Patent ID: 7383920
Filing Date: 2008-06-10
Classification: E06C

Abstract:
1. A step stool comprising a frame including two front legs, a left leg and a right leg, arranged to lie in non-parallel relation, steps coupled to the frame, one rear leg pivotally coupled above all of the steps to one of the two front legs, and a movable handrail including a left handle support arm mounted for movement in upward and downward directions along and collinear with and slidably engaging the outside between the front and back of the left leg, a right handle support arm mounted for movement in upward and downward directions along and collinear with and slidably engaging the outside between the front and back of the right leg, a handle, and means for slidably coupling the handle to the left and right handle support arms to cause a left end of the handle to extend into a left-end opening formed in the left handle support arm and a right end of the handle to extend into a right-end opening formed in the right handle support arm to produce an exposed portion of the handle in a position between the left and right handle support arms and to support the handle for sliding movement relative to at least one of the left and right handle support arms so that an effective length of the exposed portion is maximized upon downward movement of the left and right handle support arms relative to the non-parallel left and right legs of the frame to establish a lowered position of the movable handrail on the frame and is minimized upon upward movement of the left and right handle support arms relative to the left and right legs of the frame to establish a raised position of the movable handrail on the frame.