a provided on the side door 112 (see Figure 9), but as described above, by opening the side door 112, the restriction by the protruding portions 114 is released.

[0125] Therefore, while seated in the driver's seat 104, the occupant can grasp the gripping portion 24 provided on the support portion 20 of the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 in the stored state P2 and rotate it backward to place the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 in the usage state P1. Specifically, the boarding and disembarking assistance device 1 can position the support part 20 at a position between the driver's seat 104 and the wheelchair, i.e., at the seat side position (P1), and can place the board 10 in a horizontal position (P1) (see Figures 1, 3, and 4).

[0126] Then, occupant JM rests his / her body (upper body) on the seat back 104b of the driver's seat 104 from the position shown by the thick imaginary line in Figure 15(a), and more specifically, while aligning his / her upper body along the seat back 104b, slides his / her buttocks slightly to a position on the outer side of the seat surface of the seat cushion 104a in the vehicle width direction (the side having the board 10), and rests his / her body on the side support 104ba provided on the right side (outer side in the vehicle width direction) of the side supports 104ba provided on both sides of the seat back 104b (see area X in Figure 15(a)).

[0127] Furthermore, as shown by the solid line in Figure 15(a), occupant JM leans his / her body against side support 104ba and rotates his / her legs (thighs), which are facing approximately toward the front of the vehicle, clockwise when viewed from above the vehicle, toward the outside of the vehicle compartment, with his / her buttocks as the fulcrum (see the white arrow in Figure 15(a)).

[0128] After the series of leg-out movements described above, rider JM places his / her hands on the narrow region 10F of the board 10, which serves as the hand-reaching area, moves his / her upper body toward the board 10 with his / her buttocks slightly raised from the driver's seat 104, and temporarily places his / her buttocks on, for example, the wide region 10R of the board 10 (not shown).

[0129] Furthermore, the passenger JM can place (place) his / her hands on the handrest areas of the board 10 and move his / her buttocks from the wide region 10R of the board 10 to the seat of the wheelchair and sit on the seat of the wheelchair.

[0130] Here, the trajectory RJM shown by the dashed line in Fig. 15(a) indicates the trajectory of the backs of the knees JMa in a plan view when the rider JM moves his / her legs out. As is clear from this trajectory RJM, in this example, the front part of the board 10 is formed as the narrow region 10F, so that even if the rider JM moves his / her legs out while leaning his / her body against (contacting) the seat back 104b, the backs of the knees JMa of the rider JM can move his / her legs out smoothly without interfering with the board 10 (particularly the front edge 10c or the outer edge 10b in the vehicle width direction of the board 10 (see Fig. 4)).

[0131] FIG. 15(b) shows how a passenger JF, who is small even for a Japanese person, performs the above-mentioned leg-out movement in correspondence with FIG. 15(a). As shown in FIG. 15(b), in the case of a small occupant JF, the position of the driver's seat 104 (driving position) is set to a more forward position than in the case of a large occupant JM. The position of the driver's seat 104, part of which is shown by a virtual line in FIG. 15(b), corresponds to the position of the driver's seat 104 in FIG. 15(a).

[0132] As shown in Figure 15(b), in the case of a small occupant JF, the driving position is set further forward than in the case of a large occupant JM described above, but as shown by the trajectory RJF in a plan view of the back of the knee JFa when the small occupant JF moves his / her leg out, even in this case, the back of the knee JFa can move his / her leg out smoothly without interfering with the board 10.

[0133] In other words, regardless of the physique of the occupant or the driving position of the driver's seat 104, the leg movement can be performed smoothly without the backs of the knees interfering with the board 10. After the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 has been moved from the use state P1 to the stored state P2, the passenger can close the side door 112.

[0134] Although not shown, an example of a procedure for an occupant to transfer from a wheelchair to the driver's seat 104 when the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 is in the stored state P2 and the side door 112 is closed will be described.

[0135] The occupant opens the side door 112, gets into the wheelchair parked alongside the driver's seat 104 across the door opening 110 on the outer side of the vehicle width, and moves the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 from the stored state P2 to the usage state P1 as described above.

[0136] This type of operation can be performed, for example, by an occupant, seated in a wheelchair, reaching from outside the vehicle through the door opening 110 toward the boarding and alighting assistance device 1, and appropriately grasping a specific portion of the frame-shaped member 21 of the support part 20, thereby rotating the support part 20 so as to tilt it backward.

[0137] Furthermore, with the rider's hands on the narrow region 10F of the board 10 in the horizontal position (P1), the rider supports his / her body with the arm on the side where the hands are placed, moves the upper body from the wheelchair seat toward the board 10, and temporarily places the buttocks on, for example, the wide region 10R of the board 10. This allows the rider to temporarily place the buttocks on the buttocks temporary placement region SR (see FIG. 4) in the wide region 10R of the board 10 with the legs (thighs) facing forward and outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0138] From this state, the rider places his / her hands on the narrow region 10F of the board 10 as a hand placement region, and moves the upper body toward the seat surface of the driver's seat 104 with the buttocks slightly raised off the board 10.

