Patent Publication Number: US-6983823-B1

Title: Boarding ladder and slide system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is concerned with a combination boarding ladder and slide adapted for use by pets as well as people. More particularly, it is concerned with a system having a slide with a removable bed ladder and a ramp with treads. 
   Boarding ladders are commonly employed to provide vertical access via a series of rungs or steps. When used in association with watercraft, boarding ladders permit swimmers and divers to board the craft directly from the water. While such ladders generally provide suitable access for people, they are not particularly well-suited for use by animals such as dogs. Because dogs are quadrupeds with generally horizontal spines, they are not well adapted for the upright climbing movements necessary to ascend a ladder. In addition, because dog paws are much shorter in length than human feet, dogs lack the ability to maintain balance on the rungs of conventional boarding ladders. Such ladders also generally include open riser type treads, which present a risk of falling for dogs. Their short paws necessitate use of closed risers with relatively shallow treads in order to prevent forward slippage between the treads. 
   Slides are commonly employed to provide a quick, slippery descent via a relatively gradual slope. When used in a marine environment, slides enable people and animals to descend by sliding directly into the water. However, because they are slippery and lack footholds, they do not provide corresponding boarding access. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for a boarding ladder that enables vertical circulation between a boat and the water for both people and pets. The boarding ladder should have a gradual slope of ascent and relatively narrow footholds suitable for dogs to climb from the water without lifting assistance. It should also be removable from the supporting structure so that it can be stowed when not in use. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a boarding ladder and slide system including a slide having an upper end pivotally coupled with a support structure, a lower end coupled with a ramp, and a slide bed supporting a removable boarding ladder. The boarding ladder is constructed of a flexible web with generally parallel spaced apart rungs and it may be folded or rolled from the slide bed when the slide is in use. The ramp is equipped with a series of generally parallel, spaced apart rungs. The angle of inclination of the boarding ladder and ramp are preselected to provide boarding access to the support structure by an animal such as a dog. A brace extends between the slide and the support structure to maintain the slide at a preselected angle of inclination. In aquatic applications, floats may be coupled with the lower end of the slide, and the ramp may extend below the surface of a body of water. 
   Objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. 
   The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a boarding ladder and slide system in accordance with the present invention showing the system coupled with a watercraft, with the boarding ladder disengaged and the slide in use. 
       FIG. 2  is similar to the view shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the boarding ladder in position covering the slide bed and the ramp and boarding ladder in use by a dog. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially exploded view of the system shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the ramp disengaged from the slide. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged, fragmentary lower rear perspective view of the slide depicted in  FIG. 1 , with the ramp removed and showing the rear portion of a float assembly mounting structure and a stand off brace in extended position. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary upper rear perspective view of the slide, illustrating the structure coupling the slide to a watercraft handrail and the boarding ladder to the slide. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
   Referring to the drawing figures, a boarding ladder and slide system in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral  10  and illustrated in  FIGS. 1–5  in use in association with a boat  12  buoyantly supported by a body of water  14 . The boat includes a hull  16  with gunwales  18  supporting one or more handrails  20 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive system may be employed in association with any suitable support structure, including, for example, a dock, a pier, a body of land or associated structure, and that the support structure need not be adjacent to or associated with a body of water, as, for example, a swing set or tree house. The system may also be constructed to be free-standing on a platform or pair of legs, so that no support structure is required. 
   The system  10  broadly includes a slide  22  coupled with a ladder  24 , which may be disengaged to permit usage of the slide  22 , a ramp  26  which is substantially submergible below the surface of a body of water  14 , and a float assembly  27  for buoyantly supporting the slide  22  at a predetermined angle of inclination during use. In more detail, the slide  22  includes an upper end or head  28  shown removably coupled with a boat  12 , a lower end or foot  30  removably coupled with a ramp  26  and an elongated slide bed  32  extending between the ends. A pair of upstanding siderails  34  extend along either side of the bed  32  to prevent a user from falling off the side of the bed  32 . 
   The slide  22  extends at a predetermined overall angle of inclination from the horizontal and any suitable angle may be selected, although an angle of approximately 30° to about 75° is generally preferred. The slide upper end  28  includes a nearly horizontal entrance or resting area  35 . In addition to the overall configuration of the slide  22  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the slide may have alternate overall configurations such as undulating, laterally curvate, spiral or tubular. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 5 , a pair of vertical supports or legs  36  and  38  extend through holes or bores in the siderails  34  at the upper end  28  of the slide  22 . The legs  36  and  38  are each secured against vertical movement by a generally horizontal bolt  40  (one is shown) through a respective siderail  34 . The lower ends of the legs  36  and  38  are apertured front-to-back for receiving a pair of J-bolts  42  which extend through the legs  36  and  38  for pivotal coupling with the generally cylindrical handrail  20  of the boat  12 . Wing nuts  44  snug the J-bolts  42  to the legs  36  and  38  and about the rail  20 . While a particular pivotal coupling assembly is disclosed herein, It is anticipated that the specific hardware employed will be selected to provide pivotal coupling of the system  10  with the particular support structure  12 , which may also present planar, rather than cylindrical coupling surfaces. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the foot  30  of the slide  22  includes a generally vertical front face or kickplate  46  having a pair of laterally spaced apart apertures  48 , which receive ramp-coupling structure that will be discussed subsequently in more detail. Each of the siderails  32  extends downwardly adjacent the kickplate  46  to form a pair of generally vertically oriented side supports  50 . 
