Patents by Inventor Don Bundy

Don Bundy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11046252
    Abstract: A vehicle side or step rail includes a longitudinal extending vehicle side rail having a vehicle frame-facing side arranged to mount to the frame of a motor vehicle and an outward-facing side to which a leading end of one or more steps is connected to the rail but the trailing end is not. The connection may be in the form of a brace. Depending on where the vehicle mounting points are located relative to the leading end of the step, one or more additional braces can be added. Regardless of whether additional braces are used, the trailing end of the step is not braced or connected to the rail and always extends past the brace. The step surface of the step is always spaced apart from the rail, leaving a gap between it and the outward-facing side of the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens
  • Patent number: 10703314
    Abstract: Embodiments of a motor vehicle bumper step include a housing connectable to a bottommost end of a rear bumper. The uppermost end of the housing may include a planar plate containing a curved perimeter portion and, above the planar plate, a bracket including mounting holes. A recessed portion of the housing defines an opening at least partly along two different sides of the housing, with a bottom end of the recessed portion containing a planar step surface having a curved outward-facing perimeter. A first and a second facia portion each located on a different side of the housing are spaced apart from one another by the recess. The facia portions extend downward from the uppermost end of the housing and connect to a respective side of the planar step. The housing may match the bumper profile and not extend past the bumper in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens
  • Patent number: 10486602
    Abstract: A vehicle side or step rail includes a longitudinal extending vehicle side rail having a vehicle frame-facing side arranged to mount to the frame of a motor vehicle and an outward-facing side to which a leading end of one or more steps is connected to the rail but the trailing end is not. The connection may be in the form of a brace. Depending on where the vehicle mounting points are located relative to the leading end of the step, one or more additional braces can be added. Regardless of whether additional braces are used, the trailing end of the step is not braced or connected to the rail and always extends past the brace. The step surface of the step is always spaced apart from the rail, leaving a gap between it and the outward-facing side of the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens
  • Patent number: 10442381
    Abstract: Embodiments of a motor vehicle bumper step include a step housing connectable to a bottommost end of a rear bumper. The uppermost end of the housing may include a planar plate containing a curved perimeter portion and, above the planar plate, a bracket including mounting holes. A recessed portion of the housing defines an opening at least partly along two different sides of the housing, with a bottom end of the recessed portion containing a planar step having a curved outward-facing perimeter. A first and a second facia portion each located on a different side of the housing are spaced apart from one another by the recess. The facia portions extend downward from the uppermost end of the step housing and connect to a respective side of the planar step. The step housing may match the bumper profile and not extend past the bumper in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens
  • Patent number: 7909344
    Abstract: An adjustable vehicle step that attaches to the vehicle's frame or body via a downward facing c-channel that extends longitudinally along the lower edge of the side of the vehicle. One or more step assemblies can be attached to the c-channel so that the step assemblies extend outward and downward from under the vehicle. The step assemblies are attachable along the length of the c-channel, making the step assemblies adjustable longitudinally relative to the vehicle so that they can be positioned below the doors of the vehicle. The supporting c-channel is hidden from view by a decorative side bar that attaches to the exposed side of the c-channel making the step assemblies appear to be supported by the decorative side bar. The step assemblies used with the step can be made of various lengths and heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc
    Inventor: Troy Don Bundy
  • Patent number: 5997227
    Abstract: A bed rail mount for securing a cylindrical bed rail to stake holes on a bed of a pickup truck. The bed rail mount has a protruding snout that inserts into one end of a bed rail. The bed rail mount secures to the stake hole by way of a movable locking bracket that engages one side of the stake hole and a rearwardly sloped tongue provided on the bed rail mount that engages an opposite side of the stake hole. The locking bracket is engaged by a screw after the screw extends through a horizontal opening in the hollow body of the bed rail mount. Tightening the screw moves the locking bracket away from the tongue. The locking bracket is provided on two opposite sides with horizontally extending lips which lock under the stake holes of various types of pickups to secure the bed rail mount thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Mid America Automotive, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Bundy
  • Patent number: 5904458
    Abstract: A bed rail mount consisting of a curved tube. The tube is provided with a female end for receiving one end of a cylindrical bed rail and provided with an opposite end that secures to a mounting plate. The mounting plate has gouged openings and ears which allow the mounting plate to be welded to an inside wall of the tube by welding the ears to the inside wall through the gouged openings. A flange nut is secured on a top side of the mounting plate so that it surrounds a central opening provided in the mounting plate. One end of a bolt extends through the central opening and engages the flange nut while an opposite end extends through a center opening in a wear plate, through a hole drilled in the vehicle, through a washer and engages a nut that secures the mount to the vehicle. An upwardly extending perimeter lip provided on the wear plate conceals the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Mid America Automotive Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Bundy
  • Patent number: 5897125
    Abstract: A truck step securable to a vehicle via a mounting bracket an having a step arm capable of swiveling between a "storage" position underneath the vehicle and an "in use" position where the step arm extends outward from under the vehicle. A distal end of the step arm is provided with a step plate where a user's foot may be placed when stepping into the vehicle, and a proximal end of the step arm is provided with a lower swivel plate which swivels relative to an upper swivel plate provided on the mounting bracket. The lower and upper swivel plates have mating valleys and ridges to lock the step in one of several positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Mid America Automotive Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Bundy
  • Patent number: 5501475
    Abstract: A combination stainless and mild steel step having universal brackets and adjustable support rods for mounting the step onto a pickup truck. The step is provided with a mild steel plate having a back edge to which an upwardly projecting stainless steel backplate is welded and also having a front and two side edges to which a downwardly projecting stainless steel perimeter lip is welded. L-shaped support braces and attachment members are welded to a bottom surface of the step as a means for attaching the step to the pickup via, respectively, the universal brackets and adjustable support rods. The top plate and all of the welds are concealed by a plastic cap which secures to a top surface of the plate and which may be provided with traction grids to provide non-slip footing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Mid-America Automotive, Inc.
    Inventor: Don Bundy
  • Patent number: 5139296
    Abstract: The invention is a vehicle bumper constructed by attaching a horizontal top plate and an essentially horizontal base plate both made of mild steel or other similar material to the top and bottom, respectively, of a vertical stainless steel plate which has been formed into the shape of a bumper. The top plate and where the top plate is attached to the stainless steel plate are covered by a plastic cap which secures to the top plate. The bottom plate and where the bottom plate is attached to the stainless steel plate are covered by a plastic base plate cover which secures to both the bottom plate and the stainless steel plate. The stainless steel plate is provided with holes for securing a license plate and license plate lights thereto. The bottom plate is provided with holes for securing hitches to the bumper and holes for securing the bumper to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Inventor: Don Bundy
  • Patent number: D844522
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens
  • Patent number: D846470
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens
  • Patent number: D855519
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Iron Cross Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy D. Bundy, Don Bundy, Eric Long, Cole Stevens