DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a Step Attachment.

[0017] The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the step attachment 10 of the present invention. As with the prior art previously discussed, the attachment 10 of the present invention is design to attach to, and extend from a piece of dimensional lumber 12 , an example of which is a “stud.” Unlike some of the prior devices, however, the attachment 10 of the present invention can be simply slipped over the side of the stud 12 , without the need for slipping it onto one end of the board or the other. Also, the height position of the attachment 10 along the board 12 is infinitely adjustable by simply lifting up on the attachment 10 and then sliding it either up or down, as desired. In order to understand additional detail regarding the invention, we shall now turn to FIG. 2 .

[0018] FIG. 2 is a top view of the attachment 10 of FIG. 1 . The attachment comprises two main components: the rung member 16 and the bracket member 14 . The bracket 14 is a U-shaped element having a first leg 18 and a second leg 20 in generally parallel aligment. The bracket is preferably manufactured from a flat piece of steel that is bent into the U-shape shown. The bent bracket 14 can thereafter be hardened if desired in order to provide a secure and durable tool. This design lends itself to rapid and low-cost manufacturing.

[0019] The first and second legs 18 and 20 are attached to one another by a connecting leg 22 . In this embodiment, there are curved portions 24 A and 24 B at the point of intersection between the legs 18 and 20 and the connecting leg 22 . These curved portions 24 are provided for two reasons—to simplify the manufacturing process (i.e. by forming the bracket 14 by bending). Second, the curved portions act as an anti-jam mechanism to prevent the bracket 14 from getting jammed against the wood stud after prolonged use and/or after substantial weight has been supported by the attachment 10 , thereby increasing the safety of the unit.

[0020] It should also be readily apparent that the first leg 18 is somewhat longer in length than the second leg 20 . The extra length serves to provide additional stability, while the shorter length of the second leg 20 makes the attachment 10 easier to attach and detach from a wood stud.

[0021] The Rung member 16 is an elongate cylinder in shape, and is defined by a plurality of ridges 26 along its length, each separated from those adjacent by circumferential grooves therebetween. The ridges 26 provide extremely favorable grip stability for footwear, while the grooves 28 contribute additional grip by providing an area for debris to be scraped off of one's feet prior to and during use.

[0022] As will be discussed more fully below, it is pointed out that the rung member 16 defines a rung axis 32 at the geometric center of its cross-section. Although not visible from this top view, it is a feature of this embodiment that the attachment 10 be substantially symetrical above and below the axis 32 . This will be more clearly depicted below in the front view of FIG. 3 .

[0023] This embodiment 10 is made from a combination of steel and aluminum parts; specifically, the rung member 16 is preferably machined from a solid piece of aluminum bar stock. The bracket member 14 is bent from a piece of flat steel stock, and the nipple 30 is preferably a piece of threaded steel for interconnecting the rung 16 and the bracket 14 , as well as possibly to interact with the stud (not shown). In other embodiments and/or for other applications, other materials may be used. Now turning to FIG. 3 , we can further explore the features of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a front view of the attachment 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 . As shown here, the first leg 18 and second leg 20 are facing the reader. In this front view (and in a back view also), it can be seen that the step attachment 10 is symmetrical around the plane that is parallel to the rung axis 32 . Simply stated, the step attachment is flat in this orientation. This design feature is important because it results in the attachment being extremely compact as compared to any of the prior devices. Because this attachment 10 is very flat, it is easily stored in a toolbox and carried around a job site. Furthermore, and as depicted previously in FIG. 2 , the small overall size and shape of the attachment further adds to the packability of the device. As will be clear from FIG. 4 , the cross-section of the rung member 16 is circular, providing a consistent profile around its entire circumference for the user to step and stand upon.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a side view of the attachment 10 of FIGS. 1 - 3 . In this view, the rung axis 32 is projecting straight out of the page. It shows that the profile of the rung member 16 is substantially circular. This circular profile means that the ridges and grooves (see FIG. 1 or FIG. 5 ) are continuously presented all the way around the rung 16 , not only on a single (usually the top) surface. Furthermore, the attachment 10 can be installed from the right or the left side, such that either “top” side can be stepped upon. FIG. 5 provides additional detail regarding the rung member 16 .

[0026] FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway side view of the rung member 16 of the attachment of FIGS. 1 - 4 . As shown in this embodiment, the ridges 26 have a roughened, knurled surface; this provides an abrasive surface for secure footing. In contrast, the grooves 28 have a smooth surface 38 that easily captures debris and then allows it to drop away from the user's footwear. In this embodiment, a diamond-shaped pattern is provided, although other patterns may be used as well. We will now turn to FIG. 6 to take one final look at this novel device.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the attachment 10 of FIGS. 1 - 5 . As should be apparent, when installed, the nipple 30 will likely protrude into the surface of the wood stud to which it is attached. This protrusion aids in preventing the device 10 from slipping down the stud. In this embodiment, the nipple 30 is a threaded steel stem; the threads being in engagement with a threaded bore in the rung member 16 and a threaded aperture formed in the bracket member 14 . This design provides substantial ease in assembly; the rung 16 , nipple 30 and bracket 14 need simply be manufactured separately and then assembled by screwing them into one another.

[0028] The configuration of the legs 18 and 20 , the separation provided by the connecting leg 22 , and the height of the legs 18 , 20 and 22 all cooperate such that the bracket 14 cantilevers off of the stud and pinches the stud between the legs 18 and 20 to also prevent the attachment from slipping down the stud.

[0029] As discussed above, it should be even clearer here that the top surface 40 of the bracket 14 could also be oriented such that it is facing down when installed on the stud. In either orientation, the rung 16 will provide the same surface upon which the user can stand. For the purpose of later reference, the inner surface 42 of the bracket member 14 is depicted here as well. It is this inner surface 42 that is in contact with the stud when the attachment is installed thereon.

[0030] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.