Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Unitary foldable – rigid scaffold or ladder – Collapsible ladder
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-10
2003-04-22
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Unitary foldable, rigid scaffold or ladder
Collapsible ladder
C182S165000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550579
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a step stool, and particularly to a folding step stool including legs that fold between an opened use position and a collapsed storage position. More particularly, the present invention relates to a link coupled to the rear leg and a step of the step stool to coordinate movement of the rear leg and the step.
Step stools have a frame and one or more steps that individuals use for elevation when reaching for objects, painting walls, or any everyday task where extra elevation would be helpful. Step stool frames are often foldable for ease of storage while the step stool is not being used.
According to the disclosure, a method of assembling a step stool includes the steps of providing a frame including a front leg and a rear leg coupled to the front leg for pivotable movement between an opened use position and a collapsed storage position, a step coupled to the front leg for pivotable movement between a horizontal use position and a storage position, and a link including a body, a pivot coupled to the body and the step, and a connector coupled to the body. The method of assembly further includes the step of snapping the connector into engagement with the rear leg for movement of the rear leg from its opened use position to its closed storage position in response to movement of the step from its horizontal use position to its storage position.
In preferred embodiments, the link includes means for coupling the body to a strut of the rear leg upon pivoting the body about a pivot axis defined by the pivot in a plane perpendicular to a strut of the rear leg. The coupling means includes the connector and another connector. Each connector includes a hook that is coupled to the body and formed to include a channel sized to receive the strut and a detent coupled to the hook to retain the strut in the channel upon snapping the connector into engagement with the strut for movement of the rear leg from its opened use position to its closed storage position in response to movement of the step from its horizontal use position to its storage position.
Additional features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
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11-135 Two Step™ Folding Step Stool, Cosco® A Dorel Company, Home Furnishings, 1996, p. 17.
11-302 Big Step™ Folding Step Stool and 11-307 Deluxe Big Step™ Folding Step Stool/Chair, Cosco® A Dorel Company, Home Furnishings, 1996, p. 18.
Gibson William R.
Giner Enrique
Barnes & Thornburg
Chin-Shue Alvin
Cosco Management Inc.
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