Portable ramp and loa support assembly
A portable ramp and load support assembly including a pair of rigid, elongated, first and second ramp components hinged together at adjoining ends by a simple pivot pin. The apparatus is made of light-weight, injection molded plastic material, and is provided with a resilient, non-slip surface on its upper side. The ground-engaging end and vehicle-engaging end are also specially configured to prevent slippage and dislodgment during use. The assembly also includes a plurality of accessory parts that enable the ramp to have utility in numerous applications other than its use as a ramp. The assembly provides a sturdy, light-weight, long-lasting and easily cleanable ramp apparatus suitable for use by dog and other large animal owners with SUVs, pickups, RV's and station wagons. The assembly also includes disconnectable legs for allowing the ramp apparatus to be used as a grooming table, examination table, game-cleaning table, etc. Furthermore, floats, wheels, pull handles and other accessories can be attached to extend the utility of the apparatus.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/380,785, filed May 14, 2002 entitled RAMP ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUS and a new non-provisional patent application No. ______ filed on Nov. 6, 2002, entitled PORTABLE RAMP AND LOAD SUPPORT ASSEMBLY, the entire contents of such applications are being expressly incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to devices for enabling an animal or other animate dynamic load to move from one level or surface to another without requiring that it jump or be lifted, and more particularly, to a relatively compact, sturdy, collapsible light-weight portable ramp and load support assembly that can be easily carried in an automotive vehicle, extended and retracted as needed, and positioned to aide the animal in entering into or exiting from the vehicle, or otherwise moving from one surface to another. The assembly also has numerous other load supporting and/or load carrying uses.
Ramps are routinely used to span between vertically spaced, upper and lower surfaces, such as the ground and a relatively elevated top surface of a structure, and thereby provide ease of access to and from the upper surface. Ramps allow a person to slide or move an item along an inclined surface, rather than having to hoist or lift the item between the vertically spaced surfaces. Consequently, ramps are commonly used in construction sites so that materials, machinery and the like are relatively effortlessly raised and lowered between vertically spaced surfaces. Ramps are also often used to by-pass stairs or provide wheelchair access between two vertically spaced surfaces. Moreover, ramps are becoming increasingly popular with pickup truck and van owners as a means to load the bed of the truck with items, such as motorcycles and lawnmowers, with relative ease. Other typical uses for a ramp include providing animal (pet) access to and from a vehicle, and typically include a sturdy support to afford a secure footing over the length of the span.
Traditionally, ramps are secured to an upper surface in a manner that prevents the ramp from disconnecting from the upper surface and falling to the lower surface. For example, the upper end of the ramp may be permanently affixed to the upper surface by mechanical fasteners. However, in many instances, the ramp must be removable so that it may be conveniently stowed once access to or from the upper surface is no longer needed. Additionally, it is often important that the ramp be highly portable so that it may be manually maneuvered, installed and removed. Moreover, where the ramp is to be used to permit ease of access to and from the tailgate of a pickup or floor of a van, the means used to afford attachment thereto must achieve this result without alteration or damage to the surface of the vehicle.
Sport utility vehicles (SUV's), pick-up trucks, station wagons, recreational vehicles and various other automotive vehicles are often high off the ground, and as a result ingress and egress of pets relative to the vehicle can become a significant problem. In order to transport the animals in such vehicles, it is necessary that the animal either jump or be lifted onto the bed of the vehicle, which is sometimes as much as 2 to 3 feet or more above the ground. When the dog is young and vigorous, it is usually capable of simply jumping into the vehicle. However, as the dog ages, it becomes less able and/or willing to jump into the vehicle and must be assisted, often by lifting, in order to raise it from the ground to the vehicle's floor or transport surface. The lifting of any large animal creates a potential for injury to both animal and lifter, and should be avoided where possible. This is particularly true for dogs having hip dysplasia or arthritis, those that are pregnant or recovering from surgery, and those that have long backs and should not be jumping downwardly, e.g., basset hounds or dachshunds. It is also important that “show dogs” be protected from possible injury from jumping into or out of a vehicle. Similar access problems also exist with respect to boats, travel crates, grooming tables, beds, etc.
There is thus a need for a ruggedly-built, foldable ramp assembly that is ideally suited for use with a wide variety of vehicles and which also has other utility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore a principle objective of the present invention to provide a portable light-weight ramp assembly that can be readily folded for transport and storage.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which is made of long-lasting, easily cleanable molded plastic material.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which is easily assembled without the use of any tools.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described having a non-slip upper surface so as to prevent accidental injury to animals using same.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described which is adapted for other uses such as transport cart, grooming table, means for providing pet access to boat or dock from water, etc.
Briefly, a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of rigid, elongated, first and second ramp components hinged together at adjoining ends by a simple pivot pin. The apparatus is made of light-weight, injection molded plastic material, and is provided with a resilient, non-slip surface on its upper side. The ground-engaging end and vehicle-engaging end are also specially configured to prevent slippage and dislodgment during use. The assembly also includes a plurality of accessory parts that enable the ramp to have utility in applications other than its use as a ramp.
