Patent Publication Number: US-2011073729-A1

Title: Ladder storage device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to storage devices, and more specifically, to a ladder storage device. 
     There is nothing currently available that lays flat to the ceiling. The current storage devices are either L-brackets or hooks that let the ladder hang from one side or two people are needed to lift the ladder to the storage area. Two people are needed because the unit cannot be pivoted in place. It has to be placed flat in one motion. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a ladder storage device that secures A-Frame and extension ladders flush to the ceiling of a garage or storage area. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a device for a storing a ladder adjacent to a ceiling, the ladder having a top end and legs, includes: a ladder end cradle, adapted to releasably, rotatably receive the top end of the ladder when the ladder is in an lowered orientation; wherein, when the ladder is received and rotated into a raised orientation, the ladder end cradle retains the top end of the ladder so that the legs of the ladder may be releasably held to the ceiling, thereby storing the ladder adjacent to the ceiling. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method for storing a ladder adjacent to a ceiling includes: orienting the ladder in an angled positioned; receiving a top end of the ladder into a ladder end cradle attached to the ceiling; rotating the ladder about its top end into an orientation generally adjacent to the ceiling; securing the legs of the ladder adjacent to the ceiling; and supporting the ladder, thereby storing the ladder adjacent to the ceiling. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of the present invention, utilizing an A-frame ladder; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of the present invention in the stored orientation; 
         FIG. 5  depicts an embodiment of the present invention, utilizing an extension ladder; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a ladder storage device that secures A-Frame and extension ladders flush to the ceiling of garage or storage area. 
     An embodiment of this device permits the storage of a ladder flat against the ceiling. 
     An embodiment of the present invention includes a bracket that accepts the head of the ladder so the body can be pivoted up to a resting position against the ceiling. The ladder is then held up by straps on the non pivoting side. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , an embodiment of the present invention may be utilized with an A-frame ladder. It includes a ladder end cradle  20  that accepts the head  14  of an A-frame ladder  12 . The ladder end cradle  20  may be made from either steel or plastic. The ladder end cradle  20  has a mounting plate  22  that attaches to the ceiling  16 . Mounting plate  22  may be approximately 14.5″ long and 2″ wide. Attached to mounting plate  22  are two horizontal top bars  24  that are perpendicular to the axis of mounting plate  22 , and parallel to the plane of the mounting plate  22  and the ceiling  16 . The top bars  24  are approximately 10.5″ apart and recessed in from the edges of mounting plate  22  by approximately 2″. The top bars  24  extend forward of the mounting plate  22  approximately 2.5″ and behind the plate approximately 3.5″. A transverse top bar  26  connects the two top bars  24  together. The top bars  24  are angled downward from the ceiling  16  at approximately a 30 degree angle, to form two downward bars  28 . This angle may coincide with the angle of the folded ladder head. The downward bars  28  are approximately 9″ long. At the lower end (closest to floor when mounted on ceiling) of the downward bars  28 , the material is bent at approximately a 60 degree angle thus forming two bottom bars  30 , which will be horizontal and parallel to the ceiling  16 . The bottom bars  30  extend approximately 2.5″, and are then bent upward toward the ceiling at approximately a 90 degree angle to form two upward bars  32 . The upward bars  32  extend approximately 1″. A double welded retaining lip  34  is attached to the ends of the upward bars  32 , thus tying the two halves of the ladder end cradle  20  together so that it can receive and retain the head  14  of the ladder  12 . 
