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US 12,722,570 B2Granted
Deployable step assembly for vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAdrian Nania
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle assembly includes a bumper of a vehicle and a deployable step assembly that is pivotable back-and-forth between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the bumper. When in the stowed position, a step pad of the deployable step assembly is received within a bumper pocket of the bumper. When in the deployed position, the step pad is rearward and vertically lower than the bumper.
Claims20
A vehicle, comprising:
- a bumper of a vehicle;
- and
- a deployable step assembly that is pivotable back-and-forth between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the bumper,
- when in the stowed position, a step pad of the deployable step assembly is received within a bumper pocket of the bumper,
- when in the deployed position, the step pad is rearward and vertically lower than the bumper.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- pivoting a deployable step assembly of a vehicle to transition the deployable step assembly from a stowed position and a deployed position,
- wherein, in the stowed position, a step pad of the deployable step assembly establishes a portion of a bumper of the vehicle,
- wherein, in the deployed position, the step pad is rearward and vertically lower than the bumper.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a bumper having a bumper step and a bumper pocket outboard of the bumper step;
- a hitch tube extending in a cross-width direction of the vehicle and forming a component of a vehicle body of the vehicle;
- a collar bracket disposed about the hitch tube and secured to the hitch tube by at least one mechanical fastener;
- and
- a deployable step assembly pivotably coupled to the collar bracket and pivotable between a stowed position in which a step pad of the deployable step assembly is received within the bumper pocket and the deployable step assembly spans over the at least one mechanical fastener, and a deployed position in which the step pad is rearward and vertically lower than the bumper.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.