US 12,358,431 B2
Stowable vehicle ladder
Travis D Bechtel, Goodrich, MI (US); Richard T Stuedemann, Ortonville, MI (US); and Stacey L Berger, Lapeer, MI (US)
Assigned to FCA US LLC, Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed by FCA US LLC, Auburn Hills, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/162,753.
Prior Publication US 2024/0253570 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. B60R 3/02 (2006.01); B60R 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 3/02 (2013.01) [B60R 3/005 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A stowable ladder for a vehicle, comprising:
a base having an upper surface and a mount adapted to be coupled to a vehicle and defining an axis of rotation of the base, wherein the axis of rotation of the base is perpendicular to the upper surface of the base and the base rotates about the axis of rotation between an extended position and a retracted position;
a support coupled to the base at a first pivot;
at least one step coupled to the support, the support being movable about the first pivot between a folded position and an unfolded position, wherein the axis of rotation of the support about the first pivot is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the base and the at least one step is farther from the base when the support is in the unfolded position than when the support is in the folded position; and
a retainer having a first position in which the retainer overlaps one or both of the base and the support in a path of rotation of the base to prevent rotation of the base from the retracted position to the extended position, and the retainer has a second position in which the retainer does not overlap either the base or the support in the path of rotation of the base so that the base is rotatable from the retracted position to the extended position.