Patent ID: 6202787
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: E04H,E06C

Abstract:
A step assembly for a swimming pool, comprising:a unitary, one-piece, molded plastic, stand alone, lower step section including:at least one lower step, each at least at a first height,an upper platform at least as high as an uppermost one of said at least one lower step,a first supporting structure for supporting said at least one lower step and said upper platform on a ground surface as a stand alone unit without any further supporting structure,a first hollow chamber defined between said first supporting structure, said at least one lower step and said upper platform, anda first opening in a wall of the lower step section for permitting access to said first hollow chamber;a unitary, one-piece, molded plastic upper step section including:at least one upper step, each said upper step at a height greater than said upper platform,a second supporting structure for supporting said at least one upper step on said upper platform,a second hollow chamber defined between said second supporting structure and said at least one upper step, anda second opening in said second supporting structure for permitting water access to said second hollow chamber when said step assembly is positioned in a swimming pool, andsaid upper step section having dimensions less than said first opening so as to be inserted through said first opening when disassembled from said lower step section and so as to be entirely removably positioned in said first hollow chamber in a disassembled position for storage and shipping; anda securing assembly for removably securing said upper step section with said lower step section in an assembled position such that said second supporting structure is removably mounted on said upper platform and such that said steps of said lower step section and said upper step section form a sequential order of steps of different heights from a low height to a higher height.