JPH0885476A - Storage type auxiliary step for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a storage type auxiliary step resolving troubles caused by an obstacle or the scooping of snow, requiring no excess lifting force when it is stretched out, and preventing the enlargement of a drive source by making the moving locus of an auxiliary step plate linear. CONSTITUTION: A pair of folding arm base sections foldable only to the inside at the middle portion and faced in the front and lower slant direction in the extended linear state are pivotally supported at the right and left positions of the lower rear of a step 4. The rear portion of an auxiliary step plate 14 is pivotally supported on the tips of folding arms, the auxiliary step plate 14 is connected to a drive source 37, and the auxiliary step plate 14 is reciprocated by the drive source 37.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle, which is disposed between the ground surface and the step in the step of a vehicle such as a bus or a truck.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a step provided at an entrance / exit of a vehicle such as a bus or a truck has a height difference with the ground surface that may interfere with getting on / off the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 8, a retractable auxiliary step that can be freely extended forward is provided to eliminate the height difference when getting on and off.
As shown in FIG. 3, a rotary shaft b is provided below the step a of the vehicle, one end of a link arm c is fixed to the rotary shaft b, and an auxiliary step plate d is pivotally mounted to the other end of the link arm c. Further, it is known that the drive arm f of the drive source e is connected to a driven arm g having the other end fixed to the rotary shaft b.

In this auxiliary step, the drive source e swings the link arm c downward from the upper position to pass the lowest point, and then further swings upward to move the link arm c. The auxiliary step plate d, which is pivotally attached, is moved in an arc in a horizontal state and is extended to the front side, which is the entry / exit side.

However, in this auxiliary step, the auxiliary step plate d is moved in an arc in order to maximize the protruding size of the auxiliary step plate d by effectively utilizing the length of the link arm c. If there is an obstacle such as a stone on the ground surface on the way, it has the drawback that it is prevented from moving downward, and in the snowy area, it scoops up the snow while the auxiliary step board d is overhanging and gets on and off. It has a drawback that it causes problems.

Further, since the auxiliary step plate d is moved further upward after passing through the lowest point, a driving force corresponding to the ascending is required, and the movement stops when a load is applied during the ascent. Therefore, there is a drawback that the drive source e must be increased in size.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the movement locus of the auxiliary step plate is made linear so as to eliminate snow scooping and troubles due to obstacles, and to eliminate the need for extra upper power at the time of overhanging so as to provide a drive source. It is intended to provide a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle, which prevents the size from increasing and releases the locked state by the pushing force when the auxiliary step plate is extended.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the above-mentioned prior art, and in view of the problems such as prevention of movement due to obstacles during extension, obstacles at the time of getting on and off, and enlargement of the drive source, the base is pivoted to the lower part of the step. The auxiliary step plate is supported by a pair of bending arms which are supported and are directed forward in the downward tilt direction, and the auxiliary step plate 14 is obliquely bent by the bending arms facing each other. The above drawbacks are not solved by providing a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle, which is basically moved in a straight line.

In the auxiliary step of storing the auxiliary step plate in the lower part of the vehicle entrance / exit and projecting to the front of the entrance / exit, a pair of bends are formed so that they can be bent only inward, which is the opposite direction at the intermediate portion. The rear part of the auxiliary step plate is pivotally supported at the tip of the arm, and the base is pivotally supported at the rear left and right positions in the lower part of the step.

Further, the bending arm is directed in the downward tilt direction with the tip side forward in the straight extension state, and the auxiliary step plate is connected to the drive source, and the auxiliary source plate is reciprocally controlled by the drive source. I am trying to do it.

Further, as a lock mechanism in the auxiliary step, a lock release lever is provided by pivotally supporting an intermediate portion on both side surfaces of the auxiliary step plate by support pins, and the lock release lever has a predetermined swing angle in a vertical plane. The upper piece is bent and extended rearward, and is connected to a drive source that controls the reciprocating movement of the auxiliary step plate by applying rearward pulling and forward pushing force through the driven link mechanism of the lower piece. are doing.

