Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/14—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders ; Pilot lifts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/14—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders ; Pilot lifts
  • B63B2027/141—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders ; Pilot lifts telescopically extendable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B29/00—Accommodation for crew or passengers not otherwise provided for
  • B63B29/02—Cabins or other living spaces; Construction or arrangement thereof
  • B63B2029/022—Bathing platforms

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a climbing system, in particular for applications in the field of nautical science.
• the present invention relates to a climbing system with a retractable and/or telescopic ramp or ladder, of the kind adapted to be installed and/or implemented into the bridge of a boat or watercraft in general, wherein said telescopic ramp or ladder is adapted to be actuated (switched) between a not operating rest position (wherein it is received in the bridge of the watercraft) and an operating working position (in which it is positioned outside the bridge of the watercraft) so as to allow to users both to easily step down from the boat into water and climb again or re-ascend from water up on the boat.
• the present invention relates to an inventive solution for the assisted switching of the ramp or ladder (for instance by means of electromechanical switching means) between the above mentioned rest and working positions.
• Climbing systems in particular for boats and watercrafts in general, are known in the field of nautical science and appreciated by the users, said systems being adapted to render it easier both to step down from the boat into water and to step or climb again from water up on the boat.
• systems which comprise a telescopic ramp or ladder (adapted to be alternatively retracted and extracted or extended), wherein the ladder, in the not operating rest position, is closed and received in a housing (which is in turn received either in the bridge of the boat or in a different, still convenient position), and wherein, in the working configuration and/or position, the ramp or ladder is extracted and extends between the bridge and the water (for instance with its free and at least partially immersed in water), usually in a position substantially vertical and so as to be disposed along the portion of the broadside and/or stern underneath the bridge of the boat or watercraft.
• the advantages offered by climbing systems of the kind described above relate, by way of example, to the fact that, in its rest position, the ramp or ladder does not hinder the navigation and does not increase either the overall dimensions of the boat or watercraft whilst, in its working position and/or configuration, represents a valid support for both stepping down into water and climbing or stepping again from water up on the boat. Moreover, in its rest position, the ramp or ladder does not affect or change the external, general appearance of the boat and is moreover protected against both the atmospheric agents and the water, in particular the salt water, particularly aggressive and corrosive.
• the systems according to the prior art are adapted to be easily assembled and/or manufactured, thus allowing the corresponding assembling and/or manufacturing costs to be contained and/or limited, which renders their installation possible and even convenient even on not so big and expensive boats or watercrafts.
• the most common known climbing systems are adapted to be actuated manually, meaning that the commutation or switching of the ramp or ladder between the rest and working positions is obtained manually, wherein however the user, to this end, is often requested or forced to operate under disadvantageous conditions.
• the user for the purpose of switching the ramp or ladder from the rest position or configuration and the working position or configuration, is forced to project or protrude from the watercraft, and therefore running heavy risks, in particular under conditions of heavy sea and/or rain and/or wind.
• a further drawback to be taken into consideration relates moreover to the impossibility (or at least difficulties) for the user (in both cases in which he is swimming in water or standing on the boat) to close or retract the ramp and put same back inside the bridge and/or into its protecting or receiving housing or case.
• servo assisted switching systems or means have been proposed in the past, wherein for instance the commutation is obtained by means of electromechanical and/or hydraulic devices adapted to be actuated, for instance by means of a button or remote controller.
• the complexity of the coupling linkages and/or leverages, the corresponding costs (really high), along with the overall increased dimensions, have drastically limited their implementation and/or use, in particular on regular and not expensive boats, thus limiting their use and diffusion on a large scale.
• the coupling linkages of the switching system of the ramp or ladder allow the ramp or ladder to be switched only in part, wherein the user is still requested, accordingly, to complete the switching operations.
• switching systems are known which allow the ramp or ladder to be translated (along an horizontal direction) from inside the receiving housing or bridge to outside the bridge and vice versa, wherein however the operation needed for the purpose of extending and closing (retracting) the ladder and/or for the purpose of rotating the ladder from the horizontal position to the substantially vertical working position e vice versa, have still to be carried out by the user.
• a further goal of the present invention is that of providing a solution for the implementation of a servo assisted climbing system, in particular for boats or watercrafts in general, wherein the switching means shall allow all the steps of the commutation between the rest position and the working position and vice versa to be carried out in a servo assisted manner.
