AU2006100714A4

AU2006100714A4 - Levelling device

Info

Publication number: AU2006100714A4
Application number: AU2006100714A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Deborah Knapp; Donald Knapp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Knapp Donald
Priority date: 2006-08-22
Filing date: 2006-08-22
Publication date: 2006-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-22

Description

LEVELLING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a levelling device in particular by not exclusively to a specially adapted wedge for accurate placement underneath support members of furniture without the hands of the user coming into contact with the ground.

BACKGROUND ART Wedges for wedging between a support member such as legs of tables and the ground or other items of furniture are known. The wobbly table is a well known example of the problem the prior art and the present invention is directed to.

Prior art wedges which are supplied through hardware and other similar retailers are generally bulky devices. To provide an example where such devices are needed and where prior art wedges do not completely provide an adequate solution is in the case of a dining environment where wobbly tables detract from the dining experience.

Prior art wedges such as those used for stopping doors are also too thick or have a tapered profile which is unsuitable for propping a table. Accurately positioning these wedges is also a problem because thumb and finger space between the end of the leg and the ground is limited and can lead to scraped knuckles or fingers or the breaking of finger nails.

The problem is largely due to the fact that the support members or legs of the table sometimes are not level or that there are imperfections in the floor surfaces causing one or more legs to be unsupported. Typical solutions to such problems are the use of napkins or folded pieces of paper or cardboard to prop up the unsupported leg.

Although there are some proprietary devices such as leg ends that screw in or out to compensate for wobbly feet, these devices are difficult to use especially in the dining environment where quick service in required.

The use of drink coasters, cardboard, napkins, cork and matchboxes in such an environment is not only ineffective but is unsightly and the folding of the improvised paper wedge to provide a solution is often very time consuming and can be an inefficient trial and error process.

Furthermore, the use of improvised wedges is not only unsightly, but is also unhygienic for restaurant or dining staff to handle when also serving food.

In addition, such improvised wedges have to be constantly replaced when the table is moved to another portion of the floor. Tables with inbuilt levelling devices such as those that unscrew often get lost when the tables are dragged or are prone to seizing up when rusty and may even be too difficult for the staff to manipulate efficiently.

In addition, dining staff also appear unprofessional when they have to bend over to level a table especially where the apparel of the staff is not suitable for them to adopt such positions.

The problem is also acute when customers tend to move dining tables together which inevitably contributes to at least one table being supported unevenly or in a wobbling position.

Tables with effective levelling devices in their design are often very expensive and are usually only used in five star dining establishments.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to seek to ameliorate or remove some of the disadvantages of the prior art or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION In a broad aspect therefore, the invention resides in a wedge for placing under a support member of an object, typically furniture, including a tapered member having one or more hollow spaces or indents located at the thick end of the tapered member, the hollow space or indent of a sufficient size to accommodate a thumb or a forefinger of a user, wherein in use, the tapered member can be gripped between the thumb and the forefinger of the user without them coming into contact with the ground to position the thin end of the wedge between the support member and the ground.

In a preferred version, the wedge has a pair of opposed hollow spaces or indents forming a planar or web section therebetween thereby enabling the wedge to be also used for wedging between two surfaces where thumb or finger space is limited.

In a more preferred version, the wedge has opposed hollow spaces or indents located on all four sides of its thick end enabling the wedge to be gripped horizontally between a thumb and a forefinger where space for the thumb or forefinger is not limiting or vertically, where such space between the support member and the ground or two adjacent surfaces is limited.

In another example, the wedge has a portion removed only from one side of its thick end to accommodate the thumb or forefinger of a user.

In yet another example, the wedge has substantial opposed portions removed from its thick end to form a medial tang for gripping between the thumb and forefinger.

Preferably the wedge is gripped between a users thumb and forefinger to facilitate accurate placement of the wedge between the support member and the ground or two adjacent surfaces.

Typically, the support member is a leg or base of a table or chair or other item of furniture. In the alternative, the wedge may be used to wedge items of furniture leaning against a wall or between different items of furniture stacked on top of another such that the tendency of the stacked items to fall in the direction of the wedges is reduced.

Preferably, the wedge is made from a resilient plastic or rubber material.

In the alternative the wedge can be made from recycled materials such as recycled timber or plastic.

In the alternative, the wedge can be fabricated from metal such as steel or aluminium with rubber inserts or contact surfaces having a greater coefficient of friction with the surfaces that are to be wedged apart.

Preferably the wedge can be attached by a flexible security line to the support member in a ready to deploy mode.

