The present invention regards a ladder arrangement mountable on a tire, to ease the access to the elevated parts of a vehicle with tires.

Background of the invention It is a well-known problem for many who use cars that it is hard to reach the items placed on the roof of the car. If you are situated on the ground, the roof of the car is often too high up in order to manoeuver functionally to do what you have to do there, especially on a SUV or a box type delivery van.

It is also a well-known problem to use e.g. a stepladder, ladder or even standing on the tire or the tow bar to reach the items placed on the roof of the car. This is often very wobbly and is not a satisfactory solution for many car users since it requires either access to equipment like a stepladder, ladder or similar or you risk getting your clothes dirty if you have to stand on the tire.

In shops today there are several foldable ladder solutions that are attachable to one of the tires of a car, in such a way that it is possible to reach the items placed on the roof. These solutions can be placed in two different categories: either it is hooks or similar attachments that go over the top of the tire, or it is a frame that go around the top of the tire.

US 3078952 describe a technical solution using hooks that are placed over the top of the tire.

US 5133429 describe a technical solution where a frame is placed around the top of the tire.

US 6550578 describe a technical solution using a strap that is tighten around the wheel. The disadvantage with these solutions is that they are very limiting regarding the size and dimensions of the tire. Either you are forced to make different versions for every size or you have to use some form of adjustment that makes it possible for the user to adjust the invention to fit his or hers size of tire especially.

These disadvantages make the device unpractical and expensive. Summary of the invention

It is therefore the purpose of the present invention, as it is described in the set of claims, to provide a ladder arrangement mountable on the tire of a vehicle, comprising a step and two arms mounted to each end of the step, characterized by that each arm comprises a main part which is hinged to the step, an upper part which is perpendicular to the main part of the arm and is intended to rest on the tread of the tire and a lower part intended to rest against the side of the tire and hence solve the problems/drawbacks of the existing solutions.

This is achieved by a step according to the set of claims. With the present invention it is easier to obtain access to e.g. the roof of the car or the different items placed on the roof of the car, like a ski-box or other kinds of merchandise, load or luggage mounted or placed on the roof of the car. The invention will also ease the access to the roof of an RV, or a box-car delivery van or quite simply give better access to the engine room of a larger vehicle. The invention describes an arrangement that can be put directly on top of the tire in addition to having at least one resting point on the outer side of the tire or the rim of the tire.

This result in that the invention is not dependant on the size or the dimension of the tire. Further the present invention shall have the possibility to be folded in at least one place so that it does not take up unnecessary space when not in use.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention shall now be described in further detail with regards to the enclosed figures, where: Figure 1 shows a perspective drawing of prior art, with solutions that grip around the tire.

Figure 2 shows a perspective drawing at an angle of an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows the present invention according to the same embodiment of figure 2 seen from the front (seen from the tire). Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention where the user has the opportunity to adjust the height of the step in addition to folding the step in a more efficient manner.

Figure 5 shows how to adjust the height of the step according to the alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows the alternative embodiment of the present invention folded together.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows an example of prior art, the technical features present here is two hooks that grip over the top of the tire and has two points where the invention rests against the outside of the tire.

Unlike the prior art in fig. 1, the present invention is not based on the use of hooks or other hooking arrangements that are placed over or around the tire.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The invention comprises a step 103 consisting of two parts. The step 103 is hinged 104, in each end, to one of the two arms 101. Each arm comprises an upper part 201, which is perpendicular to the main part of the arm, including a lower contact point 105. Further, each arm has welded bolts to the main part of the arm onto which the parts of the step is able to swivel freely around. When in use the arrangement is folded out and mounted on the tire in such a way that the upper parts of the arm lies on top of the tier and the lower contact points presses against the outside of the tire. The user can then climb up onto the step and reach the upper part of the vehicle.

