Running board assembly for a tricycle and a method of attaching the same

• US 20020070527A1
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Champion Investments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lehman Trikes, Inc.
• Inventors: Turgeon, Romain Joseph Alphonse
• Granted Patent: US 6,655,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/002 Running boards for vehicle tops B60R3/005; at the sides of the vehicle for carrying loads B60R9/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 25/04 Floor-type foot rests

Abstract

A running board assembly and a method of attaching the same to a tricycle includes a pair of running boards. Each of the running boards has a front end and a rear end. The rear end of each of the running boards is attached to a fender. A cross brace is provided which is adapted to underlie and be secured to a frame of the tricycle. The cross brace has opposed ends. The running boards are secured to and supported by the opposed ends of the cross brace.

Claims

1. A running board assembly for a tricycle, comprising:

a pair of running boards, each of the running boards having a front end and a rear end;

means for mounting the rear end of each of the running boards to a fender;

at least one cross brace adapted to be secured to a frame of a tricycle, the at least one cross brace having opposed ends; and

means for securing running boards to one of the opposed ends of the at least one cross brace.

2. The running board assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the opposed ends of the at least one cross brace has fastener receiving openings.

3. The running board assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein front braces are provided, means being provided to secure the front braces to the frame of the tricycle, and means being provided for securing the front end of the running boards to the front braces.

4. The running board assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each of the front braces has a first end and a second end, the second end being securable to one of the opposed ends of the cross brace, a front mounting bracket being provided as means for securing the front brace to the frame of the tricycle.

5. The running board assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein foot rest mounting brackets are provided which are securable to the cross brace.

6. The running board assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the running boards has a front section and a rear section which are detachably secured together.

7. The running board assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the front section has a first end and a second end, the rear section has a first end and a second end, the second end of the front section and the first end of the rear section having fastener receiving openings, whereby the front section and rear section are secured by fasteners to each other and to the at least one cross brace.

8. The running board assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the rear end of each of the running boards has fastener receiving openings, whereby the rear end of each of the running boards is secured by fasteners to a fender.

9. A running board assembly for a tricycle, comprising:

a pair of running boards, each of the running boards has a front section and a rear section which are detachably secured together, the front section having a first end and a second end, the rear section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the front section and the first end of the rear section having fastener receiving openings, whereby the front section and rear section are secured together by fasteners, the second end of the rear section of each of the running boards has fastener receiving openings, whereby the second end of the rear section is secured by fasteners to a fender;

a cross brace adapted to underlie and be secured to a frame of a tricycle, the cross brace having opposed ends with fastener receiving openings, whereby the fasteners securing the front section and rear section together also secure the running boards to the cross brace;

a pair of front braces, each of the front braces having a first end and a second end with fastener receiving openings, whereby fasteners are extended through the fastener receiving openings at the first end to secure the front end of the running boards to the front braces and fasteners are extended through the fastener receiving openings at the second end to secure the second end to one of the opposed ends of the cross brace;

a front mounting bracket adapted to secure the first end of the front brace to the frame of the tricycle; and

foot rest mounting brackets securable to the cross brace.

10. A method of attaching running boards to a tricycle, comprising the steps of:

providing a tricycle having a frame with opposed sides, a superstructure and rear fenders;

providing a running board assembly for a tricycle, including;

a pair of running boards, each of the running boards having a front end and a rear end;

a cross brace having opposed ends;

securing the cross brace in a position underlying the tricycle frame with the opposed ends of the cross brace in running board supporting position protruding past the opposed sides of the tricycle frame;

securing the running boards to the cross brace toward the front end of the running boards; and

securing the rear end of each of the running boards to one of the rear fenders of the tricycle on each of the opposed sides of the tricycle frame.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, including the further step of further supporting the front end of the running boards with front braces that attach to the tricycle frame.

12. The method as defined in claim 10, including the further step of further supporting the front end of the running boards by securing the front end of the running boards to the tricycle superstructure.

13. The method as defined in claim 10, including the further step of securing foot rest mounting brackets to the cross brace.

14. The method as defined in claim 10, each of the running boards having a front section and a rear section which are detachably secured together.

17. The tricycle as defined in claim 16, the front end of the running boards being attached to the frame-with front braces.

18. The tricycle as defined in claim 16, the front end of the running boards being secured to the superstructure.

19. The method as defined in claim 16, foot rest mounting brackets being secured to the cross brace.

20. The method as defined in claim 16, each of the running boards having a front section and a rear section which are detachably secured together.

15. A method of attaching running boards to a tricycle, comprising the steps of:

providing a tricycle having a frame with opposed sides, a superstructure and rear fenders;

providing a running board assembly for a tricycle, including;

a pair of running boards, each of the running boards having a front end and a rear end;

a cross brace having opposed ends; and

front braces;

securing the cross brace in a position underlying the tricycle frame with the opposed ends of the cross brace in running board supporting position protruding past the opposed sides of the tricycle frame;

securing front braces to the tricycle frame;

securing the front end of the running boards to the front braces;

securing the running boards to the cross brace in an intermediate position between the front end and the rear end of the running boards;

securing the rear end of each of the running boards to one of the rear fenders of the tricycle on each of the opposed sides of the tricycle frame; and

securing the front end of the running boards to the tricycle superstructure.

16. A tricycle, comprising in combination:

a frame with opposed sides, a superstructure and rear fenders;

a pair of running boards having a front end and a rear end, the rear end of each of the running boards being secured to one of the rear fenders on each of the opposed sides of the frame;

a cross brace having opposed ends underlying the tricycle frame with the opposed ends of the cross brace in a supporting position protruding past the opposed sides of the tricycle frame, the running boards being secured to the cross brace toward the front end of the running boards.

21. A tricycle, comprising in combination:

a frame with opposed sides, a superstructure and rear fenders;

a pair of running boards having a front end and a rear end, the rear end of each of the running boards being secured to one of the rear fenders on each of the opposed sides of the frame;

a cross brace having opposed ends underlying the tricycle frame with the opposed ends of the cross brace in a supporting position protruding past the opposed sides of the tricycle frame, the running boards being secured to the cross brace toward the front end of the running boards;

the front end of the running boards being attached to the frame with front braces; and

the front end of the running boards being secured to the superstructure.