JP2731340B2 - Elevating step device for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a step-up / step-down device for a vehicle used for getting on and off a person on a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 7, an elevating step 2 is usually provided below a back door 1 or the like of a so-called wagon car to make it easy for a person to get on and off. This elevating step 2 is fixed to a conventional vehicle body. Was something.

[0003]

Therefore, the ascending and descending step 2 always protrudes from the vehicle body in the vicinity, so that the appearance is poor, it is easy for a person or the like to hit and it is obstructive and dangerous, and the air resistance during traveling increases. And so on.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and is intended to improve the appearance of a vehicle,
To help improve safety, reduce air resistance, etc., it can be easily stored so that the lifting step does not protrude except when necessary.
Provide balance weight and balance spring,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ascending and descending step device for a vehicle in which a driving unit for driving a step member operates smoothly.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the gist of the present invention is as follows. 1. A vehicle elevating step device used for getting on and off a vehicle, etc., wherein the vehicle elevating step device comprises: Lifting and lowering, comprising a driving unit, the lifting and lowering step,
Step member (10) and balance weight (14)
The step member (10) is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract from the vehicle body so as to form a part of the vehicle outer shape at the retracted position, and the balance weight (14) is such that the step member (10) The step member (10) is attached to the step member (10) so as to cancel a moment due to the weight of the step member (10) when swinging from the retracted position to the protruding position, and the driving unit (20) is disposed in the retracted position. And the step member (10) is displaced to a position where the step member constitutes the elevating step, and has a motor (22), a source link (25), a connecting link (26), and a balance spring (30). The power of the motor (22) is transmitted to the step member (10) via the power source link (25) and the connecting link (26), and the balance spring (30) The vehicle lifting steps apparatus that is characterized in that attached to the Minamotodo link (25) to reduce the static torque applied to the motor (22) side by the weight of the step member (10).

Item 2. The vehicle opening / closing step device according to item 1, wherein the door opening / closing detecting means (63,
64), and the door open / close detecting means (63,
When the opening movement of the door (1) is detected by (64), the drive unit (20) is controlled to control the step member (10).
To the protruding position, and the door open / close detecting means (63,
When the closing movement of the door (1) is detected by (64), the drive unit (20) is controlled to control the step member (10).
And a control unit (50) having an automatic control function for displacing the vehicle to the immersion position.

3. The vehicle lifting / lowering step device according to item 1 or 2, further comprising a parking state detecting means (65) for detecting whether or not the vehicle is in a parking state, and a control unit (5) of the drive unit (20). 50) A non-parking lock function that disables displacement of the step member (10) to the projecting position when the parking state detecting means (65) detects that the vehicle is not in the parking state. The control unit (5) of the driving unit (20) having
0), a stepping device for a vehicle.

4. The step-up / step-down device for a vehicle according to item 1, 2 or 3, wherein a parking state detecting means (65) for detecting whether or not the vehicle is in a parking state, and the step member (10) is in a retracted position. Step storage detecting means (66) for detecting whether or not the parking member is present, and the parking state detecting means in a state in which the step member (10) is detected by the step storage detecting means (66) at the protruding position. When it is detected by (65) that the parking state of the vehicle has been released, the control unit (50) having an automatic storage function of controlling the drive unit (20) to displace the step member (10) to the retracted position. ) Is provided.

[0009]

According to the vehicle lifting step device of the present invention, the lifting step is constituted by a step member (10) provided so as to be able to protrude and retract from the vehicle body so as to form a part of the outer shape of the vehicle at the submerged position. This step member (1)
0) operates without human power, and is displaced between a retracted position forming a part of the vehicle and a protruding position forming an elevating step.
For this reason, it is easy to prevent the elevating step from protruding from the vehicle body except when necessary. Further, the moment due to the weight of the step member (10) when the balance weight (14) step member (10) swings from the retracted position to the projecting position is canceled, and the balance spring (30) is used.
The motor (22) depends on the weight of the step member (10).
The balance weight (14) and the balance spring (30) reduce the load on the drive unit (20) when driving the step member (10) because the static torque applied to the drive unit (20) is reduced. Can be smoothly performed.

