Side runner assembly for a vehicle having a dropping step
First Claim
1. A side runner assembly having a dropping step for a vehicle having a frame comprising:
- an elongate member having elongate front and rear fixed portions, each extending generally parallel and rigidly attached to the frame by a lateral member; and
, a dropping central step portion carried by a lateral member, one side portion of the lateral member rigidly attached to the central portion, and the other opposite side portion movably attached to the frame;
bias means to upwardly bias the central portion; and
, an upper restraint means wherein an upper portion of a fixed portion of the elongate member overlaps an end portion of the dropping central portion to generally maintain a bottom side portion of the central portion in horizontal alignment with a bottom side portion of the front and rear portions of the side runner assembly for protection of the dropping central step portion from possible obstructions beside and beneath the vehicle;
so that the central step portion is normally maintained in alignment with the front and rear portions of the assembly and drops to an operative position when and only when downward force is applied thereon.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A retractable step which is adequately functional, and which virtually automatically shifts between its in-use and storage position. A side runner assembly having a dropping step for a vehicle includes: an elongate member having a front and rear portion, each of the front and rear portions rigidly attached to the frame by a lateral member; and, a dropping central step portion carried by a lateral member, one side portion of the lateral member rigidly attached to the central portion, and the other opposite side portion movably attached to the frame. A spring upwardly biases the central portion; and the central portion is restrained in horizontal alignment with the front and rear portion of the side rail assembly. The central step portion is normally maintained in alignment with the front and rear portions of the assembly and drops to an operative position when and only downward force is applied thereon. In a preferred embodiment the front, rear, and central step portions of the side rail assembly as well as the lateral members, have round tubular cross sections. The lateral members comprise arms and the opposite side portion of the arm carrying the central portion is pivotably attached to the frame.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A side runner assembly having a dropping step for a vehicle having a frame comprising:
-
an elongate member having elongate front and rear fixed portions, each extending generally parallel and rigidly attached to the frame by a lateral member; and
,a dropping central step portion carried by a lateral member, one side portion of the lateral member rigidly attached to the central portion, and the other opposite side portion movably attached to the frame;
bias means to upwardly bias the central portion; and
,an upper restraint means wherein an upper portion of a fixed portion of the elongate member overlaps an end portion of the dropping central portion to generally maintain a bottom side portion of the central portion in horizontal alignment with a bottom side portion of the front and rear portions of the side runner assembly for protection of the dropping central step portion from possible obstructions beside and beneath the vehicle;
so that the central step portion is normally maintained in alignment with the front and rear portions of the assembly and drops to an operative position when and only when downward force is applied thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A side runner assembly having a dropping step for a vehicle having a frame comprising:
-
an elongate member having elongate front and rear fixed portions, each extending generally parallel and rigidly attached to the frame by a lateral member; and
,a dropping central step portion carried by a lateral member, one side portion of the lateral member rigidly attached to the central portion, and the other opposite side portion pivotably attached to the frame;
said front, rear, and central step portions thereof having a generally similar lateral cross section so that the central step portion is largely individually inconspicuous when it is maintained in its upper aligned position with the front and rear portions;
said lateral members including a lower spring/support arm having an outer end portion carried by on outer end portion of the central step portion'"'"'s lateral arm, and having an inner end portion carrying a spring which has an inner end in contact with a lower portion of the vehicle frame so that the spring will normally maintain the central step portion in its upper aligned position and compress to allow the inner end portion of the lower spring/support arm to contact the frame and support the central step portion in its dropped operative position; and
,an upper restraint means to maintain the central portion in horizontal alignment with the front and rear portion of the side runner assembly;
so that the central step portion is normally maintained in alignment with the front and rear portions of the assembly and drops to an operative position when and only when downward force is applied thereon. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification