Vehicle step device

Abstract

To make it possible that a step does not move in a storage direction even if applying force in the storage direction to the step when riding.SOLUTION: A vehicle step device 30 for expanding a step plate 33 from a storage position below a door 16 to a vehicle outer side when rotating the door 16 in an opening direction with respect to a vehicle body 10, has: a door side bracket 41 which is provided on the door 16; and a force conversion linkage 40 which convers circular motion on a rotation free end side of the door side bracket 41 into expansion motion or storage motion of the step plate 33. The force conversion linkage 40 is provided with a mechanism that prohibits the storage motion of the step plate 33 when an external force in a storge direction is applied to the step plate 33 in an expansion state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a step device for a vehicle that deploys a step plate from a stored position below a door to the outside of the vehicle when the door is rotated in an opening direction relative to the vehicle body. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a conventional technology relating to a step device for a vehicle. As shown in Fig. 9, the step device of Patent Document 1 includes a fan-shaped step plate 102, and one circumferential end of the step plate 102 is attached to the lower edge of a door 100. Also, as shown in Fig. 10, an arc-shaped guide rail 105 is provided on the underside of the floor of a vehicle body 103 to guide a portion of the step plate 102 that corresponds to the arc of the fan shape. This makes it possible to automatically pull out the step plate 102 from under the vehicle body 103 by rotating the door 100 in the opening direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-136718 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, because the step plate 102 is directly attached to the door 100, if an external force is applied to the step plate 102 in the storage direction while the step plate 102 is deployed, the step plate 102 will move in the storage direction together with the door 100. For this reason, for example, if a force is applied in the storage direction when an occupant places their foot on the step plate 102, the step plate 102 will move in the storage direction, making the occupant's ride unstable.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to prevent the step from moving in the retracting direction even if a force is applied to the step in the retracting direction when getting on the bike. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above-mentioned problems are solved by the following inventions. The first invention is a step device for a vehicle that deploys a step plate from a storage position below the door to the outside of the vehicle when the door is rotated in the opening direction relative to the vehicle body, and includes a door-side bracket provided on the door and a force conversion link mechanism that converts the arc motion of the pivoting free end of the door-side bracket into deployment motion or storage motion of the step plate, and the force conversion link mechanism is provided with a mechanism that prohibits storage motion of the step plate when an external force in the storage direction is applied to the deployed step plate.

[0007] According to the present invention, the force converting link mechanism is provided with a mechanism that inhibits the step plate from retracting when an external force in the retracting direction is applied to the step plate in the deployed state. Therefore, for example, when a passenger places their foot on the step plate, the step plate will not move in the retracting direction even if a force in the retracting direction is applied.

[0008] No. 1 In the invention, the force conversion link mechanism is connected to the free rotation end of the door-side bracket. The and a second link having a rotation center connected to the vehicle body, one end which is a free rotation end connected to the first link, and the other end which is also a free rotation end connected to the step plate, and if the straight line connecting the rotation center of the door and the free rotation end of the door side bracket is taken as the bracket rotation straight line, when the door rotates from the fully closed position to a predetermined opening position, the angle formed between the bracket rotation straight line and the first link is smaller than 180°, and when the door rotates from the predetermined opening position to the fully open position, the angle formed between the bracket rotation straight line and the first link is larger than 180°.

[0009] In other words, when the door is between the predetermined opening position and the fully open position, the angle between the bracket rotation line and the first link is greater than 180°. Therefore, when an external force in the retracting direction is applied to the step plate while the door is open beyond the predetermined opening position, that external force is applied to the door-side bracket in the door-opening direction via the second link and the first link. This prevents the door from rotating in the closing direction, and inhibits the retracting movement of the step plate. In the second aspect of the present invention, the force converting link mechanism has a linear first link connected to the free pivot end of the door-side bracket.

