LADDERS, LADDER COMPONENTS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20120211305A1
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Little Giant Ladder Systems LLC (Wing Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wing Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Moss, N. Ryan, Peterson, Sean, Russell, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,016,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 182/106
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/22 with extensible, e.g. telescopic, ladder parts or struts
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/39 Ladders having platforms; Ladders changeable into platforms platforms for use on ladders E06C7/16
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/397 characterised by having wheels, rollers, or runners
• 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 7/182 situated at the top of the ladder
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/42 Ladder feet; Supports therefor for scaffold elements E04G5/02
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/46 Non-skid equipment
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/50 Joints or other connecting parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

Ladders, ladder components and related methods are provided including various embodiments of a combination ladder. In some embodiments, a platform is provided that is fixedly coupled with a rail assembly of a combination ladder. The platform may pivot between a useable position or state and a stowed or stored position or state. The platform may maintain a position relative to certain rungs of the rail assembly while being displaceable relative to other rungs of the rail assembly. A hand rail may be coupled to the rail assembly and a tray may be coupled with the hand rail. The tray and the platform may be configured to maintain a constant distance between one another while the rail assembly is adjusted for height.

Claims

1. A ladder comprising:

a first rail assembly comprising;

a pair of inner rails and a pair of outer rails slidably coupled to the pair of inner rails,

a first plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of inner rails,

a second plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of outer rails,

a second rail assembly comprising;

a pair of inner rails and a pair of outer rails slidably coupled to the pair of inner rails,

a first plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of inner rails,

a second plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of outer rails,

a pair of hinges rotatably coupling the first rail assembly with the second rail assembly; and

a platform including a body portion coupled with the pair of inner rails of first rail assembly adjacent a rung of the first plurality of rungs and moveable between a first position and a second position relative to the first rail assembly.

2. The ladder of claim 1, wherein the body portion is pivotally coupled to the inner rails.

3. The ladder of claim 2, wherein platform further includes at least one structural component coupled between the body portion and at least one of the inner rails of the first rail assembly.

4. The ladder of claim 3, wherein the at least one structural component includes a pair of braces, each brace of the pair of braces being coupled with one of the inner rails of the pair of inner rails of the first rail assembly.

5. The ladder of claim 3, wherein the at least one structural component includes at least one cable.

6. The ladder of claim 1, further comprising a hand rail coupled with the first rail assembly, the hand rail extending above the pair of hinges.

7. The ladder of claim 6, further comprising a tray coupled with the hand rail, the tray extending substantially horizontally when the ladder is in an orientation for intended use.

8. The ladder of claim 7, wherein the tray and the body portion of the platform maintain a constant distance therebetween when the pair of inner rails of the first rail assembly are slidably displaced relative to the pair of outer rails of the first rail assembly.

9. The ladder of claim 1, wherein the body portion of the platform is positioned adjacent a second highest rung of the first plurality of rungs of the first rail assembly.

10. The ladder of claim 9, wherein the body portion of the platform is adjacent a rung of the first plurality of rungs of the second rail assembly so as to define a gap of a defined distance between the adjacent rung of the second rail assembly and an end of the body portion when the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are positioned at an acute angle relative to one another.

11. The ladder of claim 10, wherein the distance is between approximately 1/16 of an inch and approximately 3 inches.

12. The ladder of claim 9, wherein the body of the platform is positioned adjacent a second highest rung of the first plurality of rungs of the second rail assembly when the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are positioned at an acute angle relative to one another.

13. The ladder of claim 1, further comprising at least one foot coupled with at least one rail of the pair of outer rails of the first rail assembly, the at least one foot comprising a body portion having a flexible lock tab configured to engage an opening of the at least one outer rail.

14. The ladder of claim 13, further comprising a wheel coupled with the body portion of the at least one foot.

15. A ladder comprising:

a first rail assembly comprising;

a pair of inner rails and a pair of outer rails slidably coupled to the pair of inner rails,

a first plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of inner rails,

a second plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of outer rails,

a second rail assembly comprising;

a pair of inner rails and a pair of outer rails slidably coupled to the pair of inner rails,

a first plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of inner rails,

a second plurality of rungs coupled between the pair of outer rails,

a pair of hinges rotatably coupling the first rail assembly with the second rail assembly such that the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly may be selectively positioned and maintained in a first configuration and at least a second configuration, wherein, when in the first configuration, the first rail assembly extends at an acute angle relative to the second rail assembly and, wherein, when in the second configuration, the first rail assembly extends from the first rail assembly in a substantially common plane; and

a pair of brackets, each bracket being fixedly coupled to one of the pair of inner rails of the first rail assembly, the pair of brackets being configured for selective coupling with another ladder component.

