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US 2009/0152046 A1Published application
Extendable ladder for trailer, motor home, or other vehicle
OwnerRobert Gail Stewart, James Edward Stewartinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to an extendable ladder configured to extend a second ladder segment relative to a first ladder segment. The ladder includes a first ladder segment, a second ladder segment, and at least two slider cups. When the ladder is mounted to a surface, the ladder can be moved from a generally vertical orientation to an angled orientation of between greater than 60 degrees and approximately 90 degrees away from the horizontal reference. The ladder may be mounted to one or more of a vehicle, a building, and a piece of equipment. The vehicle may be one or more of a trailer, recreational vehicle, truck, and bus.
Claims19
An extendable ladder configured to extend a second ladder segment relative to a first ladder segment, the ladder comprising:
- a first ladder segment comprising two beams, each beam comprising at least a first leg and a second leg with the first leg and the second leg being joined lengthwise to form an angle between the first leg and the second leg, one or more rungs connected to and extending between the first leg of the first beam and the first leg of the second beam, and one or more mounting arms extending from the beams, the mounting arms being configured at one end to be permanently mounted to a surface and being pivotally attached at another end to the beam whereby the beams can pivot with respect to the mounting arms to vary an angle formed between the mounting arm and the beam;
- a second ladder segment comprising two beams each beam comprising at least a first leg and a second leg with the first leg and the second leg being joined lengthwise to form an angle between the first leg and the second leg, and one or more rungs connected to and extending between the first leg of the first beam and the first leg of the second beam;
- and
- at least two slider cups, the slider cups being mounted to either or both of the first ladder segment and the second ladder segment and comprising a first wall and a second wall being positioned in parallel planes and connected by at least a third wall passing through a plane generally perpendicular to the first and second walls, the first wall being mounted to either or both of the first leg and the second leg of one beam, the third wall being adjacent to the second leg of the one beam and the second wall being positioned in a plane parallel to the second leg of the one beam and being separated from the second leg by a gap, whereby the second leg of an adjacent beam is positioned within the gap between the second leg of the one beam and the second wall of the slider cup,
- whereby when the mounting arms are mounted to a surface and the ladder is in a generally directly vertical orientation, extending the second ladder segment from the first ladder segment causes the second leg of the adjacent beam to slide within the gap formed by the slider cup and the ladder can be moved from a generally vertical orientation to an angled orientation of between at least 60 degrees and approximately 90 degrees measured from the horizontal.
2 more elements
A method of using an extendable ladder to obtain access to an upper portion of a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a ladder, the ladder comprising:
- a first ladder segment comprising two beams, each beam comprising at least a first leg and a second leg with the first leg and the second leg being joined lengthwise to form an angle between the first leg and the second leg, one or more rungs connected to and extending between the first leg of the first beam and the first leg of the second beam, and one or more mounting arms extending from the beams, the mounting arms being configured at one end to be permanently mounted to a surface and being pivotally attached at another end to the beam whereby the beams can pivot with respect to the mounting arms to vary an angle formed between the mounting arm and the beam;
- a second ladder segment comprising two beams each beam comprising at least a first leg and a second leg with the first leg and the second leg being joined lengthwise to form an angle between the first leg and the second leg, and one or more rungs connected to and extending between the first leg of the first beam and the first leg of the second beam;
- and
- at least two slider cups, the slider cups being mounted to either or both of the first ladder segment and the second ladder segment and comprising a first wall and a second wall being positioned in parallel planes and connected by at least a third wall passing through a plane generally perpendicular to the first and second walls, the first wall being mounted to either or both of the first leg and the second leg of one beam, the third wall being adjacent to the second leg of the one beam and the second wall being positioned in a plane parallel to the second leg of the one beam and being separated from the second leg by a gap, whereby the second leg of an adjacent beam is positioned within the gap between the second leg of the one beam and the second wall of the slider cup,
- whereby when the mounting arms are mounted to a surface and the ladder is in a generally directly vertical orientation, extending the second ladder segment from the first ladder segment causes the second leg of the adjacent beam to slide within the gap formed by the slider cup and the ladder can be moved from a generally vertical orientation to an angled orientation of between at least 60 degrees and approximately 90 degrees measured from the horizontal;
- pivoting the ladder away from the vertical surface of the vehicle such that there is an angle of between greater than 60 degrees and approximately 90 degrees between the ladder and the vertical surface of the vehicle;
- extending the second ladder segment relative to the first ladder segment until the second ladder segment reaches the ground, wherein extending the second ladder segment causes the first beam of the second ladder segment to slide through the gap formed in the slider cup mounted to one or both of the first ladder segment and the second ladder segment.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.