Rear impact guard for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10071700-B1
Application number	US-201715457383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2017
Priority date	Mar 13, 2017
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle includes a frame and a bumper pivotally connected to the frame. A step is attached to the bumper so that the step is pivotal between a storage position and a step position. An actuator is mounted to the frame and coupled to the bumper, and is operable to pivot the bumper relative to the frame between a substantially vertical position and an angled position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rear impact guard for a vehicle comprising:
a bumper including side members connected to the vehicle and extending downwardly therefrom and a bottom member extending between the side members, wherein the bumper is pivotally attached to the vehicle and is pivotal between a substantially vertical position and angled position in which the bumper is folded under the vehicle; and
a step including a step surface and pivotally attached between the side members so that the step is movable between a storage position and a step position in which the step surface is substantially parallel to the ground.

2. The rear impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the step surface is substantially parallel to the side members when in the storage position.

3. The rear impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the bumper further includes a bracket attached to one of the side members and engageable with the step to prevent pivoting of the step beyond the step position.

4. The rear impact guard of claim 3 , wherein bracket is L-shaped and includes a side plate attached to one of the side members and a back plate engageable with a surface of the step.

5. The rear impact guard of claim 4 , wherein the surface is substantially perpendicular to the step surface.

6. The rear impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the step further includes a side panel pivotally attached to one of the side members by a pin.

7. The rear impact guard of claim 1 further comprising:
a spring engaging between the bumper and the step and configured to urge the step to the step position.

8. The rear impact guard of claim 1 further comprising:
a second step including a second step surface and pivotally attached between the side members so that the second step is movable between a storage position and a step position in which the step surface is substantially parallel to the ground.

9. The rear impact guard of claim 8 , wherein the second step surface is wider than the step surface.

10. The rear impact guard of claim 1 further comprising:
an actuator mounted to the vehicle and coupled to the bumper, and operable to pivot the bumper between the substantially vertical position and the angled position.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a bumper pivotally connected to the frame;
a step attached to the bumper so that the step is pivotal between a storage position and a step position; and
an actuator mounted to the frame and coupled to the bumper, and operable to pivot the bumper relative to the frame between a substantially vertical position and an angled position.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the actuator is configured to absorb impact energy during a collision allowing the bumper to pivot towards the angled position.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the actuator further includes a cylinder body mounted to the frame and a slidable rod connected to the bumper.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the actuator is configured to absorb impact energy during a collision by receiving the rod into the cylinder body allowing the bumper to pivot towards the angled position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ghannam Mahmoud Yousef
• Carremm Swadad A
• Bennie Clara

Classifications

• B60R19/48 Primary

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• B60R19/56

  {Fittings damping bouncing force in truck collisions, e.g. bumpers;} Arrangements on high-riding vehicles, e.g. lorries, for preventing vehicles or objects from running thereunder · CPC title

• B60R3/02

  Retractable steps {or ladders, e.g. movable under shock (B60R3/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title