Patent Application
20230167683
The present disclosure relates to a gate assembly for a ladder accessory which attaches to rails of a ladder to assist a user when climbing onto a structure, such as a roof.
Ladders typically provide access to elevated locations and/or items therein, and may be used in a variety of locations. Depending on the location and/or typical operating conditions in those locations, one or more accessories may be utilized with the ladder to improve safety, usability, and/or ease of use. Indeed, in some of these locations, accessories may be attached to a location and/or ladder to assist or help the user by customizing the ladder for a particular task or location.
Previously, a user may have employed a variety of ladder accessories, such as, e.g., ropes, fences and/or guardrails, to help manage risks associated with use of the ladder. These accessories, however, may be impractical for installation or use in certain locations.
The present disclosure relates to ladders and one or more ladder accessories for use therewith, such as ladder extension elements and/or a gate assembly for a ladder. The ladder accessories, such as extension element(s), elongate member(s), and/or gate assemblies described herein, are typically used to help users manage potential risks associates with use of the ladders. For example, when a user climbs a ladder, such as to access a roof, the accessory and/or gate assembly may be used with the ladder to assist with management of potential risks associated therewith, such as the risk of falls.
In this way, a standard ladder can be adapted for many different tasks and/or locations by simply attaching the one or more accessories (e.g., extension elements and/or gate assembly) to the ladder. Further, the one or more accessories may help conform to or accommodate features of the use location.
By some approaches, the ladder accessories described herein may be easily attached and manipulated such that a user may quickly and easily associate the ladder accessories with the ladder for use therewith. Further, such manipulation of the ladder is typically performed with little or no damage or stress on the ladder.
In one configuration, the ladder accessory, such as the gate assembly includes a first elongate member extending from a first rail of the ladder and a second elongate member extending from a second rail of the ladder. In some embodiments, the gate assembly includes a mounting bracket which is removably coupled to the first elongate member, one or more hinges coupled to the mounting bracket, a gate coupled to the hinges, a stop coupled to the gate, and a stop bracket coupled to the second elongate member. The one or more hinges typically allow the gate to rotate outwards about the one or more hinges.
Disclosed herein are embodiments of assemblies and apparatuses pertaining to providing a gate assembly. This description includes drawings, wherein:
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.
Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments and systems described herein which may be used to provide a gate assembly which may be coupled to a ladder or a ladder accessory such as extension or elongate arms or members. In one illustrative approach, a gate assembly for a ladder having a first elongate member extending from a first rail and a second elongate member extending from a second rail. The gate system or assembly may include an interface or mounting bracket which attaches to the first elongate member.
In some embodiments, the gate assembly includes a first gate bracket, or top hinge, attached to and inner face of the mounting bracket. When installed, the gate assembly typically includes a gate, such as a gate frame or body, pivotably attached to the top hinge so the gate can rotate outwards about the top hinge away from the climbing surface and towards the roof. The gate assembly may further include a stop bracket attached to the second elongate member, where the stop bracket contacts the gate which extend past the second elongate member such that the stop bracket acts as a stop to prevent the gate from rotating inwards and into the user's climbing path.
The present disclosure relates to a ladder that includes a first rail and a second rail in parallel and spaced relation with the first rail. The ladder also includes rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail. In some configurations, the ladder has a first accessory having a first elongate member coupled thereto. When installed, the first accessory may be attached to a top of the first rail. The ladder also may have a second accessory with a second elongate member coupled thereto. Similar to the first accessory, the second accessory may be attached to a top of the second rail. In some illustrative embodiments, the ladder includes a third accessory such as a gate assembly, which includes a gate that is pivotally attached to the first accessory. After installation, the gate may extend between the first accessory and the second accessory so it contacts the second accessory. While the third accessory of gate assembly is illustrated as coupled to other ladder accessories, i.e., the extension or elongate members, in other configurations the gate assembly may be directly coupled or secured to a ladder.
