The present disclosure relates to attachment devices to stabilize rung and leaning ladders.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Attachments for stabilizing ladders designed to lean against an object to prevent the ladder from tipping or sliding when propped up against a supporting structure are known. An example is the ladder attachment disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,097 which is co-owned by the assignee of the present application. Known attachments for stabilizing lean type ladders when supported against flat surfaces or against the trunks of trees or utility poles do not provide for automatic engagement between the attachment and the tree trunk or utility pole.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
According to several embodiments, a ladder attachment includes an elastomeric member having a rigid body including a concave recess created between first and second end legs. First and second gripper wings are each connected at one end to the elastomeric member and extend into the concave recess. Each gripper wing has multiple teeth oriented away from the body. The first and second gripper wings are individually separated from the body by first and second slots such that the first and second gripper wings elastically deflect into the first and second slots and toward the body by a force acting on the body. The body has first and second apertures individually including first and second body angled surfaces oriented at an acute angle measured with respect to a line extending through the body and perpendicular to a planar body surface of the body.
According to further embodiments, a ladder attachment includes an elastomeric member having a rigid body including a concave recess created between first and second end legs. First and second gripper wings are individually connected at first and second connecting ends to a body cross member of the body and extend into the concave recess, each having multiple teeth oriented away from the body. The first and second gripper wings are individually separated from the body by first and second slots such that the first and second gripper wings elastically deflect into the first and second slots and toward the body by a force acting on the body. The first and second gripper wings each have a maximum thickness at the first and second connecting ends at the body cross member, and first and second free ends which are thinner than the first and second connecting ends to provide elastic flexibility of the first and second gripper wings.
According to still other embodiments, a ladder attachment for connection to a ladder includes an elastomeric member having a rigid body including a concave recess. A first gripper wing has a first connecting end and a second gripper wing has a second connecting end. The first and second connecting ends are integrally attached to the body and extend into the concave recess. Each gripper wing has multiple teeth oriented away from the body. The first and second gripper wings are individually separated from the body by first and second slots such that the first and second gripper wings elastically deflect into one of the first and second slots and toward the body by a force acting on the body. The body has first and second apertures individually including first and second body angled surfaces each oriented at an acute angle measured with respect to a line extending through the body perpendicular to a planar body surface of the body. A locking arm is releasably connected to the body and oppositely directed with respect to the teeth. The locking arm has first and second arm angled surfaces also oriented at the acute angle. The first arm angled surface is aligned with the first aperture and the second arm angled surface is aligned with the second aperture. The first and second body angled surfaces are aligned parallel to each other and parallel to the first and second arm angled surfaces.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
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This deflection into first and second arcuate shaped slots 64, 66 forces at least second ones of the teeth 32, 32′ from both first and second gripper wings 24, 26, for example both first and second teeth 32a, 32b into engagement with the cylindrical shaped member 88. This provides an “automatic gripping action” that temporarily locks the attachment device 10 into engagement with the cylindrical shaped member 88 or 90, therefore no additional strap, belt, rope, or the like is required to hold attachment device 10 in place. When force “F” is removed, for example as the climber returns to ground surface 86, the first and second gripper wings 24, 26 elastically spring back and the second ones of teeth 32, 32′ (for example second tooth 32b) from each of the first and second gripper wings 24, 26 release from cylindrical shaped member 88 or 90.
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According to several embodiments, each of the multiple teeth 32 or 32′ of each of the first and second gripper wings 24, 26 are aligned on a common straight edge 95. The first and second arcuate shaped slots 64, 66 are arcuate shaped such that an arcuate shaped rear face 98 of each of the first and second gripper wings 24, 26 defines a first radius R1 and an arcuate shaped body face 100 positioned opposite the rear face 98 defines a second radius R2 larger than the first radius R1. Also, according to several embodiments each of the teeth 32, 32′ are identical in geometry, although the present disclosure is not limited to teeth having identical geometries. When identical geometry teeth are used, according to several embodiments each tooth 32, 32′ has a sharp wedge-shaped end 94, a common length “L” and a common width “W”. A tooth-to-tooth spacing “S” is repeated between any two successive ones of the teeth 32 or 32′. Both first and second gripper wings 24, 26 define an acute angle γ with respect to a surface 96 of body 12. According to several embodiments angle γ is approximately 30 degrees. Surface 96 has a surface length “C” which separates first and second the connecting ends 56, 58 of gripper wings 24, 26.
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Ladder attachments of the present disclosure offer several advantages including rectangular apertures or similar shaped cavities to receive the legs of a ladder having angular surfaces such as first and second body angled surfaces 48, 50 that automatically align the ladder at a proper pitch such as a 4:1 pitch when the ladder attachment is oriented horizontal with respect to a ground surface. A releasable locking arm such as locking arm 36 having arm angled surfaces such as first and second arm angled surfaces 40, 42 complement body angled surfaces 48, 50 to maintain the 4:1 pitch. Straight, substantially longitudinally stiff wings such as first and second gripper wings 24, 26 provide teeth that can grip trees or poles of different diameters. The gripper wings are deflectable by rotation at their connecting ends such that at least 2 teeth of each of the gripper wings engage the tree or pole so that no further locking device such as a strap, rope, wire, hook, or the like is required to hold the ladder against the tree/pole. First and second gripper wings 24, 26 are substantially inflexible throughout their length; however, the use of reduced thickness “B” at the ends of the first and second gripper wings 24, 26 reduces the part total weight while providing some longitudinal flexibility for the gripper wings.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.