An important advantage of the present invention is that it provides a sturdy, light-weight, long-lasting and easily cleanable ramp apparatus suitable for use by dog and other large animal owners with SUVs, pickups, RV's and station wagons. The apparatus also includes disconnectable legs for allowing the ramp apparatus to be used as a grooming table, examination table, game-cleaning table etc. Furthermore, floats, wheels, pull handles and other accessories can be attached to extend the utility of the apparatus.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in several figures of the drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Referring now to
The lower and outer extremities of the side rails 22 are of a single thickness and form downturned skirts 23 more clearly depicted in other figures described below. The outer surfaces of the side rails and skirts form the lateral or side surfaces 25 of the ramp. Note that a cutout 27 is provided in at least one of the skirts 23 to facilitate carriage, as will also be further described below.
The upper end portion 28 of the ramp is turned downwardly from the plane tread portion 20 so as to provide a short section having an upper surface 26 that angularly intersects the upper surface of tread portion 20 at an angle corresponding to the nominally intended slope angle to which the ramp is designed, i.e., the approximate angle that the ramp makes with the ground when it is in use at the back of a vehicle. The bottom edges of the sides of end portion 28 are stepped and have a flexible member (not shown) attached thereto forming a non-skid surface, as will be further described below. The lower end portion 30 of the ramp is not turned but instead has the lower extremity of its side skirts beveled and stepped, as illustrated at 32, to engage a ground or other supporting surface. As will be further described below, a nonskid material may also be affixed thereto to prevent slipping.
Turning now to
Referring now to
Affixed to the upper portion 20, as previously described, are the transversely extending ribs 24 that are molded to the upper surface of web 21. In accordance with the present invention, the rib molding function is performed as a secondary molding step in which a lower material feeding mold (not shown) is placed beneath the web 21, and an upper, tread mold (not shown) is placed above the surface 20. Note that, as indicated in
Turning now to
Also illustrated in these figures are a pair of longitudinally extending structural, channel shaped, load support members 58. Note that these box beam members are hollow and enclose a chamber 60 that extends along the length of the ramp part. The chamber 60 is formed during the first mold operation by injecting nitrogen gas into the channel during or following injection of material into the mold so as to blow out the softer and more fluid material at the center of the chamber as the injected material at the outer sides of the chamber adhere to the mold surfaces and begin to cool and set up. The gas ingress and egress openings are subsequently closed to hermetically seal the chamber 60. This makes for a very strong and rigid ramp structure and conserves weight and plastic material.
Proximate the pivot ends of each ramp part, four cylindrical standoffs are molded to the bottom surface of web 21. Proximate the remote ends of each ramp part six cylindrical standoffs are molded to the bottom surface of web 21. Each of these standoffs is provided with a coaxial bore that may include internal threads extending along the length thereof. Each of the standoffs is also provided with four external strengthening webs or flanges 64. The standoffs provide a means by which various accessories can be fastened or affixed to the bottom of the ramp, as will be described in more detail below. Note also in these figures that the vestiges of the tread rubber molding operation are shown at 64. These rubber ribs form no function and are merely the residue of the molten rubber material that was injected through the bottom mold to pass through openings in the web 21 to cooperate with the upper mold part and form the tread ribs 24 (not shown). Also shown in
In
In
In
As depicted in
A double wide table can also be provided as depicted in
The ramp can also be used for heavier than normal loads by adding strengthening bars 83 to the bottom. The bars 83 are attached in bridging fashion across the fold line and to the standoffs 85 by screw fasteners 74.
Although the ramp of the present invention is designed in the first instance to be manually portable and to be used by merely placing the lower end on the ground and the upper end on a vehicle bumper or door sill when in use, and carrying it in the vehicle when not in use, for some applications it may be more appropriate to provide a semi-permanent mounting and carriage facility that allows the ramp assembly to be transported outside the vehicle in its folded configuration, and then deployed to its extended configuration as needed. A simple trailer hitch mounted assembly for accommodating such need is illustrated in
Most modern Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) 96 are provided with a trailer hitch assembly as shown in
As illustrated in perspective in
Pivotally affixed to sleeve 114 by a vertically extending pivot pin 118 is an L-shaped carriage arm 120. Note that pin 118 is slideable up and down in a cap plate welded to and forming a closure for the top of sleeve 114. To prevent unintentional rotation of arm 120 relative to sleeve 114 a metal cuff 122 is welded to the upper part of sleeve 144 and receiveably engagages the downturned segment of arm 120. In order to swing the arm 120 into a rearwardly extending position, as indicated by the arrow A1, for example, to clear the vehicle door, one would simply lift the arm 120 clear of the cuff 122 and swing it about the pin 118 and the drop it back into engagement with the cuff 122. Pivotally mounted to each end to the arm 120 is a ramp support bar having apertures formed therein which align with the standoff apertures in the underside of the upper end of the ramp. The ramp is thus securred to the bar by the same type of screws/bolts used to affix other accessories to the ramp assembly. A pin 126 is passed through an aperture in either one or both ends of bar 124 and through an aperture in arm 120 to lock the ramp in its upright folded configuration as depicted by the dashed lines 10′ in
It will thus be appreciated that the assembly forming the disclosed preferred embodiment of the present invention has substantial utility for a wide variety of applications. For example, the assembly has utility as a ramp, as a bridging “gangway”, a table, a platform, a floating platform, a transport platform and any other application which requires a rigid support structure supportable at least at its ends. The assembly is rugged, lightweight, portable, foldable, easy to clean, etc.
