Special receptacle or package – For a tool – Plural
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-11
2003-05-20
Luong, Shian (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For a tool
Plural
C248S210000, C182S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06564941
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns holders, removably mountable to ladders and step ladders, of paint cans and tools and like implements for use by painters and electricians and other individuals when, in the course of their work, these persons stand on ladders and step ladders. The present invention is directed at a convenient means for carrying and organizing and holding various work supplies and work implements in proximity to work conducted by a tradesman from a ladder or step ladder.
The present invention particularly concerns flexible tool and paint pail holders that removably mount atop step ladders so that a workman (i) may conveniently transport tools and supplies, including paint, to the ladder within a holder, (ii) may easily and securely mount a holder to the ladder, (iii) may have convenient access to tools and supplies held within the holder while standing on the ladder, and (iv) may at any time replenish any tools or supplies within the holder with minimum disruption.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ladders have been employed since their inception to place a worker into proximity to an elevated surface or article that needs be physically manipulated, such as for purposes of painting, plumbing, wiring etc. Of the several well-known styles of ladders available, a step-ladder consists of (i) a fixed ladder member which is joined to (ii) a supporting member having dimensions and construction similar to that of the fixed ladder portion but designed primarily as a support. The (i) fixed ladder member and the (ii) supporting member are joined by a suitable hinge, transverse to the long axis of both members, such that the ladder member and support member may be opened with respect to one another, forming thereby an essentially A-frame configuration. A top step is usually provided at the external apex of the “A”.
This step ladder provides the ability to elevate ones-self in the absence of a fence, wall or other structure normally required when using a fixed ladder alone. It is to users of the step-ladder which the present invention is directed, but the principles of the present invention, particularly in the aspect of its paint pail pouch, are anticipated to be useful on the other types of ladders as well, and it would be unnecessarily restrictive to view the particular application of the present invention to step ladders as is taught within this specification as being delimitive of the invention.
One of the problems individuals who find themselves on ladders regularly encounter is that they must prevent themselves from falling from the ladder while performing the task at hand. Additionally, a variety of hand-implements are often required to carry out various tasks to their completion. From a statistical standpoint, the probability of an individual having a mishap varies directly as the number of times an individual goes up and down from the ladder in connection with a job. Therefore, if it were possible to minimize the number of up-and-down trips an individual was required to make in the normal course of carrying out tasks from a ladder, then the probability of a mishap could be accordingly minimized.
One way to minimize the number of up-and-down trips required to carry out a task is to provide every tool and/or material needed for a given job in close proximity to the location atop the ladder where the worker is situated. However, while the prior art contains many different types of devices aimed at this end, none has been successful in design both so as to be (i) ergonomically effective, and (ii) sufficiently cost-effective of manufacture so as to be widely adopted.
A review of some of the criteria that a ladder, or step-ladder, tool holder would desirably realize is useful. Flexible and removable, fabric-type, holders seemingly offer a large holding capacity, but these holders tend not to maintain a defined volume, and are subject to collapsing inward. This is adverse in that even a loaded holder should be capable of being slipped into position on or atop a step ladder by use of but one hand, making that the holder must maintain itself open and ready to receive mounting upon the step ladder. Moreover, a holder removed from a ladder mounting should not slump or collapse so completely that held objects such as tools become dislodged.
An optimally commodious tool holder would seemingly best make good use of every one of the five exterior surfaces of defined by the volume in the shape of a truncated four-sided pyramid at the top of a step ladder. Use of the substantially flat top surface to the step ladder is immediately problematic. Should this surface be left unencumbered so that it may be stood upon, or should it be adapted for holding objects or things?
Finally, the retention of paint cans and pails both large and small is potentially challenging to flexible fabric holders, especially as these containers and their contents would desirably be held level.
Attempts to solve these challenges are shown in various issued United States patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,419 to Campagna, et al. for a LADDER POUCH shows an elongate, flexible sheet having a first end, a midpoint, a second end, a first side, and a second side. A first engagement structure, such as hook and pile fastening material, is located on the first side of the elongate, flexible sheet between the midpoint and the first end. A second engagement structure, complimentary with the first engagement structure, is located on the second side of the sheet proximate its second end. Multiple pockets are disposed on or integral with the first side of the sheet. The pockets can be open-mouthed or include covering flaps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,383 to Armstrong for a LADDER SADDLE DEVICE shows a holder device containing various work implements designed for use by workers who regularly use ladders. The device holds the implements in such fashion as to be ergonomically accessible while maintaining a reduced center of gravity and hence increased stability of the ladder/device combination as a whole. Use of this device is claimed to increase safety while being cost-effective enough in its construction to be readily employed by workers in various crafts and professions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,101 to Taggart for an ADAPTABLE CARRIER APPARATUS shows a tool and material carrier adaptable for use on a variety of platforms such as four and three legged step ladders, extension ladders, universal or hinged ladders, platform ladders, scaffolding and the like. The carrier is made of a foldable body which conforms to various platform deigns. A multiple strap system having quick lock and release connectors secures the carrier to the various platforms. The front of the body includes a multi-tiered system of pouches and holders for tools and materials. The rear of the body includes additional pouches or holders. The carrier includes a holster for gun shaped tools. An electric cord holder provided with or separately from the carrier holds an electric cord close to the working elevation of the platform. The electric cord holder includes a foldable strap having two portions which are mated when the strap is folded to form an opening smaller than the head of an electric cord to secure the electric cord between the two portions. Modular, task specific, attachments to the carrier provide additional versatility such as an attachable mud pan and mud knife holder or an attachable butane torch holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,437 to Weller for a FREE-STANDING LADDER SUPPORTED TOOL HOLDER concerns a non-obstructive tool holder which holds tools on a free-standing ladder, e.g. a step-ladder. The tool holder is configured so avoid obstruction of normal use of the free-standing ladder. The tool holder has a skirt including a front side sheet, a rear side sheet, a left side sheet, and a right side sheet connected together at sides thereof to form a generally tubular structure having a top opening and a bottom opening. The skirt narrows towards the top thereof. The front side sheet, the rear side sheet,
Fuess & Davidenas
Ladder Boss, Inc.
Luong Shian
LandOfFree
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