When the control unit (50) has an automatic control function, the above operation is automatically performed according to the necessity under the control of the control unit (50). That is, when the door opening / closing detecting means (63, 64) detects the opening movement of the door (1) of the vehicle in which the lifting step is used, the driving unit (20) is controlled to move the step member (10) to the projecting position. Displaced, door open / close detection means (63, 64)
When the closing movement of the door (1) is detected by the control unit, the drive unit (20) is controlled to displace the step member (10) to the retracted position. For this reason, the step member (10) automatically moves in and out according to the necessity of the elevating step accompanying the opening and closing of the door (1).

When the control unit (50) has a non-parking lock function, the parking state detecting means (65)
If it is detected that the vehicle is not in the parking state, the displacement of the step member (10) to the projecting position becomes impossible, and unsafe operations such as the step member (10) accidentally projecting during traveling or the like. Is avoided.

When the control section (50) has an automatic storage function, the parking state detection is performed in a state where the step storage detecting means (66) detects that the step member (10) is at the projecting position. When the means (65) detects that the parking state of the vehicle has been released,
The step member (10) is displaced to the retracted position. For this reason, an unsafe operation such as running the vehicle carelessly with the step member (10) projected can be avoided.

[0013]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle lifting step device of this embodiment includes a step member 10 provided as a part of a vehicle bumper,
And a control unit 50 that controls the operation of the drive unit 20 according to output signals of various switches provided in the vehicle.

The step member 10 is formed by dividing a part of the bumper of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, the shaft members 1 are respectively provided on both inner surfaces of the bumper bodies 5 and 5 on both sides.
1, a closed position (retracted position) in which the bumper bodies 5 and 5 are fitted and integrated as shown in the upper part of FIG.
1, the front end side can be pivoted to an open position (projection position) which constitutes an ascending / descending step by opening the front side toward the front as shown in the lower part of FIG. Here, a retaining ring 11a is attached to the tip of the shaft 11 as shown in FIG.

The material of the step member 10 does not necessarily have to be the same as that of the bumper bodies 5 and 5, but may be formed of another material in terms of strength. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting portion of the step member 10 (the inner side surface of the bumper body 5) abuts a part of the step member 10 to swing the step member 10 to the closed position and the open position. Are provided. further,
At the base end side of the step member 10, a balance weight 14 for canceling a moment due to the weight of the step member 10 when swinging to the open position is attached.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the drive unit 20 includes a motor 22 with a speed reducer mounted below the vehicle body floor 6 via a bracket 21, and a motor 22 with the speed reducer.
The power source link 25 has a base end fixed to the output shaft 22a by a screw 23 and a washer 24, and a connection link 26 for hinge-connecting the distal end of the power source link 25 and the step member 10.

One end of the connecting link 26 and the tip of the source link 25 are rotatably connected by a pin 27, and the other end of the connecting link 26 and the step member 10 are rotatable by a pin 28 and a snap ring 29. Are linked. Then, the length of the power source link 25 or the connection link 26, the power source link 2
The mounting angle of 5, the mounting position of the connecting link 26 to the step member 10, and the like are set such that the step member 10 swings between the closed position and the open position by swinging of the power source link 25.

A balance spring 30, which is a tension coil spring, is mounted between the power source link 25 and the vehicle body floor 6, and together with the balance weight 14, the output of the motor 22 is determined by the weight of each link 25, 26 and the step member 10. The static torque applied to the shaft 22a is reduced. Further, on both sides of the swing range of the power source link 25 in the bracket 21, stoppers 31 abutting on the power source link 25 at an angle slightly larger than the angle at which the step member 10 reaches the closed position and the open position, 32 is fixed.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 1, the control unit 50 includes an operation switch (manual switch 61, changeover switch 62), door open / close detection means (backdoor full open switch 63, half latch switch 64),
Parking switch 65 (parking state detecting means)
And a relay 5 provided in a power supply circuit or the like of the motor 22 to rotate the motor 22 in the forward and reverse directions upon receiving an output signal from the step closing signal switch 66 (step storage detecting means).
1, the operation, stop and rotation direction of the motor 22 are controlled.

