JPS6125572B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an expansion mechanism for a step for getting on and off in a vehicle equipped with a sliding door. The opening for getting on and off is closed by a sliding door attached to the side of the vehicle body, and the sliding door is moved forward along the outside of the vehicle body while leaving a predetermined distance apart from the floor side. The present invention also relates to a mechanism for enlarging a step for getting on and off in a vehicle equipped with a sliding door that is moved rearward to open the opening for getting on and off.

Generally, in this type of vehicle, the steps for getting on and off the vehicle are formed by lowering the sides of the floor, but in order to ensure a wide floor, the steps for getting on and off the vehicle are not sufficiently deep. This is the actual situation. For this reason, when getting on and off the vehicle, the user must put his or her feet sideways on the step for getting on and off, or put only his or her toes or heel on the step, and there is a risk that the operation of getting on and off the vehicle may not be smooth.

The present invention was made with attention to the above-mentioned circumstances, and its main purpose is to link the movement of the sliding door back and forth with the elevation of an auxiliary step other than the step for getting on and off, so that passengers can get on and off using the auxiliary step when getting on and off. The objective is to enlarge the steps for passengers to smoothly get on and off the vehicle while securing a wide floor.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a vehicle equipped with a mechanism for enlarging a step for getting on and off according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle is a van-type automobile with a luggage compartment at the rear of the driver's cab, and an opening 11 for getting in and out is provided at the front side of the luggage compartment in the vehicle body 10. A step 13 for getting on and off is provided one step lower than the floor 12 on the side corresponding to the opening 11 for getting on and off. On the other hand, a sliding door 2 is provided on the side of the vehicle body 10 to open and close the opening 11 for getting on and off the vehicle.
0 is attached. This sliding door 20
is a conventionally known sliding door that closes when it fits into the opening 11 for getting on and off, and when moving, it is guided by an upper rail, a center rail, and a lower rail (not shown), and is slid outward from the side of the floor 12. The vehicle body 1 is isolated for a predetermined period of time.
The opening 11 for getting on and off is opened and the step 13 for getting on and off is exposed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the step enlarging mechanism has a flat auxiliary step 31.
, a pair of front support arms 32 and rear support arms 33 that support the auxiliary step 31 , a cam groove 34 provided inside the sliding door 20 , and a connecting device 40 that connects the auxiliary step 31 and the sliding door 20 . It is structured accordingly.

The auxiliary step 31 is composed of a flat plate part 31a having an auxiliary rib and a reinforcing member 31b having an L-shaped cross section fixed to the outside of the flat plate part 31a, so its front-to-back length is slightly shorter than the step 13 for getting on and off, and its width is smaller. is formed to have approximately the same length as the step 13 for getting on and off. Further, each of the support arms 32 and 33 is bent to have a U-shaped cross section, and their lower ends are connected to respective hinges 32a and 33 fixed to the inside of the step 13 for getting on and off.
3a to be rotatably connected to the outside of the vehicle body 10, and their upper ends are rotatably connected to respective hinges 32b and 33b fixed to the lower surface of the auxiliary step 31. The cam groove 34 also includes an upper horizontal groove portion 34a located at approximately the same level as the floor 12, an inclined groove portion 34b that gradually descends forward from the front end of the upper horizontal groove portion 34a, and a cam groove portion 34b that extends horizontally from the front end of the inclined groove portion 34b for getting in and out of the vehicle. It is constituted by a lower horizontal groove portion 34c located at approximately the same level as the step 13.

On the other hand, the connecting device 40 includes a first link 42 attached to a bracket 41 fixed to the outer rear part of the auxiliary step 31, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5.
Second link 43 attached to first link 42
The third link 46 connects the bracket 41 and the second link 43, and three bearing rollers 45a, 45b, 45c, which are cam followers, are attached to the second link 43 via a roller bracket 44. First link 42
is attached to the bracket 41 via a pin 47a at its front end so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction,
A second link 43 is attached to the rear end via a pin 47b.
The front end is attached so that it can rotate horizontally. Further, a roller bracket 44 rotatably supports each bearing roller 45a to 45c.
is fixed to the rear end of the second link 43. Among the bearing rollers 45a to 45c, both side bearing rollers 45a and 45b are supported so as to be rotatable in vertical up and down directions, and the central bearing roller 45c is supported to be rotatable in horizontal and left to right directions. is engaged with a cam groove 34 provided in the sliding door 20.
As a result, the auxiliary step 31 is connected to the sliding door 20 via the connecting device 40, and when the sliding door 20 is opened and closed, the bearing rollers 45a and 45b on both sides roll on the bottom surface of the cam groove 34, and the central bearing Roller 45c is in cam groove 3
Rolls on one side of 4. In addition, the third link 46
is a metal wire, and the bracket 41 and the second
It is locked to each rear end of the link 43, and restricts the rotation of the first link 42 and the second link 43 so that the second link 43 always follows the inside of the sliding door 20.

