Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of furniture accessories and, more particularly, to an improved apparatus for raising the level of an item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the invention generally pertains to an improved apparatus for raising the level of a piece of furniture to a desired height. 
     Another aspect of the invention pertains to a riser component that may be combined and stacked with other identical components and oriented in variable directions to create a unique decorative appearance. 
     In accordance with the above aspects of the invention, there is provided a multi-orientation stacking riser that includes a main section; a protruding mating section extending from one surface of the main section; and a recessed mating section formed in an opposite surface of the main section, and wherein the recessed mating section accommodates insertion of a protruding mating section of an identical stacking riser in at least first and second positions. 
     These aspects are merely illustrative of the innumerable aspects associated with the present invention and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views. 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a multi-orientation, stacking riser according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the riser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the riser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the riser of  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the riser of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a series of stacked risers according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. For example, the invention is not limited in scope to the particular type of industry application depicted in the figures. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention. 
       FIGS. 1-6  illustrate a multi-orientation, stacking riser  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In pertinent part, the riser  10  includes a main section  12 , a protruding mating section  14 , and a recessed mating section  16 . In the preferred embodiment, the foregoing sections are integrally formed with one another, for example by injection molding same. The main section  12  provides the primary supporting body for the riser  10 . The protruding  14  and recessed  16  mating sections cooperate with the recessed and protruding, respectively, mating sections of one or more other risers to securely mount one riser on top of another in one of a multiple of respective orientations of the risers. 
     The protruding mating section  14  extends from a top surface  18  of the main section  12 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 , the protruding mating section  14  is provided with square outer dimensions. The outer dimensions of the protruding mating section  14  are sized in a manner to cooperate with the recessed mating section  16  as discussed below. 
     The recessed mating section  16  is advantageously formed in a bottom surface  20  of the main section  12  opposite to the top surface  18 . The references to top and bottom surfaces herein are used solely for the purposes of illustration and to describe the general basic positional relationship between the protruding  14  and recessed  16  mating surfaces. The positioning of the protruding  14  and recessed  16  mating sections is not limited to the top and bottom surfaces of the main section  12  depending upon the manner of application of the riser  10 . 
     The recessed mating section  16  is formed by a depression in the bottom surface  20  of the main section  12 , and, thus, the recessed mating section  16  extends into the interior of the main section  12 . In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the interior of the main section  12  includes a series of ribs that extend from outer walls  24  of the main section  12  toward the middle of the interior of the main section  12 . The ribs lend structural support to the main section  12  of the riser  10  while minimizing the weight of the riser  10  and the amount of material required to form the riser  10 . 
     The recessed mating section  16  is formed by a geometric rib  26  that is formed in a shape that is complementary to the outer dimensions of the protruding mating section  14 . In the illustrated, preferred embodiment, the geometric rib  26  is provided in the form of an eight-pointed “star” that is centered with the interior of the main section  12 . The geometric rib  26  is connected with interior top surface  18  of the main section  12 . It is further connected with one or more of the side walls of the main section  12  either directly or by means of first support ribs  28 . The geometric rib  26  may also be supported by a series of second support ribs  30  that extend within the geometric rib  26  from one side to the other. Both the geometric rib  26  and the first support ribs  28  extend to the bottom surface  20  of the main section  12 . In contrast, the second support ribs  30  located within the geometric rib  26  do not extend entirely to the bottom surface  20 . Those of skill in the art will recognize that the bottom surface  20  in this context is not a solid surface but rather the plane formed by the bottom edges of the outer walls  24  of the main section  12 . 
     The difference in height between the geometric rib  26  and the second support ribs  30  creates a recess so that the second support ribs  30  do not interfere with the positioning of the protruding mating section  12  within the recessed mating section  16  defined by the geometric rib  26  and, furthermore, help define a depth of the recessed mating section  16  to help control how far the protruding mating section  12  extends into the recessed mating section  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the difference in height between the geometric rib  26  and the second support ribs  30  is approximately equal to a height of the protruding mating section  14 . In this manner, two stacked risers  10  will contact one another both at a junction of the bottom of the outer walls  24  with the top surface  18  and a junction of the top of the protruding mating section  14  with the bottom of the second support ribs  30 , resulting in increased stability and strength of the stacked risers. 
     The relationship between the protruding mating section  14  and recessed mating section  16  will now be described in more detail. It will be seen that the outer dimension D of the protruding mating section  14  corresponds, with a tolerance for clearance and for manufacturing variances, to the inner dimension d of the recessed mating section  16  to allow insertion of the protruding mating section  14  into the recessed mating section  16 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the dimensions D and d of the protruding mating section  14  and recessed mating section  16 , respectively, are consistent around both of these sections. Therefore, the protruding mating section  14  and recessed mating section  16  may be rotated relative to one another while still allowing insertion of the protruding mating section  14  into the recessed mating section  16 . More particularly, the shape of the recessed mating section  16  allows for discrete forty-five degree) (45°) rotations—and subsequent insertions—of the protruding mating section  14  of one riser relative to the recessed mating section  16  of another riser. 
     One advantage in the ability to readily vary the orientation of one riser relative to another can be seen in  FIG. 6 . In the illustrated embodiment, each individual riser is molded in the form of a hard back book; other shapes also being suitable for the risers. By varying the relative positioning of one riser to another, differing appearances of stacked books supporting a bed or other piece of furniture can be created. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the riser  10  is injection molded from a suitable plastic material. While the illustrated embodiment of the riser  10  is provided with a series of ribs for internal support of the main section  12  and forming of the recessed mating section  16 , it is also contemplated within the scope of the invention for the main section  12  to be formed from a solid block of material with the recessed mating section  16  being a depression in the otherwise solid block. 
     While the preferred embodiment has been illustrated with a protruding mating section  14  and recessed mating section  16  in the described shapes, other embodiments may utilize other complementary shapes. For example, the protruding mating section  14  and recessed mating section  16  may each be provided in the shape of a circle, which would allow a greater range of relative angular adjustment of the stacked risers. 
     The preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in the best mode known to the inventors. However, as various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiment, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

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