Vehicle step kit and method

• US 5,265,896 A
• Filed: 12/03/1991
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harley A. Kravitz
• Original Assignee: Harley A. Kravitz
• Inventors: Kravitz, Harley A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US07/801,039
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/169, 280/164.1, 403/293, D12/203, 182/92, 296/71, 296/152, 296/157
• US Class Current: 280/163
• 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 retrofit, motor vehicle step kit which easily mounts to a motor vehicle regardless of the motor vehicle'"'"'s make and model. The step kit comprises a step body, two L-shaped brackets, two stiffening members and four nuts. The kit further includes three bolts for connecting the step body to a motor vehicle body and three adaptor brackets for use with trucks having a model year of 1991 or later. A first section of each L-shaped bracket is attached to a motor vehicle frame while a second section of each bracket engages an associated one of the stiffening members. A first of the end portions of each stiffening member engages its associated one of the brackets while a second of the end portions is connected to a support receptacle of the step body. Once the brackets are properly connected to the motor vehicle frame, the effective length of the stiffening members are adjusted with the nuts to level the step body and the step body is connected to the motor vehicle body, thereby allowing the step to support the weight of a person.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle running board kit for retrofitted attachment of a running board to a vehicle comprising:

a) a pair of L-shaped brackets;

b) each bracket having a leg adapted to be connected to a vehicle frame structure and an apertured arm extending from the leg selectively either upwardly or downwardly when in use;

c) an elongated running board of generally L-shaped cross section, the board including an elongate step section and an upstanding support section including portions adapted to be connected to a rocker panel section of such vehicle; and

,

d) at least two elongate stiffening elements including means for adjusting their effective length and for connection to and positioning between the brackets and the running board and thereafter being adjustable in effective length to adjust the position of the running board relative to the vehicle to a level orientation.

2. The running board kit of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of adaptor brackets for connecting the running board to a body of such motor vehicle.

3. The running board kit of claim 1 wherein the stiffening elements comprise threaded members each of which is connected to one of the brackets with nuts and is also connected to a portion of the running board.

4. A method of retrofitting a running board to a motor vehicle comprising:

a) connecting an upstanding section of an elongate running board to a rocker panel section of the vehicle;

b) determining whether arms of a pair of L-shaped brackets will be oriented in upstanding or depending relationship to or from legs of the pair of brackets;

c) connecting the legs to the vehicle inwardly of such rocker panel with the arms of the brackets positioned substantially vertically in the determined orientation and arm apertures transversely aligned with connection parts of the board;

d) projecting each of a pair of stiffening elements through a corresponding one of the aligned apertures;

e) respectively connecting each of the stiffening elements to an associated one of the connection parts; and

,

f) thereafter adjusting the effective length of the stiffening elements until a step section of the connected running board is at a desired attitude relative to the vehicle.

5. A motor vehicle comprising:

a) a frame;

b) a body connected to the frame and including a rocker panel section; and

,

c) a retrofitted elongated running board attached to the frame and the body comprising;

i) a pair of L-shaped brackets;

ii) each bracket having a leg adapted to be connected to the frame and an apertured arm extending from the leg in a selected one of upward and downward orientations;

iii) the elongated board being of generally L-shaped cross section, the board including an elongate step section and an upstanding support section including portions connected to the rocker panel section; and

,

iv) at least two elongate stiffening elements including means for adjusting their effective length and for connection to and positioning between the brackets and the running board body and being adjustable to an effective length appropriate to provide a desired angular attitude relative to the frame.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein the retrofitted running board further comprises three adaptor brackets for connecting the running board to the motor vehicle body.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 5 wherein the stiffening elements comprise threaded members which are connected to the brackets with nuts and threaded into threaded portions of the step body.

8. A universal-fit, motor vehicle step comprising:

a. a step body which is L-shaped in cross-section;

b. at least two L-shaped brackets, a first section of each bracket being adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle underside, a second section of the brackets having a front side and a back side and having a plurality of apertures;

c. at least four nuts, a nut being placed on each side of each of the second sections of the brackets;

d. at least two members each having two threaded portions for connecting the body to the brackets, a first of the threaded portions of each member engaging an associated one of the brackets and its corresponding nuts, a second of the threaded portions being connected to a portion of the step body, the threaded portions having threads extending a sufficient distance there along to align the step body with a motor vehicle body when the nuts are appropriately tightened along the threaded members;

e. connection means for connecting the step body to the motor vehicle body.

9. The motor vehicle step of claim 8 wherein the connection means comprises a set of nuts and bolts.

10. The motor vehicle step of claim 8 further comprising at least two adaptor brackets for connecting the step body to the motor vehicle body.

11. A universal-fit, motor vehicle step kit for mounting to various motor vehicles of different motor vehicle manufacturers comprising:

a. a step body which is L-shaped in cross section;

b. at least two L-shaped brackets, a first section of the brackets being adapted to be attached to a motor vehicle underside, a second section of the brackets having a front side and a back side and having a plurality of apertures;

c. at least four nuts, a nut being placed on each side of each of the second sections of the brackets;

d. at least two members each having two threaded portions for connecting the body to the brackets, a first of the threaded portions of each member engaging an associated one of the brackets and its corresponding nuts, a second of the threaded portions being connected to a portion of the step body, the threaded portions having threads extending a sufficient distance there along the threaded portions to align the step body with a motor vehicle body when the nuts are appropriately tightened along the threaded portions such that the step body can be connected to the vehicle body;

e. at least three adaptor brackets for interfacing between the step body and the motor vehicle body; and

,

f. at least three nuts and bolts for connecting the step body to the tubes and the rectangular members and thereby to the motor vehicle body.

12. For use with a motor vehicle having a frame structure and a body structure including a rocker panel, a running board kit for attachment to the motor vehicle comprising:

a) at least two brackets, each bracket being adapted to be connected to the vehicle frame structure and including at least two apertures;

b) an elongated running board of generally L-shaped cross section, the board including an elongate step section and an upstanding support section including portions adapted to be connected to the rocker panel section of the vehicle; and

,

c) at least two elongate stiffening elements including means for adjusting the effective length of the elements and for connection to and positioning between the brackets and the running board and thereafter being adjusted in effective length to adjust the angular attitude of the running board relative to the vehicle.