IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,733,627
Granted Patent B1
US 12,733,627 · App. 19/079,191 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Collapsible ramp

Inventor: Eliana Hooper (Chicago, IL)
A01K15/027
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,733,627
App. No.
19/079,191
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

A collapsible ramp is disclosed that may contain a bridge, a first ramp, a second ramp, and a plurality of side walls. The first and second ramps are operatively connected to the bridge. The plurality of side walls are operatively connected to the bridge, the first ramp and the second ramp. The first and second ramps can be moved from a first, collapsed position to a second, extended position. The plurality of side walls can similarly be moved from a first, collapsed position to a second, extended position. The bridge may contain a first leg and a second leg. The first and second leg may also be moved from a first, collapsed position to a second, extended position. The collapsible ramp may further contain a gripping material coupled to the bridge, the first ramp, and the second ramp.

Claims (83)

1 . A collapsible ramp comprising:

a bridge having a top surface;

a first bridge side wall operatively hingedly connected to the bridge;

a second bridge side wall operatively hingedly connected to the bridge;

a first ramp operatively hingedly connected to the bridge, the first ramp having a top surface;

a first ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the first ramp;

a second ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the first ramp;

a second ramp operatively hingedly connected to the bridge, the second ramp having a top surface;

a third ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the second ramp;

a fourth ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the second ramp;

wherein the first bridge side wall is movable between a first position in which the first bridge side wall is folded over the top surface of the bridge and a second position in which the first bridge side wall extends away from the top surface of the bridge;

wherein the second bridge side wall is movable between a first position in which the second bridge side wall is folded over the top surface of the bridge and a second position in which the second bridge side wall extends away from the top surface of the bridge;

wherein the first ramp side wall is movable between a first position in which the first ramp side wall is folded over from the top surface of the first ramp and a second position in which the first ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the first ramp;

wherein the second ramp side wall is movable between a first position in which the second ramp side wall is folded over the top surface of the first ramp and a second position in which the second ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the first ramp;

wherein the third ramp side wall is movable between a first position in which the third ramp side wall is folded over the top surface of the second ramp and a second position in which the third ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the second ramp; and

wherein the fourth ramp side wall is movable between a first position in which the fourth ramp side wall is folded over the top surface of the second ramp and a second position in which the fourth ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the second ramp;

wherein the first ramp is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the first ramp is folded over the bridge, and wherein in the second position, the first ramp extends away from the bridge; and

wherein the second ramp is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the second ramp is folded over the bridge, and wherein in the second position, the second ramp extends away from the bridge;

wherein the collapsible ramp is configurable between an extended configuration and a folded configuration, wherein in the extended configuration, the first ramp, the second ramp, the first ramp side wall, the second ramp side wall, the third ramp side wall, the fourth ramp side wall, the first bridge side wall, and the second bridge side wall are each in their respective second positions, and wherein the folded configuration, the first ramp, the second ramp, the first ramp side wall, the second ramp side wall, the third ramp side wall, the fourth ramp side wall, the first bridge side wall, and the second bridge side wall are each in their respective first positions with the first ramp folded over the second ramp.

2 . The collapsible ramp of claim 1 , wherein the first ramp is angled between 0 and 45 degrees below a horizontal plane.

3 . The collapsible ramp of claim 1 wherein the first ramp is operatively hingedly connected to the bridge with a circular hinge, and the second ramp is operatively hingedly connected to the bridge with a straight hinge.

4 . The collapsible ramp of claim 1 , the collapsible ramp further comprising:

a first gripping material coupled to the first ramp;

a second gripping material coupled to the second ramp; and

a third gripping material coupled to the bridge.

5 . The collapsible ramp of claim 4 , wherein the first gripping material has a plurality of openings;

wherein the second gripping material has a plurality of openings; and

wherein the third gripping material has a plurality of openings.

6 . The collapsible ramp of claim 4 , wherein the first gripping material has a higher frictional coefficient when contacting an object using the collapsible ramp than the first ramp;

wherein the second gripping material has a higher frictional coefficient when contacting the object using the collapsible ramp than the second ramp; and

wherein the third gripping material has a higher frictional coefficient when contacting the object using the collapsible ramp than the bridge.

