AU2009238391A1

AU2009238391A1 - Adjustable Footrest

Info

Publication number: AU2009238391A1
Application number: AU2009238391A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stephen Tabor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-11-24
Filing date: 2009-11-24
Publication date: 2010-06-10

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: STEPHEN TABOR Actual Inventor STEPHEN TABOR Address for service is: WRAYS Ground Floor, 56 Ord Street West Perth WA 6005 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: Adjustable Footrest The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 -2 ADJUSTABLE FOOTREST Field of the Invention This invention is concerned with an adjustable footrest. In particular the invention is concerned with an adjustable footrest which can be employed by a user seated 5 at a desk or workstation. Background Art The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part 10 of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application. Office workers typically spend most hours of a working day seated behind a desk or workstation. As such prolonged periods of being seated can cause a measure of discomfort, particularly when the feet of a worker are placed in a flat position of an office floor, various types of footrests have been developed. Often such 15 footrests comprise a number of differently shaped components which can be rather costly to have manufactured and assembled. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an alternative adjustable footrest which can be produced at relative low cost. Disclosure of the Invention 20 According to the present invention there is provided an adjustable footrest comprising a first and a second extruded support member, each support member comprising a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein the first connector formation of the first support member can be pivotally secured to the second connector formation of the second support member, each support 25 member further comprising an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding an adjustor such that a user can cause the second support member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the first support member and thereafter cause an adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the second support -3 member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the first support member in order to hold the support members in a desired orientation relative to one another. Preferably the adjustable footrest comprises a third extruded support member also having a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein 5 the second connector formation of the third support member can be pivotally secured to the first connector formation of the second support member, the third support member further including an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding a second adjustor such that a user can cause the third support member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the second support 10 member and thereafter cause the second adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the third support member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the second support member in order to hold the second and third support members in a desired orientation relative to one another. Typically the first connector formation defines a socket. 15 Advantageously the second connector formation is provided in the form of a protuberance which is suitably sized for being pivotally held inside the socket defined by the first connector formation. Preferably the adjustment formation comprises a number of spaced apart slots. In an embodiment of the invention the adjustor holder defines an adjustor socket. 20 The adjustor in turn is provided in the form of an elongate body having at one end a protuberance which is suitably sized for being pivotally held inside the adjustor socket, and at its other end a connector which is suitably sized for being held in one of the slots constituting the adjustment formation. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided an extruded 25 support member comprising a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein the first connector formation of the support member can be pivotally secured to a second connector formation of an identical second extruded support member, the support member further comprising an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding an adjustor such that when the support member 30 is connected to the second support member a user can cause the second support -4 member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the support member and thereafter cause an adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the second support member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the support member, thereby holding the support members in a desired orientation relative to 5 one another. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable rest comprising a first and a second support member, each support member comprising a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein the first connector formation of the first support member can be pivotally secured 10 to the second connector formation of the second support member, each support member further comprising an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding an adjustor such that a user can cause the second support member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the first support member and thereafter cause an adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the second support 15 member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the first support member in order to hold the support members in a desired orientation relative to one another. Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 20 Figure 1 shows a side view of an adjustable footrest in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of an extruded support member for use in the adjustable footrest of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a side view of an adjustor for use in the adjustable 25 footrest of Figure 1. Best Mode(s) for Carrying Out the Invention Figure 1 shows an adjustable footrest in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. The adjustable footrest 10 can be placed on a floor surface proximate a desk or workstation of a -5 user and can support the feet of the user when seated. The adjustable footrest 10 comprises a first, second and third support member which are identically shaped and respectively indicated with the reference numerals 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3. The adjustable footrest 10 is further provided with 5 a first and a second adjustor 14.1 and 14.2 which are located respectively between the first and second support members 12.1 and 12.2 and the second and third support members 12.2 and 12.3 as shown. By adjusting the adjustors 14.1 and 14.2 it is possible to orientate the support members 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 relative to one another, as will be described below, thereby allowing a user to 10 manipulate the support members in order to assume a desired orientation. The desired orientation will, amongst other features, be a function of the posture of the specific user as well as the chair and seated position of the user. Figure 2 shows a side view of the first support member 12.1. As previously mentioned all the support members 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 have the same shape, 15 therefore, the description of the first support member 12.1 which follows will also apply to the second and third support members 12.2 and 12.3. The first support member 12.1 is provided in the form of an extruded aluminium component having a first connector formation 16.1 at its one end and a second connector formation 16.2 at its other end. In this embodiment of the invention the 20 first connector formation 16.1 defines a socket as shown, while the second connector formation 16.2 is provided in the form of a protuberance which is suitably sized for being pivotally held inside the socket of the first connector formation 16.1 of an adjacent support member. The end of the first support member 12.1 provided with the second connector formation 16.2, also includes a 25 third connector formation 16.3 which is similar in shape to the first connector formation 16.1, that is, it defines a socket which is suitably sized for pivotally holding the protuberance of a second connector formation 16.2 of an adjacent support member. Towards the centre of its bottom surface the first support member 12.1 includes 30 an adjustor holder 18 which defines an adjustor socket 20. Also, the first support member 12.1 is provided with an adjustment formation 22 in its upper surface and -6 towards the end having the second connector formation 16.2. In this embodiment of the invention the adjustment formation 22 is provided in the form of a number of spaced apart slots 24.1, 24.2, ..., 24.6. As shown, the slots 24.1, 24.2, ..., 24. 6 have different orientations. The reason for the different orientations will be readily 5 appreciated from the description which follows. Figure 3 shows a side view of the adjustor 14.1. As the adjustor 14.1 is identical to the adjustor 14.2, the description of the adjustor 14.1 which follows below will also apply to the adjustor 14.2. The adjustor 14.1 is provided in the form of an elongate body 26 which is curved towards its centre at position 28. At its one end 10 the adjustor 14.1 has a protuberance 30 which is suitably sized for being pivotally held inside the adjustor socket 20 of the adjustor holder 18. At its other end the adjustor 14.1 includes a connector 32 which is shaped as shown. Specifically, the connector 32 is suitably sized for being held in any one of the slots 24.1, 24.2, ..., 24.6 constituting the adjustment formation 22. Finally the adjustor 14.1 includes a 15 protruding member 34 on its bottom surface which will in use serve to keep the adjustor 14.1 spaced apart from an adjacent support member when the adjustable footrest 10 is caused to be collapsed. Although not shown in the drawings, it is envisaged that the protruding member 34 may have a resilient member, such as a coil spring, attached to it in order to provide that the adjustable footrest 10 is 20 spring-loaded. In this embodiment of the invention the adjustors 14.1 and 14.2 are produced from extruded aluminium. The operation of the adjustable footrest 10 will now be described with specific reference to Figure 1 of the drawings. As shown, the protuberance of the second 25 connector formation 16.2 of the second support member 12.2 is pivotally held by the socket of the first connector formation 16.1. Also, the protuberance 30 of the adjustor 14.1 is pivotally held inside the adjustor socket 20 of the second support member 12.2. The second and third support members 12.2 and 12.3 are connected in a similar manner with the adjustor 14.2 disposed therebetween. 30 In order to adjust the orientation of the second support member 12.2 relative to the first support member 12.1 the connector 32 of the adjustor 14.1 is removed -7 from the relevant slot of the adjustment formation 22. Hereafter the second support member 12.2 can be caused to undergo an amount of pivotal movement when its second connector formation 16.2 is caused to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the first connector formation 16.1 of the first support 5 member 12.1. Once the support members 12.1 and 12.2 have been located in a desired orientation the connector 30 of the adjustor 14.1 is located in a suitable slot of the adjustment formation 22. The adjustor 14.1 and adjustment formation 22 thus cooperates in order to hold the first and second support member 12.1 and 12.2 in a desired orientation. 10 A similar procedure can be followed in order to have the second and third support members 12.2 and 12.3 orientated into a desired position. It will be appreciated that by providing that the adjustable footrest can be constructed with the use of essentially two types of components it is possible to manufacture footrests at relative low costs. 15 It will also be appreciated that although specific mention has been made to the fact that the support members and the adjustors are produced from extruded aluminium, it will be readily appreciated that a range of materials could be used in producing a footrest in accordance with the invention. It is also envisaged that the adjustable footrest as described above need not 20 necessarily be employed as a footrest but that it could be used as a rest in a range of applications. Although not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is envisaged that the adjustable footrest may include ends caps for providing the footrest with a neat and finished appearance. 25 Also, although not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is envisaged that the support members may have areas of increased thickness for added strength. Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

