TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a folding tray for use with a ladder that provides for more depth and, thus more volume, but may be conveniently stored within the boundaries of the stepladder when not in use.

BACKGROUND

Ladders, step stools, and stepladders are generally known in the art. Kummerlin, U.S. Patent No. 4,502,564, discloses a foldable step ladder. Because of their desired portability, foldable stepladders often include handles and other features that make them easier to transport. Lucci, U.S. Patent No. 3,744,591, discloses a portable, folding stepladder.

When working on a ladder, step stool, or stepladder, it is often desirable to have tools, paint, and other necessary objects within easy reach. For example, it is known to removably attach a paint roller tray to the rung of a ladder to more easily paint a ceiling or other area requiring a ladder. Golden, U.S. Patent No. 3,625,388, discloses a paint tray particularly useful with an upright ladder.

Utility trays for use with ladder, step stool, or stepladder are also known in the art. Pham, U.S. Patent No. 5,673,885, discloses a paint tray for a stepladder for storing work materials, tools and a paint bucket that is held onto the stepladder by retaining means. Melanson, U.S. Patent No. 5,613,574, discloses a stepladder mounted tool holster and parts tray that removably clamps onto the top step of a stepladder. Katz et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,443,260, discloses a stepladder tray pivotally attached to the top cap of a stepladder for supporting tools and the like. Christ et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,052,581, discloses a detachable ladder support tray for supporting tools and paint containers. Improvements to add to the amount of space available at the top of a stepladder include U.S. Patent No. 10,138,680 to

Williams, et al., for a hinged tray for a ladder or step stool.

In addition to utility trays that are removable, there are also trays that are permanently attached to the structure of ladder, step stool, or stepladder. U.S. Patent No. Williams, et al., 10,138,680, discloses a hinged tray for a ladder or step stool in which the tray is located at the top of the ladder or step stool, and folds to a depth that is not deeper than the folded ladder depth.

It is often inconvenient, however, to use a removable utility tray with a ladder, step stool or step ladder. In some instances, the tray may be difficult to attach or remove from the ladder, step stool, or stepladder depending on the configuration of the top cap of the ladder, step stool, or stepladder. The removable tray and ladder, step stool, or stepladder usually must be stored separately, taking up additional space. Additionally, to move a ladder, step stool, or stepladder from place to place, the tray may need to be removed and carried separately because of weight or awkward transport configuration. Further, trays located at the top of a ladder, step stool, or stepladder may interfere with use of the ladder, step stool, or stepladder and is often limited in size due to their location.

There is a need in the industry to have tray incorporated into the structure of a ladder, step stool, or stepladder to hold tools and hardware that can be stored within the boundaries of the ladder, step stool, or stepladder.

SUMMARY

In embodiments, a folding tray for ladder, step stool, or stepladder is disclosed. Throughout the specification is to be understood that the use of ladder, step stool, or stepladder are interchangeable and the disclosed device may be used with any of the climbing apparatuses. The tray allows for a larger work area on stepladder while the tray can be folded or pivoted to be stored within the boundaries of the closed stepladder. The tray provides a larger and deeper work and storage area than prior art ladder trays without increasing storage space requirements.

It is an object of the invention to provide an innovative deeper utility tray for use with stepladders. It is also an object of the invention to provide a hinged tray that is integral to the structure of the stepladder. It is another object of the invention to provide a deep hinged tray that fits within the outer boundaries of the closed stepladder to eliminate any impact on storing of the stepladder from the tray.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the subject matter hereof. The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify various embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear isometric view of a stepladder in an in-use orientation incorporating an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is rear elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is right side elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a left side elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the stepladder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the stepladder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a rear isometric view of a stepladder in a stored orientation incorporating an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is rear elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is right side elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a left side elevation view of the stepladder of FIG. 8.

FIG. 13 is atop view of the stepladder of FIG. 8.

FIG. 14 is a bottom view of the stepladder of FIG. 8.

FIG. 15 is a rear isometric view of an embodiment of the deep ladder tray of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of the deep ladder tray of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is rear elevation view of the deep ladder tray of FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 is right side elevation view of the deep ladder tray of FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 is a left side elevation view of the deep ladder tray of FIG. 15.

FIG. 20 is a top view of the deep ladder tray of FIG. 15.

FIG. 21 is a bottom view of the deep ladder tray of FIG. 15.

While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Attached are drawings of an embodiment of the deep ladder tray of the present invention incorporated into a stepladder in an in-use orientation (FIGS. 1-7) and in a stored orientation (FIGS. 15-21) as well as isolated drawings of the deep ladder tray itself (FIGS. 8- 14). It is understood that the various components disclosed in the drawings may be substituted with equivalent components and are not considered limiting.

The following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings in which similar elements in different drawings are numbered the same. The accompanying figures depict embodiments of the electro-mechanical brake system of the present invention, and features and components thereof. Any references to front and back, right and left, top and bottom, upper and lower, and horizontal and vertical are intended for convenience of description, not to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spatial orientation. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict illustrative embodiments and are also not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Any reference in the claims to a “stepladder” is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to a specific type of climbing device and includes ladders, step stools, etc.

