Abstract:
A running board is provided by the invention. The running board includes a deck, a stepping surface material, and a step cover. The stepping surface material includes raised portions that prevent foot slippage. The cover portion partially overlaps the stepping material to secure it in a place on the deck. A motor vehicle with a running board and methods for installing the running board are also provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a running board for a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle including a running board, and a method for installing a running board to a motor vehicle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Many types of vehicles, including sports utility vehicles, pick up trucks, and vans, are raised off the ground farther than normal passenger automobiles. The increased height of the floor of the passenger cab from the ground makes it difficult to enter and exit these vehicles. In addition, if the vehicles are driven over rough terrain, their lower body panels and door panels are susceptible to being scratched, dented, or otherwise damaged by rocks or other ground debris. Accordingly, running boards provide a stepping surface to assist the driver and passengers in entering and exiting these vehicles. In addition, the running boards protect the body of the vehicles from being damaged from below. 
   Running boards commonly include a least two different materials that are attached together, namely, a first material for the body of the running board and a second material for the stepping surface of the running board. There exist numerous references describing various running board designs. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,979 to Bernard; U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,589 to Delgado et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 1,861,430 to Bronson; 300,536 to Holloway et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,638 to Straka; U.S. Pat. No. 2,122,240 to Smith; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,021,522 to Schacht. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A running board is provided according to the invention. The running board includes a deck, a mat, and a step cover. The deck includes a step portion and a support structure for supporting the step portion. The mat provides a stepping surface and is positioned on the step portion of the deck with a portion thereof sandwiched between the deck and the step cover. The step cover is attached to the deck to aid in securing the mat in position. 
   A motor vehicle is provided according to the invention. The motor vehicle includes a running board positioned along the side of the vehicle behind the front wheels of the outer doors. The motor vehicle can include a pair of opposed running boards, one provided beneath the driver&#39;s side door and one provided beneath the passenger&#39;s side door. Each running board can include a deck, a step cover, and a mat, wherein a portion of the mat is sandwiched between the deck and the step cover. 
   A method for installing a running board is provided according to the invention. The method includes the steps of attaching a mat to a running board by placing a step cover over a portion of the mat and affixing the step cover to the running board, and attaching the running board to the vehicle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a running board according to the principles of the present invention attached to a motor vehicle. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the running board of  FIG. 1 , partially exploded. 
       FIG. 3  is side elevation view of the mat of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the running board of  FIG. 1  showing the brackets attached to the running board with parts removed for clarity. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the mat of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a running board according to the invention is shown at reference numeral  10 . The running board  10  is shown attached to a motor vehicle  12 . The running board  10  is provided beneath the vehicle doors  14  so that it functions as a step for someone entering or exiting the vehicle  12 . The running board  10  can be provided on any type of motor vehicle where a step is desired to assist entering or exiting the vehicle  12 . Some of the various types of vehicles  12  that can be provided with running boards include pickup trucks, sports utility vehicles, vans, hauling trucks, and many others. The running board  10  according to the invention can be provided beneath a single door or it can be provided so that it extends from the front doors to the rear doors of a motor vehicle  12 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , a running board  10  according to the invention is shown. The running board  10  includes a deck  100  having a top side  102 , a bottom side  104 , a front side  107 , a back side  109 , a first end  106 , a second end  108 , a first step portion  103 , and a second step portion  105 . 
   As shown, the deck  100  can include a flat surface portion on the top portion  102  of the deck  100 . As shown, the bottom portion  104  and the top portion  102  connect at the front surface  107 , but do not connect at the back side  109 . The first end  106  and the second end  108  of the deck  100  are not “finished off” or enclosed. In other words, the deck  100  terminates in ends  106 ,  108  that have exposed cross-sectional profiles. The deck  100  further includes two step portions  103  and  105 . The step portions, also referred to as step members or step zones,  103 ,  105  are located below the doors  14  of the vehicle  12  and are sized to support the weight of a person to aid the entry and exit of the person from the vehicle  12 . The deck  100  can be fabricated from aluminum; however, it should be appreciated that the deck  100  could be fabricated from steel, plastic, or any number of other materials or combinations thereof. It should further be appreciated that the deck  100  need not include the above-described structure so long as it is configured to support a person&#39;s foot while the person enters and exits a vehicle. 
