Dirt removing running board for automobile

• US 5,944,332 A
• Filed: 12/29/1997
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hsi Sin Lee, Wen Lin Chang
• Original Assignee: Hsi Sin Lee, Wen Lin Chang
• Inventors: Lee, Hsi Sin, Chang, Wen Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): RESTIFO, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US08/998,957
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/164.2, 280/164.1, 280/166, 280/169, 296/50, 182/88, 182/91, 182/127
• US Class Current: 280/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/02 Retractable steps or ladders, e.g. movable under shock B60R3/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A dirt removing running board for automobile includes a cover, a linkage means, a base frame and two steel wires winding to a motor. The linkage means has an upper bar which has a hollow lower portion for housing the upper portion of a lower bar. There is a spring housed in the hollow portion between the upper and lower bars. The lower bar is thus movable up or down to suit different road conditions. The cover is screwed to the chassis of the automobile. The two ends of the linkage means pivotly engage with the cover and base frame respectively to form a substantially Z-shape structure. The motor can release the steel wires to extend the linkage means perpendicular to the cover and the base frame when in use. When the motor rotates in the opposite direction, the steel wires will pull and fold the linkage means and the base frame to the cover for storage. There is a removable dirt removing panel located on the base frame for collecting dirts and muds from the driver and passenger'"'"'s shoes so that the inside of the automobile may be kept clean.

Claims

1. A dirt removing running board for automobile, said dirt removing running board comprising:

a cover having a plurality of openings for screwing the cover to the automobile fixedly;

a linkage means comprising an upper bar with a top end pivotly engaging with one end of the cover and having a hollow lower portion, a lower bar with an upper portion thereof axially housed in the hollow portion of the upper bar, and a spring housed in the hollow portion and between the upper bar and the lower bar;

a base frame pivotly engaged at one end thereof with a bottom end of the lower bar having two lateral upward flanges, a positioning bar, a plurality of water discharging slots, and a removable dirt removing panel located thereon;

the positioning bar having one end pivotly engaged with the lower bar and another end slidably engaged with a slot formed in the lateral upward flange; and

a pair of spaced steel wires each having one end fixed to a lateral flange of the base frame and another end running through an aperture in the cover and winding to a motor;

wherein motor rotation in one direction will release the base frame to an extended position with the base frame substantially perpendicular to the linkage means;

wherein motor rotation in an opposite direction will retract the steel wire to fold the base frame and the linkage means to the cover to form a compact size.

2. A dirt removing board of claim 1, wherein the spring will move the lower bar up or down to suit different road conditions.

3. A dirt removing board of claim 1 further having a switch located in the automobile for controlling the motor.

4. A dirt removing board of claim 1 further having a horizontal supporting plank located at the bottom end of the lower bar and a vertical guarding plank located at one end of the cover adjacent the top end of the upper bar so that the linkage means will be perpendicular to the base frame and the cover when at extending position.

5. A dirt removing board of claim 1, wherein the dirt removing panel has a plurality of mushroom-shaped studs located under the bottom surface thereof for engaging with and resting on apertures formed in the base frame.

6. A dirt removing board of claim 1 further having a first pivot stud at the lower bar with a first torsional spring mounted thereon and a second pivot stud at the upper bar with a second torsional spring mounted therein;

the first torisonal spring having one end engaged with the base frame and another end engaged with the lower bar, the second torsional spring having one end engaged with the cover and another end engaged with the upper bar for extending the linkage means and the base frame when in use.

7. A dirt removing running board for automobile, comprising:

a cover having a plurality of openings for screwing the cover to the automobile;

a linkage means including an upper bar with a top end pivotly engaging with one end of the cover and having a hollow lower portion, a lower bar with an upper portion thereof axially housed in the hollow portion of the upper bar, and a spring housed in the hollow portion and between the upper bar and the lower bar;

a base frame pivotly engaged at one end thereof with a bottom end of the lower bar having a plurality of water discharging slots and a removable dirt removing panel located thereon;

a pair of spaced reel spring sets located in a car door, each reel spring having one end engaged with the base frame for pulling and extending the base frame for use when the car door is being opened;

a first torsional spring pivotly mounted at a bottom end of the lower bar thereof for folding the base frame when not in use; and

a second torsional spring pivotly mounted at a top end of the upper bar for retracting and folding the linkage means and the base frame to the cover when not in use.