FR2997979A1 - Retractable device i.e. step ladder, for use in trailer of articulated lorry, has railing moving between folded position in which arms are parallel to upright and unfolded position in which handrail is in far away position of upright - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a railing (16) fixed on an upright (24) and comprising arms (38, 40). The railing includes a handrail (42) parallel to the upright. The first arm is mounted on the upright around an axis (DELTA2) and on the handrail around a second axis (DELTA3). The second arm is rotatively mounted on the upright around a third axis (DELTA4) and on the handrail around a fourth axis (DELTA5). The railing moves between a folded position in which the arms and the handrail are parallel to the upright and an unfolded position in which the handrail is in a position far away from the upright.

Description

Retractable device ladder type, able to be stored in a housing. The present invention relates to a stepladder type device, adapted to be received in a housing, the device comprising: - a head intended to slide in the housing in a longitudinal direction, preferably substantially horizontal, and - a staircase comprising at least a first a post and a second post mounted rotatably on the head about a first substantially transverse axis, and steps extending transversely between the first post and the second post, the first post and the second post being substantially orthogonal to the transverse direction, the stairway forming an angle with the longitudinal direction, the stairway being movable between a storage position in which it extends substantially in the longitudinal direction, and a position of use in which it rests on a surface located below the head. Such a device can for example be housed under the platform of a trailer of a vehicle. To use it, slide the head and staircase out of the housing and lower the staircase until it touches the surface below the head, for example the floor. The device then allows a user to get on or off the platform. When the user borrows such a device, the question arises of his safety, especially when the user carries objects.

An object of the invention is to provide a step-type retractable device, able to be stored in a housing and which improves the security of the user (s) possible, while remaining easy to implement and a cost reduced. For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a device comprising at least one railing fixed on the first upright and comprising a first arm, a second arm substantially parallel to the first arm, and a handrail substantially parallel to the first upright, the first arm being rotatably mounted on the first upright around a second axis and on the handrail around a third axis, the second arm being rotatably mounted on the first upright around a fourth axis and on the handrail around a fifth axis, the second axis, the third axis, the fourth axis and the fifth axis being substantially transverse, the railing being movable between a folded position, wherein the first arm, the second arm and the handrail are substantially parallel to the first upright, and an unfolded position, in which the handrail is at a position away from the first upright. According to particular embodiments, the device tif may include one or more of the following characteristics, taken singly or in any technically possible combination: - when the guardrail is in the folded position, the first arm and the second arm are located transversely between the first and second arm amount and handrail; - The device further comprises a control member for, when the staircase is lowered from the storage position to the position of use, automatically raise the railing from the folded position to the unfolded position; - The control member protrudes from the head in the longitudinal direction and comprises a portion forming a stop on which the first arm can slide, the stop imposing that the first arm forms an angle with the longitudinal direction greater than or equal to at a minimum value depending on the angle formed by the staircase with the longitudinal direction; - The control member comprises a second portion forming a second stop adapted to limit the angle formed by the first arm with the longitudinal direction; the control member comprises two transverse stops for the first arm; - The staircase comprises a third amount and a fourth amount mounted on the rotary head about a sixth substantially transverse axis and spaced transversely, the third amount being substantially parallel to the first amount and the fourth amount being substantially parallel to the second amount, the steps being pivotally mounted on the first upright, the second upright, the third upright and the fourth upright about substantially transverse axes, so as to remain each substantially horizontal regardless of the angle formed by the staircase with the longitudinal direction; - When the staircase is in the storage position, the first amount and the third amount are substantially superimposed in a vertical direction; the staircase comprises a lug secured to the third upright and forming with the third upright a housing extending parallel to the third upright to receive the second arm when the guard is in the unfolded position, the third upright and the lug then forming two opposite transverse stops for the second arm; the first upright and the second upright each comprise a substantially cylindrical tube, preferably of metal or of composite material; the first arm, the second arm and the handrail each comprise a substantially cylindrical tube, preferably of metal or composite material.