As shown in FIG. 1, the manual switch 61 is a seesaw switch disposed near the back door 1 on the rear inner surface of the vehicle body. Is output from the neutral position to the display side of DOWN to output a command to set the step member 10 to the open position. The changeover switch 62 is also a two-position changeover seesaw switch disposed near the back door 1 on the rear inner surface of the vehicle body, and outputs a manual control command to be described later when the switch is turned to the MANUAL display side to display AUTO. When it is tilted to the side, an automatic control command, which will be described later, is output to the control unit 50.

The back door full open switch 63 is
The sensor is a so-called sensor that detects the full opening of the back door 1 and is provided on a swing support portion or the like of the back door 1. Is output. The half-latch switch 64 is provided inside the lock of the back door 1 and detects that the back door 1 has exceeded the half-latch and outputs a signal. A parking switch 65 is provided with a sensor provided at a support portion of a side lever for operating a parking brake,
And a sensor provided in the AT device, and detects that the vehicle is in a parking state (the parking brake is being operated or the P range of the AT device is on) and outputs a signal therefrom. I do. The step closing signal switch 66 is connected to the step member 10.
The control unit 50 detects that the step member is at the closed position and outputs a signal to the control unit 50.

The control unit 50 is specifically constituted by, for example, a microcomputer or the like, and controls the movement of the step member 10 by rotating the motor 22 forward and reverse according to a flowchart shown in FIG. However, it has the following functions (automatic control function, manual automatic switching function, non-parking lock function, automatic storage function).

That is, either manual control or automatic control is performed according to a command from the changeover switch 62 (manual automatic changeover function). In the manual control, the motor 22 is operated according to the operation of the manual switch 61 to swing the step member 10.

In both the manual control and the automatic control, first, the parking brake is operated by the parking switch 65, or the P range of the AT device is turned on (that is, the AT device is in a parking state). Unless it is detected, the step member 10 is not operated (non-parking lock function).

In the automatic control, if the full opening of the door 1 is detected by the back door full open switch 63 on condition that the parking switch 65 detects that the vehicle is in a parking state, the step member 10 When the back door 1 is closed and the half-latch switch 64 outputs a detection signal, the step member 10 is displaced to the closed position (retracted position) (automatic control function). In a state where the step closing signal switch 66 detects that the step member 10 is in the open position,
When the parking switch 65 detects that the parking state has been released, control is performed to return the step member 10 to the closed position (automatic storage function).

Note that the step member 10 by the control unit 50 is
Is specifically performed as follows. That is, when the step member 10 is swung to the open position shown in FIG. 4, by controlling the operation of the relay 51, the motor 22 is driven for a predetermined time so that the output shaft 22a is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. Flow. When the step member 10 is moved to the closed position shown in FIG. 3, by controlling the operation of the relay 51, the output shaft 22a is rotated clockwise in FIG. A predetermined current is applied to the motor 22 until a detection signal is present.

Next, the operation will be described.

When the apparatus starts operating in conjunction with the ignition switch of the vehicle, the control unit 50 performs the processing of steps S1 to S11 shown in FIG. That is, first, the signal of the parking switch 65 is read, and the process proceeds to step S2 only when the vehicle is in the parking state (step S1). In step S2, the output of the changeover switch 62 is read, and if the command is for the automatic control, the process proceeds to step S3, and if the command is for the manual control, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S3, the output of the back door full open switch 63 is read, and if it is detected that the back door 1 is fully opened, the flow advances to step S4 to proceed to step S4.
Swing 0 to open position. If the full opening of the back door 1 has not been detected, the process returns to step S2. In step S5, the output of the changeover switch 62 is read, and if the command is for the automatic control, the process proceeds to step S6, and if the command is for the manual control, the process proceeds to step S8.

