Fender step for pick-up trucks

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to foot-steps for accessing cargo within a pickup truck cargo box.

BACKGROUND

Pickup trucks are motor vehicles with a front passenger area, often referred to as a cab, and an open top rear cargo area, often referred to as a box. The box usually has a substantially flat bed from which two sidewalls and a forward interconnecting headboard extend upwardly therefrom. Pickup trucks may also employ a bottom hinged door, commonly referred to as a tailgate, hinged at the rear edge of the bed and closable to provide a fourth wall for the cargo area. Cabs and boxes may be separate assemblies or part of the same unibody structure. Pickup trucks are popular largely because the box allows them to be utilized in so many different ways, including carrying a variety of types of cargo and towing various types of trailers.

Some pickup trucks include a rear axle having dual-wheels on each side of the axle. This type of truck is commonly referred to as a dually or dual-wheeled pickup truck. Dually pickup trucks are typically heavy duty pickup trucks that utilize the dual-wheels to increase payload and towing capacity. Dually pickup trucks have more robust suspension components and a taller ride height than typical pickup trucks. The increased ride height makes it difficult for a person to reach over a sidewall of the cargo box to access the cargo area. Owners of dually pickup trucks typically use the truck as a work truck and need easy access to the contents of the cargo area. Steps have been added on the rear of the vehicle to aid in climbing onto the tailgate but do not aid in side access of the box.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a dually pickup truck includes a rear axle having a dual-wheel assembly on an end of the axle and a fender positioned over a portion the dual-wheel assembly. A foot-step is in cooperation with the fender providing a user easier access to a cargo bed of the truck.

In another embodiment, a fender assembly for a pickup truck box includes a fender attachable to the box. The fender extends outwardly from the box to define, in combination with the box, a wheel well sized to receive a dual-wheel assembly therein. A foot-step cooperating with the fender is attachable to the box.

In another embodiment, a vehicle includes a frame supporting a cargo box having a sidewall partially defining a wheel well. A wheel assembly is at least partially disposed in the wheel well and extends transversely outward past an exterior panel of the sidewall. A fender is attached to the exterior panel and at least partially covers a portion of the wheel assembly that extends past the exterior panel. A foot-step for accessing the cargo box is disposed within the fender.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dually pickup truck.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rear portion of the dually pickup truck shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a fender and foot-step according to one embodiment of this disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the dually pickup truck shown in FIG. 1 with various components removed for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.

Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle 20, such as a dual-wheeled pickup truck or dually pickup truck, includes a frame 22 for supporting a body 24. The body includes a cab 26 and a cargo box 28. A front axle 30 is attached to the frame 22 near a front portion 34 of the vehicle 20 and a rear axle 32 is attached to the frame near a rear portion 36 of the vehicle 20. The rear axle 32 includes a pair of dual-wheel assemblies 38 attached on opposing ends of the axle 32. Each dual-wheel assembly 38 includes a first wheel 40 and a second wheel 42.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the cargo box 28 includes a bed 44 spanning between a pair of opposing longitudinal sides 46. Each of the sides 46 includes an exterior surface 48 and an interior surface 50. A pair of fenders 52 are attached on opposite sides of the box 28. Each fender 52 is attached to the exterior surface 48 and projects outwardly therefrom. Each fender 52 is positioned over a portion of the dual-wheel assembly 38, and defines a wheel well 54 that at least partially covers a portion of the wheel assembly 38 that extends past the exterior surface 48. Each fender 52 includes a laterally extending portion 56 that extends transversely outward from the exterior surface 48. Each fender 52 also includes a substantially vertical outer portion 58 cooperating with the laterally extending portion 56 to define at least a portion of the wheel well 54. The outer portion 58 defines a wheel opening 60 that may include a decorative flaring around a periphery of the opening 60. The laterally extending portion 56 may include a leading surface or front panel 62, a trailing surface or rear panel 64, and a top 66 that all cooperate to form a continuous surface.