7 . The collapsible ramp of claim 1 , wherein the bridge has a first leg and a second leg.

8 . The collapsible ramp of claim 7 , the collapsible ramp further comprising an opening under the bridge and between the first leg of the bridge and the second leg of the bridge.

9 . The collapsible ramp of claim 1 , the collapsible ramp further comprising:

a plurality of latches; and

wherein the plurality of latches are operatively connected to the bridge, the first ramp, and the second ramp.

10 . The collapsible ramp of claim 9 , wherein the first bridge side wall latches into the second position;

wherein the second bridge side wall latches into the second position;

wherein the first ramp side wall latches into the second position;

wherein the second ramp side wall latches into the second position;

wherein the third ramp side wall latches into the second position; and

wherein the fourth ramp side wall latches into the second position.

11 . A method of exercising a pet comprising:

placing a collapsible ramp in front of the pet wherein the collapsible ramp comprises:

a bridge having a top surface;

a first bridge side wall operatively hingedly connected to the bridge;

a second bridge side wall operatively hingedly connected to the bridge;

a first ramp operatively hingedly connected to the bridge, the first ramp having a top surface;

a first ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the first ramp;

a second ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the first ramp;

a second ramp operatively hingedly connected to the bridge, the second ramp having a top surface;

a third ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the second ramp;

a fourth ramp side wall operatively hingedly connected to the second ramp;

moving the collapsible ramp to an extended configuration by:

(a) moving the first ramp from a first position in which the first ramp is folded over the bridge with the first ramp folded over the second ramp to a second position in which the first ramp extends away from the bridge;

(b) moving the second ramp from a first position in which the second ramp is folder over the bridge to a second position in which the second ramp extends away from the bridge;

(c) moving the first bridge side wall from a first position in which the first bridge side wall is folded over the top surface of the bridge to a second position in which the first bridge side wall extends away from the top surface of the bridge;

(d) moving the second bridge side wall from a first position in which the second bridge side wall is folded over the top surface of the bridge to a second position which the second bridge side wall extends away from the top surface of the bridge;

(e) moving the first ramp side wall from a first position in which the first ramp side wall is folded over from the top surface of the first ramp and a second position in which the first ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the first ramp;

(f) moving the second ramp side wall from a first position in which the second ramp side wall is folded over the top surface of the first ramp and a second position in which the second ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the first ramp;

(g) moving the third ramp side wall from a first position in which the third ramp side wall is folded over the top surface of the second ramp to a second position in which the third ramp side wall is extends away from the top surface of the second ramp;

(h) moving the fourth ramp side wall from a first position in which the fourth ramp side wall is folded over the top surface of the second ramp to a second position in which the fourth ramp side wall extends away from the top surface of the second ramp;

placing the pet on the first ramp; and

wherein the pet traverses the first ramp, the second ramp, and the bridge.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising:

removing the pet from the collapsible ramp; and

moving the collapsible ramp to a folded configuration by:

(i) moving the first bridge side wall from the second position to the first position;

(j) moving the second bridge side wall from the second position to the first position;

(k) moving the first ramp side wall from the second position to the first position;

(l) moving the second ramp side wall from the second position to the first position;

(m) moving the third ramp side wall from the second position to the first position;

(n) moving the fourth ramp side wall from the second position to the first position;

(o) moving the second ramp from the second position to the first position; and

(p) moving the first ramp from the second position to the first position with the first ramp folded over the second ramp.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the pet further traverses an opening under the bridge and between a first leg of the bridge and a second leg of the bridge.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein;

the step of moving the first bridge side wall to the second position further includes latching the first bridge side wall in the second position;

the step of moving the second bridge side wall to the second position further includes latching the second bridge side wall in the second position;

the step of moving the first ramp side wall to the second position further includes latching the first ramp side wall in the second position;

the step of moving the second ramp side wall to the second position further includes latching the second ramp side wall in the second position;

the step of moving the third ramp side wall to the second position further includes latching the third ramp side wall in the second position;

the step of moving the fourth ramp side wall to the second position further includes latching the fourth ramp side wall in the second position.

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