Abstract:
The present invention relates to a device for protecting the feet, ankles, knees and legs of a user who spends time on their knees or in a kneeling position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a device for protecting the knees, legs, ankles, and feet of a person spending time on their knees or in a kneeling position. 
         [0003]    2. Background of Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention is useful to those who spend periods of time on their knees or in a kneeling position, such as tile layers or gardeners. 
         [0005]    The device allows a user to spend greater periods of time on their knees or in a kneeling position while reducing pain, discomfort, strain and damage on the user&#39;s body from the neck down. The device accomplishes this by providing an angle and support where the leg rests and by distributing that weight along the user&#39;s legs, knee, shin, ankle, and foot more evenly than devices taught by the prior act. This increases the total surface contact of the user with the floor and the support device thereby decreasing the pressure per square inch the user experiences in contact with the floor. 
         [0006]    The device may be in a form that is adjustable to fit persons with varying leg lengths and sizes as well as persons with different foot sizes and foot lengths. 
         [0007]    The device may also include feet on either or both ends of the device, said feet may be made of material that reduces friction between the device and the surface the device is resting on, allowing the user of the device to freely slide around on the surface on which the device is resting without having to stand and exit the device. Additionally, the optional feet on either or both ends of the device may be of a material that will prevent the device from scratching the surface on which the device is being used. 
         [0008]    Also, the portion of the device that receives the user&#39;s legs and shins may be made of a soft material, cushion, or pad, or may be made of a material that has been or is capable of being molded to the user&#39;s legs. This leg receiving portion of the device may be concave, rounded, or otherwise shaped or molded. 
         [0009]    Presently, persons spending time on their knees or in a kneeling position have few options for protecting their knees, legs, ankles, and feet. These options do not adequately, protect the user&#39;s knees, legs, ankles, and feet, and are more cumbersome to use than the present invention. 
         [0010]    It would therefore be desirable to enhance the effectiveness of devices for allowing persons to spend extended periods of time on their knees or in a kneeling position. 
         [0011]    There remains a need for a device that reduces the strain placed on the feet, ankles, knees, back, neck, and legs of persons who spend periods of time on their knees or in a kneeling position. The present invention fulfills this objective, as well as other needs and objectives, as will be apparent from the following description of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a device for protecting knees, legs, ankles, and feet is provided. The device comprises a frame made of one or more pieces of material. The pieces of the frame may be made of either a single piece or multiple pieces of material, connected to each other at their terminal ends with their connecting piece or segment. 
         [0013]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the frame is bent to form and angle on the frame, which angle is between 0 degrees and 180 degrees. The degree of the angle and its location in the frame maybe made variable to provide for multiple frame geometries, allowing for a more customized fit for different users. Further, the degree of the angle maybe adjustable by the user. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the overall length of the frame maybe adjustable, allowing for a more customized fit for different users. Further, the device may in the user&#39;s foot. 
         [0015]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the space in the interior of the frame maybe filled with a soft material, pad, or cushion, or a material capable of being molded to multiple forms to create a more customized fit for the user, or may have a pre-molded surface, or solid surface that may or may not be molded. 
         [0016]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the frame has two or more feet surfaces that contact the working surface and which may be of a material designed to reduce friction between the device and the surface it is placed upon, allowing for easier movement of the device over the surface by the user. These feet may also be made of a material that will reduce or eliminate scratching of the surface upon which the device is used. 
         [0017]    The present device provides for an improved method of protecting the feet, ankles, legs, back, neck, and knees of persons who spend periods of time on their knees or in a kneeling position, which overcomes the above-referenced and others. 
         [0018]    One advantage of the present invention is that the user has less strain placed in their feet, ankles, and knees while on their knees or in a kneeling position. The device distributes the body weight of the user over the full length of the user&#39;s leg, minimizing the pressure per square inch the user feels in contact with the floor. 
         [0019]    Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent of those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components. The drawings are only for the purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is an orthogonal view of one embodiment of the device in an extended position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of the device in an extended position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is another orthogonal view of one embodiment of the device in an extended position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a front view of one embodiment of the device in an extended position. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of one embodiment of the device in an extended position. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a top view of one embodiment of the device in an extended position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is another side view of one embodiment of a fully extended position. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a rear view of one embodiment of the device on an extended position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device. 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a full front view of another embodiment of the device. 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a top view of another embodiment of the device. 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is another side view of another embodiment of the device. 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a bottom view of another embodiment of the device. 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a rear view of another embodiment of the device. 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  is a top view of one embodiment of the device in the fully retracted position. 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  is a side view of one embodiment of the device in the fully retracted position. 
           [0037]      FIG. 17  is another bottom view of one embodiment of the device in the full retracted position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0038]    The present invention is shown generally at  100  in  FIG. 1 , which is a top view of the device. 
         [0039]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 through 8 , one embodiment of the device ( 100 ) for protecting the feet, ankle, knees, and legs of a kneeling user has a front end ( 102 ) and a rear end ( 104 ). In this embodiment, the device comprises a frame ( 106 ) that may be of variable and adjustable size. Alternatively, the frame may have a predetermined size. 
