Vehicle and vehicle step apparatus with multiple drive motors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618472-B2
Application number	US-201916655149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2019
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle step apparatus comprises a first extending and retracting device comprising a first mounting bracket, a first step bracket, and a first arm assembly configured to drive the first step bracket to move between a first extended position and a first retracted position; a second extending and retracting device comprising a second mounting bracket, a second step bracket, and a second arm assembly configured to drive the second step bracket to move between a second extended position and a second retracted position; a step mounted on the first and second step bracket; a first permanent magnet direct current motor mounted on the first mounting bracket and coupled with the first arm assembly to drive the first arm assembly; and a second permanent magnet direct current motor mounted on the second mounting bracket and coupled with the second arm assembly to drive the second arm assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motorized vehicle step apparatus, comprising:
a first extending and retracting device comprising a first mounting bracket attachable to a chassis of a vehicle, a first step bracket, and a first arm assembly coupled to the first mounting bracket and the first step bracket and configured to drive the first step bracket to move between a first extended position and a first retracted position;
a second extending and retracting device comprising a second mounting bracket attachable to the chassis of the vehicle, a second step bracket, and a second arm assembly coupled to the second mounting bracket and the second step bracket and configured to drive the second step bracket to move between a second extended position and a second retracted position, wherein the second extended position is aligned with the first extended position, and wherein the second retracted position is aligned with the first retracted position;
a step coupled to the first step bracket and the second step bracket;
a first motor assembly coupled to the first arm assembly and operable to (i) drive the first arm assembly to move the first step bracket between the first extended position and the first retracted position and (ii) retain the first step bracket in the retracted position by a reverse self-locking effect of the first motor assembly, the first motor assembly including a first motor having a first worm on a first rotatable shaft of the first motor, and a first worm gear operably coupled to the first worm, wherein rotation of the first rotatable shaft during an operation of the first motor causes rotation of the first worm gear in one rotational direction that causes the first motor assembly to drive the first step bracket, and wherein after the operation of the first motor the first rotatable shaft is prevented from rotation in the other rotational direction based at least on the first worm and worm gear to create the reverse self-locking effect; and
a second motor assembly coupled to the second arm assembly and operable to (i) drive the second arm assembly to move the second step bracket between the second extended position and the second retracted position and (ii) retain the second step bracket in the retracted position by a reverse self-locking effect of the second motor assembly, the second motor assembly including a second motor having a second worm on a second rotatable shaft of the second motor, and a second worm gear operably coupled to the second worm, wherein rotation of the second rotatable shaft during an operation of the second motor causes rotation of the second worm gear in one rotational direction that causes the second motor assembly to drive the second step bracket, and wherein after the operation of the second motor the second rotatable shaft is prevented from rotation in the other rotational direction based at least on the second worm and worm gear to create the reverse self-locking effect,
wherein the first motor assembly and the second motor assembly are configured to drive the first arm assembly and the second arm assembly, respectively, in unison and with synchronized motion as the step extends and retracts,
wherein the first motor assembly comprises a first planetary wheel drive assembly operably coupled to the first worm gear; and wherein the second motor assembly comprises a second planetary wheel drive assembly operably coupled to the second worm gear.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first planetary wheel drive assembly includes a first planetary shaft having gear teeth at one end of the first planetary shaft, and a first plurality of planetary gear wheels that interface with the teeth of the first planetary output shaft, and wherein rotation of the first worm gear causes rotation of the first planetary wheel drive assembly; and
the second planetary wheel drive assembly includes a second planetary shaft having gear teeth at one end of the second planetary shaft, and a second plurality of planetary gear wheels that interface with the teeth of the second planetary output shaft, and wherein rotation of the second worm gear causes rotation of the second planetary wheel drive assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first motor includes a permanent magnet direct current motor coupled with the first arm assembly to drive the first arm assembly; and the second motor includes a second permanent magnet direct current motor coupled with the second arm assembly to drive the second arm assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , comprising:
a first elastic member configured to elastically deform so as to store energy when the first permanent magnet direct current motor drives the first step bracket to move towards the first extended position, and to release energy so as to assist the first permanent magnet direct current motor to drive the first extending and retracting device when the first permanent magnet direct current motor drives the first step bracket to move towards the first retracted position; and
a second elastic member configured to elastically deform so as to store energy when the second permanent magnet direct current motor drives the second step bracket to move towards the second extended position, and to release energy so as to assist the second permanent magnet direct current motor to drive the second extending and retracting device when the second permanent magnet direct current motor drives the second step bracket to move towards the second retracted position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first elastic member comprises a first spring defining a fixed first end and a second end driven by the first rotatable shaft of the first permanent magnet direct current motor so as to change shape; wherein the second elastic member comprises a second spring defining a fixed first end and a second end driven by the second rotatable shaft of the second permanent magnet direct current motor so as to change shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first spring and the second spring each include one of a scroll spring, a spring leaf, or a disk spring.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first spring includes a first scroll spring, and the second spring includes a second scroll spring, the motorized vehicle step apparatus comprising:
a first cover and a first connection plate, wherein a first recess is formed in a casing of the first permanent magnet direct current motor, and the first cover covers the first recess to define a first cavity, the first connection plate is mounted within the first cavity and driven by the first rotatable shaft of the first permanent magnet direct current motor to rotate, wherein the first scroll spring is mounted within the first cavity, the first end of the first scroll spring is fixed in the first cover, and the second end of the first scroll spring is coupled with the first connection plate; and
a second cover and a second connection plate, wherein a second recess is formed in a casing of the second permanent magnet direct current motor, and the second cover covers the second recess to define a second cavity, the second connection plate is mounted within the second cavity and driven by the second rotatable shaft of the second permanent magnet direct current motor to rotate, wherein the second scroll spring is mounted within the second cavity, the first end of the second scroll spring is fixed in the second cover, and the second end of the second scroll spring is coupled with the second connection plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first extending and retracting device includes a four-link mechanism, where the first arm assembly includes a first arm defining a first end pivotally coupled with the first mounting bracket, and a second end pivotally coupled with t

Assignees

• T Max Hangzhou Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Du Xinfa
• Zhang Qi
• Wang Yiming

Classifications

• B60R3/02 Primary

  Retractable steps {or ladders, e.g. movable under shock (B60R3/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16H2702/02

  Mechanical transmissions with planetary gearing combined with one or more other mechanical transmissions · CPC title

• F16H37/041

  for conveying rotary motion with constant gear ratio · CPC title

• F16H1/16

  comprising worm and worm-wheel · CPC title

• F16H1/46

  Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, {i.e. systems having three or more central gears} · CPC title