The different components of the arrangement: The step 103 is shown in the drawing to consist of two parts. The step can nevertheless also be made in one part, with outtakes for the arms. Further the step 103 can, both as one or two parts, be equipped with hinges in the middle, which makes it possible to fold the arrangement together for compact storage.

The arms can preferably be equipped with friction giving surfaces on the upper parts of the arms 201. This can for example be a bushing made of soft plastic or rubber fitted over the ends of the upper parts of the arms. Alternatively it can be made grooves, nudges or protrusions in the material of the upper parts of the arms themselves. Finally it can also be mounted pieces of metal with a rough surface (course file) to the upper parts of the arms.

The lower contact points 105 is equipped, in the drawing, with fittings (bushings, cups, knobs or similar) in order to protect the tire or to give friction against the tire. These fittings are optional, and the lower contact points 105 can lie directly against the rubber in the tire.

The lower contact points can also be dropped all together, i.e. so that the arms 101, only extends from the upper end parts and down to the hinges 104. The lower contact points are thus on the step itself. Further the upper contact should hence be equipped with a protrusion like a hook or similar that goes into the tread of the tire. This solution does not have as good a disbursement of force as the first solution. By placing the lower contact points on the step itself it will result in a torque at the contact points when the user is standing on the step. This will result in a force vector that tries to pull the upper contact points 201 outwards. By extending the arms 101 and placing the contact points 105 further down on the tire the force vector becomes much smaller and the contact points are instead forced straight down towards the tread of the tire.

The hinge 104 is in the shown embodiment made with bolts which is welded to the arms 101. This is a very sturdy solution. Nevertheless many other solutions can be thought of that will be obvious to a person skilled in the art. Amongst others a solution with regular flat hinges which are screwed, riveted or welded to the step and the arms is possible. The arms must then be made in flat iron.

In figure 3 it is presented a solution to how the gripping ability between the upper part of the arm and the tire is based on friction between the tire and the upper contact points.

This friction area 201 can be shaped as some sort of course file or similar with knobs, rivets, pegs or something similar with an uneven surface that gives a distinctive friction when it is placed on the tread of the tire. Hence the invention will, with construction like this, be able to be fitted to the most types of tires or sizes that is used on cars, hangers, RV's, box car delivery vans or similar.

As an alternative embodiment of the present invention can instead of using areas of friction that have a shape that goes down into the tread of the tire or have longitudinal rails that make special use of the friction against the thread of the tire when the step or the ladder 103 is used. Figure 4 describes an alternative embodiment of the invention where there are several more possibilities for adjustments. The invention shows, on the top, an arrangement 301 for adjusting the angle of the arms 304. Further it is possible to see in each end an anchor point 302 for the arrangement 301. The arrangement can be in the form of a strap or similar and makes it possible to adjust the ladder according to the dimension of the tire.

Further it is possible to see that the unit that is placed on the tire can be a screw, a friction bolt 303 or similar. The step 103 is connected to the two arms 304 with the help of a tubular construction 307 that protrudes from each side of the step 103. The tubular construction 307 can be moved to any of the holes 305 in order to be able to adjust the height of the step. Further this makes it possible to push the friction bolt all the way into the step 103 in order to be able to collapse the ladder all together.

The step itself is hinged 306 in the middle in order to make the step 103 as little as possible when it is collapsed. Further, the lower support arm 308 is telescopic in order to make it even easier to fit the step to the dimensions of the tire.

On the lower end of each of the lower support arms 308 it is possible to see the contact points 309 which are put against each side of the tire. They can further have an eccenter or an arm for adjusting or fitting it to the size of the tire. Figure 5 shows that the step 103 can be raised or lowered along the entire length of the arms 304. This is done by pushing the tubular construction 307, to fix the step 103, into the appropriate hole along the length of the arms 304.

Figure 6 shows the alternative embodiment collapsed. Here it is possible to see that the step 103 is folded in the middle. Further it can be seen that the lower support arms 308 are collapsed.