Patent ID: 11919481
Assignee: MAGNA EXTERIORS INC.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A foldable step assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a base connectable to a vehicle;
a linkage connected to the base, the linkage is further connected to a step that is moved by the linkage between a deployed position to a stowed position;
a motor having an output shaft positioned at a spatial distance from the base of the linkage;
a drive mechanism connected between the motor and the linkage for transferring force across the spatial distance from the output shaft to the linkage for articulating the linkage and the step between an extended position and retracted position;
a transmission connected to the base, the transmission includes a worm gear drivingly engaged to the linkage, wherein the drive mechanism includes a torque transfer shaft connected to the output shaft of the motor and the worm gear so that rotation of the torque transfer shaft rotates the worm gear;
a first male connector on the torque transfer shaft that is received by a first female connector on the output shaft of the motor; and
a second male connector connected to the worm gear that is received by a second female connector formed on the second end of the torque transfer shaft.