   In particular, it should also be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the top surface  102  of the deck  100  need not be flat. For example, the top portion  102  could be rounded or have any other surface profile. In addition, the top portion  102  and the bottom portion  104  could be continuous, as they would be in a square or cylindrical tube shaped deck. In addition, the ends  106 ,  108  rather than left open, could be finished off. Also, the deck  100  could include more or less step portions  103 ,  105  depending on, for example, the number of doors  14  on one side of the motor vehicle  12 . Moreover, it should be appreciated that the surface of the deck  100  can be painted, coated, or otherwise finished as desired. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2 , mats  40 ,  50  and step covers  20 ,  30  are shown relative to the deck  100 . The first mat  20  is positioned over the first step portion  103  and the second mat  50  is positioned over the second step portion  105 . The first step cover  20  is position over a portion of the first mat  40  and attached to the deck  100 . Similarly, the second step cover  30  is position over a portion of the second mat  50  and attached to the deck  100 . As shown, the first step cover  20  encloses, or finishes off, the first end  106  of the deck  100  and the second step cover  30  encloses, or finishes off, the second end  108  of the deck  100 . 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the step covers  20  and  30  are shown. The step cover  30  is not referenced separately in detail since it is a mirror reflection of step cover  20 . Step cover  20  can include a top surface  21 , a bottom surface  23 , a first end  24 , and a second end  22 . The top surface  21  can include a plurality of elongated cutouts  26  separated by extensions  27  that are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the step cover  20 . In the embodiment shown, the step cover  20  includes thirteen cutouts  26 . It should be appreciated that the step cover  20  could include any number of cutouts  26  each being any shape or size and arranged on step cover  20  in a variety of different patterns. The step cover  20  can be attached to the deck  100  by a number of fasteners  115 . The fasteners  115  are shown as mechanical devices; however, it should be appreciated that they could also be chemical adhesives or any other materials that would be suitable for attaching the cover  20  to the deck  100 . 
   As shown, the first end  24  of the step cover  20  wraps toward the inner edge  29  of the step cover  20  such that it encloses or finishes off the end  106  of the deck  100 . Once the step cover  20  is installed, it hides the first end  106  of the deck  100  from view. The second end  22  extends past the portion in which cutouts  26  are formed to form a flange  25  that is orientated in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the portion of the step cover  20  that includes cutouts  26 . The flange  25  at the second end  22  can abut, or rest on, the top surface  102  of the deck  100 . It should be appreciated that in some embodiments the first end portion  24  can be open and therefore not enclose the first end  106  of the deck  100 . In addition, in some embodiments the second end  22  of the step cover  20  can be coplanar with the portion of the step cover  20  that includes cutouts  26  rather than coplanar with the surface  102  of the deck  100 . 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the step cover  20  includes a front edge portion  28  that is constructed to extend over the front side  107  of the deck  100 . When installed, the front edge portion  28  of the step cover  20  hides a portion of the step portion  103  of the deck  100  from view. However, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the step cover  20  does not include an edge portion  28  and the edge of the deck  100  in the step portion  103  is exposed even after the step cover  20  is installed. In addition, it should be appreciated that the surfaces of the step cover  20  can be painted, coated, or otherwise finished as desired. In the embodiment shown, the edge portion  28  is fastened to the deck by fasteners  115 . The cover  20  is fastened to the deck at a location in which there is no matt  40 ,  50  below. This feature of the cover  20  makes it possible to fix the mat  40  to be fixed to the deck  100  without beaching the integrity of the mat  40 . In other words, attaching the mat  40  to the deck  100  does not necessarily require screwing or bolting thought the mat  40 . However, it should also be appreciated that the cover  20  alternatively could nonetheless be fastened to the deck  100  through the mats  40  and  50 . 
