JPH0313385Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a folding storage step that is assembled to the outer side of the lower end of the entrance/exit of a vehicle or the like.

(Prior art) This type of storage step has a flat step attached to the outer side of the lower end of the entrance so that the base end of the step can be rotated in the vertical direction. The step is configured to be opened in a substantially horizontal position, and closed in a substantially vertical position by rotating the same step upward.

By the way, in a conventional storage step of this kind, as schematically shown in FIG. 4, the base end of the step 1 is attached to, for example, the lower ends on both sides of the entrance/exit of a vehicle so as to be able to rotate by a predetermined amount in the vertical direction. When the step 1 is rotated upward and closed, the lock pin 2a of the lock device 2 provided on the bottom of the step 1 is engaged with the side wall 3 of the entrance and exit, and the step 1 is locked in the folded state. I'm starting to do that. Therefore, in this retracting step, when the operator rotates the step 1 vertically to open and close it, a large load is applied to the operator from the step 1, and when the step 1 is closed, the locking device 2 must be locked each time.
lock operation is required.

(Purpose of the invention) The present invention was made to address these problems, and its main purpose is to reduce the load on the operator when opening and closing this type of storage step, and to automatically close the step when it is closed. The goal is to make it possible to lock the system.

(Structure of the Device) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a retractable step of this kind, in which both ends are pivoted at a position above the assembly area of the step at the lower end of the doorway and at the tip of the step. a stay that is mounted on the step and can be bent at its intermediate portion; A lock member that is removable at one end of a striker provided at a position above the assembly area of the step, and this lock member and the stay are connected, and the action of the stay opens and closes the step at the same time. a torsion bar that is twisted in different directions to urge the lock member in different rotational directions when the step is open and closed, with reference to the neutral position of the step; a first stopper which is provided close to a portion of the step, and which locks one end of the locking member by the torsional reaction force of the torsion bar when the step is opened to support the locking member substantially horizontally with respect to the step; a second stopper whose other end is locked by the torsional reaction force of the torsion bar when the step is closed, supporting the lock member substantially perpendicularly to the step and opposing the striker; It is characterized by comprising:

(Operations and Effects of the Invention) As a result, in the present invention, the load applied to the operator when opening and closing the step can be reduced by the action of the torsional reaction force of the torsion bar, and the locking device can be activated as a striker when the step is closed. The step can be automatically locked in the closed position opposite the step.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 show an example of a storage step according to the present invention. This storage step 10 is a step for a vehicle, and has a flat plate-like step portion 1.
A step 10a whose bottom surface is covered with a cover part 12, and a lock mechanism 10 which is the main part of the present invention.
b.

In this vehicle 20, a pair of brackets 22 are fixed to a portion of the vehicle body frame 21 located at the lower end of the entrance/exit door 20a in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each bracket 22 protrudes downward from the outside of the vehicle body frame 21, and the base end of the step 10a is attached to the lower end of each bracket so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The rotation range of the step 10a is restricted from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position by a stopper (not shown).

Thus, the stay 13 constituting the lock mechanism 10b consists of a pair of arms 13a, 13b, which are driven to each other at their ends, and the first arm 13a is attached to the bracket 22.
and the second arm 13b is at the upper end of the step 10.
It is pivotally connected via a torsion bar 14 on one side of a. The torsion bar 14 is the second arm 13
b, and is rotatably supported by brackets 11a and 11b extending in the longitudinal direction of the step 10a and protruding from the bottom surface of the step portion 11.

On the other hand, the lock lever 15 constituting the lock mechanism 10 is attached to the bracket 11 at its longitudinally intermediate portion.
b, and can be retracted from an elongated hole 11c provided in the middle of the step portion 11. The lock lever 15 has a body frame 21 at its inner end.
It is equipped with a hook part 15a that can be engaged with and detached from the striker 16 protruding from the handle part 1 at its outer end.
5b, and is pivotally mounted at its intermediate base. One end of a connecting arm 14a fixed to the torsion bar 14 is fixed to this lock lever 15.
It is integrally connected to the arm 13b by a torsion bar 14.

