US 12,280,742 B2
Retractable power step remote drive
Bradley E. Watson, Barrie (CA)
Assigned to MAGNA EXTERIORS, INC., Concord (CA)
Filed by Magna Exteriors Inc., Aurora (CA)
Filed on Jan. 31, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/428,444.
Application 18/428,444 is a division of application No. 17/426,396, granted, now 11,919,481, previously published as PCT/IB2020/000260, filed on Apr. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/831,497, filed on Apr. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0166134 A1, May 23, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 3/02 (2013.01) 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A foldable step assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a base connectable to a vehicle;
a linkage connected to the base, the linkage is further connected to a step that is moved by the linkage between a deployed position to a stowed position;
a motor having an output shaft positioned at a spatial distance from the base of the linkage;
a drive mechanism connected between the motor and the linkage for transferring force across the spatial distance from the output shaft to the linkage for articulating the linkage and the step between an extended position and retracted position;
a transmission connected to the base, the transmission includes a worm gear drivingly engaged to the linkage, wherein the drive mechanism includes a cable casing with a flex shaft core slidable in the cable casing, wherein the cable casing connects to both the output shaft of the motor and the worm gear and rotation of the flex shaft core rotates the worm gear
a lug formed on the end of the cable core located in the transmission;
a trunnion connected to the lug; and
a link connected to the trunnion and the drive link, wherein the lug, trunnion and link are slidable in a bore of the transmission and more the drive link to rotate the drive shaft.