Articulating step assembly
AssigneeElkhart Tool & Die
InventorJames A Medsker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An articulating step assembly comprising: a side member which includes a guide slot having a first end and a second end; a drop linkage, wherein a portion of the drop linkage is slidably positioned within the guide slot; a pivot linkage, wherein the pivot linkage includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end of the pivot linkage is pivotally coupled to the side member and the second end of the pivot linkage is pivotally coupled to the drop linkage; and a step associated with the drop linkage, whereupon articulation of the step from a retracted position to an extended position slidably displaces the portion of the drop linkage positioned within the guide slot from the first end toward the second end thereof and pivots the pivot linkage relative to each of the side member and the drop linkage.
Claims21
An articulating step assembly, comprising:
- a side member, wherein the side member is mountable to the undercarriage of a vehicle, and wherein the side member includes a guide slot having a first end and a second end;
- a drop linkage comprising an inverted L-shaped member, wherein a portion of the drop linkage is slidably positioned within the guide slot;
- a pivot linkage, wherein the pivot linkage includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end of the pivot linkage is pivotally coupled to the side member and the second end of the pivot linkage is pivotally coupled to the drop linkage;
- and
- a step associated with the drop linkage, whereupon articulation of the step from a refracted position to an extended position slidably displaces the portion of the drop linkage positioned within the guide slot from the first end toward the second end thereof and pivots the pivot linkage relative to each of the side member and the drop linkage.
An articulating step assembly, comprising:
- a pair of side members spaced apart from one another, wherein the side members are mountable to the undercarriage of a vehicle, and wherein each side member includes a guide slot having a first end and second end;
- a drop linkage associated with each side member, wherein a portion of each drop linkage is slidably positioned within the guide slot of the respective side member and wherein each drop linkage comprises an inverted L-shaped member;
- a pivot linkage associated with each side member, wherein each pivot linkage includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end of each pivot linkage is pivotally coupled to the respective side member and the second end of each pivot linkage is pivotally coupled to the respective drop linkage;
- and
- a step positioned between the pair of side members, whereupon articulation of the step from a retracted position to an extended position slidably displaces the portion of each drop linkage positioned within the respective guide slot from the first end toward the second end thereof and pivots each pivot linkage relative to each respective side member and drop linkage.
An articulating step assembly, comprising:
- a pair of side members spaced apart from one other, wherein the side members are mountable onto the undercarriage of a vehicle, and wherein each side member includes a guide slot and a base slot;
- and
- a step assembly comprising a step having an inverted L-shaped drop linkage at opposing ends thereof, wherein the step is associated with both of the guide slots and base slots, and a portion of each drop linkage is slidably positioned in a respective guide slot and wherein the base slots are substantially non-linear and having means connected to the step assembly, preclude inadvertent extension and/or retraction of the articulating step assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.