US 12,352,107 B2Granted

Ladders, ladder components and related methods

AssigneeLittle Giant Ladder Systems, LLC

InventorsN Ryan Moss, Ryan Crawford, Keith Emmel

Life of this patent

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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.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A ladder, comprising:

a first pair of rails including a first rail and a second rail;
an inner member slidably coupled with the first rail;
and
a locking mechanism, including:
a bracket coupled to the first rail and defining an opening;
a lever positioned adjacent to the bracket, the lever being pivotable about a first axis positioned laterally offset from and entirely external to the first rail, the lever being longitudinally fixed in position relative to the first rail;
an engagement protrusion coupled to the lever and movable with the lever about the first axis between a first position and a second position, wherein, when the engagement protrusion is in the first position, the engagement protrusion is disposed at least partially within the opening and engages the inner member, and wherein, when the lever is in the second position, at least a portion of the engagement protrusion is withdrawn from the opening and the locking mechanism is disengaged from the inner member;
a spring biasing the engagement protrusion to the first position;
a pin extending through the spring, the bracket, and the lever;
and
a cover disposed about the engagement protrusion.

8 more elements

A ladder, comprising:

a pair of ladder rails interspaced by a plurality of ladder rungs;
and
a rocking mechanism disposed along at least one ladder rail of the pair of ladder rails, the rocking mechanism comprising:
a rotatable lever comprising a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the second end portion having a depressible handle;
a bracket fixed to and at least partially extending laterally away from the at least one ladder rail, wherein with the depressible handle depressed, the bracket is fixed in place relative to the at least one ladder rail;
a pin extending through the rotatable lever between the first end portion and the second end portion and extending through the bracket, the rotatable lever being rotatable about an axis extending through the pin and through the bracket, the axis being entirely external to the at least one ladder rail and fixed in place relative to the bracket;
an engagement protrusion coupled to the rotatable lever at the first end portion;
a spring biasing the first end portion toward the at least one ladder rail of the pair of ladder rails and biasing the second end portion away from the at least one ladder rail of the pair of ladder rails, wherein the pin extends through the spring;
and
a sleeve wall, wherein the engagement protrusion is positioned within the sleeve wall;
wherein the engagement protrusion is movable relative to the sleeve wall.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/584,722Filed 22 Feb 2024 · continuation
Priority: 7 Mar 2008
Published: US 2024/0191571 A113 Jun 2024
Granted: 8 Jul 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

E06C 7/06
Component parts, supporting parts, or accessories: securing devices or hooks for parts of extensible ladders
E06C 1/22
With supporting struts formed as poles: with extensible, e.g. telescopic, ladder parts or struts
E06C 1/30
Multi-part: extensible, e.g. telescopic
E06C 7/04
Extending means: hand-operated extending means carried by the ladder

Family

Application61/068,656Us provisional application · filed 7 Mar 2008
Application12/399,815Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Mar 2009
Application13/480,897Parent of this continuation · filed 25 May 2012
US 8,186,481 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 29 May 2012
Application14/886,566Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Oct 2015
US 9,163,455 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Oct 2015
Application15/727,146Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Oct 2017
US 9,784,033 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Oct 2017
US 10,767,416 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Aug 2020
Application17/014,271Parent of this continuation · filed 8 Sep 2020
US 2024/0191571 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Jun 2024
US 12,359,508 B2Related patent
US 2009/0229918 A1Published application
US 2012/0228061 A1Published application
US 2016/0138335 A1Published application
US 2018/0030783 A1Published application
US 2021/0054693 A1Published application
US 12,352,107 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.