JPH0995182A - Getting on/off step device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly release engagement and prevent an engaging part from breaking down by arranging an engaging shaft engaged with a hook on the body side and controlling descent of a parallel link mechanism on the arm of the parallel link mechanism vertically and rotationally moved by a cylinder for elevatable movement on the body side. SOLUTION: When a vehicle, e.g. a bus reaches a bus stop and stops, and when there are old men or children in the persons getting on/off, after bringing down an elevatable step 7 as one part of a getting on/off step 4 up to a fixed height, a door 5 is opened. Namely, respective heights between the elevatable step 7 and the ground or a fixed step 6 are made so as to easily be get on or off. At this time, at first by extending a cyliner 21 for elevatable movement, an arm 19 is swung while rotating an engaging shaft 20, and a hook 32 is rotationally moved against a spring 35 so as to release engagement with the engaging shaft 20. By the dead weight of a parallel link mechanism 14 and the like, the arm 19 is swung until it is contacted with a stopper 37, and the elevatable step 7 is brought down.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a step device provided at an entrance / exit of a vehicle such as a bus, and more particularly to a step device which facilitates getting on / off of an elderly person or a child.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a boarding / alighting step of a vehicle such as a bus is provided with a boarding / alighting step. However, since there is a height difference of about 40 cm from the ground to the lower step of the boarding / alighting step, it is difficult for a child or an elderly person to get on or off, and in the worst case, there is a risk of losing balance in one leg and falling. On the other hand, the ground clearance at the lower step does not hinder driving, so it was difficult to lower it further.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application No. 6-244302 filed by the present applicant,
The elevating step 7 that is a part of the boarding / alighting step 4 can be moved up and down by the parallel link mechanism 14, and the elevating step 7 is raised by the parallel link mechanism 14 during traveling of a vehicle such as a bus so as not to hinder traveling. At the time of getting on and off, the elevating step 7 is lowered by the parallel link mechanism 14 as indicated by the one-dot chain line to reduce the height difference between the ground and the getting on and off step 4 to facilitate the getting on and off.

[0004]

In order to hold the parallel link mechanism 14 at the highest position, the engaging shaft 19 provided on the parallel link mechanism 14 is hooked on the hook 28 provided on the vehicle body 2 as shown in FIG. Is adapted to engage with.
To lower the lifting step 7, the lifting cylinder 20 is extended.

From the position shown in FIG. 6 at the beginning of extension of the lifting cylinder 20, a downward force is applied to the engaging shaft 19 and the arm 18 is moved.
By the action of the clockwise force due to the rotation of the arm 18, the arm 18 swings somewhat clockwise and the hook 28
Must be rotated clockwise against the urging force of the spring 31 to release the engagement with the engagement shaft 19 as shown in FIG.

However, since the engagement shaft 19 is fixed to the arm 18, the frictional resistance between the hook 28 and the engagement shaft 19 prevents the engagement shaft 19 from being released smoothly, so that the hook 28 cannot be released.
There is a danger that the engagement shaft 19 and the like will be damaged. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to facilitate the smooth disengagement of the hook and the engaging shaft or the engaging cylinder at the highest position of the parallel link mechanism.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 is such that a part or all of the boarding / alighting steps provided at the entrance / exit of the vehicle are lifting / lowering steps,
A vehicle in which this elevating step is lowered to a substantially intermediate position between the floor surface of the vehicle or a fixed boarding / alighting step and the ground by a parallel link mechanism composed of an upper link and a lower link pivotally supported on the vehicle body side. In the boarding / alighting step device, an elevating cylinder for vertically rotating the parallel link mechanism is provided on the vehicle body side, an arm that is rotated by the elevating cylinder is provided on the parallel link mechanism, and a part of the arm is provided. Is characterized in that an engaging shaft that engages with a hook pivotally supported on the vehicle body side at the highest position of the parallel link mechanism and restricts the lowering of the parallel link mechanism is rotatably provided.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a part or all of the boarding / alighting steps provided at the entrance / exit of the vehicle is an elevating step, and the elevating step comprises an upper link and a lower link pivotally supported on the vehicle body side. In a boarding / alighting step device for a vehicle in which a parallel link mechanism lowers the floor surface of the vehicle or a fixed step between the boarding / alighting step and the ground, the parallel link mechanism is vertically rotated on the vehicle body side. An elevating cylinder is provided, an arm rotated by the elevating cylinder is provided in the parallel link mechanism, a shaft is fixed to a part of the arm, and a shaft is fixed to the shaft at the highest position of the parallel link mechanism. It is characterized in that an engaging cylinder that engages with a hook pivotally supported on the vehicle body side and restricts the lowering of the parallel link mechanism is rotatably exteriorly mounted.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 to 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a floor surface fixed to a vehicle body 2, and an extension 3 of this floor surface 1 for getting on and off. A boarding / alighting step 4 is formed in a portion located at, and a door 5 for opening / closing the boarding / alighting entrance 3 is provided on the boarding / alighting step 4.

