WO2007114711A1 - A base support - Google Patents

Abstract

A base 1 for supporting articles on a floor 7 clear of any carpet 6 thereon to avoid forming imprints in the carpet 6. The base 1 maybe of any desired shape and comprises a planar body 2 with at least three legs 4 disposed in a stabilising manner. The lower ends 5 of the legs 4 are pointed as will substantially penetrate a carpet 6 to seat on a supporting solid substrate, typically a floor 7, on which the carpet 6 is laid. The length of the legs 4 is such as to dispose the body 2 of the base 1 adjacently above the carpet 6. Thus neither any article supported on the base 1 nor the base 1 itself will form an imprint in the carpet 6. A preferred form of the base 1 is particularly suitable for supporting potted plants or similar articles. To that end a bund forming rim 3 can be formed around the periphery of the body 2 to contain spillage or seepage from the potted plant. Preferably the base 1 includes recesses 8 configured to the same pattern as the legs 4 but off-set thereto enabling 'legs toward legs' packing of two bases 1. Also preferably the legs 4 include voids 9 in their upper sections enabling nesting of a stack of the bases 1.

Description

Title: A Base Support

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to bases for supporting articles adjacently above a substrate. More particularly the invention relates to a base for supporting an article of furniture on a carpet covered floor.

BACKGROUND ART

A problem with articles of furniture sited, particularly for a reasonable lengthy period, on a carpet covered floor can be the residual imprint of the article in the carpet when the furniture article is moved. This problem can be compounded in the case of potted plants or similar articles requiring periodic watering as spilled water can settle in any indentation caused by the article while in situ. With removal of the article no only may there be a residual imprint thereof but it may also have become stained by any such spillage. To that end, it is known to provide a base support particularly for pot plants which includes a plurality of spaced apart feet. However, the feet still seat on the carpet and create indentations.

An object of this invention is to provide a base support that it is envisaged will overcome the aforesaid problems, the base support creating substantially no imprint or indentation when used on a carpet covered floor or similar surface. A further object of the invention is to provide the public with a useful choice. Herein references to carpet are to be considered as covering carpet with or without an associated underlay.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a base to support articles on and adjacently above a substrate broadly comprising a substantially planar body with at least three rigid depending support legs characterised in that each leg includes at least a lowermost section that tapers downwardly and inwardly to terminate with an end in the form of a substantially acutely shaped point. According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a base as described in the preceding paragraph wherein the legs are spaced apart from one another in a regular pattern and the length of the legs being commensurate to the thickness of a typical carpet on a flooring substrate whereby the legs can be located substantially through the carpet to rest on the floor with the body disposed adjacently above the obverse side of the carpet.

According to a third aspect of this invention there is provided a base as described in either of the two immediately preceding paragraphs wherein each leg tapers downwardly and inwardly at a constant taper for substantially its full length with the acuteness of the taper creating a terminating lower end section sufficiently pronounced to penetrate a typical carpet.

According to a fourth aspect of this invention there is provided a base as described in either of the two immediately preceding paragraphs wherein the base is formed with a rigid unitary body with recesses formed in the lower face of the body in a regular pattern corresponding to the pattern of the legs but off-set thereto enabling two bases to be placed in a legs toward legs juxtaposition with the lower ends of the legs of each base seating in the recesses of the opposing base.

According to a fifth aspect of this invention there is provided a base as described in any one of the first four aspects of this invention wherein the base is formed with a unitary body with the legs thereof formed with voids opening to the upper face of the body enabling stacking of a plurality of the bases in a nested configuration by the lower ends of the legs of an uppermost base of two bases in a stack of the bases seating within the voids of the lower base of the two bases in a repeating manner in the stack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In further describing the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments and wherein:

Figure. 1 is a perspective view from above of an embodiment of the base particularly suitable for use as a support for a potted plant, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the base of Figure 1 in a typical in situ situation sited on a carpet, including underlay, covered floor, the carpet, underlay and floor being depicted partly schematically in cross-section, and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the base of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a cross-section view of the base of Figures 1 and 3 taken on line A-A shown on Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of two bases as depicted in Figures 1 and 3 disposed in juxtaposition legs toward legs and inter-located as described below, and

Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure 5, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention envisaged as being more suitable for supporting furniture articles having a "footprint" somewhat larger than a typical potted plant.

BEST MODEFORCARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring in particular to the embodiment depicted in Figures 1-6 inclusive a base 1 is preferably moulded to be transparent from a suitable styrene based plastics material to be a unitary piece. The material preferably has substantial strength to provide the base 1 with appropriate rigidity to avoid buckling or similar distortion when an article of reasonable weight is supported thereon. The base 1 preferably comprises a substantially planar circular body 2 incorporating radially disposed strengthening ribs 2a. Preferably the body 2 incorporates an upstanding rim 3 joining with the ribs 2a to further strengthen the body 2

The rim 3 also forms a bund about the periphery of the body 2 to facilitate retention of any water spilled or seeping from a potted plant (not depicted) or similar supported on the base 1.

