1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of access devices, such as for use by disabled persons, and more particularly to a ramp for providing access to an enclosed ice surface.
2. Background
Sled skating and sled hockey are sports that enable certain persons to enjoy activities on ice that may not otherwise be possible. Sled skating involves a specially designed sled with skate blades under a seat. A person sits on the seat and uses short sticks with ice picks at one end to propel himself or herself across the ice. Sled skating is a noncontact activity that provides an excellent upper body workout to improve core muscles and trunk balance. Sled hockey can be played by sled skaters using the rules of hockey. For sled hockey, the sticks include blades, like the blade of a conventional hockey stick, to move the puck. Often, sled skating and sled hockey are activities enjoyed by persons who may not have full use of their legs, such as those with cerebral palsy, amputations, paraplegia, spina bifida, club feet, hip and knee problems, multiple sclerosis, etc.
Most standard enclosed ice areas or ice surfaces are not conducive for sled skaters because a raised area is located between the ice surface and the outer floor that surrounds it. Typically, the raised area is defined by a lower part of a door frame, which mounts a door that can be opened and closed to provide access to the ice surface. In the past, sled skaters have been moved onto the ice surface from the surrounding floor by one or more persons physically lifting the sled skaters off the floor, transporting them over the raised area and then lowering them onto the ice surface. Sled skaters can be any age and size, and it can readily be appreciated that moving larger sled skaters onto and oft the ice surface can be a daunting task.
What is therefore needed is an easy, convenient way to move sled skaters onto and off an ice surface over a raised area that surrounds the ice surface.
The present invention is designed to provide sled skaters with an easy convenient way to access an ice surface that includes a raised area or step adjacent the edge of the ice surface. In accordance with the present invention, an ice access ramp assembly for accessing an ice surface includes a central bridge section or area and a pair of ramp sections located one on either side of the central bridge area. Each ramp section is pivotably mounted at an inner end to the central bridge area such that the ramp sections can be moved between a folded configuration and an extended configuration. The ramp sections and the central bridge area have surfaces formed of a low friction material. When the ramp sections are in the extended configuration, a first one of the ramp sections provides access from an outer floor and enables a sled skater to be move up the first ramp section and onto the central bridge area. The sled skater can move from the central bridge area onto a second one of the ramp sections, which provides access onto the ice surface. Such movements are reversed when the sled skater wishes to move off the ice surface onto the surrounding floor. When not in use, the ramp sections can be placed in the folded configuration for storage and transport. The ramp sections may include wheels that facilitate transport of the ice access ramp assembly over a floor or other surface.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.
A clear conception of the advantages and features constituting the present invention, and of the construction and operation of typical mechanisms provided with the present invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiment illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate the same elements in the several views, and in which:
In describing the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, the words “connected”, “attached”, or terms similar thereto are often used. They are not limited to direct connection but include connection through other elements where such connection is recognized as being equivalent by those skilled in the art.
The present invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments described in detail in the following description.
Referring to
In the illustrated embodiment, bridge section 12 includes a pair of spaced apart transverse upright frame members 18 and a series of upper frame members, such as shown at 20, that are located between transverse upright frame members 18. Bridge section 12 further includes an upper wall or panel 22 that overlies the frame members 18, 20.
First and second ramp sections 14, 16, respectively, have the same general construction. First ramp section 14 has a frame assembly 24 constructed of a series of interconnected frame members, along with an upper wall or panel 26 that overlies frame assembly 24. Similarly, second ramp section 16 has a frame assembly 28 constructed of a series of interconnected frame members, along with an upper wall or panel 30 that overlies frame assembly 28. The inner end of frame assembly 24 of first ramp section 14 is pivotably connected to bridge section 12 adjacent one of transverse upright frame members 18, such as via a conventional piano-type hinge assembly. Similarly, the inner end of frame assembly 28 of second ramp section 16 is pivotably connected to bridge section 12 adjacent the other of transverse upright frame members 18, such as via a conventional piano-type hinge assembly. The frame members at the outer ends of frame assemblies 24, 28 may be beveled so as to enable the outer ends of respective top panels 26, 32 to be close to the surface on which the outer ends of the respective ramp sections 14, 16 are supported.
The upper surface of panel 22 of bridge section 12, as well as the upper surfaces of panels 26, 30 of respective ramp sections 14, 16, are formed of a material having a low coefficient of friction. Representatively, the panels 22, 26 and 30 may be formed of a Lexan material or other such low friction material. Representative satisfactory materials for panels 22, 26 and 30, commonly known as synthetic ice, are available under the designations Easy Glide from coldproducts.com and Super Glide from syntheticiceusa.com, although it is understood that any other satisfactory low friction material may be employed.
Wheel assemblies or casters, shown at 32, are mounted to the outer frame members of frame assemblies 24, 28.
As shown in
It can thus be appreciated that the ice access ramp assembly of the present invention provides quick and easy movement of sled skaters from a floor onto an ice surface over a step that surrounds the ice surface. The ice access ramp assembly can be compactly folded for storage, and is easily moved from one location to another.
The individual components called out herein need not be fabricated from the disclosed materials, but could be fabricated from virtually any suitable materials. Moreover, the individual components need not be formed in the disclosed shapes, or assembled in the disclosed configuration, but could be provided in virtually any shape, and assembled in virtually any configuration. Further, although the components described herein are often described as physically separate modules, it will be manifest that they may be integrated into the apparatus with which it is associated. Finally, all the disclosed features of each disclosed embodiment can be combined with, or substituted for, the disclosed features of every other disclosed embodiment except where such features are mutually exclusive.
As can be seen, it is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but includes modified forms of those embodiments, including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/769,436, filed Feb. 26, 2013, the entirety of each of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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61769436 | Feb 2013 | US |