Patent Publication Number: US-6341666-B1

Title: Stepladder accessory tray

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-In-Part of inventor&#39;s prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/164,031, filed on Sep. 30, 1998, now abandoned 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to ladder trays and, more particularly, to an accessory tray which can be attached to the fold-out shelf of a stepladder for holding paint cans, paint trays, tools, and the like. 
     Painters, carpenters, and other tradesmen often utilize stepladders to accomplish their work. The problem of safely holding and using many tools and accessories while standing on the ladder is frequently experienced by such workers. Accordingly, workers must either make frequent trips up and down the ladder to obtain necessary items or attempt to carry everything up the ladder at the same time. 
     Various trays have been proposed in their prior art which can attach to or rest upon stepladders. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, some such devices are not particularly adapted to be securely mounted to the fold-out shelf of the stepladder. Other devices are relatively complex in construction or in the mode of attachment to a stepladder. Further, prior devices adapted for attachment to the shelf of a stepladder effectively preclude the use of a roller paint tray. Finally, prior devices generally will not remain level when removed from the stepladder and placed on a level surface, due to the presence of various mechanisms employed to attach the tray to the stepladder. This makes it difficult to maintain levels of paint or other liquids which may have been placed on the accessory tray either in preparation for ascending the stepladder or upon descent from the stepladder. 
     It is therefore desirable to have a stepladder accessory tray for holding tools and materials which can be quickly and conveniently mounted to or removed from the shelf of a stepladder. It is also desirable to have a stepladder tray which is adapted to hold a conventional roller paint tray. It is further desirable to have a stepladder accessory tray which will remain level on a broad surface so that it can be loaded in preparation to ascending the ladder with the tray in hand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In response thereto, I have invented a stepladder accessory tray which comprises a panel configured to extend about the front and sides of a stepladder when attached thereto, thus enhancing the storage capacity and convenience of the tray. The tray further includes an upstanding lip extending about the peripheral edges which prevents tools and materials from sliding off the tray. The lip presents notches particularly adapted to secure the clips and pan of a roller-type paint tray to the accessory tray. A clamping assembly is integrally attached to the underside of the panel for mounting the tray to the fold-out shelf of a stepladder. A plurality of legs is also provided to maintain the surface of the tray in a horizontal position whenever it is removed from the stepladder and placed on a level surface. The legs extend a distance sufficient to prevent the clamping assembly from touching the level surface and causing the tray to rock. 
     The clamping assembly comprises a first arm normal to the bottom side of the panel and a second arm attached to the free end thereof and rearwardly extending parallel to the panel. Accordingly, the tray is mounted to a stepladder by slidably engaging the space between the second arm and panel with the fold-out shelf or other thin planar surface of the stepladder. The position of the tray is then secured with a fastener screwably extending through the second arm into a friction fit relationship with the shelf. 
     It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a stepladder accessory tray which mounts to the fold-out shelf of a stepladder for holding tools, materials, and accessories at an elevated height. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a stepladder accessory tray, as aforesaid, which can also be mounted to the top step of the stepladder. 
     Still another object of this invention is to provide a stepladder accessory tray, as aforesaid, which provides storage and support surfaces about the front and sides of the ladder. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide a stepladder accessory tray, as aforesaid, which is adapted to prevent tools or materials from rolling or sliding off of the tray. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide an accessory tray, as aforesaid, which can securely support a roller paint tray thereon. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a stepladder accessory tray having a large surface area relative to the stepladder&#39;s fold-out shelf. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an accessory tray, as aforesaid, which can be quickly and easily mounted to a stepladder. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide an accessory tray which will maintain a horizontal and stable orientation whenever it is removed from the stepladder and placed on a level surface. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stepladder accessory tray attached to a stepladder; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the accessory tray of FIG. 1 removed from the stepladder; 
     FIG. 3 is a left side view of the accessory tray of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the accessory tray of FIG. 1 showing a portion of the stepladder; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged front detail view of the tray&#39;s clamping assembly; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the accessory tray of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the accessory tray of FIG. 1 in a raised position and showing only a portion of the stepladder. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning more particularly to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 7 show the accessory tray  10  secured to the fold-out shelf  62  of a conventional stepladder  60 . Stepladder  60  is generally comprised of a pair of rear legs  63  between which a regularly spaced plurality of treads  65  is fixedly attached. Rear legs  63  terminate at the lower surface of the top step  66 . A pair of front legs  64  also terminate at the lower surface of the top step  66 . A fold-out tray is pivotally connected to the inside of each front leg  64  so that it folds from a position between front legs  64  out to a horizontal position when in use. The pair of front legs  64 , the pair of rear legs  63 , or both, are pivotally connected to the lower surface of top step  66  so that the legs may be folded together for ease in carrying and storage. 
