Abstract: A motorized rack and pinion assembly for use in a motor vehicle in association with a running board or step assist beam comprising a housing and a motor mounted to the housing. A drivetrain is disposed within the housing and is driven by the motor. A driveshaft is engaged with the drivetrain and extends out from the housing. At least two pinions are fixed to the driveshaft. The motorized rack and pinion assembly further includes at least two extending members having a rack bar fixed thereon. The pinions of the driveshaft are meshingly engaged with the rack bar of the extending member. The motor drives the drivetrain, the drivetrain rotates the driveshaft and therefore the pinions, and the pinions engage the rack bars thereby moving the extending member between the retracted position and the extended position.

Abstract: A motorized rack and pinion assembly for use in a motor vehicle is provided having a housing and a motor mounted to the housing. A drivetrain is disposed within the housing and is driven by the motor. A driveshaft is engaged with the drivetrain and extends out from the housing. A pinion is fixed to an end of the driveshaft. The motorized rack and pinion assembly further includes an extending member having a rack bar fixed thereon. The pinion of the driveshaft is meshingly engaged with the rack bar of the extending member. The motor drives the drivetrain, the drivetrain rotates the driveshaft and therefore the pinion, and the pinion engages the rack bar thereby moving the extending member between the retracted position and the extended position.

Abstract: A running board assembly is designed such that it does not adversely effect the triggering properties of a side-impact airbag system. In a first embodiment, upon incurring an impact, the running board moves to a position inward of the side of the vehicle at a controlled collapsing load. The controlled collapsing load does not adversely effect the trigger point at which a side-impact airbag system must not deploy nor does it adversely effect the trigger point at which a side-impact airbag system must deploy. In a second embodiment, the structure of the running board assembly is designed to transfer a side-impact load directly to the vehicle's side-impact airbag system.