• a further object of the present invention is that of providing a solution for the implementation of a climbing system of the kind described above, said solution allowing the use of simple linkages and being adapted to be implemented and realized according to easy and simple procedures.
• the power absorbed by the switching means shall be limited and preferably without any power absorption peaks.
• the climbing system shall be adapted to be realized and installed at reduced costs, shall have reduced or contained (limited) overall dimensions and shall be reliable and adapted to be used even under difficult and/or disadvantageous conditions.
• the climbing system shall comprise a case or housing for housing both the ramp or ladder (at least in the closed or retracted configuration) and the switching means, said case or housing being eventually adapted to be closed and to be installed as well for instance into the bridge of a watercraft so as to guarantee the most adequate protection against for instance atmospheric agents and/or water.
• the present invention is based on the general consideration according to which the drawbacks affecting the climbing systems according to the prior art can be overcome or at least reduced by using, for the purpose of switching the ramp or ladder in a servo assisted manner, switching means allowing both to move the ramp or ladder (for instance to translate the ramp or ladder from inside the bridge or housing to outside and vice versa) and/or to rotate the ramp or ladder from the vertical position to the horizontal position and vice versa, said switching means allowing moreover the ramp or ladder to be both extracted (extended) and retracted, independently on the actual position of the ramp or ladder.
• a further consideration on the basis of the present invention relates to the fact that both the handling of the ramp or ladder (wherein the handling of the ramp or ladder has to be understood as comprising one or both of the translation of same from inside the bridge or housing to outside and vice versa and/or rotating the ramp or ladder from the vertical to the horizontal position and vice versa) and the switching of same (comprising extending and retracting the ramp or ladder), independently on the actual position of the ramp or ladder can be efficiently obtained by means of switching means comprising a pushing (thrusting) and pulling element structured in such a way (for instance being flexible) so as to be adapted to exert on said telescopic device both a pushing (thrusting) action and a pulling action (traction) even along non parallel directions.
• switching means comprising a pushing (thrusting) and pulling element structured in such a way (for instance being flexible) so as to be adapted to exert on said telescopic device both a pushing (thrusting) action and a pulling action (traction) even along non parallel directions.
• a first embodiment of the present invention relates to a climbing system, in particular for boats or watercrafts in general, said system comprising a telescopic device with a plurality of modules reciprocally coupled in a telescopic way, along with switching means for switching said device between a most extended position and a less extended position, said switching means being adapted to act on said device so as to alternatively push and pull said telescopic modules, thus allowing (or even ensuring) said telescopic device to be switched both so as to be extended and so as to be retracted or shorten, wherein said switching means comprise a thrusting and pulling element structured so as to act on said device so as to alternatively push and pull said telescopic modules, even along non parallel directions.
• said thrusting and pulling element is structured so as to allow (or even ensure) said device both to be translated along a first direction, and to be switched between said most extended and less extended positions along a second direction different from said first direction.
• said thrusting and pulling element is coupled to said device in such a way so as to alternatively thrust and pull the most external, end telescopic module of said plurality of telescopic modules.
• said thrusting and pulling element is made up by a flexible band or ribbon.
• said flexible band or ribbon may comprise a plurality of through holes disposed adjacent to each other along a direction parallel to the direction of extension of said band or ribbon, wherein said switching means may comprise rotating means adapted to engage, during rotation, said flexible band or ribbon so that the rotation of said rotating means in two opposite senses of rotation results in said telescopic device being respectively thrust (pushed) and pulled by said flexible band or ribbon.
• said switching means may comprise a source of power operatively coupled to said rotating means by means of a transmission.
• said rotating means may comprise a rotating shaft and said transmission may extend between said source of power and said rotating shaft, said transmission being preferably of the kind comprising a pulley and/or a belt.
• said source of power may comprise an electric motor.
• the end portion of said flexible band or ribbon opposite to said telescopic device is rolled or wound on a winding pulley so that, during thrusting and pulling of said telescopic device by means of said band or ribbon said end portion of said band or ribbon is respectively unrolled or unwound from and re-wound or re-rolled on said pulley, wherein said winding pulley may be operatively coupled to elastic thrusting means adapted to exert a constant rotating thrust on said pulley in the sense of rotation in which said band or ribbon is re-rolled so that the portion of said band or ribbon between said rotating means and said pulley is subjected to a constant tension.
• the system according to the present invention comprises guiding means coupled to said telescopic device and structured so as to allow said telescopic device to be oriented along non parallel directions.
