JPS6358469B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a folding step device particularly suitable for use in railway vehicles.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in railway vehicles, except for streetcars, passengers have boarded and alighted on high platforms installed therein. However, especially on local railways, the population density and frequency of use are low, which is the origin of various operational problems. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate platform facilities and allow passengers to board and disembark anywhere, in order to secure passengers and improve service. is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to obtain a foldable step device that allows passengers to board and alight without a high platform.

According to the present invention, when the step is extended, it occupies a normal position to enable getting on and off, but when it is not needed, it is folded up into a compact state that does not get in the way. Note that the principles of the present invention are applicable not only to railway vehicles but also to step devices for other vehicles and non-vehicles.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 indicates the body of a railway vehicle,
A foldable step device of the present invention is provided below the vehicle body 1. In the figure, A, B, and C are fixed parts such as brackets protruding from the trolley;
Their relative positions remain unchanged.

A support arm 2 is pivotally attached to the fixed part A at its upper end by a pivot shaft 3. One support arm 2 is also provided on the back side of the page and forms a pair. A first step 5 is pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the pair of support arms 2 by a pivot 4. The step 5 is composed of a step board 5a with diagonal lines and a rearward projecting frame portion 5b.

A second step 6 is pivotally attached to the lower end of the support arm 2 by a pivot 7. This step 6 is also a step board 6a.
and a rearwardly projecting frame portion 6b.

The fixed part B and the rear end of the first step 5 are connected by a first link 9. A straight line connecting the pivot 10 at the upper end of this link 9 and the pivot 11 at the lower end is
It is parallel to the straight line connecting the pivots 3 and 4, and both have the same length. On the other hand, the front end of the first step 5 and the middle part of the second step 6 are connected by a second link 13. A straight line connecting the pivot 14 at the upper end of the link 13 and a pivot 15 at the lower end is parallel to the straight line connecting the pivots 4 and 7, and both have the same length. Therefore, links 9 and 13, steps 5 and 6
etc. constitute a parallel link mechanism, and the steps 5 and 6 that are brought into a horizontal state always remain in a horizontal state even when the support arm 2 rotates back and forth around the pivot shaft 3 at its upper end. A stopper protrusion 16 is formed near the lower end of the support arm 2 and comes into contact with the upper rear end of the step 6.

One end of a bending link mechanism 17 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the support arm 2, and the other end is pivotally connected to the fixed portion C by a pivot 18. The bending link mechanism 17 includes links 17a and 1 that are pivotally connected to each other by a pivot shaft 19.
7b, and the aforementioned pivot 7 also serves as a pivot for pivotally connecting the tip of the link 17a to the support arm 2. The links 17a and 17b can be bent upward, but can also be bent slightly downward beyond the dead center.

The lower end of the operating link 20 is pivotally connected to the bending link mechanism 17 by the pivot shaft 19 of the bending link mechanism 17 . An engagement pin 21 is provided at the upper end of this operation link 20, and this engagement pin 21 is slidable along a surface 22a of the guide cam 22. As best shown in FIG. 3, the shape of the guide cam 22 has engaging recesses at a forward and downward position 23 close to the support arm 2 and at a rearward and upward position remote from the support arm diagonally upward. The engagement pin 21 is shaped so as to be smoothly continuous, and the engagement pin 21 is held in a stable state at both positions 23 and 24. The guide cam 22 constitutes a fixed part, and is fixed to, for example, a truck.

A drive end of a drive device 25 is connected to the upper end of the operation link 20 . In the illustrated example, the drive device 25 is an air cylinder whose base end is pivotally connected to the vehicle body via a pivot 26, and whose piston rod 27 has a distal end connected to the distal end of the operating link 20.

Next, the effect will be explained.

