Vehicle side step

• US 8,864,158 B1
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boondock Bumpers, LLC
• Original Assignee: Boondock Side Steps, LLC
• Inventors: Perkins, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US14/066,359
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 280163-169
• US Class Current: 280/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/002 Running boards for vehicle tops B60R3/005; at the sides of the vehicle for carrying loads B60R9/02

Abstract

An apparatus may include an elongated support member that when attached to a vehicle is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A mounting bracket is fixedly attached to the elongated support member and configured for being fixedly attached to a vehicle. The elongated support member is fixedly attached to a stepping surface that provides a back surface to restrict motion of the foot of a user past the elongated support member, a first side surface to restrict motion of the foot of the user in a first direction, and a second side surface to restrict motion of the foot of the user in a second direction that opposes the first direction. The distance between the first side surface and the second side surface is substantially less than a length of the elongated support member.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a support member configured for attachment to a vehicle, the support member includes, at least;

a first connection guide rail that provides at least one first connection guide that is configured to connect to a mounting bracket, and

a second connection guide rail that provides at least one second connection guide that is configured to connect to the mounting bracket, wherein the first connection guide rail is substantially lower to the ground than the second connection rail when the support member is fixedly attached to a vehicle, and the first connection guide rail is further from the vehicle than the second connection guide rail when the support member is fixedly attached to the vehicle; and

a step pad recessed in the support member and protruding from the support member, wherein the step pad provides a traction surface to promote sure footing of a user stepping on the traction surface when the support member is attached to the vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first connection guide and the at least one second connection guide are two of a plurality of connection guides and at least a portion of the plurality of connection guides are apertures that cooperate with a plurality of apertures on the mounting bracket to fixedly attach the mounting bracket to the support member.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a step pad support recessed in the support member and protruding from the support member, wherein the step pad support provides support to a portion of the step pad.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the step pad support comprises a lateral step pad support portion configured to support a portion of the step pad that protrudes from the support member, the lateral step pad support portion is fixedly attached to the support member.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket is configured to fixedly attach the support member to the vehicle and configured to fixedly attach to the support member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a universal connection end that is configured to facilitate connection of the mounting bracket to support member by a fastening element.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fastening element comprises a bolt.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the fastening element comprises a weld.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a support member configured for attachment to a vehicle, wherein the support member provides a first connection guide rail that provides a plurality of first connection apertures and a second connection guide rail that provides a plurality of second connection apertures, wherein the first connection guide rail is substantially lower to the ground than the second connection rail when the support member is fixedly attached to a vehicle, and the first connection guide rail is further from the vehicle than the second connection guide rail when the support member is fixedly attached to the vehicle;

a mounting bracket configured to be fixedly attached to the support member at a first end of the mounting bracket and configured to be fixedly attached to the vehicle at an opposing second end of the mounting bracket; and

a step pad recessed in the support member and protruding from the support member, wherein the step pad provides a traction surface to promote sure footing of a user stepping on the traction surface when the mounting bracket is fixedly attached to the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the mounting bracket is fixedly attached to at least one of the plurality of first connection apertures with a first fastener and fixedly attached to at least one of the plurality of second connection apertures with a second fastener.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the step pad is custom positioned based on the properties of the vehicle to assist the user to access a passenger compartment upon connection of the support member with the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the step pad is custom positioned based on the properties of the vehicle to assist the user to access a storage compartment upon connection of the support member with the vehicle.

13. An apparatus comprising:

an elongated support member configured for attachment to a vehicle, wherein the support member provides a first connection guide rail that provides a plurality of first connection apertures and a second connection guide rail that provides a plurality of second connection apertures;

a first step pad recessed in the elongated support member and protruding from the elongated support member, wherein the first step pad provides a first traction surface to promote sure footing of a user stepping on the first traction surface, such that the user can access a first passenger compartment of the vehicle when the user is assisted by the first step pad;

a second step pad recessed in the elongated support member and protruding from the elongated support member, wherein the second step pad provides a second traction surface to promote sure footing of the user stepping on the second traction surface, such that when the user is assisted by the second step pad the user can access space selected from a group of a second passenger compartment of the vehicle and a storage area; and

a plurality mounting brackets fixedly attached to the elongated support member through the first connection apertures and the second connection apertures to fixedly attach the elongated support member to the vehicle.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a support member configured for attachment to a vehicle, wherein the support member provides a first connection guide rail that provides a plurality of first connection apertures and a second connection guide rail that provides a plurality of second connection apertures;

a mounting bracket configured to be fixedly attached to the support member at a first end of the mounting bracket and configured to be fixedly attached to the vehicle at an opposing second end of the mounting bracket;

a step pad recessed in the support member and protruding from the support member, wherein the step pad provides a traction surface to promote sure footing of a user stepping on the traction surface when the mounting bracket is fixedly attached to the vehicle; and

a step pad support recessed in the support member and protruding from the support member, wherein the step pad support provides support to a portion of the step pad that protrudes from the support member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mounting bracket is fixedly attached to at least one of the plurality of first connection apertures with a first fastener and fixedly attached to at least one of the plurality of second connection apertures with a second fastener.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the step pad is custom positioned based on the properties of the vehicle to assist the user to access a passenger compartment upon connection of the support member with the vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the step pad is custom positioned based on the properties of the vehicle to assist the user to access a storage compartment upon connection of the support member with the vehicle.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a support member configured for attachment to a vehicle, wherein the support member provides a first connection guide rail that provides a plurality of first connection apertures and a second connection guide rail that provides a plurality of second connection apertures;

a mounting bracket configured to be fixedly attached to the support member at a first end of the mounting bracket and configured to be fixedly attached to the vehicle at an opposing second end of the mounting bracket, wherein the first end of the mounting bracket comprises a universal connection end that is configured to facilitate connection of the mounting bracket to the support member by a fastening element, wherein the mounting bracket is custom positioned in relation to the first connection guide rail and the second connection guide rail based on properties of a vehicle to which the support member and mounting bracket are fixedly attached; and

a step pad recessed in the support member and protruding from the support member, wherein the step pad provides a traction surface to promote sure footing of a user stepping on the traction surface when the mounting bracket is fixedly attached to the vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mounting bracket is fixedly attached to at least one of the plurality of first connection apertures with a first fastener and fixedly attached to at least one of the plurality of second connection apertures with a second fastener.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the step pad is custom positioned based on the properties of the vehicle to assist the user to access a passenger compartment upon connection of the support member with the vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the step pad is custom positioned based on the properties of the vehicle to assist the user to access a storage compartment upon connection of the support member with the vehicle.