Step assembly

Disclosed is a step assembly for use in climbing a utility structure. The step assembly comprises a rod member and a plate member. The rod member comprises a generally L-shaped rod, a shoulder formed contiguously to the generally L-shaped rod, and an arm pivotably coupled to the shoulder by a pin. The plate member comprises a duct having a longitudinally formed internal passage, and a support plate attached at one end portion of the duct and formed transversally to the duct, wherein the internal passage of the duct contiguously provides an opening in the support plate at the one end portion. The aligned shoulder and arm are configured to pass through the internal passage.

BACKGROUND

The present invention broadly relates to equipment for climbing utility structures, such as utility towers and utility poles.

Fall arrest is one form of fall protection, regulations of which are specified by OSHA to prevent individuals working at height from fall injury. Personal fall arrest is one type of fall arrest, and a personal fall arrest system typically includes at least the following four key elements: anchorage, body wear, connector and deceleration device. An anchorage is a secure point, often referred to as a tie-off point, for attachment to a structural part such as a rebar, I-beam, scaffolding and the like. A body wear is typically a body harness worn by the worker. A deceleration device has a mechanism to dissipate a substantial amount of energy and force associated with a fall arrest event. Examples of deceleration device include a rope grab, shock-absorbing lanyard, fall limiter, self-retracting lifeline and the like, one end of which can be coupled to a body wear. A connector is a device used to couple the other end of the deceleration device to the anchorage, e.g., a cross-arm strap, beam anchor, snap-hook, carabiner, etc. Each of these parts of a personal fall arrest system is typically required to sustain a minimum of 5,000 pounds per worker.

A utility tower is typically constructed to have threaded holes, which are configured to engage with threaded step rungs. Such a step rung is typically formed to have a shape of a bolt, i.e., an elongated solid cylinder with a threaded end portion, which is fastened with a fastener such as one or more nuts to secure the engagement with the threaded hole. A utility pole is typically constructed to have holes where step rungs are to be inserted. The end portion of such a step rung may include a hook, clip or the like properly shaped for securing the step rung through the hole.

Utility workers climb utility structures for repair, construction, maintenance and other purposes, with a variety of safety equipment. Conventional techniques addressing fall arrest in climbing a utility tower or pole include the use of a separate part, such as a carabiner, climbing clip, hook and the like, to couple the deceleration device to the step rung installed with the structure. Other examples include a step rung integrated with an attachment to allow the climber to hook in a hook or clip at the end of the deceleration device. However, these conventional techniques often fail to meet the requirement of supporting a load of 5,000 pounds or greater per worker. Therefore, there is a need for an easily installable step rung with high reliability and safety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes a step assembly, which can be securely installed to and uninstalled from a utility tower or a utility pole.

Details of the structure and mechanism of the present step assembly, according to a first embodiment, are explained below with reference toFIGS. 1-14.FIG. 1is a front perspective view of the present step assembly, in an assembled configuration.FIG. 2is a rear perspective view thereof.FIG. 3is a side view of the present step assembly, in a disassembled configuration, separately showing a rod member100and a plate member200. The present step assembly includes two main components: the rod member100and the plate member200.FIGS. 4-7show details of the rod member100from various views.FIGS. 8-12show details of the plate member200from various views. The present step assembly may be made of stainless steel, low carbon steel, aluminum, or other metals or alloys.

The rod member100comprises one portion formed to be a generally L-shaped rod102and the other portion formed to have a shoulder104and an arm106that is pivotably coupled to the shoulder104by a pin108. The generally L-shaped rod102has a main rod elongated in the longitudinal direction and a bent portion118elongated in the transversal direction and formed contiguously to one end of the main rod. In this example, a thread110is formed on the surface of the other end portion of the main rod, wherein the other end portion is opposite to the bent portion118and formed contiguous to the shoulder104. The shoulder104is formed longitudinally and contiguously to the other end of the main rod. The thread110may be formed to extend partially or all the way toward the bent corner of the generally L-shaped rod102where the bent portion118is connected transversally. The surface other than the threaded surface110of the generally L-shaped rod102may be knurled for a better grip. Fasteners such as one or more nuts112and one or more washer114may be included as auxiliary components in the rod member100. Alternatively, the nut112may be a flange nut; and the washer114may be eliminated. Further alternatively, a regular hex nut with a flat washer, a lock washer, or any combination of the same or different types of washers may be used. The fasteners, once added around the thread110of the present step assembly, cannot easily slide out of the rod member100because the L-shaped bending prevents it. Therefore, these small parts do not get lost during general handling by workers.