[0139] Furthermore, from this position, the occupant can sit in the driver's seat 104 by using the buttocks, which are located on the seat surface of the driver's seat 104, as a fulcrum and rotating the legs (thighs) counterclockwise when viewed from above the vehicle, thereby inserting the legs into the space in front of the driver's seat 104 (hereinafter referred to as the ``leg insertion action'').

[0140] As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the boarding / alighting assistance device 1 of the present embodiment described above is a vehicle boarding / alighting assistance device that includes a board 10 that is movable between a horizontal position (P1) (usage state P1) (see Fig. 1) that is substantially horizontal and an orthogonal position (P2) (storage state P2) (see Fig. 2) that is substantially orthogonal to the vehicle width direction within the vehicle cabin, on the vehicle width outer side of a seat cushion 104a (seat) of a driver's seat 104 adjacent to a door opening 110 of the vehicle. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the board 10 has a support portion 20 that supports the board 10 from below at a seat side position (P1) located on the vehicle width outer side of the seat cushion 104a. As shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6, the board 10 is formed with a narrow region 10F in the front part that narrows toward the front of the vehicle from the rear to the front of the rear part in a plan view of the vehicle in the horizontal position (P1). As shown in Figs. 3 to 7, the support portion 20 is provided at a location of the board 10 that corresponds to at least the narrow region 10F in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0141] According to the above configuration, the support portion 20 is provided at a location corresponding to at least the narrow region 10F of the board 10 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, so that the support portion 20 can support at least the narrow region 10F of the board 10 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction from directly below.

[0142] Therefore, the narrow area 10F at the front part of the board 10 can be used as a hand-holding area when a rider (e.g., a person with a lower limb disability) transfers between a wheelchair and the driver's seat 104 via the board 10. Moreover, at that time, loads are applied to the board 10 from the rider's hands in various directions, but the board 10 can be secured in its supporting rigidity against the loads.

[0143] Furthermore, as described above, the narrow region 10F of the board 10 is formed narrower than the portion located rearward of the narrow region 10F when viewed from above the vehicle in the horizontal position (P1), so that the board 10 is compact when viewed from above the vehicle, and allows the occupant to smoothly move their legs (so-called leg-out and leg-in movements) when transferring between the driver's seat 104 and the wheelchair (see Figures 15(a) and (b)).

[0144] In short, the narrow region 10F of the board 10 can ensure sufficient support rigidity as a hand-rest region, while allowing the rider's legs to move smoothly when transferring onto the board.

[0145] In addition, the board 10 is supported in a cantilever manner on the support part 20 via the board pivot shaft 15, but by forming the handhold area as the narrow width area 10F, it is possible to suppress the moment load applied from the cantilevered narrow width area 10F to the board pivot shaft 15. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the weight increase compared to the case where the support rigidity of the board pivot shaft 15 is formed high over the entire board 10 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0146] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in one embodiment of the present invention, the support portion 20 is journalled to the base 30 so as to be rotatable about an axis (26) extending in the vehicle width direction between a seat side position (P1) (see Figure 1) located on the vehicle width outer side of the seat cushion 104a of the driver's seat 104, and a flipped-up position (P2) (see Figure 3) flipped up forward from the seat side position (P1). As shown in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, the board 10 is supported rotatably relative to the support portion 20 around an axis (16) perpendicular to the vehicle width direction so as to assume a horizontal position (P1) (see Figure 1) when the support portion 20 is located at the seat side position (P1), and an orthogonal position (P2) (see Figure 2) when the support portion 20 is located at the flipped-up position (P2).

[0147] According to the above configuration, when the boarding / exiting assistance device 1 is not in use, it can be placed in the stored state P2 without being removed from the vehicle body so as not to interfere with opening and closing of the side door 112.

[0148] As an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a front end 20f of the support portion 20 is provided up to a position corresponding to a front end 10af of an inner edge 10a of the board 10 in the vehicle width direction.

[0149] According to the above configuration, the narrow region 10F is a hand-rest area and is subjected to loads from various directions, but by providing the support portion 20 up to a position corresponding to the front end 10af of the board 10, it can firmly support such loads.

[0150] In other words, since the support portion 20 does not protrude further forward than the front end 10af of the board 10, when the rider moves his / her legs (so-called leg-out and leg-in movements), the backs of the rider's knees can move smoothly without interfering with the support portion 20 (see Figures 15(a) and (b)).

