Patent Publication Number: US-7721849-B2

Title: Retractable ladder

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to recreational vehicles and in particular to ladders for accessing the roofs of motorhomes and travel trailers. 
   There is a desire to provide as much interior space as possible which translates into maximizing the overall motorhome and travel trailer widths. However, increased width makes the motorhome or travel trailer difficult to navigate in narrow passages, and ultimately is limited by highway regulations which limit motorhome and travel trailer width to, for example, 102 inches. Further, many motorhomes and travel trailers provide for roof storage, and also may include roof mounted air conditioning units and/or roof mounted generators. As a result of these uses of the motorhome and travel trailer roofs, there is frequently a desire to provide a ladder to access the motorhome and travel trailer roof. 
   While ladders might be attached to the rear of a motorhome or trailer, in many instances owners would prefer to mount the ladders on the sides of their motorhomes or trailers to avoid blocking views from rear windows, or in the case of toy haulers with full width rear doors, it is not feasible to mount the ladder to the rear. Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned substantial width of motorhomes and trailers, adding the additional width of known fixed side mounted ladders often violates FMVSF standards, and may result in damage when a driver fails to allow room for the additional width resulting from a fixed side mounted ladder. 
   Further, known motorhome or trailer ladders include brackets which attach to the motorhome or trailer roofs. Such roof attachment often compromises the roof resulting in leaks. The resulting entrance of moisture into the motorhome or trailer roof may damage the roof and weaken the ladder mounting points in particular. The weakening of the mounting points may result in failure of the roof structure and in injury to a climber. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a retractable ladder for a motorhome or trailer including pivoting mounting apparatus providing total support for a ladder and climber in an open position. The apparatus includes brackets which mount on the side of the motorhome or trailer and arms which pivot in the brackets. The brackets mount to the sides of the motorhome or trailer only and therefore do not compromise the roof of the motorhome or trailer. The ladder attaches to the ends of the arms. The brackets include flanges which the arms rest against in the open position and pins for retaining the arms in the open position, thereby eliminating any need for the ladder to be supported by the ground. The pins may further be inserted through the brackets to retain the ladder in a closed position. Backing plates or the like may be provided behind the motorhome or trailer body to securely attach the brackets. 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable ladder and mounting apparatus comprising brackets for mounting to an approximately vertical surface, a ladder, and pivoting arms connecting the ladder to the brackets. Each arm comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical members having first ends and second ends opposite the first ends. The first ends pivotally connect to the brackets and the arms pivot between an approximately horizontal position and an approximately vertical position. The ladder is pivotally connected to the second ends of the arms and is movable between an open position corresponding to the horizontal position of the arms wherein the ladder may be climbed on, and a closed position corresponding to the vertical position of the arms for storing. Flanges extend laterally outward from opposite lower edges of the brackets and provide a rest for bottom edges of the vertical members of the arms when the arms are in the approximately horizontal position to carry the weight of a climber. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for retractably mounting a ladder. The apparatus includes brackets mountable to an approximately vertical surface. The brackets include bracket pivot points. Arms connect the ladder to the bracket and include first ends and second ends opposite the first ends. The first ends have arm pivot points pivotally connected to the bracket pivot points and the arms are pivotable about the pivot points between an approximately horizontal position and an approximately vertical position. The ladder comprises laterally spaced apart vertical ladder members supporting steps. The vertical ladder members are pivotally connected to the second ends of the arms allowing the ladder to move between an open position corresponding to the horizontal position of the arms wherein the ladder may be climbed on, and a closed position corresponding to the vertical position of the arms wherein the ladder is stored. The brackets include bracket mouths for receiving the vertical ladder members when the ladder is in the closed position. Bracket assembly pin passages are outwardly spaced apart from bracket pivot points past the vertical ladder members when the ladder is in the closed position and pins may be inserted through the bracket assembly pin passages to retain the ladder in the closed position. The brackets include at least one bracket stop feature and the arms include at least one arm stop feature. The stop features are positioned so that when the arms are in the approximately horizontal position, the at least one arm stop feature rests against the at least one bracket stop feature to carry the weight of the ladder and of a climber. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a prior art ladder mounted to the side and roof of a motorhome or trailer. 
