초록 ▼

An extended ramp device for helping animals to escape from a body of water includes: (a) a substantially planar upper, support portion including a central, climbing member and two bendable wing members connected to opposite sides of the central climbing member, each of the wing members including a s

An extended ramp device for helping animals to escape from a body of water includes: (a) a substantially planar upper, support portion including a central, climbing member and two bendable wing members connected to opposite sides of the central climbing member, each of the wing members including a substantially straight upper edge, an arched lower edge, a substantially straight, angled side edge at a front of the wing member, and at least two substantially keyhole-shaped slots; (b) a substantially planar lower, extension portion, the upper, support portion and the lower, extension portion including toehold perforations; (c) at least two brace members, each including a male end connecting projection on each opposite end, each of the brace male end connecting projections being insertable in the two substantially keyhole-shaped slots; and (d) a mechanism for removably attaching the extended ramp device to a structure adjacent or in the body of water; wherein the extended ramp device includes a disassembled position for transport, and an assembled position for use in the body of water.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An extended ramp device for assisting animals in escaping from a body of water, the extended ramp device comprising: (a) a substantially planar upper, support portion comprising a central, climbing member and two wing members, each of the wing members being bendable along a s

What is claimed is: 1. An extended ramp device for assisting animals in escaping from a body of water, the extended ramp device comprising: (a) a substantially planar upper, support portion comprising a central, climbing member and two wing members, each of the wing members being bendable along a substantially straight upper edge of the wing member, each of the wing members further comprising an arched lower edge opposite the substantially straight upper edge and at least two substantially keyhole-shaped slots, the flexible wing members being connected to opposite sides of the central climbing member, each of the wing members further comprising a substantially straight, angled side edge at a front of the wing member; (b) a substantially planar lower, extension portion, the upper, support portion and the lower, extension portion comprising a plurality of toehold perforations; (c) at least two brace members, each of the brace members comprising a male end connecting projection on each opposite end of the brace member, each of the brace male end connecting projections being insertable in the at least two substantially keyhole-shaped slots; and (d) a mechanism for removably attaching the extended ramp device to a structure adjacent or in the body of water; wherein the extended ramp device comprises a disassembled position comprising the separate (a)-(c) components, and an assembled position for use in the body of water. 2. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the central, climbing member is substantially the same in structure as the lower, extension portion, and each of the wing members is smaller in size than the central, climbing member, the wing members being a mirror image of one another. 3. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the wing members are each at an angle of between about 75 and about 90 degrees in relation to the transverse plane of the central, climbing member; and wherein the assembled extended ramp device floats at an angle of between about 30 and about 50 degrees when the extended ramp device is in the body of water. 4. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the angled side edge of each wing member extends down at between about a 30 and about a 45 degree angle relative to an upper edge of the central, climbing member. 5. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein each of the wing members further comprises a front wing end edge that extends down at an angle of between about 85 and about 95 degrees relative to the upper edge of the wing member, an end of the front wing edge being connected to an end of the angled side edge. 6. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the central, climbing member is the same in structure as the lower, extension portion, each comprising a first locking groove substantially parallel to a second locking groove in each, each of the brace members comprising an upper edge projection that is inserted in a different one of the locking grooves in the assembled extended ramp device. 7. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein each of the wing members comprises a flexible connecting strip along its substantially straight upper edge, each of the wing members being bendable along the flexible connecting strip, the flexible connecting strips connecting the flexible wing members to opposite sides of the central climbing member. 8. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the structure is a side wall of a pool with a cove, the mechanism for removably attaching the extended ramp device is a rope, the upper, support portion further comprises a plurality of rope apertures in at least two parallel rows, the rope being extended through at least one of the rope apertures in a rearmost one of the at least two rows of rope apertures. 9. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the wing members are each at an angle of between about 84 and about 86 degrees in relation to the plane of the central, climbing member. 10. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein an upper end section of the substantially keyhole-shaped slot is narrower than a lower, wider end section of the substantially keyhole-shaped slot, each male end connecting projection on the brace members comprises a narrow neck portion, and the neck portion of each of the male end connection projections extends into the narrower, upper end section of the substantially keyhole-shaped slot in the assembled extended ramp device. 11. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the central, climbing member and the lower, extension portion each further comprise a plurality of traction channels extending between pairs of a plurality of toehold perforations on an upper surface of the central, climbing member and the lower, extension portion. 12. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for removably attaching the extended ramp device to a structure adjacent or in the body of water is a flexible bib, the flexible bib comprising a central, substantially rectangular-shaped bib slot. 13. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein each wing member further comprises a male block projecting from a lower surface of the wing member, and the lower, extension portion comprises a corresponding female ramp recess on each opposite, long side of the lower, extension portion, a base of the wing male block being insertable in the female ramp recess. 14. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein each wing member further comprises an end block projecting from a lower surface of the wing member adjacent a lower end of the wing member, a base of each of the wing end blocks contacting a lower surface of the lower, extension portion adjacent a side edge of the lower extension portion in the assembled extended ramp device. 15. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the upper, support portion further comprises a flexible bib affixed at one end to the upper edge of the central, climbing member, the hingeless flexible bib comprising a central bib slot for accommodating a cleat on the structure that is adjacent to or in the body of water. 16. The extended ramp device according to claim 1, wherein the lower, extension portion further comprises a ramp guideway on each of the two opposite long sides of the lower surface of the lower, extension portion, and each wing member further comprises a wing male block projecting from a lower surface of the wing member, a base of the wing male block contacting the ramp guideway in the assembled extended ramp device, the lower, extension portion being slidable over the central, climbing member. 17. The extended ramp device according to claim 16, wherein the lower, extension portion further comprises a second first locking groove in a lower surface of the lower, extension portion in a bottom section of the lower, extension portion, and each of the brace members further comprises an upper edge projection, the brace upper edge projection being closely inserted in the second first locking groove when the extended ramp device is in a collapsed position. 18. The extended ramp device according to claim 17, wherein each ramp guideway extends along a major portion of the side edges of the lower extension portion, and ends before the opposite ends of the lower extension portion. 19. An extended ramp device for assisting animals in escaping from a body of water, the extended ramp device comprising: (a) a central, climbing member comprising a plurality of toehold perforations; (b) two matching wing members, each of the wing members comprising a wing gutter along a substantially straight wing upper edge, an arched lower edge opposite the substantially straight wing upper edge, a substantially straight, angled side edge at a front of the wing member, and at least two substantially keyhole-shaped slots; (c) a substantially planar lower, extension portion comprising a plurality of toehold perforations, the lower, extension portion comprising a ramp guideway on each of the two opposite long sides of the lower surface of the lower, extension portion; (d) at least two interchangeable brace members, each of the brace members comprising a male end connecting projection on each opposite end of the brace member, each of the brace male end connecting projections being insertable in the at least two substantially keyhole-shaped slots; and (e) a mechanism for removably attaching the extended ramp device to a structure adjacent or in the body of water; wherein each of the ramp guideways is inserted in one of the wing gutters. 20. The extended ramp device according to claim 19, wherein each wing member further comprises a male block projecting from a lower surface of the wing member, a base of the wing male block being insertable in the ramp guideway.