IP Library Granted Patent US 12,631,068
Granted Patent B2
US 12,631,068 · App. 17/483,568 · Granted May 19, 2026

Ladder foot and ladder therewith

Inventor: Steve Dings (Mentor, OH)
Assignee: Werner Co.
E06C7/42B29C39/003B29C39/10E06C1/16E06C1/383E06C1/387E06C1/393B29K2027/06B29K2623/12B29L2031/745
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,631,068
App. No.
17/483,568
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ladder having a first rail having a bottom and a web, a first flange attached to a first end of the web and a second flange attached to a second end of the web. The ladder having a second rail. The ladder having rungs attached to the first rail and second rail upon which a user steps to climb the ladder. The ladder having a foot having a plastic body with a recess which receives the end of the first rail and is positioned about and conforms to the web and the first and second flanges of the first rail. The foot has a plastic base having a top side from which the body extends. The base has an edge positioned about the body with perforations, and a rubber tread disposed along an underside of the base and extending through the perforations and along the edge on the top side of the base to form an overmolded portion of the tread that attaches the tread to the base without any mechanical or other types of fasteners. The rubber tread forms a bond with the underside of the base and the edge on the top side of the base. The foot for a bottom of a rail of a ladder. A method for placing a ladder. A method for producing a foot for a bottom of a rail of a ladder.

Claims (37)

1 . A ladder comprising:

a first rail having a web, a first flange attached to a first end of the web and a second flange attached to a second end of the web;

a second rail;

rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail; and

a foot comprising:

a body with a recess shaped to receive bottom portions of the web, the first flange, and the second flange at a bottom of the first rail,

a base having a top side from which the body extends and a bottom side opposing the top side, and at least four side edges, wherein the bottom side includes a first plurality of holes extending adjacent a first side edge of the at least four side edges, a second plurality of holes extending adjacent a second side edge of the at least four side edges, a third plurality of holes extending adjacent a third side edge of the at least four side edges, and a fourth plurality of holes extending adjacent a fourth side edge of the at least four side edges, wherein the first plurality of holes, the second plurality of holes, the third plurality of holes, and the fourth plurality of holes are different from one another, and

a tread disposed along the bottom side of the base and extending into the first plurality of holes, the second plurality of holes, the third plurality of holes, and the fourth plurality of holes to form an overmolded portion of the tread that attaches the tread to the base, the tread forming a bond with the bottom side of the base and the first plurality of holes.

2 . The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the recess of the body has a continuous c-shape that conforms to a c-shape of the first rail created by the web, first flange, and second flange.

3 . The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a first c-shaped wall, and a second c-shaped wall and the recess is between the first c-shaped wall and the second c-shaped wall and has a c-shape defined by the first c-shaped wall and the second c-shaped wall.

4 . The ladder of claim 3 , wherein the first c-shaped wall is an outer wall and the second c-shaped wall is an inner wall, and the second c-shaped wall includes at least one hole for a fastener to attach the first rail to the foot.

5 . The ladder of claim 4 , wherein the first c-shaped wall includes at least one hole for a fastener to attach the first rail to the foot.

6 . The ladder of claim 1 , wherein a first thickness of the base at a perimeter of the base is the same as a second thickness of the base at a central portion of the base.

7 . The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the base is a plastic material and the tread is a rubber overmold material.

8 . The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the body and the base are a single integral component.

9 . The ladder of claim 1 , wherein the tread has a length extending along the bottom side of the base entirely from the first side edge of the base at the bottom side of the base to the second side edge of the base at the bottom side of the base, the first side edge opposing the second side edge.

