Abstract:
A movable pullout step attachable to a vehicle and which has a spring actuated latching mechanism that selectively allows and restrains positioning of the pullout step in either a retracted position under the vehicle or a step position wherein a tread extends away from the vehicle to allow a person to stand thereon to facilitate the access to desired portions of the vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the auxiliary vehicle step art and more particularly to a step arrangement that may be bolted to the underside of a vehicle and which arrangement has a pull out step therein movable from a first, retracted position to a second, step position 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In many vehicle applications it is desirable to proved a step on the vehicle to allow a person to step thereon in order to facilitate reaching various portions of the vehicle. There have hereto fore been proposed various step arrangements that may be mounted on a vehicle to provide the convenient access to the desired portion of the vehicle. Some of these prior movable step arrangements have provided a step that may be connected to the vehicle and may be positionable under the vehicle, if desired, while the vehicle is being driven and extendable from the vehicle when it is desired to use the step. Many of these movable step arrangements have incorporated complex mechanical systems that increased the cost thereof and/or have required extensive modifications to the vehicles in order to install them. Other step devices have shown systems that, in practice, have not proven to be reliable over long periods of time thereby often resulting in frequent repair or replacement. Still other of such movable steps have not been rugged enough to withstand the heavy use thereof often required in many applications. 
     Accordingly, it has long been desired to provide a rugged movable step that is conveniently attachable to a vehicle and is comparatively inexpensive to fabricate and is free of complex mechanical components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved, in a preferred embodiment of a pull out step by providing a frame that is attachable to the underside of a vehicle such as a pickup truck or other vehicle. Such vehicles often require access to either the storage bed of the truck, the roof of the truck or other portions and the access thereto is facilitated by having a step upon which a person may stand to reach the desired portions. However, the pullout step is preferably positioned and retained under the vehicle when not in use and movable outwardly with respect to the vehicle when it is desired to utilize the step. 
     The frame has a tread member that is connected to a pair of rails which are operatively mounted on the frame and is movable in reciprocal directions with respect to the frame and to the vehicle such that in a retracted position of the tread, the tread is retained under the vehicle and in a step position the tread is extended outwardly from the vehicle. 
     A latching mechanism is provided to retain the tread in both the retracted and the step positions of the tread. The latching mechanism has a lever pivotally mounted on the frame for limited rotary movement thereon. The lever has a latch member thereon that is selectively positionable in a first, or engagement position wherein the latch member projects into an aperture in a first of the pair of rails and movable therefrom to a second, or retracted position wherein the latch member is free of engagement with the first rail. The latch member is spring biased into the first position. The first rail has a pair of apertures therein so that one of the apertures is positionable for engagement with the latch member for the tread in the retracted position and the second of the pair of apertures in the first rail is positionable for engagement with the latch member in the step position. 
     A flexible cable is connected to the lever for selectively moving the lever against the spring tension to move the latch member from the first position to the second and the spring biases the latch member from the second or retracted position to the first or engaged position. The cable has a knob on one end and the second end of the cable is connected to the lever. Manually pulling on the knob moves the latch member from the first position to the second position. With the latch member in the second, or retracted position, the tread may be manually moved between the retracted and step positions. When the tread is in the desired retracted or step position thereof, the knob may be released and the latch member is thus allowed to move under the spring force into the first or engagement position thereof to project into one of the apertures in the rail. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other embodiments of the present invention my be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle showing two of the pullout steps of the present invention installed thereon and the steps in the step position thereof; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of a vehicle similar to the vehicle of  FIG. 1  showing a pullout step in the retracted position; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the vehicle of  FIG. 2  showing the pullout step in the step position thereof; 
         FIG. 3A  is a partial perspective view similar to  FIG. 2  showing an exploded view of the pullout step of the present invention as installed on a vehicle; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a sectional view of a guide useful in the practice of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of a frame useful in the practice of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a lever useful in the practice of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A  is a partial sectional view that illustrates the latching mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 4  in the engaged position thereof; 
         FIG. 6B  is fragmentary partial sectional that illustrates the latching mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 4  in the retracted position thereof; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a rail useful in the practice of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view along the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a cable guide useful in the practice of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11A  is plan view of a tread useful in the practice of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11B  is a view along the line  11 B- 11 B of  FIG. 11A ; and. 
