Patent Publication Number: US-9410374-B2

Title: Ladder lift

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/873,041, filed 11 Sep. 2013, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to lift apparatuses and, more particularly, to a device adapted to carry a person up and down along a foldable ladder. 
     The elderly and handicapped tend to have trouble going up and down on ladders. Generally, climbing up and down ladders can be dangerous for the young and old. More and more, doctors order older people to stay off ladders. As a result, many elderly lose some of their independence. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a ladder that goes up and down electrically, obviating the need for one to physically climb and descend the rungs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a ladder lift comprises: a frame of rigid material having sufficient strength to accommodate use by a human being; a gear channel housing a belt track, wherein the gear channel is supported by the frame; a foldable platform comprising: a vertical plate having a first end and a second end; and a horizontal plate, wherein the vertical plate and the horizontal form a general L-shape; and a motorized gear mechanism connected to the vertical plate, wherein the motorized gear mechanism mechanically engages the belt track for causing the foldable platform to move along the length of the gear channel. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a method of elevating a user comprises: proving a ladder lift comprising: a frame of rigid material having sufficient strength to accommodate use by a human being; a gear channel housing a belt track, wherein the gear channel is supported by the frame; a foldable platform comprising: a vertical plate having a first end and a second end; and a horizontal plate, wherein the vertical plate and the horizontal form a general L-shape; and a motorized gear mechanism connected to the vertical plate, wherein the motorized gear mechanism mechanically engages the belt track for causing the foldable platform to move along the length of the gear channel; accommodating a user on the foldable platform; and activating the motorized gear mechanism so that it moves along the length of the gear channel in a specified direction. 
     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  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an exemplary 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 provides a ladder lift. The ladder lift may include a foldable platform, a frame, a motorized gear mechanism, a gear channel and a toggle switch. The gear channel may extend upwardly from a supporting surface along the length of the frame. The gear channel may house a belt track extending along the length of the gear channel. The foldable platform may be rigidly connected to the motorized gear mechanism. The motorized gear mechanism may selectively engage the belt track for causing the foldable platform to move in a specified direction along the length of the gear channel. The toggle switch may be used to engage and disengage the motorized gear mechanism. The frame may support the gear channel, the foldable platform, the motorized gear mechanism and a user. The user may be accommodated on the foldable platform. Then the user may activate the toggle switch so that the foldable platform moves in a specified direction along the length of the gear channel for a predetermined distance. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the present invention may include a ladder lift  100 . The ladder lift  100  may include a foldable platform  10 , a frame  30 , a motorized gear mechanism  34 , a gear channel  32  and at least one toggle switch  60 . The ladder lift  100  may be formed from a rigid material that is able to fully support a predetermined weight of a human being. 
     The foldable platform  10  may include a horizontal plate  12  pivotably joined to a vertical plate  14  along a hinge edge  18 . The hinge edge  18  may include at least one piano hinge  19  or the like. The horizontal plate  12  and the vertical plate  14  may form an “L” shape. The horizontal plate  12  may be sized to accommodate a predetermined size of a human being. The vertical plate  14  may have a first end  50 , a second end  52 , a plate side  54  and a mechanism side  58 . 
     The vertical plate  14  may include two upwardly extending elongated handles  56  disposed near the first end  50  and the second end  52  respectively. The elongated handles  56  may be adapted for a user to maintain their balance while standing on the foldable platform  10 . In certain embodiments the two handles  56  may include safety belts adapted to secure the user while standing on the foldable platform  10 . Each elongated handle  56  may include at least one toggle switch  60 . In certain embodiments, the at least one toggle switch  60  may be positioned in any location on the ladder lift  100  so as to allow the user easy access thereto. 