The boarding / alighting step 4 is divided into a fixed step 6 and a lifting step 7, and the lifting step 7 is composed of a lifting step body 8 and a support base 9 for supporting the lifting step body 8. A fixed frame 10 is fixed to the vehicle body 2, and a pair of left and right flat plate-shaped mounting members 11 are fixed to the fixed frame 10.

The base portion (right side in FIG. 1) of the mounting member 11 is axially supported by the base portions of a pair of left and right upper links 12 and lower links 13, respectively, and the front ends of the upper link 12 and the lower link 13 are The upper and lower links 12, 13 are axially supported by the support base 9 of the elevating step 7 so that the upper and lower links 12, 13 form a parallel link mechanism 14, and even if the upper and lower links 12, 13 rotate up and down. The ascending / descending step 7 is always kept in a horizontal state.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a shaft rotatably provided at an intermediate portion of a pair of left and right lower links 13 via a bracket 16 and a bearing 17, and a pair of connecting members 18 and a pair of connecting members 18 are provided at the center and both ends of the shaft 15. Arms 19 and are provided.
An engagement shaft 20 is provided between the free ends of the pair of arms 19.
Is provided. Reference numeral 21 denotes a lifting cylinder that is pivotally supported at the center of the fixed frame 10 on the outside of the vehicle body 2 via a bracket 22 and a bearing 23, and is provided close to the vehicle body 2.
The rod 24 side of the lifting cylinder 21 is pivotally supported by the connecting member 18, and the arm 19 integrated with the shaft 15 is rotated by the expansion and contraction of the lifting cylinder 21 and the pair of lower links 13 is rotated up and down. The parallel link mechanism 14 is rotated up and down.

The lifting cylinder 21 is connected to an air tank 26 through a pipe 25 as shown in FIG. 11, and a pair of valves 27 are provided on the pipe 25. One of the pair of valves 27 is the air tank 26. On the other hand, the other is communicated with the atmosphere and is alternately switched, so that the lifting cylinder 21 expands and contracts. Next, 28 is a lock device provided between the fixed frame 10 and the parallel link mechanism 14 and located outside the lifting cylinder 21. The lock device 28 is mounted on a pair of blocks 29 fixed to the fixed frame 10 and bearings 30 are provided. Install this bearing 30
A shaft 31 is rotatably provided between the shaft 31 and
A pair of hooks 32 are fixed to the.

An engaging portion 33 for engaging the engaging shaft 20 is formed on the hook 32, and the elevating step 7 is flush with the fixing step 6, that is, the parallel link mechanism 14 is at the highest position. The engaging portion 33 engages with the engaging shaft 20 that is integral with the connecting member 19 to regulate the natural lowering of the parallel link mechanism 14. Then, a tapered guide surface 34 is formed on the lower surface of the hook 32,
When the parallel link mechanism 14 rises, the engaging shaft 20 contacts the guide surface 34 and rotates the hook 32 in the clockwise direction so that the engaging shaft 20 is automatically engaged with the engaging portion 33 of the hook 32. It has become.