     The accessory tray  10  comprises a panel  20  having a large surface area relative the fold-out shelf  62 . At each corner of panel  20  extend legs  25 . The tray  10  is preferably molded from a rigid plastic material although a metal construction is possible. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the panel  20  is generally rectangular and presents a recess  21  between opposed wrap-around side portions  22 . The recess  21  has a width which exceeds the distance between the outer sides of legs  64  of stepladder  60  so that legs  64  can be received by panel  20 . A generally rounded upwardly extending lip or flange  30  is integrally attached about the periphery of the top surface  26  of the tray  10  so as to prevent tools and work materials from sliding off of the tray  10 . The lip  30  spanning the rear edge of the panel  20  has a pair of spaced apart notches  32  formed therein, adapted to slidably receive the mounting clips of a conventional roller paint tray (not shown) thereabout. Similarly, an elongated notch  34  is formed in the lip  30  spanning the front edge of the panel  20 , the notch  34  being suitable for receiving the pan of a roller paint tray therein. Notch  34  is formed directly across from and in alignment with notches  32  and has a length substantially equal to the distance between the outer edges of the notches  32 , as best seen in FIG.  2 . The notches  32 ,  34  are adapted to securely hold the roller paint tray in place and present lateral movement thereof. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3-7, a clamping assembly  40  is fixedly and securely attached to the bottom surface  28  of the tray panel  20  for mounting tray  10  to the fold-out shelf  62  of a stepladder  60  (FIG.  7 ). Clamping assembly  40  comprises an arm  42  that extends downwardly from the tray&#39;s bottom surface  28  substantially adjacent the front edge of the panel  20 . A second arm  44  extends rearwardly from the free end of the first arm  42  parallel to the panel  20 . Accordingly, arms  42  and  44  form an L-shape clamp or clip which presents a channel  46  between the second arm  44  thereof and bottom side of the panel  20 . The second arm  44  has threaded bore  47  therethrough adjacent the arm&#39;s free end. A fastener  48  screwably extends through the bore  47  of the second arm  44  with a washer  50  attached to an end of the fastener  48 . It is understood that the fastener  48  can be a bolt, pin, screw, or the like. A knob  52  is integrally attached to the fastener  48  at the end thereof opposite the washer  50  for allowing a user to regulate the fastener displacement between the second arm  44  and the shelf  62 . Tray legs  25  facilitate placement of panel  20  onto an arbitrary horizontal surface  45  removed from stepladder  60  so that tray  10  serves as a stable platform when the user wishes to load tray  10  with tools, paint cans, roller painting trays, and the like, in preparation for mounting and attaching tray  10  to the fold-out shelf  62 . Horizontal surface  45  is envisioned to be such structure as the ground, a floor of a house, a drive way, a table, or any suitable surface which is larger in extent than the tray and which may be found at the work site. Tray legs  25  extend a distance sufficient to prevent clamping assembly  40  from coming in contact with the arbitrary horizontal surface  45 . 
     In mounting the accessory tray  10  to a stepladder  60 , the clamping assembly  40  is slidably positioned such that the conventional fold-out platform or shelf  62  is inserted into the channel  46  and sandwiched between the second arm  44  and bottom side  28  of panel  20  (FIGS.  4 - 6 ). The knob  52  is rotated to move the washer  50  into frictional engagement with the lower surface of the shelf  62 . Thus, the fastener  48  and the washer  50  secure and maintain the shelf  62  within the channel  46  of the clamping assembly  40 . It is also understood that the tray  10  can be mounted in like manner to any thin planar surface of the stepladder, such as the top step  66  (FIG.  1 ). Accordingly, the stepladder accessory tray can be easily mounted to the fold-out shelf or other planar surfaces of a stepladder for holding materials, tools, or accessories, such as a roller paint tray. 
     Once the panel  20  is secured in position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the recess  21  extends adjacent to and across the width of the stepladder  60 , with the wrap-around portions  22  extending adjacent the sides of the stepladder  60 . Thus, a worker has an easily accessible storage tray along the front and sides of the stepladder  60 . Also, given the location of the notches  32  and  34 , any roller paint tray mounted to the panel  20  will be transverse to the stepladder  60  for easy access thereto. 
     It is also noted tha the tray, as above described, may be adapted to be secured to the top platform/step  66  of the ladder or to one of the steps of the ladder upon extension of the clamping assembly  40  beyond the tray  10 . 
     While only a preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described, obvious modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and the following claims without substantially changing its functions. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.