Patent Publication Number: US-9420893-B1

Title: Kneeler

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/505,033 filed May 4, 2015. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The invention is in the art of a support for a person in a kneeling position that facilitates movement of the person from an upright position to a kneeling position and arising from a kneeling position to an upright position. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Kneeler devices have been used to provide support when a person is kneeling and performing tasks such as cleaning a floor or object, painting gardening or meditation. Kneeling is important for a person to maintain activity level and overall function. Without the ability to get into and out of a kneeling position, older persons have no way to get up off the floor after a fall. These kneeler devices have platforms or boards with cushions to support a person in a comfortable kneeling position. Handles associated with the platforms provide structures for aiding a person using the kneeler device in assuming a kneeling position and arising therefrom. Examples of kneeling aids and stools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,318,416 and 4,850,069. 
     Bacterial touch surface contamination in hospital and medical clinic is associated with inadequate cleaning of equipment and rooms. Studies have been conducted to assess whether a lower environment bio-burden on critical touch surfaces would result in a lower risk of contracting an infection while hospitalized. Kneeler devices have not addressed bacterial contamination during use, transport and storage of the kneeler devices. There is a continuing need for a kneeler device that is easy to assemble without tools and effective to minimize microorganism contamination in an environment, including hospitals, medical clinics and physical therapy facilities. 
     The inability of a person to kneel after knee surgery is a cause of dissatisfaction. Kneeling can be a painful experience for persons with degenerative conditions of the knee both before and after surgery. No kneeling after surgery limits a person&#39;s ability to perform the activities of daily living. Some persons may need to kneel to return to perform to full employment and other persons may need to kneel to care for children or undertake leisure activities such as gardening and home improvement. Some religions have ceremonies that include the ability to kneel. All these activities contribute to improving a person&#39;s quality of life. Physical therapy intervention can improve a person&#39;s kneeling ability following knee surgery. Experienced therapist during routine clinic visits can provide a person with clear advice and instructions on kneeling and use of a kneeling device. Barriers to kneeling include scar position, numbness, range of flexion, involvement of other joints and pain. Kneeling ability with a therapist and a kneeling device can mitigate these barriers to a person&#39;s kneeling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The kneeler of the invention has a platform and handles attached to opposite ends of the platform. The platform supports a cushion which functions as a rest for the knees of a person in a kneeling position. Bosses on the four corners of the platform have upwardly converging conical pockets and associated openings. Feet attached to the handles have cone stems located in the pockets that are in compression engagement with the bosses to firmly mount the handles on the platform. Each handle has legs with lower ends accommodating the feet. When the lower ends of the handles and feet are inserted through the openings and moved into the pockets, the feet vertically and laterally lock the handle on the platform. The handles can be removed from the platform by moving the feet out of pockets in the bosses and then moving the legs and feet into the openings to allow the handle to be separated from the platform. The assembly and release of the handles relative to the platform is accomplished without tools and separate connecting structures. The handles have antimicrobial copper alloy legs and feet which substantially destroys microorganisms that adhere on the legs and feet. The platform can also have antimicrobial materials that inhibit microorganism contamination. The kneeler has three components, the platform and two handles attached to feet, that can be assembled and taken apart in a minimum amount of time without tools or extra hardware. The handles can be identical or have different lengths for special needs. The kneeler has numerous uses, including but not limited to gardening, home and institutional cleaning, painting and carpet installation. Further use of the kneeler includes physical therapy exercising and assistance for informed and elderly persons. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the kneeler of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a foreshortened and partly sectional left end elevational view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a foreshortened right end elevational view thereof; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a foreshortened front elevational view of a handle of the kneeler; 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view thereof; 
         FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the platform of the kneeler of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a front elevational view of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a sectional view taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a left side elevational view of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a right side elevational view of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIGS. 16, 17 and 18  are top plan views of the right side of the kneeler of  FIG. 1  showing the method of assembly of a handle on the platform; 
         FIG. 19  is a top plan view of a modification of the kneeler of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIGS. 20 and 21  are front elevational views of the additional feet for the modification of the kneeler of  FIG. 19 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE KNEELER 
     Kneeler  20 , shown in  FIGS. 11 and 2 , has a flat platform  21  and upright handles  22  and  23  mounted on opposite ends of the platform. Handles  22  and  23  are used by a person to facilitate the person to move from a standing position to a kneeling position on platform  21  and back from a kneeling position on platform  21  to a standing position. Handles  22  and  23  also provide barriers to prevent a kneeling person from falling on or off of platform  21 . Handles  22  and  23  are attached to opposite corners of platform  21  with cooperating lock structures that allow handles  22  and  23  to be attached to and removed from platform  21  without tools or additional structures. 
