Telescoping Vehicle Step

Abstract

A telescoping vehicle step comprised of at least two slide beams and a step. The first slide beam is shaped to slide within a receiver, or a similarly shaped structure, mounted to the vehicle. The second slide beam is inserted into the first slide beam. A step is attached to the outermost slide beam. The slide beams and step form a telescoping vehicle step which can be used to facilitate entry into the cargo bed of a vehicle. During use, the beams form a telescopic extension member which positions the step beyond the outer perimeter of the vehicle. When not being used, the beams form a collapsed configuration which holds the step near the opening of the receiver.

1 . A telescoping vehicle step for insertion into a beam receiver, said receiver being attached to a vehicle and said receiver having a polygonal opening and a pair of aligned openings for receiving the locking bosses of a lock, said telescoping vehicle step comprising:
 (a) a hollow polygonal first slide beam having a longitudinally aligned slot on one of its faces and a pair of longitudinally aligned channels shaped and positioned along two other opposing faces of said first slide beam such that the locking bosses of a lock inserted into the aligned openings of the receiver protrude into the channels for limiting the slide displacement of the first slide beam within the receiver, said hollow polygonal first slide beam being shaped and sized to slide within, but not rotate within, the receiver;   (b) a hollow polygonal second slide beam having a longitudinally aligned slot on one of its faces and a limit pin opening positioned between said slot and an end of said second slide beam, said hollow polygonal second slide beam being shaped and sized to slide within, but not rotate within, the first slide beam, said second slide beam being inserted into the first slide beam such that the slots of the first slide beam and of the second slide beam overlap and such that the end of the second slide beam having the limit pin opening is inserted into the first slide beam;   (c) a limit pin inserted through the slot of the first slide beam and the limit pin opening of the second slide beam for preventing the second slide beam from being withdrawn from the first slide beam, said limit pin having sufficient length to protrude from the limit pin opening of the second slide beam when the limit pin is inserted into the limit pin opening of the second slide beam; and   (d) a step attached to the second slide beam.   
   
   
       2 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 1 , further comprising a step lock attached to the assembly of the step and its attached slide beam for retaining the step and slide beams in a collapsed configuration. 
   
   
       3 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 1 , further comprising a lock having two aligned spaced apart locking bosses wherein the locking bosses protrude through the aligned openings of the receiver and into the aligned channels of the first slide beam to slidingly retain the first slide beam within the receiver. 
   
   
       4 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 1 , wherein the polygonal opening of the receiver and the polygonal slide beams are square. 
   
   
       5 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcing collar surrounding one end of one or more of the beams. 
   
   
       6 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more vehicle taillights attached to the step. 
   
   
       7 . A telescoping vehicle step for insertion into a beam receiver, said receiver being attached to a vehicle and said receiver having a polygonal opening and a pair of aligned openings for receiving the locking bosses of a lock, said telescoping vehicle step comprising:
 (a) a hollow polygonal first slide beam having a longitudinally aligned slot on one of its faces and a pair of longitudinally aligned channels shaped and positioned along two other opposing faces of said first slide beam such that the locking bosses of a lock inserted into the aligned openings of the receiver protrude into the channels for limiting the slide displacement of the first slide beam within the receiver, said hollow polygonal first slide beam being shaped and sized to slide within, but not rotate within, the receiver;   (b) a hollow polygonal second slide beam having a longitudinally aligned slot on one of its faces and a limit pin opening positioned between said slot and an end of said second slide beam, said hollow polygonal second slide beam being shaped and sized to slide within, but not rotate within, the first slide beam, said second slide beam being inserted into the first slide beam such that the slots of the first slide beam and of the second slide beam overlap and such that the end of the second slide beam having the limit pin opening is inserted into the first slide beam;   (c) a first limit pin inserted through the slot of the first slide beam and the limit pin opening of the second slide beam for preventing the second slide beam from being withdrawn from the first slide beam, said first limit pin having sufficient length to protrude from the limit pin opening of the second slide beam when the first limit pin is inserted into the limit pin opening of the second slide beam;   (d) a polygonal third slide beam having a limit pin opening on one of its faces proximal to an end of said third slide beam, said polygonal third slide beam being shaped and sized to slide within, but not rotate within, the second slide beam, said third slide beam being inserted into the second slide beam such that the end of the third slide beam having the limit pin opening is inserted into the second slide beam and such that the slot of the second slide beam overlaps the limit pin opening of the third slide beam;   (e) a second limit pin inserted through the slot of the second slide beam and the limit pin opening of the third slide beam for preventing the third slide beam from being withdrawn from the second slide beam, said second limit pin having sufficient length to protrude from the limit pin opening of the third slide beam when the second limit pin is inserted into the limit pin opening of the third slide beam; and   (f) a step attached to the third slide beam.   
   
   
       8 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 7 , further comprising a step lock attached to the assembly of the step and its attached slide beam for retaining the step and slide beams in a collapsed configuration. 
   
   
       9 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 7 , further comprising a lock having two aligned spaced apart locking bosses wherein the locking bosses protrude through the aligned openings of the receiver and into the aligned channels of the first slide beam to slidingly retain the first slide beam within the receiver. 
   
   
       10 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 7 , wherein the polygonal opening of the receiver and the polygonal slide beams are square. 
   
   
       11 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 7 , further comprising a reinforcing collar surrounding one end of one or more of the beams. 
   
   
       12 . The telescoping vehicle step of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more vehicle taillights attached to the step.