The inventors acknowledge with appreciation the contribution that their engineer Te-Hsin Wei made in assisting in the implementation of the invention described above.
Although the present invention has been disclosed herein in terms of certain preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that after having read the above disclosure, numerous alterations, modifications and other uses and applications thereof will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all such applications, alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1-21. (canceled)
22. A ramp assembly comprising:
- a first molded ramp component including an elongated generally planar first tread portion having its lateral extremities forming integral lateral side walls, a first end portion at one end of said first tread portion being configured to engage a first support surface at a first elevation, a second end portion at an opposite end of said first tread portion having an integrally formed first plurality of apertured flanges extending therefrom to form a first hinge set, and means forming at least two elongated, integrally molded box-beams disposed in spaced apart locations beneath and extending along substantially the entire length of said first tread portion, said box beams being sealed at each end to form closed chambers therewithin;
- a second molded ramp component including an elongated generally planar second tread portion having its lateral extremities forming integral lateral side walls, a first end portion at one end of said second tread portion having an integrally formed second plurality of apertured flanges extending therefrom to form a second hinge set, a second end portion at an opposite end of said second tread portion being configured to engage a second support surface at a second elevation higher than said first elevation, and means forming at least two elongated, integrally molded box-beams disposed in spaced apart locations beneath and extending along substantially the entire length of said second tread portion, said box beams being sealed at each end to form closed chambers therewithin; and
- pivot means adapted to extend through the apertures in said first and second hinge sets so as to pivotally join said first molded ramp component to said second molded ramp component,
- wherein said first and second molded ramp components may be rotated about said pivot means between a folded configuration with said first and second molded ramp components lying substantially in side-by-side relationship, and an extended configuration wherein said first and second molded ramp components lie substantially in a common plane such that upon placement of said first end portion on a first surface and placement of said second end portion on a second surface, said assembly forms a ramp along which a pet can walk.
23. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 22 and further comprising means for locking said first and second ramp components in at least one of said first and second configurations.
24. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 23 wherein said means for locking includes a keeper affixed to said first end portion of said first molded ramp component and a latch affixed to said second end portion of said second molded ramp component, whereby when said first and second molded ramp components are in said folded configuration, said latch can engage said keeper to lock said components together.
25. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 24 wherein said first end portion of said first molded ramp component is beveled to mate with a first supporting surface when the assembly is in its extended configuration and inclined to extend between supporting surfaces at different elevations.
26. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 25 wherein said second end portion of said second molded ramp component angularly intersects said second tread portion so as to matingly engage a second supporting surface at a higher elevation than the first supporting surface.
27. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said first and second tread surfaces have non-slip means affixed thereto to improve frictional engagement with the tread surfaces.
28. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said non-slip means is provided by ribs of resilient material formed on said tread surfaces and extending transversally thereacross.
29. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 28 wherein an array of apertures is formed in said first and second tread portions, said apertures providing passageways through which fluid material is injected to form said ribs
30. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 29 wherein said ribs are formed by placing first molds having a plurality of channels in engagement with the bottom surfaces of said first and second tread portions, said channels being placed in registration with said arrays of apertures, and by placing second molds having a plurality of parallel grooves formed therein in engagement with the top surfaces of said first and second tread portions, said grooves being placed in registration with said arrays of apertures, whereby fluid injected into said first molds flows through said channels, through said apertures, and into said grooves to form said ribs.
31. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 22 and further including standoffs integrally formed at predetermined locations on the bottom surfaces of said first and second tread portions, and further comprising a plurality of elongated legs and means for attaching said legs to said standoffs, whereby said pet ramp assembly can alternatively be used as a grooming table or the like.
32. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said first and second plurality of apertured flanges are asymmetrically disposed along their associated end portions, such that when said end portions are adjoined, said first and second plurality of flanges interdigitate.
33. A ramp assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said first end portion is beveled to mate with a first supporting surface when the assembly is in its extended configuration and inclined to extend between supporting surfaces at different elevations.
34-39. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 13, 2002
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2006
Inventors: Kenneth Myrick (Arroyo Grande, CA), Kenneth Myrick (Bradley, CA)
Application Number: 10/536,072
International Classification: E01D 1/00 (20060101);