• the most internal telescopic module of said telescopic device is rotatably coupled to said guiding means so as to allow said telescopic device to be oriented with respect to said guiding means along different and non parallel directions.
• said guiding means comprise at least one guiding pulley rotatably received in a guiding slide.
• the system according to the present invention comprises opposing means adapted to oppose said telescopic device to be switched so as to be extended and to support said telescopic device to be switched so as to be shorten or retracted, said opposing means being adapted to exert an opposing force bigger than the thrusting force needed to translate said telescopic device.
• the opposing force exerted by said opposing means is less than the resultant force of said thrusting force exerted by said thrusting and pulling element on said telescopic modules once said telescopic device has been translated and the force of gravity acting on said telescopic modules when said telescopic device is oriented along a direction other than said direction of translation of said telescopic device.
• the opposing force exerted by said opposing means is less than the resultant force of said thrusting force exerted by said thrusting and pulling element on said telescopic modules once said telescopic device has been translated and the force of gravity acting on said telescopic modules when said telescopic device is oriented along a direction substantially vertical.
• the system according to the present invention comprises a box shaped housing adapted to be received in a corresponding receiving seat, for instance formed in the bridge of a boat.
• the present invention further relates to a climbing system, in particular for boats or watercrafts in general, said system comprising a telescopic device with a plurality of modules reciprocally coupled in a telescopic way, along with switching means for switching said device between a most extended position and a less extended position, said switching means being adapted to act on said device so as to alternatively push and pull said telescopic modules, thus allowing (or even ensuring) said telescopic device to be switched both so as to be extended and so as to be retracted or shorten, wherein said switching means comprise a thrusting and pulling element structured so as to act on said device so as to alternatively push and pull said telescopic modules, said thrusting and pulling element comprising a flexible band or ribbon, the end portion of said flexible band or ribbon opposite to said telescopic device being rolled or wound on a winding pulley, said winding pulley being operatively coupled to elastic thrusting means adapted to exert on said pulley a constant rotating thrust in the rotating sense in which
• FIG. 1 - figures 2a e 2b show the system according to the present invention in an intermediate position and/or configuration in which the ramp or ladder partially extends or protrudes outside the bridge of a watercraft and/or the corresponding housing or case;
• FIG. 4a e 4b show the system according to the present invention in its working position or configuration in which the ramp or ladder is positioned outside the bridge of a watercraft and/or the corresponding case or housing and completely extended;
• FIG. 5 shows substantially the switching means of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 6 shows a part of the guiding means for guiding the ramp or ladder in the system according to an embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 7 shows further details of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• the climbing system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention depicted therein is depicted as being installed in the bridge of a watercraft 200; to the contrary, for the sake of clarity, in the figures from 1 b to 4b the climbing system is depicted as such, i.e. without any reference to its possible applications or uses.
• the system 10 comprises a box shaped housing envelope or case 1 1 , for instance made of metal, rigid plastic or similar materials resistant to water and/or corrosion, along with a climbing ramp or ladder 12 of the telescopic kind which comprises, in turn, a plurality (three in the example depicted) of elements or modules 14 reciprocally coupled to each other in a telescopic way, wherein each of the elements or modules 14 comprises a pair of tubular components substantially parallel to each other and disposed at a predefined reciprocal distance from each other, along with an interconnection and bearing element (defining a step) 15, disposed transversally with respect to the tubular components and provided namely for the purpose of offering support to a user during both stepping down and stepping up along the ramp or ladder 12.
• a box shaped housing envelope or case 1 1 for instance made of metal, rigid plastic or similar materials resistant to water and/or corrosion
• a climbing ramp or ladder 12 of the telescopic kind which comprises, in turn, a plurality (three in the example depicted) of elements or modules
• the bearing or supporting step 15 of the last telescopic element 14 (the most external one in the drawings) is in particular structured so as to close the front aperture 13 of the box shaped housing 1 1 when the ramp or ladder 12 is completely closed (retracted) and received or housed inside the housing 1 1 , for the purpose of isolating the inside of the housing 1 1 from the outside, thus protecting the components and/or elements received or housed therein.
• the telescopic coupling between the elements may be any coupling according to the prior art, this being the reason why, for the sake of conciseness, a detailed description of same is omitted.