The invention further relates to a vehicle, or a vehicle trailer, comprising a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, preferably substantially horizontal, and a device as described above. The invention will be better understood on reading the description which will follow, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the appended drawings, in which - - Figure 1 shows schematically, in side view, a device according to the invention in use, that is to say when the staircase is in the position of use, the guardrail being in the unfolded position; - Figure 2 schematically shows, in side view, the device shown in Figure 1 in a first intermediate position, in which the staircase is in an intermediate position, the guardrail being in a semi-folded position; - Figure 3 schematically illustrates, in side view, the device shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a second intermediate position, the staircase being in the storage position, the guardrail being in the folded position; - Figure 4 shows schematically, in side view, the device shown in Figures 1 to 3 retracted and stored in the housing, the staircase being in the storage position, the guardrail being in the folded position; - Figure 5 shows schematically, in front view in the longitudinal direction of the arrow V, the device shown in Figures 1 to 4 in the position shown in Figure 4; - Figure 6 shows schematically, in perspective, a detail of the device shown in Figures 1 to 5, around a control member of the position of the guardrail; - Figure 7 shows schematically a detail of the device shown in Figures 1 to 5, located at a lug integral with a third amount of the staircase, the guardrail being in the unfolded position. Referring to Figures 1 to 5, there is described a device 1 according to the invention, intended to be stored in a housing 2. The housing 2 belongs to a platform 3, for example the trailer of a semi-trailer type of vehicle. Platform 3 is not shown in detail. The housing 2 extends in a longitudinal direction X, preferably substantially horizontal, as shown in Figures 1 to 6. Alternatively, the longitudinal direction X may deviate from the horizontal, for example if the platform 3 is inclined .

The housing 2 also extends in a transverse direction Y substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and preferably substantially horizontal. Further defined is a vertical direction Z substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y and pointing upwards.

The housing 2 is located at a height H, measured from the ground in the vertical direction Z. For example, H is between 50 cm and 2 m. The housing 2 advantageously has a generally flat shape. It has a length L in the longitudinal direction X and a thickness E in the vertical direction Z. By "general planar shape" is meant that the ratio LEL is greater than 5, preferably greater than 20. The housing 2 has an inlet 4, located at a first end in the longitudinal direction X and a bottom 6, located at a second end in the longitudinal direction X, opposite the first end. The housing 2 is defined between two rails 8, 10 extending parallel in the longitudinal direction X and able to support the device 1 when it is stored in the housing 2. For example, the rails 8, 10 comprise beams having each a "U" section lying in the transverse direction Y. The "U" have openings facing each other. The device 1 comprises a head 12 intended to slide in the housing 2 in the longitudinal direction X, a staircase 14 rotatably mounted on the head 12, and two guard rails 16, 17 rotatably mounted on the staircase 14, on each side of the staircase 14 in the direction transverse direction Y. The head 12 extends in the housing 2 in the transverse direction Y and is slidably mounted in the housing 2. The head 12 is for example received in the rails 8, 10. According to variants not shown, the head 12 can be slidably mounted on or under the rails 8, 10 of the housing 2, or simply rest on a surface of the housing 2. The head comprises a first portion 12a, located on the bottom 6 in the longitudinal direction X and intended to remain in the housing 2, and a second portion 12b, located on the opposite side to the bottom 6 in the longitudinal direction X and intended to be out of the housing 2 when the device is used. The head 12 is substantially symmetrical with respect to a median plane P substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction Y and parallel to the X and Z directions. The head 12 comprises, at one end in the transverse direction Y, two elements 18, 20, for example beams, oriented substantially in the longitudinal direction X, and a slab 22 extending transversely, that is to say in the transverse direction Y. The beams 18, 20 each have a section "U", the opening of the "U" being turned down.

According to a particular embodiment, the slab 22 belongs to the second part 12b and can serve as a step. The staircase 14 comprises a first upright 24 and a second upright 26 mounted on the head 12 rotatable about a first substantially transverse axis M, a third upright 28 and a fourth upright 30 mounted on the head 12 rotating about a sixth axis 3.6, and a plurality of steps 32 extending transversely between, on the one hand, the first amount 24 and the third amount 28 and, secondly, the second amount 26 and the fourth amount 30. The first amount 24 the second upright 26, the third upright 28 and the fourth upright 30 are substantially parallel to each other and define a direction D of the staircase 14. The staircase 14 forms an angle α with the longitudinal direction X. The staircase 14 is movable between a position of use shown in Figure 1, wherein the staircase 14 rests on a surface 31 located below the head 12, in the example shown in the figures, the ground, and a position of storage representative 3 to 5, in which it extends substantially in the longitudinal direction X from the head 12. In the position of use, the angle a is for example about 45 °, while it is worth about 0 ° in the storage position. In the storage position, the staircase 14 has a thickness in the vertical direction Z less than the thickness E of the housing 2, so as to enter the housing 2 in the longitudinal direction X. The staircase 14 is also substantially symmetrical with respect to the median plane P, only the first amount 24 and the third amount 28 will be described in detail. The first upright 24 and the third upright 28 are advantageously rotatably mounted inside the beam 18 (FIG. 6). The first upright 24 and the third upright 28 comprise for example a tube of rectangular section, advantageously with rounded corners. The first upright 24 and the third upright 28 are advantageously made of metal, for example steel or aluminum, or of composite material.

