CN219762882U - Device for providing support for an object to be rested and piece of furniture for resting an object thereon - Google Patents

Abstract

Various embodiments relate to an apparatus, comprising: a lever configured to be pressed; a support plate configured to support a rest plate for resting an object thereon; and a tilting mechanism comprising: a pinion coupled to the support plate and configured to adjust an angle of the support plate relative to the reference surface, and a rack pivotably connected to the lever, wherein when the lever is depressed, the lever is configured to pull the rack away from the pinion such that gear teeth of the rack disengage from corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to allow the pinion to adjust the angle of the support plate, and when the lever is de-depressed, the lever is configured to push the rack toward the pinion such that gear teeth of the rack engage with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to secure the pinion.

Description

Device for providing support for an object to be rested and piece of furniture for resting an object thereon

Technical Field

Various embodiments relate to a device for providing support for a resting object.

Background

The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure only. It should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the disclosure.

Typically, footrests are used to support a user's feet when the user is seated in a seat, such as a chair. Such footrests may provide increased comfort to the user by reducing some of the additional weight on the foot. Conventional footrests may generally be adjustable to accommodate users having different heights. For example, one or more angles of the footrests may be adjustable with respect to user input.

However, conventional footrests may have some problems. For example, a conventional foot rest may be adjustable only to a limited number of predetermined angles. Another problem with conventional footrests may be that the angular adjustment of the footrests may be quite complex. For example, some conventional footrests may require the use of tools and thus may not facilitate the adjustment of the angle.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved foot rest that seeks to address at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

Disclosure of Invention

According to various embodiments, there is an apparatus for providing support for a resting object, comprising: a joystick configured to be pressed in response to a user input; a support plate configured to support a rest plate for resting an object thereon; and a tilting mechanism comprising: a pinion coupled to the support plate and configured to adjust an angle of the support plate relative to the reference surface, wherein the pinion includes gear teeth thereon, and a rack directly or indirectly pivotably connected to the lever and disposed adjacent to the pinion, wherein the rack includes gear teeth configured to engage with corresponding gear teeth on the pinion, wherein when the lever is pressed, the lever is configured to pull the rack away from the pinion such that the gear teeth of the rack disengage from corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to allow the pinion to adjust the angle of the support plate, and when the lever is de-pressed, the lever is configured to push the rack toward the pinion such that the gear teeth of the rack engage with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to secure the pinion.

According to various embodiments, there is a piece of furniture for resting an object thereon, comprising: a joystick configured to be pressed in response to a user input; a rest plate configured to rest an object thereon; a support plate configured to support the rest plate; and a tilting mechanism comprising: a pinion coupled to the support plate and configured to adjust an angle of the support plate relative to the reference surface, wherein the pinion includes gear teeth thereon, and a rack directly or indirectly pivotably connected to the lever and disposed adjacent to the pinion, wherein the rack includes gear teeth configured to engage with corresponding gear teeth on the pinion, wherein when the lever is pressed, the lever is configured to pull the rack away from the pinion such that the gear teeth of the rack disengage from corresponding gear teeth of the pinion, allowing the pinion to adjust the angle of the support plate, and when the lever is de-pressed, the lever is configured to push the rack toward the pinion such that the gear teeth of the rack engage with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to secure the pinion.

Brief description of the drawings

In the drawings, generally, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the utility model. In the following description, various embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a device according to various embodiments.

Fig. 2 illustrates an exploded view of an apparatus according to various embodiments.

Fig. 3 illustrates a side view of a device in a locked state according to various embodiments.

Fig. 4 illustrates a side view of a device in an unlocked state according to various embodiments.

Fig. 5 illustrates a side view of the device in an unlocked state at a maximum tilt angle, in accordance with various embodiments.

Fig. 6 illustrates a side view of the device in a locked state at a maximum tilt angle, according to various embodiments.

Fig. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F and 7G illustrate perspective, top, bottom, front, rear, left and right views of a device for use in a foot rest.

Detailed Description

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate, by way of illustration, specific details and embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and structural and logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The various embodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments may be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments.