FIG. 4is a top perspective view of the rod member100, showing a configuration wherein the arm106is pivoted back around the pin108to generally align with the shoulder104.FIGS. 5-7are a top perspective view, a side view and a bottom perspective view, respectively, of the rod member100, showing another configuration wherein the arm106is pivoted around the pin108by roughly 90° with respect to the shoulder104. The pin108couples the shoulder104and the arm106as an axis, so as to enable the pivotal movement of the arm106around the pin108radially on the plane generally defined by the shoulder104and the arm106. The axial direction of the pin108is orthogonal to the direction of the bent portion118of the generally L-shaped rod102. The pin108is placed off-centered on the arm106. Therefore, the arm106is divided into two sections: a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being shorter than the distal section extending toward the 180° opposite direction with respect to the location of the pin108. This orthogonal orientation of the pin108with respect to the generally L-shaped rod102, together with the off-centered placement of the pin108on the arm106, enable the pivotal movement of the arm106naturally to let the longer distal section hang down vertically due to gravity, in a configuration in which the shoulder104is placed horizontally and the bent portion118of the generally L-shaped rod102is placed vertically upright. A socket116is formed in the shoulder104so as to accommodate the shorter proximal section of the arm106when the arm106is pivoted back to extend from and generally align with the shoulder104. To enhance the smooth pivoting, the dimensions of the pin108and the hole in the arm106, through which the pin108is inserted, can be configured so as to minimize the friction therebetween. A lubricant or oil may be used to further smoothen the contact.

A stopper120may optionally be included in the distal section of the arm106. The stopper120may comprise a screw that can be turned to have its height higher than the surrounding surface of the arm106, in the configuration wherein the arm106is inserted through the plate member200, so as to prevent the arm106from sliding back out of the plate member200. In this way, workers/users will less likely lose either member of the assembly prior to installation.

FIGS. 8-12are a side perspective view, a front view, a rear perspective view, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view, respectively, of the plate member200. The plate member200comprises a duct202elongated longitudinally and a support plate204attached at one end portion of the duct202and formed transversally to the duct202. The duct202has a longitudinally formed internal passage206, contiguously providing an opening208in the support plate204at the one end portion of the duct202. The internal passage206is shaped and dimensioned, such that the shoulder104and the arm106that is extended from and aligned with the shoulder104can fit and penetrate therethrough. The circumferences of the internal passage206, the shoulder104and the arm106are shaped to be generally square, with the four corners that are cut out, in this example. The external circumference of the duct202is shaped to be hexagonal in this example; however, the shape can be of any other type as long as it gives structural stability. Some part of a foot may be placed on the top section, e.g., the three top surfaces of the hexagonal prism of the duct202, in this example, which may have grooves210formed along the longitudinal direction to reduce transversal slippage of the foot. The back surface of the support plate204is shaped to be substantially flat so that the support plate204can be firmly flush against a wall of a utility structure when the present step assembly is installed. A weep line212may be formed on the back surface of the support plate204for water drainage.

When the present step unit is installed to a utility structure, one or more surfaces having the grooves210can be oriented to face toward substantially the ascending direction, i.e., the vertical direction, to provide a standing platform for the worker, thereby reducing transversal slippage of the foot and providing enhanced prevention from fall. To further enhance the stability of the plate member200installed, the location where the duct202, which is elongated longitudinally, is attached to the support plate204, which is formed transversally, may be off-centered to have the upper plate section above the duct202being smaller than the lower plate section. This design will utilize gravity to vertically stabilize the installed plate member200with minimal tilting. Furthermore, the present design helps workers/users to determine the directionality of the plate member200for installation; namely, it should be obvious to them that the one or more surfaces of the duct202having the grooves210should face vertically upward and the lower plate section, which is larger than the upper plate section, should point vertically downward.

