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US 12359506

Added 4/30/2026, 3:10:55 PM

⚖️ Active PTAB challenge: 1 pending proceeding against this patent

1 activeInter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method proceedings at the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

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Patent summary

Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.

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A concise summary of US Patent 12359506 is as follows:

Title: Multifunction button for ladder adjustment

Assignee: Little Giant Ladder Systems LLC

Inventors: B. Scott Maxfield, N. Ryan Moss

Filing Date: October 19, 2023

Issue Date: July 15, 2025

Abstract:
Ladders have first and second assemblies with pairs of rails that form a pair of hinges rotatable about a pivot axis. The hinges include at least one retainer movable between axial positions along the pivot axis. The at least one retainer includes a body and a support arm coupled with the body. The arm can be pivotable relative to the body between a deployed position and a collapsed position. The support arm can support objects while a user is in an elevated position on the ladder.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a ladder with two main assemblies that are hinged together. At the hinge point, there is a pair of "hinge button assemblies." Each of these assemblies has a main body and a second body (or plate) attached to it. This second body is spaced slightly apart from the main body, creating a gap. This gap is specifically designed to hold an object that a user might hang from the second body.

Independent Claim 12: This claim also details a ladder with two hinged assemblies. The key feature is a pair of "retainers" located at the hinges. Each retainer has a body with a flat outer surface and an integrated plate-like structure. This plate is spaced from the body to form an elongated gap, which is parallel to the flat surface of the body and is intended for receiving and supporting a tool hanging from the plate. The retainer also includes the locking pin mechanism that secures the ladder's position.

As of April 30, 2026, a search of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) dockets for 2026 did not reveal any public records of litigation involving US patent 12359506.

Generated 4/30/2026, 3:13:02 PM