IP Library Granted Patent US 12679275
Granted Patent B2
US 12679275 · App. 18/351,956 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Vehicle step device and vehicle including vehicle step device

Inventors: Kimihiro Sekine (Kariya, JP); Masashi Miwa (Kariya, JP); Ryota Tachi (Kariya, JP)
Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
B60R3/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12679275
App. No.
18/351,956
Filed
Jul 13, 2023
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3617
USPC
280/163
Abstract

A vehicle step device includes: a step portion that is attached to a side of a vehicle and is deployed from a retracted position to a getting-on/off position when an occupant gets on and off the vehicle; and a drive unit configured to drive the step portion between the retracted position and the getting-on/off position. The drive unit deploys the step portion to a traveling position located outward of the retracted position in a vehicle width direction when a predetermined condition is satisfied in a vehicle traveling state.

Claims (27)

1 . A vehicle step device comprising:

a step portion that is attached to a side of a vehicle and is deployed from a retracted position to a getting-on/off position when an occupant gets on and off the vehicle; and

a drive unit configured to drive the step portion between the retracted position and the getting-on/off position, wherein

the drive unit deploys the step portion to a traveling position located outward of the retracted position in a vehicle width direction when a predetermined condition is satisfied in a vehicle traveling state, and

the drive unit drives the step portion to the retracted position when a negative acceleration of the vehicle becomes smaller than a first specified value in a state where the step portion is deployed to the traveling position.

2 . The vehicle step device according to claim 1 , wherein

the traveling position is located between the retracted position and the getting-on/off position or at the getting-on/off position.

3 . The vehicle step device according to claim 1 , wherein

the traveling position is located anywhere from a position outward of the retracted position in the vehicle width direction to a position separated by a distance of 10 mm outward in the vehicle width direction from an outermost end on an outermost side in an entire vehicle width.

4 . The vehicle step device according to claim 1 , wherein

the traveling position is a position at which the step portion is most deployed outward in the vehicle width direction.

5 . The vehicle step device according to claim 1 , wherein

the drive unit deploys the step portion to the traveling position when a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a first speed.

6 . The vehicle step device according to claim 5 , wherein

the drive unit drives the step portion to the retracted position when the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a second speed that is lower than the first speed in a state where the step portion is deployed at the traveling position.

7 . The vehicle step device according to claim 5 , wherein

a detection unit configured to detect a position of the step portion is provided, and

the drive unit returns the step portion to the traveling position when the detection unit detects that a position of the step portion is deviated from the traveling position.

8 . The vehicle step device according to claim 1 , wherein

the drive unit corrects a position of the step portion such that the step portion continues to be located at the traveling position in the vehicle traveling state.

9 . The vehicle step device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a base that is attached to a vehicle body of the vehicle; and

an arm that is attached to the base so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft, wherein

the step portion is attached to the arm, and

the rotation shaft is inclined in a vehicle width direction with respect to a vehicle up-down direction, the step portion is deployed by the drive unit by rotation of the arm, and the step portion is disposed at a lower position at the traveling position than at the retracted position.

10 . A vehicle comprising:

the vehicle step device according to claim 1 .