Auxiliary Step and Hand Hold System

• US 20090322052A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PC Ruehl Engineering Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PC Ruehl Engineering Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruehl, Phillip C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,720,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/166
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/00 Arrangements of steps or ladders facilitating access to or on the vehicle, e.g. running-boards construction of steps for railway vehicles B61D23/00 ; ladders E06C
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/02 Retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock B60R3/005 takes precedence

Abstract

An auxiliary step and hand hold system for accessing a vehicle. The system includes at least one auxiliary step, at least one hand hold shaped to assist a climb into the trailer, and at least one pocket shaped to removably receive the at least one hand hold. The auxiliary step may be a rotating-retractable step that rotates between a use position and a stowed position. The hand hold is shaped to assist a climb into the cargo bay and may be inserted into the pockets in a use position and a stowed position. One or more stationary steps can also be used in connection with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The hand holds, pockets and auxiliary steps may be used alone or in combination to assist with access to a vehicle.

Claims

1. An auxiliary step and hand hold system for accessing the cargo bay of a trailer, the trailer having an under-ride guard beam, a floor and at least one door, the auxiliary step and hand hold system comprising:

a rotating-retractable step mountable to the under-ride guard beam, wherein the rotating-retractable step can be positioned below the under-ride guard beam in a use position and above the under-ride guard beam in a stowed position;

a first pocket and a second pocket, both mountable to the trailer at a level lower than the doors and above the rotating-retractable step; and

a first hand hold and a second hand hold, each shaped to assist a climb into the cargo bay and insertable into the pockets in a use position.

2. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, wherein the rotating-retractable step includes at least one mounting portion configured to be attached to the under-ride guard beam, a horizontal step member having at least an upwardly facing stepping surface, and a pair of side supports extending between the at least one mounting portion and the horizontal step member, wherein each of the side supports is connected to the mounting portion with a hinge pin and pin retainer.

3. The step and hand hold system of claim 2, wherein the pin retainer is integrally formed with the side support and mounting portion.

4. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, wherein the rotating-retractable step includes at least one mounting portion configured to be attached to the under-ride guard beam, a horizontal step member having at least an upwardly facing stepping surface, and a pair of side supports extending between the at least one mounting portion and the horizontal step member, wherein the side supports are connected to the mounting portion with a pivot tab and pivot bolt or drive screw.

5. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, further comprising a stationary step with horizontal step member, wherein the stationary step is mounted on the under-ride guard beam such that the horizontal step member of the stationary step is positioned above the under-ride guard beam and the rotating-retractable step when the rotating-retractable step is in the use position.

6. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, further comprising a stationary step mounted in between the under-ride guard beam and the floor of the trailer.

7. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, further comprising a third pocket and a fourth pocket mounted on an inner surface of the at least one door of the trailer.

8. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, further comprising a first cable attached to the first hand hold and the trailer and a second cable attached to the second hand hold and the trailer.

9. The step and hand hold system of claim 1, wherein the rotating-retractable step has an upwardly facing stepping surface including an outside edge, and a plurality of holes formed along the outside edge, wherein at least a portion of the holes include a tooth that extends substantially perpendicular the stepping surface.

10. The step system of claim 1, wherein the rotating-retractable step includes a stepping surface with an edge support flange and a horizontal lip extending outwardly from the edge support flange.

11. A hand hold system for accessing the cargo bay of a vehicle trailer having a floor and a cargo bay door, wherein the hand hold system comprises:

a pair of pockets each separately mountable on the trailer at a level lower than a bottom rear edge of the floor and spaced apart from one another along a generally horizontal plane;

a first hand hold shaped to assist a climb into the trailer and insertable into one of the pockets in a use position and a stowed position, wherein the stowed position is rotated relative to the use position; and

a second hand hold shaped to assist a climb into the trailer and insertable into other one of the pockets in a use position and a stowed position, wherein the stowed position is rotated relative to the use position.

12. The hand hold system of claim 11, wherein the first and second hand holds are shaped to transfer a climber'"'"'s center of gravity from a starting position below and behind the cargo bay of the trailer to a final position inside the cargo bay and forward of a rear edge of the trailer floor.

13. The hand hold system of claim 11, wherein the first and second hand holds are formed of tubing with a first bend and a second bend, wherein the first bend is approximately 30 degrees and the second bend is approximately 60 degrees.

14. The hand hold system of claim 11, wherein the first and second hand holds are formed of tubing with a first section, a second section and a third section, wherein the first section meets the second section at an approximately 30 degree angle and the second section meets the third section at an approximately 60 degree angle, and wherein the first section and the second section are of substantially equal lengths.

15. The hand hold system of claim 11, further comprising a second pair of pockets mounted on an inner surface of the at least one trailer door, the second pair of pockets shaped to receive the hand holds in the stowed position.

16. The hand hold system of claim 11, further comprising a first cable and a second cable, the first cable secured to the first hand hold and the trailer and the second cable secured to the second hand hold and the trailer.

17. The hand hold system of claim 16, further comprising at least one latch mounted on the trailer underneath the at least one door.

18. The hand hold system of claim 11, further comprising a locking mechanism.

19. An auxiliary step and hand hold system for accessing a vehicle, the auxiliary step and hand hold system comprising:

at least one auxiliary step having a stepping portion with two support legs and at least one mounting portion;

at least one hand hold shaped to assist a climb into the trailer; and

at least one pocket shaped to removably receive the at least one hand hold.

20. The step system of claim 19, wherein the at least one hand hold is insertable into the at least one pocket in a use position and a stowed position.