     In certain embodiments, the vertical plate  14  may define a vertical aperture  16  for slidably receiving the gear channel  32 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The vertical plate  14  may include the motorized gear mechanism  34  generally centered on the mechanism side  58  between the first end  50  and the second end  52  so as to straddle the vertical aperture  16 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, the motorized gear mechanism  34  may define a channel groove  84  for slidably receiving the gear channel  32 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The vertical plate  14  may include the motorized gear mechanism  34  generally centered on the mechanism side  58  between the first end  50  and the second end  52  so as to straddle the channel groove  84 . 
     The frame  30  may include a pair of vertical members  20  and a plurality of horizontal members  22 . The frame  30  may be adapted to support the use of the foldable platform  10  along the gear channel  32 . The pair of vertical members  20  may be parallel to one another. The pair of vertical members  20  may be connected to one another at predetermined locations along the length thereof by the plurality of parallel horizontal members  22 . 
     In certain embodiments, each of the vertical members  20  may form a handle slot  24  extending longitudinal along the length thereof, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The handle slots  24  may slidably receive the elongated handles  56  as the foldable platform  10  moves along the gear channel  32 . The first end  50  and the second end  52  may include flanges for engaging the pair of vertical members  20 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, each of the vertical members  20  may include a side channel  86  extending along a portion of the length thereof, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Each side channel  86  may form a guide slot  88  along the length thereof. Each guide slot  88  may be adapted to receive the first end  50  or the second end  52  of the vertical plate  14 . The first end  50  and the second end  52  may include flanges for engaging each guide slot  88 . 
     In certain embodiments, the pair of vertical members  20  may be pivotably connected to a back support  70  along a pivot plane  76  so that the ladder lift  100  pivots from a closed position to an open position, and vice versa. The pivot plane  76  may be a platform that may be generally horizontal when the ladder lift  100  is in the open position. The back support  70  may include a pair of back legs  72  connected to one another at predetermined locations along the length thereof by a plurality of parallel horizontal supports  74 . In certain embodiments, a folding stabilizer may pivotably connect at least one back leg  72  and at least one vertical member  20  so as to stabilize the ladder lift  100  when in the open position. 
     In certain embodiments, each back leg  72  and vertical member  20  may include at least one gripper cup joined to the end opposite the pivot plane  76 . The gripper cups may be adapted to frictionally engage a surface so as to stabilize the ladder lift  100  when in use. In an alternate embodiment, the opposite ends of at least one back leg  72  and/or vertical member  20  may include at least one lockable wheel  82 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The at least one lockable wheel  82  may be adapted to move from a locked position to an unlocked position. In the unlocked position the at least one lockable wheel  82  may be rotatably mounted. In the locked position the at least one lockable wheel  82  may be adapted to engage a surface so as to stabilize the ladder lift  100  when in use. 
     The gear channel  32  may be positioned between the pair of vertical members  20  and may be parallel thereto. The gear channel  32  may house a belt track  36  extending along the length of the gear channel  32 . The motorized gear mechanism  34  may selectively engage the belt track  36  positioned within the gear channel  32  for causing the foldable platform  10  to move in a specified direction along the length of the gear channel  32 . 
     The motorized gear mechanism  34  may house the removable battery  80 . The removable battery  80  may be adapted to electrically power the ladder lift  100 . The removable battery  80  may include a battery pack electrically connected to a power cord. The removable battery may be removably mounted to the ladder lift  100  so that it may be removed for recharging by, for example, electrically connecting the power cord to an outlet. 
     The toggle switch  60  may be used to engage and disengage the motorized gear mechanism  34 . The toggle switch  60  may cause the motorized gear mechanism  34  to move the foldable platform  10  along the gear channel  32 . The toggle switch  60  may provide a variable speed mode that controls the speed at which the foldable platform  10  may be moved along the length of the gear channel  32 . 
     A method of using the present invention may include the following. The ladder lift  100  disclosed above may be provided. A user may be accommodated on the foldable platform  10 . Then the user may activate the toggle switch  60  so that the foldable platform  10  moves in a specified direction along the length of the gear channel  32  for a predetermined distance. 
     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.