Further, stoppers are provided on both side surfaces at the rear portion of the auxiliary step plate, and the stopper has a hook-shaped engaging piece that is directed rearward and downward, and the auxiliary step plate is stored. A lock member that can move up and down is provided in the lower surface of the engaging piece of the stopper, an engaging pin protruding from the lock member is provided, and the upper piece of the lock release lever abuts on the upper surface of the engaging pin. I am letting you.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to the present invention, and the auxiliary step 1 is a vehicle 2 such as a bus or a truck.
It is arranged at the lower part of the step 4 of the entrance / exit 3 and the lower part of the step 4 is opened to the left and right positions in the lateral direction in the rear of the vehicle 2 (hereinafter referred to as "rear"). The frames 5 and 5a formed in a U shape are fixed so as to face each other, and the brackets 6 and 6a project from the facing surfaces of the frames 5 and 5a in the opposite directions. First support shafts 7 and 7a, whose lower portions are inclined rearward of the entrance / exit 3, are rotatably attached to the front of the vehicle 2 from the mouth 3 (hereinafter referred to as "front").

Reference numerals 8 and 8a are a pair of bending arms, and the bending arms 8 and 8a are composed of a first arm 9 and a second arm 10.
The distal end of the first arm 9 and the proximal end of the second arm 10 are hinged to be bendable, and a locking piece 11 is provided so as to project from the distal end of the first arm 9 so that the bending direction is made uniform by the locking piece 11. It is restricted only to the direction, and the base end of the first arm 9, which is the base end of the bending arms 8 and 8a, is pivotally supported by the first support shafts 7 and 7a, so that the bending arms 8 and 8a are in a straight extended state. In the above, the front end side is directed forward and is directed in the downward tilt direction, and the bending direction is such that it can be bent only inward, which is the opposite direction.

Reference numerals 12 and 12a are return springs composed of coil springs and the like. The return springs 12 and 12a are mounted on upper portions of support shafts 7 and 7a which pivotally support the base ends of the first arms 9 of the bending arms 8 and 8a. Then, the hooking piece 13 on one end side is hooked on the frames 5 and 5a, and the hooking piece 13a on the other end is hooked on the first arm 9, and the elastic force thereof causes the first arm 9 to move.
Are urged inward, which are opposite directions.

Reference numeral 14 denotes an auxiliary step plate. The auxiliary step plate 14 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate, and is secondly supported at the left and right positions at the end of the rear part thereof in the same posture as the first support shafts 7 and 7a. The shafts 15 and 15a are mounted via the brackets 16 and 16a, and the bending arms 8 and 8a are attached by the second support shafts 15 and 15a.
The tip of the second arm 10 which is the tip of the auxiliary step plate 14 is pivotally supported, and the auxiliary step plate 14 is stepped by the extension and contraction operation by the bending action of the bending arms 8 and 8a provided in the left and right pair.
It can be stored in the lower part or overhanged in the front space between step 4 and the ground surface.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a connecting rod for interlocking the expansion and contraction motions of the pair of left and right bending arms 8 and 8a.
A frame 17 is horizontally rotatably mounted between bearing members 18, 18a provided behind the brackets 6, 6a in the frames 5, 5a.

Further, the connecting rod 17 and the auxiliary step plate 14 are connected to each other by the driven link mechanisms 19 and 19a. As the driven link mechanisms 19 and 19a, the driven arms 20 and 20a are fixed on the inner side of the both ends of the connecting rod 17. Support pins 21 and 21a are horizontally projected from both side surfaces of the rear part of the auxiliary step plate 14 horizontally, and the support pins 21 and 21a are pivotally supported by intermediate parts of the rod-like lock release levers 22 and 22a. The lock release levers 22 and 22a and the follower arms 20 and 20a are connected to each other by connecting the lock release levers 22 and 22a with their tip ends. Grod 24, 24
Connected by a.

Also, the upper piece 25 of the lock release lever 22, 22a
Is bent and extended rearward within the predetermined swing angle.

In the figure, 50 and 50a are lock release levers 2.
It is a stopper piece to regulate the swing angle of 2 and 22a.

Reference numerals 26 and 26a denote lock mechanisms for restricting the extension of the auxiliary step plate 14 due to its own weight.
Reference numerals 6 and 26a are for holding the position of the auxiliary step plate 14 stored in the lower part of the step 4, and are arranged inside the frames 5 and 5a outside the first support shafts 7 and 7a. It comprises a vertically arranged lock member 27 which can be retracted and retracted, and stoppers 28 which are arranged on both side surfaces at the rear portion of the auxiliary step plate 14 which is coaxially opposed to the lock member 27.

The lock member 27 is a base body 29 formed in an L shape.
Triangular protrusion 29 continuous from the upper surface of the upper short piece protrusion 29a.
On the other hand, the holder 31 having the tubular portion 30 in the middle portion is formed so that the tubular axis of the holder 31 is in the same inclination state as the axial center of the first supporting shafts 7 and 7a. The lower part of the base shaft body 29 is inserted into the tubular portion 30 of the holder 31 with the inclined surface 29c of the protrusion 29b of the lock member 27 directed forward. And it can move up and down.

