Ladder body

Abstract

To provide a ladder body provided with a prescribed operation part such as a telescopic leg device with a remote control mechanism, which is excellent in convenience capable of easily operating the operation part in a state of gripping a support by hand.SOLUTION: A ladder body 2, which is configured such that a plurality of rungs 4A to 4E are bridged in a step-like manner between two left and right supports 3, includes an action part (elevating member 9) that performs a prescribed action, and an operation part 10 that can actuate the action part (elevating member 9) by performing a prescribed operation. The operation part 10 has a finger operation part 101 that can be operated by a finger in a state where the support 3 is gripped.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a ladder body in which multiple rungs are secured in a stepped manner between two left and right posts, and more specifically, to a ladder body that is equipped with an operating unit provided, for example, on an extendable leg device, and an operating unit for operating the operating unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Among structures for working at heights, such as ladders, dedicated stepladders, ladders and stepladders, and scaffolding, which have a ladder body as at least one of their components, there are known structures, for example, in which an extendable leg device is provided on the ladder body (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). This telescopic leg device comprises two telescopic leg members, one on the left and one on the right, which are slidably connected to each support pillar to form the legs of the ladder body, and two locking mechanisms, one on the left and one on the right, which lock each telescopic leg member at any sliding position relative to each support pillar. Each locking mechanism has a locking portion such as a rack formed on each telescopic leg member along its length, and a locking member provided on the lower part of the ladder body and switchable between a locked state in which it engages with the locking portion of each telescopic leg member and an unlocked state in which it is disengaged from the locking portion. The locking member is usually provided near the lower end of the support so as to be able to swing, and has a locking portion that is engaged with the locking portion. The locking member is also biased by a biasing member such as a spring in a direction in which the locking portion is engaged with the locking portion. Furthermore, the locking member is provided with an operating lever portion that swings the locking member against the biasing force of the biasing member in a direction in which the locking portion is disengaged from the locking portion.

[0003] Also, a ladder body telescopic leg device that is equipped with a remote control mechanism for remotely controlling the locking mechanism is known. For example, in the case of the telescopic leg device of the ladder body described in the following Patent Document 2, the remote control mechanism includes an upper operating member provided on the back of the first upper tread located at the step located several steps from the bottom so as to perform a predetermined operation, and two transmission members on the left and right that are provided along each support and are used to link the upper operating member with each locking member, and by operating the upper operating member to perform a predetermined operation, the locking members are switched to the unlocked position via the transmission members. The transmission members are, for example, made of a plate-shaped lifting member that is slidable along the length of the support and descends when the operation of the upper operating member is transmitted. A pressing member is attached to the lower end of the lifting member, which presses a required part of the locking member when the lifting member is lowered with the operation of the upper operating member, thereby rotating the locking member in a direction to release the engagement between the locked part and the locking part. According to the telescopic leg device equipped with the above-mentioned remote control mechanism, for example, with the ladder body standing upright, the telescopic leg members can be easily extended or retracted while remaining in a comfortable standing position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-193780 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-167693 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Here, if the operation to unlock the telescopic leg device can be performed while gripping the ladder body's support pole, there will be no need to change hands when lifting or moving the ladder body during or after unlocking. The object of the present invention is to provide a ladder body equipped with a specified operating section, such as an extendable leg device with a remote control mechanism, which is highly convenient as it allows the operating section to be easily operated while still holding the support posts in the hands. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects.

[0007] In specifying this invention, the side of the ladder body from which the worker climbs and descends will be referred to as the "front" side, the opposite side will be referred to as the "dorsal" or "rear" side, and "left and right" will refer to the left and right when viewed from the front. In addition, for the purpose of specifying this invention, the "ladder body" is intended to include anything that constitutes part or the whole of a ladder, a dedicated stepladder, a ladder / stepladder combination, or a scaffolding platform.

[0008] 1) A ladder body with multiple rungs stretched in steps between two left and right posts, The device includes an operating unit that performs a predetermined operation, and an operation unit that can operate the operating unit by performing a predetermined operation, A ladder body, characterized in that the operating part has a finger operating part that can be operated with fingers while gripping the support pole.

[0009] 2) A ladder body in which multiple rungs are fixed in steps between two left and right posts, The ladder is provided with a telescopic leg device having two telescopic leg members on the left and right which are slidably connected to the respective supports to form the legs of the ladder body, two locking mechanisms on the left and right which can lock the telescopic leg members at any slide position relative to the respective supports, and a remote control mechanism for remotely controlling the left and right locking mechanisms, Each locking mechanism has a latched portion formed on each telescopic leg member along its length, and a latching member provided on the lower part of the ladder body and switchable between a locked state in which it engages with the latched portion of each telescopic leg member and an unlocked state in which it is released from engagement with the latched portion, The remote control mechanism has two transmission members, left and right, provided along each support and operable in a predetermined direction, an operation unit provided at a position above the locking members of the left and right locking mechanisms on the ladder body and / or the left and right transmission members and operable to operate the transmission members by a predetermined operation, and a lower transmission unit that transmits the operation of each transmission member to the locking members of each locking mechanism to switch the locking members to an unlocked state, A ladder body, characterized in that the operating part has a finger operating part that can be operated with fingers while gripping the support pole.

[0010] 3) A ladder body as defined in 1) or 2) above, characterized in that the finger operating portion is large enough to accommodate fingers while gripping the support posts.

[0011] 4) A ladder body according to any one of 1) to 3), characterized in that the surface of the finger operating part is formed with a concavely curved portion so that it can fit the fingers when operating while gripping the support.

[0012] 5) The ladder body according to any one of 1) to 4), characterized in that the finger operation portion is freely swingable about an axis extending in a predetermined direction.

[0013] 6) The ladder body according to any one of 1) to 4), characterized in that the finger operation portion is capable of linear movement in a predetermined direction.

[0014] 7) A ladder body according to any one of 1) to 6), characterized in that the finger operating section is arranged on the back side of the support.

[0015] 8) A ladder body according to any one of 1) to 6), characterized in that the finger operating part is arranged on the inside or outside in the left-right direction of the support so that it does not extend beyond the front or back of the support when viewed from the side, at least in the initial position before operation.

[0016] 9) A ladder body according to any one of 1), 3) to 8), characterized in that the operating part comprises a finger operating member having a finger operating part and operably attached to the support, step or operating part.

[0017] 10) A ladder body according to any one of 2) to 8), characterized in that the operating part comprises a finger operating member having a finger operating part and operably attached to a support, a step or a transmission member.