[0010] According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the door is in the fully closed position, the angle between the bracket rotation line and the first link is close to a right angle, and the first link is disposed to extend in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. As the bracket rotation line rotates in the door-opening direction, the angle increases, and the first link moves in the vehicle's rearward direction. Therefore, the first link's displacement in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction is greatest when the door-side bracket starts to rotate from the fully closed position, i.e., when the bracket rotation line starts to rotate in the door-opening direction. As a result, the step plate, which moves in the deployment direction via the first and second links, is most displaced in the deployment direction when the door-side bracket starts to rotate from the fully closed position. Therefore, even if the door rotates only a small amount from the fully closed position, the step plate's displacement in the deployment direction can be large.

[0011] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the distance between one end of the second link to which the first link is connected and the rotation center is set smaller than the distance between the other end of the second link to which the step plate is connected and the rotation center, so that the displacement of the first link can be amplified by the second link and transmitted to the step plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, even if a force is applied to the step in the retracting direction when getting on, the step will not move in the retracting direction, thereby improving the riding stability of the occupant. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a door opening of a vehicle equipped with a step device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the interior side. [Figure 2] 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 3) illustrating an underfloor portion of the vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the step device (door fully closed position). [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rotation angle of the bracket rotation line and the displacement amount of the first link in the vehicle front-rear direction. [Figure 5] 4 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the operation of the step device (at the door opening start position). FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the operation of the step device (at a position near the half-open position of the door). FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the operation of the step device (when the door is at a predetermined opening position (the angle between the bracket rotation line and the first link is 180°)). FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the operation of the step device (door fully open position). FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional vehicle step device. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a step plate and the like of the step device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] [Embodiment 1] A vehicle step device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8. The vehicle step device according to this embodiment is, for example, a movable step device 30 provided below a front door opening 11 of a vehicle body 10. Here, the front, rear, left, right, and up and down shown in the figures correspond to the front, rear, left, right, and up and down of a vehicle equipped with the movable step device 30 according to this embodiment.

[0015] <Overview of Vehicle Body 10> As shown in FIG. 1 , a front door opening 11 is provided on the side of a vehicle body 10 at a position corresponding to the front seats. A rocker 20, which is a cylindrical frame extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is provided at the lower edge of the front door opening 11. A front pillar 12, which is a front support pillar for the vehicle compartment, is erected on the rocker 20 in front of the front door opening 11. A front door 16 is connected to the rear side of the front pillar 12 via upper and lower door hinges 14 in a horizontally rotatable manner. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the axis of a hinge shaft (not shown) of the door hinge 14 becomes the door rotation center C0 of the front door 16. That is, the front door 16 rotates horizontally about the door rotation center C0, thereby opening and closing the front door opening 11 of the vehicle body 10.

[0016] As shown in the longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 , the rocker 20 located at the lower edge of the front door opening 11 is formed into a cylindrical shape by combining an inner rocker 21 and an outer rocker 22, each of which has a generally U-shaped cross section and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction). A reinforcement 25 is provided within the rocker 20 to reinforce the rocker 20 by dividing the interior space in the vehicle width direction. An edge 15f of the floor panel 15 of the vehicle body 10 is fixed to the upper surface of the inner rocker 21. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a strip-shaped fixed step 27 is horizontally attached to the lower side of the outer rocker 22 at the position of the front door opening 11. As shown in FIG. 2 , the fixed step 27 is covered by a garnish 16z provided at the lower end of the front door 16 when the front door 16 is closed. A step plate 33 of the movable step device 30 is stored below the fixed step 27 and the rocker 20. The fixed step 27, the garnish 16z, and the like may be omitted.

[0017] <Overview of the movable step device 30> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the movable step device 30 is provided on the underfloor below the locker 20 of the vehicle body 10. The movable step device 30 is a device that deploys a step plate 33 from the fixed step 27 and the underside of the rocker 20 outward in the vehicle width direction in conjunction with the rotation of the front door 16, or stores the step plate 33 below the fixed step 27, etc. As shown in the plan view of Figure 3, the movable step device 30 includes a door-side bracket 41 provided on the front door 16, a force conversion link mechanism 40, the step plate 33, and a four-bar link mechanism 50.