In step S6, the output of the half latch switch 64 is read, and if the back door 1 is closed more than the half latch, the process proceeds to step S7 to swing the step member 10 to the closed position. If the closing movement of the back door 1 has not been detected, the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S8, the manual switch 6
1 is read, and if the opening of the step member 10 is commanded, the process proceeds to step S9 to swing the step member 10 to the closed position. If the opening of the step member 10 is not commanded, the process proceeds to step S10. . Then, in step S9, the output of the manual switch 61 is read again,
When the closing movement of the step member 10 is instructed, the process proceeds to step S11 to swing the step member 10 to the closing position, and when the closing movement of the step member 10 is not instructed, the process returns to step S2.

In step S12, the output of the parking switch 65 is read, and if the parking state has been released, the flow advances to step S7 to swing the step member 10 to the closed position. If the parking state is maintained, step S2 is executed. Return to

According to the processing in steps S1 to S12, assuming that the vehicle is in the parking state (step S1), the automatic control (steps S3 to S7) is performed by operating the changeover switch 62 (step S2).
Alternatively, manual control (steps S8 to S11) is performed. In the manual control, the step member 10 swings to the closed position or the open position by operating the manual switch 61, and in the automatic control, the step member 10 is interlocked with the opening and closing of the back door 1. As a result, the step member 10 opens and closes. When the parking state is released during the automatic control, the step member 10 is returned to the closed position even if the back door 1 is not closed (step S12).

For this reason, if the changeover switch 62 is normally set to the automatic side, the step member 10 automatically falls down when the back door 1 is opened. Without having to do
As shown in FIG. 4, the foot can be placed on the step surface 10a of the step member 10 which has fallen to the open position, and the step member 10 can easily get on and off. Then, after the back door 1 is closed, the step member 10 automatically returns to the closed position, and the bumper is formed integrally with the bumper main body 5 so that the step member 10 does not protrude.
The appearance is clear, the air resistance during running is reduced, and the safety against a contact accident or the like is improved without being obstructed.

When it is desired to swing the step member 10 to the closed position or the open position regardless of the opening / closing of the back door 1 for some reason, the driver or the passenger of the vehicle sets the changeover switch 62 to the manual side. By operating the manual switch 61, the step member 10 can be easily swung to the closed position or the open position, which is convenient.

If the vehicle is not in the parking state, neither the automatic operation nor the manual operation is possible, and when the parking state is released while the step member 10 is in the open position during the automatic operation, the automatic operation is performed. Since the step member 10 returns to the closed position, it is possible to prevent the step member 10 from swinging during running due to inadvertent operation or to run while the step member 10 is lying down, Also in this respect, high security is ensured.

In the above embodiment, the step member 1 determines that the back door 1 is fully opened in the automatic control.
It is a necessary condition to defeat 0. For this reason, the back door 1
The step member 10 does not fall down immediately after the passenger or the like puts his hand on the lower end of the back door 1 to open the door, and the safety is secured in this respect as well.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, since components for reducing the static torque, such as the balance weight 14 and the balance spring 30, are provided, the capacity of the motor 22 can be small, and the step member 10 operates smoothly. There is also an effect.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may have various aspects. For example, the step member is not limited to one that swings and appears, and may be one that appears and disappears by performing a linear motion. Further, the step member is not limited to the bumper, and may be, for example, a step member integrated with the body of the vehicle at the sunken position.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the locking means for reliably maintaining the stationary state of the step member 10 in the closed position or the open position is not particularly described, but, for example, when the operation of the motor 22 is stopped. Needless to say, a brake or the like for locking the output shaft 22a may be provided. However, when the stationary state of the step member 10 is sufficiently stabilized by the friction torque or the like in the speed reducer of the motor 22, such a locking means is unnecessary.