The third upright 28 comprises a handle 34 extending transversely from a distal longitudinal end of the third upright 28. The fourth upright 30 advantageously comprises a handle 36, symmetrical with the handle 34. The sixth axis 3.6 is advantageously offset from the first axis M in the vertical direction Z to allow the first post 24 and the third post 28 to be superimposed when the staircase 14 is in the storage position. Each of the steps 32 is pivotally mounted on the first upright 24 and on the second upright 26 about a substantially transverse axis, and on the third upright 28 and the fourth upright 30 about a substantially transverse axis, so that , in projection on the median plane P, the first axis M, the sixth axis 3.6, and the mounting axes of the step 32 considered form a parallelogram, the steps 32 being advantageously substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction X. This configuration will be called "parallelogram" assembly in the suite. Advantageously, the slab 22 is similar to the steps 32 and located in their extension in the direction D. The two guardrails 16, 17 also being substantially symmetrical with respect to the median plane P, only the railing 16 will be described in detail. The railing 16 comprises a first arm 38 rotatably mounted on the first upright 24 about a second substantially transverse axis 3.2, a second arm 40, substantially parallel to the first arm 38 and rotatably mounted on the first upright 24 around a fourth axis M substantially transverse, and a handrail 42, substantially parallel to the first upright 24 and rotatably mounted on the first arm 38 about a third substantially transverse axis 3.3 and the second arm 40 about a fifth axis substantially transverse 3.5 .

The railing 16 is movable between a folded position, illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, wherein the first arm 38, the second arm 40 and the handrail 42 are substantially parallel to the direction D of the staircase 14, and an unfolded position, illustrated in Figure 1, in which the handrail 42 is in a position remote from the first upright 24.

The railing 16 is movable substantially in a plane perpendicular to the transverse direction Y. The railing 16 is located on the other side of the first upright 24 with respect to the steps 32 in the transverse direction Y. The second axis 32, the third axis 3.3, the fourth axis M and the fifth axis 3.5 form, in projection on the median plane P, a parallelogram. The second axis 3.2 is closer to the first axis M than is the fourth axis M.

The first arm 38 and the second arm 40 each form with the longitudinal direction X an angle I. In the unfolded position, the angle f3 is for example about 45 °, while it is about 0 ° in the folded position.

The handrail 42 extends in the direction D, for example from the fifth axis 3.5 to the third axis 3.3 and beyond the third axis 3.3, so as to advantageously have an end 44 in the direction D located substantially above of the head 12 in the vertical direction Z when the railing 16 is in the unfolded position.

When the railing 16 is in the folded position of Figures 3 to 5, the first arm 38 and the second arm 40 extend in the transverse direction Y between, on the one hand, the first upright 24 and the third upright 28 and, on the other hand, the handrail 42. The first arm 38, the second arm 40 and the handrail 42 each comprise, for example, a rectangular section tube, preferably with rounded corners. The first arm 38, the second arm 40 and the handrail 42 are advantageously made of metal, for example steel or aluminum, or composite material. The device 1 advantageously comprises control members 46 for controlling the position of the guardrails 16, 17. Only the control member 46 of the railing 16 will be described, the control member 46 of the railing 17 being substantially symmetrical to the control member 46 of the railing 16 along the median plane P. The control member 46 of the bodyguard 16 forms a protrusion from the head 12 in the longitudinal direction X, on the stairway side 14. For example the control member 46 comprises a longitudinal tube 48 located transversely between the beams 18 and 20 of the head 12. The tube 48 is preferably of rectangular section. It comprises an extremal opening 50, a lateral lumen 52 extending longitudinally on a lower face of the tube 48, the extremal opening 50 and the lateral lumen 52 being traversed by the first arm 38, and two walls 54, 56 extending substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction Y and forming two transverse stops for the first arm 38. The lateral light 52 has an end edge 58 in the longitudinal direction X, on which the first arm 38 rests and can slide and pivot along a seventh axis 3.7 substantially transverse. The end edge 58 forms a stop for the first arm 38 preventing the angle f3 from closing.