The torsion bar 14 is twisted by the bending and elongation of the stay 13 and exerts a reaction force on the stay 13 and the lock lever 15, and the step 10a is at an intermediate position when opening and closing as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. In some cases, it is in a neutral state and stay 13
When the stay 13 is extended, it is twisted in one direction and a reaction force T1 is applied to the stay 13 and the lock lever 15. When the stay 13 is bent, it is twisted in the other direction and a reaction force T2 is applied to the stay 13 and the lock lever 15 as shown in FIG. to act. As a result, the inner end of the lock lever 15 comes into contact with the first stopper 17a provided close to the bottom due to the action of the reaction force T1, and is held substantially horizontally with respect to the step portion 11. As a result, its outer end comes into contact with a second stopper 17b provided close to the bottom and is held substantially perpendicular to the step portion 11, and protrudes from the elongated hole 11c of the step portion 11 to cause the striker 16 to come into contact with the second stopper 17b.
to face.

In the storage step 10 configured as described above, the step 10a is rotated downward and opened approximately horizontally as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the storage state can be achieved by closing the container substantially vertically.

By the way, in this storage step 10,
When the step 10a is opened, a reaction force T1 is applied by the torsion bar 14 to the stay 13 and the lock bar 14. This reaction force T1 resists the downward rotational force of the step 10a, and reduces the load on the operator when the step 10a rotates in the vertical direction. Also, due to this reaction force T1, the lock lever 15
comes into contact with the first stopper 17a and the step portion 11
It is in a substantially horizontal state with respect to the step portion 11, and sinks into the elongated hole 11c of the step portion 11.

On the other hand, in this storage step 10, when the step 10a is closed, a reaction force T2 is applied by the torsion bar 14 to the stay 13 and the lock lever 14 in a direction different from the reaction force T1. This reaction force T
2, the lock lever 15 is moved to the second stopper 17.
b and is in a state substantially perpendicular to the step portion 11, protrudes from the long hole 11c of the step portion 11, and faces the striker 16. Therefore, the hook portion 15a of the lock lever 15 is connected to the striker 16.
automatically locks step 10 in the closed condition. In order to unlock the step 10a, the handle portion 15b of the lock lever 15 may be slightly rotated upward through the opening 12a provided in the cover portion 12.

(Modified Example) Note that the storage step according to the present invention is applicable not only to vehicles but also to buildings, devices, etc. that have entrances and exits.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the retracting step according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of the retracting step when it is opened, and Fig. 3 is a partially longitudinal side view of the retracting step when it is closed. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional storage step. Explanation of symbols, 10... Storage step, 10a...
...Step, 10b... Lock mechanism, 13... Stay, 14... Torsion bar, 15... Lock lever, 16... Striker, 17a, 17b...
...Stopper, 20a...Gateway, 21...Vehicle frame, 22...Bracket.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A flat plate-like step is attached to the outside of the lower end of the entrance so that it can be rotated vertically, and the step is rotated downward to open it approximately horizontally, and the same step is rotated upwardly to open it approximately horizontally. In a foldable retractable step that closes vertically, both ends thereof are pivotally connected to a position above the assembly part of the step at the lower end of the entrance and exit and to the tip of the step, and an intermediate portion thereof is provided. a stay that can be bent at the top of the step, and a stay that is pivotally connected to the tip of the step so that its middle part can be rotated in the vertical direction; A lock member that can be engaged and detached at one end of a striker provided at an upper position, and the lock member and the stay are connected, and when the step is opened and closed by the action of the stay, the step is set to a neutral position when the step is opened and closed. a torsion bar that is twisted in different directions to urge the lock member in different rotational directions when opened and closed; and a torsion bar provided near a lower portion of each end of the lock member in the step. a first stopper which locks one end of the locking member by the torsion reaction force of the torsion bar when the step is opened and supports the locking member substantially horizontally with respect to the step; and a first stopper which supports the locking member substantially horizontally with respect to the step; and a second stopper, the other end of which is locked by the torsional reaction force of the striker, supporting the lock member substantially perpendicularly to the step and opposing the striker. Foldable storage steps.