Patent Application
20230012359
Ladders are used extensively throughout the United States and the world to provide access to raised areas of buildings. Extension ladders, or sections of extension ladders, are commonly used by homeowners, roofers, painters, inspectors, and others to access to the roof and other elevated areas of business and residential buildings.
Because of their wide usage, and in view of a ladder's narrow width in comparison to the height, ladder tipping accidents are common. Combined with environmental conditions—varying ground surfaces, varying building wall surfaces, etc.—it can be difficult to properly secure a ladder to ensure the safety of a user of the ladder.
Ladder stabilization devices are known in the art. For example, standoff devices with arms that extend outwardly from each side of the upper end of a ladder are known, those devices attach to the upper end of a ladder to provide a wider, more stable stance against a wall or other part of the structure. While useful, such devices are not foolproof and not without problems. For example, if a ladder starts to tip, a standoff device may simply slide along the wall supporting it, without preventing the ladder from tipping.
Because ladder accidents are one of the leading causes of injury and death in household and industrial settings, it can be seen that there remains a need in the art for an improved device that allows a ladder to be secured to better prevent movement, slippage, and tipping of the ladder with which it is used.
Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention is provided here to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. In brief, this disclosure describes a ladder securement device for securing a ladder to gutter screws or other fixed points of a structure to prevent the upper end of the ladder from moving or tipping.
In one aspect, the ladder securement device comprises an elastic cord having a hook at each end for attachment to a gutter screw or other fixed structural member of a building. One or more straps are movably attached to the elastic cord, the straps configured to attach around a ladder rail or rung. With the elastic cord extended between two gutter screws and attached to the screws by the hooks, and with the one or more straps positioned along the elastic cord and tightened around the ladder rails and/or rungs, the ladder is secured against the gutter to prevent movement or tipping.
In one embodiment, the ladder securement device includes two straps configured to attach to and secure the side rails of the ladder. In an alternative embodiment, the straps are configured to attach to a rung of the ladder. In a further alternative embodiment, a single strap is configured to attach to a rung or a side rail of a ladder.
Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, and wherein:
The subject matter of select embodiments of the invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. But the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different components, steps, or combinations thereof similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described. The terms “about” or “approximately” as used herein denote deviations from the exact value in the form of changes or deviations that are insignificant to the function.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
Certain terminology may be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Such terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar import.
Looking first to
With the elastic cord 12 extended between the first and second gutter screws 19, 21, the first and second attachment hooks 18, 20 attached to the gutter screws 19, 21, and with the first and second straps 22, 24 secured to the left and right side rails 27, 29, it can be seen that the extension ladder is secured against the gutter 23 of the structure to prevent the upper end of the ladder from moving or tipping.
Turning to
First and second attachment hooks 18, 20 each comprise a hollow cylindrical main body portion, 32a, 32b that is fitted around the elastic cord 12 so that each attachment hook can be slidably moved along the elastic cord 12. A protruding tab portion 34a, 34b extends from each main body portion, with a hook 36a, 36b formed in each tab portion, the hook configured to attach to a gutter screw as previously described, or to any other structural member available. An eyelet 38a, 38b formed in each tab portion allows attachment of other hooks, for example to attach a second bungee cord to extend the reach of the elastic cord 12, or to hang up the device when not in use. First and second attachment hooks 18, 20 are preferably formed from a strong, rigid material, such as a plastic, composite, or metal. Most preferably they are formed by molding. It should be apparent that first and second attachment hooks are placed onto the elastic cord 12 prior to the attachment of the end caps 15, 17 so that once the end caps are attached the first and second attachment hooks are trapped onto the elastic cord 12, but able to be slidably moved along the cord as previously described.
Looking still to
As can be seen in
Turning to
The elastic cord 12 passed through loops 30, 32 attached near the second end 42a, 42b of each corresponding strap 22, 24 to allow the straps to be slidably moved along the cord in a manner similar to that of the attachment hooks 18, 20 as previously described. Thus, the straps 22, 24, can be moved along the length of the elastic cord 12 to allow them to be positioned adjacent to a ladder rail as required.
Looking to
Similarly,
Turning to
The first and second attachment hooks 108, 110 are attached to corresponding first and second gutter screws 112, 114 of the gutter 116 of the structure that the extension ladder is being used with. A strap 118 is movably attached around the elastic cord 102 via a pocket 120 formed in the strap 118. The strap 118 extends around, and secures to, a rung 122 of the ladder.
With the elastic cord 102 extended between the first and second gutter screws 112, 114, and with the strap 118 secured to the ladder rung 122, the extension ladder is secured against the gutter 116 of the structure to prevent the upper end of the ladder from moving or tipping.
Turning to
Strap 118 comprises an elongated flat main body portion 124 with a pocket 120 formed therethrough to allow the elastic cord 102 to pass through. A connection socket 126 is attached to one end of the strap 118, with a mateable connection tab 128 attached to the opposite end of the strap. The connection tab 128 is configured to mate with and snap into the connection socket 126 to secure the two together with the strap positioned around a ladder rung. The main body portion 124 of the strap 118 passes through an adjustment buckle 130 that allows the strap to be tightened around a ladder rung. Preferably, strap 118 is formed of a strong, inelastic woven material.
Thus, as seen in
Turning to
The first and second attachment hooks 208, 210 are configure to first and second gutter screws of a structure that the extension ladder is being used with. Straps 218a, 218b are movably attached around the elastic cord 202 via a pocket 220a, 220b formed in the corresponding strap 218a, 218b. The straps 218a, 218b each extend around, and secure to, a rung 222 of the ladder.
With the elastic cord 202 extended between first and second gutter screws, and with the straps 218a, 218b secured to the ladder rung 222, the extension ladder is secured against a gutter of the structure to prevent the upper end of the ladder from moving or tipping.
Thus, as seen in
As used herein, identification of an element with an indefinite article “a” or “an” or the phrase “at least one” is intended to cover any device assembly including one or more of the elements at issue. Similarly, references to first and second elements is not intended to limit the claims to such assemblies including only two of the elements, but rather is intended to cover two or more of the elements at issue. Only where limiting language such as “a single” or “only one” with reference to an element, is the language intended to be limited to one of the elements specified, or any other similarly limited number of elements.
Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below. Embodiments of the technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below. Identification of structures as being configured to perform a particular function in this disclosure and in the claims below is intended to be inclusive of structures and arrangements or designs thereof that are within the scope of this disclosure and readily identifiable by one of skill in the art and that can perform the particular function in a similar way. Certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.
