JP2544260B2 - Automatic step safety device for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a safety device for an automobile automatic step, in which the protrusion of the automobile automatic step is prohibited during traveling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an automatic step (auto step) of an automobile is a type that pops out to the side of the vehicle from the width of the vehicle. If the automatic step pops out without the driver knowing, It was dangerous.

Further, there is an accelerator interlock device which detects that the automatic step is popping out and suppresses the depression of the accelerator pedal. When moving at a slight speed (0 to several km per hour), the mechanism of the accelerator interlock device is locked at a fixed position, so it is impossible to lock when the accelerator pedal is slightly depressed at the low speed and the slight speed as described above. In some cases, even if the accelerator pedal is not depressed, the vehicle may move due to idling of the engine. In such a case, jumping out of the automatic step was dangerous.

Also, if the step entry / exit switch is inadvertently touched during running, the automatic step pops out to the side of the vehicle, which is very dangerous.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to running a vehicle .
It is intended to provide a safety device for an automatic step for an automobile, which secures safety by forcibly storing the automatic step during traveling or at the time of departure .

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the above-mentioned prior art, and in view of the danger that an automatic step pops out at the time of departure , a neutral switch, foot brake switch, parking brake switch, vehicle speed sensor, step non It has a detection switch during riding and outputs a signal from the controller so that the automatic step is forcibly stored under various conditions, so that the automatic step is forcibly stored by considering whether or not the vehicle is running. In this way, the above problems are not solved.

[0007]

In the present invention, when the vehicle speed sensor is connected, the parking brake switch is not connected,
Or when both the foot brake switch and the neutral switch is not connected, when regarded that the vehicle is running, that and step non aboard detection switch under the conditions described above is connected when the vehicle speed sensor is connected It forces the storage of automatic steps.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an example of an automobile having an automatic step 2 for mounting a safety device 1 of the present invention will be described first, and then the safety device 1 will be described. A specific example of will be described.

Reference numeral 3 is a step for getting in and out of a large vehicle such as a bus or a truck, and there is a considerable difference in height between the step 3 and the ground surface. Equipped with controlled automatic step 2 (auto step, auxiliary step).

Reference numeral 4 denotes a mounting board for the automatic step 2. The mounting board 4 is mounted on a lower portion of the step 3, and the drive engine 5 for the automatic step 2 is fixed to a side portion of the step 3 (inside the vehicle body). Further, the drive engine 5 has an electric motor and a reduction gear (not shown) built therein, and is equipped with a torque limiter (in a control device (not shown)) for controlling the drive force. Equipped with an emergency cock 6 to shut off.

Reference numerals 7 and 7a denote a pair of rotary shafts rotatably mounted on the lower surface of the step 3 in a horizontal and parallel manner.
A link mechanism 8 is provided between the drive engine 5 and the automatic step 2 with the intermediate step as an intermediate fulcrum to project the automatic step 2.

Reference numeral 9 is a controller of the safety device 1. The step "out" input terminal 10 of the controller 9 is connected to the ignition key 12, the fuse 13, the step in / out switch 14 and the step in / out switch 14 from the positive electrode of the DC power supply 11. The step input / output switch 14 is connected to the step “input” input terminal 16 of the controller 9 while being sequentially connected via the output side 15.
Is connected to the other input side 17 which is switch-connected.

Further, various switches connected to the ground 18 are connected in parallel to the controller 9, and specifically, the neutral switch 19, the foot brake switch 20,
The parking brake switch 21, the vehicle speed sensor 22, and the step-non-ride detecting switch 23 are connected.

The neutral switch 19 detects the neutral position of the transmission and connects the circuit only when the gear shift position of the transmission is in the neutral position. The foot brake switch 20 detects the operation of the foot brake and detects the foot brake. Is to connect the circuit when the operation of, the parking brake switch 21 detects the operation of the parking brake and connects the circuit when the parking brake operates, the vehicle speed sensor 22 detects the rotation and non-rotation of the tire, The circuit is connected when the tires rotate, and the step non-boarding detection switch 23 detects whether the occupant or passenger is on or off the automatic step 2 and connects the circuit when the vehicle is not boarding. is there.

The following two types of embodiments will be described as the detection methods in the step non-boarding detection switch 23. When the mat switch is attached to the tread surface which is the upper surface of the automatic step 2, and the mat switch is not stepped on, , The mat switch can be used as a general commercial product, and as a second embodiment, an opening / closing door (not shown) for closing the door opening of the step 3 for getting on / off. If the opening / closing door is fully closed, the personnel will not step on the automatic step 2. Therefore, it is considered that the vehicle is not in the vehicle by detecting the fully closed micro switch on the opening / closing door, If the door is open even a little, it is considered to be on board.

Numeral 24 is a relay contact which is switched in the controller 9 by a step out / inhibit command, which is normally connected on the break side, and the automatic step 2 is moved in and out by the input of the step in / out switch 14 to the controller 9 except when the prohibition command is issued. The step “out” output terminal 25 is provided on the output side of the relay contact 24.

Reference numeral 26 is an input signal line connected to the step "input" output terminal 27 of the controller 9, and the input signal line 26 is connected to a compulsory relay contact 28 which is operated by a step compulsion command.

Next, the operation of the safety device for an automobile automatic step according to the present invention will be described. First, when the automatic step 2 is extended, the ignition key is pressed.
12 is conducted to switch the step input / output switch 14 to the output side 15, and the controller 9 activates and connects the relay contact 24 under the conditions other than the following, or connects the relay contact 24 without disconnection. The state is maintained, the "out" signal is output from the step "out" output terminal 25, the drive engine 5 is operated, and the automatic step 2 is extended.

