AU2003100772A4 - Footpad for Rails of a Ladder - Google Patents

Description

12.Sep. 2003 23:29 Wallinston Dummer No.6330 P. 3 FOOTPAD FOR RAILS OF A LADDER BACGROUND OF THE I TVMTION 1. Field of The Invention: The present invention relates to a footpad for rails of a ladder, and particularly to a footpad preventing the lower ends of rails of a ladder from damage.

2. Description of Related Artz Normally, lower ends of rails of a ladder are attached with a footpad respectively as shown in Fig.

1. It is the main function of the footpad that the lower ends of the rails do not have to contact the ground or the floor directly so as not to result in being worn Out and damaged. Damaged lower ends of the rails make a ladder unsteady and safety of the user is not possible to be secured while the defective ladder is used.

A conventional footpad currently applied in a ladder is made of injection plastics and the lower end of each rail pressingly fits with the footpad by way of being inserted into or inserted with the footpad. Due to the rails being generally made of metal, the plastic footpad easily becomes worn out after the ladder being used a period of time in spite of the rails being tightly joined to the footpad initially. In this way, it leads to damaged rails, which make unsteady rails, and occurs falling ladder to hurt the user.

sumMKaR or THE INVENTION In order to overcome the deficiency of the preceding prior art, the present invention provides a footpad for COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12-Sop. 2003 23:36 Wall in&ton Dummer No-6330 P. 4 2 rails of a ladder, which composed an insert part and a slip resistant part, wh-ich is detachably engaged to the insert part. The insert part can be fixedly inserted into the lower end of a rail with a box section and the detachable slip resistant part at the bottom thereof provides anti-slip treads to increase friction during contacting with the floor.

Accordingly, an object of the footpad according to the present invention can keep the rails in good condition to enhance the safety of the user while the ladder is in use.

BRIEF LMBCREPTION Or THE DRNINsnS The present invention can be more fully understood by referencing to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. L iS a perspective view illustrating a conventional footpad attached to the rails of a ladder; Fig. 2A is a perspective view illustrating the f irst embodiment of a footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention in a state of separation; Fig, 2B is a sectional view of the footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention shown in Fig. 2A illustrating an insert part and a slip resistant part thereof being joined together; Fig.3A is a perspective view illustrating the second embodiment of a footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention in a state of separation; Fig. 3B is a plan view illustrating the bottom of a slip resistant part in Fig. 3A; COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12.Sep. 2003 23:30 Walliington Dummer No-6330 P. b 3 Fig. 3C is a sectional view of the footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention shown in Fig. 3A illustrating an insert part and the slip resistant part thereof being joined together; Wig- 4A is a perspective view illustrating the third embodiment of a footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention in a state of separation; and Fig. 4B is a side view of a resistant part shown in Fig. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Or THE PREYER2RED ENEODIMENTS Referring to Figs. 2A and 2B, the first embodiment of a footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention includes an insert part 11 and a slip resistant part 12. The insert part 11 basically is a rectanq~uler hollow inserting piece corresponding to the lower end of a rail in a ladder. The insert part 11 at the lower side thereof is an enlarged rectangular periphery 113 and at both ends thereof has an engaging recess 111 next to the enlarged rectangular periphery. Further, two opposite positioning plates 124 are provided in the insert part 11 being fixedly attached to two lateral walls of the insert part 11 at the inner sides thereof. Meanwhile, the inner sides of the two lateral walls in the insert part 11 near both ends thereof integrally extend inward a wedge stopper 112 opposite to each other respectively for engaging the slip resistant part 12.

The slip resistant part 12 basically is a rectangular piece with the top thereof having a rectangualar periphery corresponding to the rectangular COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12-Sep. 2003 23:30 12.Sep 200323:30 Wallington Dummer N.30 P N o 6 3 3 0 P 6 4 periphery 113 of the insert part 11 and at the bottom thereof having a plurality of zigzag treads 123- The slip resistant part 12 at both end parts thereof extends upward a lower fitting block 1214 respectively and an engaging post 121 extends upward from each of the lower fitting block 1214. Each of the engaging posts 1,21 at the top thereof has two opposite guide slants 1211 corresponding to the opposite wedge stoppers 112 such that the two opposite guide slants 1211 can smoothly move upward in a way of touching the two opposite wedge stoppers 112 while the slip resistant pdirt 12 'fits with the insert part 11 and the engaging posts 121 enter the insert part 11.

