EP0693264A1 - Foot rest device for work table - Google Patents

Abstract

The foot rest consists of two transverse bars (31,19) between the side panels (7a,b) of a work table, one to act as a stop for the foot rest and the other as a support about which the foot rest can pivot. The foot rest itself comprises two side bars (23) which are connected to the pivot bar (19) by elastic rings (27), and a number of transverse rungs (29) between the side bars. The lower ends of the side bars have tips (25) which rest on the floor. The foot rest can be used in a lower position, in which its tips rest on the floor, or an upper one, with its side bars resting on the stop bar (31). In variants of the design the foot rest can be in the form of a panel or a ladder on its side. The bars can be, for example, of wood in plastics sleeves. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a footrest device for a work table of the school desk type.

A work table of the school desk type generally comprises a tray carried by two lateral supports connected together by one or more transverse bars. For some models, one of these crossbars is placed low above the ground so that it forms a footrest. However, with such a device, the position of the footrest bar cannot be adjusted, so that, whatever the position of the body, the feet always rest at the same height.

One could imagine equipping a work table of the aforementioned type with a footrest crossbar which can fit into notches in one and the other of the lateral supports at different heights. Such a device would however be inconvenient to use and would cause repeated and noisy manipulations such as to disturb the general working atmosphere, in particular when the footrest device fitted to a school desk.

Document DE-A-16 54 733 also discloses a footrest device with adjustable inclination. This device comprises a footrest member mounted between the lateral supports of the table to pivot around a transverse axis between different positions of use. Maintaining the footrest member in a desired position is ensured by a stop member disposed downward and forward relative to the transverse axis of rotation of the footrest member to cooperate with a notch associated with this position, formed in this footrest member. However, in this device, the footrest member extends cantilevered forward, which requires the use of a high mechanical strength connection between the footrest member and the supports lateral of the table, or, failing this, results in a relative fragility of this connection. In addition, the variation in the inclination of the footrest member is small and its adjustment is inconvenient.

The main objective of the invention is to design an adjustable footrest device for convenient use.

In order to achieve this goal, there is provided according to the invention a footrest device for a work table comprising a plate having a front edge and a rear edge, two lateral supports on which the plate is fixed, the device rests -feet comprising a footrest member mounted between the two lateral supports, for pivoting about a transverse axis substantially parallel to the plate, and a stop member integral with the work table and disposed on the pivot path of the member footrest around the transverse axis upwards and backwards with respect to this transverse axis.

Thus, when a user is in the working position, the footrest member can be placed in abutment against the ground to offer the feet a low support close to the body, corresponding to a bent position of the legs, suitable for work writing. Conversely, for a more relaxed listening position of the body, the footrest member can be placed in abutment against the abutment member in order to offer the feet a high and distant support from the body, corresponding to a stretched legs.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the footrest member comprises at least two uprights mounted to pivot around the transverse axis substantially perpendicular to this axis, and interconnected by at least one transverse bar substantially parallel to the transverse axis .

According to another embodiment, the footrest member comprises a transverse bar extending between the two lateral supports along the transverse axis to pivot around this axis, and a plurality of bars mounted on the transverse bar perpendicular to this bar.

Advantageously, the stop member consists of a transverse bar extending between the lateral supports parallel to the transverse axis.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective représentant une table de travail équipée du dispositif repose-pieds selon un premier mode de réalisation de la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective illustrant plus en détail le dispositif repose-pieds de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de face de la figure 2;
• la figure 4 est une vue suivant la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3;
• la figure 5 est une vue analogue à la figure 3, l'organe repose-pieds étant en appui contre l'organe de butée;
• la figure 6 est une vue suivant la ligne VI-VI de la figure 5;
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 2, illustrant un second mode de réalisation du dispositif repose-pieds selon l'invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of particular non-limiting embodiments in conjunction with the appended figures, among which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a work table equipped with the footrest device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating in more detail the footrest device of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a front view of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a view along line IV-IV of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, the footrest member being in abutment against the stop member;
• Figure 6 is a view along line VI-VI of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating a second embodiment of the footrest device according to the invention.

In Figure 1, there is shown a work table 1 comprising a plate 3 having a front edge 5a and a rear edge 5b, resting in the vicinity of its lateral edges 6a and 6b on two lateral supports 7a and 7b. These lateral supports here consist of plates, for example of wood, having an arc cutting line of circle delimiting, in the upper part of each plate, an arm 9 for supporting the plate 3 and, in the lower part of this plate, a foot 11 which is supported on a substantially horizontal ground 13. Table 1 is further equipped with the footrest device 15 according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 2 in particular, the footrest device 15 comprises a footrest member 17 rotatably mounted on a transverse bar 19 which extends between the lateral supports 7a and 7b, along a transverse axis 21 substantially parallel to the plate 3 and perpendicular to the supports 7a and 7b.

