AU750826B1 - Carpet protection - Google Patents

Description

Name of Applicant Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title:

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Atack Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd Mr Frank Atack CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane QId 4000 Australian Carpet Protection Details of Associated Provisional Applications Nil The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it, known to us: CARPET PROTECTOR TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates a devices for protecting carpets from becoming crushed by furniture and other items.

BACKGROUND ART The legs and base boards of relatively heavy furniture items such as beds, dining tables, wardrobes, entertainment cabinets the like often cause damage to carpets, in particular pile carpets, due to the weight of the articles and the fact that the items are left in the same positions for considerable periods of time.

Carpet piles become crushed and often the damage is permanent.

Carpet protecting devices for the fitment to furniture articles have been proposed in the past.

United States patent no. 5,823,492 describes a device which protects a carpet from furniture by providing a pedestal type device on which the furniture rests.

The device comprised of a generally flat, horizontal element with a plurality of vertical, downwardly projecting, stiff pins attached thereto.

The pins protrude through the carpet pile, through grid openings in the carpet backing, through the carpet pad and onto the floor surface.

The furniture rests on the horizontal element which is held above the carpet by the pins.

The furniture does not touch the carpet itself.

The present invention has similar objectives to the device described by United States patent no. 5,823,492 which is of a simplified format and which is readily fitted to an item of furniture.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a carpet protecting device comprising a flange, a single leg for engagement with the flange the leg comprising a stem which extends from a first major surface of the flange and a spike which extends from a second major surface of the flange characterised in that the stem of the leg is adapted for engagement with an aperture in the base portion of an item of furniture and the spike of the leg provides support for the item of furniture at a predetermined distance above a supporting surface.

The stem of the leg can extend through an aperture in the flange.

The spike of the leg can be provided with a shoulder which is oversized in relation to and extends about the periphery of the aperture in the flange.

The shoulder can form the widest portion of a truncated cone.

The truncated cone can be provided with a horizontal aperture therethrough.

The stem of the leg can be planar.

The stem of the leg can be provided with a taping thread.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of supporting an article of furniture above a supporting surface comprising the steps of fitting carpet protecting devices as aforesaid to the leg or base of the article to ensure that the leg base is supported above the surface of a carpet below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Aspects of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fiqures 1, 2 and 3 are side sectional drawings of carpet protecting devices according to the present invention, and Fiqures la, 2a and 3a are underside views of the carpet protecting devices of figures 1 to 3, and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a chest of drawers fitted with carpet protecting devices of the present invention.

With respect to the drawings where the carpet protecting devices of the present invention are indicated by arrow 1 each device is provided with a horizontal flange 2 and a leg generally indicated by arrow 3.

The leg 3 is adapted to engage in an aperture 4 in the flange 2.

A stem 5 of the leg, which is circular in cross-section, extends from one major surface of the flange.

A spike 6 of the leg extends below the flange 2 and is provided with a shoulder 7 is formed at the base of a frustro conical section 8 of the second portion 6 of the leg.

A pin 9 extends from the frustro conical section 8 of the spike the pin having a sharpened end 9a.

The frustro conical section of the spike can be provided with a horizontal aperture The stems 5 of the legs 3 can be circular in cross-section and have a planar outer surface (figure 1) or a screw thread (figures 2 and 3).

Figure 4 illustrates by way of example the manner in which the devices of the present invention are fitted to a common furniture item such as a chest of drawers.

To fit the devices in the illustrated instance any existing footings can be removed and stored, and the devices are fixed to the base of the chest in corner positions after pilot holes have been drilled in the base.

Similar techniques are adapted for fitting the devices to other furniture articles.

Surfaces over which carpets are laid are generally concrete or timber flooring and the length of the spike 6 will ensure elevation of the supported article where carpet is present to prevent damage by crushing and discolouration which occurs when items of furniture remain in the same position over a period of time.

The length of the spikes 6 is preferably in the order of 20 to The flanges 2 may be square or round.

The stems 5 can be either a push or screw fit in the items to which they are fitted.

The apertures 10 in the legs 3 can be used to assist with an attachment or detachment of the devices to articles of furniture.

The flange and the leg can be separately fabricated from plastics or rust proof metals.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that modifications and additions thereto may be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. A carpet protecting device comprising a flange, a single leg for engagement with the flange the leg comprising stem which extends from a first major surface of the flange and a spike which extends from a second major surface of the flange characterised in that the stem of the leg is adapted for engagement with an aperture in the base portion of an item of furniture and the spike of the leg provides support for the item of furniture at a predetermined distance above a supporting surface.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stem of the leg extends through an aperture in the flange.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the spike of the leg is provided with a shoulder which is oversized in relation to and extends about the periphery of the aperture in the flange.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the shoulder forms the widest portion of a truncated cone.

A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the truncated cone is provided with a horizontal aperture therethrough.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the stem of the leg is planar.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the stem of the leg is provided with a taping thread.

8. A method of supporting an article of furniture above a supporting surface comprising the steps of fitting carpet protecting devices as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 to the leg or base of the article to ensure that the leg base is supported above the surface of a carpet below.

9. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A carpet protecting device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. ATAK ENTERPRISES (AUST) PTY LTD Dated this 25 th day of February 2002 By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.