Further, it is noted that a hollow space 1212 is between each of the engaging posts 121 and the lower fitting block 1214 underneath so that the respective wedge stopper 112 can fall into the respective hollow space 1212 against a partition 1213 between the respective guide slant 1211 and the respective hollow space 1212. Meanwhile, the fitting blocks 1214 each at the outer sidewalls thereof can keep contact with the inner sides of the rectangular periphery 113. Besides, a positioning guidepost 122 extends upward from middle area of the slip resistant part 12 so as to be disposed between the two iower blocks 1214 and to have the same height as the lower blocks 1214. When the slip resistant part 12 is engaged to the insert part 11, the positioning guidepost 122 can be sandwiched by the two positioning guide plates 124. Moreover, the slip resistant part 12 at both ends thereof inclines inward and downward to the zigzag stripe bottom 123.

In practice, the preceding embodiment of the footpad COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12.Sep. 2003 23:30 Wai Iington Dummer No-6330 P. 7 according to the present invention can be attached to the lower end of a box cross section rail on a ladder by way of the engaging recesses Ill engaging with projections on the rail (not shown) so that the insert part 1 can fixedly fit with the lower end of the rail. As the preceding, the engaging posts 121 on the lower blocks 1214 can engage with the wedge stoppers 112 and the positioning guidepost 122 can be :Located between the two positioning guide plates 124 with the lower fitting blocks 1214 being disposed against the inner side of the enlarged periphery 113. Because the insert part 11 can be made of hard and high strength material and the slip resistant part 12 can be made of durable anti-slip material, the worn out slip resistant part 12 can be renewed after a period of using IS without replacing the insert part 11 so that the lower end of the rail is not possible to be worn out and damaged to enhance the stability of using the ladder and the function of anti-slip for the ladder.

Referring to Figs. 3A, 3B and 3C, the second embodiment of a footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention is illustrated. The footpad of the second embodiment basically includes an insert part 21 and a slip resistant part 21 as well. The difference of the second embodiment from the preceding first embodiment in that the insert part 21 at the enlarged periphery 213 thereof is added with a plurality of outward extending ,slant ribs 2134 to intensify the strength of the insert part 21. Farther, a rectangular engaging edge 2131 extends downward from the periphery 231 with a plurality of vertical locating grooves 2132. The slip resistant part 22 COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12.Sep. 2003 23:31 Wall ington Dummor No-6330 P. 8 6 has two engaging posts 221 extending upward and the tops of the engaging posts 221 are provided with two opposite guide slants 2211 corresponding to two opposite wedge stoppers (not shown) at inner sides of the insert part 21 and near end parts thereof respectively as the first embodiment does so that the two guide slants 1211 can touch the wedge stoppers smoothly while slip resistant part 2 2 is engaged to the insert part 21. Further, each of the engaging posts 221 at the bottom of the guide slants thereof has a partition 2213 and an elongated hollow space 2212 is disposed under the partition 2213 but fitting blocks 1214 shown in Fig. 2A are not provided in the second embodiment. Moreover, a short positioning post 222 extends upward from the central area of the slip resistant part 22 as thie first embodiment does.

Besides, the Blip resistant part 22 at the b6Lse portion thereof has a rectangular margin with a specific thickness surrounding the periphery thereof and a hollow space is provided in the base portion of slip resistant part 22 ar ound the engaging posts 221 and the positioning post 222, Wherefore, a plurality of locating ribs 224 are provided in the hollow space to be integrally joined to the engaging posts. 221 and the positioning post 222 for corresponding to the locating grooves 2132 of the insert part 21 such that the locating ribs 224 can fit with the locating grooves 2132 while the slip resistant part 22 is engaged to the insert part 21 with the' engaging edge 2131 entering the space between the positioning ribs 224. The slip resistant part 22 at the botlobm thereof is provided with a plurality of straight treads with alternate COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12.Sep. 2003 23:31 Wallington Dummer No.6330 P. 9 7 recesses like tire treads instead of the zigzag treads shown in Figs. 2B.

