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US 6,427,805 B1Granted
Folding step stool
AssigneeCosco Management, Inc.
InventorsWilliam R. Gibson, Enrique R. Giner, Maria Antonieta Moreno-Giner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foldable step steel (10) includes a frame 12 having front and rear legs (14, 16) and top, middle, and bottom steps (34, 36, 38). A central step link (40) is coupled to the rear portion of each step (34, 36, 38) to support the steps when step stool (10) is unfolded and to control pivoting movement of the steps relative to front leg (14) during folding of step stool (10). A releasable latch (22) is coupled to a rear portion of top step (34) and configured to engage an upper cross strut (180) included in rear leg (16) to retain step stool (10) in an unfolded use position.
Claims57
A step stool comprising
- a frame including a front leg and a rear leg coupled to the front leg to move relative to the front leg between an opened position and a closed storage position,
- steps coupled to the front leg to move between a horizontal use position when the rear leg is in the opened use position and a storage position when the rear leg is in the storage position,
- a step link pivotably coupled to the steps to coordinate simultaneous movement of the steps between the use and storage positions,
- a tray pivotably coupled to the frame to move between a horizontal use position when the rear leg is in the opened use position and a storage position, and
- a tray link pivotably coupled to one of the steps and to the tray to coordinate simultaneous movement of the tray between the use and storage positions when the steps move between the use and storage positions.
2 more elements
A step stool comprising
- a frame including a front leg, a rear leg coupled to the front leg to move relative to the front leg between an opened position and a closed storage position, and a strut coupled to the rear leg,
- a step pivotably coupled to the front leg to move between a horizontal use position and a storage position,
- a monolithic strut link coupled to the strut and the step to move the rear leg to the closed storage position upon movement of the step to the storage position.
A step stool comprising
- a frame including a front leg, rear legs coupled to the front leg, and a strut coupled at its ends to the rear legs, the front and rear legs being configured to move relative to one another between an opened use position and a closed storage position.
- a step coupled to the front leg to pivot on the front leg when the front and rear legs are moved between the opened and storage positions, the step including a front edge pivotably coupled to the front leg and a rear edge spaced apart from the front edge, and
- latch coupled to the step, the latch being positioned to engage the strut when the front and rear legs are in the opened use position, the latch being coupled to the rear edge of the step.
A step stool comprising
- a frame including a front leg, rear legs coupled to the front leg, and a strut coupled at its ends to the rear legs, the front and rear legs being configured to move relative to one another between an opened use position and a closed storage position,
- a step coupled to the front leg to pivot on the front leg when the front and rear legs are moved between the opened storage positions, and
- a latch coupled to the step, the latch being position to engage the strut when the front and rear legs are in the opened use position, the latch including a cam surface positioned to engage the strut as the rear leg moves from the storage position to the opened use position, the engagement of the cam surface with the strut pivoting the latch permitting the latch to couple to the strut.
A step stool comprising
- a frame having a first leg including a pair of leg members, a second leg pivotably coupled to the first leg and connectors coupling the strut to the leg, a strut extending between the leg members of the first leg, members of the first leg the first and second legs being configured to move relative to one another between an opened use position and a closed storage position and
- a step coupled to one of the first and second legs to pivot on said leg when the first and second legs are moved between the opened and storage positions, the leg members of the first leg being formed to include a track having lips and a floor, the connectors being positioned to lie in the track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.