• the present invention is not limited to the use of a telescopic ramp or ladder; to the contrary, within the scope of the present invention other ramps or ladders can be used such as, for instance, extendable and retractable ladders wherein, for instance, the elements or modules are adapted to slide one on the other.
• Figures from 1 a to 4a and from 1 b to 4b show the different steps of the switching operations of the ramp or ladder 12 between the rest or not operative position or configuration as depicted in figures 1 a and 1 b, and the working position or configuration as depicted in figures 4a and 4b.
• the ramp or ladder 12 is completely retracted (closed) and received inside the housing 1 1 ; it will be appreciated that the ramp or ladder 12, in its rest position or configuration, does not represent any encumber and does not modify either any of the external appearance and the overall dimensions of the watercraft.
• the ramp or ladder 12 is completely extended (open) and positioned outside the watercraft 200 and the housing 1 1 , in particular along the broadside of the watercraft and oriented substantially vertically or at least transversally with respect to the direction of longitudinal extension of the box shaped housing 1 1 .
• the ramp or ladder 12 In the intermediate position as depicted in figures 2a and 2b, the ramp or ladder 12 is still completely retracted (closed) and protrudes partially outside the watercraft and its housing 1 1 ; moreover, the ramp or ladder 12 is slightly inclined downside (toward the water) with respect to its previous position inside the housing 1 1 .
• the ramp or ladder 12 is positioned completely outside the watercraft 200 and the housing 1 1 , and is oriented so as to be substantially vertical (substantially perpendicularly to its previous orientation inside the housing 1 1 ), wherein the ramp or ladder is however still completely retracted (in its shortest configuration).
• the steps or phases for switching back the ramp or ladder correspond substantially to the just disclosed steps, wherein however the sequence of the steps will be opposite to that of the above disclosed switching steps so that, when the ramp or ladder is switched from the working position back to the rest position, the ramp or ladder 12 will take first the position and configuration according to figures 3a and 3b, subsequently that depicted in figures 2a and 2b, and finally that according to figures 1 a and 1 b.
• the main feature of the climbing system 10 relates to the fact that the system is of the servo assisted type, meaning that it comprises means (for instance electromechanical and/or hydraulic means) provided for the purpose of allowing a servo assisted switching of the ramp or ladder between the rest and working positions and/or configurations.
• the means for the servo assisted switching comprise in particular an electric motor (or even an hydraulic one or the like) 16 adapted to be rotated by means of a power source (for instance a battery or even an hydraulic pump, respectively, not depicted in the drawings); several are the electric motors adapted to be used according to the present invention and comprise electric single phase motors with low power consumption, step-by-step motors or the like.
• a transmission element in particular a belt (eventually a toothed belt) 17 which extends in turn between the shaft 16p and a further rotating shaft 18 disposed transversally with respect to the transmission belt 17 (and therefore, as it will appear more clearly from the following description, transversally with respect to the direction of translation of the ramp or ladder 12).
• a toothed wheel (or pinion) 19 comprising a plurality of teeth or engagements each oriented transversally with respect to the direction of extension of the rotating shaft 18, wherein the rotation of the shaft 18 on its own longitudinal axis is obtained or ensured by means of a pair of support elements S equipped with means adapted to ensure or facilitate the rotation of the shaft 18, said means comprising for instance bearings or the like.
• Each of the toothed wheels 19 engages in turn a pushing or thrusting and pulling element 20, essentially made up, in the embodiment or example as depicted in the drawings, by a flexible band or ribbon 20 comprising a plurality of through holes 26 disposed one adjacent to the other along a direction parallel to the direction of extension of the band or ribbon 20.
• the band or ribbon 20 may for instance be made of metal, plastic or similar materials, wherein the band or ribbon 20 shall be such as to be wound, curved or bent (see the following description), and wherein the stretched or not wound portion of the band or ribbon shall allow to exert both a push or thrust action and a pull action on the ladder 12.
• the above mentioned performances or actions can be conveniently obtained by means of a metallic band or ribbon with longitudinal ribs and/or with shaped cross section, for instance comprising a main portion substantially flat, along with two end portions oriented with respect to the main portion so as to define an angle.
• the climbing system 10 for the purpose of avoiding the band or ribbon 20 to bent or accumulate between the toothed wheel 19 and the pulley 21 , the climbing system 10, according to the embodiment as depicted in figure 5, comprises a further rotating shaft 23 which extends between the two pulleys 21 and engages a friction element 22 disposed at an intermediate position between the two pulleys 21 .