- 8 Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. 5

Claims

1. An adjustable footrest comprising a first and a second extruded support member, each support member comprising a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein the first connector formation of the 5 first support member can be pivotally secured to the second connector formation of the second support member, each support member further comprising an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding an adjustor such that a user can cause the second support member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the first support 10 member and thereafter cause an adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the second support member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the first support member in order to hold the support members in a desired orientation relative to one another.

2. An adjustable footrest according to claim 1 comprising a third extruded 15 support member also having a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein the second connector formation of the third support member can be pivotally secured to the first connector formation of the second support member, the third support member further including an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding a second adjustor 20 such that a user can cause the third support member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the second support member and thereafter cause the second adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the third support member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the second support member in order to hold the second and third support members in 25 a desired orientation relative to one another.

3. An adjustable footrest according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first connector formation defines a socket.

4. An adjustable footrest according to claim 3 wherein the second connector formation is provided in the form of a protuberance which is suitably sized 30 for being pivotally held inside the socket defined by the first connector formation. -10

5. An adjustable footrest according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the adjustment formation comprises a number of spaced apart slots.

6. An adjustable footrest according to claim 5 wherein the adjustor holder 5 defines an adjustor socket.

7. An adjustable footrest according to claim 6 wherein the adjustor is provided in the form of an elongate body having at one end a protuberance which is suitably sized for being pivotally held inside the adjustor socket, and at its other end a connector which is suitably sized for being held in one of the 10 slots constituting the adjustment formation.

8. An extruded support member comprising a first connector formation and a second connector formation wherein the first connector formation of the support member can be pivotally secured to a second connector formation of an identical second support member, the support member further 15 comprising an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding an adjustor such that when the support member is connected to the second support member a user can cause the second support member to undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the support member and thereafter cause an adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the second 20 support member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the support member, thereby holding the support members in a desired orientation relative to one another.

9. An adjustable rest comprising a first and a second support member, each support member comprising a first connector formation and a second 25 connector formation wherein the first connector formation of the first support member can be pivotally secured to the second connector formation of the second support member, each support member further comprising an adjustment formation and an adjustor holder for holding an adjustor such that a user can cause the second support member to 30 undergo an amount of pivotal movement relative to the first support member and thereafter cause an adjustor held by the adjustor holder of the - 11 second support member to cooperate with the adjustment formation of the first support member in order to hold the support members in a desired orientation relative to one another.

10. An adjustable footrest substantially as herein described and illustrated. 5

11. An extruded support member substantially as herein described and illustrated.

12. An adjustable rest substantially as herein described and illustrated.