Patent Publication Number: US-6902034-B2

Title: Apparatus with utility tray mounted to scaffold

Description:
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/473,840, filed May 28, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 

   BACKGROUND 
   The present disclosure relates to scaffolds. 
   Scaffolds are used by individuals for elevation. Elevation may be helpful when working in hard-to-reach areas. 
   SUMMARY 
   According to the present disclosure, an apparatus includes a scaffold, a utility tray, and a tray mount. The tray mount is mounted to the scaffold. The utility tray is mounted to the tray mount. 
   In one embodiment of the apparatus, the tray mount includes a collapsible tray stand. The tray stand is mounted to the scaffold for movement of the utility tray between a collapsed position in which the utility tray is positioned next to the scaffold for transport and storage of the apparatus and an upright position in which the utility tray is positioned at an elevation higher than the scaffold for use by a person on the scaffold. A stand lock is used to lock the tray stand to position the utility tray in the upright position. 
   The tray stand includes a first tray pivoter and a second tray pivoter. The first tray pivoter is mounted to the scaffold for pivotable movement of the utility tray relative to the scaffold between the collapsed and upright positions. The second tray pivoter is responsive to movement of the first tray pivoter to pivot the utility tray relative to the first tray pivoter to flip the tray over so that the utility tray is upside down in the collapsed position and rightside up in the upright position. 
   Additional features of the apparatus will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description exemplifying the best mode of the disclosure as presently perceived. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an apparatus including a scaffold and a utility tray unit including a tray mount configured as, for example, a collapsible tray stand mounted to a platform of the scaffold and supporting a utility tray in an upright position; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the tray mount including a stand lock including a pair of releasable buttons that can be actuated to allow collapse of the tray stand and the utility tray mounted thereto toward the platform; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the apparatus, with portions broken away, showing collapse of the tray stand and the utility tray; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the apparatus, with portions broken away, showing the tray stand and the utility tray in a collapsed position; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along lines  5 — 5  of  FIG. 3  showing a sleeve of a slider moving along a slide rail toward a spring-biased button mounted to the slide rail during movement of the tray stand and utility tray from the collapsed position to the upright position; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  showing retraction of the button due to engagement between the button and a cam mounted to the slider sleeve; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along lines  7 — 7  of  FIG. 2  showing reception of the spring-biased button in a button receiver formed in the slider sleeve to lock the tray stand and the utility tray in the upright position; 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the utility tray; and 
       FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the utility tray. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   An apparatus  10  includes a scaffold  12  and a utility tray unit  14  mounted to scaffold  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Utility tray unit  14  includes a utility tray  16  and a tray mount  17  to which utility tray  16  is mounted. Tray mount  17  is mounted to scaffold  12  for pivotable movement of utility tray  16  between upright position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in which the utility tray  16  is elevated higher than scaffold  12  for use by a person on scaffold  12  and a collapsed position shown in  FIG. 4  in which utility tray  14  is positioned next to scaffold  12  for transport and storage of apparatus  10 . 
   Scaffold  12  includes a platform  20  and a pair of foldable leg units  22 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 . Platform  20  is configured to a support a person thereon in an elevated position. Platform  20  is longer than it is wide so as to have longitudinal end portions  24 . A top portion  27  of each leg unit  22  is mounted to one of longitudinal end portions  24  for pivotable movement of leg unit  22  relative to platform  20  about a leg pivot axis  26  in a leg folding direction  28  to a folded position for transport and storage of apparatus  10  and in a leg unfolding direction  30  to an unfolded position for use of apparatus  10 . Leg units  22  are shown in the unfolded position in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
   Scaffold includes a pair of leg locks  32 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 . Each leg lock  32  is mounted to lock one of leg units  22  in the unfolded position. 
   Each leg unit  22  includes a pair of legs  33  and a step  37  mounted to legs  33 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A leg top portion  39  of each leg  33  is mounted to platform  20  for pivotable movement. 
   Tray mount  17  includes a collapsible stand  18  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and a stand lock  19  shown in FIG.  2 . Tray stand  18  is arranged to move utility tray  16  relative to scaffold  12  between an upright position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and a collapsed position shown in FIG.  4 . In the upright position, tray stand  18  positions utility tray  16  at an elevation higher than scaffold  12  for use of utility tray  16  by a person on platform  20 . In the collapsed position, tray stand  18  positions utility tray  16  next to platform  20  for transport and storage of apparatus  10 . Stand lock  19  is arranged to block movement of tray stand  18  to lock tray stand  18  to position utility tray  16  in the upright position. 
   Tray stand  18  includes a first tray pivoter  34  and a second tray pivoter  36 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . First tray pivoter  34  is arranged to pivot utility tray  16  relative to scaffold  12  between the collapsed and upright positions. Second tray pivoter  36  is responsive to movement of first tray pivoter  34  to pivot utility tray  16  relative thereto first tray pivoter  34  to flip utility tray  16  over such that it is upside down in the collapsed position and rightside up in the upright position. 
   First tray pivoter  34  is mounted to a longitudinal end portion  24  of platform  20  for pivotable movement relative to platform  20  about a stand pivot axis  35  which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis  41  of platform  20 , as suggested in FIG.  3 . Utility tray  16  is mounted to first tray pivoter  34  to be carried thereby between the collapsed and upright positions during pivotable movement of first tray pivoter  34 . 
