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US 7,744,106 B2Granted
Vehicle step with hinged pedestal mount
AssigneesFord Global Technologies, LLC, Multimatic Inc.
InventorsMichael Bryan VanBelle, Louis Matthew Caballero, Sven Sauerwein, David A Barrett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle step assembly uses hinged pedestals, attitude links and an energy storage device to position step stringers and an attached step beam in a generally horizontal and elevated deployed position, while permitting a space-saving tucked-in stowed position.
Claims11
A vehicle step, comprising:
- a base adapted for attachment to at least one structural member of a vehicle;
- a hinged pedestal having a first end pivotably mounted to said base, and a free end, with said hinged pedestal being rotatable outwardly and upwardly from a generally horizontal stowed position to a generally vertical deployed position;
- a step stringer pivotably attached to said free end of said hinged pedestal and extending generally outwardly from said base, with said step stringer having a stowed position and a deployed position;
- an attitude link having a first end pivotally mounted to said base, and a second end pivotally mounted to said step stringer;
- an energy storage device having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the energy storage device being pivotally mounted to the step stringer and the second end of the energy storage device being pivotally mounted to the attitude link and an articulated support member extending between said base and at least one structural member of a vehicle.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.