       FIG. 2A  depicts a retractable ladder according top the present invention in a closed position. 
       FIG. 2B  depicts the retractable ladder according to the present invention in an open position supported above the ground by mounting apparatus attached to the side of a motorhome or trailer. 
       FIG. 3A  shows mounting apparatus comprising a bracket and arm according to the present invention in the open position. 
       FIG. 3B  shows the mounting apparatus comprising the bracket and the arm according to the present invention in the closed position. 
       FIG. 4A  shows the mounting apparatus according to the present invention supporting a vertical ladder member in the open position. 
       FIG. 4B  shows the mounting apparatus according to the present invention supporting the vertical ladder member in the closed position. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the bracket. 
       FIG. 5A  is a side view of the bracket. 
       FIG. 5B  is a front view of the bracket. 
       FIG. 5C  is a top view of the bracket. 
       FIG. 5D  is a side view of the bracket mounted to an approximately vertical surface of a motorhome or trailer. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the arm. 
       FIG. 6A  is a side view of the arm. 
       FIG. 6B  is a front view of the arm. 
       FIG. 6C  is a top view of the arm. 
   

   Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
   A prior art ladder  12  mounted to the side  10   a  and roof  10   b  of a motorhome or trailer  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . Highway regulations limit the maximum width of motorhomes and trailers to, for example, 102 inches. Unfortunately, the ladder  12  extends laterally from the side  10   a , and may result in a vehicle width which violates highway regulations. The ladder  12  mounting to the roof  10   b  may also compromise the roof resulting in leaks and potentially weakening the roof. Such weakening of the roof at ladder mounting points may result in a failure and injury to a climber. 
   A retractable ladder  14  and mounting apparatus  18  according to the present invention is shown in a closed (or retracted) position in  FIG. 2A  and in an open position in  FIG. 2B . The closed position allows mounting the ladder  14  to the side  10   a  without exceeding a maximum motorhome or trailer width. The open position allows the ladder to be forwardly spaced apart from the side  10   a  sufficiently to allow the ladder to be climbed on. The ladder  14  includes two laterally spaced apart vertical ladder members  16  supported by the mounting apparatus  18 , for example supported by three vertically spaced apart pairs of mounting apparatus  18 , each pair of mounting apparatus  18  comprising two laterally spaced apart mounting apparatus  18 . The vertical ladder members  16  support steps  17 . The mounting apparatus  18  provides total support for the ladder  14  and a climber, thereby eliminating any need for the ladder  14  to be supported by the roof  10   b  or by the ground. The sides  10   a  are generally vertical or approximately vertical, however, the present invention may be used with slightly tilted sides. 
   Each mounting apparatus  18  according to the present invention comprises a bracket  22  and an arm  20  shown in the open position in  FIG. 3A  and in the closed position in  FIG. 3B . A rotatable fastener  24  (for example, a rivet) passes through arm pivot point  56  (see  FIG. 6A ) and through a bracket pivot point  44  (see  FIG. 5A ) to pivotally connect the arm  20  to the bracket  22 . The arm  20  may thus pivot along arc A between an approximately horizontal position corresponding to the open position of the mounting apparatus  18  and an approximately vertical position corresponding to the closed position of the mounting apparatus  18 . The arms  20  are not necessarily vertical when in the approximately vertical position, and in some embodiments the arms may be tilted away from vertical when the mounting apparatus  18  is in the closed position depending on the location of the bracket pivot point  44 . The arms  20  further include ladder pivot points  58  (see  FIG. 6A ) for pivotally connecting the vertical ladder members  16  to the arms  20 . 
   The mounting apparatus  18  provides at least one bracket stop feature and at least one arm stop feature so that when the arms  20  are in an approximately horizontal position the at least one arm stop feature rests against the at least one bracket stop feature, and such resting is sufficient to carry the weight of the ladder  14  and of a climber. Preferably, the stop features are sufficient to carry any weight climber and a ladder  14  mounted using the mounting apparatus  18  has been tested to carry 600 pounds. An example of a bracket stop feature is a pair of flanges  28  extending laterally outward from opposite lower edges of sides  22   a  (see  FIG. 5   a ) of the bracket  22 . The flanges  29  reside directly below lower edges  29  of vertical members  52  of the arms  20  as the arms  20  approach the open position. The stops permits the ladder  14  to be used in an open position without requiring the ladder to be supported by the ground or any other additional support. 
