Running board assemblies formed by multi-piece bodies
AssigneeDee Zee, Inc.
InventorsEric Schuling, Matthew Guerdet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A running board assembly includes a board body having an elongated length that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The board body includes a center body part having a first exterior facing surface that defines a stepping area and an end body part having a second exterior facing surface adjacent the first exterior facing surface. The center and end body parts formed as separate parts and connected together at end surfaces forming a seam that extends in a widthwise direction of the board body.
Claims20
A running board assembly comprising:
- a board body having an elongated length that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the board body comprising:
- a center body part having a first exterior facing surface that defines a stepping area;
- and
- an end body part having a second exterior facing surface adjacent the first exterior facing surface, the center body part and the end body part formed as separate parts and connected together at a center body part end surface and an end body part end surface forming a first seam that extends in a widthwise direction of the board body;
- wherein the end body part comprises a bracket fastening location that is configured to fasten to a mounting bracket configured to mount the running board assembly to a vehicle, the end body part having a maximum width that is no greater than a maximum width of the center body part thereby forming a continuous side edge along a length of the center body part and past the bracket fastening location.
A method of assembling a board body of a side step assembly, comprising:
- abutting a center body part end surface of a center body part and an end body part end surface of an end body part thereby forming a first seam that extends in a widthwise direction of the board body;
- connecting the center body part and the end body part together to form board body;
- and
- mounting a mounting bracket to the end body part at a bracket fastening location, the mounting bracket configured to mount the running board to a vehicle;
- wherein the end body part has a maximum width that is no greater than a maximum width of the center body part thereby forming a continuous side edge along a length of the center body part and past the bracket fastening location.
A board body of a running board comprising:
- a center body part having a first exterior facing surface that defines a stepping area;
- a front body part having a second exterior facing surface adjacent the first exterior facing surface, the front body part connected to the center body part along a first seam that extends in a widthwise direction of the board body;
- and
- a rear body part having a third exterior facing surface adjacent the first exterior facing surface, the rear body part connected to the center body part along a second seam that extends in a widthwise direction of the board body;
- wherein the front body part comprises a bracket fastening location that is configured to fasten to a mounting bracket configured to mount the running board assembly to a vehicle
- wherein the front body part has a maximum width that is no greater than a maximum width of the center body part thereby forming a continuous side edge along a length of the center body part and past the bracket fastening location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.