Dually pickup trucks are typically heavier duty and have tall ride heights which make it difficult for a person of average height to access contents within the cargo box 28. The vehicle 20 includes a foot-step 68 disposed within the fender 52 providing a person easier access to the cargo box. The foot-step 68 may be disposed in the laterally extending portion 56 of the fender 52. The fender 52 may include an opening 70 for receiving the step 68 therein. In some embodiments, the foot-step 68 is received in an opening 70 defined in the front panel 62. In other embodiments, the foot-step 68 is received in an opening 70 defined in the rear panel 64.

Each foot-step 68 may be attached directly to one of the fenders 52 and supported by the fenders. The fenders may be reinforced to support the load applied to the step 68. Alternatively, each foot-step 68 may be attached to the vehicle 20 by a foot-step assembly 72. Typically fenders are made of thin sheet metal or plastic and are not strong enough to support a person standing on the step 68. To prevent damage to the fenders 52 and vehicle 20, the assembly 72 transfers loads from the step 68 to the longitudinal sidewall 46 or other structural member. The assembly 72 may be designed to support a 300 pound static vertical load applied to the step 68.

The step assembly 72 includes brackets for connecting the step 68 with a structural member of the vehicle 20, such as the sidewall 46. The step assembly 72 may also include mounting hardware, such as bolts and/or screws for attaching the various foot-step assembly 72 components to each other and/or to other vehicle components.

The step assembly 72 may include a first bracket 74 and a second bracket 76. The first bracket 74 is in contact with the interior surface 50 of the longitudinal side 46. For example, the first bracket 74 may be a U-shaped bracket including a pair of flanges 78 attached to the interior surface 50, and a planar surface 80 extending between the flanges 78. The first bracket 74 reinforces the longitudinal side 46 to provide a mounting area for the second bracket 76. The second bracket 76 is in contact with the exterior surface 48 at a location adjacent to the first bracket 74. The longitudinal side 46 may include holes that allow the second bracket 76 to be bolted to the first bracket 74. The second bracket 76 extends transversely outward from the exterior surface 48 away from the vehicle 20. The foot-step 68 is attached to the second bracket 76 on a side of the second bracket 76 opposite the exterior surface 48. The second bracket 76 may be an L-shaped bracket including a first leg 82, a second leg 84, and side panels 86. The first leg 82 is in contact with the exterior surface 48 and the second leg 84 extends outwardly from the first leg 82 at a substantially 90° angle. The legs 82, 84 and the side panels 86 cooperate to define a cavity for receiving the step 68.

The step 68 may include a pair of vertical sidewalls 88, a top wall 90, a bottom wall 92, and a back wall 94 cooperating to define a foot receiving cavity 96. The bottom wall 92 includes a foot supporting surface 98 that may include grips or other non-slip feature. The back wall 94 may include holes for receiving mounting hardware to attach the step to one or both of the brackets 74, 76 and/or the longitudinal side 46. The step 68 may include a decorative outer cover 102 attached around a periphery of the foot receiving cavity 96. A portion of the cover 102 may be integrally formed with each of the walls 88, 90, 92 and include a flange 104 that extends outwardly from a corresponding wall. The flange 104 may be larger than the opening 70 to seat against an outer surface of the fender when the step 68 is installed. The cover 102 may include indicia, such as the word “STEP”, to inform a user of its function. Each step 68 may be made of plastic, metal, composite material, or a combination thereof.

The present disclosure is not limited to dually pickup trucks and can be used on other vehicles, which have single wheel assemblies. Some vehicles include a fender having a laterally extending portion large enough to fit a foot-step. For example, a conventional pickup truck may have an extended rear track that requires enlarged fenders. Some sport utility vehicles also include an extended rear track that requires enlarged fenders. These sport utility vehicles may include a roof rack or similar component that is difficult to reach by a person standing on the ground. A foot-step can be disposed in the enlarged fender providing easier access to the roof rack.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.