Patent Publication Number: US-7717379-B2

Title: Furniture balancing apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a furniture balancing apparatus for providing a leveling affect to uneven furniture pieces or uneven floor surfaces supporting furniture pieces; and more particularly to a table/furniture balancing pad wherein a biscuit is integrated with a flexible stabilization cushion forming an outer perimeter shelf, so that the cushion compresses and deforms under the weight of the furniture and operates in concert with the outer perimeter shelf to level and stabilize the furniture piece. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Irregular floor or support surfaces, as well as the wear and/or other damage to furniture leg supports over time, often produces instability and wobbling of a furniture piece. Instability and unwanted wobbling of the furniture piece is annoying, and can contribute to accidents or injuries, such as those occasioned by hot liquid spills or when a furniture piece tips over. Structural damage to furniture can also result when uneven leg support effects uneven distribution of weight on parts of the furniture. Marring, scratching or wearing of a floor surface frequently results from continued use of an uneven furniture piece. 
   Various devices have been employed in attempts to level the furniture pieces, including simple objects such as match books, napkins, and the like. These devices tend to be temporary fixes and that are generally unsightly. 
   Other attempts to level furniture pieces have involved devices which must be fixedly attached to the furniture leg and/or the floor. Such devices are cumbersome to install and are unattractive. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 1,741,487 to Vance discloses readily stackable floor plates comprising a body of sheet metal having holes punched therethrough for securing the plates to the floor. A plurality of projecting buttons or lugs hold an angle iron leg in place on each plate. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0163894 to Jones et al. discloses a self-leveling glide assembly including a glide housing appointed to be attached to a bottom of a furniture leg. 
   Still other leveling devices are appointed to be slid under an uneven leg of a furniture piece. These devices are typically constructed as wedges. They do not discretely blend with the furniture piece and can appear unattractive. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,730 to Costar discloses a leg height adjuster including a pair of identical wedges that mate with one another to provide height adjustment thereto, with each wedge having a frusta-spherical concavity so that the top wedge holds a bearing head of a leg while the bottom wedge suctions to the floor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,320 to Bellows discloses a wedge-shaped device adapted to stabilize an article of furniture formed with upper and lower surfaces having a plurality of transverse rib teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,767 to Mellen discloses a table leveling wedge having a cavity in the top surface thereof to confine a table glide therein. These wedge-type balancing devices must be wedged under the leg. They tend to appear rather unsightly and obtuse, jetting out from under the leg being supported. Moreover, the wedges are generally rigid in construct. 
   Some platforms or pads utilized to level furniture do not provide flexibility; but rather are rigid. U.S. Pat. No. 133,766 to Easterly discloses foot-platforms having a primary platform composed of cast metal. A central holding-surface, which may be flat, concave, or convex, has a ledge for confining the foot on a leg. The rigidity of the pad can cause the uneven leg to become higher than the other legs. This further contributes to the unevenness, as the pad itself cannot conform to the desired height adjustment. Even where rigid pads have provided for height adjustment, these devices are cumbersome to adjust and impractical for many uses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,725,499 to Wetzel discloses an adjustable leveling device for scales. A supporting bar is adapted to be secured at each end to a circular disk-like member by means of screws. The rigidity of these platforms not only presents placement issues (i.e. height adjustability), but additionally causes the platforms to be highly visible and unsightly. 
   Even where flexible pads and the like have been provided, many of these pads involve constructs with a cavity surrounded by narrow side walls appointed to hold the leg in place. Many of these pads do not function to level a piece of furniture, but are merely shoes for covering the leg cap of the furniture, presumably to prevent the cap from scratching the floor. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 1,912,728 to Roe discloses a furniture support composed of a rubber material comprised of walls and a floor that is sloped to yield a depressed central point so that the central point does not contact the leg held by the support; U.S. Design Pat. No. D044996 to Buser discloses an ornamental design for a show or protecting tip for furniture-legs; U.S. Design Pat. No. D340638 to Campbell discloses an ornamental design for a furniture leg shoe design; and U.S. Design Pat. No. D513583 to Chase discloses an ornamental design for a furniture leg cap. Any leg appointed to be supported by these devices must be of a specific size and shape to fit properly within the cavity of the device. The side walls result in the inability to utilize the device when the leg does not fit perfectly within the confines thereof, otherwise the leg would be resting solely on the walls and the floor would not be supporting the leg whatsoever. As a result, the walls would eventually give way and buckle. 
   Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,661 to Chernack discloses a stabilizing device having a first envelope formed of a pair of substantially rectangular sheet-like members joined along marginal edges, with a second envelope or bladder housed therein that is fabricated of a preferably elastically or otherwise resiliently deformable material within which a filler material is contained. This device does not include walls in general, and is merely a circular, egg shaped device appointed to deform under the weight of the furniture. However, due to the curved nature of the bottom of the device, the device can easily roll out from under the leg during insert, and may become dislodged as the leg is being placed down onto the structure. Moreover, the circular shape causes the overall thickness (i.e. diameter) of the device to be greater than would be accomplished with a thin disk, and so the furniture piece must be lifted higher to advance clearance for insertion. 
   Other types of pads for furniture pieces involve sliders appointed to be placed under the legs of a furniture piece for ease in sliding the furniture along a floor surface. These types of devices are not appointed for leveling the furniture piece, and are appointed for generally temporary use during moving. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,740 to Smith discloses a reconfigurable slide for supporting furniture being moved having an inflexible slide cup with sides extending upward and an inner surface appointed for accommodating a removable slide cup insert composed of closed-cell rubber and having a flat upper surface; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,818 to Bushey discloses a floor glide for moving furniture across a floor comprised of a concavo-convex sheet of material, such as disk, and a resilient adhesive pad located therein. These slides are large relative to a furniture leg to provide greater weight distribution for ease in moving the furniture piece. Generally, the inflexible slide cup is composed of a rigid of slippery material, and the cup insert has a flat upper surface which collapses around a furniture leg placed thereon to provide resistance. The leg of the furniture piece is placed within the cup and rests against the insert; the sides and the insert of the cup are appointed to prevent the leg from sliding from the cup and do not bear weight rather than to support the leg, as any weight bearing on the cup walls would likely cause them to collapse. In any event, these devices are large in size so as to provide greater weight distribution and visa vie easier movement of the furniture piece. As a result, they would be quite unsightly and impractical for use when attempting to level the furniture piece. 
   Notwithstanding the efforts of prior art workers to construct devices for leveling uneven furniture pieces, there remains a need in the art for a thin resilient, flexible furniture balancing pad that can be readily slid under an uneven leg with minimum lifting clearance. In addition, there exists an art recognized need for a table balancing pad having a flexible stabilizing cushion that deforms upon placement of a leg base. Moreover, there is a need in the art for a table balancing pad wherein an outer perimeter area substantially surrounds the flexible stabilizing cushion so that weight from the furniture piece is distributed on the cushion and the surrounding perimeter, allowing the pad to be readily slid under the uneven leg of a chair, table, or stool to provide immediate relief for the instability problem. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a thin resilient, flexible furniture balancing pad that can be readily slid under an uneven leg with minimum lifting clearance. The table balancing pad includes a flexible stabilizing cushion that deforms upon placement of a leg base. An outer perimeter area is provided that substantially surrounds the flexible stabilizing cushion. Weight form the furniture piece is distributed on the cushion and the surrounding perimeter to provide immediate relief for the instability problem. Advantageously, the table balancing pad solves instability problems in a convenient, attractive manner. The user simply slides the stabilization pad under the uneven leg and stabilization of the uneven furniture piece is achieved in an aesthetic, discrete manner. 
   The furniture balancing pad for stabilizing a piece of furniture having an uneven leg base or support surface comprises a biscuit portion. This biscuit is constructed having a top surface, a substantially flat bottom surface, and side walls. A flexible stabilization cushion is attached to the top surface of the biscuit to form an outer perimeter shelf extending horizontally and adjacently in relation to the flexible stabilization cushion and adjacent to the side walls of the biscuit. This shelf acts as a support lip for the furniture piece. The outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit includes a perimeter thickness, or height, and a shelf depth (horizontal). A central cushion thickness is given to the flexible stabilization cushion. This central cushion thickness is greater than or less than the perimeter thickness of the outer perimeter shelf. As arranged, the flexible stabilization cushion and the outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit are appointed to level and buttress the uneven leg base or uneven surface when the furniture balancing pad is slid under the piece of furniture. 