The present disclosure illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations which are not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, the terms "comprising," "including," "containing," and the like are to be construed broadly and without limitation. 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. Furthermore, the terms and expressions which have been employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure. Thus, it should be understood that while the present disclosure has been specifically described in exemplary embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the disclosure herein embodied may be resorted to by those skilled in the art.

Features described in the context of one embodiment may be applied correspondingly to the same or similar features in other embodiments. Features described in the context of one embodiment may be correspondingly applied to other embodiments, even if not explicitly described in these other embodiments. Furthermore, additions and/or compositions and/or substitutions described for features in the context of one embodiment may be applied accordingly to the same or similar features in other embodiments.

In the context of various embodiments, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are used with respect to a feature or element to include references to one or more of the feature or element. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Although terms such as "first," "second," etc. may be used to describe various elements, such elements are not limited to the above terms. The terms are used merely to distinguish one element from another element and do not define the order and/or meaning of the elements. A first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the present description.

It should be understood that the terms "above," "top," "bottom," "below," "side," "rear," "left," "right," "front," "lateral," "side," "upper," "lower," and the like when used in the following description are for convenience and to aid in understanding the relative position or orientation, and are not intended to limit the orientation of any apparatus, structure or any portion of any apparatus or structure.

The term "coupled" (or "connected") herein may be understood as mechanically coupled, e.g., attached or fixed, or just in contact without any fixation, and it is understood that either a direct coupling or an indirect coupling (in other words, coupling without direct contact) may be provided.

Furthermore, the singular terms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Similarly, the term "or" is intended to include "and" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In order that the utility model may be readily understood and put into practical effect, various embodiments will now be described by way of example and not limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a device 100 according to various embodiments. Fig. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the apparatus 100 according to various embodiments.

In some embodiments, an apparatus 100 may be provided for providing support for a shelving object. In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 may be used with a rest plate (not shown) to rest an object on the rest plate. In some embodiments, furniture (not shown) may include the device 100 and a rest plate. In some embodiments, the furniture may also include a body or housing (not shown) that encloses the device 100. In some embodiments, the object may include, but is not limited to, at least a portion of a user's body and at least a portion of an article. For example, at least a portion of the body may include, but is not limited to, a foot, a leg, an arm, a wrist, and a hand. For example, the furniture may include a foot rest or a wrist rest. The item may be any item that the user wishes to rest on the rest plate, such as a book, tablet or notebook. For example, furniture may include a bookshelf, a tablet rack, or a notebook rack. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the medical device, electronic device, engineering device, and/or manufacturing device may include apparatus 100 for providing support for a resting object.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the device 100 may include a joystick 1, a support plate 12, and a tilting mechanism 20.

In some embodiments, the joystick 1 may be a trigger mechanism of the device 100. In some embodiments, the joystick 1 may be configured to be pressed in response to user input on the joystick 1. In some embodiments, the joystick 1 may be decompressed and returned to the original position, for example, when the user is decompressed. In some embodiments, joystick 1 may include, but is not limited to, pedals, hand-held joysticks, and handles. It will be appreciated that any other type of joystick 1 may be used, which joystick 1 may provide the necessary range of rotational angle ranges in response to user input.

In some embodiments, the support plate 12 (also referred to as a "bracket 12") may interface with the bracket 30 (see fig. 7F and 7G), and the bracket 30 may in turn be placeable on a reference surface (e.g., a floor). In some embodiments, the floor may include, but is not limited to, an indoor floor, an outdoor floor, a vehicle floor, a floor, and a surface of any object (e.g., a table). In general, the floor may be any reference surface upon which furniture (which contains the device 100) is placed. In some embodiments, the support plate 12 may be configured to support a resting plate to rest objects thereon. In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include a single support plate 12 and a single tilting mechanism 20. In some other embodiments, the device 100 may include a plurality of support plates 12 and a plurality of tilting mechanisms 20, for example, two support plates 12 and two tilting mechanisms 20 connected to each end of the joystick 1. In some embodiments, the support plate 12 may be made of metal or formed of metal.

In some embodiments, the tilting mechanism 20 may include a rack 10 and a pinion 11. The rack and pinion may be used for conversion between linear and rotational motion, including rotational translation. According to various embodiments of the present utility model, the rack 10 and pinion 11 may act as a locking mechanism along the linear slot guide, configured to limit two degrees of freedom together or simultaneously (as described below).