[0018] 11) The ladder body of any one of 1) to 10), further comprising a biasing means for restoring the finger operation portion from the operating position during operation to the initial position before operation by a biasing force. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the ladder body of this invention, the operating part can be operated by operating the finger operating part with the fingers while still holding the support in the hand. Therefore, for example, when lifting or moving the ladder body during or after the operating part is operating (when or after the telescopic leg member is unlocked by the remote control mechanism), there is no need to change hands, thereby improving convenience. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a ladder / stepladder having a ladder body according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B show a part of one of the ladder bodies of the same ladder / stepladder when the locking member of the telescopic leg device is in a locked state, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view. [Diagram 3] 13A and 13B show a part of the ladder body when the locking member of the telescopic leg device is in an unlocked state, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a vertical sectional view. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view showing the lower structure of the telescopic leg device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the upper structure of the telescopic leg device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper structure of the telescopic leg device. [Figure 7]FIG. 11 is a rear perspective view showing a part of a ladder / stepladder having a ladder body according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B show a part of one of the ladder bodies when the locking member of the telescopic leg device of the ladder / stepladder is in a locked state, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view. [Figure 9] 13A and 13B show a part of the ladder body when the locking member of the telescopic leg device is in an unlocked state, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a vertical sectional view. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing a partially exploded lower structure of the telescopic leg device. [Figure 11] 1 shows the lower structure of the telescopic leg device, where (a) is a horizontal cross-sectional view when the locking member is in a locked state, (b) is a front view of the same, and (c) is a horizontal cross-sectional view when the locking member is in an unlocked state, and (d) is a front view of the same. [Figure 12] FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing the upper structure of the telescopic leg device, and FIG. 2B is an exploded perspective view showing the same upper structure. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the finger operation member, the third step from the bottom, and the mounting bracket disassembled. [Figure 14] 1A and 1B are vertical cross-sectional views showing the upper structure of the telescopic leg device, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which the finger operation unit is in an initial position, and FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a front perspective view showing a part of a ladder / stepladder having a ladder body according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 1A and 1B show a part of one of the ladder bodies when the locking member of the telescopic leg device of the ladder / stepladder is in a locked state, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a vertical cross-sectional view. [Figure 17] 13A and 13B show a part of the ladder body when the locking member of the telescopic leg device is in an unlocked state, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a vertical sectional view. [Figure 18]1 shows the lower structure of the telescopic leg device, where (a) is a horizontal cross-sectional view when the locking member is in a locked state, (b) is a front view of the same, and (c) is a horizontal cross-sectional view when the locking member is in an unlocked state, and (d) is a front view of the same. [Figure 19] 1A and 1B are horizontal cross-sectional views showing the upper structure of the telescopic leg device, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which the finger operation unit is in an initial position, and FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 2A is a rear perspective view showing the upper structure of the telescopic leg device, and FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view showing the upper structure in an exploded state. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the upper structure of an extendable leg device in a ladder / stepladder having a ladder body of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) shows the finger operation unit in its initial position, and (b) shows the finger operation unit in its operating position. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the upper structure of the telescopic leg device. [Diagram 23] FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of the upper structure of the telescopic leg device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In each of the following embodiments, a ladder body according to the present invention is applied to a ladder / stepladder combination. In the following description, the right side of Figures 2(b), 3(b), 8(b), 9(b), 16(b), 17(b), and 21(a)(b) will be referred to as the "front", the left side as the "back" or "rear", and "left and right" refers to the left and right when viewed from the front (for example, the left and right in Figures 2(a), 3(a), 8(a), 9(a), 16(a), and 17(a)).

[0022] <First embodiment> 1 to 6 show a ladder combined with a stepladder having a ladder body according to a first embodiment of the present invention. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the ladder / stepladder (1) is made up of two ladder bodies (2) with their upper ends connected to each other so that they can be opened and closed freely by a hinge (21). The ladder / stepladder (1) is also configured so that it can be used as a ladder by rotating one of the ladder bodies (2) upside down. The two ladder bodies (2) are substantially the same shape and size, except for the fact that they are arranged facing each other front to back, so the following explanation will mainly focus on one of the ladder bodies (2) with reference to the drawings. Also, the ladder body (2) is symmetrical with respect to a plane passing through the center line of its left and right width, so Figures 2 to 6 show only the right part of the ladder body (2).

[0023] The ladder body (2) has two posts (3) on the left and right, and a number of (e.g., five) rungs (4A), (4B), (4C), (4D), and (4E) that are spaced apart in the vertical direction and secured in steps between the posts (3). The top step (4E) forms the top board when used as a stepladder. An opening stopper (22) having a link mechanism is secured between the upper parts of the left support posts (3) of the two ladder bodies (2) and between the upper parts of the right support posts (3). The ladder body (2) is provided with an extendable leg device (5).

[0024] The left and right support columns 3 of the ladder body 2 are usually made of metal material (preferably aluminum alloy material). The illustrated support columns 3 are hollow and have a generally U-shaped cross section that opens inward in the left-right direction. Each of the treads (4A) to (4E) is also typically made of a metal shaped material (preferably an aluminum alloy shaped material). The illustrated treads (4A) to (4E) are each hollow and have a substantially rectangular cross section. Although not shown in the figures, the upper and lower surfaces, i.e., the tread surfaces, of each of the treads (4A) to (4E) have a plurality of anti-slip ridges and grooves extending along the left-right length direction and alternately formed in the front-rear width direction. The left and right ends of the lowest step (4A) and the second-lowest step (4B) are attached to the left and right posts (3) via a pair of front and rear brackets (401) and (402). The left and right ends of the other steps (4C), (4D), and (4E) are inserted into the left and right posts (3) and attached directly to the front and rear walls of the posts (3) by, for example, rivets. The shapes and mounting structures of the posts (3) and the rungs (4A) to (4E) constituting the ladder body (2) are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and can be modified as appropriate.

[0025] The telescopic leg device (5) provided on the ladder body (2) comprises two telescopic leg members (6) on the left and right which are slidably connected to each support (3) to form the legs of the ladder body (2), two locking mechanisms (7) on the left and right which can lock each telescopic leg member (6) at any sliding position relative to each support (3), and a remote control mechanism (8) for remotely controlling the left and right locking mechanisms (7).

[0026] The extendable leg member (6) is slidably inserted from its lower end into the support column (3). A ground contact portion (61) is provided at the lower end of the extendable leg member (6). The telescopic leg member (6) is usually made of a metal profile (preferably an aluminum alloy profile). Furthermore, the telescopic leg member (6) in this embodiment has a substantially rectangular cross section. As shown in detail in Fig. 4, the upper end of the telescopic leg member (6) is provided with a retaining portion (62) for preventing the telescopic leg member (6) from falling off the support post (3). The retaining portion (62) is made of a retaining cap (62) fitted and fixed to the upper end of the telescopic leg member (6). The retaining cap (62) has an inward protrusion (621) that protrudes inward in the left-right direction. This inward protrusion (621) abuts against the upper edge of the cover member (404) described below, thereby preventing the telescopic leg member (6) from falling off the support post (3). In addition to being slidably inserted inside the hollow support as in the above embodiment, the extendable leg member may also be slidably connected to the outside of the support, for example to the outer side in the left and right directions.

