Back to results
US 7,000,932 B2Granted
Automotive vehicle polymeric running board
AssigneeVentra Group Inc.
InventorsPhillip J. Heil, Janet M. Rawson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A polymeric running board for an automotive vehicle is provided. The running board has a polymeric platform for supporting a vehicle occupant's foot during entry or exit of a lateral side door of the vehicle. The platform is connected to the vehicle by J-shaped support brackets which are co-molded therewith. The running board provided is advantageous over prior running boards in that it is lighter and easier to assemble, reducing assembly time and cost.
Claims16
A running board for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a polymeric platform for supporting a vehicle occupant's pedal portion for entry or exit of a door of said vehicle, said platform being an elongated member extending along a lateral side of said vehicle;
- said platform having an upper solid surface reinforced with transverse webs underneath generally perpendicular to said upper solid surface;
- and
- at least first and second spaced apart polymeric support brackets, said brackets being generally J-shaped having an upper end for connection with said lateral side of said vehicle and said brackets having a lower end transversely extending and integrally connected with said platform and said brackets being co-molded therewith and wherein said brackets have a channel cross-sectional configuration comprising a plurality of channels being formed from a plurality of sidewalls with said sidewalls being continuous with said transverse webs of said platform, so that said lower end of said J-shaped bracket comprises said transverse webs, said channels being generally U-shaped in cross-section and extending uninterrupted from said lower end of said J-shaped bracket to said upper end of said J-shaped bracket.
1 more element
A running board for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a long fiber reinforced plastic platform for supporting a vehicle occupant's pedal portion for entry or exit of a side door of said vehicle, said platform being an elongated member extending generally along a lateral side of said vehicle, said platform having a generally upper solid surface reinforced by perpendicular transverse webs and angled longitudinal webs;
- multiple long fiber-reinforced plastic polymeric support brackets, said brackets being generally J-shaped having an upper end for connection to said lateral side of said vehicle and a lower end transversely extended integrally connected with said platform and being co-molded therewith, said brackets being of a triple channel configuration and wherein said channels have lateral sides continuous with said transverse webs of said platform, so that said lower end of said J-shaped bracket comprises said transverse webs, said channels being generally U-shaped and extending uninterrupted from said lower end of said J-shaped bracket to said upper end of said J-shaped bracket and a middle channel having a smaller width than adjacent channels, said middle channel opening toward said platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.