As shown in fig. 2, in some embodiments, the pinion gear 11 may be coupled to a support plate 12. In some embodiments, the pinion gear 11 may be configured to adjust the angle of the support plate 12 relative to a reference surface (e.g., a floor). In some embodiments, pinion gear 11 may include gear teeth thereon. For example, gear teeth may be disposed on at least a portion of the pinion gear 11. In some embodiments, the gear teeth of pinion gear 11 may be made or formed from sintered steel.

In some embodiments, the rack 10 may be directly or indirectly pivotably connected to the joystick 1. For example, as shown in fig. 2, the rack 10 may be indirectly pivotably connected to the lever 1 by a lock arm 7. As another example, although not shown, the rack 10 may be directly pivotably connected to the joystick 1. As shown in fig. 2, in some embodiments, the rack 10 may be placed near the pinion 11. In some embodiments, the rack 10 may include gear teeth configured to mesh with corresponding gear teeth on the pinion gear 11. For example, the rack 10 may include a row of gear teeth. In some embodiments, the gear teeth of the rack 10 may be made or formed from sintered steel.

In some embodiments, the gear teeth of the rack 10 and the gear teeth of the pinion 11 may perform the function of unlocking the tilting mechanism 20 by pivoting about a pivot point fixed relative to the support plate 12. Thus, when the lever 1 is actuated by pressing, the gear teeth of the rack 10 can be disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11.

In some embodiments, when the lever 1 is pressed, the lever 1 may be configured to pull the rack 10 away from the pinion gear 11 such that the gear teeth of the rack 10 disengage from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion gear 11 to allow the pinion gear 11 to adjust the angle of the support plate 12.

In some embodiments, when the lever 1 may be de-pressed, the lever 1 may be configured to push or push the rack 10 toward the pinion gear 11 such that the gear teeth of the rack 10 mesh with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion gear 11 to fix the pinion gear 11 to prevent the angle of the support plate 12 from being adjusted.

In some embodiments, the pinion 11 may comprise at least one cylindrical pinion. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the pinion gear 11 may include two cylindrical pinion gears 11a, 11b (hereinafter referred to as a "first cylindrical pinion gear 11a" and a "second cylindrical pinion gear 11 b"). In some embodiments, the first cylindrical pinion 11a and the second cylindrical pinion 11b may include gear teeth. For example, the first cylindrical pinion 11a and the second cylindrical pinion 11b may be shaped similar to a conventional pinion having gear teeth that are capable of engaging and interlocking with gear teeth on the rack 10 when the rack 10 and pinion 11 interact. In some embodiments, the pinion gear 11 may further include a bridge 11c connecting the first cylindrical pinion gear 11a and the second cylindrical pinion gear 11 b. In some embodiments, bridge 11c may not include gear teeth. In some embodiments, the bridge 11c may be made or formed of a rigid material.

In some embodiments, the support plate 12 may include at least one slot (which may serve as a linear slot guide). As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the support plate 12 may include two slots 13a, 13b (hereinafter referred to as "first slot 13a" and "second slot 13 b"). In some embodiments, each of the first slot 13a and the second slot 13b may form an elongated hole. In some embodiments, the first slot 13a and the second slot 13b may be arranged to extend in different directions on the support plate 12 to guide movement of the respective pinion 11a, 11b within the slots 13a, 13 b. For example, the first slot 13a and the second slot 13b may be non-parallel with respect to each other. In some embodiments, the first and second cylindrical pinions 11a and 11b may be configured to freely slide along the first and second slots 13a and 13b, respectively, to determine a motion profile (motion profile) of the pinion 11 to adjust the angle of the support plate 12. In some embodiments, the first slot 13a and the second slot 13b may serve as reference features for securing the rotational axis of the connecting member (e.g., the shaft 6 and the rack 10) thereto.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may further include a lever mounting plate 4 and a connecting member. In some embodiments, the lever mounting plate 4 may be made or formed from sheet metal. In some embodiments, the lever mounting plate 4 may serve as a fixed reference feature of the device 100, e.g., the main axis of rotation of the lever 1. In some embodiments, the lever mounting plate 4 may be pivotably coupled to the lever 1 along a pivot axis. In some embodiments, the joystick 1 may be directly or indirectly connected to the tilting mechanism 20. In some embodiments, the connecting member may be configured to connect the joystick 1 to the tilting mechanism 20, e.g., the locking arm 7 of the tilting mechanism 20. In some embodiments, the connecting member may be elongated and disposed along the pivot axis. For example, the connection component may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: a shaft 6 and a cable. In some embodiments, the lever 1 may be mounted on the lever mounting plate 4 along a pivot axis. For example, the lever 1 may be mounted on the lever mounting plate 4 along a pivot axis by a slide bearing and directly connected to a connecting member, e.g., the shaft 6, along the pivot axis.