   The biscuit may be composed of a rigid material, while the flexible stabilization cushion is composed of a flexible rubber or foam material. Optionally, the biscuit is composed of a flexible rubber material along with the flexible stabilization cushion. The pad may be constructed as a single pad wherein the biscuit and flexible stabilization cushion are integrated together during manufacturing. Alternatively, the flexible stabilization cushion may be removable and replacement cushions may be provided to replace cushions damaged or deformed over time. The furniture balancing pad can come in an array of sizes and shapes. In addition, the furniture balancing pad can come in an array of textures and colors so that the pad blends or camouflages with the furniture piece in an aesthetic, low profile manner. The perimeter thickness of the outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit may be less than the central cushion thickness of the flexible stabilization cushion so that the flexible stabilization cushion extends above the outer perimeter shelf. On the other hand, the perimeter thickness of the outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit is greater than the central cushion thickness of the flexible stabilization cushion so that the flexible stabilization cushion extends below the outer perimeter shelf. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is had to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1   a  illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the table/furniture balancing pad wherein the central cushion thickness of the flexible stabilization cushion is greater than the perimeter thickness of the surrounding outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit; 
       FIG. 1   b  illustrates a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1   a;    
       FIG. 1   c  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a table leg/furniture leg being supported and leveled by the furniture balancing pad shown in  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b;    
       FIG. 2   a  illustrates a top view of another embodiment of the table/furniture balancing pad wherein the central cushion thickness of the flexible stabilization cushion is less than the perimeter thickness of the surrounding outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit; 
       FIG. 2   b  illustrates a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2   a ; and 
       FIG. 2   c  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a table leg/furniture leg being supported and leveled by the furniture balancing pad shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b.    
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A furniture balancing pad for stabilizing a piece of furniture having an uneven leg base or support surface is provided by the present invention. Leveling and stability of the uneven furniture piece is achieved through utilization of a thin resilient, flexible furniture balancing pad that can be readily slid under an uneven leg with minimum lifting clearance needed. The table balancing pad includes a flexible stabilizing cushion that deforms upon placement of a leg base. An outer perimeter area is provided that substantially surrounds the flexible stabilizing cushion so that weight form the furniture piece is distributed on the cushion and the surrounding perimeter to provide immediate relief for the instability problem. Advantageously, the table balancing pad solves instability problems in a convenient, attractive manner. The user simply slides the stabilization pad under the uneven leg and stabilization of the uneven furniture piece is achieved in an aesthetic, discrete manner. 
     FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  illustrate views of an embodiment of the furniture/table balancing pad wherein the central cushion thickness of the flexible stabilization cushion is greater than the perimeter thickness of the surrounding outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit.  FIG. 1   a  illustrates a top view shown generally at  10 , while  FIG. 1   b  illustrates a side view of the pad shown generally at  20 .  FIG. 1   c  illustrates implementation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  with the leg of a furniture piece, such as a table, shown generally at  30 . Furniture balancing pad  10  is appointed to be slid or placed under an uneven surface of a piece of furniture, such as a table leg, chair or stool, to even the furniture out so that it is balanced. In referring to  FIGS. 1   a ,  1   b  and  1   c , furniture balancing pad  10  comprises a biscuit portion  11  having a top surface  12 , a substantially flat bottom surface  13 , and side walls  14 . Preferably, flat bottom surface  13  of biscuit  11  includes a friction coating  16 . This coating  16  may comprise a polymeric coating, rough surface, or other frictional surfaces and is utilized to mitigate slippage of pad  10  when it is under the furniture piece. 
   A flexible stabilization cushion  20  is attached to top surface  12  of biscuit  11  to form an outer perimeter shelf  15  extending horizontally and adjacently in relation to flexible stabilization cushion  20  and adjacent to side walls  14  of biscuit  11 . Flexible stabilization cushion  20  may have a thickness equal to, greater than, or less than the thickness of the outer perimeter shelf  15 /biscuit  11 . Outer perimeter shelf  15  of biscuit  11  includes a perimeter thickness X, or height, and a shelf depth IX (horizontal). A central cushion thickness V is given to flexible stabilization cushion  20 . This central cushion thickness V is greater than or less than perimeter thickness X of outer perimeter shelf  15 . In this embodiment central thickness V is greater than the perimeter thickness X. 
