Patent ID: 6942272

Claim:
A tailgate step, comprising: at least a first support member, the first support member having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first support member comprising a first portion of a first hinge; at least a first step member, the first step member attached to the first end of the first support member; at least a first support member storage channel, the first support member storage channel having a first end and a second end, at least a portion of the first support member storage channel disposed within the tailgate and operable to contain at least a portion of the first support member, the second end of the first support member channel proximate to an edge of the tailgate and comprising a second portion of the first hinge, the second portion of the first hinge including a first contact surface, the first and second portions of the first hinge pivotally engaged by a first hinge pin; and a first step member storage channel, the first step member storage channel communicating with the first end of the first support member storage channel, at least a portion of the first step member storage channel disposed within the tailgate and operable to contain at least a portion of the first step member, the first support member and the first step member pivoting about the first hinge between a working position and a stored position, the first support member contacting the first contact surface when the first support member and the first step member are in the working position, the first step member positioned between the tailgate and ground level when in the working position, at least a portion of the first step member disposed within the first step member channel when the first step member is in the stored position, at least a portion of the first support member disposed within the first support member channel when first support member is in the stored position.