Horizontal retractable vehicle step
A horizontally moving retractable vehicle step is attachable to a vehicle, such as a low to the ground vehicle like a van. The horizontal vehicle step can provide access to different portions of the vehicle. Further, the horizontal vehicle step can act as a safety mechanism to reduce potential harm to a user in accidentally stepping in gaps between the vehicle and a curb.
1. An extendable step configured for horizontal motion, the extendible step comprising:
a pair of arms rotatably configured to be attached to a vehicle at a first end of each of the pair of arms, wherein a first arm of the pair of arms is rotatable about a first horizontal axis and a second arm of the pair of arms is rotatable about a second horizontal axis; and
a stepping platform attached to the pair of arms at a second end of each of the pair of arms, said stepping platform defining a stepping surface, said stepping surface defining a stepping surface plane, wherein the first arm is rotatably coupled to the stepping platform at a third horizontal axis and the second arm is rotatably coupled to the stepping platform at a fourth horizontal axis;
wherein the third and fourth horizontal axes are both positioned below the stepping surface plane;
wherein the stepping platform and the pair of arms are configured to rotate between a stowed position and a deployed position;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth horizontal axes are positioned such that:
in the stowed position, a first plane that passes through the first and third horizontal axes intersects with a second plane that passes through the second and fourth horizontal axes above the first and second horizontal axes;
in the deployed position, the first plane intersects with the second plane below the third and fourth horizontal axes; and
while rotating between the stowed position and the deployed position, an angle between the stepping surface plane and a horizontal plane will decrease or increase, but will not decrease or increase in angle more than 15 degrees from the stowed position to the deployed position.
2. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the stepping surface plane and the horizontal plane will not decrease or increase in angle more than 10 degrees from the stowed position to the deployed position.
3. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the stepping surface plane and the horizontal plane will not decrease or increase in angle more than 5 degrees from the stowed position to the deployed position.
4. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the step is self-energizing in the stowed position.
5. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the step is self-energizing in the deployed position.
6. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the first arm of the pair of arms comprises a stopping member configured to abut against the second arm of the pair of arms in the deployed position.
7. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the stepping platform extends along a length of the vehicle.
8. The extendable step of claim 1 , further comprising a second pair of arms attached to the stepping platform.
9. The extendable step of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment member attached to the vehicle, wherein the pair of arms are attached to the attachment member at the first end.
10. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the stepping platform is located at least partially outboard the vehicle in the deployed position.
11. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein an angle between the stepping platform and the pair of arms is less than 180 degrees in the deployed position.
12. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the stepping platform initially moves downwards when rotating from the stowed position to the deployed position.
13. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the stepping surface plane and the horizontal plane is a positive angle when the stepping platform is in an intermediate position located between the stowed position and the deployed position.
14. The extendable step of claim 1 , wherein a plane that passes through the third and fourth horizontal axes is substantially parallel to the stepping surface plane.
15. A vehicle having a horizontally extending step for ease of access, the vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame; and
a horizontally extending step comprising:
a pair of arms rotatably configured to be attached the vehicle frame at a first end of each of the pair of arms, wherein a first arm of the pair of arms is rotatable about a first horizontal axis and a second arm of the pair of arms is rotatable about a second horizontal axis; and
a stepping platform attached to the pair of arms at a second end of each of the pair of arms, said stepping platform defining a stepping surface, said stepping surface defining a stepping surface plane, wherein the first arm is rotatably coupled to the stepping platform at a third horizontal axis and the second arm is rotatably coupled to the stepping platform at a fourth horizontal axis;
wherein the third and fourth horizontal axes are both positioned below the stepping surface plane;
wherein the stepping platform and the pair of arms are configured to rotate between a stowed position and a deployed position;
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth horizontal axes are positioned such that:
in the stowed position, a first plane that passes through the first and third horizontal axes intersects with a second plane that passes through the second and fourth horizontal axes above the first and second horizontal axes;
in the deployed position, the first plane intersects with the second plane below the third and fourth horizontal axes; and
while rotating between the stowed position and the deployed position, an angle between the stepping surface plane and a horizontal plane will decrease or increase, but will not decrease or increase in angle more than 15 degrees from the stowed position to the deployed position.
16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle is van.
17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the angle between the stepping surface plane and the horizontal plane will not decrease or increase in angle more than 10 degrees from the stowed position to the deployed position.
18. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the angle between the stepping surface plane and the horizontal plane will not decrease or increase in angle more than 5 degrees from the stowed position to the deployed position.
19. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the step is self-energizing in the stowed position.
20. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the step is self-energizing in the deployed position.
21. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the stepping platform extends along a length of the vehicle.
22. The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising a second pair of arms attached to the stepping platform.
23. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein an angle between the stepping platform and the pair of arms is less than 180 degrees in the deployed position.
24. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein a plane that passes through the third and fourth horizontal axes is substantially parallel to the stepping surface plane.