Patent Publication Number: US-7708348-B2

Title: Footstool with footrest platform adjustable to different angles

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims benefit and priority (under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)) to prior U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/534,908 filed on Jan. 8, 2004, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to footstools and, in particular, to a footstool with a footrest platform adjustable to different angles. 
   BACKGROUND 
   A person feeding a baby will raise the baby&#39;s head during feeding—a mother, to hold the child to her breast; or any caregiver, to hold a bottle to the child&#39;s mouth. If seated with her feet on the floor, the person may use her arm to raise the baby&#39;s head, however, over prolonged periods of feeding, this is likely to result in fatigue of the arm, shoulder and back. Prolonged periods of sitting, too, can lead to discomfort in the person&#39;s legs and lower back. 
   A solution to both problems is for the person to elevate one or both feet on a footstool. This change in posture reduces the strain on her legs and lower back from sitting for long periods. Elevating one or both legs also allows her to rest her elbow or forearm on her raised thigh, thereby relieving the muscular strain of holding up the baby&#39;s head. 
   A footstool with a horizontal footrest platform may elevate the person&#39;s leg, but the force applied by her foot to the platform may be largely parallel to the surface of the footstool, depending upon the height of the platform relative to the height of her seat. The friction between her foot and the platform, which keeps her foot on the platform, is proportional to the force her foot exerts normal to the surface of the platform, rather than the force along the surface. Therefore, if the force applied by her foot to the platform is largely parallel to the surface of the footstool, her foot is more likely to slip and she will be required to exert more effort to keep her foot in position. A platform surface with a high coefficient of friction can reduce this slippage, but may be uncomfortable to a bare foot. A lower footstool may minimize the effort required, but may also not provide adequate elevation to ease the fatigue of raising the baby&#39;s head. 
   A footstool with a footrest platform angled toward the person can increase the normal force applied by the foot in relation to the force applied across the surface of the platform. If such a footstool has a platform at a fixed angle, however, it may still not be comfortable, depending upon the height of the person, the height of her seat, the distance of the footstool from the person, and other factors. 
   Many other problems and disadvantages of the prior art will become apparent to one skilled in the art after comparing such prior art with the present invention as described herein. 
   SUMMARY 
   In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of footstools now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a footstool with a footrest platform whose position can be adjusted to different angles. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a footstool having a first sidepiece and a second sidepiece. A platform is provided that is operable for engaging the first sidepiece and the second sidepiece, wherein the platform is adjustable from a first position to a second position, the first position defining the platform at a first angle and the second position defining the platform at a second angle. 
   In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a footstool including a platform having a first extension member and a second extension member. A first leg member having a first notch and a second notch is operable for supporting the platform while a second leg member having a third notch and a fourth notch is also operable for supporting the platform. A structural member extends between and rigidly connects the first leg member and the second leg member. The platform is oriented at a first angle when the platform is in a first position and oriented at a second angle when the platform is in a second position. 
   In yet another embodiment, there is provided a footstool having a platform and a first leg member and a second leg member rigidly connected to a structural member extending between the first leg member and the second leg member. The first and second leg members are operable for supporting the platform. The footstool further includes means for positioning the platform at one of a plurality of angled positions. 
   The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
   Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers designate like objects, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an orthogonal view of one embodiment of a footstool in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  are top, side and front views, respectively, of the footstool shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3   a  is an orthogonal view of a footstool in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3   b  is an exploded orthogonal view of the footstool shown in  FIG. 3   a;    
       FIG. 4  is an orthogonal view of another embodiment of a footstool in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the footstool shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6   a  is a top view of the platform of the footstool shown in  FIG. 4 ; and 
       FIG. 6   b  is a side view of a sidepiece of the footstool shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is shown one embodiment of a footstool  100  in accordance with the present invention. The footstool includes sidepieces (or leg members)  102 ,  104  and a platform  106 . The sidepieces  102 ,  104  include one or more legs (or leg members) for the stool  100  to support the platform  106 , and each is constructed as a single unitary member, but could also be constructed of multiple members. The sidepieces may also be referred herein as legs or leg members. 
   In the embodiment shown, each sidepiece includes two extensions that function as legs. The sidepieces  102  and  104  are connected by structural members  120   a  and  120   b  which function to hold the sidepieces  102  and  104  at respective positions from each other, and in one embodiment, position the sidepieces parallel to, and at a fixed distance from, each other. The structural member rigidly connects the sidepieces. As will be appreciated, the selection and use of different materials of construction for the stool  100  and the specific assembly connections utilized for structural members may vary and are generally known to those skilled in the art. 
