Anti-slip step for a motor vehicle and a method of forming the same

Abstract

An anti-slip step for a motor vehicle is provided. The step includes a tread plate with a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of grip structures extend upwardly from the top surface of the tread plate and a plurality of drain structures extend downwardly from the bottom surface of the metal plate. Each of the grip structures and the drain structures at least partially defines a hole extending through the tread plate. Each of the grip structures includes a base, having a continuous, curved side wall that is joined to the tread plate, and a plurality of spaced-apart tabs joined to the base and extending upwardly therefrom. Each of the drain structures includes a plurality of spaced-apart tabs joined to the tread plate.

1 . An anti-slip step comprising: 
 (a) a tread plate with a top surface and a bottom surface;    (b) a plurality of grip structures extending upwardly from the top surface of the tread plate, each of said grip structures at least partially defining a hole extending through the tread plate and each of said grip structures comprising: 
 a base having a continuous, curved side wall that is joined to the tread plate; and  
 a plurality of spaced-apart tabs joined to the base and extending upwardly therefrom; and  
   (c) a plurality of drain structures extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the tread plate, each of said drain structures at least partially defining a drain hole extending through the tread plate.    
   
   
       2 . The anti-slip step of  claim 1 , wherein each drain structure comprises a plurality of spaced-apart tabs.  
   
   
       3 . The anti-slip step of  claim 2 , wherein the tabs of the drain structures are joined to the tread plate.  
   
   
       4 . The anti-slip step of  claim 2 , wherein the tabs of the drain structures each have a substantially angular shape.  
   
   
       5 . The anti-slip step of  claim 1 , wherein the tabs of the grip structures each have a substantially angular shape.  
   
   
       6 . The anti-slip step of  claim 1 , wherein the grip structures are arranged in at least two rows and the drain structures are arranged in at least one row, and wherein the at least one row of the drain structures is disposed between the at least two rows of the grip structures.  
   
   
       7 . The anti-slip step of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one row of the drain structures and the at least two rows of the grip structures are all parallel to each other.  
   
   
       8 . The anti-slip step of  claim 1 , wherein in each of the grip structures, the base has a plurality of top ends disposed between the tabs and the tabs have a plurality of top ends, and wherein the top ends of the tabs have substantially the same length as the top ends of the base.  
   
   
       9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . An anti-slip step comprising: 
 (a) a tread plate with a top surface and a bottom surface:    (b) a plurality of grip structures extending upwardly from the top surface of the tread plate, each of said grip structures at least partially defining a hole extending through the tread plate and each of said grip structures comprising: 
 a base having a continuous, frusto-conical side wall that is joined to the tread plate; and  
 a plurality of spaced-apart tabs joined to the base and extending upwardly therefrom; and  
   (c) a plurality of drain structures extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the tread plate each of said drain structures at least Partially defining a drain hole extending through the tread plate.    
   
   
       11 . The anti-slip step of  claim 10 , wherein the tread plate is composed of a metal.  
   
   
       12 . An anti-slip step comprising: 
 (a) a tread plate with a top surface and a bottom surface;    (b) a plurality of grip structures extending upwardly from the top surface of the tread plate, each of said grip structures having a height (H) and at least partially defining a hole extending through the tread plate, each of said grip structures comprising: 
 a base having a continuous side wall joined to the tread plate so as to form a radius of curvature (RC) between the base and the top surface of the tread plate, wherein the ratio of the radius of curvature (RC) to the height (H) of the grip structure is greater than 0.5; and  
 a plurality of spaced-apart tabs joined to the base and extending upwardly therefrom; and  
   (c) a plurality of drain structures extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the tread plate, each of said drain structures at least partially defining a drain hole extending through the tread plate.    
   
   
       13 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . The anti-slip step of  claim 12 , wherein the holes of the tread plate each have a diameter (D), and wherein in each of the grip structures, the ratio of the height (H) of the grip structure to the diameter (D) of the hole is less than 0.75.  
   
   
       16 . The anti-slip step of  claim 15 , wherein in each of the grip structures, the ratio of the height (H) of the grip structure to the diameter (D) of the hole is less than 0.5.  
   
   
       17 . The anti-slip step of  claim 12 , wherein in each of the grip structures, the base has a plurality of top ends disposed between the tabs and the tabs have a plurality of top ends, and wherein the top ends of the tabs have substantially the same length as the top ends of the base.  
   
   
       18 - 22 . (canceled)