[0027] 2 to 4, the locking mechanism (7) has a locked portion (71) formed on each of the telescopic leg members (6) along the length thereof, and a locking member (72) that is provided on the lower part of the ladder body (2) and can be switched between a locked state in which it engages with the locked portion (71) of each of the telescopic leg members (6) and an unlocked state in which it is disengaged from the locked portion (71). The locking mechanism (7) also has a biasing member (73) that biases the locking member (72) in a predetermined direction so that the locked state is maintained. The engaging portion (71) can be constituted, for example, by a rack (71) provided on the inner left-right surface of each telescopic leg member (6) and having a number of teeth (711) arranged in the longitudinal direction of the telescopic leg member (6). The locking member (72) is attached near the lower end of each post (3) of the ladder body (2), more specifically, to the front and rear brackets (401) for attaching the left and right ends of the lowest rung (4A) to the posts (3), so as to be freely swingable about a swing axis (720) extending in the front-to-rear direction. The engaging portion (721) extends outward in the left-right direction from a center portion (723) through which the pivot shaft (720) is inserted, and has teeth (721a) at its tip portion that can mesh with the teeth (711) of the rack (71). The biasing member (73) is made of a spring (73) that biases the locking member (72) in a direction in which the teeth (721a) of the locking portion (721) mesh with the teeth (711) of the rack (71). The locking member (72) is provided with an operating lever portion (722) extending inward in the left-right direction from a center portion (723). By applying an upward operating force to the operating lever portion (722), the locking member (72) is caused to swing in a direction in which the teeth (721a) of the locking portion (721) disengage from the teeth (711) of the rack (71) against the elastic force (biasing force) of the spring (73). In other words, the locking member (72) can be switched between a locked state in which the teeth (721a) of the locking portion (721) engage with the teeth (711) of the rack (71) and an unlocked state in which the teeth (721a) of the locking portion (721) disengage from the teeth (711) of the rack (71) by swinging it in a predetermined direction. The spring (73) is interposed between the upper surface of the operating lever portion (722) of the locking member (72) and the lower surface of the lowest step bar (4A) so as to be freely expandable in the vertical direction. The locking member (72) is formed with a spring holding portion (724) extending upward from the middle position of the upper surface of the operating lever portion (722), and the lower end of the spring (73) is inserted and held between the spring holding portion (724) and the center portion (723). A cover member (404) having a generally U-shaped cross section is fitted over the lower end of each support (3) so as to cover the opening of the support (3). The front and rear brackets (401) are attached to the front and rear walls of the support (3) from above the front and rear walls of the cover member (404) by rivets or the like. A communication window (404a) is formed in the lower part of the cover member (404) for exposing some of the teeth (711) of the rack (71). The teeth (721a) of the locking portion (721) of the locking member (72) are engaged with the teeth (711) of the rack (71) through the communication window (404a). The locking mechanism is not limited to the illustrated embodiment and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the locking member may be provided below the lowest step bar (4A) as shown in the figure, or may be incorporated inside the step bar (4A) or provided above the step bar (4A).

[0028] The remote control mechanism (8) has two left and right transmission members (9) that are provided along each of the supports (3) and can operate in a predetermined direction, an operating unit (10) that is provided at a position above the locking members (72) of the left and right locking mechanisms (7) on the ladder body (2) and / or the left and right transmission members (9) and can operate the transmission members (9) by a predetermined operation, and a lower transmission unit (91) that transmits the operation of each transmission member (9) to the locking members (72) of each locking mechanism (7) to switch the locking members (72) to an unlocked state. The operating section (10) has a finger operating section (101) that can be operated with fingers while gripping the support (3).

[0029] The transmission member (9) is composed of a lifting member (9) that is slidable along the length of the support (3) and rises or falls when the operation of the operating unit (10) is transmitted to it. The lifting member (9) in this embodiment is a generally strip-shaped member that extends along the length of the support (3) and is configured to fall when the operation of the operating unit (10) is transmitted to it. The lifting member (9) is slidable by being passed through the gaps (S) between the left and right support (3) and the left and right ends of the lowest step (4A) and the second-lowest step (4B). A pressing member (91) is attached to the lower end of the lifting member (9) for pressing a required portion of the locking member (72), more specifically, the upper surface of the locking portion (721) of the locking member (72), when the lifting member (9) is lowered in response to the operation of the operating portion (10), thereby rotating the locking member (72) in a direction in which the locked portion (71) and the locking portion (721) are disengaged. The pressing member (91) and the pressed portion formed by the upper surface of the locking portion (721) form a lower transmission portion. A slide guide (92) is attached to the upper end of the lifting member (9). The slide guide (92) has a generally rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, and is fixed to the upper end of the lifting member (9) while being accommodated inside the support (3) so as to be slidable along the length of the support (3). The presence of this slide guide (92) suppresses rattling and shaking when the lifting member (9) is raised and lowered.

[0030] As shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the operating section is made up of two finger operating members (10) on the left and right, each having a finger operating portion (101) and operably attached to the left and right support columns (3). In addition, the remote control mechanism (8) is provided with upper transmission parts (103) (105) that transmit the operation of the finger operation member (10) to the lifting member (9) to lift and lower the lifting member (9).

[0031] Each finger operation member (10) has a swing shaft portion (102) extending in the left-right direction, a finger operation portion (101) extending upward from one end (the inner end in the left-right direction) of the swing shaft portion (102), and an arm portion (103) extending forward from one end of the swing shaft portion (102), and is capable of swinging freely around the swing shaft portion (102).

[0032] The pivot shaft portion (102) is rotatably inserted into a shaft insertion hole formed by the outer surface of the rear wall of the support (3) and a ridge-shaped protrusion (104a) of a mounting bracket (104) attached to the outer surface of the rear wall of the support (3). A head portion (102a) for preventing the pivot shaft portion (102) from coming off is formed on the other end (the outer end in the left-right direction).

[0033] The finger operating portion (101) is disposed on the rear side of the support (3) (rearward of the outer surface of the rear wall of the support (3) when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the support (3)). The finger operation portion (101) of this embodiment is suitable for operation with the fingers, particularly the index finger, while holding the support (3) from the front side (the lifting surface side) of the ladder body (2) in the hand, and can function as a trigger portion. In the initial position before operation (locked state), the finger operation portion (101) faces diagonally upward and rearward so that its tip is a predetermined distance away from the outer surface of the rear wall of the support (3), and in the operating position during operation (unlocked state), its tip faces approximately upward so that it is close to the surface of the rear wall of the support (3). The finger operation portion (101) has a size (operation area) that allows fingers, more specifically, the vicinity of the first joint of the index finger, to be placed thereon while gripping the support (3). A concavely curved curved portion (101a) is formed on the surface of the finger operation portion (101) so that it can fit the fingers when the user operates the support (3) while gripping it. The curved portion (101a) is formed so that the cross-sectional shape along the longitudinal direction of the finger operation portion (101) is a concave arc shape. The distance between the finger operation unit (101) in the initial position and the outer surface of the front wall of the support (3) (the lifting side surface) is preferably set so that the fingers can be naturally placed on the support when gripping the support (3). Specifically, for example, in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support (3), the distance from the outer surface of the front wall of the support (3) to the most recessed point of the curved portion (101a) of the finger operation unit (101) in the initial position is preferably 55 to 75 mm, and more preferably 60 to 65 mm. In the case of the ladder combined stepladder (1) or dedicated stepladder as in this embodiment, the two ladder bodies (2) can be closed so as to approach each other during transportation or storage, and at that time, it is preferable that the finger operation part (101) of one ladder body (2) does not interfere with the finger operation part (101), support (3), tread (4C) and the like of the other ladder body (2). In addition, the scaffolding platform can also be folded so that the ladder bodies on both sides are aligned with the underside of the scaffolding board, and at that time, it is preferable that the finger operation parts of each ladder body do not interfere with the underside of the scaffolding board. Therefore, it is preferable that the protruding length of the finger operation part (101) in the initial position from the outer surface of the rear wall part of the support (3) satisfies the above requirements. The protruding length varies depending on the type and size of the ladder combined stepladder (1), etc., but for example, in the case of the ladder combined stepladder (1) of the illustrated embodiment, it is preferable that it is about 10 to 15 mm. The angle of the finger operation portion (101) relative to the outer surface of the rear wall of the support (3) is preferably set so that in the initial position, force can be naturally applied to the finger operation portion (101) with the fingers in the operating direction (forward), and also so that in the operating position, the finger operation portion (101) can be easily held with the fingers. The stroke (displacement in the forward and backward directions) of the finger operation portion (101) from the initial position to the operating position is preferably set to about 5 to 12 mm, taking into consideration operability with fingers, including some play before and after operation.