A stepladder according to an embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 1-7 in the open or in-use orientation and FIGS. 8-14 in the closed or stored orientation by reference numeral 100. Stepladder 100 has front rails 110 and rear rails 120 with a hinge 180 between to allow the stepladder 100 to be placed in an open or in-use orientation (FIGS. 1-7) or in a closed or stored orientation (FIGS. 8-14). Stepladder 100 typically has steps 130 or rungs or a combination of the two between front rails 110 and potentially between rear rails 120. Any reference in the claims to steps is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to a specific type of step, but to any type of step, rung, platform, etc. In lieu of steps 130 or rungs between rear rails 120, cross braces 150 may be used to separate, connect, and support rear rails 120. Angle braces 160 may be used to further support steps 130 and cross braces 150. A top cap 145 may be added to the upper portion of the stepladder 100 to provide a work or tool storage surface and to provide a barrier to increase user safety when on the top step 130 or platform 140 of stepladder 100. Alternatively, instead of a top cap 145, stepladder 100 may merely have a frame or handles at the top of the rails 110, 120.

Stepladder 100 may also have one or more platforms 140 to provide a more secure standing area when stepladder 100 is in use. Platforms 140 for stepladders 100 are typically folding and rely upon links to move the platform 140 from a stored configuration to an in-use configuration. Stepladders 100 also commonly have a foot 170 on the end of the front rails 110 and rear rails 120 to protect surfaces onto which the stepladder 100 is placed and to provide a wider footprint and better traction for the stepladder 100.

In one embodiment, a folding tray 200 is attached to the stepladder 100. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-21, the tray 200 is attached to the stepladder 100 proximate the hinges 180. In FIGS. 1-7, the tray 200 is in its use orientation and in FIGS. 8-14 the tray is in its stored orientation. FIGS. 15-21 present illustrations of an embodiment of a tray 200 according to the invention. The tray 200 will typically comprise a front wall 220, a rear wall 230, side walls 240, and a bottom 210. The tray also has a top surface 205 that is the uppermost extent of the tray 200. Tray 200 also includes tray shoulders 245 on the tray side walls 240. Tray 200 may also have various features including a tool apertures 260 for holding tools or materials or a hanging bar 250 for hanging tools or materials. Tool apertures

260 and hanging bar 250 may be within or connected to the tray shoulders 245 as shown in FIGS. 1-7 to the front wall 220, rear wall 230, or side walls 240 (not shown).

Tray 200 has a height dimension 290 that represents the outermost dimension of the tray 200 between the exterior of the front wall 220 and exterior of the rear wall 230 in a front- to- back direction, a width dimension 280 that represents the outermost dimension of the tray 200 between exterior of the shoulders 245, and a depth dimension 270 that represents the outermost dimension of the tray 200 in a direction between the top surface 205 and exterior of the bottom surface 215. The combination of these dimensions 270, 280, 290 define the outer boundary of the tray 200. Tray 200 also has a tray width boundary 285, which represents the outermost dimension of the tray 200 between the exterior of the side walls 240. The stepladder 100 also includes a platform gap dimension 115, which represents the distance between the upper edge of the platform 140 and the bottom edge of the top cap 145 when the stepladder 100 is in the stored orientation (FIGS. 8-14).

In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-21, tray 200 forms a single interior storage area between the walls 220, 230, 240 and the bottom 210. However, other embodiments may include multiple storage areas or work areas by including additional walls (not shown).

To facilitate storage of the tray 200 when not in use and to increase the amount of storage space provided an embodiment of the tray 200 fits within the boundaries of the stepladder 100 when the stepladder 100 is in the closed or stored orientation. In this embodiment, the tray height dimension 270 is less than the step gap dimension 115, the tray width dimension 280 is less than the stepladder rail interior width dimension 135 at the location where the tray 200 is in its stored orientation (FIGS. 8-14), and the tray depth dimension 290 is less than the combined rail depth dimension 155. A preferred embodiment includes the front rails 110 and rear rails 120 forming a combined rail depth boundary 165 into which the entirety of the tray 200 rests when the stepladder 100 is in the stored orientation. In a further embodiment, the tray shoulder depth dimension 247 is less than the rear rail depth dimension 157 and the tray shoulder width dimension 246 is less than the front rail width dimension 112. In this configuration the depth of the tray 270 is less than the combined front rail depth dimension 156 and rear rail depth dimension 157. This arrangement maximizes the overall depth of the tray 200 and allowing tool apertures 260 while the tray 200 can fit within the combined rail depth boundary 165 and ladder width boundary 137 when the stepladder 100 is in the stored orientation. The combined rail boundary 199 represents outer edges of the front rails 110 and rear rails 120 within the platform gap dimension 115 when the ladder 100 is in its stored orientation.

Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed inventions.

Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.

Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.

Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.

For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.