In some embodiments, the connecting member (e.g., shaft 6) may be used as a means to convert rotational motion of the joystick 1 into linear motion to pull the rack 10 away or push the rack 10 toward the pinion 11. In some embodiments, for example for space reasons, a connection part (e.g. the shaft 6) may be used as a trigger point, wherein the tilting mechanism 20 is located at a specific distance from the joystick 1.

Although not shown, in some other embodiments, the device 100 may not include a connection component if the lever 1 may be directly connected to the locking arm 7 and the lever 1 and locking arm 7 may not rotate relative to each other.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may further comprise a biasing mechanism, which may be in the form of an elastic element 3 (hereinafter "first elastic element 3") that may provide elasticity. In some embodiments, the first resilient element 3 may include, but is not limited to, a torsion spring, a coil spring, a spiral spring, and an elastic band. In some embodiments, the first elastic element 3 may be connected to the joystick 1. For example, a pair of first elastic members 3 may be connected to each end of the lever 1. In some embodiments, the first resilient element 3 may be configured to preload the lever 1 to the lever mounting plate 4.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may further comprise a latch plate 2 and a lock switch 5. In some embodiments, the latch plate 2 may be mounted on the bottom of the lever 1 and bent toward the lever 1. In some embodiments, when the lever 1 is pressed, the latch plate 2 may perform the function of holding the tilting mechanism 20 in the unlocked state by interacting with the lock switch 5 (the lock switch 5 is latched to the latch plate 2). In some embodiments, the lock switch 5 may be configured to latch onto the latch plate 2. For example, when the lever 1 is pressed in response to a user input, the latch plate 2 may be configured to latch onto the lock switch 5 to prevent the lever 1 from returning to the original position due to the elasticity of the first elastic member 3. In this way, the rack 10 and pinion 11 can remain disengaged.

In some embodiments, the lever mounting plate 4 may include a slot 4a (also referred to as a "guide 4 a"). In some embodiments, the slot 4a may be elongated to retain the lock switch 5 therein. In some embodiments, the lock switch 5 may be configured to slide along the slot 4a by user input. When the lever 1 is pressed in response to a user input, the lock switch 5 may be configured to slide along the slot 4a until the latch plate 2 is locked to the lock switch 5. In this way, the rack 10 and pinion 11 can be kept disengaged.

Although not shown, in some other embodiments, the device 100 may not include the lock switch 5 if the tilting mechanism 20 is not required to remain in a state in which the gear teeth of the rack 10 are disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11.

In some embodiments, when the lever 1 can be de-pressed, the locking arm 7 can be rotated back to the original position, pushing the rack 10 back down to the pinion 11 to interact again with the gear teeth of the pinion 11. Thus, by locking the position of the pinion 11 in place along the first and second slots 13a, 13b in the support plate 12, the sliding movement of the pinion 11 can be restricted again.

In some embodiments, the first elastic element 3 may be configured to facilitate the return of the lever 1 to the initial position by the elasticity of the first elastic element 3 when the lever 1 is decompressed. In some embodiments, the first elastic element 3 may preload the lever 1, ensuring that the lever 1 returns to the initial position after being released from the compression of the user input, so that the gear teeth of the rack 10 are re-engaged with the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11.

In some embodiments, the locking arm 7 may be connected to a connection member, such as the shaft 6 and the rack 10. In some embodiments, the locking arm 7 may be elongated. In some embodiments, the locking arm 7 may include one end pivotally attached to a connecting member (e.g., the shaft 6) and another end pivotally attached to the rack 10. Although not shown, in some other embodiments, the locking arm 7 may be directly connected to the lever 1 without a connecting member, and the lever 1 and the locking arm 7 may not rotate relative to each other.