[0034] The arm portion (103) has a tip end (front end) linked and connected to the upper end of the lifting member (9) so as to be capable of relative rotation. More specifically, a rotating ring (141) is loosely inserted coaxially into a through hole (103a) formed in the tip of the arm portion (103), and the arm portion (103) is linked and connected to the upper end of the lifting member (9) by a connecting member (105) such as a screw having an axle passed through the rotating ring (141). When the finger operation member (10) is swung in the operating direction (for example, the clockwise direction in FIG. 2(b)) so that the finger operation part (101) is displaced from the initial position to the operating position, the lifting member (9) is lowered in conjunction with the swinging. That is, the arm portion (103) of the finger operation member (10) and the connecting member (105) form an upper transmission portion.

[0035] The operation of unlocking the telescopic leg member (6) by the remote control mechanism (8) can be performed, for example, in the following manner. First, a user standing on the climbing surface of one of the ladder bodies (2) of the ladder / stepladder (1) grasps the required height of the left and right posts (3), specifically, the lower parts of the third rung (4C) from the bottom on both posts (3), with both hands. Then, the fingers of the hand gripping the support (3), more specifically, the vicinity of the first joint of the index finger, are hooked onto the curved portion (101a) of the finger operation part (101) of the finger operation member (10) and pulled toward the hand. Then, the finger operation member (10) swings about the swing shaft part (102) in the operating direction so that the finger operation part (101) is displaced from the initial position to the operating position, and in conjunction with this, the lifting member (9) linked and connected to the arm part (103) of the finger operation member (10) is lowered. When the lifting member (9) descends, the upper surface (pressed portion) of the locking portion (721) of the locking member (72) is pressed downward by the pressing member (91) at its lower end, thereby causing the locking member (72) to swing in the unlocking direction and releasing the engagement between the locked portion (71) of the telescopic leg member (6) and the locking portion (721) of the locking member (72). By the above operation, the telescopic leg members (6) become slidable relative to the posts (3), so the user can extend or retract the telescopic leg members (6) by the required length. At this time, the user can lift or lower the ladder body (2) in order to extend or retract the telescopic leg members (6) in their original state, without having to change hands that are holding both posts (3) to release the lock. The unlocking operation can be performed individually for each of the left and right telescopic leg members (6) by operating the left and right finger operating members (10) separately. Alternatively, the left and right finger operating members (10) can be operated simultaneously with the fingers of both hands to unlock the left and right telescopic leg members (6) simultaneously.

[0036] When the extension and retraction of the telescopic leg member (6) (adjustment of the length of the legs of the ladder body (2)) is completed by the above operation, the fingers that were placed on the finger operating portion (101) are released, and the locking member (72) is swung in the locking direction by the elastic force of the spring (73), thereby engaging the locking portion (721) with the locked portion (71), and the telescopic leg member (6) is locked again. Furthermore, due to the above-mentioned swinging of the locking member (72), the upper surface (pressed portion) of the locking portion (721) of the locking member (72) pushes up the pressing member (91), thereby lifting the lifting member (9). In conjunction with this, the finger operating member (10) is swung in the return direction opposite to the unlocking time (for example, the counterclockwise direction in Figure 3(b)), and the finger operating part (101) is returned from the operating position to the initial position.

[0037] As described above, according to the ladder / stepladder (1) equipped with the ladder body (2) of the first embodiment, the finger operation section (101) of the remote control mechanism (8) can be operated with the fingers while holding the support (3) in the hand, thereby easily unlocking the extendable leg member (6). Therefore, when unlocking the telescopic leg member (6) using the remote control mechanism (8) or when lifting or moving the ladder body (2) after unlocking, there is no need to change hands each time, which is very convenient. In addition, the finger operation portion (101) is large enough to allow fingers to be placed on it while gripping the support (3), and a concavely curved portion (101a) is formed on its surface so that it can fit the fingers, providing excellent operability. In addition, since the finger operation unit (101) is disposed on the rear side of the support (3), it does not get in the way when the user ascends or descends the ladder body (2). Furthermore, since the operating section of the remote control mechanism (8) is composed of a finger operating member (10) having a finger operating section (101) and operably attached to the support (3), the size of the components can be reduced, which also contributes to reducing the weight of the ladder / stepladder (1).

[0038] <Second embodiment> 7 to 14 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The ladder body (2) of this embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the ladder body (2) of the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6, except for the following points. That is, in the ladder body (2) of this embodiment, the remote control mechanism (8) has two left and right rotating members (9X) that are arranged along each of the supports (3) and can rotate circumferentially, an operating unit (10X) that is arranged at a position above the locking members (72) of the left and right locking mechanisms (7) in the ladder body (2) and can rotate the rotating members (9X) by a specified operation, and a lower transmission unit (11) (725) that transmits the rotational movement of each rotating member (9X) to the locking members (72) of each locking mechanism (7) to switch the locking members (72) to an unlocked state. The operation unit has a finger operation part (101X) and is composed of two finger operation members (10X) on the left and right sides that are operably attached to the left and right supports (3). In addition, the remote control mechanism (8) is further provided with an upper transmission part (103X) (12) that transmits the operation of the finger operation members (10X) to the rotating member (9X) to rotate the rotating member (9X) in a predetermined direction.

[0039] The rotating member 9X is made of a long material extending along the length of the support 3. More specifically, the rotating member 9X can be made of a rod or a tube made of, for example, metal, synthetic resin, or the like. The illustrated rotating member (9X) is disposed near the opening of the support (3), more specifically, at a position close to the inner edge in the left-right direction of the rear wall of the support (3). However, the location of the rotating member (9X) is not limited to the above, and it may be disposed, for example, inside the support (3). The rotating member (9X) is held by a predetermined holding means so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction, and the holding means will be described later.

[0040] The finger operation member (10X) has a swing shaft portion (102X) extending in the left-right direction, a finger operation portion (101X) extending downward from the swing shaft portion (102X), and an arm portion (103X) extending forward from the lower end of the finger operation portion (101X), and is capable of swinging freely around the swing shaft portion (102X). The finger operation member (10X) also includes a biasing means (106) that restores the finger operation portion (101X) from an operating position after operation to an initial position before operation by a biasing force.

[0041] The pivot shaft portion (102X) is in the form of a small piece that extends rearward and has a tip portion that has a generally semicircular cross section. The third step bar (4C) from the bottom has an upper protruding wall portion (41) formed integrally with the upper surface thereof and protruding toward the rear side. A retaining metal fitting (107) is attached to the end of the lower surface of the upper protruding wall portion (41). The pivot shaft portion (102X) of the finger operating member (10X) is pivotally supported by a retaining portion (107a) formed on the retaining metal fitting (107) and having a rearwardly convex arc-shaped cross section, and by the rear wall portion of the step bar (4C) facing the retaining portion (107a) in the front-rear direction. The pivot shaft portion (102X) may be attached to the rear wall portion of the support column (3) by a mounting bracket, as in the first embodiment.

[0042] The finger operation unit (101X) is provided integrally with the lower side of the swing shaft unit (102X) via a connection unit (108) that extends downward and has a generally L-shaped vertical cross section. The finger operation unit (101X) is configured so that a part of it projects outward in the left-right direction beyond the connection unit (108) and is positioned behind the rear wall of the support (3), and like the finger operation unit (101) of the first embodiment, it is large enough to allow fingers, particularly the first joint of the index finger, to be placed around it while gripping the support (3), and can function as a trigger unit.

