Hinged tray for ladder or step stool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10138680-B2
Application number	US-201514971200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2015
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A hinged tray for a ladder or step stool disclosed. The hinged tray includes compartments for holding tools or hardware while the tray is open or closed. The footprint of the top of the ladder or step stool top cap is the same as the footprint of the hinged tray so that when the hinged tray is in the folded position the two footprints are aligned and the front and rear surfaces of the top cap and tray are at the same angle as the rails of the ladder or step stool.

First claim

We claim:

1. A ladder comprising:
a front rail;
a rear rail, wherein the rails are configured to pivot between a ladder open position and a ladder folded position;
a folded ladder depth defined by a first distance between a front surface of the front rail and a rear surface of the rear rail when said rails are in the ladder folded position;
a hinged tray configured to pivot between a hinged tray open position and a hinged tray closed position, the hinged tray comprising:
a top cap portion comprising:
a top cap surface platform having a top cap portion upper face and a top cap portion recess having a top cap portion recess face recessed from the top cap portion upper face,
a top cap portion width, and
a top cap portion rear face spaced a second distance from a top cap portion front face;

a folding portion comprising:
a folding surface platform having a folding portion upper face and a folding portion recess having a folding portion recess face recessed from the folding portion upper face,
a folding portion width, and
a folding portion rear face spaced the second distance from a folding portion front face;

a hinge connecting the top cap portion and the folding portion;
wherein the top cap portion rear face and the folding portion rear face abut when the folding portion is in the hinged tray open position;
wherein the top cap portion rear face and the folding portion rear face are coplanar when the folding portion is in the hinged tray closed position;
a hinged tray folded depth defined by the second distance when the hinged tray is in the hinged tray closed position;
wherein the hinged tray folded depth is not deeper than the folded ladder depth when the front rail and the rear rail are in the ladder folded position;
wherein the hinged tray is secured to at least one of the front rail or the rear rail;
wherein the folding portion upper face is generally coplanar with the top cap portion upper face when the hinged tray is in the hinged tray open position;
wherein the folding portion upper face abuts the top cap portion upper face when the hinged tray is in the hinged tray closed position;
wherein the top cap portion recessed face and the folding portion recessed face are generally and continuously coplanar along at least one third of the widths when the folding portion is in the hinged tray open position.

2. The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the widths are substantially the same.

3. The ladder of claim 1 further comprising a magnet in one of the top cap portion or the folding portion.

4. The ladder of claim 2 further comprising an opening in the top cap surface platform of the top cap portion.

5. The ladder of claim 1 wherein the folding portion further comprises a thumb tab.

6. The ladder of claim 4 further comprising an opening in the folding surface platform being generally aligned with the opening in the top cap surface platform when the hinged tray is in the hinged tray closed position.

Assignees

• Tricam Industries Inc

Inventors

• Williams Benjamin P
• Foley Joseph P
• Simpson Dennis D

Classifications

• E06C7/14 Primary

  Holders for pails or other equipment on or for ladders · CPC title

• E06C1/387

  having tip-up steps · CPC title