Further, a spring 33 is press-fitted between the lower end of the base shaft 29 of the lock member 27 and the lower end portion 32 of the holder 31, and the elastic force of the spring 33 urges the lock member 27 upward.

Further, the holder 31 is provided with a locking portion 34 for restricting the lock member 27 urged by the spring 33 from coming off, so that the lock member 27 can be vertically retracted.

Further, an engagement pin 35 is provided so as to project from the short piece projection 29a of the lock member 27 toward the first support shaft 7, 7a, and the upper surface of the engagement pin 35 is an upper portion of the lock release lever 23, 23a. The lower piece 23 is brought into contact with the lower piece 25 and is moved downward by swinging the lower piece 23 rearward.

Further, the stoppers 28 provided on both side surfaces in the rear portion of the auxiliary step plate 14 have hook-shaped engaging pieces 28a which are directed rearward and downward, and the bending arm 8 is provided. , 8a retracts and the auxiliary step plate 14 is stored in the lower part of step 3, the engagement piece 28a passes over the inclined surface 29c of the protrusion 29b of the lock member 27 and the protrusion 29b of the lock member 27 is released. Protruding into the lower surface of the engaging piece 28a,
It is hooked and hooked on the vertical surface 29d of 29b.

Reference numeral 36 is a drive mechanism for overhanging or retracting the auxiliary step plate 14, and the drive mechanism 36 is fixed to the side of step 3 and has a drive source 37 which is rotationally driven and controlled.
And the connecting rod 17 are connected by a drive link mechanism 38.
The lever 39 is fixed to one end of the drive shaft 37a of the drive source 37 via the connecting rod 40 to the lever 39.
A drive lever 41 that is fixedly attached to is connected.

Further, although the drive source 39 which is rotationally driven and controlled is used in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is also possible to swing the lever 39 by using a direct acting cylinder (not shown).

Next, the operation of the vehicle retractable auxiliary step according to the present invention will be described. By rotating the drive shaft 37a of the drive source 37, the drive lever 41 is swung clockwise and the connecting rod 40 is rotated. When the connecting rod 17 is rotated in the same direction by swinging the lever 39 in the same direction via the connecting rod 17, the driven arm is further moved.
When the connecting rods 24 and 24a move forward, the connecting rods 24 and 24a swing the lock release levers 22 and 22a in the same direction. , 22a, the upper piece 25 of the locking mechanism 26, the engagement pin 35 of the locking member 27 of the 26a.
The lock member 27 abuts on the upper surface, and then the lock member 27 is engaged through the upper piece 25 and the engagement pin 35 by the swinging force of the lock release levers 22 and 22a.
Moves downward against the elastic force of the spring 33 and sinks, the protrusion 29b of the lock member 27 disengages from the lower surface of the engagement piece 28a of the stopper 28, and the engagement piece 28a and the protrusion 29b are separated from each other. The lock that is in the locked state is released.

Further, the auxiliary step plate 14 starts to move forward by the pushing force by the forward movement of the connecting rods 24, 24a, and the bending arms 8, 8a are folded inward, which is the opposite direction. From the bent and folded state, the auxiliary step plate 14 is projected forward with the lowest point when the folding arms 8 and 8a finally reach the straight extended state while sequentially returning in the extending direction.

As described above, the auxiliary step plate 14 linearly moves obliquely downward while the lower portion of the entrance / exit 3 is moved from the retracted state to the forwardly extended state.

Next, in order to store the vehicle from the protruding state of the entrance / exit 3, the drive shaft 37a of the drive source 37 is rotationally operated in the opposite manner to the above, so that the auxiliary step plate 14 is driven by the drive link mechanism 38 and the driven link mechanism. Auxiliary step plate through 19, 19a
Applying a backward pulling force to 14 to move it diagonally upward in a straight line and store it in the lower part of step 4,
The engaging piece 28a of the stopper 28 rides over the inclined surface 29c of the protruding portion 29b of the lock member 27 and the protruding portion 29b of the lock member 27.
Project into the lower surface of the engagement piece 28a, and the vertical surface 29d of the protrusion 29b.
When the auxiliary step plate 14 is caught, the auxiliary step plate 14 is restricted from projecting.

The bending arms 8 and 8a are driven link mechanisms 1
Since it is connected to the connecting rod 17 by 9, 19a,
The folding arms 8 and 8a can be retracted and extended for reciprocating operation without shaking.

