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. A footstool of this type is described in WO 2007/049970 A.

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

More particularly, the displacement-resistant footstool is one in which the connecting means rebounds to its initial position when the footstool is not in use. Suitably the partial instability of the sole-supporting surface is horizontal instability, or vertical instability.

In a particular embodiment the partial instability is rotational instability. Furthermore, the downward travel of the sole-supporting surface may be adjustable.

In a particular embodiment, the connecting means is a springing means such as compressions springing means or suspension springing means and including nested springing means. For instance the connecting means is springing means on a sloped platform.

In another embodiment, the connecting means is a combination of hinging means and springing means. In that case, the springing means may be a torsion springing means, compression springing means or suspension springing means.

In yet a further embodiment the connecting means is a combination of shafting means and clock springing means.

Suitably the connecting means is a gas cylinder means.

Suitably the distance between the sole-supporting surface and the floor is adjustable.

In addition, the sole-supporting surface may be wide enough for at least 2 persons to use it. Alternatively, there are at least 2 separate sole-supporting surfaces for at least 2 persons to use separately.

In some instances, the resistance of the connecting means may be adjustable.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.

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[deg.] 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[deg.] 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.