     A stabilizing hoop  36  is attached to the mounting plate  22  that extends parallel to the mounting plate  22 , turns downward at the outside edges of the plate, and extends downward toward the bottom of the bent bars and returning to meet underneath the embodiment  10 . This creates a rectangular hoop  36  that keeps the ladder head  14  in place should it be hit. The stabilizing hoop  36  also centers the ladder head  14  in the embodiment  10  for ease of use. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the opposite side of the ladder  12  from the head  14  may be held securely to the ceiling  16  by several nylon/plastic snap clasp straps. The first strap  50  is placed around the center of the last rung  52  of the ladder  16 . This strap  50  is closed when the ladder is first elevated to the resting position, and it can be secured with one hand because the receiving end of the strap  50  is locked into place. A second strap  54  reaches across the entire ladder from one side to the other as the final strap. This main strap  54  may be secured using both hands, after the first strap  50  is in place. 
     The A-frame embodiment of a ladder end cradle  20  forms a cage to hold the head  14  of the ladder  12 . The cage does not need to move or rotate, because the upward bars  32  and retaining lip  34  engage with the ladder  12  to keep the ladder from sliding out. The ladder  12  is free to rotate about its head  14 , so that it can be rotated by lifting or lowering the legs. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 3 , an embodiment may include additional lateral stabilizing bars that press against the ceiling to stabilize and give lateral support to the ladder end cradle. 
     If an embodiment of the receiving head is made of plastic/nylon, then an injection molding machine may make said invention. If the invention is made from round metal stock, then the pieces may be bent and welded together, to form a one piece head. 
     In an embodiment, the front edge (the part of the head of the ladder that faces you when it is opened to climb) of the ladder is placed in the ladder end cradle that is mounted to the ceiling with screws/bolts. The bottom of the ladder is resting on the ground or dangling downward if the ceiling is higher than the ladder is tall. The bottom part of the ladder is then swung up to the ceiling, holding said ladder in place with one hand, and the other hand secures the first strap around the last rung of the ladder. A secondary strap, located on the outside edges of the resting ladder legs, is then snapped closed to secure the ladder at rest against the ceiling. 
     To remove ladder, follow previous procedure backwards. 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7 , an embodiment of the present invention  10  includes a different ladder end retaining member or cradle  60  to accept an extension ladder  62 . This ladder end cradle  60  would have two rectangular tubes  66  that the extension ladder legs  64  slide into. These tubes  66  could then be rotated upward, about hinges. 
     In another embodiment, a winch and pulley system could be applied at the base end of the ladder to raise and lower the ladder if necessary. 
     In an embodiment, the ladder is stored adjacent to the ceiling, in that the legs of the ladder are not necessarily in contact with or parallel to the ceiling, or even close to the ceiling, so long as a strap can be provided that is long enough to hang from the ceiling and tie to the ladder. In one embodiment, the ladder is held generally parallel to a flat ceiling. 
     In an embodiment, the device releasably, rotatably receives the ladder, in that it retains the top of the ladder (the head of an A-frame, or the legs of an extension ladder), and then the ladder can be rotated from a lowered, angled position into a raised, generally horizontal position for storage, and rotated back down to be released. In the raised orientation, the device retains and supports one end of the ladder. 
     An embodiment utilizing an A-frame ladder may have two straps, one in the center of the last rung and mounted to the ceiling. The receiving buckle is integrated into the mounting bracket and the strap comes down and encircles the bottom rung before being buckled. The tail can then be cinched tight to hold the ladder in place before the secondary strap is fastened. The secondary strap brackets are placed on the outside area of the ladder and will come from one side of the ladder to the other. It may buckle in the center of the ladder for ease of attachment and removal. 
     An embodiment utilizing an extension ladder may have the same strapping as for an A-frame ladder, with an additional security strap at the first rung of the ladder. This will hold the ladder tight to the receiver in case somebody pulls on the ladder. This may prevent the ladder from falling out of the receiver. The security strap may be mounted to the receiver itself. It will work the same as the first strap on the bottom side. 
     An embodiment utilizing extension ladder tubes may have bushings to better fit the different sizes of legs on extension ladders. The bushings may be made of plastic/nylon and sized to fit the ladder that is being stored. In addition, there may be several nylon bushings, which adjust the spread of the rectangular tubes to accept ladders of different widths. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.