In the alternative, the wedge can have specially configured attachment means typically a hole for stacking onto a stand having a vertical elongated stem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention be better understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figures 2A 2E show an alternate embodiment of the invention, Figures 3, 4 and 5 show different designs of the invention, Figure 6 shows a method of storage of the invention, and Figures 7A and 7B show use of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is shown a preferred levelling device 10 for placing under support members of furniture according to the invention.

The levelling device or wedge has indents on all four sides 10a, 10Ob, 10Oc, 10Od of the thick end of the wedge to accommodate a forefinger and thumb of the user. This enables the fingers of the user not to contact the ground when placing the wedge accurately between the support member, typically a leg of a table (not shown), and the ground. This is particularly important as hereinbefore mentioned in the case of a dining environment where the waiter's fingers ideally should not touch the ground as the waiter is also handling food. The horizontal indents 10a, 10b allow the wedge to be gripped horizontally between the thumb and the forefinger wherein the vertical indents top 10 Oc and bottom 10 Od of the thick end of the wedge allow the wedge to be gripped vertically in a pinching action by the thumb and forefinger.

Figures 2A 2E show an alternate design 12 of the invention wherein there is an upright medial tang 12a formed by indents 12b, 12c on either side of the wedge for gripping between the thumb 13 and forefinger 15. This also prevents the hands of the user from coming into contact with the ground 17 when placing the wedge under the leg of a table or chair.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show alternate designs 14, 16, 18 of the invention having external shapes of a wine bottle, a beer bottle and a drum stick, respectively. It is envisaged that these designs would appeal to dining establishments who serve the products they represent.

Figure 6 shows a method of storing the wedges on a stand 20 comprising an elongated vertical stem 20a on which the wedges are threaded through a hole 22a, 24a in each wedge 22, 24. It is envisaged that this easy method of storage would encourage users to use the wedges and to return them to the stand as a central station thereby reducing loss of the wedges or inadvertently leaving them lying around.

Figures 7A and 7B show wedges 22, 24 of Figure 6 used to support legs 26, 28 of a table 30. A wedge 22 is shown with hole 22a for threading through the vertical stem 20a of stand 20 of Figure 6. The wedge 22 is gripped by a user thumb 13 and forefinger It would be obvious to the skilled addressee that the wedges also provide a surface on which the wedges may be marked with marketing material, typically advertising, trademarks or corporate identity.

7

VARIATIONS

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.

Claims

1. A levelling device for placing under a support member of an object, typically furniture, including a tapered member having one or more hollow spaces or indents located at the thick end of the tapered member, the hollow space or indent of a sufficient size to accommodate a thumb or a forefinger of a user, wherein in use, the tapered member can be gripped between the thumb and the forefinger without them coming into contact with the ground to position the thin end of the wedge between the support member and the ground.

2. A levelling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the wedge has a pair of opposed hollow spaces or indents forming a planar or web section therebetween thereby enabling the wedge to be also used for wedging between two surfaces where thumb or finger space is limited.

3. A levelling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the wedge has opposed hollow spaces or indents located on all four sides of its thick end enabling the wedge to be gripped horizontally between a thumb and a forefinger where space for the thumb or forefinger is not limiting or vertically, where such space between the support member and the ground or adjacent surfaces to be wedged apart is limited.

4. A levelling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the wedge has a portion removed from only one side of its thick end to accommodate the thumb or forefinger of a user.

A levelling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the wedge has substantial opposed portions removed from its thick end to form a medial tang for gripping between the thumb and forefinger.

6. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the wedge is gripped between a users thumb and forefinger to facilitate accurate placement of the wedge between the support member and the ground.

7. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the support member is a leg or base of a table or chair or other item of furniture, or the wedge used to wedge items of furniture leaning against a wall or between different items of furniture stacked on top of another such that the tendency of the stacked items to fall in the direction of the wedge is reduced.

8. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the wedge is made from a resilient plastic or rubber material.

9. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the wedge can be made from recycled materials such as recycled timber or plastic.

A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the wedge can be fabricated from metal such as steel or aluminium with rubber inserts or contact surfaces having a greater coefficient of friction with the surfaces to be wedged apart.

11. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the wedge can be attached by a flexible security line to the support member or other item in a ready to deploy mode.

12. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein the wedge can have specially configured attachment means typically a hole for stacking onto a stand having a vertical elongated stem.

13. A levelling device as claimed in any of the above claims, wherein a surface of the wedge can be marked with written information, typically advertising, trademarks or corporate identity.