Patent Publication Number: US-9883741-B2

Title: Foldable step system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to step devices and more particularly pertains to a new step device for facilitating a foldable step coupled to a cabinet door. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cabinet that has a door. A step unit is hingedly coupled to the door. The step unit is positioned in a deployed position when the door is positioned in an open position. Thus, the step unit may support a user thereby facilitating the user to reach an elevated object. The step unit is positioned in a stored position such that the door may be positioned in a closed position. A drive is movably coupled to the step unit such that the drive selectively positions the step unit in the deployed position. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a foldable step system according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 6  thereof, a new step device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , the foldable step system  10  generally comprises a cabinet  12  that has a door  14 . The door  14  has an inner surface  16 . The cabinet  12  may be positioned on a support surface  18 . The support surface  18  may be a floor or the like. 
     A step unit  20  is provided and the step unit  20  is hingedly coupled to the door  14 . The step unit  20  is positioned in a deployed position when the door  14  is positioned in an open position. Thus, the step unit  20  may support a user thereby facilitating the user to reach an elevated object. The step unit  20  is positioned in a stored position thereby facilitating the door  14  to be positioned in a closed position. 
     The step unit  20  comprises a first panel  22  that is coupled to the inner surface  16  of the door  14 . The first panel  22  has an exposed surface  24  with respect to the door  14  and a lower edge  26 . A lock  28  is coupled to the exposed surface  24  and the lock  28  may be manipulated. The lock  28  may include a lever  30  and a plate  32 . The plate  32  may be hingedly coupled to the exposed surface  24  and the lever  32  may be coupled to the plate  32 . 
     A hinge  34  is provided. The hinge  34  is coupled to the exposed surface  24  of the first panel  22 . The hinge  34  is positioned adjacent to the lower edge  26 . The hinge  34  may comprise a spring loaded hinge or the like. 
     A second panel  36  is provided and the second panel  36  has a first surface  38 , a first lateral edge  40  and a second lateral edge  42 . The second panel  36  is coupled to the hinge  34  such that the second panel  36  has a distal edge  44  with respect to the first panel  22 . The second panel  36  is positionable in a stored position having the first surface  38  abutting the exposed surface  24  of the first panel  22 . The second panel  36  is positionable in a deployed position having the second panel  36  is oriented perpendicular to the first panel  46 . Thus, the first surface  22  may support the user. 
     The lock  28  engages the distal edge  44  when the second panel  36  is positioned in the stored position. The plate  32  may frictionally engage the second panel  36  when the second panel  36  is positioned in the stored position. The lock  28  selectively disengages the second panel  36  such that the second panel  36  is positionable in the deployed position. The distal edge  44  of the second panel  36  has a notch  46  extending inwardly toward the hinge. The lever  32  may be manipulated to facilitate the lock  28  to engage and disengage the second panel  36 . 
     A support  48  is provided. The support  48  includes a central member  50  extending between a pair of lateral members  52 . The lateral members  52  are spaced apart from each other. Each of the lateral members  52  is hingedly coupled to an associated one of the first lateral edge  40  and the second lateral edge  42  of the second panel  36 . 
     The support  48  is positionable in a deployed position when the second panel  36  is positioned in the deployed position. Each of the lateral members  52  extends downwardly from the second panel  36 . Thus, the central member  50  abuts the support surface  18  thereby facilitating the second panel  36  to support the user. The support  48  is positionable in a stored position when the second panel  36  is positioned in the stored position. The support  48  frames the second panel  36  when the support  48  is in the stored position. 
     A drive  54  is provided. The drive  54  comprises a first shaft  56  that extends laterally through the hinge  34 . The hinge  34  rotates the first shaft  56  in a first direction when the second panel  36  is positioned in the deployed position. The hinge  34  rotates the first shaft  54  in a second direction when the second panel  36  is positioned in the stored position. The first shaft  56  has a first end  58  and the first end  58  extends outwardly from the hinge  34 . 
     A first gear  60  is coupled to the first end  58  such that first shaft  56  rotates the first gear  60  in the first direction and the second direction. A second shaft  62  is rotatably positioned within the second panel  36 . The second shaft  62  has a primary end  64  and a secondary end  66 . The secondary end  66  is aligned with the hinge  34 . The primary end  64  is aligned with the notch  46  in the second panel  36 . 
     A second gear  68  is coupled to the secondary end  66  of the second shaft  62  and the second gear  68  engages the first gear  60 . The second shaft  62  rotates in the first direction when the first shaft  56  is rotated in the first direction. The second shaft  62  rotates in the second direction when the first shaft  56  is rotated in the second direction. A third gear  70  is coupled to the primary end  64  and the third gear  70  is positioned in the notch  34 . 
     A third shaft  72  is rotatably positioned within the second panel  36  and the third shaft  72  is coextensive with the distal edge  44  of the second panel  36 . The third shaft  72  is coupled to each of the lateral members  52  of the support  48 . A fourth gear  74  is coupled to the third shaft  72  and the fourth gear  74  is positioned in the notch  34 . The fourth gear  74  engages the third gear  70 . 
     The third shaft  72  rotates in the first direction when the second shaft  62  rotates in the first direction. Thus, the third shaft  72  urges the support  48  into the deployed position when the second panel  36  is positioned in the deployed position. The third shaft  72  rotates in the second direction when the second shaft  62  rotates in the second direction. Thus, the support  48  is urged into the stored position when the second panel  36  is positioned in the stored position. 
     In use, the door  14  on the cabinet  12  is positioned in the open position. The lock  28  is manipulated to release the second panel  36 . The hinge  34  urges the second panel  36  into the deployed position and the hinge  34  rotates the first shaft  56  in the first direction. The first shaft  56  rotates the second shaft  62  in the first direction. The second shaft  62  rotates the third shaft  72  in the first direction. The third shaft  72  urges the support  48  into the deployed position. Thus, the support  48  abuts the support surface  18  thereby facilitating the second panel  36  to support the user. 
     The second panel  36  is manually urged into the stored position. The hinge  34  rotates the first shaft  56  in the second direction. The second shaft  62  rotates the third shaft  72  in the second direction. The third shaft  72  urges the support into the stored position. The lock  28  engages the second panel  36  to retain each of the second panel  36  and the support in the stored position. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, system and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.