Vehicle side step

• US 7,731,212 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2008
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industria Disenadora de Autopartes, S.A. de C.V.
• Original Assignee: Xtreme Metal Fab
• Inventors: Storer, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/291,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20090072507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/164.1, 280/164.2, 280/166, 280/169
• 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

A step assembly for a vehicle comprising an elongated main body having a substantially straight portion and two end portions; a generally U-shaped step bar having a substantially straight portion parallel to the main body and two bent portions, the bent portions welded to the main body and a step surface having a plurality of apertures that is affixed to the step bar to provide traction to the user. The main body is preferably welded to at least one support bracket. The installation of the step assembly is a two step process that comprises engagably attaching at least one mounting bracket to a vehicle and then engagably attaching the support bracket, which is preferably welded to the main body, to the mounting bracket.

Claims

1. A step assembly for mounting to a vehicle comprising:

an elongated main body having a substantially straight portion and two end portions;

a generally U-shaped first step bar having a substantially straight portion that is parallel to the main body and two bent portions disposed adjacent to the main body;

a first support bracket connected to the main body, the first support bracket defining an attachment plate having a support bracket aperture extending through the attachment plate; and

a first mounting bracket connectable to the vehicle, the first mounting bracket having;

a base plate;

a first arm extending substantially orthogonal1y from the base plate and being sized and configured to be disposed in contact with a portion of an underside of the vehicle when the first mounting bracket is connected to the vehicle to place the first arm in compression to provide support to the first mounting bracket when a user steps on the first step bar; and

a shelf extending substantially orthogonally from the base plate, the shelf being sized and configured to support the first support bracket;

the first mounting bracket including a mounting bracket aperture extending through the base plate, the mounting bracket aperture being co-axially aligned with the support bracket aperture for connecting the first support bracket to the first mounting bracket.

2. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the end portions are bent at substantially a 90 degree angle.

3. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body has a circular cross-section.

4. The step assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one end cap engaged with an end portion of the main body.

5. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body extends along the length of a passenger cab of the vehicle and at least one portion extends underneath the vehicle.

6. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body is constructed from one of aluminum, steel and titanium.

7. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the first step bar is constructed from one of aluminum, steel and titanium.

8. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the first step bar has a circular cross-section.

9. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the bent portions of the first step bar are offset from the straight portion at different angles.

10. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein the bent portions are welded to the main body at an angle relative to the horizontal.

11. The step assembly of claim 1 further comprising a step surface affixed to the first step bar, the step surface having a plurality of apertures that provide traction for the user.

12. The step assembly of claim 11, wherein the step surface is constructed from aluminum.

13. The step assembly of claim 11, wherein the apertures of the step surface have one of a circular, oval, square and rectangular shape.

14. The step assembly of claim 11, wherein the step surface includes raised surface features.

15. The step assembly of claim 1 wherein the attachment plate is disposed in abutting contact with the base plate when the first support bracket is connected to the first mounting bracket.

16. The step assembly of claim 1 wherein the two bent portions of the first step bar are connected to the main body, the support bracket extending from the main body between the two bent portions of the first step bar.

17. The step assembly of claim 1 comprising:

a generally U-shaped second step bar having a substantially straight portion that is parallel to the main body and two bent portions disposed adjacent to the main body;

a second support bracket connected to the main body, the second support bracket defining an attachment plate having a support bracket aperture extending through the attachment plate; and

a second mounting bracket connectable to the vehicle, the second mounting bracket having a base plate and a shelf extending substantially orthogonally from the base plate, the shelf being sized and configured to support the second support bracket, the second mounting bracket including a mounting bracket aperture extending through the base plate, the mounting bracket aperture being co-axially aligned with the support bracket aperture for connecting the second support bracket to the second mounting bracket;

wherein the two bent portions of each step bar are connected to the main body, each support bracket extending from the main body between the two bent portions of a respective step bar.

18. The step assembly of claim 1, wherein each end portion of the elongated main body defines an end portion axis, each end portion defining an end face being substantially orthogonal to the end portion axis.