As shown in
By some approaches, the top of the gate frame or body engages with and may fit into the top hinge, such that it may be rotatably attached to the first gate bracket. Similar, in some approaches, the bottom of the gate engages with and may fit into the second gate bracket and is rotatably attached to the second gate bracket. The gate may be of any shape which extends between the elongate members. In one illustrative embodiment, the gate frame or body is typically made of metal tubing. In one illustrative approach, the gate frame has a somewhat elongate configuration, such as an elongate D-shape. The tubing also may be formed such that the elongate tubing has a top end thereof coupled with or rotatably attaching the first gate bracket and the bottom end of the tubing coupled with or rotatably attaching the second gate bracket. In addition, there may be a vertical tube extending between the top of the tube and the bottom of the tube to provide support to the gate.
On the elongate member extending from the other rail on the opposite side of the ladder having the interface bracket, the gate system or assembly may include a locking bracket coupled to the associated elongate member. For example, the locking bracket may be configured to fit over and onto the top of the other elongate member. By one approach, the locking bracket is bolted or riveted to the other elongate member. In one example configuration, the rear face of the locking bracket may include a securement mechanism, such as, e.g. a magnet, or other type of holder, such as a strap or Velcro. In use, this securement mechanism may hold the other end of the gate to the locking bracket, so the gate stays in place. In some configurations, on the other end of the gate (that corresponds to the locking bracket) is a plate attached to the inside of the gate, which is positioned to contact the magnet on the locking bracket and increase the attraction of the gate to the magnet.
In one example implementation, when a user climbs onto a roof which has been reached with a ladder having extension or elongate members coupled thereto, such as a first accessory and a second accessory described above, as the user steps onto the roof from the ladder, the user may grab one of the elongate members with one hand such that the other hand is free to manipulate and push the gate open. In other approaches, a user may grasp the elongate members with their hands and use another body portions, e.g., their torso, or items associated therewith, to push or lean on the gate to thereby open the gate, which swings inwards towards the roof. Accordingly, the user may then easily step onto the roof. While in some configurations, the gate may automatically close, in other configuration the user may close the gate after stepping therethrough. Further, as suggested above, the other end of the gate may be held into place by a magnet or other securement mechanism such that the gate is securely positioned to prevent the user from falling off the roof as long as the user is in front of the gate.
In one illustrative embodiment, a gate assembly is provided. The gate assembly includes a mounting bracket having one or more hinges coupled to the mounting bracket. In such a configuration, the gate assembly further includes a gate, a stop, and a support tube. The gate assembly may be coupled to a ladder or a ladder accessory such as extension or elongate members. In such an installation, the ladder accessory may be attached to a ladder. In use, a user may climb the rungs of the ladder, grasp the ladder accessory as the user reaches the top of the ladder, contact the gate such that the gate swings towards the roof, or away from the climbing path, and step onto the desired surface.
In one illustrative embodiment, the gate assembly includes at least one spring assisted hinge to bias or return the gate to a closed position. By biasing the gate closed, the gate assembly may allow a user to climb onto the desired surface and close the opening created by the ladder accessory without requiring further, additional action of the user. This may be particularly helpful in particularly circumstances, such as if the user is carrying something.
The ladders, components, and/or accessories described herein may be formed of a variety of materials and using a variety of manufacturing techniques. Such materials may include, e.g., metals, plastics and other polymers, and/or composite materials. In addition, some portions of the ladder's components may be formed of one material and one or more other components or accessories may be formed of another similar, or entirely distinct material. In some configurations, the rails of the ladders may be formed of composite material such as fiberglass or fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) and may be manufactured via a pultrusion process. FRP materials may include various plastic resins, such as polyurethane or polyethylene, or may include various glass materials. It is contemplated that adjusting the FRP formula to use different material combinations may reduce material weight and/or cost. The rails may also be formed of a metal material such as aluminum or aluminum alloys and manufactured via an extrusion process. After extrusion or pultrusion, the ladder rails are typically cut to length. For box-shaped rails, a computerized numerical control (CNC) machine may machine or form one or more holes in the rails. For rails of other shapes, such as C-shaped or I-beam shaped rails, other tools such as a a punch press may be leveraged to punch one or more holes into the rails.