   In the illustrated embodiment, first tray pivoter  34  is a frame including a pair of parallel slide rails  38  and a tray pivot mount  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . A proximal end portion of each slide rail  38  is mounted to a longitudinal end portion  24  of platform  20  by a rail pivot mount  42 . Tray pivot mount  40  is mounted to a distal end portion of each slide rail  38  so as to extend between slide rails  38 . Slide rails  38  and tray pivot mount  40  cooperate so that first tray pivoter  34  is U-shaped. 
   Utility tray  16  is mounted to tray pivot mount  40  for pivotable movement relative thereto about a tray pivot axis  44 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Utility tray  16  includes a mount receiver  46 , as shown best in FIG.  8 . Mount receiver portion  46  includes a first receiver portion  48  and a second receiver portion  50  that are coupled together by fasteners  52  and cooperate to surround tray pivot mount  40  for pivotable movement of tray  16  thereon. 
   Utility tray  16  includes a receptacle portion  54  mounted to mount receiver  46 , as shown best in FIG.  9 . Receptacle portion  54  includes an upper receptacle surface  56  formed to include a number of receptacles  58  of varying shapes and sizes. 
   Second tray pivoter  36  includes a slider  60 , a slider mover  62 , and a motion converter  64 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Slider  60  is mounted to move along slide rails  38 . Slider mover  62  is arranged to move slider  60  along slide rails  38  in response to pivotable movement of first tray pivoter  34  about stand pivot axis  35 . Motion converter  64  is arranged to convert movement of slider along slide rails  38  into pivotable movement of utility tray  16  about tray pivot axis  44 . In the illustrated embodiment, second tray pivoter  36  is a linkage and slider  60 , slider mover  62  and motion converter  64  provide portions of the linkage. 
   Slider  60  includes a pair of slider sleeves  66  and a sleeve movement coordinator  68 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Each slider sleeve  66  surrounds one of slide rails  38  so as to be mounted thereto for movement therealong. Sleeve movement coordinator  68  coordinates movement of slider sleeves  66  so that slider sleeves  66  move with one another along slide rails  38 . In the illustrated embodiment, sleeve movement coordinator  68  is a bar mounted to and extending between slider sleeves  66 . 
   Slider mover  62  includes a pair of links  70 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Each link  70  is mounted to platform  20  by a first link pivot mount  72  for pivotable movement and to a second link pivot mount  74  for pivotable movement. Each first link pivot mount  72  is mounted to platform  20  between longitudinal end portions  24  thereof. Each second link pivot mount  74  is mounted to one of the slider sleeves  66  for movement therewith. 
   Motion converter  64  includes a pair of links  76 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . Each link  76  is mounted to one of second link pivot mounts  74  for pivotable movement and receptacle portion  54  of utility tray  16  for pivotable movement. 
   When first tray pivoter  34  pivots about stand pivot axis  35  from the upright position to the collapsed position, links  70  are pivoted so as to cause slider  60  to move toward tray pivot mount  40 , as suggested in FIG.  3 . Movement of slider  60  toward tray pivot mount  40  causes links  76  to pivot utility tray  16  about tray pivot axis  44  about 180° in direction  78  shown in  FIG. 3  to flip utility tray  16  over to its collapsed position. In the collapsed position, receptacle surface  56  faces downwardly toward platform  20  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
   When first tray pivoter  34  pivots about stand pivot axis  35  from the collapsed position to the upright position, links  70  are pivoted in the opposite direction so as to cause slider  60  to move away from tray pivot mount  40 . Movement of slider  60  away from tray pivot mount  40  causes links  76  to pivot utility tray  16  about tray pivot axis  44  about 180° in direction  80  shown in  FIG. 2  to flip utility tray  16  back over to its upright position. In the upright position, receptacle surface  56  faces upwardly away from platform  20  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   Stand lock  19  includes a pair of slider blockers  82 , one of which is shown in  FIGS. 5-7 . Each slider blocker  82  is mounted to a slide rail  38  to block movement of slider  60  therealong to lock stand  18  and thus tray  16  in the upright position. In the illustrated embodiment, each slider blocker  82  is a releasable spring-biased button arranged to extend through a slide aperture  84  formed in the companion slide rail  38 . 
   A cam  86  is mounted to each slider sleeve  66  for movement therewith, as shown in  FIGS. 5-7 . Each button  82  is arranged to engage one of the cams  86  during pivotable movement of first tray pivoter  34  to the upright position, as shown in FIG.  6 . Engagement between button  82  and cam  86  retracts button  82  through aperture  84  into slide rail  38  until slide aperture  84  becomes aligned with a button receiver  88  formed in slider sleeve  66 . In the illustrated embodiment, button receiver  88  is an aperture formed in slider sleeve  66 . Slide aperture  84  becomes aligned with button receiver aperture  88  for reception of button  82  when first tray pivoter  34  assumes the upright position, as shown in FIG.  7 . 
   Extension of button  82  through button receiver aperture  88  blocks movement of slider  60  on slide rail  38 . When slider  60  is unable to move on slide rail  38 , links  70  and links  76  are blocked from pivotable movement so that tray stand  18  and tray  16  are locked in the upright position. 
   To unlock stand  18  for movement of tray  16  to the collapsed position, an actuation force  90  is applied to each button  82  to retract buttons  82  into slide rails  38 , as suggested in FIG.  2 . Retraction of buttons  82  into slide rails  38  allows slider sleeves  66  to pass over buttons  82  and move along slide rails  38  for movement of tray stand  18  and utility tray  16  to the collapsed position. 
   Tray mount  17  provides means for mounting utility tray  16  to a first of the longitudinal end portions  24  for pivotable movement of utility tray  16  relative to platform  20  about a first pivot axis  35  between an upright position in which utility tray  16  is elevated higher than the scaffold  12  for use of utility tray  16  by a person on platform  20  and a collapsed position in which utility tray  16  is positioned next to second of the longitudinal end portions  24  and for pivotable movement of utility tray  16  about a second pivot axis  44  to flip utility tray  16  over in response to pivotable movement of utility tray  16  about first pivot axis  35  between the upright and collapsed positions.