[0018] <About the door side bracket 41> As shown in Figure 3 and other figures, the door-side bracket 41 is fixed to the underside of the front of the front door 16 and protrudes a certain distance from the underside of the front door 16 inward in the vehicle width direction. The protruding end of the door-side bracket 41 moves in an arc around the door rotation center C0 when the front door 16 rotates horizontally in the opening or closing direction. Hereinafter, the imaginary line (see the dashed line in Figure 3) connecting the door rotation center C0 of the front door 16 and the protruding end (free rotation end) of the door-side bracket 41 will be referred to as the bracket rotation line R.

[0019] <Regarding the step plate 33 and the four-bar link mechanism 50> The step plate 33 is a portion on which passengers place their feet when getting on or off the vehicle, and is formed in the shape of a generally rectangular flat plate that is long in the front-to-rear direction, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The step plate 33 is supported from below by a four-bar linkage mechanism 50. As shown in Figure 3, the four-bar linkage mechanism 50 is a mechanism that holds the step plate 33 parallel to the rocker 20 and supports it so that it can move horizontally between a stored position below the fixed step 27 and the rocker 20 (see the solid line position in Figures 2 and 3) and an deployed position on the outside in the vehicle width direction (see the two-dot chain line in Figures 2 and 3).

[0020] The four-bar link mechanism 50 includes a front link 52 and a rear link 55, and the pivot center ends of the front link 52 and the rear link 55 are connected by pivot center shafts 52c and 55c in a horizontally pivotable manner to a bracket (not shown) fixed to the underside of the rocker 20. In addition, the pivot free ends of the front link 52 and the rear link 55 are connected by connecting vertical shafts 52j and 55j to the underside of the step plate 33 in a horizontally pivotable manner.

[0021] <Regarding the force converting link mechanism 40> The force converting link mechanism 40 is a link mechanism that converts the arcuate motion of the door-side bracket 41 into the deploying or retracting motion of the step plate 33, and as shown in FIG. 3 etc., is equipped with a first link 43 and a second link 45. The front end of the first link is connected to the free pivot end of the door-side bracket 41 by a first connecting shaft J1 in a state that allows it to pivot horizontally. Here, the bracket pivot line R of the front door 16 connects the door pivot center C0 and the first connecting shaft J1 (the free pivot end of the door-side bracket 41).

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the first link 43 is a linear link that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the rocker 20 when the front door 16 is in the fully closed position (see the solid line in FIG. 3). The rear end of the first link 43 is connected to the front end of the second link 45 by the second connecting shaft J2 in a manner that allows horizontal rotation. When the front door 16 is in the fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 4, the bracket rotation line R connecting the door rotation center C0 and the first connecting shaft J1 is at the original position R0, and the angle θ between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 is close to a right angle (90°). In other words, the first link 43 is arranged to extend in approximately the same direction as the tangent to the arc E, which is the movement locus of the first connecting shaft J1 (the free rotation end side of the door-side bracket 41).

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, when the front door 16 rotates in the opening direction from the fully closed position, the bracket rotation line R rotates clockwise from the original position R0. At this time, even if the bracket rotation line R rotates by a constant angle α, the amount of movement L of the first connecting shaft J1 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is large near the fully closed position of the front door 16 (near the original position R0) and gradually decreases as the opening degree of the front door 16 increases. As described above, because the first link 43 is disposed to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the amount of movement L of the first link 43 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is greatest when the front door 16 begins to open from the fully closed position. Furthermore, as the opening degree of the front door 16 increases, the angle θ formed between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 also gradually increases.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the second link 45 is a link that connects the first link 43 and the step plate 33. The second link 45 is composed of a flattened Z-shaped bent portion 45w on the front side and a linear protruding portion 45s formed on the rear side of the bent portion 45w. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the center portion of the bent portion 45w of the second link 45 is horizontally rotatably connected to the support bracket 29 fixed to the underside of the rocker 20 by a rotation center axis C2. As described above, the rear end portion of the first link 43 is horizontally rotatably connected to the front end portion (one of the free rotatable ends) of the bent portion 45w of the second link 45 by the second connecting shaft J2. Furthermore, the front portion of the step plate 33 is horizontally rotatably connected to the rear end portion (the other free rotatable end) of the protruding portion 45s of the second link 45 by the third connecting shaft J3.