The state shown in FIG. 1 shows the operating state in which the steps 5 and 6 are extended to the operating position. In this state, the bending link mechanism 17 is fully extended, then bends slightly downward beyond its dead center, and then upwards. It is designed so that it does not bend and therefore provides a tensile force against compression. Therefore, even if the engagement pin 21 is not fixed at the position 23 (FIG. 3) due to the extension of the drive device 25, the bending link mechanism 17 will not bend upward. In this way, the bending link mechanism 17
By applying a tension force, the supporting arm 2 is prevented from rotating inwardly (to the right) about its pivot 3. On the other hand, the force due to the load acting on the steps 5 and 6 is caused by the tensile action of the first link 9 and the contact of the rear end of the second step 6 with the stopper protrusion 16 at the lower end of the support arm 2. Since the steps 5 and 6 do not move downward, the steps 5 and 6 do not move downward.

To store the step device, the drive device 25 is
Deflate as shown. As a result, the engagement pin 21 at the upper end of the operating link 20 is slid along the surface 22a of the cam 22 to the retracted and raised position 24 (FIG. 3), so the operating link 20 is pulled upward and rearward. The pivot 19 at its lower end is also pulled up to bend the flexure linkage 17 upwards (the flexed state is best shown in Figure 3), thus causing the support arm 2 to pivot inwardly and 5,6
is also folded and stored below the vehicle body 1. As a result, all the materials of the step device are stored inside the limit line L, and the running of the vehicle is not hindered.

In order to obtain the step extension state shown in FIG. 1, the drive device 25 may be extended. As a result, the engagement pin 21 automatically returns to the forward and lowered position 23, and the steps 5 and 6 extend forward while remaining in a horizontal state.

As described above, the step device of the present invention reliably forms a staircase shape when extended, and can be folded into a compact state along the side of the support part, so it is especially suitable for getting on and off in places where there is no platform. It is suitable for application to railway vehicles in order to enable this, and is useful in that it can be installed while adhering to the vehicle limits of railway vehicles. Furthermore, as mentioned at the beginning,
The present invention can also be applied to other than vehicles.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cross-sectional side view of the folding step device of the present invention in its used state, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the device in its folded state, and FIG. 3 is the bending link mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram mainly showing the state of the cam and the shape of the cam. A, B, C... fixed part, 1... vehicle body, 2... support arm, 5... first step, 6... second step,
4, 7... Pivot, 9, 13... Parallel link mechanism,
17...Bending link mechanism, 20...Operation link,
21... Engaging pin, 22... Guide cam, 25...
Drive device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A swingable support arm whose upper end is pivotally connected to a fixed portion, a first step pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of the support arm,
a second step pivotally connected to the lower end of the support arm;
A parallel link mechanism connects the fixed part and the first and second steps, and the support arm is stretched outward so that the step and the second step always maintain a horizontal state regardless of the swing angle of the support arm. a bending link mechanism consisting of two bendable pivot links that connect the fixed part and the support arm on the inside of the support arm so that the support arm can be rotated between an extended position and an inward storage position; A folding step device comprising a drive mechanism that displaces a bending link mechanism between an extended state and a bent state and maintains these states. 2. The parallel link mechanism is parallel to and has the same length as a line connecting the pivot axis that pivots the first step to the support arm and the pivot axis that pivots the upper end of the support arm to the fixed part,
Moreover, the patent claim is constituted by a first link that connects the fixed part and the first step, and a second link that connects the first step and the second step in parallel with the first link. The foldable step device according to item 1. 3. The bending link mechanism is made to be able to freely bend upward from the extended state at a pivot joint part in the middle thereof, and an engagement pin is provided at the upper end of the operating link whose lower end is pivotally connected to the pivot joint part, and this engagement pin is A cam surface is provided for guiding between a forward lowered position close to the support arm and a rearward raised position diagonally rearward and upward away from the support arm, and the drive device is connected to the upper end of the operating link in order to displace the engagement pin along the cam surface. 3. The foldable step device according to claim 1, wherein the folding step device is connected to the folding step device, and comprises a drive mechanism including an operation link, an engagement pin, a cam surface, and a drive device.