   As arranged, flexible stabilization cushion  20  and outer perimeter shelf  15  of biscuit  11  are appointed to level and buttress an uneven leg base  33  or uneven surface when furniture balancing pad  10  is slid under leg base  33  of a piece of furniture  31 . Shelf  15  acts as a support lip for the furniture piece as can be seen in  FIG. 1   c . As shown in  FIG. 1   c , furniture  31  has a leg  32  with a leg base  33 . Leg base  33  has a foot  34  with a foot periphery  35  there around. In this figure, foot  34  has been worn so that it is uneven, thus causing piece of furniture  31  to become wobbly, unstable, and in need of leveling. Pad  10  is simply slid under foot  34  as leg  32  is lifted slightly. Upon insertion of pad  10 , leg  32  is released and the weight of furniture  31  is applied to flexible stabilization pad  20 , thereby deforming it as indicated in  FIG. 1   c . As flexible stabilization pad  20  is deformed, foot periphery  35  of leg base  33  bears down on outer perimeter shelf  15  to stabilize and level furniture piece  31 . 
   Biscuit  20  may be composed of a rigid material. Preferably, biscuit  20  may be composed of a flexible rubber material. Flexible stabilization cushion  20  is preferably composed of a flexible, resilient rubber or foam material. Most preferably, furniture biscuit  11  and flexible stabilization cushion  20  are composed of a highly durable rubber material and manufactured as a single pad  10 . Alternatively, flexible stabilization cushion  20  is removably attached to biscuit  11  and replacement cushions  20  are available or provided. Furniture balancing pad  10  may be square in shape, circular, oval, semi-circular, crescent, or biscuit shaped (as shown in  FIG. 1   a - 1   c ). Moreover, the pad  10  visa vie biscuit  11  and flexible stabilization cushion  20  may be manufactured in a plethora of colors and textures so that pad  10  can blend with the furniture piece in a discrete manner. Colors may include brown, black, grey, white, and/or tan to name a few; and the textures may include smooth, glossy, wood-grained, and metallic. 
   Preferably, the flexible stabilization cushion  20  is located centrally on biscuit  11  so that outer perimeter shelf  15  surrounds flexible stabilization cushion  20 . Perimeter thickness X of outer perimeter shelf  15  of biscuit  20  is less than central cushion thickness V of flexible stabilization cushion  20  in  FIG. 1   a - 1   c , so that flexible stabilization cushion  20  extends above outer perimeter shelf  15 . Also, flexible stabilization cushion  20  is herein shown as arcuate and convex. In this manner, flexible stabilization cushion  20  can readily glide under the foot or base of the leg without sharp edges interfering and deforming. The perimeter thickness X of outer perimeter shelf  15  preferably ranges from 0.025 inches to 1 inch, and central cushion thickness V of flexible stabilization cushion  20  preferably ranges from 0.025 inches to 1 inch. Shelf depth IX of outer perimeter shelf  15  preferably ranges from 0.025 inches to 2 inches. As such, pad  10  is sized to easily be slid under a furniture leg after lifting the furniture piece only slight. 
   Cushion  20  may end at top  12  of biscuit  11  or extend downward within biscuit  11  as is shown in  FIG. 1   b  at  22 . In this manner, cushion  20  can be thicker without impacting the overall height of pad  10 , thus enabling pad  10  to remain thinner for easier insertion under the leg of the furniture (i.e. lessens the lifting distance needed for insertion). 
     FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  illustrate views of another embodiment of the furniture/table balancing pad wherein the central cushion thickness of the flexible stabilization cushion is less than the perimeter thickness of the surrounding outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit.  FIG. 1   a  illustrates a top view shown generally at  100 , while  FIG. 2   b  illustrates a side view of the pad shown generally at  120 .  FIG. 1   c  illustrated implementation of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  with the leg of a furniture piece, such as a table, being supported and leveled by the furniture balancing pad shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b , shown generally at  130 . Furniture balancing pad  100  is appointed to be slid or placed under an uneven surface of a piece of furniture  131 , such as a table leg  132 , chair or stool, to even the furniture out so that it is balanced. A flexible stabilization cushion  120  is built-into the body of top surface  112  of biscuit  111  to form an outer perimeter shelf  115  extending horizontally and adjacently in relation to flexible stabilization cushion  120  and adjacent to side walls  114  of biscuit  111 . Flexible stabilization cushion  120  is preferably arcuate and concave so that a foot associated with a base of said leg of a furniture piece is received in concave flexible stabilization cushion  120  and the base of the leg is distributed on shelf depth M 1 , M 2  of outer perimeter shelf  115 . 
   Outer perimeter shelf  115  of biscuit  111  includes a perimeter thickness A, or height, and a shelf depth M (M 1 , M 2 ). Herein, biscuit  111  has an oval shape and stabilization cushion  120  is placed on the side thereof so that the shelf depth M of outer perimeter shelf  115  is different, showing as M 1 , and M 2 . In this embodiment central thickness Y is less than the perimeter thickness A to form an indent for accommodating a foot of furniture&#39;s leg ( FIG. 2   c ). 
   Flexible stabilization cushion  120  and outer perimeter shelf  115  of biscuit  111  are appointed to level and buttress an uneven leg base  133  or uneven surface when furniture balancing pad  110  is slid under leg base  133  of a piece of furniture  131 . Shelf  115  acts as a support lip for the furniture piece as can be seen in  FIG. 2   c . As shown in  FIG. 2   c , furniture  131  has a leg  132  with a leg base  133 . Leg base  133  has a foot  134  with a foot periphery  135  there around. In this figure, foot  314  has been worn so that it is uneven, thus causing piece of furniture  131  to become wobbly, unstable, and in need of leveling. Pad  110  is simply slid under foot  134  as leg  132  is lifted slightly. Upon insertion of pad  110 , leg  132  is released foot  134  engages in concave flexible stabilization pad  120  and weight bears against the pad, deforming same. Foot periphery  135  then bears weight on outer perimeter shelf  115  to stabilize and level furniture piece  131 . 
   The furniture balancing pad may be constructed so that the biscuit is composed of a rigid material while the flexible stabilization pad is composed of a flexible rubber or foam material. Preferably, both the biscuit and the flexible stabilization pad are constructed of a flexible rubber material manufactured as a single, unitary body. Furniture balancing pad  110  may be square in shape, circular, oval (as shown in  FIG. 2   a - 2   c ), semi-circular, crescent, or biscuit shaped. Moreover, the pad  110  visa vie biscuit  111  and flexible stabilization cushion  120  may be manufactured in a plethora of colors and textures so that pad  110  can blend with the furniture piece in a discrete manner. The perimeter thickness A of outer perimeter shelf  115  preferably ranges from 0.025 inches to 1 inch, and central cushion thickness Y of flexible stabilization cushion  120  preferably ranges from 0.025 inches to 1 inch. Shelf depth M 1 , M 2  of outer perimeter shelf  115  preferably ranges from 0.025 inches to 2 inches. As such, pad  110  is sized to easily be slid under a furniture leg after lifting the furniture piece only slight. Preferably Y is ⅛ inch from the inner edge of outer perimeter shelf  115 . Pad  110  is preferably composed of a highly durable rubber material, with biscuit  111  and stabilization cushion  120  manufactured as a single pad  110 ; and can come in an array of sizes, shapes, and colors. 
   Although the figures hereinabove show application of the furniture balancing pad with a leg having a foot or shoe thereon, the pad can be readily utilized on a leg that does not have a foot or shoe. In such a manner, for example, the flat base of the leg engages with the flexible stabilization pad causing same to deform. The periphery around the flat base (relative to the portion engaging the flexible stabilization pad) abuts and engages with the outer perimeter shelf of the biscuit and weight is distributed on same. 
   Having thus described the invention in rather full detail, it will be understood that such detail need not be strictly adhered to, but that additional changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.