Pressing apparatus

1 . A pressing apparatus comprising:

a base member;

a pressing member configured to move in a predetermined first direction with respect to the base member to be in a pressed state, in which the pressing member is pressed against a press object, or a separated state, in which the pressing member is separated from the press object;

a link mechanism coupling the base member and the pressing member;

a driving device configured to drive the link mechanism; and

a coupling mechanism coupling the link mechanism and the driving device,

wherein:

the link mechanism comprises:

at least one fixed pivot having a fixed position with respect to the base member;

at least one driven pivot configured to be driven by the driving device and move along a predetermined second direction;

at least one moving pivot having a fixed position with respect to the pressing member and configured to move in the first direction together with the movement of the driven pivot;

at least one interlocking pivot configured to move to a side opposite to the driven pivot along the second direction as viewed in the first direction together with the driven pivot;

at least one first fixed pivot and at least one second fixed pivot arranged in the second direction as the fixed pivots;

at least one first moving pivot and at least one second moving pivot arranged in the second direction as the moving pivots;

at least one first link each connecting the first fixed pivot and the driven pivot;

at least one second link each connecting the first moving pivot and the driven pivot;

at least one third link each connecting the second fixed pivots and the interlocking pivots;

at least one fourth link each connecting the second moving pivots and the interlocking pivots;

first gears fixed to the first links coaxially with the first fixed pivots;

second gears fixed to the second links coaxially with the first moving pivots;

third gears fixed to the third links coaxially with the second fixed pivots; and

fourth gears fixed to the fourth links coaxially with the second moving pivots, and

the first gears and the third gears are engaged with each other and the second gears and the fourth gears are engaged with each other;

the driving device comprises:

a driving source;

a driving shaft arranged along the second direction and drivable by the driving source to rotate;

a first threaded portion provided for the driving shaft; and

a driven member comprising a second threaded portion screwed with the first threaded portion and configured to move along the second direction in response to the rotation of the driving shaft; and

the coupling mechanism comprises:

a coupling member having a fixed position with respect to the driven pivots; and

a spring member having elasticity in the second direction and configured to apply elastic force between the driven member and the coupling member.

2 . A pressing apparatus comprising:

a base member;

a pressing member configured to move in a predetermined first direction with respect to the base member to be in a pressed state, in which the pressing member is pressed against a press object, or a separated state, in which the pressing member is separated from the press object;

a link mechanism coupling the base member and the pressing member;

a driving device configured to drive the link mechanism; and

a coupling mechanism coupling the link mechanism and the driving device,

wherein:

the link mechanism comprises:

at least one fixed pivot having a fixed position with respect to the base member;

at least one driven pivot configured to be driven by the driving device and move along a predetermined second direction;

at least one moving pivot having a fixed position with respect to the pressing member and configured to move in the first direction together with the movement of the driven pivot; and

a first link set and a second link set each including one of the fixed pivots, one of the driven pivots, and one of the moving pivots and configured to operate identically,

the first link set and the second link set are arranged apart from each other in a third direction orthogonal to the second direction as viewed in the first direction,

the driving device comprises:

a driving source;

a driving shaft arranged along the second direction and drivable by the driving source to rotate;

a first threaded portion provided for the driving shaft; and

a driven member comprising a second threaded portion screwed with the first threaded portion and configured to move along the second direction in response to the rotation of the driving shaft; and

the coupling mechanism comprises:

a coupling member having a fixed position with respect to the driven pivots; and

a spring member having elasticity in the second direction and configured to apply elastic force between the driven member and the coupling member,

the coupling member couples a driven pivot of the first link set and a driven pivot of the second link set, and

the driving shaft, the driven member, the coupling member, and the spring member are arranged between the first link set and the second link set in the third direction.

3 . The pressing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:

when a side where the fixed pivots are arranged with respect to the driven pivot in the second direction is defined as a second-direction first side,

the driving source is arranged on the second-direction first side relative to the fixed pivots,

the coupling member comprises:

a first attachment portion attached to the driven pivot of the first link set;

a second attachment portion attached to the driven pivot of the second link set;

a first extension portion extending from the first attachment portion to the second-direction first side;

a second extension portion extending from the second attachment portion ( 64 B) to the second-direction first side (X 1 ); and

a connection portion connecting the first extension portion and the second extension portion in the third direction on the second-direction first side of the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion,

the driven member is arranged at a position between the first extension portion and the second extension portion in the third direction, and overlaps with the first extension portion and the second extension portion as viewed in the third direction, and

the spring member is a compression spring and is held between the first extension portion and the second extension portion in the third direction and between the driven member and the connection portion in the second direction.

4 . A pressing apparatus comprising:

a base member;

a pressing member configured to move in a predetermined first direction with respect to the base member to be in a pressed state, in which the pressing member is pressed against a press object, or a separated state, in which the pressing member is separated from the press object;

a link mechanism coupling the base member and the pressing member;

a driving device configured to drive the link mechanism; and

a coupling mechanism coupling the link mechanism and the driving device,

wherein:

the link mechanism comprises:

at least one fixed pivot having a fixed position with respect to the base member;

at least one driven pivot configured to be driven by the driving device and move along a predetermined second direction; and

at least one moving pivot having a fixed position with respect to the pressing member and configured to move in the first direction together with the movement of the driven pivot,

the driving device comprises:

a driving source;

a driving shaft arranged along the second direction and drivable by the driving source to rotate;

a first threaded portion provided for the driving shaft; and

a driven member comprising a second threaded portion screwed with the first threaded portion and configured to move along the second direction in response to the rotation of the driving shaft; and

the coupling mechanism comprises:

a coupling member having a fixed position with respect to the driven pivots; and

a spring member having elasticity in the second direction and configured to apply elastic force between the driven member and the coupling member,

the base member is fixed to a towing vehicle including a driving wheel,

the press object is an engagement section provided for a towed vehicle configured to be towed by the towing vehicle,

the pressing member includes an engaging portion engageable with the engagement section,

the first direction is a vertical direction,

the pressing member is pressed against the press object from below for the engaging portion to become engaged with the engagement section, and

the driving wheel is pressed against a surface by a reaction force that the pressing member receives from the press object.

5 . The pressing apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a control device configured to control the driving device, and

wherein the control device is configured to control an amount by which the driving source rotates the driving shaft such that a deflection amount of the spring member increases with an increase in a weight of the towed vehicle.