Rotating Vehicle Step

A rotatable step for a vehicle is provided. The rotatable step may be used for those entering and exiting a vehicle to allow pivoting from a direction facing towards or away from the vehicle, to a direction facing the front of the vehicle. The step may operate to prevent injury when a user is twisting their body to enter and exit a vehicle. The rotatable step can be built into the vehicle, or removably attachable thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a step mounted on a vehicle to provide access to a vehicle cab. More particularly the present invention relates to a step which can swivel or rotate to prevent injury to a user entering or exiting a vehicle.

Description of Related Art

When entering a vehicle, such as truck or tractor unit, often there are one or more steps leading up to the door to access the elevated cab. To get in and out of the cab, a user must pivot between facing forward in the driving position and facing towards or away from the vehicle, an approximately 90 degree pivot. This pivot motion, if not carefully executed, can put high stress on joints such as ankles, knees, hips, back, and the like. In some cases, serious injuries can occur from this entry/exit motion because while the hips swivel to get out of the vehicle, the foot remains in place, putting strain on knee and other joints.

Therefore, what is needed is a vehicle step that can allow a foot to pivot to provide a safe and comfortable way to enter and exit a vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a rotatable step for a vehicle is provided. The step is typically used in trucks, tractors, and other heavy duty vehicles which have cabs elevated from the ground to facilitate entry and exit from the cab. The rotatable step is formed of a base which is attachable or integratable into the vehicle, adjacent to a vehicle door. A rotatable platform is connected to a top of the base, on which a user may step, the rotatable platform can rotate, allowing a user standing on it to easily pivot directions. In a particular embodiment, the rotation of the platform relative to the body is limited by frictional forces to slow the rotation of the platform when a rotational force is applied.

In another aspect, a vehicle having an elevated door and a rotatable step is provided. The rotatable step is positioned adjacent to and below the door of the vehicle to allow a user to step out of the vehicle and onto the rotatable step. The rotatable step is formed of a base which is attached or integrated into the vehicle. A rotatable platform is connected to a top of the base, on which a user may step, the rotatable platform can rotate, allowing a user standing on it to easily pivot foot directions. In a particular embodiment, the rotation of the platform relative to the body is limited by frictional forces to slow the rotation of the platform when a rotational force is applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may be used to limit injury when entering or exiting a vehicle by using a platform that is attached to or used as a step to enter or exit a vehicle. The platform includes an elevated swiveling tread top, which can rotate 360 degrees. A user may step on the elevated swiveling top, and can pivot their foot as needed. The swiveling may be free swiveling, or may be movable against a specific resistance. In resistance embodiments, the swiveling tread top may be freely rotatable enough to prevent injury, but not so freely rotatable to cause a slipping or other hazard. Typically, a frictional resistance is what limits/slows the rotation of the platform relative to the base. While friction is always present, even in a freely spinning ball-bearing embodiment, additional friction may be intentionally created when assembling or adjusting the base-platform connection with the intention of slowing rotational movement. Other embodiments may be used without straying from the scope of the present invention, such as a tread top with limited range of rotation, and the like.

Generally, the present invention concerns a step that can rotate to allow pivoting when on the step. A base may form the step or may be connectable to the step. A rotating platform, such as a tread top is rotatably connected to the base to allow a swivel or rotation movement of the platform with respect to the base. Rotation may be achieved by any method. In many cases, the rotation may be against some resistance to prevent a free rotation/pivot, thereby limiting accidental slipping by a user. In embodiments connecting to an existing vehicle step, the body may define apertures through which a bolt or other connector may pass. In some cases, the apertures may be larger than the bolt passing through, allowing a variable positioning of the bolt.

In some embodiments, the rotation may be limited. For example, the rotation may be limited to 180 degrees at a time, 90 degrees, 45 degrees, 30 degrees, and the like. In further embodiments, the platform may be rotatable 360 degrees in limited increments, such as the increments noted above. The platform may need to be reset to allow further rotation, such as by removing a weight from the platform, to allow further motion.

A vehicle equipped with the step of the present invention may have just one rotating step on a driver's side, on both the passenger and drivers side, or multiple of the steps on each side. In many embodiments, even those having multiple steps up to the cap, there will typically be one swiveling step at the top step adjacent to the door and cab, because this is when the most body twisting occurs. Further, a handle may be positioned adjacent to the door and rotating step, to allow a user to hold onto the handle, place a foot on the step, and rotate safely into the cab.

In many embodiments, the top platform on which a user may step is formed as a disc having a circular cross section on the top. In other embodiments, differently shaped top platforms may be used, without straying from the scope of this invention.

The step may be positioned in various places adjacent to the door of the vehicle. In a particular embodiment, the step may be placed in a centered position under the door where a user may normally step. In another embodiment, the step may be placed forward of the door so that it is not accidentally stepped on for a user not intending to pivot on the rotatable step. A forwardly positioned step may also provide a favorable body positioning for a user to pivot on, especially in conjunction with the handle.

Turning now toFIG. 1an exploded view of an embodiment of the rotating vehicle step is shown. The base1has four apertures9which allow connection to the vehicle or existing vehicle step. In other embodiments, (not shown) the base may be integrally formed into the vehicle body. The base has a depression11which houses rotational components of the rotating step by a connector passing through. In this embodiment, a ball plate5is connected to the base by two screws8. A plurality of balls4fit into a plurality of depressions or a channel on the ball plate. A bearing3sits on the balls and is thereby rotatable. Compression spring6applies a desired amount of pressure between the base1and rotatable platform2to control a force required to rotate the rotatable platform, shown here as a tread top2. In a particular embodiment, the compression spring6may be engaged with the ball bearing assembly3,4,5, compressing it as needed. The tread top2is connected to the bearing3. A set screw7passes through the tread top2, with a head of the set screw7being accessible from the tread top. Upon tightening or loosening rotation of the set screw7, a pressure on the compression spring6is adjusted, which in turn adjusts an amount of rotational resistance (the force required to rotate) on the tread top2.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 5-9show various views of another embodiment of the rotatable step. In this view, the rotatable tread top2has a plurality of radial grooves, and a plurality of concentric circumferential grooves. These combine to provide a gripping surface with makes slipping of a foot placed on the tread top2very unlikely. The tread top2is spaced slightly apart from the top of the base1to allow its rotation. The apertures9are shown as curving oval shaped apertures to allow a bolt or similar connector to fit through at various positions. The bolts (not shown) may engage with a grid or spacing of the step that is present in many steps, such as an expanded metal step. Given the variability in openings in the step material, the flexibility of positioning allowed by the curved oval shaped apertures provides much flexibility in attachment and attachment positioning of the step to existing vehicle steps.

FIG. 4provides a view of an embodiment of the rotating step installed on a truck. In this view, truck40has two steps up into the cab. A first step42is a traditional step. Attached to, or built into the second step is the rotating step10, which is the step closest to the door. A user may open the door41, step out of the vehicle on to the rotatable step10, pivot their body without excess strain on their joints, and then be facing outward to exit the vehicle. This operation can be reversed to enter the vehicle. Handle42is mounted adjacent to the door41which allows a user to hold onto the handle42to facilitate pivoting.