As shown in fig. 2, in some embodiments, the rack 10 may include cam slots 14. In some embodiments, the cam slot 14 may be provided at one end of the rack 10. For example, cam slots 14 may be provided at the protruding ends of the elongate rack 10. In some embodiments, the profile of the cam slot 14 may define a single rotational motion. In some embodiments, the locking arm 7 may comprise a cylindrical pin 9. In some embodiments, a cylindrical pin 9 may be riveted to the other end of the locking arm 7. In some embodiments, the cylindrical pin 9 may act as a cam follower within the cam slot 14. In some embodiments, the cylindrical pin 9 may be confined within the cam slot 14 and configured to slide along the cam slot 14.

In some embodiments, when the lever 1 is pressed, the connecting member (e.g., the shaft 6) may be configured to rotate along the pivot axis to trigger a corresponding rotation of the locking arm 7. For example, when the lever 1 is pressed, the connecting member (e.g., the shaft 6) may be configured to rotate along the pivot axis from the lever mounting plate 4 to the support plate 12, and the rotational movement of the lever 1 is directly transmitted to the lock arm 7. The locking arm 7 may be rotated by a rotational movement of a connecting member, such as the shaft 6.

In some embodiments, when the locking arm 7 is rotated by rotational movement of the connecting member (e.g., the shaft 6), the locking arm 7 (e.g., the cylindrical pin 9 of the locking arm 7) may be configured to move the rack 10 to follow a separate rotational movement determined by the profile of the cam slot 14 to disengage the gear teeth of the rack 10 from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11. For example, the rack 10 may rotate in the same plane as the locking arm 7, but along a separate pivot axis defined or defined by the profile of the cam slot 14. In this way, the rack 10 can be pivoted out of the gear teeth of the pinion 11 along a separate pivot axis. Thus, the gear teeth of the rack 10 may be disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11.

When the rack 10 rotates as determined by the profile of the cam slot 14 by the rotational movement of the connecting member (e.g., shaft 6), the rack 10 may be pulled away from the pinion 11, and thus the gear teeth of the rack 10 may be disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11.

In some embodiments, when the gear teeth of the rack 10 are disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11, the first and second cylindrical pinions 11a and 11b may be allowed to slide along the first and second slots 13a and 13b, respectively, so that the angle of the support plate 12 with respect to the floor may be adjusted. In addition, when the first cylindrical pinion 11a and the second cylindrical pinion 11b are located at any point along the first slot 13a and the second slot 13b, respectively, the tilting mechanism 20 may be engaged again. Advantageously, the desired function of locking the position of the pinion 11 at any desired point along the first and second slots 13a, 13b can be achieved.

In some embodiments, the tilting mechanism 20 may further include a biasing mechanism in the form of an elastic element 8 (hereinafter referred to as "second elastic element 8") that may provide elasticity. In some embodiments, the second resilient element 8 may include, but is not limited to, a torsion spring, a coil spring, a spiral spring, and an elastic band. In some embodiments, the second elastic element 8 may be attached to the support plate 12 and the rack 10. For example, the second elastic member 8 may include one end attached to the support plate 12 and the other end attached to the rack 10. In some embodiments, the rack 10 with the second resilient element 8 may be configured to pull the rack 10 away from the pinion 11 when the locking arm 7 is rotated by a rotational movement of the connecting member (e.g. the shaft 6). The following risks can advantageously be reduced: the lack of disengagement between the rack 10 and pinion 11 due to friction or gravity may disable the function of the device 100.

Although not shown, in some embodiments, the device 100 may also include precision bearings at the rotating components such as the lever 1, the locking arm 7, and the rack 10 to ensure a more controlled and smoother rotational motion.

As described above, according to various embodiments, by mechanically restricting movement of sliding components (such as the lock arm 7, the rack 10, and the pinion 11), gear teeth on the pinion 11 and gear teeth on the rack 10 may mesh to provide engagement at different positions/angles.