In the vehicle equipped with the step enlargement mechanism configured as described above, when the entrance/exit opening 11 is closed by the sliding door 20, each of the bearing rollers 45a to 45c of the coupling device 40 is inserted into the cam groove provided in the sliding door 20. 34 and is engaged with the upper horizontal groove 34a of each support arm 32, 3.
3 stands up in an inclined manner as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the auxiliary step 31 is located at approximately the same level as the floor 12. When the sliding door 20 is moved rearward from this state to open the opening 11 for getting on and off, the sliding door 20 is guided by an upper rail, a center rail, and a lower rail (not shown) and is spaced outward from the floor 12 side for a predetermined distance. It moves rearward along the outside of the vehicle body 10. In this process of separating the sliding door 20 outward, each bearing roller 4 of the coupling device 40
5a to 45c are upper horizontal groove portions 34a of the cam groove 34
The first link 42 is rotated outward as the sliding door 20 is moved outward, and the auxiliary step 31 is still at approximately the same level as the floor 12, as shown in FIG. positioned. Further, in the process of rearward movement of the sliding door 20 after a predetermined interval, the engagement portion of each bearing roller 45a to 45c with the cam groove 34 is from the upper horizontal groove portion 34a to the lower horizontal groove portion 34c via the inclined groove portion 34b. During this period, each of the bearing rollers 45a to 45c rolls at the sequentially shifting engagement portion. Therefore, each of the support arms 32 and 33 rotates outward as the sliding door 20 moves rearward, causing the auxiliary step 31 to protrude outward and gradually lower, so that the sliding door 20 is shown in FIG. As shown, at the end of the backward movement, the auxiliary step 31 reaches approximately the same level as the step 13 for getting on and off, partially overlaps it, and protrudes outward by a predetermined length, thereby enlarging the step for getting on and off. Therefore,
In this vehicle, even if the depth of the step 13 for getting on and off is shortened in order to secure a wide floor 12, the step 13 for getting on and off and the auxiliary step 31 ensure a sufficient depth for stepping on. Getting on and off can be made extremely easy. Also,
The sliding door 20 has each bearing roller 45a~
The rolling motion of 45c allows for extremely smooth movement. Note that when the sliding door 20 is moved forward to close the opening 11 for getting on and off, the engagement portion of each bearing roller 45a to 45c with the cam groove 34 moves from the lower horizontal groove 34c through the inclined groove 34b to the upper horizontal groove 34a. , and the opening 11 for getting on and off.
At the end of the closure, the auxiliary step 31 returns to approximately the same level as the floor 12, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A second embodiment of the step enlargement mechanism is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The step enlargement mechanism includes a U-shaped frame-shaped support arm 51 whose lower end is rotatably attached to the getting on/off step 13 and can be rotated outward, and an auxiliary step 52 fixed to the lower surface of the support arm 51. , two bearing rollers 54a and 54b, which are cam followers, are rotatably supported by a bracket 53 provided on the outer frame 51a of the support arm 51, and a cam groove 55 provided in the sliding door 20. This cam groove 55, like the cam groove 34 in the first embodiment, consists of an upper horizontal groove part 55a, an inclined groove part, and a lower horizontal groove part 55c.
is opened obliquely upward, and this opening angle becomes smaller as it moves to the lower horizontal groove portion 55c.
The lower horizontal groove portion 55c becomes zero and opens vertically upward. That is, the cam groove 55 is formed in a twisted shape. Each bearing roller 54a, 54b is engaged with the cam groove 55, and when the sliding door 20 is moved, the engagement portion of each bearing roller 55a, 55b with respect to the cam groove 55 passes through the inclined groove portion to the lower horizontal groove portion 55c or the upper portion. Moving to the horizontal groove 55a, the auxiliary step 52 is rotated via the support arm 51 as shown by solid lines and imaginary lines in FIG.

