Step apparatus for vehicle and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577653-B2
Application number	US-202117317426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2021
Priority date	May 11, 2020
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A step apparatus for a vehicle and a vehicle are provided. The step apparatus for the vehicle includes: a step; a lifting device including an arm assembly, the arm assembly including a plurality of pairs of arms, each pair of arms including a first arm and a second arm; and a driver pivotably connected to a first end of the first arm and a first end of the second arm of each pair of arms. A second end of the second arm of each pair of arms is pivotably connected to the step, a second end of the first arm of each pair of arms is pivotably connected to the vehicle, and the driver is configured to drive the arm assembly to be unfolded and folded to adjust a level of the step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A step apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
a step;
a lifting device comprising an arm assembly, the arm assembly comprising a plurality of pairs of arms, each pair of arms comprising a first arm and a second arm; and
a driver pivotably connected to a first end of the first arm and a first end of the second arm of each pair of arms, a second end of the second arm of each pair of arms being pivotably connected to the step, a second end of the first arm of each pair of arms being pivotably connected to the vehicle, and the driver being configured to drive the arm assembly to be unfolded and folded to adjust a level of the step,
wherein the plurality of pairs of arms comprise at least a first driving arm pair or a second driving arm pair, the first driving arm pair and the second driving arm pair are configured in at least one of: the second end of the first arm of the first driving arm pair and the second end of the first arm of the second driving arm pair are connected through gear transmission, or, the second end of the second arm of the first driving arm pair and the second end of the second arm of the second driving arm pair are connected through gear transmission.

2. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the step has a side bar position, a step position, and a jack position, and wherein:
in the side bar position, the step is located at a lower edge of a side face of the vehicle body,
in the step position, the step is located between the side bar position and the ground, and
in the jack position, the step abuts against the ground and is configured to jack up the vehicle body.

3. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting device further comprises a mounting base and a step base, wherein the step is mounted to the step base, the mounting base is configured to be mounted to a bottom surface of a vehicle body of the vehicle, the second end of the first arm of each pair of arms is pivotably connected to the mounting base, and the second end of the second arm of each pair of arms is pivotably connected to the step base.

4. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising a gear box, wherein the gear box comprises a housing, a first gear, and a second gear, wherein the housing is mounted to at least one of the mounting base or the step base, the first gear and the second gear are mounted in the housing and mesh with each other, the second end of at least one of the first arm or the second arm of the first driving arm pair is connected to a gear shaft of the first gear, and the second end of at least one of the first arm or the second arm of the second driving arm pair is connected to a gear shaft of the second gear.

5. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the gear box comprises a first gear box and a second gear box, wherein the housing of the first gear box is mounted to the mounting base, the housing of the second gear box is mounted to the step base, the gear shaft of the first gear of the first gear box is connected to the second end of the first arm of the first driving arm pair, the gear shaft of the second gear of the first gear box is connected to the second end of the first arm of the second driving arm pair, the gear shaft of the first gear of the second gear box is connected to the second end of the second arm of the first driving arm pair, and the gear shaft of the second gear of the second gear box is connected to the second end of the second arm of the second driving arm pair.

6. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the second end of the first arm of the first driving arm pair and the second end of the first arm of the second driving arm pair are each provided with a plurality of first gear teeth, wherein the first gear teeth of the first arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the first gear teeth of the first arm of the second driving arm pair.

7. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein, in the driving arm pair, both the first arm and the second arm comprise a first side plate and a second side plate, the first side plate and the second side plate are arranged opposite to and spaced apart from each other, the second end of the first side plate of the first arm and the second end of the second side plate of the first arm are pivotably connected to the mounting base, the second end of the first side plate of the second arm and the second end of the second side plate of the second arm are pivotably connected to the step base,
wherein the second end of the first side plate of the first arm and the second end of the second side plate of the first arm are each provided with the plurality of first gear teeth, the first gear teeth of the second end of the first side plate of the first arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the first gear teeth of the second end of the first side plate of the first arm of the second driving arm pair, the first gear teeth of the second end of the second side plate of the first arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the first gear teeth of the second end of the second side plate of the first arm of the second driving arm pair mesh with each other.

8. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the second end of the second arm of the first driving arm pair and the second end of the second arm of the second driving arm pair are each provided with a plurality of second gear teeth, the second gear teeth of the second arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the second gear teeth of the second arm of the second driving arm pair.

9. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein in the driving arm pair, both the first arm and the second arm comprise a first side plate and a second side plate, the first side plate and the second side plate are arranged opposite to and spaced apart from each other, the second end of the first side plate of the first arm and the second end of the second side plate of the first arm are pivotably connected to the mounting base, the second end of the first side plate of the second arm and the second end of the second side plate of the second arm are pivotably connected to the step base,
wherein the second end of the first side plate of the second arm and the second end of the second side plate of the second arm are each provided with the plurality of second gear teeth, the second gear teeth of the second end of the first side plate of the second arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the second gear teeth of the second end of the first side plate of the second arm of the second driving arm pair, the second gear teeth of the second end of the second side plate of the second arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the second gear teeth of the second end of the second side plate of the second arm of the second driving arm pair.

10. The step apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the second end of the first arm of the first driving arm pair and the second end of the first arm of the second driving arm pair are each provided with a plurality of first gear teeth, the first gear teeth of the first arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the first gear teeth of the first arm of the second driving arm pair,
the second end of the second arm of the first driving arm pair and the second end of the second arm of the second driving arm pair are each provided with a plurality of second gear teeth, the second gear teeth of the second arm of the first driving arm pair mesh with the second gear teeth of the second arm of the second driving arm pair.

11. The step apparatus for the vehicl

Assignees

• T Max Hangzhou Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Qing Zhaobo
• Yang Huizhong

Classifications

• B60R3/02 Primary

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

• B60S9/10 Primary

  by fluid pressure · CPC title