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US 10,286,847 B2Granted
Powered running board assembly and method of operation
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorLeszek Derbis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered running board assembly includes a running board and an actuator to displace the running board between a stowed position and a deployed position. That actuator includes a housing and a telescoping arm oriented along a first axis oblique to the running board. A related method of operating a running board is also disclosed.
Claims13
A powered running board assembly, comprising:
- a running board;
- and
- a pivot-joint-free actuator to displace said running board along a linear path between a stowed position and a deployed position, said actuator including a housing and a telescoping arm oriented along a first axis oblique to said running board, wherein said telescoping arm includes a distal end connected to said running board at a fixed included angle between 120 degrees and 150 degrees.
A method of operating a running board on a motor vehicle including a door, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis, comprising:
- displacing said running board, by actuator, along a linear path oblique to said Y-axis and said Z-axis between a stowed position and a deployed position;
- connecting said actuator to said running board at a fixed included angle;
- and
- excluding pivot joints from said actuator to reduce maintenance.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.