   In the embodiment shown, the cover  20  is constructed of a plastic material. However, it should be understood that the materials used to construct the cover  20  can vary. For example, in some embodiments, the same material used to construct the deck  100  can be used to construct the cover to provide a more uniform appearance. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , a mat  40  is shown. The mat  40  is identical to the mat  50 , therefore only the mat  40  is described in detail below. The mat  40  includes a first end  47 , a second end  46 , a front edge  48 , a back edge  49 , and a top major surface  43  having raised portions  42  positioned thereon. The mat  40  is sized to fit on the deck  100  of the running board  10  under the step cover  20 . The raised portions  42  of the mat  40  are shaped to extend through and interlock with the step cover  20  such that once the step cover  20  is attached to the deck  100 , the mat  40  is also secured to the deck  100 . In particular, the thirteen raised portions  42  are elongated in shape and are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mat  40 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  the mat  40  has a flat bottom surface. 
   In some embodiments the mats  40  is constructed of plastic or rubber material (natural or synthetic). In the particular embodiments shown in the Figures, the mat  40  is constructed from a urethane material having similar properties to the material used to construct the sole so athletic shoes. Soft resilient material that otherwise may not be strong enough to be used to construct a mat for attachment to conventional running board can be used to construct the mat  40  since, in some embodiments, the cover  20  at least partially protects and secures the mat  40  in place. However, it should be appreciated that the mat  40  can be constructed of many different types materials including non-resilient materials. 
   It should also be appreciated that the raised portions  42  of the mat  40  need not, as described above, interlock with the step cover  20  such that the step cover  20  once attached secures the mat  40  in position on the deck  100 . The mat  40  can be independently secured to the deck  100  via mechanical fasteners, adhesives, tapes, and other means. In fact, in some embodiments the mat  40  need not include any raised portions  42 . Alternatively, in some embodiments the cover portion  20 , once attached to the deck  100 , compresses or sandwiches portions of the mat  40  and thereby aids in securing the mat  40  in position on the deck  100 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 4 , the running board  10  includes a bracket assembly  130 . The bracket assembly  130  includes a plurality of brackets  110  each having a first end  116  and a second end  118 . Both ends  116 ,  118  include holes, or slots, for receiving fasteners  114 . The first ends  116  are attached to the deck  100  and the second ends  118  are attached to the vehicle  12 . The brackets  110  can be constructed to attach to the rocker panel and/or frame of the vehicle  12 . Since the rocker panel and frame structure vary according to make and model, the exact geometry of the brackets  110  vary accordingly. It should be appreciated that the brackets  110  can be constructed of steel or any other suitable material. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 4 , the fasteners  114  are received in channels  117  and  119  that run along the underside of the deck  100 . The channels  117  and  119  of the deck  100  enable the deck  100  to be attached to brackets  110  located at a number of different locations along the deck  100 . The channels  117  and  119  of the deck  100  can run along the entire length of the deck  100  or only exist in regions of the deck  100  that are most likely to be attached to the brackets  110 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , bracket covers  121  are shown attached between the deck  100  and the brackets  110  such that they hide the brackets  110  from clear view once the running board  10  is attached to the vehicle  12 . Each bracket cover  121  includes a first end  124  adapted to cover the first end  116  of the bracket  130  and a second end  122  adapted to cover the second end  118  of the bracket  130 . In the embodiment shown, four brackets  110  attach the running board  10  to the vehicle  12 . It should be appreciated that there are many alternative ways to connect the deck  100  to the vehicle  12 . For example, the deck  100  could include arms that are integral with the deck  100  that extend outwardly and upwardly to attach to the vehicle  12 . 
   An alternative embodiment of the mat  40  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The mat  40 ′ shown includes a cross-sectional profile that is shaped to match the cross-sectional profile of the deck  100  to provide a snug fit between the mat  40 ′ and the deck  100 . In particular, the mat  40 ′ includes a front edge  48 ,′ a rear edge  49 ,′ a first end  47 ,′ a second end  46 ,′ and a top major surface  43 ′ having raised portions  42 ′ thereon. The front edge  48 ′ and the rear edge  49 ′ extend away from the top major surface  43 ′ in a downward direction tracking a portion of the curved surface of the deck  100 . 
   The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the installation and composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.