Step device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021070228-A1
Application number	US-202017012759-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 4, 2020
Priority date	Sep 9, 2019
Publication date	Mar 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A step device for a vehicle includes: a movable step supported under a door opening; a coupling member that, in a state of being supported by a sliding door, engages with the movable step to move the movable step in a vehicle width direction in conjunction with opening and closing of the sliding door; a support arm that has a first pivot-joint point relative to a vehicle body and a second pivot-joint point relative to the movable step, and supports the movable step toward an upper side; and a pressure bearing member that is provided at a position between the first pivot-joint point and the second pivot-joint point and bears the load of the support arm by coming into sliding contact with the support arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A step device for a vehicle, the step device comprising:
a movable step supported under a door opening; a coupling member that, in a state of being supported by a sliding door that opens and closes in a vehicle front-rear direction with a shifting zone in a vehicle width direction, engages with the movable step to move the movable step in the vehicle width direction in conjunction with opening and closing of the sliding door; a support arm that has a first pivot-joint point relative to a vehicle body and a second pivot-joint point relative to the movable step, and supports the movable step toward an upper side; and a pressure bearing member that is provided at a position between the first pivot-joint point and the second pivot-joint point and bears a load of the support arm by coming into sliding contact with the support arm.

2 . The step device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the support arm has a support bracket that is fixed to the vehicle body to form the first pivot-joint point; and the pressure bearing member is provided on the support bracket.

3 . The step device according to claim 1 , further comprising a holding member that is fixed to the movable step so as to hold, together with the movable step, the support arm at the second pivot-joint point, wherein the pressure bearing member is provided on the holding member.

4 . The step device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure bearing member has a sliding contact surface that extends in a direction intersecting the support arm.

5 . The step device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure bearing member is made of a resin having a shock absorbing property and a self-lubricating property.

6 . The step device according to claim 1 , wherein a ridge that extends in a direction intersecting the support arm and comes into sliding contact with the support arm is provided on a lower surface of the movable step.

7 . The step device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the movable step includes a movable base to which the support arm is coupled, and a resin cover that is fixed to the movable base to be a step surface; and the ridge is provided on a lower surface of the resin cover and protrudes toward a lower surface side of the movable step through a hole provided in the movable base.

8 . The step device according to claim 1 , wherein the support arm includes two main arms that are provided at positions apart from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a sub-arm that has a joint at which the sub-arm is bendable and that is provided at a position apart from each of the main arms.

9 . The step device according to claim 8 , wherein the sub-arm is provided between the main arms.

10 . The step device according to claim 1 , further comprising a stopper that restricts a movable range of the movable step by coming into contact with the support arm.

Assignees

• Aisin Seiki
• Toyota Auto Body Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oji Yoshihiro
• Nomura Keisuke
• Kazama Shinji
• Hibi Kazuhiro
• Ikeda Kazuhiro

Classifications

• B60R3/02 Primary

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

• B60R3/007 Primary

  Removable steps or ladders, e.g. foldable (as access means for vehicle tops B60R3/005) · CPC title