• the friction element 21 comprises an helicoidal spring, with a fixed end portion (fixed, for instance, to any static portion of the system), whilst the opposite portion is rigidly fixed to the rotating shaft 23.
• each of the guides 24 is shaped as a (see also figure 1 b) and defines therefore an internal space wherein there are received (engaged) tow pulleys 30 and 31 (depicted with continuous lines and dashed lines in figures 6 to 7 and 5, respectively), the pulley 31 having a diameter shorter than that of the pulley 30.
• Each of the guides 24 comprises moreover a stopping element 32 (see figures 6 e 1 b) which closes at least partially the guide 24 in correspondence of its external end portion (opposite to the pulleys 21 ).
• the dimensions of the stopping element 32 are however such as to allow the wheel 31 with shorter diameter to pass the stopping element 32 during the translation of the ramp or ladder 12 (see figure 7), thus allowing to the wheel 31 to be positioned alternatively outside and inside the guide 24.
• tubular elements of the first telescopic module 14 of the ramp or ladder 12 are each rotatably linked to the corresponding wheel or pulley 31 by means of a rotating pin 33 which extends through the end portion of the tubular element.
• wheel or pulley 30 is free to be rotated with respect to a further rotation pin 35, the two rotation pins 33 and 35 respectively of the wheels 31 and 32 being reciprocally linked or connected by means of a pair of connection brackets 36.
• each of the wheels 31 and 30 can be freely rotated with respect to the corresponding rotation pin 33 and 35, wherein the wheels 31 and 30 are rotated during the translation of the ramp or ladder 12 (obtained by means of the pushing and pulling element or ribbon 20).
• connection brackets 36 can be rotated with respect to the rotation pin 35, so that the connection brackets 36, during their own rotation with respect to the pin 35, bring as well to rotate both the end portion of the module 14 and the wheel 31 (see figure 2b), both the end portion of the module 14 and the wheel 31 being rotatably fixed with respect to the brackets 36 by means of the rotation pin 33.
• the pushing and pulling element or ribbon 20 extends from the pulley 31 , underneath the rotation pin 35 of the wheel or pulley 30, and therefore inside the telescopic elements 14, in particular inside the tubular elements of the telescopic elements or modules 14, wherein therefore, as anticipated above, the end portion of the pushing and pulling element or ribbon 20 engages the last telescopic element or module 14, namely the most external telescopic element or module 14 of the ramp or ladder 12.
• rotatable rollers 37 (the number of which may be selected according to the exigencies and/or circumstances), for the purpose of facilitating or rendering easier the translation of the ramp or ladder 12 inside the case or housing 1 1 .
• the ramp or ladder 12 comprises a plurality of bucking (opposing) means (not depicted in the drawings) adapted to tackle the aperture or extension of the ramp or ladder (to exert a resistance against the aperture or extension of the ramp or ladder 12), and to facilitate (render easier) or support the closure or retraction of the ramp or ladder 12; to this end, within the scope of the present invention, it is possible to provide, by way of example, a plurality of springs, each of said springs being disposed between two adjacent telescopic elements or modules 14, or even pairs of magnetic means (for instance magnets), each pair comprising magnets with opposite polarities and being disposed on a corresponding telescopic element or module 14, in particular on the corresponding step.
• the rotating shaft 23 (the one brought to rotate by the transmission 17) comprises a threaded portion 40 on which there is engaged a threaded slider or cursor 41 , which comprises a fin 42, the free end portion of which is received or housed inside the internal space defined by the two opposite walls 43 rigidly fixed to the case or housing 1 1 .
• the slider or cursor 41 comprises a through hole with an internal thread which is engaged with the thread of the threaded portion 40 of the shaft 23 so that, during rotation of the shaft 23 in the two opposite senses of rotation (clockwise and counterclockwise with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 23), the cursor 41 , which cannot be rotated due to the fin 42 engaged into the internal space defined by two opposite walls 43, is translated along the shaft 23 in two opposite senses of translation, respectively, and therefore from left to right and from right to left with respect to figure 5.
• two sensors or microswitches (not to be seen in figure 5), in particular in correspondence respectively of the end portions reached by the fin 42 during its translation.
• the switching process is started first by actuating the electric motor 16, for instance by means of an electric switch or even a remote controller or the like, thus bringing the rotating shaft 18 and the toothed wheels 19 to rotate by means of the transmission 17.
