Collapsible tailgate ladder and ramp
OwnerMichael J. Sindoni, JR.inventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention related generally to ladders and ramps and, more particularly, to collapsible ladders and ramps for a vehicle tailgate and related systems. In one embodiment, the invention provides a system comprising: a tailgate member for a vehicle, the tailgate member having: an interior wall; an exterior wall; and a cavity between the interior and exterior walls; at least one collapsible ladder device comprising: a pair of substantially parallel elongate members; a plurality of cross members, each of the plurality extending between and lying substantially perpendicular to the pair of substantially elongate members; and an attachment device for non-fixedly securing the at least one collapsible ladder device within the cavity of the tailgate member.
Claims17
A system comprising:
- a tailgate member for a vehicle, the tailgate member having:
- an interior wall;
- an exterior wall;
- and
- a cavity between the interior and exterior walls;
- at least one collapsible ladder device comprising:
- a pair of substantially parallel elongate members;
- a plurality of cross members, each of the plurality extending between and lying substantially perpendicular to the pair of substantially elongate members;
- and
- an attachment device for non-fixedly securing the at least one collapsible ladder device within the cavity of the tailgate member.
A device comprising:
- a pair of elongate members;
- and
- a plurality of cross members, each of the plurality extending between and lying substantially perpendicular to the pair of elongate members,
- wherein:
- each of the pair of elongate members is segmented, with a first segment comprising a first segment of a first elongate member substantially parallel to a first segment of a second elongate member, with at least one of the plurality of cross members disposed therebetween, a second segment of the first elongate member substantially parallel to a second segment of the second elongate member, with at least another of the plurality of cross members disposed therebetween;
- the second segment, in a collapsed position, lies atop the first segment;
- and
- the second segment, in an extended position, lies longitudinally adjacent the first segment.
A device comprising:
- a pair of elongate members, each elongate member including:
- a first portion having:
- a first outer dimension;
- and
- a first interior cavity with a first cavity dimension;
- a second portion adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having:
- a second outer dimension less than the first cavity dimension of the first portion;
- and
- a second interior cavity with a second cavity dimension;
- a plurality of cross members, each of the plurality extending between and lying substantially perpendicular to the pair of elongate members,
- wherein the second portion is configured, in a collapsed position, to reside at least partially within the first interior cavity of the first portion and, in an extended position, to reside longitudinally adjacent the first portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.