   The slide bed  32  includes a smooth, slidable upper surface  52  and a lower surface or under side  54 , shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The under side  54  includes a series of longitudinally extending molded ridges or ribs  56 . The under side  54  is apertured to receive a standoff brace  58 . A folding hinge  60  is used to intercouple the brace  58  with the under side  54  of the slide  22 . The outwardly extending end of the brace  58  is equipped with a guard, tip or suction cup  62  to prevent damage to the hull  16  of the boat  12 . The guard or suction cup  62  may also be fixedly coupled with the hull  16  and the end of the brace  58  may be secured to the cup  62  by a hook (not shown). 
   The ladder  24  is depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 5  to include a web  64  and a series of generally parallel, spaced apart sleeves  66  for receiving and holding in place a series of rungs or treads  68 . The ladder  24  is sized to fit the slide bed  32 , so that it extends upwardly, over the head  28  of the slide  22  for securing to the slide under side  54  with a series of spaced apart fasteners  70 , such as screws, snaps, buttons or hook-and-loop type fasteners. The ladder  24  is constructed of a flexible material, such as a rubberized, synthetic resinous or natural fiber sheet or fabric to permit it to be shifted from the slide bed  32  by rolling up, and it is frictionally held in place on the slide bed  32 . It may also be secured in place by installation of a series of hook and loop fasteners on the undersurface of the ladder  24  and the upper surface  52  of the slide bed  32 , by hook and eye type fasteners, or by strings or ties. A continuous web  64  with sleeves  66  as depicted in  FIG. 2  may be employed, or the rungs  68  may be supported on one or more spaced apart flexible rung supports, straps or chains, which may be constructed of the materials previously disclosed or of a metal or wood material. The rungs  68  may have an overall cylindrical configuration, or they may present plane surfaces such as rectangular strips. It is also foreseen that the rungs  68  may be of integral construction with the web  64 , straps, or chains or that they may be secured by fasteners coupled directly with the web  64 , straps, or chains, and without the use of sleeves  66 . The overall construction of the ladder  24  should be sufficiently flexible to permit conformation to the shape of the slide bed  32  and to facilitate easy roll-up or removal from the bed  32  and stowing when the slide  22  is in use, but individual elements such as portions of the web  64  or rungs  68  may be of rigid construction such as wood, metal or hard plastic or heavy rubber. 
   The elongated ramp  26  is of generally planar construction, including a plurality of generally parallel spaced apart rungs or treads  72  on the upper surface. The rungs or treads  72  may be of integral construction with the ramp  26 , or they may be secured with glue or fasteners such as nails, screws or bolts (none shown). Like the ladder rungs  68 , they may have a cylindrical or planar configuration, although the latter is preferred for ease of gripping. A pair of laterally spaced apart angular support struts, pins, rods, tubes or pipes  74 , are secured to the underside of one end of the ramp  26  ( FIG. 3 ). The ends of the struts  74  are vertically apertured or bored through. They are received through the kickplate apertures  48  for securing at the back of the kickplate  46  with fasteners such as hitch pins  76 . 
   The angle formed by the slide  22  and the ramp  26  is determined by the angular configuration of the struts  74 , which have a fixed angular configuration. The angle is preselected to facilitate boarding access to the support structure  12  by a dog or other quadruped animal. In certain applications, flexible or pivotal connectors may be employed in order to allow independent movement of the ramp  26  and slide  22 . 
   The slide  22  and ramp  26  may be constructed of wood, metal, synthetic resin or any other suitable material, and they need not be of identical construction. The slide  22  is preferably primarily constructed of synthetic resinous material such as a rotomolded polyethylene, for example as sold under the trademark Hedstrom® by Hedstrom Company, Bedford Pa. Selected portions of the slide, such as the legs  36  and  38  may be constructed of metal or other suitable material. While it is preferred that the slide  22  and ramp  26  be capable of disassembly, they may also be of unitary construction. 
