AU726795B3 - A removable step for attachment to a vehicle - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT Name of Applicants: Actual Inventors: Address for Service: Invention Title: Brian John KEECH and Julie Lynette KEECH As above CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

A REMOVABLE STEP FOR ATTACHMENT TO A VEHICLE The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us: A REMOVABLE STEP FOR ATTACHMENT TO A VEHICLE This invention is directed to a removable step which can be easily attached to and detached from a vehicle, and which does not require clamps, fasteners and the like to keep the step in place.

The invention will be described with reference to a vehicle having a rear tray, such vehicles being known as utilities, tray back vehicles, flat back vehicles and the like.

Utility vehicles have a rear tray area to accommodate loads. It is often a requirement that the load is covered. In other circumstances, the load can tip or fall off the vehicle and therefore must be tied down. For this reason, it is common for such vehicles to have a rope tie rail. The rail typically extends along each side of the tray. The rail allows a tie down rope or strap to be attached to the rail.

The rear tray area typically sits above the rear wheels of the vehicle and can therefore be quite some distance above the ground. It is common for the tray to have side walls which can be either permanently fixed in place, or can be hinged to enable the side wall to be dropped down. With the side wall in the up position, it is often difficult to properly access the rear tray. If a load is placed on the tray at some distance away from the tailgate, it is often necessary to remove the load by lifting it over the side wall of the tray.

To do this, a person either leans over the side wall to pick up the load, which can result in back injury. Alternatively, the person can stand on the vehicle wheel which is not safe. Sometimes, a person will attempt to stand on, or balance on the rope tie rail, and this is also a very unsafe practice.

Occasionally, a person will attempt to use a step ladder. The step ladder must however be placed on the ground and if the ground is soft or uneven, the stepladder may tip, again causing injury to the person.

Some vehicles are provided with a fixed step which is usually next to the vehicle cabin. Although it is possible to balance on this fixed step, it is usually only possible to remove the load from the tray which is nearest to the cabin. Also, the step is closer to the cabin than the tray, and this can result in back injury if a person attempts to remove the load from the tray by balancing on the step.

The present invention is directed to a step which can be simply attached to the vehicle by utilising the rope tie rail of the vehicle. The step does not need to be attached by clamps or separate fasteners. The step is supported by the vehicle and therefore does not need to be supported by the ground. Therefore, it does not matter if the ground is soft or uneven. The step can be attached very simply to any part of the tie rail and therefore can be positioned to suit. When not required, the step can be simply removed from the tie rail and stored in a convenient place. Thus, the step is not permanently attached to the vehicle and does not present a striking hazard or collision hazard during use of the vehicle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a step which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with the useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in removable step which is engageable with a rope tie rail of a vehicle, the step comprising a foot supporting tread portion, a rigid support extending upwardly from the tread portion, a locating member attached to or relative to the support and which is spaced from the tread portion and which is adapted to locate behind the tie rail of the vehicle, and an abutment portion which is spaced both from the tread portion and the locating member and which is adapted to abut against a portion of the vehicle other than the tie rail.

The step comprises a foot supporting tread portion. This is typically in the form of a horizontal member on which a persons foot can be placed. The tread portion may have various different shapes and sizes. For instance, the tread portion may comprise a strong metal rod, a flat metal member, members or rods formed of material other than metal (but strong enough to support a persons weight) and the like. If desired, anti slip properties can be provided to the tread portion. For instance, a rubber strip or member may be attached to, or otherwise form part of the tread portion.

The step includes a rigid support which extends upwardly from the tread portion. The rigid support should be strong enough to support the persons weight which is placed on the tread portion. The rigid portion may comprise a pair of spaced apart metal rods, plates and the like. Alternatively, the rigid support may comprise a single member extending upwardly from the tread portion. It is envisaged that the rigid support and the tread portion may be formed integrally with each other. Thus, in an embodiment of the invention, the tread portion and the rigid support may comprise a metal rod which is configured or bent into the desired shape.

The step includes a locating member. The locating member is attached to or relative to the rigid support. Typically, the locating member is attached directly to the rigid support. The locating member, in use, is located behind the tie rail of the vehicle to assist in holding the step in place. The locating member may comprise a metal bar, plate or other type of elongate member which is attached to the rigid support and extends in such a manner to locate at least partially behind the tie rail. Alternatively, the locating member may comprise one or more fingers, hooks, or other types of projections which can extend behind the tie rail.