         FIG. 11C  is a sectional view along the line  11 C- 11 C of  FIG. 11B . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawing, there is shown on  FIG. 1  a perspective view of a vehicle  9  of the type having a storage bed  11 . Access to the storage bed  11  from the sides of the vehicle such as side  13  is often hindered in such vehicles by the height of the side above the ground level. In order to provide convenient access to the bed  11 , pullout steps of a preferred embodiment  10  of the present invention as indicated at  12  and  14  are installed on the underside  15  of the vehicle  9 . While two installations are shown on  FIG. 1 , many vehicles are of a size such that only one pullout step may be required. The pullout step of the present invention may be installed on one side of the vehicle  9  or on both sides of the vehicle as desired for particular applications, or installed on one or more than one location as may be required or desired in other applications. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a vehicle  9 ′ in which the pullout step  14  is installed to allow access to the roof  9 ′ a  of the vehicle  9 ′. In  FIG. 2  the pullout step  14  is shown in the retracted position and for the installation in a vehicle such as vehicle  9 ′, a pair of support straps  16  may be installed to provide additional support for the pullout step  14 .  FIG. 3  shows the pullout step  14  as installed on the vehicle  9 ′ in the step position thereof. As shown there is a tread  20  that is reciprocatingly movable between the retracted position shown in  FIG. 2  and the step position as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3A  shows the pullout step  14  as installed in the vehicle  9 ′ in an exploded perspective view of the pullout step  14 . As shown thereon, the tread  20  is mounted on a frame  18  which is bolted by bolts  22  and nuts and washers  24  to an underside  15 ′ of the truck  9 ′ which also connect the support straps  16  for the additional support as may be required in some applications. There may also be provided bolts  23  and nuts and washers  25  for additional support extending through the support straps  16 . The tread  20  is reciprocatingly movable in the directions of the double ended arrow  29  with respect to the frame  18 , as well as the vehicle  9 ′, on which the tread  20  is mounted. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates and exploded view of the pullout step  14  and  FIG. 4B  shows a perspective view of the frame  18 . The frame  18  has a base plate  26 . The base plate  26  has a forward edge  28 , a back edge  30 , a pair of spaced apart side edges  32  and  34 . The base plate  26  is substantially planar. A pair of spaced apart side walls  36  and  38  are connected to and upstanding from the side edges  32  and  34  of the base plate  26 , respectively. Each of the side walls  36  and  38  have a top edge  40  and  42 , respectively, and there is provided a flange member  44  and  46  connected to the top edges  40  and  42  of the side walls  36  and  38 , respectively. The flange members  44  and  46  extend outwardly from side walls  36  and  38 , respectively, in a direction away from the base plate  26 . The flange members  44  and  46  are substantially coplanar and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the base plate  26 . If desired for rigidity or any other use as may be useful in various embodiments of the present invention, a back wall  37  may extend upwardly from the back edge  30 . A spring stop  60  may be provided mounted on the base plate  26  for purposes as described below in greater detail 
     A pair of guides  48  and  50  are mounted on the base plate  26  and the guide  48  is in regions adjacent the side edge  32  and the guide  50  is in regions adjacent the side edge  34  of the base plate  26 . The guides  48  and  50  are substantially parallel to each other and to the side walls  36  and  38 . The guides  48  and  50  and extend from regions adjacent the front edge  28  to regions adjacent the back edge  30  of the base plate  26 .  FIG. 4A  shows a cross section of the guide rail  50 . As shown thereon, the guide rail  50  is substantially “U” shaped and has a screw aperture  53  in the base  50 ′ to provide for attaching the guide  50  to the base plate  26 . Side wall  50 ″ of guide  50  has first walls  55  therein defining a guide aperture  57  therethrough. If desired for some applications, a pin aperture  621  may be provided in side  50 ′. The guide  48  need not be provided with an aperture therethrough such as aperture  57  in guide rail  50  or the pin aperture  61 . As installed on the base plate  26 , the outer surface  50 ″′ a  of wall  50 ′ is adjacent the side wall  38  of the frame  26 . The wall  50 ″ has an inner surface  50 ″ a.    
     A pair of rails  52  and  54  are mounted for reciprocal movement in the directions of the double ended arrow  29  from a retracted condition as shown in  FIG. 2  to a step position as shown in  FIG. 3 . The rails  52  and  54  are adjacent the guides  48  and  50 , respectively, and in the preferred embodiment  10  of the present invention the rail  52  is mounted in the “U” shaped guide  48  and the rail  54  is mounted in the “U” shaped guide  50 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the rail  54  and  FIG. 9  is a sectional view along the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 . The rail  54  is a box section having a bottom wall  62  that is adjacent the inner surface  50 ′ a  of bottom wall  50 ′ of guide  50 . The rail  54  has an outer end  63  and an inner end  65 . The rail  54  has a side wall  64  that is adjacent the inner surface  50 ″a of the guide  50 . 
     The rail  54  has a bottom wall  62 , a pair of side walls  64  and  68  and a top wall  66 . AS installed in the guide  50 , the side wall  64  is adjacent the inner surface  50 ″ a of the wall  50 ″ of the guide  50 . The wall  64  has second walls  72  and  76  defining spaced apart rail apertures  74  and  78  extending through the wall  64 . For the pullout step  14  in the retracted position of  FIG. 2 , the second rail aperture  78  is aligned with the guide aperture  57  in the guide  50 . For the pullout step  14  in the step position as shown in  FIG. 3 , the first rail aperture  74  is aligned with the guide aperture  57 . Screw holes  82  are provided in the top wall  66  through which screws  81  are inserted to retain the tread  20  on the rail  54 . Apertures  80  are provided in the bottom wall  62  to allow access to screws  81  during installation on or removal of the tread  20 . 