[0043] The arm portion (103X) moves forward in the space below the tread bar (4C) as the finger operating member (10X) swings in the unlocking direction. An engagement hole (103a) is formed at the tip of the arm portion (103X) and penetrates the arm portion in the thickness direction (left-right direction). The upper and lower edge portions of the engagement hole (103a) are concave-arc shaped, and the front and rear edge portions of the engagement hole (103a) are convex-arc shaped.

[0044] An upper transmission member (12) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the rotating member (9X). The upper transmission member (12) has a vertical portion (121) and an engaging protrusion (122) protruding laterally from an upper portion of the vertical portion (121), and can be made of, for example, a synthetic resin molded product. A fitting recess (not shown) is formed on the lower end surface of the vertical portion (121), and the upper end of the rotating member (9X) is fitted into the fitting recess, thereby connecting and fixing the upper transmission member (12) to the rotating member (9X). In addition, a side opening recess (123) is formed on the front side of the peripheral surface of the vertical portion (125). The engaging protrusion (122) is inserted from the outside in the left-right direction into the engaging hole (103a) of the arm portion (103X) of the finger operation member (10X). When an operating force (a pulling force by the fingers toward oneself) is applied to the finger operating portion (101X) to swing the finger operating member (10X) toward the operating position, the arm portion (103X) is moved forward, and the motion of the arm portion (103X) is transmitted to the upper transmission member (12) via the engagement hole (103a) and the engagement protrusion (122), causing the upper transmission member (12) to rotate together with the rotating member (9X) in the unlocking direction (C) (for example, the counterclockwise direction in Figure 8(b)). As described above, in this embodiment, the arm portion (103X) of the finger operation member (10X) and the upper transmission member (12) form the upper transmission portion. In addition, the upper transmission part may be in a form other than that described above. For example, an engaging protrusion extending outward in the left-right direction may be formed on the arm part (103X) of the finger operation member (10X), and an engaging hole or an engaging recess capable of engaging with the engaging protrusion may be formed in the upper transmission member (12).

[0045] An outward protrusion (103b) that protrudes outward in the left-right direction toward the internal space of the support post (3) is integrally formed with the arm portion (103X) of the finger operation member (10X). When a relatively large external force acts on the finger operation member (10X) in the direction opposite to the unlocking direction, this outward protrusion (103b) is brought into contact with the rear wall portion of the support post (3), thereby reliably preventing the engagement between the engagement hole (103a) of the arm portion (103X) and the engagement protrusion (122) of the upper transmission member (12) from being disengaged.

[0046] The biasing means is composed of a leaf spring portion (106) extending downward from the swing shaft portion (102X) of the finger operation member (10X) so as to form a bifurcated link with the finger operation member (101X). The leaf spring portion (106) is provided so that its lower end abuts against the outer surface of the rear wall portion of the third step (4C) from the bottom when the finger operation member (101X) is in the initial position, and when the finger operation member (101X) is displaced from the initial position to the operating position by the application of an operating force, the leaf spring portion (106) is elastically deformed thereby, and biases the finger operation member (10X) in a direction to return the finger operation member (101X) to the initial position. In addition to the leaf spring portion as described above, the biasing means can also be composed of, for example, a compression coil spring interposed between the swing shaft portion (102X) of the finger operation member (10X) and the rear wall portion of the step (4C).

[0047] The remote control mechanism (8) also has an upper holding part (13) that rotatably holds the upper transmission member (12). The upper holding part (13) rotatably holds the upper transmission member (12), and therefore the upper part of the rotating member (9X) that is integral with the upper transmission member (12) is also rotatably held. This allows the holding means to be simplified, which can also contribute to weight reduction. The upper holding part is made of an upper holding member (13) fixed to the support (3). The illustrated upper holding member (13) has a generally U-shaped cross section with side walls extending in the front-rear direction and front-rear walls extending outward in the left-right direction from the front-rear edges of the side walls, and can be made of, for example, a synthetic resin molded product. A side protrusion (131) protruding rearward is integrally formed on the inner left-right surface of the side wall so as to be able to engage with the side opening recess (123) of the upper transmission member (12). When a force is applied from the arm portion (103X) of the finger operation member (10X) with the side opening recess (123) engaged with the side protrusion (131), the forward movement of the upper transmission member (12) is restricted, and the force is efficiently converted into a force that rotates the upper transmission member (12). Therefore, when the motion of the finger operation member (10X) is transmitted to the upper transmission member (12), the upper transmission member (12) can be smoothly rotated in the circumferential direction with the tip of the side protrusion (131) as a fulcrum.

[0048] Next, a lower transmission portion for transmitting the rotational movement of the rotation member (9X) to the locking member (72) of the lock mechanism (7) will be described. As shown in detail in Figures 10 and 11, the lower transmission part in this embodiment is composed of a lower transmission member (11) fixedly connected to the lower end of the rotating member (9X) and an upward protrusion (725) extending upward from the center (723) of the locking member (72). The lower transmission member (11) has a vertical portion (111) and a lateral protrusion (112) protruding laterally from a lower portion of the vertical portion (111), and can be made of, for example, a synthetic resin molded product. The vertical portion (111) has a fitting recess (not shown) on its upper end surface. The lower end of the rotating member (9X) is fitted into this fitting recess, whereby the lower transmission member (11) is connected and fixed to the lower end of the rotating member (9X). The lateral protrusion (112) is bent into a substantially circular arc shape in a plan view. The pressing convex portion (112a) consisting of the tip portion of the lateral protrusion (112) of the lower transmission member (11) is adapted to engage with the pressed portion (725a) consisting of the inner surface in the left-right direction of the upper protrusion (725) of the locking member (72).

[0049] The remote control mechanism (8) also has a lower holding part that rotatably holds the lower transmission member (11). The lower holding part rotatably holds the lower transmission member (11), and thus the lower part of the rotating member (9X) that is integral with the lower transmission member (11) is also rotatably held. This allows the holding means to be simplified, which can also contribute to weight reduction. In a preferred embodiment, at least a part of the lower holding portion is formed by a portion adjacent to the locking members (72) of the left and right locking mechanisms (7) of the ladder body (2) (more specifically, for example, the lowest rung (4A) and / or mounting parts (404) (405) for mounting the same rung (4A) to the support (3)). According to the above embodiment, the burden of separately preparing and mounting parts for forming the lower holding portion is reduced, thereby reducing parts costs and achieving further weight reduction. As an example of the above aspect, in this embodiment, the lower transmission member (11) is held rotatably about a vertical axis by the lower wall portion (44) and rear wall portion (46) of the lowest tread (4A) arranged to surround it, the edge of the upper communication window (404b) in the cover member (404), rivets (405) for attaching the ends of the tread (4A) to the front and rear brackets (401), and the upward protrusion (725) of the locking member (72) (see Figure 10, etc.). However, the lower holding portion is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be configured appropriately depending on the shape and arrangement of the lower transmission member.

