Ladder stiffener

Inventors: Daniel R. Crum (Huntersville, NC); Caleb D. Crum (Huntersville, NC)

Assignee: Leverage Design Holding, LLC

E06C7/10 E06C1/12

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12680382
App. No.: 16/710,546
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

In some embodiments, a stiffener system is arranged for attachment to a ladder. A first stiffener comprises a first arm and a first cable. The first arm is attached to a first rail of a ladder. The first cable is attached to the first rail at a first cable upper attachment location, extends to contact the first arm and extends to attach to the first rail at a first cable lower attachment location. The first arm is oriented at a non-zero angle to an orthogonal axis of the ladder.

Claims (39)

1 . A stiffener system arranged to attach to a ladder, the ladder comprising a first rail, a second rail and a plurality of rungs extending between the first rail and the second rail, the first rail comprising a first outer side, the second rail comprising a second outer side, the ladder defining a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis and an orthogonal axis, the longitudinal axis extending parallel to the first rail and the second rail, the lateral axis extending through the first outer side and the second outer side, the orthogonal axis oriented orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and to the lateral axis, the stiffener system comprising:

a first arm and a first cable;

a second arm and a second cable;

the first cable comprising a first engagement portion arranged to engage the first outer side at a first cable attachment location, the first cable comprising a second engagement portion arranged to engage the first rail at a second cable attachment location, the first cable comprising an adjustment mechanism arranged to move the first engagement portion along a length of the first cable, the first cable arranged to contact the first arm at a first contact location;

the first arm arranged to engage the ladder at a first arm attachment location between the first cable attachment location and the second cable attachment location, the first arm extending from the first outer side away from the first rail, the first arm comprising a first central axis oriented at a non-zero angle to a first reference plane comprising the longitudinal axis and the orthogonal axis, the first central axis oriented at a non-zero angle to a second reference plane comprising the longitudinal axis and the lateral axis;

the second cable comprising a third engagement portion arranged to engage the second outer side at a third cable attachment location, the second cable comprising a fourth engagement portion arranged to engage the second rail at a fourth cable attachment location, the second cable arranged to contact the second arm at a second contact location;

the second arm arranged to engage the ladder at a second arm attachment location between the third cable attachment location and the fourth cable attachment location, the second arm extending from the second outer side away from the second rail, the second arm comprising a second central axis oriented at an angle of at least 10 degrees to the first central axis;

wherein a distance between the first contact location and the second contact location is greater than a distance between the first arm attachment location and the second arm attachment location.

2 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first cable comprising an end portion that extends past the first engagement portion, the end portion comprising a handle.

3 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the adjustment mechanism comprising a clamp arranged to engage the first cable, the clamp comprising a first orientation and a second orientation, in the first orientation the clamp moveable along a length of the first cable, in the second orientation the clamp fixed along the length of the first cable.

4 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first arm comprising a clamp having an open position and a closed position, the clamp arranged to fixedly engage the first rail in the closed position.

5 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first arm comprising an articulating portion arranged for attachment to the first rail, the articulating portion arranged to rotate the first arm about a first axis and to rotate the first arm about a second axis, the first axis orthogonal to the second axis.

6 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first arm comprising a guide member arranged to engage the first cable at the first contact location, the guide member comprising a first hook oriented in a first direction and a second hook oriented in a second direction.

7 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first engagement portion comprising a bracket arranged to attach to the first outer side, the first cable comprising a connector arranged to engage the bracket.

8 . The stiffener system of claim 7 , the bracket comprising a shaped aperture, the connector comprising a protrusion comprising a key, the protrusion positionable in the shaped aperture, the connector comprising a locked orientation wherein the key cannot exit the shaped aperture and a disengagable orientation wherein the key can pass through the shaped aperture.

9 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the ladder comprising a first ladder portion arranged to move with respect to a second ladder portion and rung locks, the stiffener system further comprising:

a lock mechanism arranged to attach to the second ladder portion, the lock mechanism comprising a lock member arranged to move with respect to the second ladder portion, the lock member comprising a contacting surface arranged to contact the first ladder portion.

10 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first arm comprising a protrusion arranged to extend into a rung of the plurality of rungs.

11 . The stiffener system of claim 1 , the first arm comprising a first leg and a second leg, the first leg comprising a first protrusion arranged to extend into a first rung of the plurality of rungs, the second leg comprising a second protrusion arranged to extend into a second rung of the plurality of rungs.

12 . A stiffener system arranged to attach to a ladder, the stiffener system comprising:

an arm and a cable;

the cable comprising a first engagement portion arranged to engage the ladder at a first cable attachment location, the cable comprising a second engagement portion arranged to engage the ladder at a second cable attachment location, the cable comprising an adjustment mechanism arranged to move the second engagement portion along a length of the cable, the cable arranged to contact the arm;

the arm arranged to engage the ladder at an attachment location between the first cable attachment location and the second cable attachment location, the arm oriented at a non-zero angle to an orthogonal axis of the ladder;

a bracket arranged to attach to the ladder, the cable comprising a connector arranged to engage the bracket, the connector comprising the adjustment mechanism comprising a first orientation and a second orientation, in the first orientation the connector moveable along the length of the cable, in the second orientation the connector fixed along the length of the cable.

13 . A stiffener system arranged to attach to a ladder, the ladder comprising a first rail, a second rail and a plurality of rungs extending between the first rail and the second rail, the first rail comprising a first outer side, the second rail comprising a second outer side, the stiffener system comprising:

a first arm and a first cable;

a second arm and a second cable;

the first cable comprising a first engagement portion arranged to engage the first outer side at a first cable attachment location, the first cable comprising a second engagement portion arranged to engage the first rail at a second cable attachment location, the first cable arranged to contact the first arm at a first contact location;

the second arm arranged to engage the ladder at a second arm attachment location between the third cable attachment location and the fourth cable attachment location, the second arm extending from the second outer side away from the second rail, the second arm oriented at an angle of at least 10 degrees to the first arm;

wherein a distance between the first contact location and the second contact location is greater than a width of the ladder from the first outer side to the second outer side.

14 . The stiffener system of claim 13 , the ladder comprising a first ladder portion arranged to move with respect to a second ladder portion, a first rung lock and a second rung lock, the stiffener system further comprising a lock mechanism arranged to attach to a rail of the second ladder portion, the lock mechanism comprising a lock member arranged to move with respect to the second ladder portion, the lock member comprising a contacting surface arranged to contact a tread surface of a rung of the first ladder portion.

15 . The stiffener system of claim 14 , the contacting surface comprising a camming surface.

16 . The stiffener system of claim 13 , the first arm comprising a clamp having an open position and a closed position, the clamp arranged to fixedly engage the first arm attachment location in the closed position.

17 . The stiffener system of claim 13 , the first arm comprising an articulating bracket arranged for attachment to the first arm attachment location, the articulating bracket arranged to rotate the first arm about a first axis and to rotate the first arm about a second axis, the first axis orthogonal to the second axis.

18 . The stiffener system of claim 13 , the first engagement portion comprising a bracket arranged to attach to the first outer side at the first cable attachment location, the first cable comprising a connector arranged to engage the bracket.

19 . The stiffener system of claim 18 , the bracket comprising a shaped aperture, the connector comprising a protrusion comprising a key.

20 . The stiffener system of claim 13 , the first cable comprising a first adjustment mechanism arranged to move the first engagement portion along a length of the first cable.