The presently disclosed footstool comprises a collapsible footstool that is useful for conveniently placing one's foot into comfortable reach to facilitate personal grooming, shoe tying, and the like. The collapsible footrest features a height adjustable footrest that positions one's toes at different selected heights relative to the footstool's table top. The table top includes raised edges that form a tray for holding personal grooming tools and the like. The table top likewise preferably includes a drawer for storing tools and like when not in use. The table top further includes one or more USB ports that power/support optional accessories that plug into the table top, such as a light, magnifying lens, and/or a fan.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to the field of a personal footstool.

BACKGROUND

Bending down to reach one's feet to practice personal hygiene on one's feet, tie one's shoes, and so forth can prove difficult for many people for a myriad of reasons, given limitations of flexibility, personal bodily dimensions and other physical limitations.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device that would make it easier and more convenient to readily reach one's feet for personal foot care. The presently disclosed footstool device addresses these needs.

SUMMARY

The disclosure presented herein relates to a portable, collapsible footstool that provides convenience for a person to attend to their foot for personal grooming, shoe tying, and the like.

The footstool preferably includes a table that is supported by collapsible legs that expand to support the table when in use and collapse when not in use and for storage. The legs preferably include non-slip feet on the bottom of the legs.

The table features a height adjustable footrest that rotates about the heel portion of the footrest to allow the toe portion to be raised and lowered. The toe portion is supported by a height adjustable fastening system that securely holds the footrest in different height positions.

The table further features raised edges that enclose the table's top to form a tray that conveniently holds personal grooming tools and the like. In addition, there are inner raised edges that surround the base area in which the footrest lies when fully lowered to form an inner part of the tray.

The table also features one or more USB ports that power and support optional accessories that attach to the table of the footrest. These accessories include, but are not limited to, a light, a magnifying glass, and a fan. The accessories are powered through the USB ports via a battery that lies within the table.

The preceding and following embodiments and descriptions are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other aspects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present description includes one or more embodiments for a collapsible, portable footstool. The footstool may be used for any of a number of applications, such as for pedicure/salon-type treatment of a foot, a rest for tying one's shoes, a shoe shine rack, and so forth. The footstool has a number of features that include, but are not limited to: support legs that are collapsible; a foot rest portion in which the toe end of the foot rest can be raised or lowered; USB port(s) for accessories; optional accessories such as a fan, magnifying lens, and/or light that are preferably powered through a USB port, and an optional storage drawer for storing nail treatment tools and the like. Persons having ordinary skill in the art relevant to the present disclosure understand there may be equivalent elements that may be substituted with those described within the present disclosure.

As seen inFIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary preferred embodiment of the presently disclosed footstool is shown.FIG. 1shows an exploded view of the footstool20, whileFIG. 2shows a perspective view. The footstool20comprises a table1that is supported by collapsible legs4and5that are fixedly attached to the underside of the table. The collapsible legs4and5form an X-shaped folding legs structure. As shown inFIG. 2, the legs4and5are fully extended and supporting the table top1of the footstool20. The X-shaped support structure is formed from the U-shaped leg structures4and5, which fold in a scissor-like fashion to compress when the footstool20is not in use and likewise unfold/extend when the footstool20is in use. The legs4and5are pivotably connected by pivot pins17that reside approximately half way up the U-shaped legs4and5; the pivot pins17are shown detached inFIG. 1for illustrative purposes. As shown inFIG. 2, the legs4and5pivot about the pivot pins17to form an X-shaped support structure when fully extended and snapped into place to support the table top1. In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the open top ends of the U-shaped structures have horizontal end portions configured to snap into groove on the underside of the table. Likewise, the legs4and5pivot about the pivot pins to compress and lie flat when not in use. As shown inFIG. 2, leg5has a smaller width than leg4and resides inside the width of leg4. Preferably, the bottoms of legs4and5each have one or more non-slip feet or foot pads10that are sheathed on lower, floor/ground touching portions of legs4and5.

Turning now to the table1of the footstool20, the table includes a table top1-1, a footrest6, a height adjustment portion (1-2and8) under the toe portion of the footrest6, one or more USB ports14, and an optional drawer7. The one or more USB ports14support and power optional footstool20accessories, such as a light18, a magnifying glass11, and a fan13.

