Vehicle and vehicle step apparatus with multiple drive motors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11208043-B2
Application number	US-202015931474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2020
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

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 between the first mounting bracket and the first step bracket and configured to be movable 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 between the second mounting bracket and the second step bracket and configured to be movable 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 and operable to be moved by the first step bracket and the second step bracket between a retracted step position and an extended step position;
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, a first worm shaft having threads and engaged to and driven by the first motor to rotate, a first worm gear engaged to the threads of the first worm shaft to be driven by the first worm shaft, and a first gear drive assembly that includes a plurality of different gears engaged to one another and that is engaged between the first worm gear and the first arm assembly, wherein the first gear drive assembly is operable to, in response to rotation of the first worm gear, transmit power and rotation from the first worm gear to the first arm assembly to move the first step bracket, and wherein the first worm shaft and the first worm gear are structured to create the reverse self-locking effect;
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, a second worm shaft having threads and engaged to and driven by the second motor to rotate, a second worm gear engaged to the threads of the second worm shaft to be driven by the second worm shaft, and a second gear drive assembly that includes a plurality of different gears engaged to one another and that is engaged between the second worm gear and the second arm assembly, wherein the second gear drive assembly is operable to, in response to rotation of the second worm gear, transmit power and rotation from the second worm gear to the second arm assembly to move the second step bracket, and wherein the second worm shaft and the second worm gear are structured to create the reverse self-locking effect; and
a control mechanism coupled to communicate with the first motor assembly and the second motor assembly 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 control mechanism is configured to execute a movement instruction to control movement of both of the first motor assembly and the second motor assembly to (i) drive the first arm assembly and the second arm assembly, respectively, according to a predetermined trajectory responsive to the movement instruction that moves the step between the retracted step position and the extended step position and to (ii) retain the first step bracket and the second step bracket in the first retracted position and the second retracted position, respectively, without vibration, sagging, or drooping of the first step bracket and the second step bracket due to the reverse self-locking effect of the first motor assembly and the second motor assembly, respectively, after over two hundred cycles of extension and retraction of the step by the motorized vehicle step apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first motor assembly and the second motor assembly are together operable to retain the step in the retracted position such that opposing ends of the step are aligned in the retracted position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first motor is configured to drive the first arm assembly at a first rotational speed that is related to a load applied on the step, and the second motor is configured to drive the second arm assembly at a second rotational speed that is related to the load applied on the step, such that the first motor and the second motor decrease the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed, respectively, based on an increasing load applied to the step and increase the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed, respectively, based on a decreasing load applied to the step, such that the first motor and second motor are able to cause the step to extend and retract between the extended position and the retracted position with the synchronized motion.

4. 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.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , 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.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , 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; and
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.

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

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , 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 mot

Assignees

• T Max Hangzhou Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Du Xinfa
• Zhang Qi
• Wang Yiming

Classifications

• B60R3/002

  Running boards (for vehicle tops B60R3/005; at the sides of the vehicle for carrying loads B60R9/02) · CPC title

• F16H1/16

  comprising worm and worm-wheel · CPC title

• F16H2702/02

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

• B60R3/02 Primary

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