Abstract:
A vehicle step is disclosed comprising a frame and a plurality of steps. Said vehicle step comprises a first side, a second side, a front, and a back. Said frame supports said plurality of steps. Said plurality of steps comprise, at least, a first step and an adjustable step. Said first step serves as a platform for a user of said vehicle step to gain access to said adjustable step. Said adjustable step comprises a one or more hinges. Said adjustable step is rotateably attached to said frame such that said back of said vehicle step can be placed near a wheel, and said adjustable step can rotate on said one or more hinges over and rest on a top portion of said wheel.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The current disclosure relates generally to an improved tire step system and method. Examples of truck steps can be found in U.S. Patent or Pat. Nos. 5,669,463, 10/905,670, D376,784, 12/404,639, 6,044,928. None of the known patents are seen to anticipate the current claims. 
     
    
     SUMMARY 
       [0002]    A vehicle step is disclosed comprising a frame and a plurality of steps. Said vehicle step comprises a first side, a second side, a front, and a back. Said frame supports said plurality of steps. Said plurality of steps comprise, at least, a first step and an adjustable step. Said first step serves as a platform for a user of said vehicle step to gain access to said adjustable step. Said adjustable step comprises a one or more hinges. Said adjustable step is rotateably attached to said frame such that said back of said vehicle step can be placed near a wheel, and said adjustable step can rotate on said one or more hinges over and rest on a top portion of said wheel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C  1 D and  1 E illustrate a perspective overview, an elevated first side view, an elevated second side view, an elevated front view of a vehicle step and an isometric elevated overview. 
           [0004]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C illustrate a perspective overview, an elevated side view and an elevated front view of said frame. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective overview of a cross-section view of said vehicle step. 
           [0006]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a perspective view of an adjustable step in a horizontally contracted position and an expanded position, respectively. 
           [0007]      FIGS. 4C and 4D  illustrate a perspective view of said adjustable step in a vertically expanded position and a retracted position, respectively. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4E  illustrates a detailed perspective overview of said adjustable step. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a left side view of said vehicle step with said adjustable step retracted and said vehicle step in movement, respectively. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6A and 6B  illustrate a perspective overview and a perspective rear view said vehicle step aligned with a wheel. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate a perspective rear view said vehicle step with an adjustable step, and an elevated top view of an adjustable step. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Described herein is a vehicle step system and method. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers&#39; specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C  1 D and  1 E illustrate a perspective overview, an elevated first side view, an elevated second side view, an elevated front view of a vehicle step  100  and an isometric elevated overview. In one embodiment, said vehicle step  100  can permit ease of access to serviceable areas of vehicles (such as semi-trucks) by using a tire of a vehicle for support. In one embodiment, said vehicle step  100  can comprise a frame  101  comprising a wheel assembly  102 , a plurality of steps and a one or more handrails. In one embodiment, said plurality of steps can comprise a first step  104   a,  a second step  104   b,  a third step  104   c  and an adjustable step  104   d.  In one embodiment, said one or more handrails can comprise a first handrail  106   a  and a second handrail  106   b.  In one embodiment, said one or more handrails can comprise a portion of said frame  101 . In one embodiment, said plurality of steps can attach to said frame  101 . In one embodiment, said frame  101  can comprise a one or more legs comprising a first leg  108   a,  a second leg  108   b,  a third leg  108   c,  and a fourth leg  108   d.  In one embodiment, said one or more legs can comprise a one or more feet comprising a first foot  110   a  and a second foot  110   b  which can be attached to the bottom of said first leg  108   a  and said fourth leg  108   d,  respectively. In one embodiment, said one or more feet can provide further stabilization of said vehicle step  100 . In one embodiment, said wheel assembly  102  can comprise a first wheel  112   a  and a second wheel  112   b  connected by an axle  114 . In one embodiment, said wheel assembly  102  can attach to said frame  101  at the base of said third step  104   c.  In one embodiment, said wheel assembly can permit said vehicle step  100  to be transported without lifting said vehicle step  100  off the ground. In one embodiment, said plurality of steps can be separated by a one or more step heights (comprising a first height  116   a,  a second height  116   b,  a third height  116   c  and a fourth height  116   d ). In one embodiment, said one or more step spacings can all be equal pursuant to OSHA regulations. Likewise, said plurality of steps can each comprise equal width and depth. In one embodiment, said first height  116   a,  said second height  116   b,  said third height  116   c  can be equal, and said fourth height  116   d  can be variable, as discussed below, and therefore can be set to be equal to said first height  116   a.  In one embodiment, said plurality of steps can each comprise a step depth (said first step  104   a  can comprise a first step depth  118   a,  said second step  104   b  can comprise a second step depth  118   b,  said third step  104   c  can comprise a third step depth  118   c,  and said adjustable step  104   d  can comprise a fourth step depth  118   d ), as illustrated. In one embodiment, said first step depth  118   a,  said second step depth  118   b  and said third step depth  118   c  can be substantially identical to said  116   a - 116   c;  consequently, a slope  120  of said plurality of steps can be about 45 degrees. 
         [0014]    Said vehicle step  100  comprises a first side  130   a,  a second side  130   b,  a front  132   a  and a back  132   b.    