10 . A foot for a bottom of a first rail of a ladder comprising:

a body with a slot shaped to receive bottom portions of a web, a first flange, and a second flange at the bottom of the first rail;

a base having a top side from which the body extends, a bottom side opposing the top side, and at least four side edges, wherein the bottom side includes a first plurality of recesses extending adjacent a first side edge of the at least four side edges, a second plurality of recesses extending adjacent a second side edge of the at least four side edges, a third plurality of recesses extending adjacent a third side edge of the at least four side edges, and a fourth plurality of recesses extending adjacent a fourth side edge of the at least four side edges, wherein the first plurality of recesses, the second plurality of recesses, the third plurality of recesses, and the fourth plurality of recesses are different from one another; and

a tread disposed along the bottom side of the base and extending into the first plurality of recesses, the second plurality of recesses, the third plurality of recesses, and the fourth plurality of recesses to form an overmolded portion of the tread that attaches the tread to the base, the tread forming a bond with the bottom side of the base and the first plurality of recesses, the second plurality of recesses, the third plurality of recesses, and the fourth plurality of recesses.

11 . The ladder of claim 10 , wherein the slot of the body has a continuous c-shape that conforms to a c-shape of the first rail created by the web, first flange, and second flange.

12 . The ladder of claim 10 , wherein the body includes a first c-shaped wall, and a second c-shaped wall and the slot is between the first c-shaped wall and the second c-shaped wall and has a c-shape defined by the first c-shaped wall and the second c-shaped wall.

13 . The ladder of claim 12 , wherein the first c-shaped wall is an outer wall and the second c-shaped wall is an inner wall, and the second c-shaped wall includes at least one hole for a fastener to attach the first rail to the foot.

14 . The ladder of claim 13 , wherein the first c-shaped wall includes at least one hole for a fastener to attach the first rail to the foot.

15 . The ladder of claim 10 , wherein a first thickness of the base at a perimeter of the base is the same as a second thickness of the base at a central portion of the base.

16 . The ladder of claim 10 , wherein the tread has a length extending along the bottom side of the base entirely from the first side edge of the at least four side edges of the base at the bottom side of the base to the second side edge of the at least four side edges of the base at the bottom side of the base, the second side edge opposing the first side edge.

17 . The ladder of claim 10 , wherein the base is a plastic material and the tread is a rubber overmold material.

18 . The ladder of claim 10 , wherein the body and the base are a single integral component.

19 . A ladder comprising:

a first rail having a web, a first flange attached to a first end of the web and a second flange attached to a second end of the web;

a second rail;

rungs attached to the first rail and the second rail; and

a foot comprising:

a body with a recess shaped to receive bottom portions of the web, the first flange, and the second flange at a bottom of the first rail, the body including a first outer wall and a second inner wall defining in part the recess and positioned to sandwich the web, the second inner wall having a width sized to extend substantially an entirety of a respective inner width of the web of the first rail,

a base having a top side from which the body extends and a bottom side opposing the top side, and at least four side edges comprising a first side edge, a second side edge, a third side edge, and a fourth side edge, wherein the bottom side includes a plurality of holes spaced along a periphery of the base at each of the first side edge, the second side edge, the third side edge, and the fourth side edge, and

a tread disposed along the bottom side of the base and extending into the plurality of holes to form an overmolded portion of the tread that attaches the tread to the base, the tread forming a bond with the bottom side of the base and the plurality of holes.

20 . The ladder of claim 19 , wherein the tread has a length extending along the bottom side of the base entirely from the first side edge of the base at the bottom side of the base to the second side edge of the base at the bottom side of the base, the first side edge opposing the second side edge.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: WERNER CO.
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071636/0185 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 063958, FRAME 0740 Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WERNER CO.
Reel/Frame 071649/0699 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 064126, FRAME 0396 Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WERNER CO.
Reel/Frame 071649/0774 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 064205, FRAME 0636 Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: WILLA FINCO II SARL
To: WERNER CO.
Reel/Frame 071649/0887 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2023
From: WERNER CO.
To: WILLA FINCO II SARL (FORMERLY TRITON V LUXCO 95 SARL)
Reel/Frame 064205/0636 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2023
From: WERNER CO.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064126/0396 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2023
From: WERNER CO.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063958/0740 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2023
From: DINGS, STEVE
To: WERNER CO.
Reel/Frame 063057/0349 →