Referring to Figs. 3A and 3B again, the footpad of the second embodiment provides higher strength and deeper anti-slip treads so that it is very suitable for larger size ladder or heavy type ladder. Both ends of the slip resistant part 22 are inclining an angle to the bottom 223 so that a greater contact area can be obtained between the bottom 223 and the floor to increase the slip resistance while the ladder is used with the rails in a tilted position.

Referring to Figs. 4A and 4B, the third embodiment of a footpad for rails of a ladder according to the present invention are illustrated. The third embodiment of the present invention is the same as the second embodiment except the bottom 233 of the slip resistant part 22 of the third embodiment being slant from one of the two opposite long lateral sides to the other one of the long lateral sides such that a greater contact area between the bottom 233 and the floor can be obtained while the footpad of the third embodiment is used in a shaped ladder and a preferable effect of anti-resistance can be obtained.

It is appreciated that a great advantage of the present invention is the slip resistant part is capable of being renewed easily under a condition of each rail at the lower end thereof keeping joining with the footpad of the present invention. Therefore, the lower ends of the rails are incapable of being worn out and damaged so that it is much helpful for the stability and safety of a ladder.

While the invention has been described with COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12-Sep. 2003 23:31 Wallinston Dummer N o 6 3 3 0 P reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or variations may be easily made without departing from the spirit of this invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12

Claims (1)

12-Sep. 2002 23:31 12.Sep 200323:31 Wall ington DummerNo33 P.1 N o 6 3 3 0 P I I 9 CLki"S 1. A fEootpad. for rails of a ladder, comprising: an insert part, providing an upper hollow insert head corresponding to the respective rail at a lower end thereof, providing an enlarged lower periphery, having an engaging recess being located at two short opposite sides thereof respectively near the enlarged lower periphery, having two locating guide plates being integrally joined to inner surf~aces of two long opposite lateral sides thereof and the inner surfaces are provided with two opposite wedge stoppers near the two short opposite sides respectively; and a slip resistant part, having a base with a shape corresponding to the enlarged lower periphery of the insert part, having a bottom with a plurality of tread stripes, extending upward two engagi-ng posts and a top of each of the engaging posts being provided with two opposite slants corresponding to the wedge stoppers, having a hollow space under the two opposite slants with a partition in between, extending up a short positioning post between the engaging posts and both ends thereof being inclining downward and inward to meet the bottom; whereby, when the slip resistant part is engaged to the insert part, the two engaging posts moves upward in the insert part with the guide slants keeping contact with the wedge stoppers till each of the wedge stopper at a flat top thereof being held by the respective partition and the positioning post is sandwiched by the two locating so plates to form a state of engagement. COMS ID No: SMBI-0041 5050 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:33 Date 2003-09-12 12.Sep. 2003 23:31 Wallington Dummer No.6330 P. 12 2. The footpad for rails of a ladder according to claim 1, wherein a fitting block is integrally disposed under each of the engaging posts to contact with the inner surfaces of the long lateral sides. 3. The footpad for rails of a ladder according to claim 1, wherein the treads at the bottom are provided with zigzag shapes or with a plurality of treads alternately spaced with a plurality of deep grooves. 4. The footpad for rails of a ladder according to claim 1, wherein the insert part at the enlarged periphery thereof is added with a plurality of outward extending slant ribs and an engaging edge extends downward from the periphery with a plurality of vertical locating grooves. The footpad for rails of a ladder according to claim 4, wherein the slip resistant part is surrounded with margin providing a specific thickness and a plurality of locating ribs are integrally disposed between the margin and the engaging posts and the positioning post for fitting with the vertical locating grooves. 6. The footpad for rails of a ladder according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the slip resistant part is inclined from one of the two opposite long lateral sides to the other one of the long lateral sides. COMS ID No: SMBI-00415050 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:mn) 23:33 Date 2003-09-12