         [0015]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B and  2 C illustrate a perspective overview, an elevated side view and an elevated front view of said frame  101 . In one embodiment, said frame  101  can comprise a one or more horizontal portions, a one or more vertical portions, a one or more step frames, said one or more legs. In one embodiment, said one or more step frames can comprise a first step frame  202 , a second step frame  204 , a third step frame  206 , and an adjustable step frame  208 . In one embodiment, said one or more step frames can comprise four of said one or more horizontal portions arranged in a substantially rectangular pattern and further comprise a support across a central portion of said rectangular pattern. In one embodiment, said first step frame  202  can comprise a support  212 ; said second step frame  204  can comprise a support  214 ; and said third step frame  206  can comprise a support  216 . In one embodiment, said one or more vertical portions can comprise a first vertical portion  218   a,  a second vertical portion  218   b,  a third vertical portion  218   c,  a fourth vertical portion  218   d,  a fifth vertical portion  218   e,  and a sixth vertical portion  218   f.  In one embodiment, said one or more step frames can attach to said one or more vertical portions, as illustrated or as known in the art. In one embodiment, said one or more horizontal portions can comprise a cross bar  210  between said first vertical portion  218   a  and said fourth vertical portion  218   d.    
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective overview of a cross-section view of said vehicle step  100 . Detailed versions of this cross-section view of said vehicle step  100  will be used for  FIG. 4A-4E , as follows. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a perspective view of an adjustable step  104   e  in a horizontally contracted position and an expanded position, respectively. In one embodiment, said plurality of steps can comprise said adjustable step  104   e  which can be similar to said adjustable step  104   d  described and illustrated above. In one embodiment, a bracket  402  can be attached to the end of said adjustable step  104   e.  In one embodiment, said bracket  402  can limit movement of said vehicle step  100  by securing onto the inside wall of a supporting truck tire to prevent said vehicle step  100  from moving away. In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  adjustments can be secured by a fastener  404 . In one embodiment, said fastener  404  can be used on one or both sides of said adjustable step  104   e.  In one embodiment, said fastener  404  can securely fixate said adjustable step  104   e  at certain positions based on the location of a plurality of adjustment holes (such as an adjustment hole  406   a  and an adjustment hole  406   b ). In one embodiment, more or less of said plurality of adjustment holes may be used to include one or more adjustable lengths of said adjustable step  104   e.  In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   d  can comprise an outer tubing  420   a  and an inner tubing  420   b.  In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can be adjusted horizontally by disengaging said fastener  404 , pushing or pulling said adjustable step  104   e  to desired position, and locking said adjustable step  104   e  into said plurality of adjustment holes. In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can be adjusted to permit proper clearance of said bracket  402  over a width of a tire. In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can comprise a one or more hinges, which can comprise a first hinge  408   a  and a second hinge  408   b.  Said adjustable step  104   d  can comprise an outer tubing  430   a  and an inner tubing  430   b;  which function in a telescoping manner as discussed above. 
         [0018]      FIGS. 4C and 4D  illustrate a perspective view of said adjustable step  104   e  in a vertically expanded position and a retracted position, respectively. In one embodiment, vertical positions of said adjustable step  104   e  can be secured by a fastener  422   a  and a fastener  422   b.  In one embodiment, said one or more fasteners can securely fixate said adjustable step  104   e  in predefined vertical positions based on the location of adjustment hole  424   a,  adjustment hole  424   b,  and adjustment hole  424   c.  In one embodiment, said adjustment hole  424   a,  said adjustment hole  424   b,  and said adjustment hole  424   c  can be mirrored so that said adjustment holes exist on both left and right sides of said adjustable step  104   e.  In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can be adjusted vertically by disengaging said fastener  422   a  and said fastener  422   b,  lifting or pushing down on said adjustable step  104   e  to desired position based on said plurality of adjustment holes, and reengaging said fastener  422   a  and said fastener  422   b.  In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can be adjusted to permit proper clearance of tire height in order to use said vehicle step  100 . 
         [0019]    In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  is secured to remainder of said vehicle step  100  by said one or more hinges. In one embodiment, said vehicle step  100  is placed in desired position next to the truck wheel and said adjustable step  104   e  can be rotated so that said bracket  402  is located next to the inside wall of the truck wheel and the top of said adjustable step  104   e  (or said adjustable step  104   d ) sits on or above the truck wheel. In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can be rotated back so that said adjustable step  104   e  sits above said first step  104   a  so that said vehicle step  100  can be moved away from a truck or stored away. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4E  illustrates a detailed perspective overview of said adjustable step  104   d.    
         [0021]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a left side view of said vehicle step  100  with said adjustable step  104   e  retracted and said vehicle step  100  in movement, respectively. In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   e  can be retracted from truck tire and placed in a condensed configuration  500 . In one embodiment, said vehicle step  100  can be in said condensed configuration  500  prior and after use and during storage of said vehicle step  100 . In one embodiment, said vehicle step  100  can be in a movement configuration  502 . In one embodiment, said vehicle step  100  can be in said movement configuration  502  by first being in said condensed configuration  500 , holding said handrail  106 , tilting said vehicle step  100 , and moving said vehicle step  100  by using said wheel  112   a  and said wheel  112   b.  In one embodiment, said movement configuration  502  can be placed back into said condensed configuration  500  after said vehicle step  100  has reached a desired location. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a perspective overview and a perspective rear view said vehicle step  100  aligned with a wheel  602 . In one embodiment, said adjustable step  104   d  can rotate on said one or more hinges and rest on a top portion  604  of said wheel  602 . 
         [0023]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate a perspective rear view said vehicle step  100  with an adjustable step  104   e,  and an elevated top view of an adjustable step  104   f.    
         [0024]    Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”