Abstract:
A tubular side bar and mounting system may have a plurality of separate components that allow the tubular side bar to be mounted to a truck or other vehicle by one person. The system may include one or more mounting brackets that can be mounted to the truck before mounting a tubular side bar. After the mounting brackets are secured to the truck, the tubular side bar is then mounted to the mounting brackets. In this manner, a single person may install the tubular side bar to the truck. To attach the mounting bracket to the tubular side bar, the mounting bracket may be clamped along any point of an elongate channel formed in the tubular side bar to account for trucks with different mounting places. One configuration of the running board can be mounted to different trucks having different mounting places configuration.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a running board for a truck. 
         [0004]    Current aftermarket running boards are typically mounted to a raised truck to provide an intermediate step to assist the driver and passengers in entering and exiting the truck. For installation purposes, the mounting brackets of the running boards are matched to the existing mounting hole pattern of the particular truck. These mounting hole patterns on the truck are typically designed by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for the purposes of mounting the OEM running board. However, some consumers prefer aftermarket running boards instead of the OEM running board. As such, the aftermarket running board must match the mounting pattern established by the OEM vehicle manufacturer. 
         [0005]    To mount the aftermarket running board to the truck, the aftermarket running board must have mounting brackets that match exactly to the mounting hole pattern of the truck. Any deviation is not allowed since such deviation would prohibit attachment of the mounting bracket of the aftermarket running board to the truck. Unfortunately, this causes the aftermarket running board manufacturer to stock one configuration of the aftermarket running board for each model of truck in the marketplace having a different hole pattern. For any variation, a different running board configuration must be established, manufactured, stored, and sold thereby increasing the work and costs involved in providing aftermarket running boards. 
         [0006]    Aftermarket running boards are also difficult to install. Aftermarket running boards typically require two people to install. The running board must be lifted in place so that the mounting brackets are aligned to the mounting hole pattern on the truck. As one person holds the running board in place, the second person attaches the mounting brackets to the truck either by way of bolts or other attachment means provided by the aftermarket running board manufacturer. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, based on the foregoing discussion there is a need in the art for an improved aftermarket running board. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The system described herein addresses the needs discussed above, discussed below, and those that are known in the art. 
         [0009]    The running board system disclosed herein relates to a tubular side bar mounting system that allows for versatility, ease of install, and compact shipping. The tubular side bar mounting system includes a running board that can be mounted to a truck. The running board has one or more mounting brackets (preferably at least two) that can be individually mounted to the truck first. The mounting brackets are individual pieces and can be easily mounted by one person one at a time. After all of the mounting brackets are secured to the truck, a tubular side bar (i.e., step) is then mounted to the mounting brackets. To this end, the tubular side bar has an elongate channel so that the mounting brackets can be spaced apart differently as dictated by the mounting hole pattern of the truck yet securable to the tubular side bar. The tubular side bar mounting system disclosed herein is versatile in that one configuration can be mounted to multiple models of trucks. To mount the tubular side bar to the mounting brackets, the mounting brackets clamp onto medial edge portions of the tubular side bar that define the channel of the tubular side bar. This system is componentized and allows the running board to be shipped in a compact configuration. The mounting brackets may be removed from the tubular side bar when being shipped to a customer or retail outlet for stacking and then installed on the truck after shipment by one person. 
         [0010]    More particularly, a system for mounting a running board to a vehicle is disclosed. The running board may comprise a tubular side bar, first and second mounting brackets, and fasteners. The tubular side bar may have a single elongate channel located at an underside of the tubular side bar. The tubular side bar may have medial edge portions that define the single elongate channel. First and second mounting brackets may be attached to mounting places on the vehicle. The first and second mounting brackets may have support pads that define support surfaces that can be aligned to any point along the elongate channel. First and second retaining plates may be inserted into an interior of the tubular side bar with the medial edge portions disposed between first and second retaining plates and the support pads of the first and second mounting brackets. The fasteners may be attached to the first and second retaining plates and the first and second mounting brackets by way of the single elongate channel for clamping the medial edge portions of the tubular side bar between the first and second retaining plates and the support pads of the first and second mounting brackets. The running board can be mounted to trucks with mounting places having different distances since the first and second mounting brackets can be mounted at different mounting points along the single elongate channel of the tubular side bar. 
         [0011]    The running board may have end caps attached to opposed distal ends of the tubular side bar. The fasteners may be bolts. The support pads may have through holes aligned to threaded holes formed in the retaining plate and aligned to the single elongate channel so that bolts may be fed through the through holes, through the single elongate channel and threadingly engage the threaded holes of the retaining plate. 