FIGS. 13 and 14are side views of the present step assembly comprising the rod member100and the plate member200, showing two steps in the process of being installed to a wall290of a utility structure. As mentioned earlier with reference toFIG. 4, a stopper120may optionally be included in the distal section of the arm106. Prior to the installation, the stopper120as such a screw should be screwed in to have the top of the stopper120gets leveled with or lower than the surrounding surface, so that the stopper120does not interfere with the insertion operation in the following. InFIG. 13, the arm106is pivoted around the pin108to extend from and aligned with the shoulder104, and the aligned shoulder104and arm106are inserted horizontally through the internal passage206of the plate member200. InFIG. 13, part of the arm106is seen to be sticking out from the opening208of the support plate204and being inserted into a hole premade in the wall290of the utility structure, while the bent portion118of the generally L-shaped rod102is oriented vertically upright. InFIG. 14, the aligned shoulder104and arm106have been further inserted through the hole till the entire arm106is located on the other side of the wall. At this point, the arm106pivots around the pin108; the distal section, which is longer than the proximal section, of the arm106hangs down vertically due to gravity; and the front surface of the arm106gets flush against the back surface of the wall290. The position of the plate member200can be adjusted along the shoulder104until the back surface of the support plate204gets flush against the front surface of the wall290. The fasteners such as the nut112and the washer114can be engaged with the thread110to fasten the rod member100, the plate member200and the wall290, by firmly pressing the wall290between the support plate204and the hanging arm106.

After the installation as above, the present step assembly can be used for climbing the utility structure by putting a foot thereon. After the use, the present step assembly can be uninstalled from the utility structure. For doing so, the fasteners can be disengaged from the thread110to unfasten the rod member100, the plate member200and the wall290; the position of the plate member200can be adjusted to loosen the support plate204and the hanging arm106from the wall290; the arm106gets pivoted back to orient in the horizontal direction because the long distal section gets pushed up by the wall290while the assembly is being pulled back away from the wall290; the arm106gets generally aligned with the shoulder104; and the entire step assembly can be pulled back off the wall290by letting the aligned shoulder104and arm106pass through the hole of the wall290. Thus, the present step assembly is configured to be removable and reusable. As mentioned earlier, if the stopper120is included in the arm106, the stopper120such as a screw can be turned to have its height higher than the surrounding surface of the arm106, so as to prevent the arm106from sliding back out of the plate member200. In this way, workers/users will less likely lose either member of the assembly after the un-installation.

FIG. 15is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the present step assembly, in an assembled configuration.FIG. 16is a rear perspective view thereof. The step assembly includes two main components: a rod member300and a plate member400. The rod member300in the second embodiment may be configured similar to the rod member100in the first embodiment explained with reference toFIGS. 3-7. For comparison,FIGS. 17A and 17Billustrate side views of the plate member in the first and second embodiments, respectively. The plate member400in the second embodiment comprises: a duct402elongated longitudinally; a support plate404attached at one end portion of the duct402and formed transversally to the duct402; and a fall arrest loop450. The loop450has one end being integrally attached to the duct402and the other end being integrally attached to the support plate404. The duct402has a longitudinally formed internal passage, contiguously providing an opening in the support plate404at the one end portion of the duct402.

A mentioned earlier, when the present step unit is installed to a utility structure, one or more surfaces of the duct402having the grooves can be oriented to face toward substantially the ascending direction, i.e., the vertical direction, to provide a standing platform for the worker, thereby reducing transversal slippage of the foot and providing enhanced prevention from fall. To further enhance the stability of the plate member400installed, the location where the duct402is attached to the support plate404may be off-centered to have the upper plate section above the duct402is smaller than the lower plate section, so as to utilize gravity to vertically stabilize the installed plate member400with minimal tilting. Furthermore, the present design helps workers/users to determine the directionality of the plate member400for installation; namely, it should be obvious to them that the one or more surfaces of the duct402having the grooves should face vertically upward and the lower plate section, which is larger than the upper plate section, should point vertically downward.

The fall arrest loop450has a shape of generally an open loop. One end of the loop450is integrally attached to the duct402, while the other end is integrally attached to the lower plate section of the support plate404, which is larger than the upper plate section, thereby providing an opening defined by the loop450, a portion of the duct402and a portion of the lower plate section of the support plate404. Thus, the fall arrest loop450is configured for use as an anchorage of a fall arrest system.

With reference toFIGS. 17A and 17B, illustrating the side views of the plate member200in the first embodiment and the plate member400in the second embodiments, respectively, the dimensions of the duct402in the second embodiment may be configured larger than those of the duct202in the first embodiment. This is because the duct may have to sustain a heavier load due to the load added to the fall arrest loop450.