   The sidepieces  102  and  104  are shown with arcuate grooves  108  and  112 , respectively. The groove  108  has notches  110   a ,  110   b  and  110   c  at the front end of the groove, located in its lower edge. The groove  112  has corresponding notches  114   a ,  114   b  and  114   c  in its lower edge at the front end of the groove. The platform  106  has protrusions or extensions  116   a  and  116   b  on one side, which engage the groove  108 , and protrusions or extensions  118   a  and  118   b  on the opposite side, which engage the groove  112 . The top surface of the platform  106  has grooves  122  to help resist slipping of a foot resting on the platform  106 . The protrusions or extensions  116   b ,  118   b  are formed or designed to fit or seat within the respective notches  110   a - 110   c ,  114   a - 114   c  when the platform  106  is in a predetermined position, as described below. It will be understood that other shapes for the grooves and the notches may used, as well as orientations for the grooves  108 ,  112 . In another embodiment, each sidepiece  102 ,  104  may have two separate grooves for the rear and from protrusions or extensions  116  and  118 , respectively. Other embodiments may include different shaped grooves (i.e, different radius of curvature or straight grooves at an angle, etc.). 
   The platform  106  may be positioned so that the protrusions  116   b  and  118   b  engage the notches  110   a  and  114   a , respectively. When so positioned (first angled position), the platform  106  would be held in a first position, with its front lowered slightly relative to its back, thereby forming a slight angle to the horizontal. The platform  106  also may be positioned so that the protrusions  116   b  and  118   b  engage the notches  110   b  and  114   b , respectively. In this second position (second angled position), the front of the platform  106  is further lowered and the platform  106  is at a greater angle to the horizontal. The platform  106  also may be positioned so that the protrusions  116   b  and  118   b  engage the notches  110   c  and  114   c , respectively. In this third position (third angled position), the front of the platform  106  is even lower and the platform  106  is at an even greater angle to the horizontal. As will be appreciated, the end of the grooves  108 ,  112  may also be considered to be notches. Thus, the angle of the platform  106  (i.e., the platform or its upper surface) may be adjusted to one of a plurality of angled positions by selectively engaging the protrusions  116   b  and  118   b  with the notches  110   a  and  114   a ,  110   b  and  114   b , or  110   c  and  114   c , respectively. 
   As will be appreciated, the angle of the platform in any of the positions may be any number of degrees (i.e., −90 degrees to +90 degrees) from the horizontal, as desired. Further, one of the positions may result in the platform being horizontal (e.g., zero degrees from the horizontal). Thus, the grooves, protrusions and notches (and their positioning) provide a mechanism to adjust the angle of the platform to different angles (from a predetermined reference point or horizontal, such as the floor). 
   As the platform  106  is repositioned to engage a selected pair of notches, the protrusions  116   a  and  118   a  slide to a corresponding position at the other end of the grooves  108  and  112 , respectively. While only one end portion of the grooves  108  and  112  have notches in the footstool  100 , it will be understood by one skilled in the art that, in another embodiment of the invention, corresponding notches could be placed in the back ends of grooves  108  and  112  for the protrusions  116   a  and  118   a  to engage in each of the three positions described above. A person skilled in the art will also understand that, while the grooves  108  and  112  and the protrusions  116   a ,  116   b ,  118   a  and  118   b  extend all the way through the sidepieces  102  and  104  in the footstool  100 , the grooves  108  and  112  could be constructed so as not to extend all the way through the sidepieces  102  and  104  and leaving their outer sides smooth and solid. The protrusions  116   a - b  and  118   a - b  would be made correspondingly shorter in such an embodiment of the invention. 
   In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the back portion (or front portion) of the platform  106  may be configured to pivot about a fixed axis pivot point (likely positioned at the junction of the platform and the sidepieces and using a pivot mechanism). With such configuration, an arcuate-shaped groove may be constructed within the front portion (or back portion) of the sidepieces to receive the extensions or rods  116   b ,  118   b . In this embodiment, no notches are necessary as a tightening mechanism (e.g., bolt, handle and screw, etc.) may be utilized to rigidly affix the platform at the desired location (e.g., the extensions may comprise threads extending through the groove and a threaded bolt with a body portion may be turned to tighten/loosen the mechanism allowing the extensions to slide within the groove). 
     FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c  show views from the top, right side and front, respectively, of the footstool  100 , to more clearly illustrate the relationships of the various elements of this embodiment of the present invention. 
