FURNITURE-GLIDE ASSEMBLY

• US 20080244870A1
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiwatt Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Hiwatt Products LLC
• Inventors: Chase, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/42R
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 91/06 Gliders or the like

Abstract

A glide assembly is adapted to be mounted about an existing foot attached to the free end of a leg of a piece of furniture that is adapted to be supported upon a surface. The glide assembly includes a body defining an exterior surface and a bore extending partially through the body to define a hollow interior, an interior surface, a top, open end of the body, and a bottom, closed end of the body disposed opposite the open end. An insert assembly is mountable about the foot and adapted to be received through the open end and fixedly secured within the hollow interior of the body so as to mount the body about the foot. A cap is designed to be replaceably attached to the closed end of the body and adapted to engage the surface upon which the leg is supported.

Claims

1. A glide assembly adapted to be mounted about an existing foot attached to the free end of a leg of a piece of furniture that is adapted to be supported upon a surface, said furniture glide assembly comprising:

a body defining an exterior surface and a bore extending partially through said body to define a hollow interior, an interior surface, a top, open end of said body, and a bottom, closed end of said body disposed opposite said open end;

an insert assembly mountable about the foot and adapted to be received through said open end and fixedly secured within said hollow interior of said body so as to mount said body about the foot; and

a cap designed to be replaceably attached to said closed end of said body and adapted to engage the surface upon which the leg is supported.

2. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said insert assembly defines an exterior surface and a passageway extending at least partially through said insert assembly to define a hollow interior, an interior surface, and at least one open end of said insert assembly, the foot adapted to fit within said hollow interior of said insert assembly to mount said insert assembly about the foot.

3. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said insert assembly defines a pair of opposed open ends of said insert assembly such that a closed end of said body operatively supports a bottom surface of the foot.

4. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said interior surface of said body includes at least one groove and said exterior surface of said insert assembly includes at least one rib adapted to cooperate with said at least one groove to fixedly secure said body about said insert assembly.

5. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein said insert assembly includes a pair of insert parts adapted to be fitted about the foot and securely attached to each other to mount said insert assembly about the foot.

6. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said interior surface of each of said pair of insert parts is adapted to be nested with a corresponding portion of the foot.

7. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein said pair of insert parts are adapted to be snappingly engaged to each other to mount said insert assembly about the foot.

8. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein each end of one of said pair of insert parts combines with a corresponding end of the other of said pair of insert parts to form a snapping mechanism such that when said pair of insert parts are brought into contacting relationship with each other, said pair of insert parts snappingly engage to each other to mount said insert assembly about the foot.

9. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein said snapping mechanism includes a stud located on a side edge of one of said pair of insert parts and a hollow flange located spaced from and substantially directly beneath said stud and extending circumferentially outward from said side edge, an aperture defined into an opposed side edge of the other of said pair of insert parts and adapted to receive said stud when said pair of insert parts are brought into contacting relationship with each other, and a boss located spaced from and beneath said aperture on said exterior surface of the other of said pair of insert parts and adapted to be received within said hollow flange when said pair of insert parts are brought into contacting relationship with each other.

10. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body is substantially spherical such that substantially the same amount of surface area of said glide assembly contacts the floor independent of the angle at which the free end of the leg is engaged relative to the floor.

11. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said closed end of said body defines an annular rim that protrudes downward from said body to provide a recessed volume for replaceably receiving said cap.

12. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said cap is frictionally fitted into said recessed volume.

13. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said cap is bonded with a suitable adhesive to said closed end of said body.

14. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein said cap has at least one of glue and tape disposed thereon for bonding said cap to said closed end of said body.

15. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein a felt pad is disposed upon the cap and adapted to engage the floor.

16. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said rim surrounds at least a portion of said cap.

17. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said cap extends downward a substantial distance below said rim so that said felt pad rests on the underlying surface without said rim contacting the floor.

18. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cap is made of plastic.

19. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein said rim is made of rubber.

20. A furniture-glide assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein said cap and felt pad are substantially water-resistant and impervious to floor chemicals.