To assist in preventing the step from simply swinging about the tie rail, an abutment portion is provided. The abutment portion is spaced from the tread portion, and from the locating member. In use, the abutment portion is adapted to abut against part of the underside of the vehicle which prevents further downward swinging of the step. This allows the step to project outwardly from the side of the vehicle which provides a more convenient position to allow a person to use the step efficiently. The abutment portion may be integrally formed with the remainder of the step. In one form, the abutment portion may comprise a metal rod or plate. Alternatively, the abutment portion can comprise a knob, or any other type of abutment. In order to prevent possible damage to the underside of the vehicle body, it is preferred that the abutment is sized to allow the forces to be distributed over an area which is large enough to reduce or prevent the possibility of the abutment denting the underside of the vehicle or even piercing through the tray or other part of the vehicle.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawing in which: Figure 1 illustrates the step attached to the side of a vehicle.

Referring to the drawing there is illustrated a step 10 which is attached to the side of a vehicle 11. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, step 10 consists of a lower tread portion 12, an upwardly extending rigid support 13, a locating member 14, and an abutment portion 15. In the embodiment, the entire step is formed of strong steel rod, but it should be appreciated that the invention need not be limited to this. Tread portion 12 is wide enough to support a persons foot 16. Rigid support 13 comprises a pair of spaced apart steel bars 17, 18, and in the embodiment, tread portion 12 and steel bars 17, 18 are formed integrally. The spacing between bars 17 and 18 is sufficient to allow a persons foot 16 to be positioned between the bars. In practice, it is preferred that the bars 17, 18 are spaced sufficiently apart to allow all types of boots to pass between the bars irrespective of the size and shape of the boot.

Locating member 14 is attached to support 13, and in the embodiment, locating member 14 is a steel bar which is welded to or otherwise fixed to each bar 17, 18. The bars 17, 18 are bent in this region to form a less inclined (or more horizontal) portion 20. Locating member 14 is attached to the bars in this horizontal portion 20. Locating member 14 is shaped to extend downwardly with respect to portion 20 so as to form an abutment behind tie rail 21. Thus, locating member 14 functions to prevent the step from falling off tie rail 21. While locating member 14 is illustrated as being a bar extending between bars 17 and 18, it should be appreciated that the locating member may also include a pair of short stubby downwardly extending projections, a pair of curved fingers or hooks, a single plate, projection, and the like.

Abutment portion 15 extends from the end of portion 20 and is spaced from both locating member 14 and from tread portion 12. Abutment portion 15 is angled relative to portion 20 and is typically substantially parallel to the initial part of rigid support 13 to which tread portion 12 is attached (or which tread portion 12 forms part of). In the embodiment, abutment portion is an extension of the bars 17, 18. The top portion 20 to of abutment portion 15 abuts against an under portion of the vehicle 11.

In use, step 10 can be simply placed on tie rail 21 in the manner illustrated in figure 1 such that locating member 14 sits behind the tie rail. A person can then step on tread member 12 which causes abutment portion to abut against an underside of vehicle 11. The step is therefore held in place against unwanted swinging movement. By having the forward part 23 of the step larger, or heavier than the rear part 23 of the step, the step will naturally swing down when attached to tie rail 21 to cause abutment portion 15 to abut lo against the underside of the vehicle. Thus, when a person places their foot on tread portion 12, there will be no sudden forward or downward swinging movement of the step.

The step can be simply lifted off tie rail 21 when not required and can be stored in a convenient place. The step can be positioned anywhere along the tie rail. The step can either be slid along the tie rail to a more convenient position, or lifted off tie rail and reattached at a more convenient position.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims (3)

1. A removable step which is engageable with a rope tie rail of a vehicle, the step comprising a foot supporting tread portion, a rigid support extending upwardly from the tread portion, a locating member attached to or relative to the support and which is spaced from the tread portion and which is adapted to locate behind the tie rail of the vehicle, and an abutment portion which is spaced both from the tread portion and the locating member and which is adapted to abut against a portion of the vehicle other than the tie rail.

2. The step of claim 1, wherein the tread portion comprises a steel bar, the rigid support comprises a pair of spaced apart steel bars, the tread portion being located between the pair of spaced apart steel bars, the locating member comprising a steel bar extending between the pair of spaced apart steel bars, the abutment portion comprising a steel bar which extends between the pair of spaced apart steel bars.

3. The step of claim 1 or claim 2 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. DATED this 20 th day of September 2000 Brian John KEECH and Julie Lynette KEECH By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.