Therefore, in the step enlargement mechanism, the first
This embodiment has the same effect as the step enlarging mechanism in the embodiment, and in particular, since the cam groove 55 is formed in a twisted shape, there is no need to employ the complicated coupling device 40 as in the first embodiment.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, an example was shown in which a plurality of bearing rollers were used as the cam follower, but the cam follower may be configured with a single bearing roller, or a bearing roller with low sliding resistance may be used instead of the bearing roller. It may also be constructed of non-rolling members made of material. Further, in each of the above embodiments, the vehicle in which the entrance/exit opening 11 is opened by moving the sliding door 20 rearward is shown, but the present invention opens the opening 11 by moving the sliding door 20 forward. Of course, the present invention can be applied to a vehicle in which the opening 11 for getting in and out is open. In such a vehicle, the inclined groove portion of the cam groove provided in the sliding door 20 needs to be formed in a shape that gradually descends toward the rear. Note that the present invention is not limited to the vehicle shown in the above embodiment, but also includes a step for getting on and off on the side of the floor corresponding to an opening for getting on and off provided on the side of the vehicle body, and a step for getting on and off that is attached to the side of the vehicle body. The opening for getting on and off is closed by a sliding door, and the opening for getting on and off is opened by moving the sliding door forward or backward along the outside of the vehicle body while separating the sliding door outward from the floor side. It can be applied to various types of vehicles equipped with sliding doors.

As explained above, in the various types of vehicles described above, the present invention provides support by rotatably attaching the lower end of a support arm that supports a flat plate-shaped auxiliary step at its tip to the boarding/exiting step or in the vicinity thereof. The arm is rotatable to the outside of the vehicle body using the lower end as a fulcrum, while a cam groove having an inclined groove portion that gradually descends in a direction opposite to the opening movement direction of the sliding door is provided on the inside of the sliding door, The structure is characterized in that the sliding door and the auxiliary step are connected by engaging the cam follower provided on the auxiliary step with this cam groove.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the auxiliary step can be lowered and protruded outward by the opening movement of the sliding door, and the step for getting on and off can be enlarged, making it possible to get on and off even when a wide floor is secured. It can make the operation easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a step enlarging mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the step enlarging mechanism when the entry/exit opening is closed, and Fig. 3 is the same. FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial plan view of the same, FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the connecting device, FIG. 6 is an enlarged rear view of the step expansion mechanism when the sliding door is separated, and FIG. 7 is the one for getting on and off. FIG. 8 is an enlarged rear view of the step enlarging mechanism when the opening is opened; FIG. 9 is an enlarged rear view of the step enlarging mechanism showing a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial plan view of the same. Explanation of symbols, 10... Vehicle body, 11... Opening for getting on and off, 12... Floor, 13... Step for getting on and off, 20... Sliding door, 31... Auxiliary step, 32, 33... Support arm, 34 ...Cam groove, 40...Connection device, 45a-45c...Bearing roller, 51...Support arm, 52...Auxiliary step, 54a, 54b...Bearing roller, 55...Cam groove.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A step for getting on and off is provided on the side of the floor corresponding to an opening for getting on and off provided on the side of the vehicle body, and the opening for getting on and off is closed by a sliding door attached to the side of the vehicle body, and the said slide In a vehicle equipped with a sliding door that opens the opening for getting on and off by moving the door outwardly from the floor side and moving forward or backward along the outside of the vehicle body, the step for getting on and off or Nearby, the lower end of a support arm that supports a flat plate-shaped auxiliary step at its tip is rotatably mounted so that the support arm can rotate outward from the vehicle body using the lower end as a fulcrum. A cam groove having an inclined groove portion that gradually descends in the opposite direction to the opening movement direction of the sliding door is provided on the inside, and a cam follower provided on the auxiliary step is engaged with this cam groove to connect the sliding door and the auxiliary step. An expansion mechanism for a step for getting on and off, characterized in that the step is connected to the step.