[0025] 3, the bent portion 45w of the second link 45 is formed in a flattened Z-shape, so that when the front door 16 is in the fully closed position, the second connecting shaft J2 connecting the first link 43 and the second link 45 is disposed on the inner side (right side) of the rotation center axis C2 of the second link 45 in the vehicle width direction. Also, the third connecting shaft J3 connecting the second link 45 and the step plate 33 is disposed on the outer side (left side) of the rotation center axis C2 of the second link 45 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when the front door 16 begins to open from the fully closed position, the second link 45 is pressed toward the rear of the vehicle by the first link 43 and rotates rightward about the rotation center axis C2.

[0026] Furthermore, the dimension from the rotation center axis C2 of the second link 45 to the second connecting shaft J2 is set to a value (one-third or less) sufficiently smaller than the dimension from the rotation center axis C2 to the third connecting shaft J3 of the second link 45. Therefore, the amount of movement due to the arcuate movement of the third connecting shaft J3 of the step plate 33 is three or more times greater than the amount of movement due to the arcuate movement of the front end (second connecting shaft J2) of the second link 45.

[0027] <Operation of the movable step device 30> When the front door 16 is in the fully closed position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the step plate 33 is in a retracted position below the fixed step 27 and the rocker 20. That is, the front link 52 and the rear link 55 of the four-bar linkage 50 are in their left-most rotation positions, supporting the step plate 33 from below parallel to the rocker 20. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the first link 43 of the force converting linkage 40 is disposed so as to extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the rocker 20. Furthermore, the front end of the bent portion 45w and the protruding portion 45s of the second link 45 extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the rocker 20. Furthermore, the bracket rotation line R connecting the door rotation center C0 and the first connecting shaft J1 (the free rotation end of the door-side bracket 41) is maintained at the original position R0, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this state, the angle θ formed by the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 is close to 90° (90°<θ). In FIG. 3, the fully open position of the front door 16 and the deployed positions of the step plate 33 and the like at that time are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

[0028] When the front door 16 rotates in the opening direction from the fully closed position, as shown in Fig. 5, the free pivoting end of the door-side bracket 41 presses the first link 43 toward the rear of the vehicle via the first connecting shaft J1 in accordance with the rotation of the front door 16. That is, as shown in Fig. 4, the bracket rotation line R starts to rotate rightward from the original position R0, and the angle θ formed between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 increases, and the first link 43 starts to move toward the rear of the vehicle. As a result, as shown in Fig. 5, the front end of the second link 45 is pressed against the first link 43 via the second connecting shaft J2, and the second link 45 starts to rotate right. As a result, the step plate 33, which is connected to the rear end of the second link 45 via the third connecting shaft J3, is pulled outward and forward (outward in the vehicle width direction) in accordance with the right rotation of the second link 45. At this time, the front link 52 and the rear link 55 of the four-bar link mechanism 50 rotate clockwise, causing the step plate 33 to be pulled outward and forward in the vehicle width direction while remaining parallel to the locker 20. In Figure 5, the fully open position of the front door 16, the deployed position of the step plate 33, etc. at that time, and the stored position of the step plate 33, etc. are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

[0029] Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the amount of movement L of the first link 43 in the vehicle longitudinal direction when the bracket rotation line R starts to rotate rightward from the original position R0 (the fully closed position of the front door 16) becomes the largest during the rotation of the front door 16. Therefore, the amount of rightward rotation of the second link 45 when the bracket rotation line R starts to rotate rightward from the original position R0 becomes the largest during the rotation of the front door 16. Furthermore, the dimension from the rotation center axis C2 of the second link 45 to the second connecting shaft J2 is set to a value sufficiently smaller (one-third or less) than the dimension from the rotation center axis C2 of the second link 45 to the third connecting shaft J3. Therefore, the amount of movement due to the arcuate movement of the third connecting shaft J3 of the step plate 33 is three times or more larger than the amount of movement due to the arcuate movement of the front end (second connecting shaft J2) of the second link 45. In other words, the amount of movement L of the first link 43 is transmitted to the step plate 33 in an amplified state by the second link 45. Therefore, when the front door 16 starts to open from the fully closed position, the amount by which the step plate 33 is pulled outward (deployed) forward in the vehicle width direction becomes maximum while the front door 16 is rotating.

