Stowable steps
OwnerDaniel W. Knodle, Gary M. Banginventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vehicle-mountable steps with platforms which have stowed and operational (deployed) positions. A latch mechanism positively locks the platform in the selected position. The step is designed for vehicles equipped with a ball-and-receiver type of trailer hitch and is coupled to the receiver of the hitch. The step is easily removed when the hitch is needed for towing but can otherwise be left on the vehicle as the platform of the step is located out-of-the-way beneath the vehicle when the platform is located in its stowed position.
Claims14
A device which comprises a platform with a horizontally orientable surface;
- a mechanism for displacing said platform between operative and stowed positions, said mechanism comprising:
- a) components, including an outer column;
- b) an inner column rotatably supported in the outer column for rotating the platform about a vertical axis of rotation from each to the other of said positions;
- c) a latching mechanism having complementary components for releasably locking the platform in its operative position and in its stowed position;
- and
- d) a device mounting component mounted to the outer column and configured to fit in a trailer hitch receiver, said platform being restrained to remain at the same vertical level in its stowed and deployed positions and as it is maneuvered between those positions.
A device which comprises:
- a platform with a horizontally orientable surface;
- and
- a mechanism for displacing said platform between operative and stowed positions, said mechanism comprising:
- (a) components for rotating the platform about a vertical axis of rotation from each to the other of said position, including a vertically oriented, non-rotatable and vertically fixed outer column;
- (b) a complementary inner column installed for rotation about said vertical axis in the outer column, said platform being fixed to said inner column for rotation therewith from each to the other of said positions;
- (c) a latching mechanism having complementary components including a latching element which is disposed in the inner column aperture;
- (d) a cam component housed in the inner column and having a first position in which the latching element is so displaced by the cam component into the aperture and the outer column to lock the inner and outer columns together to preclude rotation of the inner column and consequently keep the platform of the device in one of those positions to which the platform has been displaced, said platform being restrained to remain at the same vertical level as the stowed and deployed positions and as it is maneuvered between those positions.
The combination of:
- a vehicle;
- a trailer hitch receiver mounted to said vehicle;
- a device mounted to the vehicle by said trailer hitch receiver wherein the device comprises a platform with a horizontally orientable surface;
- and
- a mechanism for displacing said platform between operative and stowed positions, said mechanism comprising:
- (a) components for rotating the platform about a vertical axis of rotation from each to the other of said positions;
- (b) a latching mechanism having complementary components for releasably locking the platform in its operative position and in it stowed position, said platform being restrained to remain at the same vertical level in its stowed and deployed positions and as it is maneuvered between those positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.