     Platform  21 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , has a base or plate  24  having a flat top surface  26  and upright ribs  27  and  28  around surface  26 . The left end of platform  21  has front and rear corners  29  and  30 . The right end of platform  21  has front and rear corners  32  and  33 . Corner  29  has a downward projected boss  34  having a pocket or hole  36  and an elongated oblong opening  37  extended inwardly from pocket  36 . Base  24  has side walls  31  on opposite sides of opening  37  that diverge inwardly away from pocket  36  and terminates in a semi-circular inner end  35 . The diameter of the semi-circular end  35  is greater than the diameter of pocket  36 . Corner  30  has a downwardly projected boss  38  having a pocket or hole  39  in communication with an elongated oblong opening  40  having a semi-circular lower end  41 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , boss  38  has a conical upwardly converging side wall  42 . The longitudinal axes of openings  37  and  41  are separated by an angle of 80 degrees. Other angular relationships of the longitudinal axes of openings  37  and  41  can be used to accommodate handle  22 . Corner  32  has a downwardly projected boss  43  having a pocket or hole  44  and an elongated oblong opening  45  extended inwardly from pocket  44  opening. Opening  45  diverges inwardly away from pocket  44  and terminates in a semi-circular inner end  46 . Semi-circular inner end  45  has a diameter larger than the diameter of pocket  44 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 11 , base  24  has a front wall  47  joined to bosses  34  and  43 . Corner  33  has a downwardly projected boss  48  joined to a rear wall  49  extended to boss  38 . As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 12 , boss  48  has a pocket or hole  51  and an elongated oblong opening,  52  extended downwardly from pocket  33 . Opening  52  diverges downwardly from pocket  51  and terminates in a semi-circular end  53 . The diameter of the semi-circular end  53  is greater than the diameter of pocket  51 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , boss  48  has an upward conical wall  54  surrounding pocket  51 . 
     Pockets  36 ,  39 ,  44  and  51  and adjacent openings  37 ,  40 ,  45  and  52  each have the same size and configuration. Openings  40  and  52  are oblong diverging keyhole shaped slots in base  24  located inwardly of base end walls  56  and  57 . Openings  37  and  45  are oblong diverging keyhole shaped slots in base  24  located adjacent front wall  47 . The distance between the centers of pockets  36  and  39  is the same as the distance between the centers of semi-circular ends  35  and  41 . Also, the distance between the centers of pockets  44  and  51  is the same as the distance between the centers of semi-circular ends  35  and  46 . The distance between the centers of pockets  36  and  39  is the same as the distance between the centers of pockets  44  and  51  whereby the base  24  can be used with handles having the same sizes and shapes. The entrances of openings  37 ,  40 ,  45  and  52  to pockets  36 ,  39 ,  44  and  51  are smaller than the diameters of pockets  36 ,  39 ,  44  and  51  and have widths that allow the lower ends of the legs of the handles  22  and  23  to be moved through the entrance openings and into the pockets  36 ,  39 ,  44  and  51 . 
     Base  24  has an end wall  56 , shown in  FIGS. 13 and 15 , joined to bosses  34  and  38 . An end wall  57 , shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , joins bosses  43  and  48 . A bottom transverse rib  58  is joined to base  24  and bosses  34  and  43 . A short rib  59  joins the middle sections of wall  47  and rib  58 . A pair of curved ribs  61  and  62  join rib  58  to rear wall  47 . The peripheral walls  47 ,  49 ,  56  and  57  along with ribs  58 ,  59 ,  61  and  62  reinforce base  24  and maintain the flat configuration of base  24 . Peripheral walls  47 ,  49   56  and  57  is a continuous flange around base  24  providing base  24  with peripheral strength. Base  24  does not have peripheral recesses and cut outs. 
     A generally rectangular cushion or pad  63 , shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , located on top surface  26  of base  24  provides an elastic member for supporting a person&#39;s knees in the kneeling position. Pad  63  is surrounded by ribs  27  and  28 . An adhesive or bonding material secures the bottom surface of pad  63  to top surface  26  of base  24 . Pad  63  can be a one piece structure of elastic material, such as closed cell plastic. Other materials can be used as cushion structure for pad  63 . 
     Handles  22  and  23 , shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , are inverted U-shaped members releasable retained on opposite end sections of platform  21 . Pad  63  extended horizontally between handles  22  and  23  provide support for a person to facilitate kneeling on and off of pad  63 . 
