US 12,017,614 B2
Vehicle, running board assembly and drive assembly for running board
Xinfa Du, Hangzhou (CN); Qi Zhang, Hangzhou (CN); and Songfeng Wang, Hangzhou (CN)
Assigned to T-MAX (HANGZHOU) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., (CN)
Filed by T-MAX (HANGZHOU) TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., Hangzhou (CN)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/168,546.
Application 18/168,546 is a continuation of application No. 17/658,991, filed on Apr. 12, 2022, granted, now 11,577,654.
Application 17/658,991 is a continuation of application No. 17/218,054, filed on Mar. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,318,889, issued on May 3, 2022.
Application 17/218,054 is a continuation of application No. 16/826,083, filed on Mar. 20, 2020, granted, now 11,292,390, issued on Apr. 5, 2022.
Application 16/826,083 is a continuation of application No. 16/510,775, filed on Jul. 12, 2019, granted, now 10,682,960, issued on Jun. 16, 2020.
Application 16/510,775 is a continuation of application No. 16/199,517, filed on Nov. 26, 2018, granted, now 10,384,614, issued on Aug. 20, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 201810805743.4 (CN), filed on Jul. 20, 2018; and application No. 201821161957.4 (CN), filed on Jul. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0202396 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. B60R 3/02 (2006.01); B60R 3/00 (2006.01); B62D 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 3/02 (2013.01) [B60R 3/002 (2013.01); B62D 21/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drive assembly for a vehicle running board, comprising:
a mounting base attachable to a vehicle;
a running board holder configured to attach to a running board step at a first end of the running board holder and comprising a hinge linking portion disposed on a second end of the running board holder opposite the first end;
a first connecting portion rotatably connected with the mounting base and with the running board holder, the first connecting portion comprising a first link rod rotatably coupled to the running board holder, and a third link rod rotatably coupled to the first link rod and to the mounting base, wherein the first link rod includes two hinge portions disposed at a first end of the first link rod and spaced apart to rotatably couple to the hinge linking portion on opposing sides of the hinge linking portion to form a first joint between the first connecting portion and the running board holder, and wherein the third link rod is rotatably coupled to a second end of the first link rod at a third joint;
a second connecting portion rotatably connected with the mounting base and with the running board holder, the second connecting portion comprising a second link rod, wherein the second link rod includes two hinge portions disposed at a first end of the second link rod and spaced apart to rotatably couple to the hinge linking portion on the opposing sides of the hinge linking portion to form a second joint between the second connecting portion and the running board holder;
a support portion rotatably connected to the first connecting portion and to the second connecting portion; and
a driving part connected with the first connecting portion or with the second connecting portion to drive the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion, respectively, to rotate with respect to the mounting base,
wherein the mounting base, the first connecting portion, the second connecting portion and the running board holder constitute a linkage to make the running board holder movable between an extended position and a retracted position,
wherein the support portion comprises a fourth link rod rotatably connected to the first connecting portion at the third joint and to the second connecting portion.