   In another embodiment of the present invention (not shown), the sidepieces  102  and  104  may be equipped with protrusions located along the same arcuate paths followed by the grooves  108  and  112  and located in positions corresponding to the notches  110   a - c  and  114   a - c  and to the corresponding positions in the grooves obtained by the protrusions  116   a  and  118   a . The platform  106  may be equipped with four notches on its bottom side in positions corresponding to the protrusions  116   a - b  and  118   a - b . In such an embodiment, the platform  106  might be positioned so that its notches engage various ones of the protrusions on sidepieces  102  and  104 , thereby being held in each of plurality of positions described above for platform  106  of footstool  100 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , there is shown another embodiment of a footstool  300  in accordance with the present invention. The footstool  300  includes sidepieces  302  and  304 , which are connected by structural members  320   a - c  (only structural member  320   c  is visible in  FIG. 3   a ). The sidepieces  302  and  304  may be similar in nature to those as described above (e.g., the sidepieces  102  and  104 ). The structural members  320   a - c  function to hold the sidepieces  302  and  304  at respective positions from each other, and in one embodiment, position the sidepieces parallel to, and at a fixed distance from, each other. A platform  306  engages and rests on top of the sidepieces  302  and  304 , with protrusions or extensions  316   a - d  engaging various ones of notches  310   a - f  in sidepiece  302  and notches  314   a - f  in sidepiece  304 , respectively. 
   In  FIG. 3   a , the protrusions or extensions  316   a - d  are shown engaging notches  310   a ,  310   d ,  314   a  and  314   d , respectively. As a result, the platform  306  is held in a first position at a slight angle to the horizontal (first angled position). The protrusions  316   a - d  may alternatively engage the notches  310   b ,  310   e ,  314   b  and  314   e , respectively, thereby holding the platform  306  is a second position. In the second position (second angled position), the front edge of the platform  306  is further lowered relative to its back edge and the platform is at a greater angle to the horizontal. The platform  306  may be held in yet a third position by engaging the protrusions  316   a - d  with the notches  310   c ,  310   f ,  314   c  and  314   f , respectively. In the third position (third angled position), the front edge of the platform  106  is even lower still and the platform is at an even greater angle to the horizontal. Additional positions may be used. Thus, the angle of the platform  306  may be adjusted to one of a plurality of angled positions by selectively engaging the protrusions  316  with the various notches  310  and  314 , respectively. 
   As will be appreciated, the angle of the platform  306  in any of the positions may be any number of degrees (i.e., −90 degrees to +90 degrees) from the horizontal, as desired. Further, one of the positions may result in the platform being horizontal (e.g., zero degrees from the horizontal). Thus, the protrusions and notches (and their positioning) provide a mechanism to adjust the angle of the platform to different angles (from a predetermined reference point or horizontal, such as the floor). 
   Now referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a footstool  400  in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. The footstool  400  includes the sidepieces  402  and  404  and the platform  406  (additional structural members similar to members  120  and  320  may be used). As shown in  FIG. 5 , the sidepieces  402  and  404  extend through openings or grooves  408   a  and  408   b , respectively, in the platform  406 . The inner walls of the openings  408   a  and  408   b  engage the sides of the sidepieces  402  and  404 , thereby holding and positioning the sidepieces substantially parallel and vertical. A top view of the platform  406  and a side view of the sidepiece  402  are shown in  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b , respectively, to more clearly illustrate the features of these two elements. 
   With reference again to  FIG. 4 , the platform  406  may be positioned so that the ends of the opening  408   a  engage the notches  410   a  and  410   d  and the ends of the opening  408   b  engage the notches  414   a  and  414   d . So positioned, the platform is at a slight angle to the horizontal (first angled position). Alternatively, the platform  406  may be positioned so that the ends of the opening  408   a  engage the notches  410   b  and  410   e  and the ends of the opening  408   b  engage the notches  414   b  and  414   e . In this second position (second angled position), the front edge of the platform  406  is further lowered and the platform is at a greater angle to the horizontal. The platform  406  may also be positioned so that the ends of the opening  408   a  engage the notches  410   c  and  410   f  and the ends of the opening  408   b  engage the notches  414   c  and  414   f . The platform  406  is at an even greater angle to the horizontal in this third position (third angled position). Thus, the angle of the platform  406  may be adjusted to one of a plurality of angled positions by selectively engaging the openings  408  with the various notches  410  and  414 , respectively, and the configuration and mechanism of the stool  400  is similarly operable as described above with respect to the stools  100 ,  300 . 
   Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) disclosed but is capable of numerous rearrangements, substitutions and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.