A FOOTSTOOL

TABOURET POUR PIEDS

English Abstract

A displacement-resistant footstool (1) comprising a sole-supporting surface (2), a ground-supported base (3) and connecting means (4) that connects the sole-supporting surface (2) to the base (3) and substantially redirects the sole-released forces, which are generated by the weight of the feet and a proportion of the weight of the legs plus any additional foot-pushing forces from a substantially horizontal direction that points away from the person to a substantially vertically downward direction towards and pressing onto the floor. In effect substantially converting the sole-released forces from being displacement forces to being displacement-resistant forces.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne un tabouret pour pieds résistant au déplacement (1) comprenant une surface de support de semelles (2), une base au sol (3) et des moyens de liaison (4) qui relient la surface de support de semelles (2) à la base (3) et redirige sensiblement les forces libérées par les semelles, qui sont générées par le poids du pied et une proportion du poids des jambes ainsi que des forces de poussée des pieds supplémentaires, d'une direction sensiblement horizontale à l'écart de la personne à une direction vers le bas, sensiblement verticale et appuyant sur le sol. Cela permet dans les faits de modifier les forces libérées par les semelles en les transformant de forces de déplacement en forces résistant au déplacement.

Claims

3
Claims
1. A displacement-resistant footstool comprising a sole-supporting surface, a
ground-
supported base and connecting means that connects the sole-supporting surface
to the
base so that when the soles touch the sole-supporting surface the connecting
means
substantially redirects the sole-released forces downwards and thus converting
them into
displacement-resistant forces.
2. A displacement-resistant footstool according to Claim 1, in which the
connecting means
rebounds to its initial position when the footstool is not in use.
3. A displacement-resistant footstool comprising a partially-unstable sole-
supporting
surface, a ground-supported base and connecting means that connects the sole-
supporting
surface to the base and allows the sole-supporting surface to move until it is
supported' by
the base, then triggers its upward rebounding when the footstool is not in
use.
4. A displacement-resistant footstool comprising a substantially horizontally
unstable sole-
supporting surface, a ground-supported base and connecting means that connects
the
sole-supporting surface to the base and allows the sole-supporting surface to
move until
it is supported by the base, then triggers its rebounding when the footstool
is not in use.
5. A displacement-resistant footstool comprising a substantially vertically
unstable sole-
supporting surface, a ground-supported base and connecting means that connects
the
sole-supporting surface to the base and allows the sole-supporting surface to
move
downwards until it is supported by the base then triggers its upward
rebounding when the
footstool is not in use.
6. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 5, in which the
substantially
vertical instability is rotational instability.
7. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 1, in which the
connecting means
is a springing means.

4
8. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 7, in which the
connecting means
is a nested springing means.
9. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 7, in which the
connecting means
is springing means on a sloped platform.
10. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 9, in which the
connecting means
is compression springing means on a sloped platform.
11. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 6, in which the
connecting means
is a combination of hinging means and springing means.
12. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 11, in which the
connecting means
is a combination of hinging means and torsion springing means.
13. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 11, in which the
connecting means
is a combination of hinging means and compression springing means.
14. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 11, in which the
connecting means
is a combination of hinging means and extension springing means.
15. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 6, in which the
connecting means
is a combination of shafting means and clock springing means.
16. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 1, in which the
connecting means
is a gas cylinder means.
17. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 1, in which the
distance between
the sole-supporting surface and the floor is adjustable.
18. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 1, in which the
sole-supporting
surface is wide enough for at least 2 persons to use it.
19. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 1, in which there
are at least 2
separate sole-supporting surfaces for at least 2 persons to use separately.

20. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 1, in which the
resistance of the
connecting means is adjustable.
21. A displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in claim 6, in which the
downward travel
of the sole-supporting surface is adjustable.
22. A footstool substantially as herein described with reference to the
accompanying
drawings.

Description

CA 02766020 2011-06-23
WO 2009/081173 PCTIGB2008/004287
1
A Footstool
The present invention relates to a displacement-resistant sole-supporting
footstool.
A footstool is normally used by a person to support the feet by using the back
of the heels
and or an area all the way up to the back of the calves as a point or points
of contact with the
supporting surface of the footstool. Although this is traditionally regarded
as a comfortable
form of seating, it can encourage slouching.
An alternative way of supporting the feet is to use the soles as the point or
points of contact
with a supporting surface, which - especially if slightly angled so that the
toes are higher than
the heels - can help to minimize slouching. However, unless the supporting
surface that the
soles are being pushed against is of considerable stability, for example it is
fixed to the floor
or a wall, is of an abnormally heavy weight or is connected to the seat that
the person is
sitting on, the forces that are generated by the weight of the feet and a
proportion of the
weight of the legs plus any additional foot-pushing forces will displace the
supporting
surface away from the person and resulting in the soles losing contact with
the supporting
surface.
An object of the invention is to provide a free-standing footstool of normal
weight which can
be used to support the soles of the feet.
The invention provides a displacement-resistant footstool as claimed in Claim
1.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one possible way of constructing the
invention, comprising
a footstool 1 that consists of a rotationally unstable sole-supporting surface
2 that consists of
an upholstered panel 2a and lever arms 2b; a ground-supported base 3 that
consists of a
platform 3a and rubber feet 3b; and connecting means 4 that is hidden
underneath a safety
guard 4c that has slots 4d for lever arms 2b to move freely through.

CA 02766020 2011-06-23
WO 2009/081173 PCT/GB2008/004287
2
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic section of the same footstool as in Figure 1, and
illustrates the
connecting means 4 that consists of a limited-travel hinge 4a that only allows
a travel of
approximately 30 as indicated by reference number 5a, and compression
springing means
4b. Also illustrated in Figure 2 is the angle at which the bottoms of lever
arms 2b are bent
(permanently) which is approximately 30 , as illustrated by reference number
2b~. The initial
angle of the sole-supporting surface in relation to the floor is approximately
60 as indicated
by reference number 5b, which is the angle at which the soles touch the sole-
supporting
surface on first contact.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic section of the same footstool as in Figures 1 and
2, but with the
person's feet 6 in contact with the sole-supporting surface 2 that is shown at
its downward
resting angle, which is approximately 30 in relation to the floor, as
indicated by reference
number 5c.
When the soles come into contact with the sole-supporting surface 2, the
weight of the feet
and a proportion of the weight of the legs plus any additional foot-pushing
forces will cause
the sole-supporting surface - as a result of its rotational instability - to
drop downwards
taking the feet along with it until the resting angle is reached. At this
point, although the
sole-supporting surface 2 will be at a 30 angle in the relation to the floor -
as illustrated by
reference number 5c in Figure 3 - the bottoms of lever arms 2b will be
pressing onto the
hinge 4a in a vertical direction. This means that the sole-released forces,
which originated at
a substantially horizontal direction that points away from the person have
been redirected to
a substantially vertically downward direction towards - and pressing onto -
the floor. In
effect, the sole-released forces will have been substantially converted from
being
displacement forces to being displacement-resistant forces.
The invention can also be manufactured using a variety of manufacturing
techniques
including multi-segment/function moulded plastics, foam or rubber.

Representative Drawing