The rungs of the ladders may be formed of composite materials such as fiberglass or carbon fiber. In some approaches, the rungs may also be formed of meatal materials such as magnesium, magnesium alloys, aluminum, or aluminum alloys. The rungs may be manufactured, for example, via an extrusion process and cut to length. The rungs may take a variety of shapes and may be, for example, rounded, D-shaped, or triangular.
The rungs of a ladder may be attached to the rails in a variety of different manners. In one approach, the rungs and rails are forged together, such as by having the rungs being attached to the rails via a direct swage connection. In a direct swage connection, a rung is attached directly to the rails using a cold forming process, where a moving die shapes the rung around a hole that was pre-punched in the rail. Annealing operations may be used to soften the metal to prevent cracking. In other approaches, the rungs are attached to the rails via a rung-plate connection in addition to other attachment types. In a rung-plate connection, a rung is attached to a plate and the plate is attached to the rail via one or more rivets or other mechanical elements.
Other accessories and assemblies employed in the ladder, such as feet, locks, ropes, rope pullies, end caps, and/or knee braces may be made of materials such as rubber or plastics like polypropylene or any other suitable plastics. Plastic parts may be injection molded or insert molded. In some approaches, accessories and assemblies such as guide brackets, feet, knee braces, and/or locks, may be formed, extruded or stamped, from metal materials such as aluminum, aluminum alloys, or steel. Rubber feet may be riveted to a base of the ladder. Metal locks may be extruded and then cut to length. Rope pulleys may include extruded metal side portions and plastic round pulleys formed of injection molded plastic, with the side portions and pulley held together by a rivet. End caps may be riveted or snap fit to the ladder during assembly. Similarly, knee caps may be riveted to the ladder.
Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to similar or identical parts throughout the several views, and in particular
As illustrated, at least portions of the first rail 52 and the second rail 54 are substantially parallel to one another. Similarly, substantial portions of the first elongate member 82 and the second elongate member 84 are substantially parallel to one another. The ladder 50, ladder accessory 80, and the gate assembly 100 may be made of metal, such as, aluminum or steel, however other material may be used, such as a composite material, carbon fiber, and/or plastics, among others. The ladder 50, ladder accessory 80, and gate assembly 100, while assembled together, may be made of different materials and formed using different processes such as die cutting, extrusion, bending, and/or additive manufacturing.
In one exemplary embodiment, the gate assembly 100 is removably coupled to the ladder accessory 80. In the embodiment of
The gate assembly 100 may be formed in a variety of manners. For example, the support post 112 may extend from a first or top tube 107 of the gate 102 to a second or bottom tube 111 of the gate 102. While the top and bottom tubes 107, 111 may be formed of a single unitary tube, they also may be discrete pieces that are coupled together. The support post 112 may be formed into or welded to the top tube 107 and the bottom tube 111. The stop 104 may be secured onto the gate 102 using rivets, bolts, or screws. In one illustrative embodiment, the stop 104 includes three points of contact with the gate 102 as shown in
In one illustrative embodiment, the bottom hinge 110 is a spring assisted hinge. The bottom hinge 110 may utilize a hinge rivet 114 to provide the spring-assisted motion, discussed in more detail below with reference to
In some configurations, the mounting bracket 108 may be made of stamped or formed aluminum. Additionally, the mounting bracket 108 may be bolted onto the first elongate member 82 or the second elongate member 84. The mounting bracket 108 may include the top hinge 106 and the bottom hinge 110 attached to or formed from the non-mounting side of the mounting bracket 108.
The gate body or frame, such as gate 102, may have a substantially elongate shape such as an elongate D-shape. The D-shape, and in particular, the angled portion of the gate 102 below the stop 104 allows a user to open the gate 102 towards a roof and avoid potential clearance issues, such as clearance with a pitch of the roof. The angled portion additionally reduces the weight of the gate 102 which reduces the relative forces involved.
