Vehicle access step assembly

• US 6,076,844 A
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Truck and Engine Corporation
• Original Assignee: Navistar International Transportation Corp. (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Askew, Gerald W., Stuart, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): RESTIFO, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US09/479,041
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/164.1, 280/164.2, 280/165, 280/169, 182/150, 182/196, 248/154, 248/230.8
• 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

The apparatus for providing access steps to a vehicle and a method of installing same on a heavy or medium duty truck. In its most basic form, the apparatus is comprised of an access step and two step brackets. The brackets are installed to outer surfaces of the tank straps which hold a fuel tank to a frame rail of the vehicle. The access step and step brackets have tabs and flaps or slots which can be combined to attach the access step to the step brackets with a reduced number of fasteners.

Claims

1. In combination with a vehicle having a frame rail and a fuel tank attached to the frame rail by two tank straps and frame brackets, a vehicle access step assembly, comprising:

(a) two step brackets with each of said step bracket being attached to an outer surface of each of said tank straps;

(b) an access step with a top surface, a front side and a rear side, portions of said front and rear sides being approximately perpendicular to said top surface and in a vertical position;

(c) said front side of said access step is attached to an outer portion of each of said step brackets;

(d) a step-to-bracket attachment means for attaching said rear side of said access step to inner portions of each of said step brackets without the use of screws and rivets; and

(e) said step-to-bracket attachment means comprising

said rear side of said access step having tabs corresponding to each of said step brackets;

said tabs each being a continuation of said rear side which curves concave upwards away from said step brackets of said access step and corresponds to the width of said step brackets; and

engagement receiver pieces attached to an inner and upper portion of each of said step brackets, each of said engagement receiver pieces having an outwardly facing slot shaped to engage and engaging said tabs.

2. The vehicle access step assembly of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said engagement receiver pieces are integral parts of said step brackets.

3. In combination with a vehicle having a frame rail and a fuel tank attached to the frame rail by two tank straps and frame brackets, a vehicle access step assembly, comprising:

(a) two step brackets with each of said step bracket being attached to an outer surface of each of said tank straps;

(b) an access step with a top surface, a front side and a rear side, portions of said front and rear sides being approximately perpendicular to said top surface and in a vertical position;

(c) said front side of said access step is attached to an outer portion of each of said step brackets;

(d) a step-to-bracket attachment means for attaching said rear side of said access step to inner portions of each of said step brackets without the use of screws and rivets; and

(e) said step-to-bracket attachment means comprising

said rear side of said access step having a flap which is flat, perpendicular to said rear side, and has an outer edge directed away from said top surface of said access step; and

each of said step brackets having a square retaining tab which is shaped to engage and engages said outer edge of said flap.

4. A method for engaging an access step to a vehicle having a frame rail and a fuel tank attached to the frame rail by two tank straps and frame brackets, comprising the steps of:

(a) attaching a step bracket on an outer radial surface of each of the tank straps;

(b) attaching an access step with a top surface, a front side side and a rear side, with portions of said front and rear sides being approximately perpendicular to said top surface and in a vertical position to an inner portion of each of said step brackets by use of a step-to-bracket attachment means without the use of screws and rivets;

(c) attaching said front side of said access step to an outer portion of said step brackets; and

(d) wherein said step-to-bracket attachment means is comprised of;

(i) said rear side of said access step having tabs corresponding to each of said step brackets;

(ii) said tabs each being a continuation of said rear side which curves concave upwards away from said top surface of said access step and corresponds to the width of said step brackets; and

(iii) engagement receiver pieces attached to an inner and upper porton of each of said step brackets, each of said engagement receiver pieces having an outwardly facing slot shaped to engage and engaging said tabs.

5. The vehicle access step assembly of claim 4, wherein:

(a) said engagement receiver pieces are integral parts of said step brackets.