         [0012]    Additionally, a running board for a vehicle is disclosed. The running board may comprise a tubular side bar and first and second mounting brackets. An underside of the tubular side bar may have an elongate channel for accessing an interior of the tubular side bar. First and second mounting brackets may be attached to mounting places of the vehicle. The first mounting bracket may be attached to tubular side bar. The second mounting bracket can also be attached to the tubular side bar along the elongate channel so that a first distance between attachment points of the first and second mounting brackets to the tubular side bar corresponds to a second distance between the mounting places of the vehicle when the running board is mounted to the vehicle. The running board can be mounted to trucks having different second distances defined by the mounting places since the first and second mounting brackets can be mounted at different mounting points along the single elongate channel of the tubular side bar. 
         [0013]    The running board may further comprise a retaining plate attachable to the second mounting bracket wherein medial edge portions that define the elongate channel are disposed between the second mounting bracket and the retaining plate for securing the tubular side bar to the second mounting bracket. The retaining plate may be disposed within the interior of the tubular side bar. The running board further comprises a bolt for securing the retaining plate to the second mounting bracket. 
         [0014]    The second mounting bracket may further comprise a support surface and the bolt clamps the medial edge portions between the support surface and the retaining plate to frictional engage the tubular side bar to the second mounting bracket. The first mounting bracket is attachable to the tubular side bar along the elongate channel. 
         [0015]    The running board may further comprise first and second retaining plates which are attachable to the first and second mounting brackets. The medial edge portions of the tubular side bar are disposed between the first and second mounting brackets and the first and second retaining plates for securing the tubular side bar to the first and second mounting brackets. 
         [0016]    The first and second mounting brackets may further comprises first and second support surfaces and medial edge portions that define the channel of the tubular side bar may be disposed between the first and second retaining plates and the first and second support surfaces wherein first and second bolts clamp the medial edge portions between the first and second support surfaces and the first and second retaining plates to frictional engage the tubular side bar to the first and second mounting brackets. 
         [0017]    The first and second support surfaces may have recesses for receiving a reversed lip of the medial edge portion. Alternatively or additionally, the first and second retaining plates may have recesses for receiving a reversed lip of the medial edge portion 
         [0018]    The running board may further comprising friction pads secured to an upperside of the tubular side bar. 
         [0019]    Additionally, a method of mounting a running board to a vehicle is disclosed. The method may comprise the steps of attaching first and second mounting brackets to mounting places on the vehicle; laying a tubular side bar on support surfaces of the first and second mounting brackets wherein the support surfaces are aligned along an elongate channel of the tubular side bar; inserting retaining plates within an interior of the tubular side bar; aligning the retaining plates to the support surfaces of the first and second mounting brackets; and clamping medial edge portions of the tubular side bar that define an elongate channel of the tubular side bar between the retaining plates and the support surfaces of the first and second mounting brackets to attach the tubular side bar to the first and second mounting brackets. 
         [0020]    The clamping step may comprise the step of bolting the first and second mounting brackets to the retaining plate. 
         [0021]    In the method, the elongate channel may comprise first and second elongate channels spaced apart to correspond to a distance between mounting places on the vehicle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a running board mountable to a vehicle; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of a tubular side bar of the running board shown in  FIG. 1  with a single elongate channel; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2A  is an alternate embodiment of the tubular side bar with a plurality of elongate channels; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the tubular side bar shown in  FIG. 1  illustrating attachment of a mounting bracket to the tubular side bar; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  is an alternate embodiment showing a recess in a retaining plate for capturing a lip of the tubular side bar; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a further alternate embodiment showing a recess in a support surface of the mounting bracket for capturing a lip of the tubular side bar; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is an assembled perspective view of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Referring now to the drawings, a running board  10  that can be mounted to a side of a truck  12  is shown. The running board  10  has an elongate tubular side bar  14  that has an elongate channel  15  that may run along an entire length of the tubular side bar  14 . Mounting brackets  16  may be secured to mounting places  18  located on the side of the truck  12 . The location of the mounting places  18  on the side of the truck  12  may vary from one vehicle manufacturer to another vehicle manufacturer as well as on truck model to the next. Nonetheless, regardless of the location of the mounting places  18  on the truck along an X-axis  20 , the mounting brackets  16  may be secured to the tubular side bar  14  since the elongate channel  15  of the tubular side bar  14  allows the mounting brackets  16  to be located at various distances from each other. The running board  10  provides for a more universal system so that one configuration of the running board  10  can fit a greater number of truck models compared to the prior art running board. Moreover, the running board  10  disclosed herein allows one person to mount the running board  10  by first mounting the mounting brackets  16  to the truck  12  then resting the tubular side bar  14  on the mounting brackets  16  and securing the tubular side bar  14  to the mounting brackets  16 . The running board  10  disclosed herein also provides for a compact disassembled configuration since the mounting brackets  16  can be removed from the elongate tubular side bar  14  and stacked upon each other thereby providing for convenient shipping. 
