Adjustable step system
OwnerLeonard Sokolainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable step system for assisting a person walking up or down a flight of stairs. The system includes adjustable steps that can be mounted to the stairs of the flight of stairs. The adjustable steps effectively reduce the required vertical height of a step that a person is required to take for each stair. The adjustable steps are also movable and can be positioned at a desired location along the width of the stairs when not in use.
Claims16
A system to assist a person along a flight of stairs that comprises a plurality of stairs, the system comprising:
- a plurality of steps each configured to be mounted at one of the plurality of stairs, the steps comprising:
- a block configured to be positioned on a tread of one of the stairs, the block comprising a top side, a bottom side, a front side, and a back side the block having a height measured between the top side and the bottom side that is less than a height of a riser of the stair;
- a connector connected to the back side of the block and extends outward from the back side of the block;
- a rail configured to be mounted to the riser and extend outward from the riser and over the tread of the stair, the rail sized to engage with the connector;
- and
- wherein for each one of the steps, the block is connected to the rail by the connector and movable along the rail to different lateral positions along a width of the stair;
- wherein for each of the steps, the connector and the rail engage together within a gap formed between the back side of the block and the riser.
A system to assist a person along a flight of stairs that comprises a plurality of stairs, the system comprising:
- steps configured to be mounted at the plurality of stairs, each of the steps comprising:
- a block comprising:
- a top side and a bottom side;
- a front side and a back side that extend between the top side and the bottom side;
- opposing lateral sides that extend between the top side and the bottom side;
- a connector connected to the back side of the block, the connector comprising a body that extends around an opening;
- a rail configured to be mounted to a riser and to extend outward from the riser, the rail sized to fit within the opening of the body;
- wherein the block has a height measured between the top side and the bottom side that is less than a height of a riser of one of the plurality of stairs;
- wherein the block comprises a width measured between the lateral sides and with the width being shorter than the rail;
- wherein the block is connected to the rail through the connector and movable along the rail;
- and
- wherein the block is constructed from wood and the connector and the rail are constructed from metal.
A method of assisting a person along a flight of stairs, the method comprising:
- for each of the stairs in the flight of stairs:
- mounting a block to the stair by connecting a connector that extends outward from a back side of the block to a rail that is mounted to a riser of the stair and that extends outward from the riser, the block comprising a top side that faces outward from a tread of the stair and a bottom side that contacts against the tread;
- sliding the block along the tread of the stair to a first section of the tread by moving the connector along the rail in a first direction and with the connector sliding along the rail within a gap formed between the block and the riser;
- and
- after the person moves past the stair, sliding the block along the tread from the first section to a second section by moving the connector along the rail in a second direction and with the connector sliding along the rail within the gap formed between the block and the riser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.