A spring 35 is provided on the hook 32 and is constantly urged in the engaging direction, while a hook stopper 36 fixed to the left block 29 causes the hook 32 to be located inside the engaging position. It is regulated so as not to rotate counterclockwise. The arm 19 on the side of the engaging shaft 20 that can engage with the engaging portion 33 of the hook 32 does not rotate counterclockwise outside the engaging position by the stopper 37 of the bracket 16 fixed to the lower link 13 on the left side. Are regulated.

Next, FIG. 7 shows the arm 19 of the engagement shaft 20.
This shows the details of the mounting structure of the engaging shaft 20. The engaging shaft 20 is rotatably supported by the arm 19 via a ball bearing 38. A nut 39 is screwed on both ends of the engagement shaft 20, and the nut 39 is attached by a split pin 40.
It is fixed to. And ball bearing 38 and nut 39
A spacer 41 for preventing the ball bearing 38 from popping out is loosely fitted between them. In this embodiment, the bearing is a ball bearing, but a bush bearing may be used.

Next, FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of FIG. 7, in which a shaft 42 is fixed to the arm 19 and the arm 1
The shaft 42 between 9 and 19 is rotatably fitted with an engagement cylinder 44 that engages with and disengages from the hook 32 via a bush bearing 43. In this embodiment as well, the bearing is a bush bearing, but it may be a ball bearing. The operation of the present invention having the above-described structure will be described below. First, when a bus arrives at a stop or the like, if the passengers are only young people, then the ascending / descending step 7
The door 5 is opened as it is and the passenger gets on and off from the entrance 3. At that time, the elevating step 7 is not lowered because the height difference up to the getting on / off step 4 (about 40 cm) is such that it does not cause much trouble for young people. If there are elderly people and children among the passengers, the elevator step 7 which is a part of the step 4 is lowered to the predetermined height (about 20 cm from the ground) to the dashed line in FIG. Open 5 to get on and off. At that time, between the ground and the step 7
The height between the fixing step 6 and the fixing step 6 is about 20 cm, and even an elderly person or the like can easily get on and off without losing the balance.

By the way, in the lowering of the lifting step 7, the valve 27 is switched from the highest position of the parallel link mechanism 14 to supply the air in the air tank 26 to the lifting cylinder 21, and the lifting cylinder 21 is extended. At the beginning of extension of the lifting cylinder 21, from the position shown in FIG.
A downward force and a clockwise force due to the rotation of the arm 19 act on. Then, in FIG. 7, since the engagement shaft 20 is supported by the ball bearing 38, the arm 19 swings slightly clockwise while rotating clockwise, and the hook 32 resists the urging force of the spring 35 and rotates clockwise. Then, the engagement with the engagement shaft 20 is released as shown in FIG. At this time, since the engagement shaft 20 rotates, the frictional resistance between the hook 32 and the engagement shaft 20 becomes small, and the release is smoothly performed.

In the case of FIG. 12, the shaft 42 is the arm 1
9 is fixed to the bush bearing 43.
Since the engaging cylinder 44 is rotated clockwise in the same manner as the engaging shaft 20 and oscillates slightly clockwise, the hook 32 is rotated clockwise against the urging force of the spring 35. The engagement with the engagement cylinder 44 is made to rotate in FIG.
Release as shown. At this time, since the engagement cylinder 44 rotates, the frictional resistance between the hook 32 and the engagement cylinder 44 decreases,
Release is done smoothly.

Thereafter, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 10, the arm 19 is moved by the weight of the parallel link mechanism 14, etc.
7 is rocked counterclockwise until it abuts, and after the abutment, the lifting cylinder 21 is extended to lower the lifting step 7 to the lowest position (two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). At that time, the hook 32
When the engagement with the engagement shaft 20 (or the engagement cylinder 44) is released, the spring rotates in the counterclockwise direction by the spring 35, abuts on the hook stopper 36, and stops at the original position.