         [0032]    More particularly, referring now to  FIG. 1 , the running board  10  may include the tubular side bar  14 , mounting brackets  16 , and end caps  22 . The tubular side bar  14  may have an elongate configuration. The tubular side bar  14  may be fabricated with a press brake or through a roll forming process. It is also contemplated that the tubular side bar  14  can also be extruded. Also, the tubular side bar  14  may also have an oval cross sectional shape as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . Although an oval shape is shown, other cross sectional configurations are also contemplated such as circular, triangular, rectangular, etc. The channel  15  of the tubular side bar  14  may extend from a first end  24  to a second end  26  as a single elongate channel  15  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The elongate channel  15  may be defined by medial edge portions  28   a ,  28   b  as shown in  FIG. 3 . These medial edge portions  28   a ,  28   b  may be flat and within the same plane. The medial edge portions  28   a ,  28   b  may be clamped between a support plate  30  (see  FIG. 3 ) and a retaining plate  32  by way of bolts  34 . The medial edge portions  28   a ,  28   b  may also have optional reverse lips  36   a ,  36   b . The reverse lips  36   a, b  provide for rounded edges  37   a, b  to prevent cuts on the installer&#39;s hand and skin during the installation process while the installer is handling the tubular side bar  14 . The reverse lips  36   a ,  36   b  may also provide edges  38   a ,  38   b  which can grip into the retaining plate  32  so that the tubular side bar  14  does not become loose due to vibration. The reverse lips  36   a ,  36   b  are shown as being folded in the upward direction. However, it is also contemplated that the reverse lips  36   a ,  36   b  may be folded downward such that the edges  38   a ,  38   b  can dig into the support surface  40  of the support plate  30  to prevent loosening of the tubular side bar  14  during vibration caused by the truck. It is also contemplated that the bottom surface  42  of the retaining plate  32  and/or the support surface  40  of the support plate  30  may have a recess  43  that receives the reverse lip  36  to further prevent lateral movement of the tubular side bar  14  in the Z direction  44  as shown in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b . The tubular side bar  14  is shown as having a hollow interior  46  or fabricated from a steel material that is bent into the shape shown. The hollow interior  46  provides a space for the retaining plate  32  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0033]    Referring now to  FIG. 2   a , in an alternate embodiment, the tubular side bar  14  may be fabricated from a tubular material. The elongate channel  15  instead of being a single elongate channel that extends from the first end  24  to the second end  26 , the bottom side of the tubular side bar  14  may have a plurality of elongate cutouts  17 . The elongate cutouts  17  are defined by medial edge portions  28   a ,  28   b . The medial edge portions  28   a ,  28   b  as shown in  FIG. 2   a  may also be formed with the lip  36   a ,  36   b  or a reverse lip, as discussed above. The elongate channel  15  allows for the mounting brackets  16  to have a, certain amount of lateral freedom in the X direction but yet still be mountable to the tubular side bar  14  as discussed herein. 