[0050] The operation of unlocking the telescopic leg member (6) by the remote control mechanism (8) can be performed, for example, in the following manner. First, a user standing on the climbing surface of one of the ladder bodies (2) of the ladder / stepladder (1) grasps the required height of the left and right posts (3), specifically, the lower parts of the third rung (4C) from the bottom on both posts (3), with both hands. Then, the fingers of the hand gripping the support (3), more specifically, the vicinity of the first joint of the index finger, are hooked onto the curved portion (101a) of the finger operation section (101X) of the finger operation member (10X) and pulled toward the hand. Then, the finger operation member (10X) swings about the swing shaft section (102X) in the operating direction (unlocking direction) so that the finger operation section (101X) moves from the initial position to the operating position, and the motion is transmitted to the rotating member (9X) via the arm section (103X) and the upper transmission member (12) of the finger operation member (10X), causing the rotating member (9X) to rotate in the unlocking direction. When the rotating member (9X) rotates in the above-mentioned direction, the pressing protrusion (112a) of the lower transmission member (11) connected to the lower end of the rotating member (9X) engages with the pressed portion (725a) of the locking member (72) and presses the pressed portion (725a) outward in the left-right direction. This causes the locking member (72) to swing in the unlocking direction (D) and switch to an unlocked state in which the locking member (72) and the locked portion (71) are disengaged (see FIG. 11). By the above operation, the telescopic leg members (6) become slidable relative to the posts (3), so the user can extend or retract the telescopic leg members (6) by the required length. At this time, the user can lift or lower the ladder body (2) in order to extend or retract the telescopic leg members (6) in their original state, without having to change hands that are holding both posts (3) to release the lock. In addition, the unlocking operation can be performed individually for each of the left and right telescopic leg members (6) by operating the left and right finger operating members (10X) separately. In addition, the left and right telescopic leg members (6) can be unlocked simultaneously by operating the left and right finger operating members (10X) simultaneously with the fingers of both hands.

[0051] When the extension and retraction of the telescopic leg member (6) (adjustment of the length of the legs of the ladder body) is completed by the above operation, the fingers that were placed on the finger operating portion (101X) are released, and the locking member (72) is swung in the locking direction by the elastic force of the spring (73), thereby engaging the locking portion (721) with the locked portion (71), and the telescopic leg member (6) is locked again. Furthermore, due to the above-mentioned swing of the locking member (72), its pressed portion (725a) presses the pressing protrusion (112a) of the lower transmission member (11) in the direction opposite to the unlocking direction (D), whereby the lower transmission member (11), the rotating member (9X), and the upper transmission member (12) are rotated in the direction opposite to the unlocking direction (C), the finger operation member (10X) is swung in the direction opposite to the unlocking direction (A), and the finger operation member (101X) is restored to its initial position. At this time, the spring elastic force of the leaf spring portion (106) also acts on the finger operation member (10X), so that the finger operation member (10X) quickly and reliably returns to its initial position.

[0052] As is clear from the above, the ladder / stepladder (1) equipped with the ladder body (2) of the second embodiment achieves substantially the same effects as the ladder / stepladder (1) equipped with the ladder body (2) of the first embodiment.

[0053] <Third embodiment> 15 to 20 show a third embodiment of the present invention. The ladder body (2) of this embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the ladder body (2) of the second embodiment shown in Figs. 7 to 14, except for the following points.

[0054] First, in the ladder body 2 of this embodiment, the operation section of the remote control mechanism 8 is constituted by the finger operation member 10Y fixedly connected to the upper end of the rotating member 9X. Therefore, the remote control mechanism 8 does not have an upper transmission section. The finger operation member (10Y) includes a connecting portion (109) connected to the upper end of the rotating member (9X) and a finger operation portion (101Y) extending inward in the left-right direction from an upper portion of the connecting portion (109). In addition, the finger operation member (10Y) is integrally formed with an upwardly protruding shaft portion (110) extending upward from the connecting portion (109). The connecting portion (109) has a mating recess (not shown) on its lower end surface, and the upper end of the rotating member (9X) is fitted into this mating recess and fixed, thereby fixedly connecting the finger operation member (10Y) to the upper end of the rotating member (9X). The upper part of the connecting portion (109) is hollow so as to open to the rear. The finger operation portion (101Y) of this embodiment is suitable for operation with the fingers, particularly the thumb, when holding the support (3) from the front side (the lifting surface side) of the ladder body (2) in the hand, and can function as a push lever portion. The finger operation portion (101Y) shown in the figure is formed in the shape of a substantially vertical plate that extends slightly diagonally forward in the left-right direction in the initial position via a connection portion (113) that extends slightly diagonally backward in the left-right direction in the initial position on the connecting portion (109). The finger operation part (101Y) has a size (operation area) that allows the fingers, more specifically the tip of the thumb (the part closer to the tip than the first joint) to be placed on it while gripping the support (3). A curved part (101a) that is curved in a concave shape so that it can fit along the fingers (the tip of the thumb) when operating while gripping the support (3) is formed on the surface (front surface) of the finger operation part (101Y). The curved part (101a) is formed so that the cross-sectional shape along the protruding length direction of the finger operation part (101) is a concave arc shape. In a preferred embodiment, the finger operation part (101Y) is disposed on the inner side (or outer side) in the left-right direction of the support (3) so as not to protrude from the front or rear side of the support (3) when viewed from the side at least in the initial position before operation. According to the above-mentioned arrangement, for example, when the ladder-cum-stepladder (1) is used in the form of a ladder or when the ladder body of this embodiment is applied to a ladder, it can be placed flat on the ground or the like. In the case of this embodiment, the entire finger operation member (10Y) is disposed on the inner side in the left-right direction of the support (3) so as not to protrude from the front or rear side of the support (3) when viewed from the side at the initial position before operation and at the operating position after operation, so that the above-mentioned effect is more reliably achieved (see FIG. 19).

[0055] The remote control mechanism (8) also has an upper holding part (13) that rotatably holds the finger operation member (10Y). The upper holding portion (13) consists of an upper holding member (13) fixed to the support (3). The illustrated upper holding member (13) has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is connected and fixed to the post (3) by a fixing means (130) such as a rivet while being accommodated inside a predetermined height portion of the post (3) (below the third tread (AC) from the bottom). The upper holding member (13) is formed with a first holding portion (131) that protrudes inward in the left-right direction from its inner left-right surface. The first holding portion (131) has a recess on its lower surface, and the upwardly protruding shaft portion (110) of the finger operation member (10Y) is inserted into this recess to rotatably hold the finger operation member (10Y) and also rotatably hold the upper portion of the rotating member (9X) that is integrally provided with the finger operation member (10Y). This allows these holding means to be simplified, which can also contribute to weight reduction. In addition, a second holding portion (132) is integrally formed with the upper holding member (13) and extends diagonally forward from the inner lateral surface of the upper holding member (13). The second holding portion (132) is provided so that its tip is located within the upper portion of the connecting portion (109) of the finger operation member (10Y). This second holding portion (132) enables the rotational movement of the finger operation member (10Y) to be performed more smoothly without rattling or shaking.

[0056] When the finger operation part (101Y) is operated with a finger (thumb) to swing the finger operation member (10Y) in order to unlock the lock, the rotating member (9X) is rotated in conjunction with the finger operation part (101Y), but the rotation direction is opposite to the rotation direction when the rotating member (9X) is unlocked in the second embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotation direction of the lower transmission member (11) when unlocking is also opposite to that of the second embodiment, and the arrangement of the lower transmission member (11) is also changed so that its vertical portion (111) is positioned in front of the locking member (72) (see Figure 18).

