| 摘要 |
<p>A collapsible ladder provides a plurality of segments (11), each segment associated with one rung (80) of the ladder. The segments (11) may be folded into a flat or planar configuration, after which each segment (11) may be folded against adjacent segments (11), thereby forming a stacked storage configuration. Each segment (11) provides a generally horizontally oriented rung (80) carried at either end by a generally vertically oriented inside element (20). A middle element (40) is hinged to each inside element (20), and an outside element (60) is hinged to each middle element (40). Side rails (12) may be formed by folding the middle element (40) at 90 degrees to the inside element (20), and the outside element (60) at 90 degrees to the middle element (40). A side rail (12) formed in this manner is generally U-shaped when viewed from the end. Springs (90, 93) bias the inside, middle and outside elements (20, 40, 60) into a 90 degree relationship with each adjacent element. A pair of stop pieces (54, 54A) carried by the middle element (40) maintain the angles between the inside (20) and the middle (40) and between the middle (40) and outside elements (60) at 90 degrees.</p> |
