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US 7,526,826 B2Granted
Folding ramp
AssigneeHomecare Products, Inc.
InventorDavid A Bailie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding ramp (20) generally includes at least first and second ramp sections (24 and 26), and a first hinge assembly (22) coupling the first and second ramp sections. The first hinge assembly includes adjacent first and second collars (44A and 44B), wherein a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device (60A) of the first collar is coupled to a second portion of the tongue and groove coupling device (62A) of the first ramp section and a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device (60B) of the second collar is coupled to a second portion of a tongue and groove coupling device (62B) of the second ramp section. The first hinge assembly further includes a hinge pin (48), wherein the first and second collars are designed and configured to rotate in opposite directions around the hinge pin.
Claims14
A folding ramp, comprising:
- (a) at least first and second ramp sections;
- (b) a first hinge assembly coupling the first and second ramp sections, the first hinge assembly allowing the first and second ramp sections to be rotatably positionable between ramp folded and ramp extended orientations, the first hinge assembly including adjacent first and second collars, wherein a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the first collar is coupled to a second portion of the tongue and groove coupling device of the first ramp section and a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the second collar is coupled to a second portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the second ramp section, and a hinge pin, wherein the first and second collars are designed and configured to rotate in opposite directions around the hinge pin, the first collar including a ramp attachment portion having a first ramp section attachment surface, a first transition surface, and a second ramp section contact surface and the second collar including a ramp attachment portion having a second ramp section attachment surface, a second transition surface, and a first ramp section contact surface, wherein the first and second collar ramp attachment portions are aligned in the ramp extended orientation such that the first ramp section attachment surface and the second ramp section contact surface are substantially co-planar, the second ramp section attachment surface and the first ramp section contact surface are substantially co-planar, and the first and second transition surfaces are substantially co-planar, whereby a complete transition section is formed between adjacent first and second ramp sections.
A folding ramp, comprising:
- (a) at least first and second ramp sections;
- (b) a first hinge assembly coupling the first and second ramp sections, the first hinge assembly allowing the first and second ramp sections to be rotatably positionable between ramp folded and ramp extended orientations, the first hinge assembly including adjacent first and second collars, wherein a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the first collar is coupled to a second portion of the tongue and groove coupling device of the first ramp section and a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the second collar is coupled to a second portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the second ramp section, and a hinge pin, wherein the first and second collars are designed and configured to rotate in opposite directions around the hinge pin, the first collar including a ramp attachment portion having a first ramp section attachment surface and a second ramp section contact surface and the second collar including a ramp attachment portion having a second ramp section attachment surface and a first ramp section contact surface, wherein the first and second collar ramp attachment portions are aligned in the ramp extended orientation such that the first ramp section attachment surface and the second ramp section contact surface are substantially co-planar and the second ramp section attachment surface and the first ramp section contact surface are substantially co-planar, and wherein the first and second collar ramp attachment portions are aligned in the ramp folded orientation such that the first and second ramp section attachment surfaces are substantially co-planar and the first and second ramp section contact surfaces are substantially co-planar.
A folding ramp, comprising:
- (a) at least first and second ramp sections;
- (b) a first hinge assembly coupling the first and second ramp sections, the first hinge assembly allowing the first and second ramp sections to be rotatably positionable between ramp folded and ramp extended orientations, the first hinge assembly including adjacent first and second collars, wherein a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the first collar is coupled to a second portion of the tongue and groove coupling device of the first ramp section and a first portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the second collar is coupled to a second portion of a tongue and groove coupling device of the second ramp section, and a hinge pin, wherein the first and second collars are designed and configured to rotate in opposite directions around the hinge pin, the first collar including a ramp attachment portion having a first ramp section attachment surface and a second ramp section contact surface and the second collar including a ramp attachment portion having a second ramp section attachment surface and a first ramp section contact surface, wherein the first and second collar ramp attachment portions are substantially aligned in the ramp extended orientation such that the first ramp section attachment surface and the second ramp section contact surface are substantially co-planar, and wherein the first and second collar ramp attachment portions are substantially aligned in the ramp folded orientation such that the first and second ramp section attachment surfaces are substantially co-planar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.