   Bracket assembly pin passages  46  on the sides  22   a  and  22   b  of the bracket  22  are forwardly spaced apart from the bracket pivot points  44  (see  FIG. 5A ). The arms  20  include arm assembly pin passages  54  forwardly (or upwardly in the closed position) spaced apart from the arm pivot points  56  (see  FIG. 6A ) which may be aligned with the bracket assembly pin passages  46  when the arms  22  are in the open position, and a pin  26  inserted therethrough. A lanyard  49  may be connected between the pin  26  and a lanyard hole  48  to prevent loss of the pin  26 . 
   The arm  20  and the bracket  22  are shown supporting the vertical ladder member  16  in  FIG. 4A  in the open position and supporting the vertical ladder member  16  in the closed position in  FIG. 4B . The vertical ladder member  16  is pivotally connected to the second end  20   a  (see  FIG. 6A ) of the arm  20  by a fastener  32 , which fastener  32  is preferably a bolt and locknut, for example, a bolt and a nut with a nylon insert. The pin  26  is shown inserted through the bracket assembly pin passages  46  and retaining the vertical ladder member  16  in the closed position in  FIG. 4B . 
   A perspective view of the bracket  22  is shown in  FIG. 5 , a side view of the bracket  22  is shown in  FIG. 5A , a front view of the bracket  22  is shown in  FIG. 5B , a top view of the bracket  22  is shown in  FIG. 5C , and a side view of the bracket  22  mounted to an approximately vertical surface  10   a  of a motorhome or trailer  10  is shown in  FIG. 5D . The bracket  22  includes laterally spaced apart bracket sides  22   a  and  22   b  and flanges  28  extending laterally outward from opposite lower edges of the bracket sides  22   a  and  22   b . The bracket sides  22   a  and  22   b  are approximately vertical when mounted. 
   The bracket sides  22   a  and  22   b  include bracket pivot points (or holes)  44  for pivotally connecting the arms  20  (see  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  4 A,  4 B) to the brackets  22 . The bracket sides  22   a  and  22   b  further include the bracket assembly pin passages  46  forward of the bracket pivot points  44 , and lanyard holes  48 . A bracket back side  22   c  of the bracket  22  includes mounting holes  49  for mounting to the side  10   a  of a motorhome or trailer  10 . The bracket is preferably mounted using fasteners cooperating with a backing plate  36  behind the side  10   a . An example of suitable fasteners are a bolt  40  threaded into a nut  38 . 
   The brackets  22  have a length L 1 , a height H 1 , and a width W. The length L 1  is preferably approximately 2.3 inches, the height H 1  is preferably approximately 2.5 inches, and the width W is preferably approximately 1.5 inches. 
   A perspective view of the arm  20  is shown in  FIG. 6 , a side view of the arm  20  is shown in  FIG. 6A , a front view of the arm  20  is shown in  FIG. 6B , and a top view of the arm  20  is shown in  FIG. 6C . The arm  22  includes a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical members  52  having first ends  20   a  and second ends  20   b  opposite the first ends  20   a . The first ends  20   a  are pivotally connected to the brackets  22  by the arm pivot points (or holes)  56  cooperating with the bracket pivot points  44 . The second ends  20   b  pivotally connect to the ladder vertical members  16  at the ladder pivot points  58 . The arm pivot points  56  are separated from the ladder pivot points  58  by a pivot length L 2  which is preferably approximately five inches and the arm  20  has an overall length L 3  which is preferably approximately six inches. Arm assembly pin passages  54  are forwardly spaced apart from the arm pivot points  56 . The vertical members  52  have a height H 2  which is preferably approximately one inch. The arms  20  and the brackets  22  are preferably made from approximately 0.015 inch thick carbon steel, zinc plated, and powder coated. 
   While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.