The end opening 50 is delimited by an end edge 60 of the tube 48. An upper portion 62 of the end edge 60 forms a stop for the first arm 38 preventing the angle [3 from opening. Advantageously, the end opening 50 is shaped so that the upper portion 62 is offset longitudinally relative to the remainder of the end opening 50. For example, the upper portion 62 is located substantially above the end edge 58 in the vertical direction Z The device 1 advantageously comprises a lug 64 extending from the third upright 28 in the direction D. The lug 64 and the third upright 28 form a housing 66 adapted to receive the second arm 40. The lug 64 and the third upright 28 also form two transverse stops for the second arm 40. The housing 66 is open in the direction D for example the opposite side to the head 12. The operation of the device 1 is as follows. The device 1, when not in use, is generally placed in the stowed position shown in FIG. 4. The head 12 is then located towards the bottom 6 of the housing 2. The staircase 14 is in the position of storage and received in the housing 2. The railings 16, 17 are in the folded position. To implement the device 1, a user (not shown) pulls on the handles 34, 36 in the longitudinal direction X to pull the stairs 14 and the portion 12b of the head 12 out of the housing 2, as shown in FIG. Figure 3. The head 12 and the staircase 14 slide between the rails 8, 10. At the end of this step, the staircase 14 is always in the storage position. The railings 16, 17 are always in the folded position. The portion 12a of the head 12 remains in the housing 2. Then the user pushes the handles 34, 36 downwards. The angle a opens, as well as the angle f3, as explained below. The device 1 passes through the first intermediate position shown in Figure 2, to arrive in the position shown in Figure 1. The staircase 14 then passes from the storage position to the position of use. The railings 16, 17 move from the folded position to the unfolded position. During the passage of the staircase 14 from the storage position to the position of use, the first upright 24, the second upright 26, the third upright 28 and the fourth upright 30 remain substantially parallel to each other and form with the longitudinal direction X the same angle a. The steps 32 pivot about their transverse mounting axes and remain substantially horizontal, because of their "parallelogram" assembly. During the passage of the railing 16 from the folded position to the unfolded position, the handrail 42 moves away progressively from the first upright 24, while remaining substantially parallel to the first upright 24, due to the "parallelogram" mounting of the guard -body 16 on the first upright 24. During the passage of the staircase 14 from the storage position to the position of use, the control member 46 exerts a lifting action on the railing 16.

The angle made by the first upright 24 with the longitudinal direction X determines the position of the second axis 3.2. The first arm 38 passes through the second axis 3.2 and slides and pivots on the seventh axis 3.7 materialized by the end edge 58 of the light 52. As the first upright 24 pivots about the first axis M, the first arm 38 pivots, sliding, around the seventh axis 47, which increases the angle I.

The end edge 58 acts as a stop for the first arm 38, this stop ensuring that the angle f3 is not less than a value determined by the value of the angle a. The upper portion 62 of the end edge 60 also acts as a stop for the first arm 38, limiting the value taken by the angle I. When the railing 16 is in the unfolded position, the two walls 54, 56 form transverse stops which stiffen the railing 16 vis-à-vis transverse forces. In addition, the second arm 40 is received in the housing 66, the third upright 28 and the lug 64 forming two transverse stops. These transverse stops allow the railing 16 to withstand transverse forces. What has just been described concerning the railing 16 is transposed to the railing 17 by reason of symmetry. When the staircase 14 is in the position of use and the guardrails 16, 17 are in the unfolded position, the user can take the staircase 14 by leaning on the guardrails 16, 17, which prevent a possible fall of the user in the transverse direction Y or in the direction D.

To retract and store the device 1, the user performs in reverse the operations described above. In particular, it is understood that the raising of the staircase 14 from the use position of FIG. 1 to the storage position of FIG. 3 forces the guardrails 16, 17 to move from the unfolded position to the folded position. . If, in this movement, the first arm 38 comes to no longer be in contact with the end edge 58, the upper portion 62 constitutes a stop having a lowering action on the first arm 38. When the staircase 14 is in the position of storage, the upper portion 62 advantageously requires that the angle f3 is substantially zero. Thanks to the characteristics described above, the device 1 is able to be stored in the housing 2 and the safety of the user is improved by the presence of at least the guardrail 16. The device 1 is also easy to implement and reduced cost.

