JPH0811632A - Side step for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automobile side step which can be utilized as a ladder in addition to its original function and is equipped with an excellently manageable quality. CONSTITUTION:This side step is equipped with a side step main body 11 to be furnished attachably/detachably along the outside portion of a body; heads 12 which are provided at both ends of the side step main body 11 and are housed respectively into guide rails fixedly provided at the body and at the same time process recessed grooves engageable with rain gutters on the body side; and arms 13 that extend from the side portion of the side step main body 11 and are arranged so that they may be coupled to the body lockably. Each head 12 is coupled to the side step main body 11 turnably, and at the same time possesses an illumination means 14.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automobile side step suitable for vehicles such as passenger cars, especially leisure vehicles (RV vehicles).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of vehicle, as shown in FIG. 12, for example, a side step 2 is set along the vicinity of the lower edge of the outer portion of the body 1 (the lower side of the side door), and the occupant Can get on and off by stepping on this side step 2. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, a rudder 3 is vertically provided on the rear surface of the rear part of the vehicle, and the rudder 3 is used as a step when carrying luggage or the like on the vehicle roof 4.

[0003]

Although the conventional side step 2 is used as a footrest when getting on and off the vehicle as described above, it is fixed to the body 1 and is not used for other purposes. Therefore, as in the example shown in FIG. 13, the functions of the ladder 3 and the like are to be separately arranged. In addition, when the ladder 3 is provided, there is no choice but to be disadvantageous in view of the rear view.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a side step for an automobile, which can be used as a ladder in addition to its original function and has excellent handleability.

[0005]

A side step for an automobile according to the present invention includes a side step body detachably mounted along an outer side portion of a body, and a side step body attached to both ends of the side step body and fixed to the body. Heads that are respectively accommodated in the provided guide rails and that have concave grooves that can engage with the rain gutter of the roof, and that extend from the side portions of the side step body and that are lockably coupled to the body And an arm that has been made.

In the automobile side step of the present invention, the head is rotatably connected to the side step body and has an illuminating means on at least one of the side steps.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the side step body is supported at a predetermined position on the body via the arm, whereby the side step is set on the outer side portion of the body. This side step is used as a footrest when getting on and off, and exerts its original function. On the other hand, the side step thus set can be constructed as a ladder by removing it from the body side. When configured as a rudder, the recessed groove on the head engages the rain gutter on the roof, ensuring that the rudder is placed on the side or back of the vehicle.
Can be fixed.

Further, the head of the side step body has an illumination means on at least one side, preferably both sides, and when it is constructed as a ladder or the like, it can illuminate the roof and the vicinity of the bottom of the body. This lighting excels in safety and convenience especially at night, but in that case,
Optimal lighting effects can be obtained by appropriately rotating the head with respect to the side step body.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of an automobile side step according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings by using the same reference numerals as those of the conventional example.

FIG. 1 is a side step 1 for an automobile according to the present invention.
The overall configuration of 0 is shown. In the figure, a side step 10 includes a side step body 11 detachably mounted along an outer side portion of the body 1, and a side step body 1.
Heads 12 attached to both ends of the side step body 1 and arms 13 that extend from the side portions of the side step body 11 and are lockably coupled to the body 1. Each head 12 has an illumination means 14 as will be described later, and is housed in a guide rail 15 (see FIG. 3) fixed to the body 1.

The side step body 11 is made of a material such as an aluminum alloy, and has a large number of bars 11a arranged in a row at a predetermined pitch, so that it has a generally slit shape. The side step 10 is mounted at a predetermined position on the outer side of the body 1, and when mounted, the guide rails 15 are fixedly installed at positions corresponding to the heads 12 at both ends (positions near the front tire and the rear tire). (See FIG. 3). In addition, a pipe-shaped support shaft 16 into which the arm 13 is fitted is fixedly provided at a position close to each guide rail 15 and below the body 1.

