Patent ID: 7080713

Claim:
A ladder assembly for a cargo vehicle having a cargo space wherein articles can be positioned for transport, the ladder assembly comprising: a mounting structure that is adapted to attach to an interior surface of the cargo space of the vehicle; a ladder having a pair of side members and a plurality of rungs extending therebetween; an attachment assembly interconnecting the ladder to the mounting structure, wherein the attachment assembly allows for movement of the ladder from a storage configuration wherein the ladder assembly is secured to the interior surface of the cargo space of the vehicle to a deployed configuration wherein the ladder is rotated out of the plane of the interior surface and pivoted so as to be extended from the interior surface of the cargo space of the vehicle to the ground so as to allow an individual access to the cargo space of the vehicle from the ground by climbing the ladder, wherein the attachment assembly includes a pivot member so as to allow the ladder to pivot in the deployed configuration about an axis to thereby allow the side members of the ladder to be positioned in contact with the ground when the ground is not parallel to the interior surface; wherein the attachment assembly includes a first pivot structure that has a pivot axis perpendicular to the interior surface of the cargo space so as to allow the ladder to rotate in the plane of the interior surface of the cargo space so as to be positioned outward of the interior surface; wherein the mounting structure is adapted to engage with the ladder when the ladder is positioned outward of the interior surface so as to limit the rotational movement of the ladder about the first pivot axis; and wherein the attachment assembly includes a third pivot structure that allows the ladder to pivot about a third axis when extending from the interior surface to the ground.