[0057] When unlocking the extendable leg member (6) using the remote control mechanism (8), a user stands on the ascending or descending surface of one of the ladder bodies (2) of the ladder-cum-stepladder (1), grasps the required height portion of the left and right supports (3), specifically, the lower portions of the third rung (4C) from the bottom on both supports (3) with both hands, and places his / her fingers, more specifically the fingertips of the thumbs, on the curved portion (101a) of the finger operating portion (101Y) of the finger operating member (10Y) and pushes backwards. The procedures other than those described above when unlocking the ladder body (2) of the third embodiment and the operational procedures when returning it to the locked state are substantially the same as those of the second embodiment, so detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0058] According to the ladder combined with stepladder (1) having the ladder body (2) of the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the ladder combined with stepladder (1) having the ladder body (2) of the first and second embodiments are achieved. Furthermore, in the case of the ladder body (2) of the third embodiment, as described above, the finger operation portion (101Y) is positioned on the inside in the left-right direction of the support (3), so that, for example, when the ladder-cum-stepladder (1) is used in the form of a ladder or when a ladder to which the ladder body (2) is applied is used, it is possible to place it flat on the ground, etc. Furthermore, in the case of the ladder body (2) of the third embodiment, the finger operation member (10Y) can be swung around a vertical swing axis (connecting portion (109)). Therefore, even if the finger operation portion (101Y) of the finger operation member (10Y) provided on the ladder body (2), which is turned upside down when the ladder-cum-stepladder (1) is used in ladder form, is accidentally stepped on by a user, the finger operation portion (101Y) is prevented from operating inadvertently.

[0059] <Fourth embodiment> 21 to 23 show a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The ladder body (2) of this embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the ladder body (2) of the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6, except for the following points.

[0060] That is, in the ladder body (2) of the fourth embodiment, the two finger operating members (10Z) on the left and right that constitute the operating portion of the remote control mechanism (8) are capable of linear movement in a predetermined direction (specifically, the front-rear direction). The finger operation member (10Z) has a slide base portion (114) extending in the front-to-rear direction, a finger operation portion (101Z) provided at the rear end of the slide base portion (114), and a downward protrusion portion (115) provided on the lower side of the slide base portion (114). The finger operation member (10Z) is held by an upper holding portion (13Z) so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction.

[0061] The slide base portion (114) of the finger operation member (10Z) is formed in the shape of a flat plate extending in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figure 21 etc., the upper holding part (13Z) is composed of an upper holding member (13Z) fixed to the support (3). The upper holding member (13Z) holds the slide base part (114) of the finger operation member (10Z) so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support (3). The upper holding member (13Z) has two side walls (133), one end of which is fixed to the front and rear walls of the support (3) by rivets or the like, a connecting portion (134) connecting the tip portions of the upper edges of the both side walls (133), and an upper protruding wall portion (135) extending from the connecting portion (134) via a low rising portion in a direction approaching the support (3). The slide base portion (114) of the finger operating member (10Z) is disposed in the gap formed by the upper edges of the both side walls (133), the connecting portion (134), and the upper protruding wall portion (135) so as to be slidable. The upper holding member (13Z) also has a protruding rib portion (136) formed on the upper surface of the upper projecting wall portion (135) and the upper end of which is brought into contact with the lower surface of the tread (4C).

[0062] The finger operation portion (101Z) of the finger operation member (10Z) is formed in the shape of a plate bent at a substantially right angle upward from the rear end of the slide base portion (114), and is disposed on the rear side of the support (3). The finger operation portion (101Z) of this embodiment is also suitable for operation with the fingers (particularly the index finger) while holding the support (3) from the front side of the ladder body (2) in the hand, and can function as a trigger portion. In the initial position before operation (locked state), the finger operation portion (101Z) is positioned so as to be a predetermined distance rearward from the outer surface of the rear wall portion of the support (3) when viewed from the side (see FIG. 21(a)). In addition, in the operating position during operation (unlocked state), the finger operation portion (101Z) is positioned so as to almost overlap with the rear wall portion of the support (3) when viewed from the side (see FIG. 21(b)). Although not shown in the drawings, similarly to the first embodiment, a concavely curved portion may be formed on the surface of the finger operation unit (101Z) so that the finger can fit the support (3) when the support (3) is gripped and operated. The size, arrangement, stroke, etc. of the finger operation unit (101Z) can also be set in substantially the same manner as the finger operation unit (101) of the first embodiment.

[0063] The downward protrusion (115) of the finger operation member (10Z) is formed in the shape of a vertical plate having a lower side (115a) that is inclined upward toward the front. Meanwhile, a laterally protruding shaft portion (93) is formed at the upper end of the lifting member (9), protruding toward the side opposite the support column (3) and having a head portion (931) at its tip. The head portion (931) of the laterally protruding shaft portion (93) cooperates with the lifting member (9) to have a positioning function for restricting the left-right movement of the finger operation member (10Z), thereby allowing the finger operation member (10Z) to move (slide) smoothly in the front-rear direction. The downward protruding portion (115) of the finger operating member (10Z) and the laterally protruding shaft portion (93) of the lifting member (9) constitute an upper transmission portion that transmits the motion of the finger operating member (10Z) to the lifting member (9) to lift and lower the lifting member (9). Specifically, the lower side (115a) of the downward protruding portion (115) (driver) and the laterally protruding shaft portion (93) (follower) constitute a cam mechanism that converts the forward and backward movement of the finger operating member (10Z) into the up and down movement of the lifting member (9). The upper transmission portion is not limited to the above-described configuration, and may be modified as appropriate as long as it provides a similar function. The forward movement of the finger operation member (10Z) is restricted by the front end of the slide base portion (114) abutting against a front end wall portion (137) extending downward from the front end of the upper protruding wall portion (135) of the upper holding member (13Z) (see FIG. 21(b)). On the other hand, the rearward movement of the finger operation member (10Z) is restricted by the upper end portion (115b) of the rear part of the downward protruding portion (115) abutting against the rear side wall portion (133) of the upper holding member (13Z) (see FIG. 21(a)). Note that the configuration for restricting the forward / rearward movement of the finger operation member (10Z) is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and for example, a portion of the finger operation member (10Z) other than the above-mentioned may abut against a required portion of the upper holding member (13Z), the tread (4C) or the support (3).

[0064] When the fingers of a hand gripping a required portion of the support (3) are hooked on the finger operation portion (101Z) of the finger operation member (10Z) and pulled toward the user (see FIG. 22), the finger operation member (10Z) slides forward (in the direction of movement), and the finger operation portion (101Z) is displaced from the initial position to the operating position. As a result, the lower side (115a) of the downward protruding portion (115) of the finger operation member (10Z) pushes down the side protruding shaft portion (93) of the lifting member (9), lowering the lifting member (9), and the lock of the extendable leg member (6) by the lock mechanism (7) is released. When the fingers that were placed on the finger operation unit (101Z) are released after the above operation, the telescopic leg member (6) is locked again by the lock mechanism (7), and the pressing member (91) is pushed up by the upper surface of the locking portion (721) of the locking member (72) of the lock mechanism (7), thereby lifting the lifting member (9). Then, an upward external force is applied to the lower side (115a) of the downward protruding portion (115) of the finger operation member (10Z) by the side protruding shaft portion (93) of the lifting member (9), causing the slide base portion (114) of the finger operation member (10Z) to slide backward, and the finger operation unit (101Z) is returned from the operating position to the initial position. As described above, the ladder / stepladder (1) equipped with the ladder body (2) of the fourth embodiment achieves substantially the same effects as the ladder / stepladder (1) equipped with the ladder body (2) of the first embodiment.

[0065] The linear-type finger operation unit used in the fourth embodiment can also be applied to a remote control mechanism in which the locking of the extendable leg member by the locking mechanism is released when the lifting member is raised. In this case, for example, an upward protrusion with an inclined upper edge that functions as a cam can be formed on the upper surface of the slide base part of the finger operation member, and a laterally protruding shaft part can be formed on the upper end part of the lifting member which is pushed up by the upper edge of the upward protrusion as the finger operation member moves forward.