[0151] As shown in Figures 1, 4 and 6 as an embodiment of the present invention, the board 10 is formed with a wide region 10R at the rear portion, which is wider than the narrow region 10F when viewed from above the vehicle in a horizontal position (P1). As shown in Figure 4, the narrow region 10F is formed to be slightly larger than the circular region CR having a diameter of approximately 80 mm so as to include the circular region CR, and the wide region 10R is formed in a shape that covers the rectangular region SR having a length of approximately 220 mm in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and a length of approximately 110 mm in the width direction of the vehicle so as to include the rectangular region SR.

[0152] According to the above configuration, by forming the narrow region 10F of the board 10 to the above size, as described above, when an occupant (e.g., a person with a lower limb disability) transfers between a wheelchair and the driver's seat 104 via the board 10, a necessary and sufficient size is secured as an area for the occupant to place their hands, and the legs, such as the backs of the knees, do not interfere with the board 10, allowing the occupant to smoothly perform the so-called leg-out and leg-in movements described above.

[0153] Moreover, by forming the narrow region 10F of the board 10 to the above size, when a rider places his / her hand on the narrow region 10F, the rider can grasp the peripheral edge (the leading edge 10c, the inner edge 10a in the vehicle width direction, or the outer edge 10b in the vehicle width direction) of the board 10 with his / her fingers while supporting the palm of the hand on the upper surface of the board 10. In other words, by forming the narrow region 10F to the above size, the rider can stably place his / her hand on the narrow region 10F from various directions.

[0154] On the other hand, by forming the wide region 10R of the board 10 to the above size, as described above, a size can be secured that allows the occupant (e.g., a person with a lower limb disability) to temporarily place his / her buttocks when transferring between a wheelchair and the driver's seat 104 via the board 10.

[0155] Specifically, by forming the wide region 10R of the board 10 to the above size, a space larger than the distance between the pair of ischial bones in the occupant's buttocks can be secured, and the wide region 10R can firmly support the occupant's buttocks (the area between the pair of ischial bones and the surrounding area).

[0156] Furthermore, by forming the wide region 10R of the board 10 to the above size rather than making it as large as possible, when the board 10 is in an upright position, it can be stored compactly without interfering with the surrounding door trim 113, etc.

[0157] As shown in FIG. 9, in one embodiment of the present invention, a protrusion 114 such as an assist grip 114a protruding inward in the vehicle width direction on a door trim 113 (inner wall in the vehicle width direction) of a side door 112 (door) that opens and closes a door opening 110 is configured to be positioned at a position close to the horizontal position (P1) side (i.e., a position close to the rear) of the board 10 in the perpendicular position (P2) when the door opening 110 is closed by the side door 112.

[0158] According to the above configuration, when the side door 112 is closed, when the support portion 20 located in the lifted-up position (P2) rotates to the seat side position (P1), the board 10 in the orthogonal position (P2) abuts against the protruding portion 114 such as the assist grip 114a, thereby preventing the support portion 20 from rotating against the will to the seat side position (P1).

[0159] In particular, as described above, the board 10 has the narrow region 10F in the front part and the wide region 10R in the rear part in a plan view of the vehicle in the horizontal position (P1), so that when the board 10 is in the orthogonal position (P2), the narrow region 10F is located in the lower part of the board 10 and the wide region 10R is located in the upper part of the board 10 (see Figs. 2, 7, and 9). In this case, the center of gravity of the board 10 tends to be higher than when the board is formed narrow overall in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0160] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, as described above, the assist grip 114a is configured to restrict the support part 20, which is located in the lifted position (P2), from rotating toward the seat side position (P1). This reliably prevents the support part 20 and the board 10 from rotating unintentionally toward the seat side position (P1) due to a force (inertia force) in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle while traveling.

[0161] As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 10(a) and (b) in one embodiment of the present invention, an inertia force reduction mechanism 40 is provided between the support portion 20 and the base 30 (vehicle body). Specifically, a tension spring 42 and a compression spring 43 serve as a biasing means for biasing the support portion 20 from the seat side position (P1) to the jumped-up position (P2), and a damper 44 serves as a braking means for damping the displacement speed from the jumped-up position (P2) to the seat side position (P1).

[0162] As described above, the board 10 has a narrow region 10F in the front portion and a wide region 10R in the rear portion when viewed from above the vehicle in the horizontal position (P1). Therefore, when the board 10 is in the orthogonal position (P2), the center of gravity tends to be high. However, even in this case, the support portion 20, which is in the flip-up position (P2), can be kept in the flip-up position (P2) so that it does not fall unintentionally toward the seat side position (P1) due to sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle.

[0163] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned examples, but can be formed in various embodiments.

[0164] For example, the present invention employs the driver's seat 104 as the vehicle seat, but is not limited to the driver's seat 104 and may employ other vehicle seats such as a passenger seat, as long as the seat is adjacent to the door opening 110 .

