# US 12,179,701 B2 · Vehicle slope apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,701 B2 - Document ID: US12179701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/732,905 - Filed: 2022-04-29 - Published: 2022-11-24 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-19 - Assignees: Aisin Corporation - Applicants: Aisin Corporation - Inventors: Isao Honda; Tomoyuki Kato; Yuta Murakami; Masaki Sugimoto; Takanori Sato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179701B2 ## CPC - B60R 3/02: Retractable steps {or ladders, e.g. movable under shock (B60R3/005 takes precedence)} - A61G 3/061: {using ramps} - A61G 3/067: {with compartment for horizontally storing the ramp or lift} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) ## Abstract A vehicle slope apparatus includes a slope plate configured to be moved in a deployment direction so as to be deployed at a lower end of a door opening portion and configured to be moved in a housing direction so as to be housed in a housing portion provided in a vehicle body, and a position holding device configured to hold a position of the slope plate against an external force. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle slope apparatus comprising: a slope plate configured to be moved in a deployment direction so as to be deployed at a lower end of a door opening portion and configured to be moved in a housing direction so as to be housed in a housing portion provided in a vehicle body; and a position holding device configured to hold a position of the slope plate against an external force, wherein the position holding device includes a check mechanism configured to hold the slope plate at a position where the slope plate is housed in the housing portion, based on an engagement force between a slope side check provided on the slope plate and a vehicle body side check provided on the vehicle body, the vehicle body side check includes: a pair of lever members disposed adjacently and rotatably to extend in the deployment and housing directions of the slope plate, and an urging member configured to urge the lever members to rotate the lever members in a direction where engagement portions thereof are close to each other, and the slope side check includes: an engagement protrusion configured to be inserted between the two engagement portions based on movement of the slope plate toward the housing direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engagement protrusion includes: a wedge-shaped portion that gradually increases in width from a tip end toward a base end, and a constricted portion that is continuous with the wedge-shaped portion and gradually narrows in width, and the engagement portions of the lever members are respectively provided with protruding portions which protrude in a direction toward each other and which are configured to be engaged with the constricted portion of the engagement protrusion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive device configured to move the slope plate in the housing direction using a motor as a drive source; and an engagement detection device configured to detect, based on a current change in the motor, that the check mechanism has shifted to an engagement state where the engagement force is generated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive device configured to move the slope plate in deployment and housing directions using a motor as a drive source, wherein the position holding device is configured to hold the position of the slope plate by the drive device executing an electromagnetic brake control for generating a braking force in the motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the drive device executes an energization control in which an energization phase of the motor is fixed as the electromagnetic brake control. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the position holding device is configured such that the drive device executes the electromagnetic brake control at a position where the slope plate is housed in the housing portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the position holding device executes the electromagnetic brake control when the external force acts in a direction when the slope plate housed in the housing portion is moved in the deployment direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the position holding device is configured such that the drive device executes the electromagnetic brake control at a position where the slope plate is deployed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the slope plate is deployed in a state where a rear end of the slope plate is engaged with the vehicle body, and the position holding device is configured such that in a case where the slope plate is at a deployed position, the drive device executes the electromagnetic brake control when a vehicle height changes in the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive device configured to move the slope plate in deployment and housing directions using a motor as a drive source, wherein when the drive device drives the slope plate to deploy the slope plate at the lower end of the door opening portion, the drive device reduces a moving speed of the slope plate before a front end of the slope plate contacts ground. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle slope apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an actuator configured to apply a driving force to the slope plate via a drive cable, wherein the actuator includes: a drive gear configured to be rotationally driven while meshing with the drive cable; and an accommodating portion that rotatably accommodates the drive gear, and the accommodating portion is provided with a drain hole and an inclined surface that guides drainage water to the drain hole.