     In some applications it may be desired to provide slot walls  70  defining a slot  71  extending through the wall  65  of the rail  54 . The slot  71  is aligned with the pin aperture  61  in the guide  50  and a pin  91  may extend through the side wall  34  of the frame  18 , through the pin aperture  61  of the guide  50 , through the slot aperture  71  and into the interior  73  of the rail  54 . The pin  91  tends to help maintain the alignment of the rail  54  in the guide  50 . 
     The rail  52  is generally similar to the rail  54  and is also box shaped. However, it has been found that the rail  54  need not necessarily be provided with the apertures such as the rail apertures  74  and  78  or the slot aperture  71  provided in rail  54 . 
       FIGS. 11A ,  11 B and  11 C illustrate the tread  20  of the pullout step  14 . As shown thereon, the tread  20  has an outer edge  96  and an inner edge  98 . A lip portion  100  is connected to the outer edge  96  and extends downwardly therefrom. The lip portion  100  is manually graspable and may be utilized to move the tread  20  between the retracted position of the pullout  14  as shown on  FIG. 2  and the step position as shown on  FIG. 3 . A toe stop may be connected to the inner edge  98  to prevent slipping of a person&#39;s shoes from the upper surface  20 ′ of the tread  20  when in use. the upper surface  20 ′ of the tread  20  may be textured as shown in conventional patterns for added stability during use. 
     The pull out step  14  is provided with a latching mechanism  110 . The latching mechanism  110  is shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown therein there is provided a lever  112 , illustrated in perspective in  FIG. 9 , that is pivotally mounted on the base plate  26 . The lever  112  has a pivot mounting aperture  116  for mounting on a pivot pin  114  extending from the base plate  26 . The first arm  118  of the lever  112  has a latching member  120  comprising the outer portion if the first arm  118 . In  FIG. 6  the latching member  120  is in the first engaged position thereof and projects through the aperture  55  in guide  50  and into the first aperture  71  in rail  54 . In this first engaged position of the latch member  120 , the rail, and consequently the tread  20 , which is attached to the rail  54 , is prevented from moving in either direction indicated by the arrow  122 ′ and  122 ″. In the first engaged position of the latch member  120  projecting into the aperture  71 , as shown on  FIG. 6 , the tread  20  is in the step position thereof. 
     The second arm  124  of the lever  112  extends from the pivot pin  114  on the opposite side of the pivot pin  114  and terminates in a cable feed through  126 . A flexible cable  128  extends through the cable feed through  126  and a retaining block  130  is fixed to the flexible cable  128  and abuts against the cable feed through  126  to restrain the cable against the cable feed through  126 . A coil spring  132  is mounted around the cable  128  between the cable feed through and the spring stop  60  and is retrained therein. The coil spring  132  exerts a force on the cable feed through  126  in the direction of the arrow  134  to urge the latch member  120  into the first engaged position shown in  FIG. 6  and yieldingly resists movement of the cable  128  in the direction of the arrow  136  which moves the latching member out of the engaged position. The cable extends through an aperture  140  in side wall  38  of frame  28  and terminates in a knob handle 150  to which it is fixedly attached. A grommet  142  may be inserted in the aperture  140 . 
     The cable  128  is provided with a flexible cable cover  152  is provided around the cable  128  from the cable stop  60  to which the flexible cable cover is attached by coupling  154  to a remote end  152 ′ which is attached to a rigid cable cover section 156 . A cable guide  160 , shown in detail in the perspective view of  FIG. 10 , is mounted on the side wall  38  and the rigid cable guide  156  is connected to a threaded feed through  162 . The threaded feed through  162  is fixed to the cable guide by nuts  164  and  166  so that the flexible cable cover  152  and rigid cable cover  156  are restrained between the coupling  154  and the cable guide  160 , but the cable  128  is free to move in the flexible cable cover  152  and the rigid cable cover  156 . 
     In operation, pulling on the knob handle  150  in the direction of the arrow  122 ″ pulls the cable feed through  126  in the direction of the arrow  136  to cause pivotal rotation of the lever  112  in the direction of the arrow  170  to thereby move the latching member  120  free of the aperture  74  to the position shown in  FIG. 6A  With the latching member in the position shown in  FIG. 6A , the tread  20  may be moved in the directions of the arrows  136  and  134  by grasping the front lip  100  of the tread  20  or other wise applying a force on the tread  20  until the desired aperture  74  or  78  is aligned with the aperture  55 . The knob handle  150  may be released and the spring  132  forces the latching member  120  into the position shown in  FIG. 6  and projecting into either the aperture  74  or  76 . Alternatively, with the latching member  120  in the position shown in  FIG. 6A , the knob handle  150  may be released and the latching member slides along the wall  66 ′ of the rail  66  until the desired aperture  74  or  78  is properly aligned with the aperture  57 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the cable guide  160  in perspective view. The cable guide  160  has a mounting portion  180  that is attached to the side wall  38  of the frame  30  by bolts extending through the bolt holes  182 . The cable guide  160  has a support portion  186 . The upright portion  186  has walls  190  defining an aperture  192 . The threaded feed through  162  described above in connection with  FIG. 6  is positionable in the aperture  192  and the nuts  164  and  166  bear against the walls  194  and  196 , respectively, of the upright portion  186 . 
     Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the various Figures of the drawing, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.