         [0040]    Regardless of whether the frame is of variable and adjustable size, the frame ( 106 ) comprised of an elongated from segment ( 114 ) has a front top potion ( 122 ) and a center segment ( 118 ). The front segment ( 114 ) has a front portion ( 122 ) and a front bottom portion ( 124 ). The back segment ( 116 ) has a top portion ( 126 ) and a back bottom portion ( 128 ). The front segment ( 114 ) and the back segment ( 116 ) each are in mechanical connection with the center segment ( 118 ). Each of these connections may be rigid or flexible and of fixed size or adjustable size. The front segment ( 114 ) and back segment ( 116 ) may be connected with each other or can be connected to the center segment ( 118 ) using a fastening device or devices ( 120 ) allowing the overall length of the device from ( 106 ) to be changed by the user. For example, the fastening devices ( 120 ) may be peg and hole system as shown in  FIGS. 1-8 . 
         [0041]    The device frame ( 106 ) may also have one or more feet ( 108 ). One foot may be affixed to the front end of the front bottom portion ( 124 ). Another foot may be affixed to the rear end of the back bottom portion ( 128 ). The feet ( 108 ) may be made of a material that reduces friction between the device frame ( 106 ) and the surface on which the device is used. The feet ( 108 ) may also be formed intrinsically from the front end of the front bottom portion ( 124 ) and the rear end of the back bottom portion ( 128 ) respectively. 
         [0042]    A leg-receiving portion ( 110 ) is located on the front top portion ( 122 ) of the device ( 100 ). The user of the device ( 100 ) places a leg on the leg-receiving portion ( 110 ) of the device with the user&#39;s knee towards the front end ( 102 ) and the user&#39;s foot towards the rear end ( 104 ). The leg-receiving portion ( 110 ) of the device ( 100 ) may be concave or rounded and may be made from a variety of materials and can be a padded surface, a sling, a surface that molds to the user&#39;s leg, or any combination thereof. The leg-receiving portion ( 110 ) may be removable or intrinsic to the front top portion ( 122 ). 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 , side views of one embodiment of the device ( 100 ), the device frame ( 106 ) has an angle of fixed geometry ( 112 ) located between the front end ( 102 ) and rear end ( 104 ) of the device ( 100 ). The angle ( 112 ) may be of any degree. The angle also may be adjustable or fixed and may be placed at any point along the length of the device frame ( 106 ) between the front end ( 102 ) and rear end ( 104 ) of the device ( 100 ). 
         [0044]    The overall length of the device ( 100 ) may be adjusted by a user by adjusting the length of the front segment ( 114 ) with respect to the center segment ( 118 ), or by adjusting the length of the back segment ( 116 ) with respect to the center segment ( 118 ), or both. In the embodiment, the length of the front end ( 102 ) with respect to the center segment ( 118 ) may be adjusted by changing the amount of the front portion that is fit within the center segment in a telescoping fashion. The length of the back end ( 104 ) with respect to the center segment ( 118 ) may be adjusted similarly, 
         [0045]    Another embodiment of the present invention is shown generally at  200  in  FIG. 9 , which is perspective view of the device. 
         [0046]    With reference of to  FIGS. 9 through 14 , another embodiment of the device ( 200 ) has a front end ( 202 ) and a rear end ( 204 ). The device frame ( 206 ) may have feet ( 208 ). AS shown the device may have two feet ( 208 ), one each affixed to the front end ( 202 ) and rear end ( 204 ), the feet ( 208 ) being affixed to the bottom side ( 212 ) of the device frame ( 206 ). The feet ( 208 ) may be made of material that reduces friction between the devices frame ( 206 ) and the surface on which the device is being used. the user of the device ( 200 ) places a leg on the leg-receiving portion ( 210 ) of the device with the user&#39;s knee towards the front end ( 202 ) and the user&#39;s foot towards the rear end ( 204 ). The leg-receiving portion ( 210 ) of this embodiment of the device ( 200 ) may also be made from a variety of materials and can be a padded surface, a sling, a surface that is molded to the user&#39;s leg, or any combination thereof. 
         [0047]    With reference to  FIG. 12 , a side view of another embedment if the device ( 200 ), the device frame ( 206 ) has an angle of fixed or variable geometry ( 212 ) located between the front end ( 202 ) and the rear end ( 204 ) of the device ( 200 ). The angle ( 212 ) can have geometry between 0 degrees and 180 degrees and can be placed at any point along the length of the frame ( 206 ) between the front end ( 202 ) and rear end ( 204 ) of the device ( 200 ). 
         [0048]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 through 14 , any embodiment of the device ( 100 ,  200 ) may have a cupped foot receptacle ( 300 ) at the rear end ( 104 ,  204 ) of the device ( 100 ,  200 ). 
         [0049]    with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 14 , any single frame ( 106 ,  3206 ) of the device ( 100 ,  200 ) can be used with a second frame in tandem. At least one connector can be used to connect the first frame with the second frame such that the two frames are held in a generally parallel orientation. The connector may be a bar connecting the center segments of each frame. Alternatively, several bars may connect each frame to the other, or the other means known in the art. The connection between the frames may be flexible or rigid and may be adjustable in length.