Orthopedic footstool

• US 4,813,742 A
• Filed: 12/22/1987
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ortho-Stools, LLC
• Original Assignee: Barry P. Cardinael
• Inventors: Cardinael, Barry P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rendos, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US07/137,524
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 297/438, 297/439, 297/175, 297/424, D 6/349, D 6/350, D 6/362
• US Class Current: 297/423.41
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 16/02 Footstools; Foot-rests; Leg-rests

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a footstool for use in conjunction with nursing or bottle feeding an infant. The footstool provides stable support for a mother seated while feeding or holding her baby. The footstool includes a skid resistant surface and rubber stud means for preventing the tilting and shifting of the platform while the mother is seated during the nursing of her child. The invention is especially designed so that the legs which support the inclined platform do not substantially extend outward from under the platform, allowing the entire frame to be more rigid and less susceptible to tilting which otherwise would occur when a force is applied to opposite edges of the footstool in the normal course of its use.

Claims

1. A footstool providing stability and orthopedic support, particularly for a nursing mother,

an inclined platform defining a plurality of edges and having a flat upper surface;

at least two pair of legs positioned at opposite edges of said platform for supporting said inclined platform;

each of said pair of legs having legs of unequal length;

each leg of said two pair of legs positioned at an angle with respect to said inclined platform such that each leg contacts a floor below said platform within a perimeter defined by the edges of said platform;

said legs being provided with rubber studs for engaging the floor and preventing slippage;

said inclined platform causing an angle of about ten to twelve degrees with the horizontal, with the higher edge of the platform being the front of the platform and stool, and the lower edge of the platform being the rear thereof;

the front of said platform being about five to nine inches high and the rear of said platform being about two inches lower;

said platform being formed of low thermal conductivity material, having surface grooves, and having an extent of about 10 to 12 inches front-to-back and about 12 to 13 inches from side to side; and

the legs adjacent the front of said stool being mounted back from the front edge of the platform and being oriented substantially perpendicular to said platform.

2. The footstool of claim 1, wherein:

each pair of legs, having legs of unequal length, have a shorter leg and a longer leg, with the ratio of the shorter leg to the longer leg being about 2 to 3.

3. A footstool providing stability and orthopedic support, comprising:

an inclined platform defining a plurality of edges and having a flat upper surface;

at least two pair of legs positioned at opposite edges of said platform for supporting said inclined platform;

each of said pair of legs having legs of unequal length; and

each leg of said two pair of legs positioned at an angle with respect to said inclined platform such that each leg contacts a floor below said platform within a perimeter defined by the edges of said platform;

skid resistant means provided along the upper surface of said platform;

each pair of unequal length legs being formed as an arch extending from within the surface of the platform outwardly to points substantially at the perimeter of the projection of the platform on a supporting surface;

the platform and its supporting legs forming a fixed and rigid frame;

the underside of each of said legs supporting said inclined platform having a non-skid stud means attached to said leg by recessed securement means;

said inclined platform being tilted at an angle within the range of 9-13 degrees above the horizontal.

each pair of legs including legs of unequal length, with the higher side of said platform being the front thereof, and being about 53/4 inch to 7/34 inches in height; and

the opposite side of said platform forming the rear thereof and having a height of about two inches less than the front thereof; and

the transverse dimensions of said inclined platform being in the range of 101/2-141/2 inches the legs adjacent the front of said stool being mounted back from the front edge of the platform and being oriented substantially perpendicular to said platform.

4. The footstool of claim 3, wherein:

a pair of flat span members extend between said two pair of legs downward from an edge of said inclined platform.

5. The footstool of claim 3, wherein the skid resistant means provided along the upper surface comprises:

a plurality of transverse spaced apart grooves in the upper surface of said inclined platform, providing aeration and traction.

6. The footstool of claim 3, wherein said footstool is made from a material selected from the group consisting of wood and low thermal conductivity plastic.

7. The footstool of claim 3, wherein the non-skid stud means are rubber inserts and the recessed securement means is a screw fastened through each insert into the underside of each leg.