초록 ▼

A step assembly for vehicles has a support frame mounted under the floor of a vehicle, a pair of side linkage assemblies connect upper and lower steps to the frame to support them for movement between retracted and extended positions. An over-center lock holds the side linkage assemblies in the exte

A step assembly for vehicles has a support frame mounted under the floor of a vehicle, a pair of side linkage assemblies connect upper and lower steps to the frame to support them for movement between retracted and extended positions. An over-center lock holds the side linkage assemblies in the extended position. A reciprocating actuator coupled to a rotary drive shaft which upon rotation releases the lock and moves the linkage between the two positions.

대표청구항 ▼

An extensible step for a vehicle comprising: a frame mounted to said vehicle; at least one step connected to said frame by a pair of side linkage assemblies for movement of said step between a retracted position for storage, and an extended position for use, each linkage assembly including a front l

An extensible step for a vehicle comprising: a frame mounted to said vehicle; at least one step connected to said frame by a pair of side linkage assemblies for movement of said step between a retracted position for storage, and an extended position for use, each linkage assembly including a front linkage bar pivotally connected to said frame at a first pivot rearwardly of the forward end of said frame and a rear linkage bar pivotally connected to said frame at a second pivot rearwardly of said first pivot, said step being pivotally connected to said front linkage bar at a third pivot and to said rear linkage bar at a fourth pivot to form a parallelogram structure having said linkage bars opposite one another and said frame and step opposite one another with said linkage bars extending forwardly at a substantial angle from the vertical in the extended position to locate the forward end of said step beyond the forward end of said frame a greater distance than the maximum vertical distance between the step and first pivot and to locate the forward end of said step rearwardly of the forward end of said frame with said step being folded under said frame in the retracted positon, said first pivot being located rearwardly of the side of the vehicle and said step beyond the side of the vehicle in the extended position, locking means coupled to said linkage assemblies to lock said linkage assemblies in the extended position; and power-actuated drive means coupled to said linkage assemblies to release said locking means and to move said step between retracted and extended positions; said drive means including a source of motive power and a drive shaft rotated in either direction by said source of motive power, said drive shaft having first means engaging said locking means to release said locking means when said shaft is rotated in one direction and second means engaging said linkage assemblies to positively drive said linkage assemblies to the extended position when said drive shaft is rotated in one direction and to positively drive said linkage assemblies to the retracted position when said shaft is rotated in the opposite direction.