LADDERS, LADDER COMPONENTS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20090229918A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Little Giant Ladder Systems LLC (Wing Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wing Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Crawford, Ryan, Moss, N. Ryan, Emmel, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,186,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 182/129
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/18 with supporting struts formed as ladders E06C1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/22 with extensible, e.g. telescopic, ladder parts or struts
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/04 Hand-operated extending means carried by the ladder
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/14 Holders for pails or other equipment on or for ladders
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/16 Platforms on, or for use on, ladders, e.g. liftable or lowerable platforms aspects relating to the lifting B66F
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/50 Joints or other connecting parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/105 locking in discrete positions, e.g. in extreme extended position
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Ladders, ladder components and related methods are provided. In some embodiments, adjustable stepladders are provided which include locking mechanisms that enable height adjustment of the ladder through application of a force towards the rails of the ladder. In other embodiments, spreader mechanisms are provided with cross bracing located and configured to provide additional stability to the ladder while also incorporating a handle that enables efficient collapsing of the ladder while reducing the potential of pinching ones hands or fingers. In another embodiment, a device is provided for selective coupling with the ladder that includes a support or safety rail and an adjustable tray. The device may be coupled with the ladder in a number of different positions including a stowed position. In another embodiment, a hinge assembly is provided having a magnetic component configured to be magnetically coupled with and temporarily store an object on the ladder.

Claims

1. A ladder comprising:

a first assembly having a pair of inner rails and a pair of outer rails coupled to, the pair of inner rails being slidably coupled with the pair of outer rails; and

at least one locking mechanism coupled to an outer rail, the at least one locking mechanism including a lever and an engagement pin coupled therewith, the lever being located and configured to pivot relative to the outer rail such that, upon application of a force to a portion of the lever in a first direction towards the outer rail, the engagement pin is displaced in a direction that is different from the first direction.

2. The ladder of claim 1, wherein the engagement pin is pivotally coupled with the lever.

3. The ladder of claim 1, wherein the lever includes a slot formed therein, and wherein the engagement pin is coupled with the lever by way of a coupling pin extending through the slot and at least partially through the engagement pin.

4. The ladder of claim 1, further comprising at least one rung coupled between the pair of inner rails and at least one rung coupled between the pair of outer rails.

5. The ladder of claim 1, wherein the lever is configured to be selectively positioned between a first position, wherein the engagement pin engages an opening in an associated inner rail, and a second position, wherein the engagement pin is retracted from the opening of the associated inner rail.

6. The ladder of claim 5, further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the lever towards the first position.

7. The ladder of claim 6, further comprising a mechanism configured to maintain the lever in the second position until application of a predetermined force to a portion of the lever.

8. The ladder of claim 1, wherein the at least one locking mechanism includes a first locking mechanism associated with a first outer rail of the pair of outer rails and a second locking mechanism associated with a second outer rail of the pair of outer rails.

9. The ladder of claim 1, further comprising:

a top cap coupled with the first assembly; and

a second assembly coupled with the top cap having a pair of outer rails and a pair of inner rails slidably coupled with the pair of outer rails, wherein at least one of the first assembly and the second assembly is pivotably coupled with the top cap.

10. A ladder comprising:

a first rail assembly including at least one pair of rails and a plurality of rungs coupled therewith;

a second rail assembly including at least one pair of rails;

a top cap coupled to the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly; and

a device configured to be selectively coupled to the top cap in at least two different positions, the device including a rail and a tray movably coupled to the rail.

11. The ladder of claim 10, further comprising at least one bracket coupled to the second rail assembly and configured to be selectively coupled with the device to place the device in a stowed state.

12. The ladder of claim 10, wherein the at least two different positions include a first position wherein the rail extends from the top cap in a substantially horizontal direction when the ladder is in an orientation for intended use.

13. The ladder of claim 12, wherein the at least two different positions include a second position wherein the rail extends from the top cap in a direction that is at an acute angle relative to the first position.

14. The ladder of claim 13, wherein the direction of the rail when in the second position lies in a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane defined by the at least one pair of rails of the first rail assembly.

15. The ladder of claim 10, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock the device in at least one position of the at least two different positions.

16. The ladder of claim 10, wherein the tray is configured to be selectively positioned in at least a first position, wherein the tray lies in a substantially common plane with the rail, and a second position wherein the tray extends at an acute angle relative to the rail.

17. A ladder comprising;

a first rail assembly including at least one pair of rails and a plurality of rungs coupled therewith;

a second rail assembly including a first pair of rails and a second pair of rails slidably coupled with the first pair of rails; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively engage the first pair of rails and the second pair of rails of the second rail assembly to lock the first pair of rails relative to the second pair of rails, the locking mechanism comprising;

a pivoting structure disposed between the first pair of rails of the second rail assembly;

a handle coupled with the pivoting structure;

a pair of pins selectively displaceable and configured to engage aligned openings in respective inner and outer rails of the second rail assembly.

18. The ladder assembly of claim 17, wherein the locking mechanism is associated with a cross-brace, and wherein the handle is selectively positionable between a first position and a second position, the handle having a shoulder portion that abuts an undersurface of the cross-brace when in the first position.

19. The ladder assembly of claim 18, further comprising at least one pin on the handle, the at least one pin being sized, located and configured to engage an opening in the undersurface of the cross-brace when the handle is in the first position.

20. A ladder comprising:

a first rail assembly including at least one pair of rails and a plurality of rungs coupled therewith;

a second rail assembly including at least one pair of rails;

a spreader mechanism disposed between and coupled with the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly, the spreader mechanism including cross bracing configured to be selectively positioned between a deployed state and a hingedly collapsed state; and

at least one handle coupled with the cross bracing.

21. The ladder of claim 20, wherein the at least one handle is oriented and configured to extend in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a direction in which the plurality of rungs each extend.

22. A hinge assembly comprising:

a first hinge component and a second hinge component pivotally coupled with one another;

a mechanism configured to selectively lock and disengage the first hinge component relative to the second hinge component; and

a magnet associated with the mechanism, the magnet being located and configured to exert a sufficient magnetic force on a specified object such that the object is held against the mechanism without aid of additional structure.

23. A method of adjusting a ladder, the ladder having an assembly with inner rails slidably coupled with outer rails, the method comprising:

locking an inner rail relative to an associate outer rail by engaging aligned apertures in the inner and outer rails with an engagement pin;

coupling a lever to the engagement pin; and

applying a force to the lever in a direction of the outer rail and displacing the engagement pin in substantially opposite direction.

24. A method of temporarily storing an object on a ladder, the method comprising:

magnetically coupling the object with a portion of the ladder such that the object is maintained in a substantially constant position relative to the ladder without the aid of additional structure.