A folding staircase for use in a door opening having a threshold. The folding staircase has a pair of stringers that have an upper end and a lower end that is adapted for contacting a ground surface. The stringers are spanned by at least one tread. A hinge is connected to a floor near the door opening and a threshold plate pivotally connected thereto is movable between a use position and a stowed position. The staircase may be provided with a lifting mechanism that biases the staircase and threshold plate toward their stowed positions. The lifting device provides a variable force that provides more rotational force when the staircase would require a user to bear more of its weight and less force when less of the weight of the staircase would be borne by a user.

A compact deployable/retractable running board assembly for a motor vehicle including a running board, linkage coupled to the running board, and a motor assembly coupled to an actuator, the running board moveable between at least one stowed position and at least one deployed position. The linkage includes a drive arm connected to a pivot shaft within a housing at a location on the pivot shaft between two bushings that are coupled to the pivot shaft within the housing. The linkage also includes an idler arm connected to a pivot shaft within an idler housing. The actuator is operably coupled to the linkage to cause rotation of the linkage to move the running board between the at least one stowed position generally under the motor vehicle and at least one deployed position to provide a step surface for a user.

Running board assembly for a motor vehicle having a passenger cab and a box. The running board assembly includes a linear actuator assembly partly disposed within a housing assembly, a running board operably coupled to the linear actuator assembly and movable relative to the housing assembly between a stowed position tucked underneath the vehicle, a cab entry position generally outwardly from the vehicle to support a user entering or exiting the passenger cab, and a box side step disposed generally outwardly from the vehicle and rearward of the cab entry position to provide a user with side access to the box, and a motor operably coupled to the linear actuator assembly for driving the linear actuator assembly in opposing first and second directions. The linear actuator assembly converts rotary input to linear motion to cause a drive arm having a linkage assembly to move the running board between the positions.

A passenger rail vehicle includes at least one linearly movable step platform which is disposed in a boarding region of the rail vehicle and is used to bridge a gap in the horizontal direction between the boarding region of the rail vehicle and a station platform. The step platform includes a front section which forms part of a step surface of the step platform. The front section is mounted about a horizontal axis so that it can pivot on the step platform to form a ramp between a remaining step surface of the step platform and the station platform.

A passenger rail vehicle includes at least one linearly movable step platform which is disposed in a boarding region of the rail vehicle and is used to bridge a gap in the horizontal direction between the boarding region of the rail vehicle and a station platform. The step platform includes a front section which forms part of a step surface of the step platform. The front section is mounted about a horizontal axis so that it can pivot on the step platform to form a ramp between a remaining step surface of the step platform and the station platform.

Running board assembly for a motor vehicle having a passenger cab and a box. The running board assembly includes a linear actuator assembly partly disposed within a housing assembly, a running board operably coupled to the linear actuator assembly and movable relative to the housing assembly between a stowed position tucked underneath the vehicle, a cab entry position generally outwardly from the vehicle to support a user entering or exiting the passenger cab, and a box side step disposed generally outwardly from the vehicle and rearward of the cab entry position to provide a user with side access to the box, and a motor operably coupled to the linear actuator assembly for driving the linear actuator assembly in opposing first and second directions. The linear actuator assembly converts rotary input to linear motion to cause a drive arm having a linkage assembly to move the running board between the positions.

An access system for a vehicle includes a step plate and an ejection unit effectively connected with the step plate, wherein the step plate is displaced along a displacement axis.

The system has a shutdown unit permanently fastened to the vehicle, with a sickle-shaped, rotatable lever, rotatable from an operating position into a shutdown position and back again, a locking bolt arranged on the step plate, which is then reached behind by the lever and, by further rotating the lever along the displacement axis while performing a displacement movement, moved from an extended position toward a retracted position.

The lever is in the shutdown position if the step plate has been completely retracted into the step plate arrangement, whereby the step plate is positively secured against a displacement in the extension direction of the step plate by the lever, which is manually rotated via an outwardly accessible contact area.

A vehicle, in particular a passenger rail vehicle, has at least one door. In the area of the door, the vehicle has a sealing web which is arranged on a floor of the vehicle and can be moved at least between a sealing state and an open state, such that, in the sealing state, the sealing web projects out of the floor and forms a sealing surface for sealing off the closed door with respect to the interior of the vehicle, and that, in the open state, the sealing web is recessed in the floor.

A vehicle, in particular a passenger rail vehicle, has at least one door. In the area of the door, the vehicle has a sealing web which is arranged on a floor of the vehicle and can be moved at least between a sealing state and an open state, such that, in the sealing state, the sealing web projects out of the floor and forms a sealing surface for sealing off the closed door with respect to the interior of the vehicle, and that, in the open state, the sealing web is recessed in the floor.

A vehicle access system includes a step plate extendible in an ejection unit with a walk-on upper side and bottom side facing a subsurface in the extended state, and in which is aligned horizontally in a sliding step position and inclined to the horizontal in a ramp position; a sensor configured whereby an area in front of the access system is measured in terms of relative position to the step plate and measurement data is generated, based upon which the step plate is moved into sliding step or ramp positions; and an overrun protection element on the bottom side and swivel-mounted with a front surface arranged at its free end at the front in the extension direction and vertically arranged in the swiveled out position and with a floor surface facing away from, and parallel to the main extension plane of the bottom side in the swiveled out position.