Referring to
Referring to
The plunger 118 is rotatably connected to the plunger bolt 116. The plunger 118 is shaped to engage the spring 120. The plunger 118, as the gate is being opened, engages the spring 120 and compresses the spring 120. The spring 120 is compressed against the hinge rivet 114. The spring-assisted support tube 119 may be utilized to reinforce the hinge rivet 114 and, additionally or alternatively, guide the spring 120 to compress in the proper direction. While torsion, compression, or extension springs may be leveraged with the gate assembly, the compression spring 120 illustrated in
In use, a user may climb the ladder 50 and opens the gate 102. By having the plunger bolt 116 disposed on a back side of the gate 102, the plunger 118 (as the gate 102 opens) compresses the spring 120 into the hinge rivet 114. This is in light of the offset arrangement between where the plunger 116 is mounted as compared to the hinge 110. As the user steps through the gate 102 and onto the roof, the gate 102 is an open position. Once the user is on the roof, the frame or gate 102, utilizing the potential energy of the compressed spring 120, is biased or assisted to a closed position.
In one illustrative embodiment, the spring 120 may be compressed approximately 20-60% of the spring's uncompressed length. Similar to the elements described above, the spring-assisted support tube 119 and the plunger 118 may be comprised of metal such as aluminum or steel and may be produced using die cutting.
Referring to
In one illustrative embodiment, when in a closed position, the stop 104 contacts the stop contact 124 and not the plurality of magnets 128. In one illustrative embodiment three magnets are used. In another embodiment, a single magnet is used. The magnets may be made of rare earth metals, such as, for example, neodymium. The stop contact 124 may be formed of plastic, carbon fiber, or metal. In this manner, the gate 102 may be held or retained in the closed position in light of the magnetic elements of the stop mounting bracket 122 and the compression spring 120.
In one illustrative embodiment, the top hinge 106 includes the spring-assisted motion and corresponding elements described with reference to
The gate assembly 100 may be designed in such a way to provide self-closing of the gate 102 from an open position to a closed position. In this way, the relative forces and weights of the elements are considered. Specifically, the size, shape, and weight of the gate 102, the stop 104, and the hinges are considerations. These considerations may include, e.g., the gauge of material used to make the above listed elements, as well as the shape and overall weight.
Similarly, regarding the stop mounting bracket 122, design considerations are given to the structure of the stop mounting bracket 122 and corresponding elements. In particular, the stop contact 124 and the magnets 128 may be adjusted to provide desired magnetic strength of stop mounting bracket 122 to hold the gate 102 in the closed position without requiring undue effort for those attempting to open the gate. These considerations may include the material of the stop contact 124, the size, particularly the thickness, of the stop contact 124, the number of magnets 128, as well as the size and shape of the magnets 128.
As the user climbs up the ladder 50 and uses the ladder accessory 80, the user pushes the gate 102 towards the roof, i.e., away from the climbing surface. The D-shape of the gate 102 allows the gate 102 to clear the roof in some instances where there is a high-pitched roof. The force required to open the gate 102 is larger than the force created by the bottom hinge 110 and the strength of the magnets 128. The open position may be considered any position such that the stop 104 is not in contact with the stop contact 124. The user may then step onto the roof and allow the gate 102 to be biased back towards the closed position.
The relative forces biasing the gate 102 into the closed position may be chosen to provide enough force to bias the gate 102 closed with reasonable strength to close the gate 102 but to avoid potentially knocking the ladder 50 off the roof by slamming the gate 102 into the stop mounting bracket 122 and in turn the second elongate member 84. Similarly, the relative strength holding the gate 102 in the closed position may be chosen to provide enough force to hold the gate 102 closed against incidental forces such as the lean of the gate 102 on the ladder 50 or other incidental forces such as wind while avoiding too much force a user must apply to open the gate 102. This may be done by adjusting, at least in part, the strength of the spring 120 and the magnetic force produced by the magnets 128.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the disclosed concept.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/497,759 filed Oct. 8, 2021, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/091,742 filed Oct. 14, 2020, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. This application also claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/304,369, filed on Jan. 28, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63091742 | Oct 2020 | US | |
| 63304369 | Jan 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17497759 | Oct 2021 | US |
| Child | 18102537 | US |
