Drive systems for retractable vehicle step
OwnerHorst Leitnerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A retractable step assist for a vehicle comprises a step, an actuator, an optical fiber sensor, and a safety. The step is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position that is downward and outboard from the retracted position. The actuator is mechanically connected to the step to position the step. The optical fiber sensor has an output that varies when pressure is applied to the optical fiber sensor. The safety is triggered by this output from the optical fiber sensor. The safety is configured to terminate retraction of the step when the optical fiber sensor senses pressure from an object pinched by the step deck.
Claims35
A drive system for use with a retractable vehicle step having (i) a first arm with an upper portion rotatably mountable with respect to an underside of a vehicle so as to be rotatable about a first axis of rotation and (ii) a step member rotatably connected to said first arm so as to be movable in an inboard-outboard direction of movement between a retracted position and an extended position, said first axis being transverse to said inboard-outboard direction of movement, said drive system comprising:
- an electric motor having an armature configured to rotate about an armature axis generally parallel to said first axis;
- a pinion gear drivingly connected with respect to said motor, said pinion gear having a first outside diameter;
- and
- an output gear in meshing engagement with said pinion gear, said output gear having a second outside diameter;
- wherein said pinion gear and said output gear achieve a gear reduction of at least 3:1, and the larger of said first outside diameter and said second outside diameter is no more than 3.0 times the smaller of said first outside diameter and said second outside diameter.
A drive system for use with a retractable vehicle step configured to be associated with an outboard edge of a vehicle, said step having a lateral axis oriented generally parallel to said outboard edge, said drive system comprising:
- an electric motor having an armature configured to rotate about an armature axis;
- a pinion gear drivingly connected with respect to said motor, said pinion gear having a first outside diameter;
- an output gear in meshing engagement with said pinion gear, said output gear having a second outside diameter;
- and
- an output shaft having a drive end configured for driving engagement with said retractable vehicle step, said output gear mounted on said output shaft, said output shaft configured to rotate about an output shaft axis generally parallel to said armature axis and said lateral axis;
- wherein said pinion gear and said output gear achieve a gear reduction of at least 3:1, and the larger of said first outside diameter and said second outside diameter is no more than 3.0 times the smaller of said first outside diameter and said second outside diameter.
A drive system for use with a retractable vehicle step having (i) a first arm with an upper portion rotatably mountable with respect to an underside of a vehicle so as to be rotatable about a first axis of rotation and (ii) a step member rotatably connected to said first arm so as to be movable in an inboard-outboard direction of movement between a retracted position and an extended position, said first axis being transverse to said inboard-outboard direction of movement, said drive system comprising:
- an electric motor having an armature configured to rotate about an armature axis generally parallel to said first axis;
- a pinion gear drivingly connected with respect to said motor;
- an output gear in meshing engagement with said pinion gear;
- and
- an output shaft having a drive end configured for driving engagement with said retractable vehicle step, said output gear mounted on said output shaft, said output shaft configured to rotate about an output shaft axis;
- and
- a breakaway member connecting said output gear to said output shaft, said breakaway member preventing relative angular motion of said output gear and said output shaft, except in response to application of a breakaway torque to one of said output gear and said output shaft.
A drive system for use with a retractable vehicle step having (i) a first arm with an upper portion rotatably mountable with respect to an underside of a vehicle so as to be rotatable about a first axis of rotation oriented generally parallel to the ground and (ii) a step member rotatably connected to said first arm so as to be movable generally along an inboard-outboard axis between a retracted position and an extended position, said drive system comprising:
- an electric motor having an armature configured to rotate about an armature axis generally parallel to said first axis;
- a pinion gear drivingly connected with respect to said motor, said pinion gear having a first outside diameter;
- and
- an output gear in meshing engagement with said pinion gear, said output gear having a second outside diameter;
- wherein said pinion gear and said output gear achieve a gear reduction of at least 3:1, and the larger of said first outside diameter and said second outside diameter is no more than 3.0 times the smaller of said first outside diameter and said second outside diameter and wherein said pinion gear and said output gear comprise crossed helical gears.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.