• the rotation of the toothed wheels 19 results in the bands or ribbons 20 being translated toward the outside of the case or housing so that the bands or ribbons 20 are unrolled or unwound from the respective pulleys 21 .
• the bands or ribbons 20 exert a thrust or push on the ramp 12 which is therefore translated along the case or housing 1 1 toward the outside of the case or housing 1 1 , wherein the translation of the ramp is facilitated or rendered easier by both the rotatable rollers 37 which support the ramp, and by the pairs of wheels or pulleys 30 and 31 , each of the wheels or pulleys 30 and 31 being brought to rotate inside the corresponding guides.
• the ramp or ladder start to get inclined down as depicted in figures 2a and 2b meaning that, in other words, the ramp or ladder 12 starts to rotate on the rotation pins 33, from the substantially horizontal position or orientation it had inside the case or housing 1 1 , thus assuming progressively transversal positions and orientations more and more inclined down with respect to its starting position and/or orientation, the rotation of the ramp or ladder 12 being allowed and/or rendered easier by the rotation of the brackets 36, along with that of the wheels 31 , accordingly, with respect to the pins 35, as depicted in figures 2a and 2b.
• the last step of the switching operation or procedure is started, namely the step during which the ramp or ladder 12 is opened or extracted or extended.
• two forces act on the most external module or element 14 of the ramp or ladder 12, namely the thrust exerted by the ribbons 20 along with the force of gravity (the maximum force of gravity since the ramp or ladder is substantially vertical).
• the contrasting elements are set so as to exert a resistance or contrast force which is less that the resultant force resulting from the thrusting force exerted by the ribbons 20 and the force of gravity, the most external element or module 14 starts sliding with respect to the second-last element, wherein once the most external element or module 14 reaches its end most extended position (with respect to the second-last module) the second-last element or module is pulled by the most external or last module 14 and starts sliding with respect to the third-last module or element and so on.
• the switching operation or procedure comes therefore top its end once the ramp or ladder 12 reaches its most extended configuration or condition and the electric motor is turned or switched off by the slider 41 , or even before, for instance in case in which the motor is turned off by a user.
• the ramp or ladder is oriented, positioned and configured so as to allow a user both to step down along the ramp (for instance to get into water) and to step or climb up along the ramp (so as to get back, for instance, on a boat or watercraft).
• the ramp or ladder is first closed or retracted, meaning that each of the telescopic elements or modules 14 is pulled so as to be retracted and slide into the adjacent one (the most external into the second-last, the second-last into the third-last one and so on), wherein to this end both the pulling action exerted by the ribbons 20 and the action exerted by the contrasting elements are used, the resultant force thereof being enough to win the force of gravity; during this step, the ramp or ladder 12 keeps oriented substantially vertically or perpendicularly to the case or housing 1 1 , wherein this step ends once the situation as depicted in figures 3a, 3b and 7 is reached (wherein the ramp or ladder 12 is completely closed or retracted, oriented substantially vertically and positioned outside the watercraft 200 and the case or housing 1 1 ).
• the ramp or ladder starts first to get back into the case or housing 1 1 , and therefore to rotate, thus assuming subsequent orientations less and less inclined down with respect to the case or housing 1 1 , wherein the insertion of the ramp 12 into the case 1 1 starts once the wheels or pulleys 31 have passed the corresponding stoppers 32.
• the orientation of ramp or ladder 12 becomes more and more close or similar to its final orientation (substantially horizontal and parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension of the case or housing 1 1 ) until the ramp or ladder 12 reaches the final rest position of figures 1 a and 1 b, where the electric motor 16 is turned off either automatically or manually by a user.
• the climbing system allows the ramp or ladder to be both conveniently operated (translated from inside the case to outside the case and vice versa as well as rotated from the horizontal position or orientation to a substantially vertical position or orientation and vice versa) and switched by being extracted and retracted, independently on the actual position or orientation of the ramp or ladder.
• the linkages are simple and easy to be realized, the power consumed by the switching means is contained and does not comprises too high consumption peaks and, finally, the climbing system can be realized and installed at reduced costs, is characterized by a low overall dimensions and is reliable and adapted to be used even under difficult or disadvantageous conditions.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Ladders (AREA)

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• 2016
  • 2016-01-27 EP EP16712461.9A patent/EP3250451A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-01-27 WO PCT/IB2016/050399 patent/WO2016120798A1/en active Application Filing

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