When the boarding / alighting is completed, in order to raise the lifting step 7, the valve 27 is switched to supply the air in the air tank 26 to the lifting cylinder 21 to lift the lifting cylinder 2.
Reduce 1 When the lifting cylinder 21 is contracted, the parallel link mechanism 14 rotates upward, and the lifting step 7 moves up. Immediately before the highest position of the lifting step 7, the engagement shaft 20 (or the engagement cylinder 4) is indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
4) abuts on the guide surface 34 of the hook 32, and thereafter, the engaging shaft 20 (or the engaging cylinder 44) moves toward the guide surface 34.
The hook 32 rotates in the counterclockwise direction and rises, and the hook 32 rotates in the clockwise direction. When the ascending / descending step 7 reaches the highest position, that is, the same position as the fixing step 6, the engagement shaft 20 (or the engagement cylinder 44) is received by the hook 32 while rotating counterclockwise as shown in FIG. And is held at the highest position as shown in FIG.
When the ascending / descending step 7 is held at the highest position, the door 5 operates to close the entrance / exit 3, and the vehicle travels to the next stop or the like in that state.

[0022]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1,
Since the engagement shaft is rotatably supported by the arm, the wear resistance between the hook and the engagement shaft is reduced, and the engagement between the hook and the engagement shaft is smoothly released at the highest position of the parallel link mechanism. .

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the engagement cylinder supported by the shaft is rotatable, the frictional resistance between the hook and the engagement cylinder is reduced, and the engagement between the hook and the engagement cylinder is reduced. It can be released smoothly. Further, since the engaging cylinder is externally mounted on the fixed shaft via the bearing, the structure is simple and the cost is reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrows BB in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

5 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 2;

7 is a sectional view taken along line FF of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an operational state diagram immediately before the extension of the lifting cylinder is started.

FIG. 9 is an operation state diagram of the lifting cylinder during extension.

FIG. 10 is an operation state diagram at the end of extension of the lifting cylinder.

FIG. 11 is an air circuit diagram of a lifting cylinder.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of an arm and an engagement cylinder in another embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 floor 2 vehicle body 3 entrance / exit 4 entry / exit step 7 elevating step 12 upper link 13 lower link 14 parallel link mechanism 19 arm 20 engaging shaft 21 elevating cylinder 32 hook 44 engaging cylinder

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A part or all of the boarding / alighting steps provided at a boarding / alighting entrance of the vehicle is an elevating step, and the elevating step is a parallel link mechanism composed of an upper link and a lower link pivotally supported on the vehicle body side. In a step-on / off device for a vehicle that is lowered to a substantially intermediate position between the floor surface or a fixed step-on / off and the ground, an elevator cylinder for vertically rotating the parallel link mechanism is provided on the vehicle body side, The parallel link mechanism is provided with an arm which is rotated by the lifting cylinder, and a part of the parallel link mechanism is engaged with a hook pivotally supported on the vehicle body side at the highest position of the parallel link mechanism to form the parallel link. A vehicle boarding / alighting step device in which an engagement shaft that restricts the lowering of the mechanism is rotatably provided. 2. A part or all of the boarding / alighting steps provided at the entrance / exit of the vehicle is an elevating step, and the elevating step is a parallel link mechanism composed of an upper link and a lower link pivotally supported on the vehicle body side. In a step-on / off device for a vehicle that is lowered to a substantially intermediate position between the floor surface or a fixed step-on / off and the ground, an elevator cylinder for vertically rotating the parallel link mechanism is provided on the vehicle body side, An arm that is rotated by the lifting cylinder is provided in the parallel link mechanism, a shaft is fixed to a part of the arm, and the shaft is pivotally supported by the vehicle body side at the highest position of the parallel link mechanism. And a stepping device for a vehicle in which an engaging cylinder that engages with the hook and restricts the lowering of the parallel link mechanism is rotatably mounted on the exterior.