[0042]

According to the vehicular lifting / lowering step device of the present invention, the lifting / lowering step is constituted by a step member provided on the vehicle body so as to be able to protrude and retract from the vehicle body so as to form a part of the outer shape of the vehicle at the submerged position. The step member operates without requiring human power, and is displaced between a retracted position forming a part of the vehicle and a protruding position forming an elevating step. For this reason, it is easy to prevent the elevating step from protruding from the vehicle body except when necessary, making it easier to get on and off the vehicle, improving the aesthetics of the vehicle, improving safety by eliminating the protruding part, or reducing air resistance. There are various effects. In addition, the balance weight and the balance spring reduce the load applied to the drive unit when driving the step member,
The operation of the drive unit can be made smooth.

When the control section of the drive section has an automatic control function, the above operation is automatically performed according to the necessity of the up / down step accompanying opening / closing of the door of the vehicle in which the up / down step is used. Is more convenient.

If the control unit of the drive unit has a non-parking lock function, the displacement of the step member to the projecting position is impossible unless the vehicle is in the parking state, and the step member is inadvertently protruded during traveling or the like. Unsafe operations, such as doing, are avoided, and safety is further improved.

When the control unit of the drive unit has an automatic storage function, when the parking state of the vehicle is released while the step member is in the protruding position, the step member is automatically displaced to the retracted position. Therefore, an unsafe operation such as running the vehicle carelessly with the step member protruding is avoided, and safety is further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a vehicle elevating step device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a drive unit of the vehicle elevating step device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a drive unit of the vehicle elevating step device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an operation of a drive unit of the vehicle elevating step device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system of a vehicle elevating step device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of a control unit of the vehicle elevating step device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Step member 20 ... Drive part 50 ... Control part 63, 64 ... Door opening / closing detection means 65 ... Parking state detection means 66 ... Step storage detection means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-305362 (JP, A) JP-A 62-67849 (JP, U) JP-A 5-58509 (JP, U) JP-A 63-67849 2639 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 62-67848 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 6-67187 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 6-75908 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 6-67188 (JP, U)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle elevating step device used for getting on and off a vehicle, the vehicle elevating step device comprising: an elevating step;
A drive unit, wherein the elevating step includes a step member and a balance weight, wherein the step member is provided in the vehicle body so as to form a part of the outer shape of the vehicle at the retracted position, and the balance weight is The step member is attached to the step member so as to cancel a moment due to the weight of the step member when the step member swings from the retracted position to the protruding position. Displacing the step member to a projecting position constituting a step, a motor,
A power source link, a connection link, and a balance spring, and transmitting the power of the motor to the step member via the power source link and the connection link; A lifting / lowering step device for a vehicle, wherein the lifting / lowering step device is attached to the power source link so as to reduce a static torque applied to a side. 2. The vehicular lifting step device according to claim 1, further comprising a door opening / closing detecting means for detecting an opening / closing state of a door of the vehicle in which the lifting / lowering step is used, and wherein the door opening / closing detecting means detects the opening / closing state of the door. When the opening movement is detected, the drive unit is controlled to displace the step member to the protruding position, and when the door opening / closing detection means detects the closing movement of the door, the drive unit is controlled to perform the step. An ascending and descending step device for a vehicle, further comprising a control unit having an automatic control function for displacing a member to a retracted position. 3. A step-up / step-down device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a parking state detecting means for detecting whether or not the vehicle is in a parking state. A vehicle having a non-parking lock function for disabling the step member to move to a protruding position when the parking state detecting means detects that the vehicle is not in a parking state. For lifting step device. 4. A step-up / down step device for a vehicle according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein parking state detecting means for detecting whether or not the vehicle is in a parking state, and whether or not the step member is in a sunk position. Detecting that the vehicle has been released from the parking state by the parking state detecting means while the step storage detecting means detects that the step member is at the projecting position. And a control unit having an automatic storage function of controlling the drive unit to displace the step member to the immersion position.