[0165] In addition, in this example, ball joints are used as the first universal joint 52 and the second universal joint 53, but this is not limited to this, and various known universal joints such as Cardan joints and Rzeppa joints may be used.

[0166] In the above-described embodiment, the support portion 20 is Seat side position (P1) And, Seat side position (P1) In the embodiment, the lift-up position (P1) is pivotable between the lift-up position (P2) and the lift-up position (P3) which is lifted forward from the lift-up position (P4). However, the present invention is not limited to this. Seat side position (P1) And, Seat side position (P1) Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the lift-up position can be rotated between a lift-up position (P1) set rearward and a lift-up position (P2) set rearward.

[0167] Furthermore, as a modified example of the above-described embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 16, the support portion 20 may be configured such that substantially its entirety in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is provided in a portion of the board 10 corresponding to the narrow width region 10F in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0168] According to the above configuration, in other words, the support portion 20 can be configured so that, when viewed in a plane in the horizontal position (P1) of the board 10, it is substantially not provided in a location corresponding to the rear portion of the narrow region 10F (i.e., the wide region 10R).

[0169] 16, when the board 10 is in the orthogonal posture (P2), the support part 20 is not present immediately behind the upper part of the board 10. In other words, when the board 10 is in the orthogonal posture (P2), the height of the support part 20 located at the rear of the board 10 can be made compact so as not to become too high, so that more space can be secured around the feet of the occupant when the boarding and disembarking assistance device 1 is in the stored state P2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0170] 1...Boarding and alighting assistance device (vehicle boarding and alighting assistance device) 10. Board 10af…Front end of the inner edge of the board in the vehicle width direction (front end of the board) 10F…Narrow area 10R…Wide area 16...Axis perpendicular to the vehicle width direction 20...Support part 20f…Front end of support 26…Axis extending in the vehicle width direction 30…Base (car body) 42...Tension spring (biasing means) 43...Compression spring (biasing means) 44…Damper 104a…Driver's seat cushion (seat) 110…Door opening 112…Side door (door) 113…Door trim (inner wall of the door along the width of the vehicle) 114a…Assist grip CR: Circular area SR…Rectangular area (P1)…Horizontal position, seat side position (P2)…Right angle posture, jumping up position

Claims

1. A vehicle boarding and alighting assistance device including a board that is arranged in a substantially horizontal position on a vehicle width direction outer side of a seat adjacent to a door opening of a vehicle, A support portion is provided at a seat side portion located on an outer side of the seat in a vehicle width direction, the support portion supporting the board from below, the board is formed to have a narrow region in a front portion that is narrower than a rear portion when seen from above the vehicle in the horizontal position, Further, a link member is provided for connecting the board to the vehicle body, the link member has a first connecting portion as a universal joint connecting the link member and the board, and a second connecting portion as a universal joint connecting the link member and the vehicle body, The support portion is provided at a location of the board corresponding to at least the narrow region in the vehicle front-rear direction, The support part is pivotally supported on the vehicle body via a support part pivot shaft part so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction between the seat side position and a flipped-up position that is flipped up forward or rearward from the seat side position, and the board is supported on the support part so as to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle width direction, the second coupling portion is located closer to the flip-up position in the vehicle front-rear direction than the support portion pivot shaft portion, The link member is configured to rotate about the first joint portion and the second joint portion in conjunction with the rotation of the support portion so that when the support portion is located at the seat side position, the board is in the horizontal position, and when the support portion is located at the lift-up position, the board is in an orthogonal position that is approximately orthogonal to the vehicle width direction in the vehicle compartment. Vehicle boarding and alighting assistance device.

2. When the door opening is closed, an assist grip provided on an inner wall in the vehicle width direction of the door that opens and closes the door opening is disposed in a position adjacent to the board in the horizontal position in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the board in the perpendicular position. The vehicle boarding / exiting assistance device according to claim 1 .

3. Between the support portion and the vehicle body, there is provided a biasing means for biasing the support portion from the seat side position to the lifted position, and a damper for damping the displacement speed from the lifted position to the seat side position. The vehicle boarding / alighting assistance device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The support portion is provided in a portion of the board in the vehicle front-rear direction that corresponds to the narrow region of the board in the vehicle front-rear direction, such that substantially the entire support portion in the vehicle front-rear direction is provided in a portion of the board in the vehicle front-rear direction that corresponds to the narrow region of the board in the vehicle front-rear direction. The vehicle boarding / exiting assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The front end of the support portion is provided to a position corresponding to the front end of the board. The vehicle boarding / exiting assistance device according to claim 4.

6. the board is formed at the rear portion to have a wide region that is wider than the narrow region in a plan view of the vehicle in the horizontal position, The narrow region is formed to be approximately the same size as a circular region having a diameter of about 80 mm, The wide area is formed in a shape that covers a rectangular area having a length of about 220 mm in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a length of about 110 mm in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle boarding / exiting assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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