16. The ladder of claim 15, wherein the another ladder component includes a hand rail.

17. The ladder of claim 16, wherein the another ladder component further includes a tray moveably coupled with the hand rail.

18. The ladder of claim 17, wherein the tray includes a plurality of protrusions sized, located and configured so as to engage at least two of the first plurality of rungs of the second rail assembly when the hand rail is removed from the pair of brackets.

19. The ladder of claim 15, wherein the another ladder component includes a paint tray.

20. The ladder of claim 15, wherein the pair of brackets are disposed between the pair of hinges and an uppermost rung of the first plurality of rungs of the first rail assembly.

21. The ladder of claim 15, further comprising at least one foot coupled with at least one rail of the pair of outer rails of the first rail assembly, the at least one foot comprising a body portion having a flexible lock tab configured to engage an opening of the at least one outer rail.

22. The ladder of claim 21, further comprising a wheel coupled with the body portion of the at least one foot.

23. A method of adjusting a ladder, the method comprising:

providing a first rail assembly having a pair of inner rails with a plurality of rungs coupled therebetween and a pair of outer rails having a plurality of rungs coupled therebetween, the pair of inner rails being slidably coupled with the pair of outer rails;

providing a second rail assembly having a pair of inner rails with a plurality of rungs coupled therebetween and a pair of outer rails having a plurality of rungs coupled therebetween, the pair of inner rails being slidably coupled with the pair of outer rails;

positioning the first rail assembly at an acute angle relative to the second rail assembly to provide a self-supporting ladder;

fixedly coupling a platform with the first rail assembly and orienting a body portion of the platform in a first position suitable for a user to stand on;

displacing the pair of inner rails of the first rail assembly relative to the outer rails of the first rail assembly while maintaining the platform at a constant position relative to at least one rung of the plurality of rungs coupled between the inner rails of the first rail assembly.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising rotating the body portion of the platform to a second, stowed position.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising displacing the first rail assembly toward the second rail assembly to place the ladder in a collapsed state.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising attaching a component having a hand rail and a tray to the ladder.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising maintaining a distance between the tray and the body portion of the platform while displacing the pair of inner rails of the first rail assembly relative to the outer rails of the first rails assembly.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein maintaining the platform at a constant position relative to at least one rung of the plurality of rungs coupled between the inner rails of the first rail assembly while the pair of inner rails of the first rail assembly are displaced relative to the outer rails of the first rail assembly includes maintaining the platform at a position adjacent the second highest rung coupled with the inner rails of the first rail assembly.

29. A foot for a ladder rail, the foot comprising:

a body portion configured to cover an end of a ladder rail, the body portion including a flexible locking tab with a feature sized and configured to engage an opening formed in the ladder rail.

30. The foot of claim 29, wherein the body portion further defines at least one channel to receive a portion of the ladder rail.

31. The foot of claim 29, further comprising a wheel rotatably coupled with body portion.

32. The foot of claim 29, wherein the body portion is molded as a substantially homogenous, monolithic member.

33. A ladder comprising:

at least one rail assembly including a pair of rails and at least one rung coupled between the pair of rails;

a first foot coupled with an end of one of the pair of rails, the foot including a body portion configured to cover an end of a ladder rail, the body portion including a flexible locking tab with a feature sized and configured to engage an opening formed in the associated rail.

34. The ladder of claim 33, wherein the body portion of the foot further defines at least one channel to receive a portion of the associated ladder rail.

35. The ladder of claim 33, further comprising a wheel rotatably coupled with body portion of the first foot.

36. The ladder of claim 33, further comprising a second foot coupled with an end of the other rail of the pair of rails, the foot including a body portion configured to cover an end of a ladder rail, the body portion including a flexible locking tab with a feature sized and configured to engage an opening formed in the other rail.