     Handle  22  has tubular upright legs  64  and  66  joined to a tubular top cross member  67 . The vertical lengths of legs  64  and  66  can vary. For example, each leg  64  and  66  can have a vertical length between 12 to 18 inches. A sleeve or cylindrical hand grip  68  of elastic material is located around cross member  67 . Steel, aluminum and copper alloys can be used to fabricate legs  64  and  66  and cross member  67 . Legs  64  and  66  and cross member  67  can be an antimicrobial copper product that reduces bacterial contamination and kill bacteria exposed to the surfaces of legs  64  and  66  and cross member  67 . Examples of these copper products are C11000 copper, copper silicon alloy C87610 and 355 copper alloys registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , a first foot  69  is attached to the lower end of leg  64 . Foot  69  is a rubber or a plastic member having a cylindrical sole or base  71  and an upright stem  72 . Stem  72  has an upward converging conical side wall  73  and a cylindrical blind hole  74 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , a metal disk  76  located at the bottom of hole  74  provides support for the bottom of leg  64  located on hole  74 . A second foot  77  attached to the lower end of leg  66  has the same structure as foot  69 . Foot  77  has a cylindrical sole or base  78  joined to an upright stem  79 . Stem  79  has a blind hole  81  and an upward converging conical side wall  82 . The lower end of leg  66  is telescoped in blind hole  81  to attach foot  77  to leg  66 . 
     Handle  23 , shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , has tubular upright legs  83  and  84  joined to a tubular cross member  86 . Legs  83  and  84  and cross member  86  are a one-piece metal inverted U-shaped tubular member. A sleeve or cylindrical hand grip  87  extends around cross member  86 . Handle  23  has the same size and material as handle  22 . Feet  88  and  89  are connected to the lower ends of legs  83  and  84 . Feet  88  and  89  have the same size and shape as feet  69  and  77 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , a copper cup  91  is located around sole  71  of foot  69  to provide antimicrobial effect to foot  69 . Copper cups can be added to feet  77 ,  88  and  89 . The soles of the feet can be solid copper or a copper alloy. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , leg  84  of handle  23  telescope into foot  89 . Foot  89  has a cylindrical base or sole  92  joined to an upright stem  93 . Stem  93  has a downwardly extended blind cylindrical hole  94  and a peripheral conical wall  98 . A metal disk  96  is located at the bottom of hole  94 . The lower end of leg  84  located in hole  94  contacts disk  94 . The disk  94  prevents leg  84  from cutting into sole  92 . Boss  48  has an upwardly converging conical wall  97  located in compression engagement with the outer tapered wall  98  of stem  93 . Conical wall  97  of boss  48  has a taper of 6 degrees relative to the vertical axis of pocket. Conical wall  98  has an upward converging taper of 5 degrees relative to the vertical axis of stem  93 . The difference in the tapers of walls  97  and  98  allows foot  89  to be released from boss  48  when leg  23  is moved downward relative to base  24 . Other tapers of walls  97  and  98  can be used to fit stem  93  into pocket  51  and allow stem  93  to be removed from pocket  51 . Feet  69 ,  77 , and  88  each have the same size and shape as foot  89 . 
     The assembly of handle  23  onto platform  21  is illustrated in  FIGS. 12 to 18 . The assembly of handle  22  onto platform  21  is the same as the assembly of handle  23  onto platform  21 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , handle  23  is located above platform  21  with feet  88  and  89  positioned adjacent the large sections of openings  45  and  52 . The large sections of openings  45  and  52  has diameters larger than the diameters of cylindrical soles of feet  88  and  89 . Handle  23  and feet  88  and  89  are moved down through openings  45  and  52  to locate feet  88  and  89  below platform  21 . Handle  23 , as shown in  FIG. 17 , is then turned counterclockwise, as shown by arrow  99 , to move feet  88  and  89  and legs  83  and  84  below openings  45  and  52  toward pockets  44  and  51 . The lower ends of legs  83  and  84  are moved through the entrances to pockets  44  and  51  to locate feet below pockets  44  and  51 .  FIG. 18  shows feet  88  and  89  positioned in pockets  44  and  51 . Handle  87  is raised relative to platform  21  to position the stems of feet  88  and  89  in compression engagement with the conical walls of pockets  44  and  56 . When stems of feet  88  and  89  fit tight in pockets  44  and  56 , handle  23  is locked onto platform  21 . Handles  23  cannot be moved laterally outward and forward and reversed relative to platform  21 . Handle  22  is assembled on platform  21  in the same manner of assembly of handle  23  on platform  21 . Handles  22  and  23  are removed from platform  24  by reversing the process of attaching handles  22  and  23  to platform  21 . 
     An alternative use of kneeler  20 , shown in  FIG. 19 , illustrates handles  22  and  23  with feet  69  and  89  located in pockets  39  and  51  and feet  77  and  88  laterally spaced from platform  21 . Handles  22  and  23  are laterally moved, shown by arrows  101  and  102 , away from pockets  36  and  44 . Feet  77  and  88  are located on a support surface, such as a floor, to maintain handles  22  and  23  in level position on a support surface. Additional feet  103  and  104  are located in pockets  36  and  44  to maintain platform  21  in a level position on a support surface. Feet  103  and  104 , shown in  FIGS. 22 and 23 , have the same size, shape and material as foot  89  shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the kneeler has been illustrated and described. Change sin the structures and materials of the kneeler may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the kneelers defined in the following claims.