[0066] <Other embodiments> The ladder body according to the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can of course be embodied in a form in which appropriate modifications are made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following are examples of other embodiments of the present invention.

[0067] In the ladder body according to the present invention, particularly in the ladder body in which the finger operation unit is disposed on the inner side in the left-right direction of the support as in the third embodiment, a cover part for covering the finger operation unit of the operation unit may be provided. This cover part effectively prevents, for example, the finger operation unit provided on the ladder body that is turned upside down when the ladder-cum-stepladder is used in the form of a ladder from being accidentally stepped on by the user or from being damaged by an object or the like hitting the finger operation unit when ascending or descending. The cover part can be, for example, box-shaped while ensuring a space for operating the finger operation part, and can be provided integrally with or separately from a part adjacent to the finger operation part, for example, the upper holding member of the third embodiment. When the cover part is provided integrally with the upper holding member, for example, the upper holding member can be in the form of a polyhedron such as a rectangular parallelepiped, and the part where the finger operation part operates can be configured to be hollow. In addition, it is preferable that the portion of the cover which covers the lower part of the finger operating portion is inclined from the support side toward the inside in the left-right direction so as to approach the tread so that any foot that the user accidentally places on the ladder can be guided onto the tread surface of the tread when the ladder body is turned upside down to be used as a ladder.

[0068] In the ladder body according to the present invention, particularly in the ladder body as in the third embodiment in which the finger operating unit is arranged to be freely swingable around a swing axis perpendicular to the inside of the support in the left-right direction, the finger operating unit may be arranged to extend diagonally backward or forward so as to be positioned closer to the inner wall portion of the support in the left-right direction so that it can be operated with the index finger or middle finger of the hand holding the support. In the case of this type of finger operation part, the length protruding toward the center of the ladder body is reduced, and a user standing on the front side (the lifting surface side) of one ladder body can also operate the finger operation part of the other ladder body located at the back. Furthermore, in the case of a ladder body in which the finger operation unit is provided so as to be freely swingable around a vertical swing axis, the finger operation unit may be formed in two, one fork in the front and one fork in the back. In this case, a user standing on the front side (the lifting surface side) of one ladder body operates the finger operation unit on the front side when performing an unlocking operation of the telescopic leg member of the same ladder body, and operates the finger operation unit on the back side when performing an unlocking operation of the telescopic leg member of the other ladder body located at the back.

[0069] In a ladder body according to the present invention, particularly in a ladder body in which the finger operation unit is arranged on the back side of the support as in the first or second embodiment, a marking to indicate the height position of the finger operation unit may be provided near the corresponding height of the finger operation unit on the left and right supports or on the rung portion close to the finger operation unit so that it is visible to a user standing on the ascending / descending surface side of the ladder body. The markings can be formed, for example, by attaching a marking member such as a seal or plate to a required location on the post or tread, or by providing a printed or engraved marking on a required location on the post or tread.

[0070] In the ladder body of each of the above embodiments, the operating unit is composed of two finger operating members on the left and right, but the operating unit may also be composed of, for example, an operating unit main body that is arranged below, on the back or inside a specific step (such as the third step from the bottom) so as to operate a transmission member, and an end operating unit (end operating member) that is arranged integrally with or separately from the operating unit main body so as to link with the operating unit main body, and the end operating unit may be used as a finger operating unit.

[0071] In each of the above embodiments, the ladder body of the present invention is applied to a ladder / stepladder equipped with an extendable leg device with a remote control mechanism, but the present invention can also be similarly applied to other high-altitude work structures equipped with a ladder body, i.e., ladders, dedicated stepladders, scaffolding, etc. In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the operation unit having a finger operation unit, which is its characteristic configuration, operates the remote control mechanism of the telescopic leg device as an object of operation, but the object of operation of the operation unit is not limited to the above, and other objects can also be operated, such as outriggers that are freely opened and closed on the outside of the support pillars, upper frame parts that are freely extended and retracted on the top of the ladder body, work steps (top plates) that are freely foldable at a predetermined height position of the ladder body, trays for placing items, and lock / unlock mechanisms for the opening prevention device. [Industrial Applicability]

[0072] This invention is suitable for use with ladder bodies such as ladders, dedicated stepladders, ladder / stepladder combinations, and scaffolding platforms, which are structures for working at height, and which have, for example, an operating unit consisting of a transmission member etc. provided in the remote control mechanism of an extendable leg device, and an operating unit for operating the operating unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] (1): Stepladder / ladder combo (2):Ladder body (3): Support (4A)(4B)(4C)(4D)(4E):Stile (5): Telescopic leg device (6): Telescopic leg member (7): Locking mechanism (71): Rack (retained part) (72):Latching member (725): Upper protrusion (lower transmission part) (8): Remote control mechanism (9): Lifting member (transmission member) (9X): Rotating parts (transmission parts) (91): Pressing member (lower transmission part) (10)(10X)(10Y)(10Z):Finger operation member (operation part) (101)(101X)(101Y)(101Z):Finger operation section (101a): Curved section (11): Lower transmission member (lower transmission part)

Claims

1. A ladder body in which multiple rungs are fixed in steps between two left and right posts, The device includes an operating unit that performs a predetermined operation, and an operation unit that can operate the operating unit by performing a predetermined operation, A ladder body, characterized in that the operating part has a finger operating part that can be operated with fingers while gripping the support pole.

2. A ladder body in which multiple rungs are fixed in steps between two left and right posts, The ladder is provided with a telescopic leg device having two telescopic leg members on the left and right which are slidably connected to the respective supports to form the legs of the ladder body, two locking mechanisms on the left and right which can lock the telescopic leg members at any slide position relative to the respective supports, and a remote control mechanism for remotely controlling the left and right locking mechanisms, Each locking mechanism has a latched portion formed on each telescopic leg member along its length, and a latching member provided on the lower part of the ladder body and switchable between a locked state in which it engages with the latched portion of each telescopic leg member and an unlocked state in which it is released from engagement with the latched portion, The remote control mechanism has two left and right transmission members provided along each support and operable in a predetermined direction, an operation unit provided at a position above the engaging members of the left and right locking mechanisms on the ladder body and / or the left and right transmission members and operable to operate the transmission members by a predetermined operation, and a lower transmission unit that transmits the operation of each transmission member to the engaging members of each locking mechanism to switch the engaging members to an unlocked state, A ladder body, characterized in that the operating part has a finger operating part that can be operated with fingers while gripping the support pole.

3. 3. A ladder body according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the finger operating portion has a size that allows fingers to be hung while gripping the support pole.

4. 3. A ladder body as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the surface of the finger operating portion is formed with a concavely curved portion so as to conform to the fingers when operating the ladder body while gripping the support pole.

5. 3. A ladder body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the finger operating portion is adapted to be freely swingable about an axis extending in a predetermined direction.

6. 3. A ladder body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the finger operating portion is capable of linear movement in a predetermined direction.

7. 3. A ladder body according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the finger operating part is arranged on the back side of the support.

8. A ladder body as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the finger operating portion is arranged on the inside or outside in the left-right direction of the support so that it does not extend beyond the front or back of the support when viewed from the side, at least in the initial position before operation.

9. 2. The ladder body according to claim 1, wherein the operating section comprises a finger operating member having a finger operating portion and operably attached to the posts, steps or operating portion.

10. 3. A ladder body according to claim 2, characterized in that the operating section comprises a finger operating member having a finger operating portion and operably attached to the support, step or transmission member.

11. 3. The ladder body according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing means for restoring the finger operating portion from an operating position after operation to an initial position before operation by a biasing force.

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