3 to 5 show a detailed connecting structure of the side step 10 to the body 1. As shown in FIG. Support shaft 16
Is horizontally extended below the body 1 via a connecting portion 17, and the position of the head 12 with respect to the guide rail 15 is regulated by fitting the arm 13 to the support shaft 16. . Further, the arm 1 fitted on the support shaft 16
3 is axially slidable as shown in FIG. 4 (arrow C), and can be easily inserted and removed from the support shaft 16. A lock handle 18 is provided near the outer end of the support shaft 16.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lock handle 18 has a screw portion 18a near the end thereof, and the support shaft 1
The screw portion 16b on the inner surface of the boss 16a protruding from the screw 6 is screwed. Therefore, by rotating the locking handle 18, the tip portion 18b of the locking handle 18 engages with the arm 13 to fix (lock) it.

The head 12 of the side step body 11 is
As shown in FIG. 6, the rain gutter 4a of the body 1 (see FIG.
(See 0)). Also,
When the recessed groove 12a is engaged with the rain gutter 4a, the lock mechanism 19 provided in the recessed groove 12a engages the rain gutter 4a.
It is designed to be fixed to a. The head 12 is also rotatably connected to the side step body 11 as shown by the arrow in FIG. Thereby, the illumination angle of the illumination means 14 attached to the head 12 can be freely changed (FIGS. 7A and 7B). The illuminating means 14 functions as a work light, but the power source thereof is charged through the lock mechanism 19 which also serves as a charging terminal. Suitably, it can be charged when used as a normal side step 10.

Next, a specific usage example of the side step 10 will be described. The side step body 11 is supported at a predetermined position of the body 1 via the arm 13, and as a result, the side step 10 is set on the outer side portion of the body 1 as shown in FIG. Side step 10 in this case
Is used as a footrest when getting on and off, and exerts its original function. At that time, since the side step body 11 is formed in a slit shape, dirt such as mud attached to the soles of passengers can be scraped off.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, by extending the arm 13 from the support shaft 16 by a certain length, it can be used as an illumination lamp near the tire. In this case, the head 12 can be appropriately rotated with respect to the side step body 11 to ensure optimum lamp illumination particularly at night work such as tire replacement or chain installation.

On the other hand, FIGS. 10 and 11 show an example in which a ladder is constructed by removing the side step 10 from the body 1. In this case, one head 12
The concave groove 12a is the rain gutter 4a of the roof 4 of the body 1.
, And the rudder can be accurately arranged and fixed on the side surface (side ladder; FIG. 10) or the back surface (rear ladder; FIG. 11) of the vehicle. In these cases, the illumination means 14 of the one head 12 constitutes a roof illumination lamp, and the illumination means 14 of the other head 12 constitutes a foot illumination lamp or the like, respectively, and exhibits an excellent illumination effect in night work or the like. To do. The illumination means may only be provided on one head of the ladder.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the side step has the convenience of being able to completely wipe off the dirt adhering to the sole, especially when getting on and off. Further, since the ladder is configured to be detachable from the body, the ladder can be configured, and the arrangement position thereof can be freely and arbitrarily set according to the situation such as luggage on the roof. Moreover, since the lighting means is provided, an optimum lighting effect is secured around the tire or on the roof in the side step or the ladder state, and an extremely excellent effect on safety and convenience can be obtained particularly in night work. And so on.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of an automobile side step according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a vehicle in which an automobile side step of the present invention is arranged.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing a detailed connection structure for a body of a side step for an automobile of the present invention.

4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view around a head according to an automobile side step of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view showing the operation of the head according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of use as a side step according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an illumination function in a side step use state according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of use as a side ladder according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an example of use as a rear ladder according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle including a conventional side step.

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle including a conventional ladder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Body 4 Roof 4a Rain Gutter 10 Side Step 11 Side Step Main Body 12 Head 12a Groove 13 Arm 14 Lighting Means 15 Guide Rail 16 Spindle 16a Boss 18 Locking Handle 18a Screw 18b Tip 19 Lock Mechanism

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A side step body removably mounted along an outer side portion of a body, and a roof attached to both ends of the side step body, which are respectively housed in guide rails fixed to the body. A head having a concave groove engageable with the rain gutter, and an arm extending from a side portion of the side step body and lockably coupled to the body. Side steps for automobiles. 2. The head is rotatably coupled to the side step body, and at least one of the heads has a lighting means.
Side steps for automobiles described in.