[0030] As the amount of rotation of the front door 16 in the opening direction increases, the angle θ between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 increases, and as shown in FIG. 6, the amount by which the step plate 33 is pulled outward (deployed) toward the front in the vehicle width direction also increases. When the front door 16 rotates in the opening direction and reaches a predetermined opening position near the fully open position, as shown in FIG. 7, the angle θ between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 becomes 180°, i.e., the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 are maintained on the same line. When the front door 16 rotates further in the opening direction from the predetermined opening position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the angle θ between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 becomes greater than 180°, and at the fully open position, the bracket rotation line R overlaps with the rightward rotation limit position Rm (see FIG. 4). In this state, the step plate 33 is maintained in an expanded state (expanded position).

[0031] When an external force is applied to the step plate 33 in the storage direction while the front door 16 is between the predetermined opening position and the fully open position, the second link 45 connected to the step plate 33 receives the external force and attempts to rotate left. As a result, the second link 45 presses the first link 43 in the longitudinal direction (toward the left front) via the second connecting shaft J2, and the first link 43 presses the free pivot end of the door-side bracket 41 via the first connecting shaft J1. Here, when the front door 16 is between the predetermined opening position and the fully open position, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, the angle θ formed between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 is greater than 180°, so the free pivot end of the door-side bracket 41 receives a pressing force in the door-opening direction from the first link 43. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the step plate 33 in the storage direction, the front door 16 is maintained in the open state, and movement of the step plate 33 in the storage direction is prohibited. When the front door 16 rotates in the closing direction, the force converting link mechanism 40 and the four-bar link mechanism 50 operate in the opposite direction to the above case, and the step plate 33 is returned to the storage position.

[0032] <Correspondence between terms in this embodiment and terms in the present invention> The movable step device 30 in this embodiment corresponds to the vehicle step device in the present invention, and the front door 16 corresponds to the door in the present invention. The rotation center axis C2 of the second link 45 corresponds to the rotation center of the second link in the present invention. Furthermore, the first connecting axis J1 corresponds to the free rotation end side of the door-side bracket in the present invention.

[0033] <Advantages of the movable step device 30 according to this embodiment> In the movable step device 30 according to this embodiment, the force converting link mechanism 40 is provided with a mechanism that prohibits the retracting movement of the step plate 33 when an external force in the retracting direction is applied to the unfolded step plate 33. Therefore, for example, when an occupant places their foot on the step plate 33, even if a force in the retracting direction is applied, the step plate 33 will not move in the retracting direction. That is, when the front door 16 is between the predetermined opening position and the fully open position, the angle between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 is greater than 180°. Therefore, when an external force in the retracting direction is applied to the step plate 33 when the front door 16 is open beyond the predetermined opening position, the external force is applied to the door-side bracket 41 in the opening direction of the front door 16 via the second link 45 and the first link 43. This prevents the front door 16 from rotating in the closing direction, and prohibits the step plate 33 from moving in the retracting direction (retracting movement).

[0034] Furthermore, the first link 43 has the largest movement amount L in the vehicle longitudinal direction when the door-side bracket 41 starts to rotate from the fully closed door position, i.e., when the bracket rotation line R starts to rotate in the door-open direction. As a result, the step plate 33, which moves in the deployment direction via the first link 43 and the second link 45, has the largest displacement in the deployment direction when the door-side bracket 41 starts to rotate from the fully closed door position. Therefore, even if the front door 16 rotates only a small amount from the fully closed position, the displacement amount of the step plate 33 in the deployment direction can be large. Furthermore, the dimension between one end (second connecting shaft J2) of the second link 45 to which the first link 43 is connected and the rotation center axis C2 is set smaller than the dimension between the other end (third connecting shaft J3) of the second link 45 to which the step plate is connected and the rotation center axis C2. Therefore, the second link 45 amplifies the movement amount L of the first link 43 and transmits it to the step plate 33.