In this manner, various embodiments may use cam followers (also referred to as "cam and follower systems"). Thus, the user may have more control over different movements than individual trigger points for each of the different movements. Advantageously, various embodiments may allow a user to easily adjust the tilt angle at a desired angle with a higher resolution through user input (e.g., using the user's foot), and to selectively lock at the adjusted tilt angle. Furthermore, various embodiments may save space by optimizing the range of rotational movement of moving parts (such as the lock arm 7, the rack 10, and the pinion 11) by the cam follower. Furthermore, since various embodiments may use a gear mechanism that prevents slippage from a mechanical standpoint rather than utilizing friction, the force bearing of the tilting mechanism 20 may be designed with a higher acceptance criteria by controlling the materials and dimensions of the components.

Fig. 3 illustrates a side view of the device 100 in a locked state, according to various embodiments. Fig. 4 illustrates a side view of the device 100 in an unlocked state, according to various embodiments.

As shown in fig. 3, when the lever 1 is not pressed (i.e., when the lever 1 is released), the lock arm 7 may push the rack 10 toward the pinion 11 to interact with gear teeth of the pinion 11. Accordingly, the gear teeth of the rack 10 may mesh with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion gear 11 (e.g., the first cylindrical pinion gear 11a of the pinion gear 11). In this way, the pinion 11 can be locked without adjusting the angle of the support plate 12.

As shown in fig. 4, when the lever is pressed in response to a user input, the lock arm 7 may be rotated by a rotational movement of the connection member (e.g., the shaft 6). The locking arm 7 (e.g., cylindrical pin 9 of locking arm 7) may be configured to push the rack 10 to follow a separate rotational movement determined by the profile of the cam slot 14. In this way, the rack 10 can be pivoted out of the gear teeth of the pinion 11 along a separate pivot axis. Accordingly, the gear teeth of the rack gear 10 may be disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion gear 11 to allow the pinion gear 11 to adjust the angle of the support plate 12.

Fig. 5 illustrates a side view of the device 100 in an unlocked state at a maximum tilt angle, according to various embodiments. Fig. 6 illustrates a side view of the device 100 in a locked state at a maximum tilt angle, according to various embodiments. It is understood that the maximum tilt angle may be determined by the length of the first slot 13a and/or the second slot 13 b.

As shown in fig. 5, when the lever 1 is pressed, the gear teeth of the rack 10 can be disengaged from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11. The first and second cylindrical pinions 11a and 11b may be allowed to slide along the first and second slot sliding holes 13a and 13b, respectively, so that the angle of the support plate 12 with respect to the floor can be adjusted. For example, the first cylindrical pinion 11a may slide downward along the first slot 13a, and the second cylindrical pinion 11b may slide upward along the second slot 13 b. In this way, the angle of the support plate 12 with respect to the floor can be adjusted to a maximum inclination angle.

As shown in fig. 6, when the lever 1 is decompressed, the lock arm 7 can push the rack 10 toward the pinion 11 to interact with the gear teeth of the pinion 11. Thus, the gear teeth of the rack 10 may be re-meshed with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion gear 11 (e.g., the first cylindrical pinion gear 11a of the pinion gear 11). In this way, the pinion 11 can be locked at a desired angle (e.g., the maximum inclination angle of the support plate 12).

Fig. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F and 7G show perspective, top, bottom, front, rear, left and right views of a device for use in a foot rest. The foot rest comprises a device 10 with two tilting mechanisms 20, each tilting mechanism 20 being connected to the lever 1 by a respective connecting member, for example a shaft 6. Each tilting mechanism 20 may be pivotally attached to the bracket 30 by two cylindrical pinions 11a, 11 b. In use, the stand 30 may be placed on a floor, when the lever 1 is pressed, the lever 1 is configured to pull the rack 10 away from the pinion 11 such that the gear teeth of the rack 10 disengage from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11 to allow the pinion 11 to adjust the angle of the support plate 12 relative to the floor, and when the lever 1 is pressed, the lever 1 is configured to push the rack 10 towards the pinion 11 such that the gear teeth of the rack 10 engage with the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion 11 to secure the pinion 11.

