Vehicle step

• US 5,139,295 A
• Filed: 10/10/1991
• Issued: 08/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Francisco Escobedo
• Original Assignee: Francisco Escobedo
• Inventors: Escobedo, Francisco
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/774,327
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 293/117, 280/163, 182/90, 182/150, 182/92
• US Class Current: 293/117
• 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

Abstract

A step is disclosed herein having downwardly depending supports from the bumper or frame of a vehicle which terminate in a flared flange for holding a step rung adapted to support the weight of a person servicing the vehicle. In one form, a pair of supports attaches at one end to the bumper or frame utilizing fasteners normally used for license plate securement. In another form, a single support includes a flare lip onto which the step rung is retained.

Claims

1. In a vehicle including a vehicle component having an arrangement of holes for receiving a plurality of fasteners associated with retention of a license plate, the combination comprising:

support means having a top portion, a bottom portion and a mid-portion integrally connecting said top and said bottom portions;

said support means top and mid-portions provided with openings alignable with said vehicle component holes for insertably receiving said fasteners to fixedly secure said support means to said vehicle component whereby said bottom portion downwardly depends from said vehicle component;

a foot rung secured to said bottom portion in fixed spaced-apart relationship with respect to said vehicle member.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said support means comprises a pair of spaced apart members;

each of said members terminating at said bottom portion in a flared twisted end so as to provide opposite and opposing surfaces in spaced parallel relationship; and

said foot rung being elongated with opposite ends securely engaged with and between said flared end of each member.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said rung, said member flared bottom portions and said vehicle component define a central opening to receive the foot of the user.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said flared member bottom portions and said rung forwardly extend from said member mid-portions to cantilever said rung outwardly from said vehicle component.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein:

said support means top portion of each member includes a flared twisted end so as to provide opposite and opposing surfaces;

second elongated rung having opposite ends secured to said opposing surfaces; and

said flared top portion outwardly bent from said member mid-portion to cantilever said second rung forwardly of said vehicle component in vertical alignment with said first mentioned rung.

6. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein:

said vehicle component is a vehicle bumper with a central recess;

a license plate retained in said recess by said fasteners in combination with said support means top portions of each member.

7. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein:

said members and said rung are of unitary construction providing an integral structure.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said support means is an elongated plate having an integral lower lip curved forwardly of said vehicle component to provide a securement edge;

said rung fixedly attached to said edge so as to be in fixed spaced parallel relationship with respect to said support means plate mid-portion.