         [0034]    The retaining plate  32  may have a flat base portion  48  (see  FIG. 4 ). The base portion  48  may have one or more threaded holes  50  which receive the threaded portions of the bolt  34 . The retaining plate  32  may have optional sidewalls  52  that extend upward and protect the threaded holes  50 . Instead of threaded holes  50 , it is also contemplated that the base portion  48  may have holes that receive the threaded portion of the bolts  34  and that bolts  34  are secured to nuts that rest on the base portion  48  so that the base portion  48  acts as washer. In order to dispose the retaining plate  32  in the hollow interior  46  of the tubular side bar  14 , the retaining plate  32  may have a width  54  that is about the same size or less than a gap  56  of the channel  15 . The retaining plate  32  may be inserted upward and then turned 90° as shown in  FIG. 4 . The threaded holes  50  may be positioned so that they can be accessed through the channel  15  from down below. Alternatively, the retaining plate  32  may be inserted from the first and second ends  24 ,  26  of the tubular side bar  14  in the event that the width  54  of the retaining plate  32  is significantly larger than the gap  56  of the tubular side bar  14 . Once the retaining plate  32  is in position, the channel  15  and support plate  30  are aligned to each other. The support plate  30  may be attached to a cantilever beam  58 . Also, the support plate  30  may have two elongate holes  60  that match up with the threaded holes  50  in the retaining plate  32 . The elongate holes allow minute positioning of the tubular side bar  14  along the Z-axis and also allow some misalignment between the two holes  50 . The bolts  34  are inserted through the hole  60 , through the channel  15  and engaged to the threaded holes  50 . The bolts  34  are tightened to engage the tubular side bar  14  between the retaining plate  32  and the support plate  30  (i.e., mounting brackets  16 ). Upon assembly, the tubular side bar  14  is secured to the mounting brackets  16  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0035]    The top side of the tubular running board shown in  FIG. 1  may have a foot pad  64 . The foot pad  64  may be fabricated from anti-skid material that provides protection from slipping even if the foot pad  64  is wet. The foot pad  64  may extend across the longitudinal direction of the tubular side bar  14 . Moreover, the foot pad  64  may have raised ridges that can bite into the footwear of a person stepping upon the running board  10  to further mitigate slipping. 
         [0036]    The running board  10  is capable of being mounted to the truck  12  by one person. In particular, the running board  10  is componentized so that each component may be mounted one at a time by one person, if necessary. In particular, one or more mounting brackets may be provided for mounting the running board  10 . Each of the mounting brackets  16  are individual components. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , three mounting brackets  16  are shown. The installer may secure the left mounting brackets  16  to the truck  12  by way of bolt  62  or other attachment means dependent upon the truck or vehicle model. After the left mounting bracket  16  is secured to the truck  12 , the middle and right mounting bracket  16  may sequentially be secured to the truck  12 . After the mounting brackets  16  are attached to the truck  12 , the support plates  30  of the mounting brackets  16  may be level with each other or in alignment with each other. The tubular side bar  14  can be placed on top of the support plates  30  with the channel  15  aligned to the holes  60  formed in the support plates  30 . The retaining plates  32  may be inserted into the hollow interior  46  by aligning the lengthwise direction of the retaining plate  32  to the channel  15  as shown in the phantom arrow lines in  FIG. 4 . The retaining plate  32  may be inserted through the channel  15  and rotated 90° and disposed above hole  60  (see  FIG. 4 ). Once the retaining plate  32  is disposed above the support plate  30 , the bolts  34  may be inserted through the holes  60  of the support plate  30 , through the channel  15  and threadingly engaged to the holes  50  formed in the retaining plate  32 . The retaining plates  32  for the other mounting brackets  16  may also be assembled in likewise fashion. Once all of the retaining plates  32  are loosely attached to the support  30  by way of bolts  34 , the X and Z location of the tubular side bar  14  may be adjusted for aesthetics and functional purposes. Once the tubular side bar  14  is aligned, the bolts  34  may be tightened to secure the tubular side bar  14  in place. Anti-rotation material such as LOCTITE may be placed on the threads of the bolts  34  to prevent loosening of the bolts  34  due to vibration. 
         [0037]    The running board  10  may also be shipped in a compact box. The mounting plates  16  and retaining plates  30  are disassembled and can be packaged or stacked upon each other. The mounting brackets  30  do not have to be shipped protruding out from the tubular side bar  14  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Rather, they may be removed from the tubular side bar  14  and transported in a stacked and compact configuration. 
         [0038]    The running board  10  disclosed herein was described as being mounted to the side of a truck. However, it is also contemplated that the running board  10  may be mounted to the rear of a vehicle, front side of a vehicle, or as needed. Additional running boards can be mounted to multiple sides (driver and passenger) of the vehicle. The running board  10  may be fabricated to be as long as necessary as the situation may dictate. For example, the running board  10  may be mounted to provide an intermediate step for only the front passengers of a vehicle and not the rear. Also, the running board  10  may be bent at different angles to provide an intermediate step at different elevations as the situation may dictate. One elevation for the front passenger, a different elevation for the back seat passengers. Moreover, although the running board  10  was described as being mounted to a truck, other types of vehicles are also contemplated such as an earth moving vehicle, automobile, etc. 
         [0039]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including various ways of attaching the mounting brackets  16  to the vehicle  12 . Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.