In addition, the following optional features provide additional benefits. As the first arm 38 and the second arm 40 are located transversely between the first upright 24 and the handrail 42 when the guardrail is in the folded position, the railing 16 folds extremely flat, which does not require not to increase the thickness E of the housing 2. With the control member 46, when the staircase 14 is lowered from the storage position to the position of use, the guardrail 16 is lifted automatically from the folded position to the unfolded position. It is understood that the control member 46 is optional, in the sense that, in the absence of a control member, the user can unfold or fold himself the guardrail 16 and immobilize it by means of appropriate attachment (not shown), in the unfolded position before using the staircase 14, or folded before storing the staircase 14. With the transverse stops 54, 56 of the control member 46, and the ergot 64, the rigidity of the railing 16 is improved in the transverse direction. Thanks to the "parallelogram" configuration of the staircase 14, the steps 32 remain each substantially horizontal, regardless of the angle formed by the staircase 14 with the longitudinal direction X. It is understood that the device 1 can function even if the staircase 14 is not in a "parallelogram" configuration, the latter to reduce the thickness of the staircase 14 in the storage position. Thanks to the fact that, in the storage position, the first upright 24 and the third upright 28 are substantially superimposed in the vertical direction Z, the staircase 14 can hold, in the storage position, in a housing 2 of thickness E réduite.25

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Device (1) retractable stepladder type, adapted to be received in a housing (2), the device comprising: - a head (12) for sliding in the housing (2) in a longitudinal direction (X), preferably substantially horizontal, and - a staircase (14) comprising at least a first upright (24) and a second upright (26) rotatably mounted on the head (12) about a first axis (M) substantially transverse, and steps (32). ) extending transversely between the first upright (24) and the second upright (26), the first upright (24) and the second upright (26) being substantially orthogonal to the transverse direction (Y), the stairway forming an angle (a) with the longitudinal direction (X), the staircase (14) being movable between a storage position in which it extends substantially in the longitudinal direction (X), and a position of use in which it rests on a surface (31) located below the head (12), characterized in that ue the device (1) comprises at least one railing (16, 17) fixed on the first upright (24) and having a first arm (38), a second arm (40) substantially parallel to the first arm, and a hand current (42) substantially parallel to the first upright (24), the first arm (38) being rotatably mounted on the first upright (24) about a second axis (3.2) and on the handrail (42) around a third axis (43), the second arm (40) being rotatably mounted on the first upright (24) about a fourth axis (3.4) and on the handrail (42) about a fifth axis (45), the second axis (32), the third axis (43), the fourth axis (3.4) and the fifth axis (45) being substantially transverse, and in that the railing (16, 17) is movable between a folded position, wherein the first arm (38), the second arm (40) and the handrail (42) are substantially parallel to the first leg (24), and an unfolded position, in which the handrail (42) is in a position away from the first upright (24). 2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein, when the railing (16, 17) is in the folded position, the first arm (38) and the second arm (40) are located transversely between the first amount (24) and the handrail (42). 3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a control member (46) for, when the staircase (14) is lowered from the storage position to the position of use, automatically raise the railing (16, 17) from the folded position to the unfolded position. 4. Device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the control member (46) forms a projection (48) from the head (12) in the longitudinal direction (X) and comprises a portion (58) forming a stop on which the first arm (38) can slide, the stopper imposing that the first arm (38) forms an angle (f3) with the longitudinal direction (X) greater than or equal to a minimum value depending on the angle (a) formed by the staircase (14) with the longitudinal direction (X). 5. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the control member (46) comprises a second portion (62) forming a second stop adapted to limit the angle (f3) formed by the first arm (38) with the longitudinal direction (X). 6. Device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the control member (46) comprises two transverse stops (54, 56) for the first arm (38). 7. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the staircase (14) comprises a third upright (28) and a fourth upright (30) mounted on the head (12) rotatable around a sixth axis (46) substantially transverse and spaced transversely, the third upright (28) being substantially parallel to the first upright (24) and the fourth upright (30) being substantially parallel to the second upright (26), the steps (42) being pivotally mounted on the first upright (24), the second upright (26), the third upright (28) and the fourth upright (30) about substantially transverse axes, so as to remain each substantially horizontal regardless of the angle (a) formed by the staircase (14) with the longitudinal direction (X). 8. Device (1) claim 7, wherein, when the staircase (14) is in the storage position, the first upright (24) and the third upright (28) are substantially superimposed in a vertical direction (Z) . 9. Device (1) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the stair (14) comprises a lug (64) integral with the third upright (28) and forming with the third upright (28) a housing (66) s' extending parallel to the third post (28) to receive the second arm (40) when the rail (16) is in the unfolded position, the third post (28) and the post (64) then forming two opposing transverse stops for the second arm (40). 10. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a second guardrail (17) mounted on the second upright (26). 30