The rest plates may be placed on the two support plates 12 such that when the support plates 12 are tilted by the tilting mechanism, the rest plates are correspondingly tilted. In one possible use, the user may rest his/her foot on the rest plate and actuate the tilting mechanism 20 by pressing the lever 1 with one foot to actuate the lever 1, thereby disengaging the pinion 11 from the rack 10. The rest plate can then be tilted using the other foot until the desired angle with respect to the floor is obtained. The lever 1 may then be released so that the pinion 11 engages the rack 10 to hold the rest plate at the desired angle.

In some embodiments, the rest plate may include a cushion 70 and a rigid base plate 71, the cushion 70 may be removably attached to the base plate 71. The cushion 70 may be coated with an antimicrobial material or made or formed of an antimicrobial fabric. The base plate 71 may be made of a rigid material that can bear the weight of a foot resting on and exerting pressure on it.

In some embodiments, the bumper pad 70 can include a plurality of grooves 72 extending along a surface of the bumper pad 70. The plurality of grooves 72 may be configured to facilitate air circulation. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of grooves 72 may be shaped as a channel and spaced apart from an adjacent groove/channel. The space or gap between each channel and an adjacent channel may be configured to maximize the comfort of a person resting on the cushion 70. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of grooves 72 may have a depth of about four (4) millimeters. In some embodiments, the bumper pad 70 can have chamfered edges.

In some embodiments, the slot guides or slots 13a and 13b may be configured to be inclined at an angle of about ±15 degrees with respect to the floor or surface.

In some embodiments, at least a portion of the rack 10 and/or pinion 11 (e.g., gear teeth) may be made or formed from Polyoxymethylene (POM). POM may have self-lubricating properties that may be used to reduce friction. In some embodiments, the POM may be coated onto sintered steel as previously described.

In some embodiments, instead of using the shaft 6 as a reference feature, other mechanisms such as cables may be considered.

It is contemplated that the device 100 may be applied to a variety of furniture that may require the incorporation of a tilting mechanism. Non-limiting examples may include armrests, desktops, notebook computer racks, wrist rests.

While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the disclosure is therefore indicated by the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (28)

1. An apparatus for providing support for a resting object, comprising:

a joystick configured to be pressed in response to a user input;

a support plate configured to support a rest plate for resting an object thereon; and

a tilting mechanism, comprising:

a pinion gear coupled to the support plate and configured to adjust an angle of the support plate relative to a reference surface, wherein the pinion gear includes gear teeth thereon, and

a rack directly or indirectly pivotably connected to the lever and disposed adjacent the pinion, wherein the rack includes gear teeth configured to mesh with corresponding gear teeth on the pinion, characterized by:

when the lever is pressed, the lever is configured to pull the rack away from the pinion such that gear teeth of the rack disengage from corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to allow the pinion to adjust the angle of the support plate, and

when the lever is de-pressed, the lever is configured to push the rack toward the pinion such that gear teeth of the rack mesh with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to secure the pinion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pinion gear comprises a first cylindrical pinion gear and a second cylindrical pinion gear, the first cylindrical pinion gear connected to the second cylindrical pinion gear by a bridge, each of the first cylindrical pinion gear and the second cylindrical pinion gear comprising gear teeth thereon, and

the support plate includes a first slot and a second slot, and the first cylindrical pinion and the second cylindrical pinion are configured to slidably move along the first slot and the second slot, respectively, to determine a movement track of the pinion to adjust an angle of the support plate.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a lever mounting plate pivotably coupled to the lever along a pivot axis, and the lever is directly or indirectly connected to the tilting mechanism.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a connection member disposed along the pivot axis and configured to connect the lever to the tilting mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the connection means comprises at least one of: a shaft and a cable.

6. The apparatus of any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising a first resilient element configured to preload the lever to the lever mounting plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a latch tab mounted on a bottom portion of the lever, and a lock switch configured to latch on the latch tab,