In the description of the following conditions, first, after explaining the prohibition of overhang, a case where the automatic step 2 in the overhang state is forcibly stored under the same condition is explained as a set. In such a case, The controller 9 actuates and connects the forced relay contact 28 to input the “ON” signal to the input signal line 26, thereby outputting the “ON” signal from the step “ON” output terminal 27 to operate the drive engine 5. Then, the automatic step 2 is stored.

Therefore, as the overhang prohibiting condition of the first automatic step 2, the vehicle speed sensor 22 detects the running state of the vehicle, and when the tire is rotating, the controller 9 regards it as running and relays it. The contact 24 is disconnected and the step "out" output from the step "out" output terminal 25 is prohibited to prevent overhang of the automatic step 2 during traveling.

The first forced storage condition according to the present invention is the same as the above, and it is detected by the step non-boarding detection switch 23 that no one is on the automatic step 2. Or, it is considered that no one is on the automatic step 2 with the opening / closing door fully closed, and the forced relay contact 28 is connected to forcibly perform the step "on" output from the step "on" output terminal 27, Even if the car moves from a stopped state for some reason, or overhangs while driving
Even if the automatic step 2 protrudes against the prohibited condition, the automatic step 2 is stored if a person is not on the automatic step 2 to prevent the automatic step 2 from protruding during traveling.

Next, as a condition for prohibiting the overhang of the second automatic step 2, the controller 9 runs when the running condition of the vehicle is detected by the parking brake switch 21 and the parking brake is not activated. It is considered to be inside, and the relay contact 24 is disconnected to prohibit the step “out” output from the step “out” output terminal 25 to prevent the overhang of the automatic step 2 during traveling.

The second forced storage condition according to the present invention is the same condition as described above, and it is detected by the step non-board detection switch 23 that no one is on the automatic step 2. Or, it is considered that no one is on the automatic step 2 with the opening / closing door fully closed, and the forced relay contact 28 is connected to forcibly perform the step "on" output from the step "on" output terminal 27, Even if the parking brake is released for some reason and the car moves, or if the parking brake is forgotten and the vehicle is in a running state, if there is no person on the automatic step 2, the automatic step 2 is stored and the vehicle is running. To prevent the overhang state of the automatic step 2 in FIG.

Next, as the overhang prohibition condition of the third automatic step 2, the running state of the automobile is detected by the combination of the neutral switch 19 and the foot brake switch 20, the gear is put in a position other than neutral, and the foot When the neutral switch 19 and the foot brake switch 20 are not operating after releasing the brake, the controller 9 considers that the vehicle is running, disconnects the relay contact 24, and outputs the step "output" from the step "output" output terminal 25. Is prohibited to prevent the overhang of the automatic step 2 during traveling.

The third forced storage condition according to the present invention is the same as the above, and it is detected by the step non-boarding detection switch 23 that no one is on the automatic step 2. Or, it is considered that no one is on the automatic step 2 with the opening / closing door fully closed, and the forced relay contact 28 is connected to forcibly perform the step "on" output from the step "on" output terminal 27, Even if the vehicle enters a gear other than neutral for some reason and the foot moves away from the footbrake and the car moves or is in a running state, if there is no person on the automatic step 2, the automatic step 2 is stored. To prevent the overhang of the automatic step 2 during traveling.

[0026]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY In short, the present invention is an automatic step for automobiles.
It is a safety device that prevents the vehicle from
Sensor 22, neutral switch 19, foot brake
Switch 20, parking brake switch 21, vehicle speed
The sensor 22 and the step non-ride detection switch 23 are detected.
Output, connect the forced relay contact 28 and force
Since it has a controller 9 that outputs "input" to the step,
Even if the car moves while the automatic step 2 is overhanging,
Even if the automatic step 2 overhangs while driving,
Safety identification by confirming the non-boarding state of personnel on Step 2
Under the conditions, the automatic step 2 is forcibly stored, the traveling of the vehicle in the projecting state of the automatic step 2 is avoided, the safety is improved, and the control circuit for detecting the vehicle traveling state is also simple. And because it is made compact, it is possible to reduce costs, etc., and its practical effects are enormous.
Things.

[0027]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a safety device for an automobile automatic step according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view when an automatic step is overhanging.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the automatic step when stored.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Automatic step 9 Controller 19 Neutral switch 20 Foot brake switch 21 Parking brake switch 22 Vehicle speed sensor 23 Step non-ride detection switch 28 Forced relay contact

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-249732 (JP, A) Actual Kaihei 2-115043 (JP, U)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A safety device for avoiding a protruding state of an automatic step for an automobile, comprising a vehicle speed sensor for connecting a circuit only when a tire is rotating, and a person on the automatic step.
It has a step non-boarding detection switch that connects the circuit only when not riding, and when both the vehicle speed sensor and step non-boarding detection switch are in the connected state, the forced relay contact is connected to force the step An automatic step safety device for an automobile, which is equipped with a controller for outputting. 2. A safety device for avoiding a protruding state of an automatic step for an automobile, wherein a circuit is connected only when a parking brake is activated and a circuit is connected only when a person is not on the automatic step. When the parking brake switch is not connected and the step non-boarding detection switch is in the connected state, the forced relay contact is connected to forcibly perform the step "ON" output. A safety device for an automatic step for an automobile, which is provided with a controller for performing. 3. A safety device for avoiding an overhanging state of an automatic step for an automobile, the neutral switch connecting a circuit only when a gear shift position of a transmission is in a neutral position, and a foot connecting the circuit when a foot brake is activated. It has a brake switch and a step non-boarding detection switch that connects the circuit only when no one is riding on the automatic step.When both the neutral switch and the foot brake switch are not connected, the step non-boarding detection is performed. When the switch is connected,
An automatic step safety device for automobiles, which is equipped with a controller for forcibly performing step “input / output” by connecting a compulsory relay contact.