The table1has an outer raised edge/lip that abuts and surrounds the table top1-1to enclose the entire table top and form a tray structure that conveniently can hold pedicure and similar tools, whereby the outer edge/lip prevents tools from inadvertently rolling off the edge of the table top1-1. Likewise, there is an inner raised edge/lip that surrounds the footrest6area and the area occupied by the footrest when the footrest6is fully lowered onto the table top1-1, whereby the inner edge/lip prevents tools from inadvertently rolling into the footrest6area.

The footrest6is configured for the placement of a person's foot on the footstool20. The footrest6includes a heel portion and a toe portion. The heel portion of the footrest6has a raised edge/lip that in conjunction with the base of the footrest6forms a heel cup to securely hold a person's foot by the heel and thereby prevent a foot from slipping off the footstool20. The heel is rotatably attached to the table across the width of the heel, such that the heel portion can rotate about an axis that runs through the width of the heel portion. In this regard, the footrest6can be rotated above the height of the top of the table, to provide an angled support for a user's foot.

The toe portion of the footrest6is height adjustable, such that the toe of the footrest6can lie flat with the table top1-1or be raised up, away from the table top1-1as shown inFIG. 2. To raise the toe portion of the footrest6, the toe portion is lifted away from the tabletop, and the heel portion of footrest rotates about the axis that supports the heel portion and attaches it to the table1. The toe portion of the footrest6can be locked into different height positions of varying degrees upward from the table top1-1, whereby the locking occurs by a height adjustable fastener. In one embodiment, the mechanism by which the footrest6is locked into different height positions includes an adjustable brace8and grooves1-2that accept a U-shaped, rotatable brace8, such that the continuous bar bottom end of the brace8snaps into a groove1-2to lock the height of the footrest6in place. A number of grooves1-2positioned at different positions in the table top1-1allow for varying height locked positions of the brace8, such that the footrest6can be angled in a range of heights relative to the table top1-1, with the heights varying from no height relative to the table top1-1, to little height, and greater height, as desired by the user of the footstool20. A greater footrest6height will provide a more upward angle of the foot, such that a user might more readily reach the user's toes compared to when the footrest6is in a lowered or fully lowered position. As shown inFIG. 2, the footrest6is positioned to rotate out of (when raised) and into (when lowered) a raised lip or edge that is contoured such that the footrest6lies within the raised lip or edge when the footrest6is fully lowered.

The footrest20table1preferably includes an optional drawer7that is integrated into the table and that slides out from under the table top1-1. The drawer7is shown in an open position inFIG. 2. As shown inFIG. 1, the drawer7is supported by and held in place by drawer slides/rails2and3that are positioned in the table1underneath the table top1-1. Preferably, the drawer extends out from the side of the footstool20and table1that faces away from a user's toes position on the footrest6.

The table1of the footstool20includes one or more USB ports14that provide power/support to various, optional accessories that can be plugged into the USB ports. As shown in the figures, such optional, USB powered accessories that can be installed into the USB ports14and the table1include, but are not limited to, a light18, a magnifying lens/glass11, and a fan13. These optional accessories are powered through the USB ports, which in turn are powered by one or more batteries9that are secured within a battery compartment that resides within the table1, whereby the battery is held in place by a battery cover12. As shown inFIG. 1, the accessories have USB port compatible plugs, such as the plug11-3that is connected to the light18.

The USB ports14are installed through a USB wiring board15, which is held in place by screws16.

The footstool20as presently disclosed preferably includes one or more indentations/wells/cup-like structures in the table top1-1configured to hold items, such as a bottle of nail polish and so forth. Accordingly, the table top1-1has one or more recessed portions that adjoin and lie below the table top, whereby a recessed portion(s) typically has sidewalls that abut the table top1-1and a flat base that lies below the sidewalls.

The footstool20shown inFIGS. 1 and 2and described above is an exemplary, non-limiting embodiment of the presently disclosed footstool. For example, the structure/design of the collapsible legs is not limited to the embodiment depicted as legs4and5. Likewise, the position and assembly of the drawer7; accessories18,11,13; mechanism of adjusting the footrest6; placement of battery9; placement of USB ports14; and so forth as depicted in the drawing are non-limiting examples/embodiments of the presently disclosed footstool

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The exemplary, preferred embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The present invention according to one or more embodiments described in the present description may be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive of the present invention.