   The float assembly  27 , includes a pair of floats, pontoons or buoys  78 , a front support rod or bar  80  and a rear support framework  82 . The floats  78  each include a body  84  having a pair of ends  86 , each having an outstanding shoulder  88  with an aperture or eye  90 . The side supports  50  and ribs  56  at the foot of the slide  30  are apertured or bored through to receive the front support rod  80 . The floats  78  are attached to the front support rod  80  by threading the outboard ends of the rod  80  through a respective float eye  90 . The front ends of the floats  78  are secured on the front support rod in spaced relation to the side supports  50  by a series of hitch pins  92 , one on either side of the shoulders  88  and one adjacent each side support  50 . 
   The rear support framework  82  includes an elongated rear lower horizontal support rod  94  received within a coaxial support sleeve  96 , a pair of spaced apart T-fittings  98  and  100  coupled with a pair of vertical supports  102  and  104  and a pair of L-fittings  106  and  108  coupled with a pair of upper horizontal supports,  110  and  112 . The rear lower support rod  94  is sized to extend laterally beyond the slide  22  for mating reception of the ends within respective eyes  90  of the floats  78 . The ends of the rod  94  are apertured for reception of hitch pins  114  on the outboard side of each float shoulder  88 . The sleeve  96  is somewhat shorter than the rod  94  and is sized in both length and diameter to provide a stop against inboard movement of the float shoulders  88 , in order to maintain the floats in generally parallel alignment with the siderails  34  of the slide  22  and to prevent encroachment of the floats  78  beneath the slide  22 . Hitch pins, additional sleeves, or upsets integral with the rod  94  may also be employed as stops, either in addition to or in place of the sleeve  96 . T-fittings  98  and  100  are coupled adjacent each end of the sleeve  96 , for reception of the vertical support rods  102  and  104  in spaced relation to the siderails  34  of the slide  22 . Where alternate stops are employed and the sleeve  96  is eliminated, the T-fittings  98  and  100  are coupled directly with the rod  94 . The vertical support rods  102  and  104  are sized to support the L-fittings  106  and  108  and horizontal supports  110  and  112  for contact of the latter with the slide underside  54 . The ribs  56  on the slide underside  54 , are apertured to receive the upper horizontal supports  110  and  112  in generally parallel relationship with the lower support rod  94  within the sleeve  96 . While an assembled rear support framework  82  has been described, the framework may also be of unitary construction. 
   In use, a combination boarding ladder and slide system  10  in accordance with the invention is coupled with a support structure such as a boat  12  by hooking the J-bolts  42  over a handrail  20  and tightening the wing nuts  44 . The ramp  26  is coupled with the slide  22  by inserting the struts  74  into corresponding apertures  48  and attaching fasteners  76 . The float assembly  27  is coupled with the slide  22  by fastening a float  78  on one side of the front support rod  80  with pins  92  on either side of the shoulders  88 , sliding the rod  80  through the apertured slide side supports  50 , inserting pins  92  on either side of the side supports  50  and installing the second float on the opposite side of the front support rod  80  and fastening it in place in the same manner with pins  92 . The free ends of rear upper horizontal supports  110  and  112  are inserted horizontally into the apertured ribs  56  toward a midline of the slide  22  and the lower support rod  94  is threaded through the sleeve  96 . The ends of the rod  94  are threaded through the eyes  90  of the respective floats  78  and fastened in place with hitch pins  114 . The standoff brace  58  is pulled downwardly to a generally horizontal position until the hinge  60  locks in an open position and the tip of the brace  62  engages the hull  16  of the boat  12 . 
   A dog or human user climbs from the deck of the boat  12  to a resting position on the slide entrance area  35  and pushes off down the slide bed surface  52  and into the water  14 . A human user unrolls the ladder  24  to a slide bed-covering position. The ladder  24  is sized so that it extends beyond the foot of the slide  30  and slightly on to the ramp  26 , to provide a continuous climbing surface. A dog in the water swims to the ramp, engages the rungs  72  and walks upwardly from the ramp  26  to the ladder  24  and then up to the slide entrance  35  and then onto the boat  12 . Although the boarding ladder  24  is primarily designed for use by dogs and children, it may be used by adults as well. In this manner, the combination boarding ladder and slide of the invention provides a means of vertical circulation between a body of water and a boat or other support structure that can be safely used by pets as well as humans. 
   The slide  22  can be easily converted to use by rolling up the ladder  24  or otherwise shifting it to a slide bed-uncovering position for use of the slide and shifting the ladder  24  back into a slide bed-covering position for converting the system  10  for use of the boarding ladder  24 . The ease of conversion serves to facilitate repeated use of the system  10  for both sliding and boarding. Following use, the entire apparatus  10  is easily disassembled as previously described into three parts: a slide  22 , a ramp  26  and a float assembly  27 , which can be stowed on the boat  12 , packed onto the boat  12  or any other vehicle for travel, or placed in storage. The ladder  24  may be left in place on the slide bed  32  during transport and storage, or it may be rolled or folded. Where the ramp  26  is hingedly coupled with the slide  22 , disassembly of the two for transport and/or storage is not required. 
   It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.