[0033]

In summary, according to the present invention, in the step of storing the auxiliary step plate 14 in the lower part of the step 4 of the entrance / exit 3 of the vehicle 2 and the step of projecting the auxiliary step plate forward from the entrance / exit 3, the lower part of step 4 A pair of bending arms 8 which are formed so that they can be bent only to the inside at the rear left and right positions in the direction opposite to each other at the intermediate portion, and are directed in the downward inclination direction with the front end side forward in the straight extension state. , 8a while pivotally supporting the base of the bending arm 8,
Since the rear portion of the auxiliary step plate 14 is pivotally supported at the tip of 8a, the auxiliary step plate 14 is connected to the driving source 37, and the auxiliary step plate 14 is reciprocally controlled by the driving source 37. Since the locus of movement of the plate 14 during the process of storage and extension is linear, it is possible to eliminate the conventional problems such as snow scooping and obstacles due to obstacles, and no extra upper power is required during extension. Therefore, there is an advantage that the drive source 37 does not become large.

Support pins are provided on both side surfaces of the auxiliary step plate 14.
Lock release levers 22 and 22a that pivotally support an intermediate portion by 21 and 21a and can swing at a predetermined swing angle in a vertical plane are provided. The upper piece 25 of the lock release levers 22 and 22a is bent backward. A driven link mechanism that is extended and is driven by the lower piece 23.
The auxiliary step plate 14 is connected to a drive source 37 for reciprocating the auxiliary step plate 14 by applying a pulling force to the rear and a pushing force to the front via 19 and 19a, and stoppers 28 are provided on both side surfaces at the rear part of the auxiliary step plate 14. The stopper 28 has a hook-shaped engaging piece 28a directed rearward and downward, and the stopper 28 is engaged with the auxiliary step plate 14 stored in the lower portion of step 3. A piece 28a is provided with a lock member 27 that can move up and down in the lower surface, an engagement pin 35 is provided protruding from the lock member 27, and an upper piece 25 of the lock release lever 22, 22a is provided on the engagement pin 35 upper surface. Since the auxiliary step plate 14 is pushed out, the lock member 27
The lock state can be released by moving the lever downward, which eliminates the need for a new device for unlocking and simplifies the structure. Moreover, the lower surface of the engaging piece 28a of the folding arms 8 and 8a Since the lock member 27 is inserted therein, the locked state can be ensured, and the practical effect thereof is very large.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted front view of a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially omitted plan view of an auxiliary step.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a bending arm in the same auxiliary step.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing a drive portion in the same auxiliary step.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing an operating state in the same auxiliary step.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle.

FIG. 8 is a side view of a conventional auxiliary step.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Step 8, 8a Bending arm 14 Auxiliary step plate 19, 19a Driven link mechanism 21, 21a Support pin 23 Lower piece 25 Upper piece 27 Lock member 28 Stopper 28a Engaging piece 35 Engaging pin 37 Drive source

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a step of storing an auxiliary step plate in a lower portion of a step of an entrance / exit of a vehicle, and an auxiliary step of projecting the auxiliary step plate forward from the entrance / exit of the vehicle, at an intermediate portion at a rear left / right position of the step lower part. The bending arms are formed so that they can be bent only inward, which is the opposite direction, and the bases of a pair of bending arms are pivotally supported with the front end side in the extended linear state and directed in the downward inclination direction. A rear portion of the auxiliary step plate is pivotally supported at the tip of the auxiliary step plate, the auxiliary step plate is connected to a drive source, and the auxiliary step plate is reciprocally controlled by the drive source. Auxiliary step. 2. A lock release lever is provided on both side surfaces of the auxiliary step plate so as to be swingable at a predetermined swing angle in a vertical plane by pivotally supporting an intermediate portion by a support pin, and an upper piece of the lock release lever. Is formed to be bent and extended rearward, and is connected to a drive source for controlling the reciprocating movement of the auxiliary step plate by giving a rearward pulling force and a forward pushing force through the driven link mechanism of the lower piece. Stoppers are provided on both side surfaces of the rear portion of the plate, and the stopper has hook-shaped engaging pieces that are directed rearward and downward,
Further, with the auxiliary step plate stored in the lower part of the step, a lock member that can move up and down is arranged in the lower surface of the engagement piece of the stopper, and an engagement pin protruding from the lock member is provided. 2. The retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an upper piece of the lock release lever is brought into contact with the upper surface of the pin.