Patent ID: 7398985

Claim:
A retractable vehicle step assist, comprising: a rigid frame; a first support arm pivotably connected to said frame, said first support arm pivotable with respect to said frame about a first axis; a second support arm pivotably connected to said frame, said second support arm pivotable with respect to said frame about a second axis located inboard of said first axis; and a step member having a stepping deck; said first support arm pivotably connected to said step member, said first support arm pivotable with respect to said step member about a third axis, said first support arm defining a fixed distance between said first axis and said third axis; said second support arm pivotably connected to said step member, said second support arm pivotable with respect to said step member about a fourth axis located inboard of said third axis; said first and second support arms configured to allow said step member to move between a retracted position and a deployed position downward and outboard from said retracted position, the entirety of said step member being situated lower than said first and second axes when in said deployed position; wherein said support arms have a range of motion that includes a first position in which said second support arm is at least partly nested within said first support arm, and a second position in which no portion of said second support arm is nested within said first support arm.