wherein the latch tab is configured to latch on the lock switch when the lever is pressed to prevent the lever from returning to an initial position due to an elastic force of the first elastic member.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the lever mounting plate includes a slot and the lock switch is configured to slide along the slot.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the first resilient element is configured to facilitate return of the lever to the initial position when the lever is de-stressed.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein the tilting mechanism further comprises a locking arm comprising one end pivotally attached to the connecting member and another end pivotally attached to the rack.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the connecting member is configured to rotate along the pivot axis to trigger rotation of the locking arm when the lever is depressed.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the rack includes a cam slot at one end of the rack, the locking arm including a cylindrical pin confined within the cam slot and configured to slide along the cam slot.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein when the locking arm is rotated by the rotational movement of the connecting member, the cylindrical pin of the locking arm is configured to urge the rack to follow a separate rotational movement determined by the profile of the cam slot to disengage the gear teeth of the rack from the corresponding gear teeth of the pinion.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the tilting mechanism further comprises a second resilient element comprising one end attached to the support plate and another end attached to the rack, the second resilient element configured to pull the rack away from the pinion when the locking arm rotates.

15. A piece of furniture for resting an object thereon, comprising:

a joystick configured to be pressed in response to a user input;

a rest plate configured to rest an object thereon;

a support plate configured to support the rest plate; and

a tilting mechanism, comprising:

a pinion gear coupled to the support plate and configured to adjust an angle of the support plate relative to a reference surface, wherein the pinion gear includes gear teeth thereon, and

a rack directly or indirectly pivotably connected to the lever and disposed adjacent the pinion, wherein the rack includes gear teeth configured to mesh with corresponding gear teeth on the pinion, characterized by:

when the lever is pressed, the lever is configured to pull the rack away from the pinion such that gear teeth of the rack disengage from corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to allow the pinion to adjust the angle of the support plate, and

when the lever is de-pressed, the lever is configured to push the rack toward the pinion such that gear teeth of the rack mesh with corresponding gear teeth of the pinion to secure the pinion.

16. The article of furniture of claim 15, wherein the pinion gear comprises a first cylindrical pinion gear and a second cylindrical pinion gear, the first cylindrical pinion gear being connected to the second cylindrical pinion gear by a bridge, each of the first cylindrical pinion gear and the second cylindrical pinion gear including gear teeth thereon and being connected by a bridge, and

the support plate includes a first slot and a second slot, and the first cylindrical pinion and the second cylindrical pinion are configured to slidably move along the first slot and the second slot, respectively, to determine a movement track of the pinion to adjust an angle of the support plate.

17. The article of furniture of claim 16, further comprising a lever mounting plate pivotably coupled to the lever along a pivot axis, and wherein the lever is directly or indirectly connected to the tilt mechanism.

18. The article of furniture of claim 17, further comprising a connecting member disposed along the pivot axis and configured to connect the lever to the tilt mechanism.

19. The article of furniture of claim 18, wherein the connecting member comprises at least one of: a shaft and a cable.

20. The article of furniture of any one of claims 17 to 19, further comprising a first resilient element configured to preload the lever to the lever mounting plate.

21. The article of furniture of claim 20, further comprising a latch tab mounted on a bottom portion of said lever, and a lock switch configured to latch on said latch tab,

wherein when the lever is pressed, the latch piece is configured to latch on the lock switch to prevent the lever from returning to an initial position due to the elastic force of the first elastic member.

22. The article of furniture of claim 21, wherein said lever mounting plate includes a slot, said lock switch being configured to slide along said slot.

23. The article of furniture of claim 21, wherein said first resilient element is configured to facilitate return of said lever to said initial position when said lever is de-stressed.

24. The article of furniture of claim 18, wherein said tilting mechanism further comprises a locking arm comprising one end pivotally attached to said connecting member and another end pivotally attached to said rack.

25. The article of furniture of claim 24, wherein said connecting member is configured to rotate along said pivot axis to trigger rotation of said locking arm when said lever is depressed.

26. The article of furniture of claim 25, wherein said rack includes a cam slot at one end of said rack, said locking arm including a cylindrical pin captured within said cam slot and configured to slide along said cam slot.

27. The article of furniture of claim 26, wherein when said locking arm is rotated by rotational movement of said connecting member, said cylindrical pin of said locking arm is configured to urge said rack to follow a separate rotational movement defined by the profile of said cam slot to disengage gear teeth of said rack from corresponding gear teeth of said pinion.

28. The article of furniture of claim 25, wherein the tilting mechanism further comprises a second resilient element comprising one end attached to the support plate and another end attached to the rack, the second resilient element configured to pull the rack away from the pinion when the locking arm rotates.