Momentum arresting ramp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11760585-B2
Application number	US-202016992300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2020
Priority date	Aug 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A momentum arresting ramp that includes a plurality of steps that each includes a slider receiving surface and a transition surface. The steps may enable a device with wheels to be moved down the ramp by a user, without inconvenient gravity building momentum of the device down the ramp. For example, the steps may be spaced apart along a first axis such that a first slider of the device is never in contact with one of the transition surfaces when a second slider of the device is in contact with another one of the transition surfaces. The configuration of the steps and the sliders may enable the device (e.g., a device heavy enough to typically require two users to unload using a planar ramp) to be easily and conveniently unloaded by a single user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A momentum arresting ramp, including:
a plurality of steps that are at least partially offset from one another along a first axis, wherein each step includes a slider receiving surface that faces in a first direction that is transverse to the first axis, wherein the slider receiving surface of each step preceding a following step, respectively, of the plurality of steps is offset in the first direction from the respective following step;
wherein in aggregate the plurality of steps decline relative to the first axis;
wherein each of the plurality of steps includes a transition surface that is declined relative to its own slider receiving surface and declined less than 90 degrees relative to the first axis toward the respective following step, whereby the slider receiving surface and the transition surface are at respective first and second angles relative to the first axis, the first angle being different than the second angle;
wherein each slider receiving surface is parallel to or inclined relative to the first axis.

2. The momentum arresting ramp of claim 1 , wherein each slider receiving surface is inclined relative to the first axis by an incline angle anywhere above 0 degrees up to 20 degrees.

3. The momentum arresting ramp of claim 1 , wherein each step overlaps each adjacent step of the plurality of steps.

4. The momentum arresting ramp of claim 1 , wherein the decline of the aggregate the plurality of steps relative to the first axis is a decline angle less than 20°.

5. The momentum arresting ramp of claim 1 , wherein the slider receiving surfaces are planar.

6. The momentum arresting ramp of claim 1 , wherein the ramp further includes feet that face in a second direction opposite the first direction, each foot having an end that contacts a plane that is parallel with the first axis.

7. The momentum arresting ramp of claim 6 , wherein the second direction is parallel to the direction of gravity acting on the ramp.

8. Packaging, including:
the ramp of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the ramp forms a wall of the packaging.

9. The packaging of claim 8 , wherein a load bearing portion with a planar major surface forms a top of the packaging and is configured to attach to a base of the packaging.

10. A momentum arresting ramp in combination with a device:
wherein the device includes:
a first slider; and
a second slider that is offset from the first slider by a first distance along a first axis;

wherein the momentum arresting ramp includes:
a plurality of steps that are at least partially offset from one another along the first axis, wherein each step includes a slider receiving surface that faces in a first direction that is transverse to the first axis, wherein the slider receiving surface of each step preceding a following step, respectively, of the plurality of steps is offset in the first direction from the respective following step;
wherein in aggregate the plurality of steps decline relative to the first axis;
wherein each of the plurality of steps includes a transition surface that is declined relative to its own slider receiving surface and is declined less than 90 degrees relative to the first axis toward the respective following step, whereby the slider receiving surface and the transition surface are at respective first and second angles relative to the first axis, the first angle being different than the second angle;
wherein the transition surfaces and the slider receiving surfaces are configured such that when the first slider and the second slider are on the ramp, and the first slider is in contact with one of the transition surfaces, the second slider is in contact with one of the slider receiving surfaces, wherein the first and second sliders and the transition surfaces are spaced apart along the first axis such that the first slider is never in contact with one of the transition surfaces when the second slider is in contact with another one of the transition surfaces.

11. The momentum arresting ramp and a device of claim 10 , wherein when the first slider and the second slider contact the ramp a center of gravity of device remains axially between the first slider and the second slider along the first axis, whereby an actual tilt angle of the device is unable to exceed a tipping point angle of the device.

12. The momentum arresting ramp and a device of claim 10 , wherein the sliders are wheels.

13. The momentum arresting ramp and a device of claim 10 , wherein the device further includes:
a third slider that is offset from the first slider along a first lateral direction perpendicular to the first axis and the first direction;
a fourth slider that is offset from the second slider along the lateral direction and that is offset from the third slider by the first distance along the first axis.

14. The momentum arresting ramp and a device of claim 10 , wherein each slider receiving surface is inclined relative to the first axis by an angle anywhere above 0 degrees up to 20 degrees.

15. A pallet in combination with the momentum arresting ramp and the device of claim 10 , wherein the first slider and the second slider rest on a support surface of the pallet assembly, and wherein the ramp is configured to attach to the pallet.

16. A momentum arresting ramp, comprising:
a plurality of slider receiving surfaces; and
a plurality of transition surfaces;
wherein the slider receiving surfaces and the transition surfaces are alternately arranged relative to one another;
wherein, in aggregate, the slider receiving surfaces and the transition surfaces are disposed at a declination angle relative to a first axis;
wherein the slider receiving surfaces are parallel to or inclined less than 90 degrees relative to the first axis; and
wherein the transition surfaces are declined greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees relative to the first axis.

17. A method of moving a device along a momentum arresting ramp:
wherein the device includes:
a first slider; and
a second slider that is offset from the first slider by a first distance along a first axis;

wherein the momentum arresting ramp includes:
a plurality of steps that are at least partially offset from one another along the first axis, wherein each step includes a slider receiving surface that faces in a first direction that is transverse to the first axis, wherein the slider receiving surface of each step preceding a following step, respectively, of the plurality of steps is offset in the first direction from the respective following step;
wherein in aggregate the plurality of steps decline relative to the first axis;

wherein each of the plurality of steps includes a transition surface that is declined relative to its own slider receiving surface and is declined less than 90 degrees relative to the first axis toward the respective following step, whereby the slider receiving surface and the transition surface are at respective first and second angles relative to the first axis, the first angle being different than the second angle;
wherein the method includes:
sliding the first slider and the second slider forward along the first axis and down the ramp, wherein at most only one of the first slider and the second slider move downward at any moment throughout the sliding of the first slider and the second slider down the ramp.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein when the first slider moves downward along one of the transition surfaces, the second slider either moves horizontally or upward along one of the slider receiving surfaces.

Assignees

• American Sterilizer Co

Inventors

• Getsy Andrew Paul

Classifications

• B65D19/0093 Primary

  forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces · CPC title

• B65G69/2876 Primary

  Safety or protection means, e.g. skirts · CPC title

• B65D2519/00273

  made of more than one piece · CPC title

• B65D2519/00293

  made of more than one piece · CPC title

• B65D2519/00323

  made of more than one piece · CPC title