Flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder with a distended paint pail pouch for removable use atop a step ladder

• US 6,564,941 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ladder Boss Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ladder Boss Incorporated
• Inventors: Hedges, Kelley
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, SHIAN TINH NHAN
• Application Number:
  US09/735,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 206/373, 206/372, 206/349, 182/129, 248/97, 248/210, 248/238, 383/39, 383/40
• US Class Current: 206/373
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/00 Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; nail dispensers B25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/06 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/14 Holders for pails or other equipment on or for ladders

Abstract

A tool and material holder fitting to the top of a step ladder has an extremely large number of pockets, cavities, loops, clips, hangers, hooks and the like which securely hold a great variety of power and hand tools, caulking guns, paint brushes and paint pads. A major loop maintained open by an insert with a shape memory holds a large paint pail, bucket or can, and is optionally re-sizable to hold one or two smaller cans. A shallow reservoir on a top panel overlying the top step of the step ladder holds small items but still permits standing on the top step.

Claims

1. A holder device for holding various things at an apex of a step ladder, the device comprising:

a) a rectangular top panel having four edges;

b) a trapezoidally-shaped first side panel (i) connected at a first edge to a first edge of the top panel, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles;

c) a trapezoidally-shaped second side panel (i) connected at a first edge to a second edge, opposite to the top panel'"'"'s first edge, of the top panel, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles;

d) a step-side panel (i) connected at a first edge to a third edge of the top panel, and also to a second edge of both the first and the second side panels, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles;

e) a front panel, connected at a first edge to a fourth edge of the top panel and also to a third edge, opposite to the second edges, of both first and the second side panels;

f) a loop member extending substantially level with the top panel from (i) where the top panel joins with the first side panel and the front panel (ii) in an arc to (iii) where the top panel joins with the second side panel and the front panel, so as to form a loop into which a paint can is suitably entered and held.

2. The holder device according to claim 1 wherein the loop member comprises:

a shape memory stiffening element for maintaining the arc of the loop into which the paint can is suitably entered and held even when the paint can is not present.

3. The holder device according to claim 1 wherein the loop member comprises:

a downhanging skirt protecting and securing a cylindrical surface of a paint can entered into, and held by, the loop member.

4. The holder device according to claim 3 wherein the downhanging skirt comprises:

a substantially vertical strip of a first type of hook-and-loop fabric;

and wherein the front panel comprises;

a substantially vertical strip of a second type of hook-and-loop fabric complimentary to the first type;

wherein when the strips of the downhanging skirt and of the front panel are manually pressed together than they will hold along their lengths, dividing a major arc of the loop member into two smaller arcs each of which is suitable to receive and to hold a paint can of appropriate size.

5. The holder device according to claim 1 used on a step ladder with a top step at an apex wherein the top panel comprises:

a peripheral rim (i) sufficiently high so as to form a shallow reservoir in which can be placed nails and screws and other small things without jeopardy that they will role off the holder device and the step ladder, but (ii) insufficiently high so as to preclude that a person should not stand upon the top panel and a rim and a reservoir of the top panel, obtaining good and secure footing like as the person would obtain standing directly upon the top step of the step ladder.

6. The holder device according to claim 1 wherein connecting of all panels is by sewing.

7. A holder device suitable to hold nails and screws and other small things at a top step of a step ladder, the device comprising:

a) a rectangular top panel having (i) four edges and (ii) a peripheral rim sufficiently high so as to form a shallow reservoir suitable to contain nails and screws and other small things without jeopardy that they will roll out of the reservoir and off the top panel and the step ladder but insufficiently high so as to preclude that a person should not stand upon the top panel and a rim and a reservoir of the top panel when the top panel is mounted flat at the top step of the step ladder;

b) a trapezoidally-shaped first side panel (i) connected at a first edge to a first edge of the top panel to extend generally downward, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles;

c) a trapezoidally-shaped second side panel (i) connected at a first edge to a second edge, opposite to the top panel'"'"'s first edge, of the top panel to extend generally downward, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles;

d) a step-side panel (i) connected at a first edge to a third edge of the top panel, and also to a second edge of both the first and the second side panels, to extend generally downward and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; and

e) a front panel, connected at a first edge to a fourth edge of the top panel and also to a third edge, opposite to the second edges, of both first and the second side panels to extend generally downward; and

f) a loop member extending substantially level with the top panel from (i) where the top panel joins with the first side panel and the front panel (ii) in an arc to (iii) where the top panel joins with the second side panel and the front panel, so as to form a loop into which a paint can is suitably entered and held;

wherein the connected (i) top and (ii) downward-extending panels collectively constitute a holder device that is suitably mounted at the top step of a step ladder with the top panel overlying the top step, with the step-side panel overlying an uppermost portion of a step side of the step ladder, with the front panel overlying an uppermost portion of a front side of the step ladder, and with each of the two side panels overlying regions between the step side and the front side of the step ladder.

8. The holder device according to claim 7 wherein the loop member comprises:

a shape memory stiffening element for maintaining the arc of the loop into which the paint can is suitably entered and held even when the paint can is not present.

9. The holder device according to claim 7 wherein the loop member comprises:

a downhanging skirt protecting and securing a cylindrical surface of a paint can entered into, and held by, the loop member.

10. The holder device according to claim 9 wherein the downhanging skirt comprises:

a substantially vertical strip of a first type of hook-and-loop fabric;

and wherein the front panel comprises;

a substantially vertical strip of a second type of hook-and-loop fabric complimentary to the first type;

wherein when the strips of the downhanging skirt and of the front panel are manually pressed together than they will hold along their lengths, dividing a major arc of the loop member into two smaller arcs each of which is suitable to receive and to hold a paint can of appropriate size.

11. A holder device suitable to caddy various tools and materials to a step ladder, and for holding these same tools and material plus a paint pail upon the step ladder, the holder device comprising:

a durable fabric body in the substantial shape of (i) a truncated four-sided pyramid with five major surfaces comprising a top surface and four side surfaces, plus (ii) a flexible arcuate loop extending from edge to edge of a one side of one of the side surfaces; and

a multiplicity of fabric receptacles upon the at least one of the four side surfaces of the fabric body;

wherein the fabric body with fabric receptacles is placeable atop a step ladder;

wherein a paint pail is suitably entered into, and held by, the arcuate loop when the fabric body placed atop the step ladder; and

wherein tools and materials are suitably entered into, and held by, the multiple fabric receptacles of the at least one side surface of the fabric body when the fabric body is placed atop the step ladder.

12. The holder device as set forth in claim 11 wherein a multiplicity of fabric receptacles are upon at least three of the four side surfaces of the fabric body.

13. The holder device as set forth in claim 12 wherein a multiplicity of fabric receptacles are upon all four of the four side surfaces of the fabric body.