[0035] <Example of change> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, when the front door 16 is between a predetermined opening position and a fully open position, the angle between the bracket rotation line R and the first link 43 is set to be greater than 180°, thereby preventing the step plate 33 from moving due to an external force in the storage direction. However, instead of this mechanism, for example, a ratchet gear of a ratchet mechanism can be provided at the rotation center of the second link 45, and the ratchet pawl can be disengaged from the ratchet gear when the door is closed. As a result, when the door is open, the ratchet mechanism prevents the second link 45 from rotating in the return direction (towards the fully closed position), and the step plate 33 is maintained in the deployed state even when an external force in the storage direction is applied.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the movable step device 30 provided on the front door 16 on the left side of the vehicle has been exemplified, but the movable step device 30 of the present invention can also be applied to the front door 16 on the right side of the vehicle. Furthermore, although an example has been shown in which the movable step device 30 is provided on the front door 16 having the door rotation center C0 on the front side of the vehicle, the movable step device 30 of the present invention can also be applied to a center door, a rear door, etc. having the door rotation center C0 on the rear side of the vehicle. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the step plate 33 is supported in an deployable manner by the four-bar linkage mechanism 50, but a configuration in which the step plate 33 is supported in an deployable manner using a guide rail, a slide member, etc. instead of the four-bar linkage mechanism 50 is also possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10. Vehicle body 16. Front door (door) 30. Movable step device (step device) 33 Step board 40 Force conversion link mechanism 41 Door side bracket 43....1st link 45...Second link C0: Door rotation center C2: Rotational axis (rotation center of the second link) J1: First connecting shaft (free rotation end of door-side bracket) J2...Second connection shaft J3: Third connecting shaft L: Travel distance (travel distance of the first link) R Bracket rotation line R0...original position Rm...Clockwise rotation limit position θ... angle

Claims

1. A step device for a vehicle that deploys a step plate from a storage position below the door to the outside of the vehicle when the door is rotated in an opening direction relative to the vehicle body, a door-side bracket provided on the door; a force conversion link mechanism that converts the arcuate motion of the pivotable end of the door-side bracket into an extension motion or a retraction motion of the step plate; It has The force conversion link mechanism is provided with a mechanism that inhibits the step plate from retracting when an external force in a retracting direction is applied to the step plate in the deployed state, The force conversion link mechanism includes: a first link connected to the pivotable end of the door-side bracket; a second link having a rotation center connected to the vehicle body, one end side which is a free rotation end connected to the first link, and the other end side which is also a free rotation end connected to the step plate; It has When a straight line connecting the rotation center of the door and the free rotation end of the door-side bracket is defined as a bracket rotation straight line, when the door rotates from a fully closed position to a predetermined opening position, the angle formed between the bracket rotation straight line and the first link becomes smaller than 180°, A step device for a vehicle, wherein when the door rotates from the predetermined opening position to the fully open position, the angle formed between the bracket rotation line and the first link is greater than 180°.

2. 2. The vehicle step device according to claim 1, The force converting link mechanism has a linear first link connected to the pivotable end of the door-side bracket.

3. 3. The vehicle step device according to claim 1, When the door is in a fully closed position, the angle formed between the bracket rotation line and the first link is nearly a right angle, and the first link is disposed to extend in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, A step device for a vehicle in which the angle formed by the bracket increases as the bracket pivots in the door opening direction, causing the first link to move rearward of the vehicle.

4. 4. The vehicle step device according to claim 3, A step device for a vehicle, wherein the dimension between one end side of the second link to which the first link is connected and the center of rotation is set smaller than the dimension between the other end side of the second link to which the step plate is connected and the center of rotation.

Images