The footrest member 17 here comprises two uprights 23 each carrying at one of their ends, an end piece 25 and, at their other end, an elastic ring 27, for example of molded plastic, C-shaped having an opening directed laterally relative to the uprights 23. Each elastic ring 27 encloses the transverse bar 19, so that the uprights 23 are mounted to pivot around the bar 19 substantially perpendicular to this bar. The uprights 23 are furthermore interconnected by two transverse bars 29 which extend parallel to the transverse bar 19.

The footrest device 15 further comprises another transverse bar 31 extending parallel to the axis 21 between the lateral supports 7a and 7b, and disposed on the pivoting path of the footrest member around the axis. transverse upwards and backwards with respect to the bar 19.

The bar 31, the bar 19, the uprights 23 and the bars 29 are for example made in the form of elements consisting of a wooden core coated with a plastic tube.

The footrest member 17 can be placed in two different positions. In a first position, illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the ends 25 of the uprights 23 bear on the ground 13, so that the uprights 23 extend obliquely downward and forward. In such a position, a person seated at the table 1 in the working position can advantageously place his feet on one of the transverse bars 29 or on the transverse bar 19, which corresponds to a bent, more or less raised position, of the legs.

In a second position, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the uprights 23 bear, at their ends, on the transverse bar 31 which thus forms a stop member. The uprights 23 then extend obliquely upwards and backwards, so that the feet of the person seated at the work table 1 can rest either on the back of the heel on one of the bars 29 or one of the transverse bars 19 and 31, either by the plant on the two bars 29 or on the bar 31 and the bar which is adjacent to it.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 7, the footrest device, which is here referenced 33, comprises a footrest member 34 consisting of a crossbar 35 extending between the two lateral supports 7a and 7b along the transverse axis 21 to pivot about this axis, and a plurality of bars 37 mounted on the transverse bar 35 perpendicular to the axis 21. The ends of the bars 37 opposite the bar 35 are connected to each other by a second transverse bar 39 parallel to the axis 21. The device also comprises a stop member arranged obliquely upwards and backwards with respect to the bar 35, a member which is here identical to the bar 31.

As before, the footrest member 33 can be placed in two different positions: a position in which the bar 39 rests on the ground 13, and a position in which the bars 37 are supported. against the bar 31. In each of these two positions, the feet of the person who is seated at the work table 1 bear on the bars 37 of the footrest member 33 whose position is chosen in correspondence with a position feet which is best suited to the general attitude of the body.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described but on the contrary covers any variant incorporating, with equivalent means, the essential characteristics set out in the claims.

For example, although the stop member of the device according to the invention has been described in the form of a transverse bar 31, it is of course possible to produce this stop member in any other form, such as for example a stud or any other type of stop protruding from the lateral supports 7a and 7b or even in the form of a panel disposed between the lateral supports, the footrest member then resting on the internal face or on the upper edge of this sign. These abutment members can also be removable so as to be able to occupy different locations corresponding to different positions of the footrest member more or less inclined relative to the horizontal.

Similarly, the footrest member, which has been described previously in the form of an arrangement of bars and bars, can be produced in the form of a flat plate or in steps, or any other member offering support for the feet.

Claims (4)

Footrest device for a work table (1) comprising a plate (3) having a front edge (5a) and a rear edge (5b), two lateral supports (7a, 7b) on which the plate (3) is fixed , the device comprising a footrest member (17, 34), mounted between the two lateral supports (7a, 7b) to pivot around a transverse axis (21) substantially parallel to the plate (3), characterized in that it comprises a stop member (31) integral with the work table (1) and disposed on the pivoting path of the footrest member (17, 34) around the transverse axis (21), upwards and backwards with respect to this transverse axis. Footrest according to claim 1, characterized in that the footrest member (17) comprises at least two uprights (23) mounted to pivot around the transverse axis (31) substantially perpendicular to this axis, and connected between them by at least one transverse bar (29) substantially parallel to the transverse axis (21). Footrest according to claim 1, characterized in that the footrest member (34) comprises a transverse bar (35) extending between the two lateral supports (7a, 7b) along the transverse axis (21 ) to pivot about this axis, and a plurality of bars (37) mounted on the crossbar (35) perpendicular to this bar. Footrest according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop member (31) consists of a transverse bar extending between the lateral supports (7a, 7b) parallel to the transverse axis (21) .

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