The body 2 preferably integrally incorporates at least three depending support legs 4 disposed in a classical triangular or "tripod" configuration to provide stability to the base 1. Preferably the legs 4 are disposed adjacent the periphery of the base 1 and are of a tapering configuration. More particularly each leg 4 includes at least a lowermost section 4a that tapers downwardly and inwardly of itself to terminate with a lower end 5 in the form of a substantially acutely shaped point. Preferably each leg tapers inwardly and downwardly for its full length in a constant tapering conical configuration. As particularly illustrated in Figure 2 the configuration of a leg end 5 is that of a substantially acutely shaped point such that the leg ends 5 can "penetrate" a carpet 6 and seat directly on a substrate, typically as depicted a solid floor 7, supporting the carpet 6. Preferably the lowermost section 4a of a leg 4 is solid with the moulding process forming a void 9 in the upper section of aleg4. The void 9 opens to the upper f ace of the planar body 2.

It will be appreciated the extent and exact nature of the "penetration" will depend upon the nature of the carpet 6 including any underlay 6a. It may be that rather than truly penetrate a carpet 6 there may be, as illustrated, just localised "pin-point" compression of the underlay 6a and maybe also any backing of the carpet 6. Furthermore the tapering configuration of the legs 4 will tend to marginally part the pile of a carpet 6 and thus achieve "penetration" but without any subsequently noticeable imprinting or penetration of the carpet 6. The length of a leg 4 is commensurate and preferably marginally longer than the thickness of a typical carpet 6 installation. This provides that when the base 1 is placed as aforesaid the planar body 2 of the base 1 is disposed adjacently clear of the obverse face 6b of the carpet 6. Thus it will be seen therefore that neither the base 1 nor any article seated thereon will cause an imprint in the carpet 6 either while in situ or following removal of a base 1 and/or an articled supported thereon.

Preferably the base 1 incorporates means to assist in the packaging, transportation and/or storing of a plurality of bases 1. To that end small recesses 8 are preferably formed in the underside 2c of the body 2. The recesses 8 are disposed in the same pattern as the legs 4 but off-set by 60 degrees thereto. A recess 8 is sized to be able to seat a lower end 5 of a leg therein. Thus, as depicted in Figure 5 a pair of bases 1 can be disposed in a legs 4 toward legs 4 juxtaposition with the lower ends 5 of the legs 4 of each base 1 seating in the recesses 8 of the opposing base 1. Additionally, it will be appreciated that a multitude of bases 1 can be stacked together in a nested configuration. More particularly the lower ends 5 of the legs 4 of an uppermost base 1 can be nested or seated into the voids 7 of a next lower base 1 in a repeating manner to form a stack. With the lower two bases 1 of a stack seated together as described above and depicted in Figure 5 the legs 4 of each base 1 of the stack are enveloped by the associated planar bodies 2.

As depicted in Figures 1-6 inclusive the preferred embodiment of the base 1 suitable for potted plants is of a round configuration. However, it will be appreciated that other configurations and other leg 4 layouts and numbers of legs 4 could be utilised to achieve the same end. Further, the shape and dimensions may vary considerably to be commensurate with the underside of an article to be seated thereon. For example, referring in particular to Figure 7 (with the same numerals being used to identify the same or similar features) a base Ia may be in the form of a rectangular rigid mat with an array of legs 4 such as would be suitable for supporting a dressing table (not depicted) or similar article of furniture. The base Ia may or may not include a bund rim 3 and/or strengthening ribs 2a (not depicted). It may be sized to be commensurate to the "footprint" of the article intended to be supported thereby or appropriately smaller with the intent more than one base Ia be used. It will of course be appreciated that several of the bases 1 and/or a mix of the bases 1 and Ia could be used in a similar manner.

Claims

1 A base to support articles on and adjacently above a substrate comprising a substantially planar body with at least three rigid depending support legs characterised in that each leg includes at least a lowermost section that tapers downwardly and inwardly to terminate with an end in the form of a substantially acutely shaped point.

2 A base as claimed in claim 1 wherein the legs are spaced apart from one another in a regular pattern and the length of the legs being commensurate to the thickness of a typical carpet on a flooring substrate whereby the legs can be located substantially through the carpet to rest on the floor with the body disposed adjacently above the obverse side of the carpet.

3 A base as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each leg tapers downwardly and inwardly at a constant taper for substantially its full length with the acuteness of the taper creating a terminating lower end section sufficiently pronounced to penetrate a typical carpet.

4 A base as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the base is formed with a unitary rigid body with recesses formed in the lower face of the body in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the layout of the legs but off-set thereto enabling two bases to be placed in a legs toward legs juxtaposition with the lower ends of the legs of each base seating in the recesses of the opposing base.

5 A base as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the base is formed with a unitary body with the legs thereof formed with voids opening to the upper face of the body enabling stacking of a plurality of the bases in a nested configuration by the lower ends of the legs of an uppermost of two bases in a stack of the bases seating within the voids of lower base of the two bases in a repeating manner in the stack.

6 A base as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a bund forming rim is provided about the periphery of the body. 7 A base as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the lower leg ends are formed as a substantially acutely shaped point such that the leg ends can penetrate a carpet and seat directly on a solid substrate for the carpet

8 A base substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.