Abstract:
A step for engagement with a conventional towing receiver hitch affixed to a vehicle. The step includes a support component upon which to stand and a coupler component for engaging the support component with the receiver hitch. Preferably, the support component is a generally cylindrical rung, while the coupler component is integral with and extends from a substantially central location of the support component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/132,894, filed Nov. 17, 2000. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT (Not Applicable)  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates in general to vehicle accessories, and in particular to a step for releasable engagement with a trailer-type receiver hitch protruding from a vehicle, said step including a support component upon which a user can stand to enhance reachability of a roof or window surface of the vehicle.  
           [0003]    Vehicle accessorization is a common development as vehicle owners seek to customize cars or trucks so that they meet certain needs or requirements. Thus, for example, devices for protecting tail lights, head lights, grills, side panels, and the like are available for installation on vehicles. Large motor homes lend themselves to additional accessories such as ladders, air conditioner mounts, roof racks, and other paraphanalia. Finally, many vehicles are equipped with receiver hitches to which can be attached house, boat, moving, and other types of trailers.  
           [0004]    Of special interest is the receiver hitch accessory in that it typically is not engaged with a trailer and therefore really provides no useful purpose most of the time. Nonetheless, it is ever present as it projects, sometimes unsafely, from the rear of a vehicle. Unrelatedly, owners and drivers of many vehicles, such as sport utility vehicles and motor homes, could greatly benefit from better access to roof racks and roof surfaces, rear windows, and other hard-to-reach areas. As a result, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a step and a step assembly wherein a support component is engageable with a receiver hitch to thereby permit a user to stand on the support component and increase reach distance.  
           [0005]    Additionally, such sport utility vehicles and/or motorhomes typically include polymer molded rear bumpers which are highly vulnerable to impact damage and extremely expensive to repair and/or replace. As such, it is another object of the present invention to provide a bumper protection device which can be easily replaced upon encountering a minor impact/collision to avoid more costly damage to the vehicle bumper.  
           [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a step and a step assembly wherein the support component has integral therewith a coupler component for releasably engaging a conventional receiver hitch.  
           [0007]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a step and a step assembly wherein the step assembly is adjustably mounted to a receiver hitch and includes an anti-rattle locking system to reduce rattling of the step assembly within the receiver hitch.  
           [0008]    These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent throughout the description thereof which now follows.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention is a step for engagement with a conventional receiver hitch affixed to a vehicle. The step includes a support component upon which a user may stand and a coupler component for releasably mounting the support component upon the receiver hitch. Preferably, the support component is a generally cylindrical rung, while the coupler component is formed integral with the support component and extends generally perpendicularly outward from a substantially central location of the support component.  
           [0010]    The coupler component comprises a square shaped tongue having a complimentary configuration to the conventional receiver hitch on a vehicle such that a coupler may be slidably inserted within the receiver hitch. The coupler additionally includes multiple apertures which may be axially aligned with the hitch pin aperture formed in the conventional receiver hitch such that the step may be adjusted relative the receiver hitch to be utilized on all vehicles. The step is releasably mounted to the receiver hitch by way of a conventional hitch pin.  
           [0011]    The step of the present invention additionally includes an anti-rattle locking mechanism which is threadedly connected to the lower portion of the step to selectively engage the step as well as the receiver hitch. The locking system constantly biases the step against the receiver hitch thereby eliminating relative movement and rattling between the step and receiver hitch during vehicle operation.  
           [0012]    These as well as other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon referenced to the drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    An illustrative and presently preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of step engaged with a conventional receiver hitch affixed to a vehicle;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the step of FIG. 1 alone;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the step of FIG. 2;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of the step of FIG. 2; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of the step of FIG. 2 and illustrating its anti-rattling locking system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    Referring to the figures, the exteriorly mountable vehicle step  10  of the present invention is depicted. As will be recognized, the step  10  is releasably mounted to a conventional receiver tow hitch  12  (shown in FIGS. 1 and 5) which is rigidly attached to the frame or chassis of a motor vehicle  14 . As is well known, the receiver hitch  12  is formed having a square or rectangular axial opening  16  (shown in FIG. 5) and a hitch pin aperture  18 . The opening  16  is sized to receive a conventional trailer hitch (not shown) which is selectively mounted to the receiver hitch  12  via a hitch pin  19  (shown in FIG. 2) which is extended through the hitch pin aperture  18  and into the trailer hitch (not shown). The step  10  of the present invention is adapted to be mounted to the receiver hitch  12  in an analogous fashion.  
         [0020]    The step  10  includes a support component  26  which, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a rung upon which a user can stand and which preferably includes a generally flat central portion  28  for firm footing. In the preferred embodiment, the support component  26  is formed of a tubular metal material which can be chrome plated, painted or coated as desired. A coupler component  30  is rigidly attached for instance by a weld to the support component  26  and extends perpendicularly outwardly therefrom. The coupler component  30  is formed having a generally rectangular cross sectional configuration which is complimentary to and is sized to be received within the aperture opening  16  formed within the conventional receiver hitch  12 . The coupler component  30  includes a plurality of apertures  32  formed therein, the diameter of which is sized to receive the conventional hitch pin  19  therein.  
         [0021]    As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower surface of the support component  26  may include an L-shaped locking member  40  which is selectively mounted to the under surface via a threaded fastener such as a threaded knob  42 . By turning the knob  42 , the locking member  40  is moved toward or away from the under surface of the support member  26 . In the preferred embodiment, the locking member  40  is formed of metal but coated with a polymer material.  
         [0022]    With the structure defined, the mounting and operation of the step  10  of the present invention may be described. As best shown in FIG. 5, the coupler component  30  of the step  10  is aligned with the opening  16  of the receiver hitch  12  and the support component  30  may then be axially positioned, i.e., slidably received within the aperture  16  of the receiver hitch  12 . One of the apertures  32  formed on the coupler component  30  is aligned with the hitch pin aperture  18  formed in the receiver hitch  12 . As will be recognized, due to the coupler component  30  having plural apertures  32  formed therein, the step  10  may be adjusted relative the bumper of the vehicle  14  by aligning a desired aperture  32  with the aperture  18  formed in the receiver hitch  12 . When aligned, a conventional hitch pin  19  (shown in FIG. 2) may be extended through the aperture  18  and selected aperture  32  to lock the step  10  in a desired position upon the receiver hitch  12 .  
         [0023]    Subsequently, the threaded knob  42  can be loosened to allow the distal end  50  of the locking member  40  to be positioned to extend over the enlarged end flange  52  formed on the conventional receiver hitch  12 . In this position, the proximal end  54  of the locking member  40  extends vertically upward to contact the support member  26 ; and upon tightening of the threaded knob  42 , tightly engages the under surface of the support member  26 . Upon continued tightening of the threaded knob  42 , the distal end  50  of the locking member  40  tightly engages the end flange  52  of the receiver hitch  12  while the proximal end  54  tightly engages the under surface of the support component  26 . Continued tightening of the threaded knob  42  causes a continual spring or biasing force to be applied to the locking member  40  which serves to eliminate relative movement or rattling of the step  10  relative the receiver hitch  12 .  
         [0024]    When mounted upon the vehicle  14 , the step  10  provides an easy and convenient platform to allow easy access to roof racks or truck beds or the like of a vehicle. Further, the step  10  offers additional protection to vulnerable molded bumpers and the like of the vehicle  14  whereby during moderate impact, the vehicle bumper will be protected.