Back to results
US 8,297,635 B2Granted
Automated retractable step apparatus
AssigneeMichael P. Ziaylek
InventorsCielito B. Agoncillo, W. Brian McGinty, Michael P. Ziaylek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeMichael P. Ziaylek
InventorsCielito B. Agoncillo, W. Brian McGinty, Michael P. Ziaylek
Estimating the term…
A retractable step construction with a drive means for achieving powered or automatic retraction and deployment in motor vehicles to provide access onto or into the motor vehicle such as an emergency apparatus, for example a fire truck, usable in areas having limited vertical dimensions. This construction includes a housing assembly with guide channels adapted to receive a step assembly movably mounted thereinto controlled by the inclusion of a linkage assembly connected to the drive means and the step for powering deployment and retraction thereof.
An automated retractable step apparatus comprising:
An automated retractable step apparatus comprising:
An automated retractable step apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
About 4 years 6 months of term left · ends 3 May 2031 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of deployable steps and ladder systems attachable to vehicles to facilitate access to the interior thereof or to facilitate access to portions of the vehicle including entry and exit by personnel. These steps can also facilitate access to various portions of an emergency truck or to the fire truck where items are stored at elevated locations.
With this type of an application often there is a limited space available and the present invention specifically provides a drive means, a deployable step, as well as a housing for receiving thereof and deployment linkage which is oriented within a limited vertical dimension to facilitate placement in restricted areas available in the chassis or truck body of emergency vehicles such as fire trucks.
While the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly described herein, a preferred embodiment is set forth in the following detailed description which may be best understood when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a front three-quarter perspective of an illustration of an embodiment of the automated retractable step apparatus of the present invention showing the stepping platform in a deployed or opened position;
FIG. 2 is a front three-quarter perspective illustration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing the step in the retracted or closed position;
The automated retractable step apparatus of the present invention includes a step assembly 10 having a stepping platform 12 movably mounted within a housing assembly 24. The stepping platform 12 includes a stepping surface 14 thereon upon which a user can selectively step onto in order to provide access to areas upwardly thereadjacent. The automated retractable step apparatus of the present invention is particularly adaptable to be attached with respect to a vehicle such as an emergency vehicle truck to facilitate entry and exit thereinto or to provide access to elevated portions on such vehicles where items are stored or access is needed for any other reason. The housing assembly preferably includes a primary housing plate 26 with a first guide channel means 28 and a second guide channel means 30 extending downwardly therefrom. These two guide channels 28 and 30 are spaced apart from one another to define therebetween a retaining zone 68 within the housing assembly 24 for holding of the step assembly 10 when in the retracted position and to facilitate movement of the step assembly to the deployed position. The step assembly 10 itself includes a first step support member 16 adapted to engage the first guide channel 28 to facilitate relative movement between the step assembly 10 and the housing 24. Similarly a second step support member 18 is adapted to engage the second guide channel means 30 to further facilitate movement of the step assembly 10 between the extended position 70 extending outwardly from the housing assembly 24 as shown best in FIG. 1 and the retracted position within the housing assembly 24. Step assembly 10, preferably, includes a rear step surface 19 to which linkage may be attached to facilitate movement of the step assembly 10 between the retracted and extended positions 72 and 70. To further facilitate this movement a step bracket 56 may be attached to the rear step surface 19 at one central point or other similar location thereon to facilitate equalized and balanced powering of movement of the step assembly 10 within the first and second guide channels 28 and 30 between positions 70 and 72.
The construction of the step assembly 10 will preferably include a step securement means 20 which is preferably threaded and is adapted to selectively engage or disengage the first step support member 16 with respect to the stepping platform 12. A first spacer means 22 is designed to be positionable between the stepping platform 12 and the first step support member 16 to determine the dimension of spacing therebetween. Spacers 22 can be of any predetermined size as needed for the various required spacings. Furthermore, a second spacer means 23 is preferably included along with another step securement means 20 to determine the lateral spacing between the second step support member 18 and the stepping platform 12 to further facilitate full engagement of the step supports 16 and 18 of the step assembly 10 with respect to the first and second guide channels means 28 and 30.
A pivot support plate 32 is preferably attached with respect to the primary housing plate 26. This pivot support plate 32 preferably defines a first pivot support plate aperture 36 therein and a second pivot support plate aperture 38 therein and a third pivot support plate aperture 40 therewithin. The first pivot support plate aperture 36 is designed to receive and support the pivot pin means 42 extending therethrough and downwardly therefrom. The second and third pivot support plate apertures 38 and 40 are designed to be attached with respect to a mounting bracket 34 which itself is directly attached with respect to the primary housing plate 26 by conventional threaded fasteners such as first securement pin 78 extending through second pivot support plate aperture 38 and second securement pin 80 extending through third pivot support plate aperture 38 for facilitating secure mounting of said pivot support plate 32 with respect to said bracket 34 and with respect to said housing 24.